BOWMANSTOWN, July 30 – Citing Pennsylvania’s commitment to protecting the environment with the help of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger joined local officials today to break ground for a $3.8 million sewer project in East Penn Township, Carbon County.

“This is the type of local infrastructure improvement project Governor Rendell envisioned with President Obama’s recovery program,” Hanger said. “These recovery funds will enable East Penn Township to solve on-lot sewage problems for nearly 100 of its residents, protect the environment and provide jobs during construction.”

The project consists of the installation of a sewage collection system for approximately 100 homes and businesses. The sewage will be treated at the Bowmanstown sewage treatment plant. DEP approved the township’s planning that would address documented malfunctioning on-lot sewer systems in September 2007.

On April 20, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority awarded a $3.8 million grant and loan package to East Penn Township. The project is scheduled to be completed by December 2010.

“I am pleased to break ground today for this environmental infrastructure improvement project and congratulate East Penn Township,” Secretary Hanger said. “There are similar projects across Pennsylvania improving our quality of life, putting Pennsylvanians to work and upgrading our aging infrastructure.”

Pennsylvanians will receive approximately $16 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) signed by President Obama on Feb. 17, including billions of dollars in direct relief for Pennsylvania taxpayers and more than $9.9 billion in formula-driven funding for health care, education, infrastructure, job training, housing and other aid.

The act is helping thousands of children and families in Carbon County. This includes tax relief for nearly 30,000 individuals and households; additional benefits and weeks of benefits for 1,600 unemployed county residents; a new healthcare subsidy that will cover 65 percent of monthly premiums for 2,700 residents; healthcare for nearly 9,000 children and adults through the Pennsylvania Medical Assistance Program and an additional 1,081 county children will continue to receive health insurance through the Pennsylvania Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Cover All Kids Program; and an increase in Food Stamp benefits for 5,588 county residents.

For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us and click on the ARRA link.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 at 4:13 pm and is filed under News.