Watershed Restoration and Protection Program (WRPP)
Forecasted
Watershed Restoration and Protection Program (WRPP) supports municipalities, watershed groups, colleges, and businesses in reducing polluted runoff to restore and maintain Pennsylvania streams.
Funder: Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
Due Dates (Anticipated): May 2027 (Annual application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $300,000 per project; 15% local match of total project cost
Summary: Supports watershed protection practices that restore and maintain Pennsylvania streams impaired by nonpoint source polluted runoff.
Key Information: For-profit applicants cannot be natural gas “producers” as defined in Act 13.
Description
The Watershed Restoration and Protection Program (WRPP) supports efforts to restore Pennsylvania stream reaches impaired by uncontrolled nonpoint source polluted runoff and maintain them after restoration. The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development administers the program through the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA), using Marcellus Legacy Fund allocations established by Act 13 of 2012. Its ultimate goal is to remove restored streams from the Department of Environmental Protection’s Impaired Waters list.
Supported work includes agricultural and urban stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs), bio-engineered streambank and channel stabilization, and repair or maintenance of existing watershed protection practices. Water-quality monitoring may also support tracking nonpoint source load reductions resulting from BMP implementation. Projects must demonstrate a watershed problem and economically justify costs against benefits in pollutant-load reduction and stream restoration.
