PACD Front Page
Weekly Briefs from 25 N. Front Street

This weekly electronic message is provided to Pennsylvania's conservation districts.

• PACD Information
  
• Upcoming Events
• Dirt from the Trenches
  
• Legislative Update
  
• Grant Opportunities

PACD Information

Be Kind to Your Mom
This Sunday, May 11, is Mother's Day. Do you usually send your mom a card, flowers or candy to say thanks for putting up with me when I was a teenager? If so, please consider shopping online at the following retailers through GoodShop.com and help PACD receive a percentage of your purchase as a donation.
Gift Baskets.com - 5% | Hallmark - 6% | 1-800 Flowers - 7%
All the funds that are generated will boost unrestricted income that can be used for increased lobbying efforts, PACD Capital Fund, PACD Endowment Fund etc.
Link: http://www.pacd.org/getting_involved/goodshop.htm
Contact: shannon-wehinger@pacd.org

PACD is Seeking Letters of Support for Growing Greener Application to Fund the PACD Engineering Assistance Program. Please submit letters of support by May 9, 2008.
Link: http://www.pacd.org/products/TAGLetter08.doc
Contact: susan-marquart@pacd.org

PACD Auxiliary Scholarship
Each year, the PACD Auxiliary awards a scholarship to a college student from Pennsylvania studying agriculture, conservation, or environmental studies. Please review the criteria and instructions linked below. The deadline to apply is June 15.
Link: http://www.pacd.org/about/auxiliary.htm

PACD Silent Auction Donations
PACD is accepting donations for the annual JAC Silent Auction. The auction, which will be held during the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference in State College from July 27-30, 2008, benefits the PACD Capital Fund. Deadline for submitting silent auction form is July 18, 2008.
Link: http://www.pacd.org/fp/auctionform08.doc
Contact: shannon-wehinger@pacd.org

PACD Auxiliary 2008 Quilt Project
The PACD Auxiliary is raffling a quilt to raise money for its scholarship fund. Tickets may be purchased at the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference (JAC) in July. The winning ticket will be pulled at the JAC in July. The winner need not be present to win.
Link: http://www.pacd.org/about/auxiliary.htm

Upcoming Events

Agriculture and the Environment: Achieving Balance
NOTE: Registration scholarships are available for government and non-profit registrants. Contact Mary Seaton, mbs13@psu.edu.
Please join leaders from throughout Pennsylvania's agricultural and environmental community for Agriculture and Environment: Achieving Balance on June 1 - June 3, 2008 at the Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey in Harrisburg, PA. This 2-day conference will engage participants directly in the problem solving process. Please RSVP by Friday, May 23, 2008.
Link: http://tinyurl.com/5vtktu
Contact: James Shortle, CSCO@psu.edu or 877-778-2937

Sixteenth Annual Pennsylvania GIS Conference
The Pennsylvania GIs Conference will convene again for the 16th year on May 14-15, 2008 at the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel and Convention Center in Camp Hill, PA. This year's theme is "Sustaining and Leveraging Our Geospatial Investment."
Link: www.pagisconference.org
Contact: Jennifer Wootsick, jlw61@psu.edu

Geosynthetic BMPs for Stormwater Management - One-Day Workshops
Tuesday, May 20, 2008, at the Holiday Inn Pittsburgh-Central/Greentree in Pittsburgh, PA, and Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at the Westmoreland Conservation District in Greensburg, PA. This workshop will provide guidance on how the geosynthetic products and technologies can be utilized as alternates or components of many of the structural or non-structural BMPs in the E&S and stormwater manuals. Space is limited so please register soon!
Link: http://www.acf-bmps.com/Calendar/Calendar.htm (scroll down to #3 and #4 for brochures)
Contact: Warren Cohn, wcohn@acfenvironmental.com

Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) Review Course and Exam
The Review Course will take place on May 29, 2008, with the Exam on May 30, 2008. Review course and exam will be held at the Best Western Inn at Towamencin in Kulpsville, PA. It is strongly encouraged that anyone seeking to sit for the actual exam begins his or her application process ASAP.
Link: http://www.acf-bmps.com/Calendar/Calendar.htm (scroll down to #5 for brochure)
Contact: Warren Cohn, wcohn@acfenvironmental.com

Dirt from the Trenches

Pike County District Board Takes Annual Report on the Road
Each year the Pike Conservation District volunteer board members take time from their busy schedules to visit Pike County's municipal leaders. The board members attend municipal public meetings to brief township supervisors and borough council members on activities of the previous year utilizing the District's Annual Report. Updates on upcoming programs, publications, and ongoing projects in each of the municipalities are also provided at these visits. This interaction between the district board and their municipal leaders is key to promoting the services that the district can provide to the municipalities and their constituents and receiving feedback on additional program needs. The 2007 District Annual Report can be found on the website, www.pikeconservation.org.

