QUICK Response Emergency repair Funding

Quick Response for Funding Emergency Repairs (Sponsored in part by Dominion and The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy)

The Quick Response program provides funding for emergency repairs for Growing Greener eligible water restoration projects which includes passive treatment systems. For several years, those of us working with Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) passive treatment systems have recognized the growing need for system maintenance and the difficulty in obtaining funding for that activity. Application directly through the Growing Greener program had been a way to secure funding for repairs. However, a grant award is not a certainty, plus the process requires lengthy time spans and is usually inadequate for emergency situations. WPCAMR, DEP, and others recognized that there had to be a better way to provide funding for, at the very least, emergency repairs.

Work by the Operation, Maintenance, and Repair (OM&R) Workgroup, an ad hoc group of experts and practioners in AMD remediation, resulted in a better idea of the costs for OM&R for passive treatment systems. Armed with that information, DEP issued a request for proposals (RFP) in 2005, for the administration of an emergency response program, but ultimately did not fund the program at that time. WPCAMR successfully made application to Growing Greener in 2006 to create a “Quick Response” program (largely based on the RFP of the previous year) with a grant award of $350,000.  The program is really a cooperative effort between DEP and WPCAMR. DEP provides the funding and WPCAMR provides the fiscal agility to quickly get funds to where they’re needed.

Additional funding for Quick Response program was provided by a Dominion Watershed Mini-grant. Financial support for this project is provided by the Dominion Foundation which is dedicated to the economic, physical, and social health of the communities served by Dominion companies. The Dominion Watershed Mini-grant is administered by the Western Pennskylvania Conservancy in commitment to its core mission of conserving Pennsylvania's diverse ecosystems through science-based strategy, leadership, and collaboration.

Here’s how the program works:

1. A potential applicant in need of emergency repair funding contacts their local DEP Watershed Manager with information of the problem. That Watershed Manager then does a site visit to make an initial assessment of the problem and eligibility.  One or more cost estimates are obtained, and a formal application is made.   [Download Quick Response Application Form]

2. The application is evaluated within DEP, followed by approval or denial of the application.

3. The application is then passed to WPCAMR, whereby the applicant is given formal notification of the decison from the approval process, and if successful, will be given the authorization to proceed with repairs, along with the maximum reimbursable funding amount.

4. Once authorized to proceed, the applicant has 90 days to complete the repairs.

5. When the repairs are completed, the Watershed Manager is notified by the applicant, which will trigger an inspection of work performed. Following a satisfactory inspection, all of the necessary paperwork including receipts and other supporting documents are then sent to WPCAMR with a request for reimbursement.

6. WPCAMR issues a reimbursement check to the applicant (or designee).

So, how quick is quick? The time from the initial request to the time of authorization to proceed with work can literally be only a few days, depending on the urgency of the situation. The reimbursement time can be anywhere from as little as a week to as much as several months.  The actual reimbursement time depends on a variety of factors, principal among those are the number of quick response requests WPCAMR receives at any given time and the cost of each reimbursable project.

Recognizing the value of the program, WPCAMR intends to again apply for additional Quick Response funding in the current round of Growing Greener Grants due May 16th.

To discuss eligibility for Quick Response funding, contact your local DEP Watershed Manager or District Mining Office Watershed Manager:

DEP REGIONAL WATERSHED MANAGERS:

Northwest Regional Office, 230 Chestnut St., Meadville, PA 16335-3481
Telephone: 814-332-6848
Watershed Manager: Tim Bruno

Northcentral Regional Office, 208 W. Third St., Suite 101, Williamsport, PA 17701-6448
Telephone: 570-327-3423
Watershed Managers: Jason Fellon

Northeast Regional Office, 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711-0790
Telephone: 570-826-2511
Watershed Managers: Ron Yablonsky

Southwest Regional Office, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4745
Telephone: 412-442-4000
Watershed Managers: Jeff Fliss

Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-8200
Telephone: 717-705-4700
Watershed Manager: Jineen Boyle

Southeast Regional Office, Two East Main Street, Norristown, PA 19401
Telephone: 484-250-5900
Watershed Managers: Dave Burke

DISTRICT MINING OFFICE CONTACTS:

Pottsville District Mining Office
(Watershed Manager, Dan Koury)
5 W. Laurel Blvd.
Pottsville, PA 17901-2454
Telephone: 570-621-3118

Cambria District Mining Office
(Watershed Manager, Malcolm Crittenden)
286 Industrial Park Road
Ebensburg, PA 15931-4119
Telephone: 814-472-1900

Greensburg District Mining Office
Armbrust Professional Center
8205 Route 819
Greensburg, PA 15601-8739
Telephone: 724-925-5500

Moshannon District Office
186 Enterprise Drive
Phillipsburg, PA 16866
Telephone: 814-342-8200

Knox District Mining Office (Watershed Manager, Chris Yeakle)
White Memorial Building, P.O. Box 669
Knox, PA 16232-0669
Telephone: 814-797-1191

Participants in the Quick Response Program

PO Box 295 Luxor, Pennsylvania 15662
email: info@wpcamr.org

© Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation