Pennsylvania Announces Municipal Recycling Performance Grants

“These grants reward communities for being a contributor to Pennsylvania’s recycling success story,” McGinty said. “I encourage local officials to use this money to support even stronger municipal recycling programs. Pennsylvania’s recycling program plays an important role of state and local economies.”

DEP has awarded 738 recycling performance grants totaling almost $18 million for recycling efforts in 2002. The grants are financed by the Recycling Fund, which is supported by a $2-a-ton fee on all materials disposed of at municipal waste landfills and resource recovery facilities in Pennsylvania.

Recycling performance grant applications are still being accepted for 2003. The deadline is Sept. 30. Grant applications are available on the DEP Web site.

Recycling has become one of the engines that drive Pennsylvania’s economy. More than 3,247 recycling and reuse businesses and organizations made more than $18.4 billion in gross annual sales, paid $30.5 million in taxes and provided jobs for more than 81,322 employees at an annual payroll of approximately $2.9 billion.

Pennsylvania’s recycling and reuse industry leads the nation in employment, payroll and sales numbers. However, the continued success of Pennsylvania’s recycling program will depend in large part on the Gov. Rendell's proposed $800 million bond initiative to expand and enhance Growing Greener. The initiative was not passed before the Legislature recessed for summer.

Part of that plan would provide an additional $25 million per year to the Recycling Fund to assist municipalities with operating existing programs that give more than 10 million Pennsylvanians access to recycling. The money also will help 42 municipalities newly mandated to recycle as a result of the 2000 federal census.

For more information on recycling grants, visit DEP’s Web site at www.dep.state.pa.us, Keyword: “DEP Recycling.”

SOUTHEAST REGION

CHESTER COUNTY

Charlestown Township -- $5,254 Coatesville City -- $10,643 Phoenixville Borough -- $19,018 Uwchlan Township -- $86,716 West Bradford Township -- $17,282 West Whiteland Township -- $457,458

DELAWARE COUNTY

Lansdowne Borough -- $19,091 Middletown Township -- $40,684 Newtown Township -- $28,635 Radnor Township -- $130,942 Yeadon Borough -- $23,672

MONTOGOMERY COUNTY

Worcester Township -- $15,697

NORTHEAST REGION

LACKAWANNA COUNTY

Dickson City Borough -- $44,757

LEHIGH COUNTY

Fountain Hill Borough -- $12,760 South Whitehall Township -- $124,526 Upper Macungie Township -- $196,217 Washington Township -- $9,914 Whitehall Township -- $171,074

LUZERNE COUNTY

Dallas Township -- $53,820 Larksville Borough -- $6,866 Pittston Township -- $7,351 Plymouth Borough -- $1,519 Wright Township -- $15,470

MONROE COUNTY

Coolbaugh Township -- $14,429 Monroe County -- $17,472 Smithfield Township -- $17,601

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

Bethlehem City -- $277,063 Bath Borough -- $2,688 East Allen Township -- $8,250 Hanover Township -- $73,947 Lower Nazareth Township -- $2,273 Northampton Borough -- $30,650 Walnutport Borough -- $6,264

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

Mechanicsville Borough -- $191 Pottsville City -- $12,446 Tamaqua Borough -- $6,412

PIKE COUNTY

Pike County -- $26,507

SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY

Brooklyn Township -- $66 Clifford Township -- $106 Forest City Borough -- $329

Lenox Township -- $85 Liberty Township -- $99 Rush Township -- $37 Silver Lake Township -- $1,764 Susquehanna County -- $10,153

SOUTHCENTRAL REGION

LEBANON COUNTY

Lebanon City -- $46,418

JUNIATA COUNTY

Fayette Township -- $46,013

MIFFLIN COUNTY

Mifflin County -- $38,700

YORK COUNTY

West Manchester Township -- $66,003 Wrightsville Borough -- $1,070

NORTHCENTRAL REGION

CLINTON COUNTY

Clinton County SWA -- $41,622

MONTOUR COUNTY

Danville Borough -- $2,806

Mahoning Township -- $11,192

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY

Shamokin City -- $172

SNYDER COUNTY

Freeburg Borough -- $349 Middlecreek Township -- $2,123 Monroe Township -- $4,972 Penn Township -- $426 Snyder Co Solid Waste Mgmt -- $6,908 Union Township -- $379

SOUTHWEST REGION

ALLEGHENY COUNTY

Harrison Township -- $6,082

ARMSTRONG COUNTY

Leechburg Borough -- $8,835

BEAVER COUNTY

Franklin Township -- $2,074 North Sewickley Township -- $1,858

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Washington City -- $12,192

WESTMORELAND COUNTY

Unity Township -- $5,105

NORTHWEST REGION

ERIE COUNTY

Greene Township -- $1,209 Lake City Borough -- $1,875 Erie City -- $185,946 Summit Township -- $33,360 Erie County -- $3,848

JEFFERSON COUNTY

Brockway Borough -- $8,657

MERCER COUNTY Mercer County Solid Waste Authority -- $42,017