Legislative Update

Conservation District Funding Bills Introduced; Senate Agriculture Committee Meets; PACD Addresses SCC Policy on Fee Reviews
1. Funding bills propose 10% surcharge on fines and penalties collected by the PA Department of Environmental Protection to be deposited into the Conservation District Fund. Another bill appropriates $10 million to the Conservation District Fund for conservation district activities including energy initiatives.
2. The Senate Ag Committee passed legislation providing incentives for planting and harvesting bioenergy crops.
3. PACD requested the support of the State Conservation Commission in charging appropriate fees for conservation district services.
Link: http://www.pacd.org/about/legactivities/update07-08.htm#may8
Contact: brenda-shambaugh@pacd.org

SB 1020
The House Agriculture Committee is scheduled to consider SB 1020 on May 14, 2008. SB 1020 updates Act 217, the Conservation District Law. PACD suggests districts contact their House members asking for support of SB 1020.
Fact Sheet & Sample Letter: http://www.pacd.org/about/legactivities/update07-08.htm#april23
Contact: brenda-shambaugh@pacd.org

Budget Process and "Fair Share for Clean Water Funding Plan"
PACD is gearing up for the budget process and focusing on how the state budget affects folks close to home. PACD has developed a template letter and press release. Please consider sending the letter to your House and Senate members and the press release to your local press. The PACD Executive Board decided to join a coalition with a number of other associations interested in promoting funding increases. This idea, termed "Fair Share for Clean Water Funding Plan" has not been introduced thus far, but you can read about it here.
Link: http://www.pacd.org/about/legactivities/update07-08.htm#april17
Contact: brenda-shambaugh@pacd.org

Grant Opportunities

Hurry! The Deadline is Approaching for PACD's Open Application Period for 2008-2009 Educational Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts
Grants up to $2,500 are awarded for educational projects that address Nonpoint Source Pollution (NPS) and Chesapeake Bay Pollution Prevention strategies. General grant information, including guidelines, reporting requirements, and current and previously funded projects, is available at www.pacd.org/resources/grants.htm. The deadline for applications is May 15, 2008.
Information and applications:
Chesapeake Bay - http://www.pacd.org/resources/cb/minigrants/app.htm
Section 319 NPS - http://www.pacd.org/resources/NPS/minigrants/app.htm
Contact: hannah-smith@pacd.org

USDA Extends Sign-up for 2008 Conservation Security Program to May 30, 2008.
Producers in eligible watersheds will have two additional weeks to apply for the Conservation Security Program in fiscal year 2008. Three Pennsylvania watersheds are included for this year's program: the Lower Juniata, Lower Delaware, and Gunpowder-Patapsco. These watersheds cover portions of Bedford, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin, Montgomery, Perry, Philadelphia, Snyder, and York counties.
Link: http://www.pacd.org/fp/CSP08.doc
Contact: Kelly Ireland, kelly.ireland@pa.usda.gov, or 717-237-2260

DEP Announces New Round of Growing Greener Grants
The application deadline is May 16, 2008.
Link: http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/growinggreener/site/default.asp

USDA Releases Funding Notice for 2008 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program
USDA Rural Development released its NOFA (Notice of Funding Availability) for this year's Section 9006 clean energy grant and loan guarantee program. There are two grant cycles this year, with application deadlines of April 16 and June 16, 2008. Grant applicants have the option to submit applications electronically from www.grants.gov.
USDA will review and decide applications for loan guarantees on a continuous basis, but must be received by USDA no later than June 16, 2008.
Link: www.farmenergy.org

The Kodak American Greenways Awards Program
The Kodak American Greenways Awards Program provides small grants to stimulate the planning and design of greenways in communities throughout America. In general, grants can be used for all appropriate expenses needed to complete a greenway project including planning, technical assistance, legal, and other costs. Awards are primarily provided to local, regional, and statewide nonprofit organizations. Applications are accepted from March 1 to June 15, 2008.
Link: www.conservationfund.org/node/245

ARC Announces Second Round of Grants Competition for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
The Appalachian Regional Commission announced the second round of a grants competition to assist Appalachian communities in leveraging renewable-energy and energy-efficiency resources to revitalize their economies. Eligible projects should result in the creation of new jobs or businesses in the targeted communities. Nonprofit organizations, governmental entities, and public educational institutions located within the Appalachian Region are eligible to apply. The deadline for submission of proposals is June 30, 2008.
Link: www.arc.gov/energy