On Monday the Environmental Issues Forum hosted by the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee heard a presentation on the responsibilities and challenges of county conservation districts.

Robert Maiden, executive director of the PA Association of Conservation Districts, provided an overview of the state’s 66 conservation districts (one for each county except Philadelphia) and the programs offered by the districts. He stated the conservation districts were created following the dust bowl of the 1930s and opined the fact that the country has not seen a dust bowl since then is due in part to the work of the conservation districts. He noted about 50 percent of conservation district employees are county employees and the remainder are independent employees of the conservation district board.

Maiden highlighted the programs offered by conservation districts, stating the districts provide efficient, local conservation programs, including the dirt and gravel roads program. In the dirt and gravel road program, he noted, 16,600 project sites of dirt and gravel roads have been identified.

The conservation districts construct and rebuild dirt and gravel roads to bring them up to standard. The projects prevent the sediment from running off the roadways and into the waterways and also make the roads accessible to more vehicles. He remarked these projects improve quality of life by making the roads accessible and saving driving time for many.

The projects also allow county conservation districts to build relationships with the municipalities, he added. To date, $80 million has been invested by the dirt and gravel roads program in the last 16 years.

Maiden also touched on a number of other programs offered by county conservation districts, noting that each district is unique and only implement those programs needed to meet the individual county’s needs.

Maiden said conservation districts oversee the Chapter 102 Erosion and Sediment permitting and inspection program, which is active in all 66 conservation districts and explained this is a common permit which is needed for any disturbance over one acre in order to project the water.

Conservation districts administer the program for the Department of Environmental Protection, at no cost to the department, he said, with about half of the conservation districts also overseeing the Chapter 105 stream encroachment permitting and inspection which includes projects such as removing trees from streams to prevent flooding.

Other programs Maiden touched on include management of nutrients from farms, agriculture technical assistance, a Chesapeake bay technician is in each consideration district in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to provide education to farmers, stormwater management projects, acid mine drainage projects, Marcellus Shale water quality testing (but not erosion and sediment control permitting), pipelines erosion and sediment control permitting, forestry, NPS PennVEST projects for farmers to do best management practices, and consumer education.

Funding for conservation districts comes from a variety of sources, including two line items in the General Fund budget, county governments, the Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling impact fee, and permit fees, Maiden reported.

He said about 50 percent of allocated revenue from the impact fees is distributed equally to the conservation districts and the remaining 50 percent is allocated to the State Conservation Commission.

This amounted to $19,000 per district and $1.25 million to the state commission in 2012, which is expected to increase in future years, he said. Maiden noted General Fund funding for conservation districts has been reduced in recent years, which has resulted in staff reductions of about 10 percent. He stated county allocations vary widely by county and districts are able to charge permit fees for 102 and 105 programs, which also vary by county.

Maiden concluded by reiteration that conservation districts are efficient, effective local resources. “Districts are a true value for the state and always looking for avenues to serve the needs of their communities further.”

In response to questions from the audience, Maiden confirmed conservation districts’ responsibilities are “skyrocketing” in recent years and expressed concern with their ability to meet these responsibilities with the cuts in the two line items. He pointed out the work will need to be completed regardless and conservation districts are able to do it efficiently

Maiden explained each county board, consisting of county commissioners and community members, determine the county’s fees on a permit by permit decisions. He noted permits in urban areas are more expensive.

At Maiden’s invitation, Steve Bloser, director of the Penn State Center for Direct and Gravel Road Studies, discussed funding issues for dirt and gravel road programs.

He explained the program has been funded at a level of $5 million since its inception and has been able to complete 2,400 sites with 14,000 remaining to be done. He stated there is a great need for funding and indicate the prospect of increased funding, to as much as $15 million annually has been explored.

He stated the program can complete 200 projects each year with $5 million and commented “the real success” is when the conservation district practices are subsequently picked up by the municipalities to implement on other roads.

Future Environmental Forums

The Joint Committee has scheduled these Environmental Issues Forums in the next few months--

-- April 8: The PA American Water Company of Hershey, Rentricity, Inc. of New York, and the Westmoreland (PA) County Municipal Authority will make a presentation on a new technology that has been implemented at two energy recovery demonstration projects in western Pennsylvania. Rentricity’s turbine generator system captures the hydrokinetic energy created when water flows through pipes from the water sources to the treatment plants, reducing electricity demand and cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions.  The Forum will be in Room 8E-B East Wing starting at Noon.

-- May 6: Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director John Arway will offer a presentation entitled “Fish and Boat Commission Fiscal Slope: Spending Reallocation Plan and Revenue Generating Options.” The presentation will focus on the agency’s need to reduce operating costs, and to fund infrastructure needs. Among potential revenue generating options to be discussed is a proposed fee for consumptive use and degradation of water.  The Forum start at Noon LTBD.

-- June 17: Dr. David J. Nowak, Ph.D, project leader for the USDA Forest Service’s Northern Research Station, will discuss the agency’s innovative “i-Tree” program. Nowak was the driving force behind development of i-Tree’s suite of software tools that helps users assess and manage urban tree populations to make for effective urban forest management and better understanding of the ecosystem services provided by community trees. The Forum starts at Noon LTBC.

Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango) Chairs the Joint Conservation Committee.

3/25/2013