ADAMS TWP — A $300,000 grant may mean Adams Township is one step closer to fulfilling municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) regulations.

MS4 originated with the federal Environmental Protection Agency in the 1990s. The EPA now regulates that MS4 be administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

The MS4 program is specifically geared toward managing runoff pollutants transported through MS4s and discharged into bodies of water without being treated.

“MS4 really has to do not so much with floodwaters, but contaminates,” said Gary Peaco, township manager, at Monday's supervisor meeting. Projects related to the program often are expensive for local governments to fund without outside assistance.

While navigating changing and sometimes unclear MS4 requirements, many municipalities in the state are pursuing grant funding for their projects.

Adams Township is looking to improve the area of Breakneck Creek near Myoma Road. Peaco said the project is expected to cost between $800,000 and $1 million.

Peaco said that working with township engineer Ron Olsen, Adams Township secured a $300,000 DEP Growing Green grant.

“A $300,000 grant is a nice piece of that,” Peaco said.

The grant also has the potential to bring in an additional $200,000 of outside funding, Peaco said.

The supervisors approved accepting the $300,000 grant.

Peaco reminded the board this doesn't mean the Breakneck project will go forward.

“We have some permitting that needs to be done,” he said.

DEP has established time frames for MS4 compliance, according to Peaco. If the project is to move forward, it must meet these deadlines.

He said the pandemic hasn't altered DEP's MS4 schedule, despite requests from the township for extensions.

“At this point, we don't ... foresee that the state is going to do that for us,” Peaco said.

He asked the supervisors to approve moving forward in the permitting process.

The board granted approval.