News & Notes March 2001

Conservation Districts Successful in Accessing
County Landfill Closure Accounts

Several counties in Pennsylvania have successfully accessed post-closure trust funds by acting on section 6113 of Growing Greener. In all, 42 counties in Pennsylvania host landfills and are eligible to access the funding. To date, Lebanon and Somerset conservation districts have successfully accessed their county's post closure trust funds and several other county conservation districts have initiated the process with their county commissioners.

The Somerset Conservation District initiated the request with their county commissioners and is now the benefactor of an additional $55,000 in annual funding. Dave Steele, Somerset District Manager, said that the funding has allowed the district to be taken off the county payrolls and to finance the benefits for its entire staff.

In Lebanon County, the conservation district staff was also successful in lobbying their county commissioners to use a portion of the county's landfill closure monies. The funds are being used to do a county-only easement on a farm located nearby the historic Union Canal. The Lebanon Conservation District is also trying to secure additional funds for the Swatara Watershed Association to complete a GIS layout for the county.

In Butler County an environmental advisory board, including representatives of the conservation district, has been assigned with determining how to allocate the funds.

Sam Sloan of the Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Land Recycling and Waste Management said that approximately a half dozen counties have gained access to the post closure trust funds. Sloan said that if nothing else, "The counties need to know that this money is available and they have to know what it can be used for."

Uses of site-specific post closure trust monies that are acceptable by DEP under the terms of Growing Greener include (but are not limited to): funding county conservation districts, State Park and State Forest Projects, Greenways, recreation trails, biological diversity, acquisition and protection of farmland, wild resources, stormwater projects, and mine clean up.

Conservation districts in counties which host municipal landfills are encouraged to contact their county commissioners to discuss the law and determine whether or not they should access the funds at this time. Approximately $49 million is available, state-wide, via the County Landfill Closure Account balance.

State Council of Farm Organizations Hosts"Cornucopia"

The Pennsylvania State Council of Farm Organizations held its annual meeting, "The Cornucopia," on Feb. 12, 2001. During the meeting, PACD Executive Director Susan Fox was elected Vice President of the Council and Curtis Kratz, a newly appointed director of the Montgomery County Conservation District, was elected President. Fox also chaired an information session focused on the environment, specifically, the role of phosphorous in nutrient management planning.

The State Council of Farm Organizations advocates a constructive legislative agenda that protects and promotes the Commonwealth's agricultural interests and provides a networking forum to discuss the challenges across the Agri-business sector. The Council also promotes its "Yellow Book," a budgetary proposal to the General Assembly and Administration highlighting agricultural funding needs.

Members of the Council annually select an agenda to pursue at the state and federal levels. The agenda differs from those of most organizations in that each topic must have the unanimous support of the members of the Council. The Council membership is composed of an assortment of public and private associations and businesses.

Current issues of interest to the Council include: Protecting the environment, keeping agriculture economical, maintaining farm safety and promoting food safety from farm to fork.

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