Conservation Districts Lobby In Capitol, Support Natural Gas Tax For The Environment

The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts held a Capitol Day in Harrisburg this week focusing on key legislative issues important to conservation districts across the Commonwealth.

 

Almost 200 participants attended a special legislative luncheon, including representatives from county conservation districts, members of the House and Senate, and cabinet level representatives. Craig Derickson, State Conservationist for USDA Natural Resource and Conservation Service was the keynote speaker.

 

Several legislative issues were discussed including the need to obtain consistent and sufficient funding for conservation district activities and staff.

 

“These issues are vital to Pennsylvania’s Conservation Districts,” stated Larry Kehl, PACD president. “We spoke with our friends in the General Assembly explaining the importance of these legislative initiatives.”

 

Susan Marquart, PACD Executive Director added, “The focus of our Capitol Day luncheon is to bring forth ideas and generate enthusiasm for our concerns. This successful event is an extension of an ongoing dialog between the conservation districts and our elected leaders.”

 

A copy of PACD legislative priorities is available online.

 

Predictable State Funding
 

The top legislative initiative for conservation districts is adequate funding. PACD members are requesting $10,230,198 in two lines items, one in the Department of Agriculture and one in the Department of Environmental Protection.

 

PACD is also talking with members of the General Assembly and the Rendell Administration concerning dedicated funding for conservation districts. To generate predictable funding, Rep. Ron Miller introduced legislation placing a 10 percent surcharge on all DEP fines and penalties to increase funding for the Conservation District Fund. This bill, House Bill 328, is currently in the House

Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

 

 

Additionally, PACD recently adopted the following policy supporting a new tax on natural gas production to take advantage of the Marcellus Shale deposits now being developed in Pennsylvania:

 

“The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts supports the adoption of a severance tax in Pennsylvania that includes a percentage of the proceeds dedicated toward natural resource protection activities and dedicated funding for conservation districts, and that some portion of that percentage be dedicated to theconservation district in the county in which it originated.”

 

PACD will be promoting legislative language to provide dedicated funding for conservation districts through a severance tax or royalty program in Pennsylvania for extraction of Marcellus Shale gas deposits.

 

Inevitably mineral extraction will cause land disturbance. Conservation districts could work with landowners to minimize any negative effects from drilling, but will need the necessary personnel to properly assist these landowners. By providing funding to conservation districts, the General Assembly will lessen environmental threats connected with mineral extraction.

 

 

Finally, PACD believes that conservation districts can effectively utilize federal stimulus money over the next two years to easily implement worthwhile projects that would benefit the Commonwealth.

 

Conservation districts have long been instrumental in successfully implementing protects geared toward protecting our natural resources and reducing nonpoint source pollution. Many of these projects include agricultural best management practices, streambank restoration, clean water restoration, abandoned mine drainage treatment, abandoned mine reclamation, dirt and gravel road improvements, and others that have received funding through programs such as Nonpoint Source Section 319 grants and Growing Greener watershed grants.

 

Some of these projects have already been planned and applications submitted to various funding sources. Although many of these projects have been funded, many others have not been completed due to insufficient funding in the programs. If funding were made available, many projects could be easily implemented.

 

As the Commonwealth develops a strategy to efficiently and cost-effectively distribute economic stimulus funding, we recommend the following:

 

-- Nonpoint source projects are critical to help resolve water quality challenges and should receive an appropriate portion of the economic stimulus funding;

 

-- Make projects that have already been submitted for funding but were unable to be funded due to insufficient funds a high priority;

 

-- Create a streamlined and transparent approval process to allow these existing and unfunded applications to be implemented by conservation districts; and

 

-- Recognize that nonpoint source projects may not easily fit into rules, regulations and guidelines that are established under point source programs and agencies such as PennVEST.