Ten employees from Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) received Governor’s Awards for Excellence for their contributions to flood resilience and habitat restoration through two Lancaster County watershed projects: the Blue Green Connector and Cocalico Creek. The DEP utilized the Watershed Scale Restoration Permit and streamlined funding to expedite project implementation and permit reviews.
For the Blue Green Connector, DEP staff integrated floodplain restoration into stormwater management and issued a key construction permit 77 days faster than the state’s target timeline. They applied insights from this project to improve the Cocalico Creek Watershed, aimed at enhancing water quality and supporting Chesapeake Bay restoration. The agency emphasized that coordinated permitting and strategic planning can accelerate restoration efforts while promoting community and recreational benefits.
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