News Release

NRCS Chief Presents PACD with $600,000 Check

State College, PA--Bruce E. Knight, Chief of the UDSA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) presented a $600,000 check to the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) at their Fall Meeting in State College to provide engineering technical assistance to help Pennsylvania farmers implement Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMPs) to protect and improve the natural resources.

The PACD Engineering Assistance Program was developed in 1999 as a unique example of a partnership effort between PACD, a non-profit organization, and NRCS, a government agency. PACD employs conservation engineers and technicians, with oversight from NRCS, to provide engineering technical assistance for conservation projects. In the first two and one half years of the program, 134 individual environmental improvement projects were completed for hundreds of Pennsylvania's local organizations and individuals. It is estimated that these projects involve 7.2 million dollars worth of improvements.

As an example, PACD engineers designed a passive wetland treatment system at Rockview in Bellefonte. The system uses wetlands to help remove harmful sediment and nutrients from waste water leaving the facility. Also in Centre County, PACD engineers designed a stormwater management system on a farm to prevent soil erosion from heavy rains.

This new agreement provides an effective method for PACD's engineers
to expand their services to meet NRCS' need for additional technical assistance for CNMPs. This is a great example of a partnership effort that benefits everyone.

Knight was pleased to support this partnership effort with the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts. "Partnerships are a critical part of the important work we both do," said Robin Heard, NRCS State Conservationist in a message. "This works for us. It works for the farmers. And it works for the natural resources," she added. Knight acknowledged that conservation districts are an important link with local communities as we all work to provide clean water, healthy food, and a better environment for the future.

PACD, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization representing Pennsylvania's 66 conservation districts. For more information on the PACD and its engineering technical assistance visit www.pacd.org.

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