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News & Notes February 2007

PACD Winter Meeting Attendees Update Policies

Representatives from Pennsylvania's conservation district community descended on State College from January 17-19, 2007 for the PACD Winter Meeting. Attendees spent time updating PACD policies and learning about current issues.

The following motions were approved at the PACD Executive Council Meeting:

  • PACD supports legislation to exempt landowners from liability if they invite individuals onto their land for recreational purposes.
  • PACD supports the concept of forester licensing/registration as promoted by the PA Council of Professional Foresters.
  • PACD encourages a written Letter of Understanding (LOU) be developed between the State Conservation Commission (SCC), the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), conservation districts, and the PA Turnpike Commission concerning Erosion & Sedimentation (E&S) projects.
  • PACD encourages a review and renewal of the current LOU between the PA Department of Transportation, the SCC, the DEP, and conservation districts concerning E&S projects.
  • The ten proposed Strategic Goals (http://www.pacd.org/about/strategicplan/planning.htm) were approved after the funding goal was stricken.
  • The proposed changes to the PACD bylaws (http://www.pacd.org/about/committees/DraftBylaws07.pdf) were approved with the following changes to the amendments proposed for the new Article VII - PACD Regions:

    • 1. That Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties be part of the PACD South East Region.

    2. The PACD shall consist of six regions. A conservation district may request to change it's regional affiliation at any Annual Meeting, provided that PACD receives written notice of any change, signed by the Chairman of the Conservation District Board, at least seven days before the meeting at which voting is to occur.

In addition to the policy discussions at the conference, PACD held a Conservation Issues Forum consisting of a Nutrient Trading Panel Discussion, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program Update, a presentation on Reimbursement for Agricultural Land Preservation, and a presentation about PACD's strategic plan.

Brenda Shambaugh, PACD government relations/policy specialist, served as moderator during the nutrient trading panel. Three conservation district managers described the development and progress of a related district project.

Don McNutt (Lancaster County Conservation District) discussed the Mt. Joy Trading Project which involves converting approximately 900 acres to no-till crops generating nutrient trading credits that will be sold to the Mt. Joy Borough Sewer Authority. John Ravert (Berks County Conservation District) explained the Berks County Revolving Fund project. The project involves a number of farmers who incorporated cover crops into their farm plan, and will be converting crop fields to no-till in the spring. These producers will receive payment for their efforts and the Berks County Conservation District will receive the credits to sell, replenishing their fund for future Best Management Practice (BMP) generation. Dan Greig (Chester County Conservation District) detailed the District's meeting with farmers who are considering implementing BMPs to meet nutrient trading threshold requirements for future credit generation.

DEP representative Dean Auchenbach spoke about the major changes proposed for Chapter 102 Erosion and Sediment Control including a mandatory thirty-five foot buffer between cultivated and all perennial and intermittent streams, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, and establishing E&S plan requirements for agriculture, including a reduced version for low risk agriculture operations. Mr. Auchenbach also mentioned that DEP is not advocating changes to the existing permit fee structure although inadequate program funding remains the number one concern of delegated county conservation districts.

Dan Greig presented a PowerPoint presentation on Chester County's farmland preservation program which accompanies the state preservation program. This successful endeavor has bought development rights on almost 20,000 acres on over 220 farms. The concern was funding for the necessary technical assistance to write good conservation plans needed to participate in the program. There had been no funding for the preparation of plans except for a SCC special project which provided minimal money to the district. In 2006 there were changes in the state program which allowed the cost of planning to be eligible for reimbursement. The district created a draft Memorandum of Understanding that eventually was approved with all parties and in November 2006 the conservation district received their first reimbursement for conservation planning.

Additionally, PACD Executive Director Susan Marquart presented a PACD Strategic Goals report that was compiled during the PACD regional meetings and prepared by the PACD Executive Board.


The "Planning for a Successful Local Partnership" seminar placed conservation district representatives with their local Natural Resources Conservation Service staff to foster a dialog on potential partnership activities.

Additionally, there was a special session called "Planning for a Successful Local Partnership." During this interactive session, attendees were given examples of successful partnerships between local Natural Resources Conservation Service offices and the county conservation district. Participants were then asked to plan partnership activities in their county.
Finally, the SCC held one of their regular meetings.

Attendees had a full two and a half days setting policy, learning about current issues, and creating partnerships. Don't miss the next PACD Meeting! The PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference will be held July 15-18, 2007 at the Hilton Scranton and Conference Center in Scranton, PA.

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