{"id":11828,"date":"2018-12-06T21:18:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-07T02:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/epcamr.org\/home\/?p=11828"},"modified":"2018-12-10T13:11:00","modified_gmt":"2018-12-10T18:11:00","slug":"epcamr-49500-grant-through-the-national-fish-wildlife-foundation-chesapeake-bay-technical-capacity-program-develops-green-infrastructure-concept-plans-for-green-spaces-in-wilkes-barre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/epcamr.org\/home\/2018\/epcamr-49500-grant-through-the-national-fish-wildlife-foundation-chesapeake-bay-technical-capacity-program-develops-green-infrastructure-concept-plans-for-green-spaces-in-wilkes-barre\/","title":{"rendered":"EPCAMR develops Green Infrastructure concept plans in Wilkes-Barre"},"content":{"rendered":"

EPCAMR\u00a0develops green infrastructure concept plans for green spaces in\u00a0<\/span>Wilkes-Barre with\u00a0<\/span>$49,500 grant through the National Fish Wildlife Foundation\u00a0<\/span>Chesapeake\u00a0Bay technical capacity program<\/span><\/p>\n

This technical assistance grant project completed the planning and conceptual designs for water quality improvement projects in nine (9) public green spaces in the City of Wilkes-Barre at no cost to the City. The projects were identified in the City of Wilkes-Barre, PA\u2019s Green Action Plan<\/em> developed and written by EPCAMR Executive Director, Bobby Hughes, in consult with the City of Wilkes-Barre Bureau of Operations, and LandStudies, Inc.<\/a> in 2017. In 2018, EPCAMR submitted the grant and partnered with Clauser Environmental, LLC,<\/a>\u00a0and the City of Wilkes-Barre to complete the Chesapeake Bay Technical Capacity Grant<\/em><\/strong>. \u00a0The project included the identification of green infrastructure and City greening opportunities, creating concept plans highlighting potential best management practice (BMP) locations, and the development of conceptual details for the various BMPs proposed. All of the watershed areas had also been previously mining impacted by historic anthracite deep and surface mining that have led to various environmental impacts to the land and streams.<\/p>\n

Clauser Environmental, LLC\u00a0 provided EPCAMR:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Conceptual designs for greening 9 public spaces.<\/li>\n
  2. A project implementation plan report highlighting green infrastructure opportunities & proposed BMPs.<\/li>\n
  3. An estimate of the efficiency of the proposed BMPs effectiveness for pollution removal.<\/li>\n
  4. An educational\/ outreach component to include a presentation with local elected officials, volunteers, and staff responsible for the public spaces led by EPCAMR.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Project outcomes after many of the identified projects seek additional funds for implementation will include:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Improved water quality and reduced stormwater flows in the Susquehanna River Watershed & Chesapeake Bay<\/li>\n
    2. Education and outreach to local elected officials, volunteers, and staff regarding the benefits of urban greening within the City of Wilkes-Barre<\/li>\n
    3. An improved aesthetic in the City of Wilkes-Barre as the green infrastructure projects are completed<\/li>\n
    4. A plan for decreased infiltration to the underground mine pools that will aid in the reduction of abandoned mine drainage (AMD) volumes of polluted mine water and metal loading to the Susquehanna River and ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay watershed<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      This project was a priority for funding because it met a critical area of need identified by the City of Wilkes-Barre, EPCAMR, and the previous partner, LandStudies, Inc. in the Green Action Plan<\/em>. The complete report can be downloaded here.<\/a><\/p>\n

      EPCAMR and Clauser Environmental, Inc. completed the following recommendations from the Green Action Plan:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n