The Joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee this week released its evaluation of county conservation districts saying the state needs to give districts more resources to carry out their existing responsibilities and streamline their interactions with state agencies.

The objectives of the report were to review the authority, role and funding of county conservation district, evaluate the oversight and direction given districts by state agencies and determine whether the role of districts should be enhanced to better deal with land and water resource issues.

“This report sets forth a comprehensive roadmap that will bring our conservation districts into the 21st Century and keep them in the vanguard of environmental stewardship,” said Sen. Rob Wonderling (R-Montgomery) a member of the Committee. “It’s incumbent upon the General Assembly to adopt these findings to make sure the conservation districts have the tools they need to carry out their complex mission.”

Wonderling said the expansion of local, state, and federal environmental protection laws and land use planning requirements over the years has greatly increased the conservation districts’ role to serve the growing needs of our communities.

Districts advise county and local governments on land development issues, work with farmers to comply with land management laws, assist non-profit environmental organizations with watershed protection and conservation efforts, and review and process land development plans and permits for builders and contractors.

The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts welcomed the report.

“We are extremely pleased that the General Assembly has conducted this important study of our conservation districts and their efforts to protect our water and natural resources,” said PACD President Jarrett Miller. “The study confirms what conservation districts and the PACD has been saying for years – Pennsylvania’s conservation districts are under-funded.”

Miller noted the fiscal year 2004-05 budget in DEP included $3.55 million as its share for the Erosion and Sedimentation Program. However, the Governor’s proposed budget for 2005-06 provides only $3.1 million for the program. The actual need for this program in 2005-06 would be $4.83 million for DEP to meet its commitment to fund half the costs of the program as recommended in the Committee’s report.

The legislative study also recognized that DEP has stopped funding the efforts of county conservation districts in assisting applicants with permits under the Waterways and Encroachment Program. That left conservation districts with no alternative but to stop managing the program or pay for it themselves. PACD is asking DEP to provide $825,000 for this program in next year’s budget.

Both Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff and Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty indicated their support for the Committee’s report.

The Committee recommendations include:

· Add the Secretaries of Conservation and Natural Resources and Community and Economic Development to the State Conservation Commission;

· Integrate the administration of conservation and protection efforts now handled by the State Conservation Commission and the departments of Agriculture, Environmental Protection and DCED;

· Provide one appropriation to providing basic funding to conservation districts instead of two – one in DEP and one in Agriculture;

· Fund conservation district managers, first and second technicians at 50 percent of actual costs (would add $1 million to current appropriation);

· Provide for a continuing appropriation so funds do not lapse year to year;

· Consider alternative funding sources for the Nutrient Management Program since the current fund is being depleted;

· Districts should consider applying for Land Use Planning Technical Assistance Grants from DCED;

· District reporting requirements should be streamlined and standardized to take advantage of the current eGovernment initiative underway;

· State Conservation Commission should streamline the local district board appointment process;

· DEP should: work to establish fair and appropriate erosion and sedimentation review fees, develop a training program to certify E&S plan review and inspection personnel, improve standardization of DEP regional offices dealing with E&S activities, review staff vacancies in regional offices in district field office representative positions, allow districts to charge fees for Chapter 105 encroachment general permits, reevaluate the effectives of training programs related to the Chesapeake Bay Program; and

· Provide the State Conservation Commission with program review information on district performance.

For more information on the Committee’s study, contact Philip Durgin, Executive Director at 717-783-1600 or visit the Committee’s website.

6/12/2005