News & Notes November 2004

PACD Provides Technical Assistance for CNMPs

The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) has joined into an agreement with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to provide engineering technical assistance for conservation programs. This opportunity will allow the PACD engineering staff to expand its services into a broader range of agriculturally-based conservation practices.

The NRCS funding is intended to facilitate the development and implementation of Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMPs). A CNMP addresses natural resource concerns dealing with soil erosion, manure, and organic by-products and their potential impacts on water quality associated with an animal farm. A CNMP is comprised of conservation practices and management activities that, when implemented as part of a whole conservation system, will help to ensure that both production and natural resource protection goals are attained. Primary elements of a CNMP include: manure and wastewater handling and storage, land treatment practices, nutrient management, record keeping, feed management, and other utilization activities. The CNMP is also developed to assist an animal operation owner/operator in meeting all applicable local, state, and federal water quality goals or regulations.

PACD can assist in identifying management and conservation actions recommended for a specific animal operation through an initial inventory and evaluation report. This documentation can then be utilized to proceed with planning and design efforts to ensure that clearly defined soil and water conservation goals associated with the animal operation are achieved. The CNMP will list all practices needed to address natural resource concerns. All conservation efforts implemented under the CNMP are based on requirements of the standards and specifications of the Pennsylvania Technical Guide for Conservation Practices.

PACD will continue to provide engineering technical assistance to eligible entities for stream corridor restoration, abandoned mine drainage treatment, and other projects pertaining to environmental concerns.

Please contact your regional PACD technical staff to request assistance. Information pertaining to PACD's technical services can be accessed at: http://pacd.org/products/tech_asst.htm. Contact information for PACD engineering staff and the down-loadable technical assistance application are also available on the website.

NRCS Presents PACD with $600,000 Check

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 for a contribution agreement 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 to fill an engineering technical assistance void created by a large infusion of state money for Growing Greener projects. PACD and NRCS worked together to develop a plan to address this shortfall through a combination of Association employees with NRCS oversight.

As the state funding available for Growing Greener projects decreased, PACD recognized the need to expand the engineering technical assistance into other areas and seek other funding sources. This agreement provides an effective method for PACD to diversify funding and engineering efforts while also meeting NRCS needs for additional technical assistance for CNMPs.

This is a great example of a partnership effort that benefits everyone. PACD is able to expand engineering services to help their member districts and NRCS conservation efforts. NRCS and Districts are able to help support their work to protect the natural resources. Farmers will also benefit from the availability of additional engineering resources to get conservation practice design work done in a timely fashion.

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.

For more information on the PACD and its engineering technical assistance visit www.pacd.org.

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