State funds boost Lancaster County creek restoration efforts

Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley, along with the Lancaster Clean Water Partners, marked a significant investment in stream and floodplain restoration projects on Little Conestoga Creek. The initiative was celebrated at the Blue Green Connector Project, with over $4 million in state funds fueling the collaboration led by the Little Conestoga Creek Foundation and the Steinman Foundation.

The Blue Green Connector site epitomizes the effectiveness of sustained investments through programs such as Growing Greener. These initiatives aim to restore watersheds, mitigate pollution, and enhance recreational opportunities within Pennsylvania's part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. As part of DEP's Earth Week events, Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley and project collaborators delivered speeches and toured the project site.

"DEP is proud to be part of the ongoing effort to restore Little Conestoga Creek, reduce pollution, improve flood resiliency, and create the Blue Green Connector. This project will provide environmental education in a recreational setting, strengthening the community's connection to nature," said Acting DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. "Children who have meaningful environmental experiences become better stewards of our natural resources as adults, so it was fitting to visit this project serving an Environmental Justice area as we celebrate Earth Week."

Prominent figures at the event included Shane Zimmerman, CEO of the Steinman Foundation, Allyson Gibson, Executive Director of Clean Water Partners, and Jessica Shirley, Acting Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection.