PRINTER'S NO. 58
No. 56 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY HASAY AND JAROLIN, JANUARY 18, 1989
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSERVATION, JANUARY 18, 1989
AN ACT
1 Authorizing the Department of Environmental Resources to make
2 grants to river watch groups; establishing procedures for the
3 application for and utilization of grant money; and making an
4 appropriation.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Short title.
8 This act shall be known and may be cited as the River Watch
9 Act.
10 Section 2. Definitions.
11 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
12 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13 context clearly indicates otherwise:
14 "Department." The Department of Environmental Resources of
15 the Commonwealth.
16 "River watch group." An organization of citizens and
17 residents of a municipality or any part thereof which is
18 organized and trained by and operates in conjunction with a
1 municipal police department, or the Pennsylvania State Police,
2 and which engages in active surveillance of a river or stream in
3 an effort to prevent, deter or detect detrimental activities
4 associated with pollution and contamination.
5 Section 3. River Watch Grant Program.
6 (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established in the
7 department a River Watch Grant Program to provide monetary
8 assistance to river watch groups to assist these groups in
9 fulfilling their pollution prevention and detection duties.
10 (b) Amount of grant.--No grant given by the department shall
11 exceed the amount of $1,500. No approved river watch group shall
12 be eligible for more than one grant in any one calendar year.
13 (c) Requirements.--Eligibility requirements for an annual
14 grant from the department shall be as follows:
15 (1) the river watch group must be organized for the
16 purpose set forth in this act; and
17 (2) the river watch group must be in existence at least
18 three years prior to receiving their first award from the
19 department.
20 (d) Utilization of grant.--Any grant made pursuant to this
21 section shall be utilized for programs of pollution prevention,
22 pollution detection, pollution deterrence, purchase or river
23 watch signs and public education on pollution prevention and
24 deterrence.
25 Section 4. Powers and duties of department.
26 The department shall have the following powers and duties:
27 (1) To develop a form for grant applications.
28 (2) To establish and update criteria for determining the
29 awarding of grants between competing applicants.
30 (3) To establish and update criteria for determining the
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1 appropriateness and effectiveness of programs for which
2 grants may be utilized.
3 (4) To audit on an annual basis any approved river watch
4 group which receives a grant.
5 (5) To promulgate such rules and regulations as are
6 necessary for the administration of this act.
7 Section 5. Application for grants.
8 Any river watch group which desires a grant shall submit an
9 application, on a form prescribed by the department, through the
10 municipality in which the group operates.
11 Section 6. Dissolution of group.
12 Any river watch group which receives a grant and later
13 dissolves shall turn over any unexpended grant moneys and all
14 equipment and supplies purchased with the grant money to the
15 municipality in which the group operated.
16 Section 7. Appropriation.
17 The sum of $200,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary,
18 is hereby appropriated to the Department of Environmental
19 Resources for the fiscal year July 1, 1988, to June 30, 1989,
20 for purposes of making grants as provided in this act.
21 Section 8. Effective date.
22 This act shall take effect in 90 days.
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