W Virginia's Stream Partners Program is a cooperative effort among multiple state agencies and is housed within the WVDEP's Division of Water and Waste Management. In 1996 the West Virginia Legislature passed HB 4497. This action amended 60CSR4 of West Virginia Code and created the Stream Partners Program (SPP).
SPP is a grant program created to support the efforts of local watershed groups. A Stream Partner is a community-based organization comprised of local citizens, industry, environmental groups, sportsmen, government, landowners and more. These stakeholders come together to improve the quality of life in and around their streams and throughout the watershed.
The Legislature appropriates an annual $100,000 from general revenue funds to be distributed as $5,000 seed grants to these organizations to complete watershed improvement projects. These grants are awarded with the approval of all four state agency directors.