Nov 18, 2009 By The 1 min read

Three area municipalities received grants from $2.2 million that was distributed statewide as reimbursement for permitting and inspecting on-lot sewer systems. The state Department of Environmental Protection awarded the grants, which cover part of the municipalities’ cost of enforcing on-lot system regulations mandated by Act 537, the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act.

In Fayette County, Nicholson Township received $183 and, in Greene County, Franklin Township received $255 and Wayne Township received $510.

Act 537 authorizes the DEP to reimburse municipalities up to 85 percent of their eligible enforcement costs, but the current reimbursements are 60 percent lower than they were in previous years due to economic conditions, according to the DEP. Reductions in the 2009-10 state budget will force the DEP to reduce the reimbursements to 42.5 percent of the municipalities’ costs, according to the DEP.