On August 7, 2002, PLEWA received an award notification from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for an Environmental Stewardship and Watershed Protection Grant in the amount of $93,130.00. In preparing the grant application, PLEWA forged partnerships with Gannon University, Mercyhurst College, the Erie County Conservation District (ECCD), and various stakeholder groups within the watersheds of Sixteenmile, Sevenmile, Sixmile, Elk, and Crooked Creeks and McDannel Run.

The grant seeks funds to support a variety of initiatives to be carried out from July 2002 through June 2005, including detailed assessment of the streams in the targeted watersheds. The grant funds PLEWA’s Executive Coordinator position and a variety of planning and public education activities. It will also help establish an office for PLEWA at the ECCD’s Headwaters Conservation Park Natural Resource Center.

PLEWA hopes to continue the important work of facilitating the formation of citizen groups focused on watershed issues and reduction of non-point source pollution. In order to achieve all of our goals, PLEWA needs to involve many more people in its planning and pollution abatement efforts. Present PLEWA members can help by simply sharing their newsletter with a friend or co-worker who may not already be involved in watershed improvement activities. Anyone who wants to get connected with other concerned individuals or organizations in their watershed can contact Sarah Galloway at 825-6403 for more information about Lake Erie Watershed activities. The Lake Erie watershed is a great place to live, but we can work together to make it even better!