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| 2003:The
Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) presented
to Robert Ritchey
2002:SCRIP Governor's Award 2002:Murtha: Pennsylvania Environmental Council 2002:Governor's Award for Watershed Stewardship Winners 2001:SAC and CSA: Governor's Award 2001:Stream Team: Governor's Award 2000:Kiski-Conemaugh River of the Year, 2000:SAC: Three Rivers Environmental Award 2000:Mankamyer: Three Rivers Environmental Award 2000:Ritchey: Volunteer of the Week 1996:Rossman, Mankamyer: Conservation Hall of Fame SCRIP
Wins Governor's Award
SCRIP was presented a Governor's Award for Watershed Stewardship from the state Department of Environmental Protection April 16, 2002, in Harrisburg. Secretary David Hess presented the awards to 24 organizations and individuals recognized for outstanding contributions to the enhancement of watersheds throughout Pennsylvania. SCRIP was recognized for its public private partnership building efforts that led to the Oven Run Project and many other initiatives that are now providing documented water quality improvements. Oven Run is the largest project on the Stonycreek River, which has a restored fishery below the mouth of Bens Creek and from Oven Run to the mouth of Shade Creek. SCRIP Chairman Len Lichvar said, “This recognition is greatly appreciated and clearly demonstrates that our efforts, although not complete, have certainly positively impacted the waterways, citizens and economy of the Cambria Somerset region that we serve.” 2002
Governor's Award for Watershed Stewardship Winners
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"Through 10
years worth of countless volunteer hours, SCRIP pioneered and developed
the public private partnerships that are now producing documented positive
recreational and economic benefits to local communities in the Stonycreek
and Little Conemaugh watersheds."
Len Lichvar
Chairman
SCRIP
Stream
Team Governor's Award
The Kiski-Conemaugh
Stream Team also received the Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence
in 2001 for developing a model program for monitoring streams throughout
a broad watershed. The volunteer based program is supported by the Kiski-Conemaugh
River Basin Alliance, which was created by SCRIP
and other watershed groups within the Kiski Basin.
Join the Stream Team and help us monitor our streams!
The Kiski-Conemaugh watershed includes the Little Conemaugh and Stonycreek Rivers, which meet at Johnstown to form the Conemaugh River. Blacklick Creek enters in Conemaugh River Lake, then a little further downstream Loyalhanna Creek meets the Conemaugh at Saltsburg to form the Kiskiminetas River. The Kiski flows into the Allegheny River about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh.
DCNR selected the Kiski-Conemaugh in part to highlight the regional success in cleaning up the river, and in part because the tremendous scenic and recreational potential are now being recognized.
Numerous activities were held to celebrate the selection as River of the Year, including a whitewater raft trip on the Stonycreek sponsored by Conemaugh Valley Conservancy, the annual Stonycreek Rendezvous for kayakers, sponsored by the Bens Creek Canoe and Kayak Club, and the flatwater Kiski-Conemaugh Sojourn, which attracted about 100 participants through state-wide promotions. The Sojourn, also sponsored by CVC, took in Canal Days at Saltsburg and included paddles through both Conemaugh Gap and Packsaddle Gap.
SAC-CSA
2001 Governor's Awards
In 2001,
Southern Alleghenies Conservancy and the Cambria Somerset Authority were
presented a Governor's Award for Environmental Stewardship for their efforts
in the public purchase of a water supply system with five reservoirs that
had been owned for nearly a century by a subsidiary of Bethlehem Steel
Corp. SCRIP was also involved in pushing
for the public purchase of the water supply system and worked closely with
SAC in building strong public support for the project, and in securing
two state grants totaling $1.5 million from the Department of Conservation
& Natural Resources to support the acquisition.
In addition, SAC and SCRIP helped to initiate the development of recreation plans for the three large reservoirs in the system, Quemahoning, Hinckston Run and Wilmore Reservoirs.
SAC:
Three Rivers Environmental Awards
SCRIP’s
success was a key factor behind the selection of the Southern Alleghenies
Conservancy as a winner of one of the prominent Three Rivers Environmental
Awards for conservation achievements in 2000.
The Southern Alleghenies Conservancy received the Three Rivers Environmental Award as best environmental organization. SCRIP chairman Len Lichvar is executive director of SAC, and SAC serves as the non-profit corporation behind SCRIP projects. SAC’s involvement in SCRIP and the Manufacturers Water Company acquisition were key to winning the award.
Murtha:
PEC Lifetime Achievement Award
Congressman John Murtha, who
was instrumental in creating SCRIP,
was presented the first ever “Lifetime Achievement Award”
by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council in 2002.
Murtha’s many environmental achievements were highlighted at an awards dinner in Pittsburgh, and his work on watershed restoration came up repeatedly. SCRIP was the first of many watershed initiatives that he played a key role in creating or inspiring throughout the sprawling 12th Congressional District of Pennsylvania.
In addition to noting his role in calling the meetings that resulted in SCRIP’s creation, Murtha also was lauded for helping to create the Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative and for supporting a major change in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Small Watershed Program to allow it to address AMD.
Mankamyer: Three Rivers Environmental Award
Ritchey:
Person of the Week
Board
member and River keeper Bob Ritchey was recognized as “Person of
the Week” in the Tribune-Democrat in 2000.
The
Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD)
Presented
its annual awards to individuals and organizations that have helped to
promote or continue conservation efforts in Pennsylvania. The award ceremony
occurred on July 21 at the Joint Annual Conference of the PACD and the
State Conservation Commission in Altoona, PA. Robert Ritchey, Cambria County--Ann
Rudd Saxman Conservation Award. This award is presented to an individual
who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the conservation of Pennsylvania's
natural resources. Bob, an Army retiree, initiated a clean streams improvement
project as a private citizen. He is currently working on the cleanup from
acid mine drainage of Saltlick Run, a tributary to the Little Conemaugh
River. Mr. Ritchey is now a Conservation District Public Director and Vice
Chairman where he heads the Water/Resources Committee. Bob's astounding
volunteer hours have made a difference in his hometown of Johnstown, PA
and beyond.
Conservation
Hall of Fame
SCRIP
founders Dick Rossman of Ebensburg RD 3 and Dave Mankamyer of Friedens
were named to the newly created Conservation Hall of Fame established by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service
in 1996.
The charter honorees were selected
for their years of commitment to conservation efforts, in particular, their
service as Chairman of the Conservation Districts of Cambria and Somerset
Counties, respectively, and their work with SCRIP.
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SCRIP PO Box 153 Johnstown PA 15907-0153 cccd@co.cambria.pa.us
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