Lewisburg, PA – ClearWater Conservancy has been awarded $2,000,000 by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for the ClearWater Community Conservation Center Ecotourism, Agritourism, and Agribusiness Hub project.
The project includes construction of a new, 9,350-square-foot community center in Centre County, which will serve as a community space and hub for visitor information and local conservation efforts. This new center aims to foster community engagement and support local conservation, while contributing to economic growth by creating five new jobs and drawing thousands of visitors by 2029.
“ClearWater staff are so excited to move into this new, permanent home in the heart of the Spring Creek Watershed, where we can continue to grow in service to the community while building our volunteer base and providing a center for on-the-ground conservation education,” said ClearWater Conservancy Executive Director Elizabeth Crisfield.
The center will include a visitor information kiosk, training opportunities for businesses in agritourism and conservation best practices, guided tours for visitors to local natural sites, mine land reclamation and acid mine drainage remediation efforts, and development of local trails through the Conservancy’s Rothrock Trail Alliance.
ClearWater Conservancy applied for the grant last summer with assistance from Dane Higbee, principal at Delta Development Group, Inc and Betsy Lockwood, director of project development and grants at SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG). The grant was awarded in October.
This award is part of a recently announced $68.2 million award package supporting 65 projects in 188 coal-impacted counties through ARC’s POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative, which directs federal resources to economic diversification projects in Appalachian communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries.
The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development partnership agency of the federal government and 13 state governments including Pennsylvania. PA’s Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) partners with ARC and the SEDA-COG Local Development District to identify and support projects that will build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in the Appalachian counties of Pennsylvania to reach socioeconomic parity with the nation.
“ARC’s POWER initiative supports coal-impacted communities’ preparation for the next phase of Appalachia’s economy, while ensuring that residents have a say in the course of their own futures” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “The investments announced in this round of POWER will help train workers, advance new industries, and build upon the progress already being made toward a brighter future full of economic opportunity for our region.”
Including today’s award package, ARC has invested over $484.7 million in 564 projects impacting 365 coal-impacted counties since POWER was established in 2015. ARC’s investments have helped create or retain nearly 54,000 jobs and prepare nearly 170,000 workers and students for new opportunities in entrepreneurship, broadband, tourism, and other growing industries.
ClearWater Conservancy is a nationally accredited land trust and conservation organization ensuring central Pennsylvania is beautiful, healthy and vibrant. They work alongside the community to connect, protect, restore and steward our natural resources.
SEDA-COG is a community and economic development agency in Lewisburg and is one of seven Local Development Districts in Pennsylvania. SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in the 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives.
