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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Peter J. Daley |
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Stout, Daley and Solobay announce funding for Washington County
HARRISBURG, May 14 – State Sen. J. Barry Stout and state Reps. Peter Daley and Tim Solobay today announced two state grants totaling more than $5.7 million for rehabilitation of two dams in Washington County.
"It is especially hard with the current economic situation for local government to find the funds they need to keep their communities safe," said Stout, D-Washington. "Both of these dams are essential for recreation, tourism and public safety. I am hopeful, with this funding and the security of the dams in place, that these communities will prosper."
Stout said a grant of more than $4 million will be used to restore the spillway to its original location, size and shape of the Dutch Fork Dam in Donegal Township, which was damaged after Hurricane Ivan, and also to construct a roller compacted concrete armoring/overtopping in order to protect the dam embankment.
Daley, D-Washington/Fayette, said, "The emergency spillway at Dutch Fork Lake was seriously damaged by flooding associated with Hurricane Ivan and posed a significant risk of downstream property damage if the structure were to fail. The lake was drained in 2005 as a precautionary public safety measure. Thousands of people used to recreate there and enjoy fishing, swimming and the beauty of the lake. I am pleased to see that this funding will not only reduce the flood risk to many homes and businesses, but will also make this recreational area become a reality once again."
According to Stout, Canonsburg Lake in North Strabane and Peters townships has been awarded a grant totaling approximately $1.8 million. The grant will be used to install anchors to resist the force of the water.
Solobay, D-Washington, said, "We have been working for years to secure funding to help resurrect this wonderful and much needed recreational and fishing facility. Through the hard work of many players including state, federal, county, local governments and the tenacity of a dedicated volunteer community group, that dream is becoming a reality."
The funding for both of these projects would remove the two dams from the Department of Environmental Protection’s Unsafe Dam List.
The grants were awarded through the Department of Community and Economic Development's H2O PA Water Supply Sanitary Sewer and Storm Water Projects Grant program. Established by the General Assembly in July 2008, the H2O PA Act provides grants for the acquisition, construction, improvement, expansion or rehabilitation of water supplies, sewage disposal or storm water systems.
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