The PA Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. this week announced the award of $53,000 in Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-Grants to 24 county conservation districts.

PACD awarded grants up to $2,500 for projects throughout the state that promote water pollution control. Funding for the grants is provided through the Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Mini-Grant awards include:

· Berks Conservation District: Nitrogen & BMP Education Program for Farmers ($1,500) One-on-one education with local farmers on nutrient application timing and methods, as well as no-till farming.

· Bucks Conservation District: Riparian Buffer Maintenance for Streamside Property Owners ($2,000) Through a partnership with Delaware Valley College, faculty and students prepare educational materials pertaining to property streamside (riparian buffer) management for homeowners. The materials will be distributed along with an offer for free property evaluations that will include an educational component.

· Cameron Conservation District: Agriculture Workshop on Erosion & Sedimentation and Nutrient Management ($675) Workshop on agriculture-related erosion and sedimentation problems and what best management practices (BMPs) can reduce this impact on streams and rivers.

· Cameron Conservation District: Chapter 102 Erosion and Sedimentation Workshop ($675) Workshop focuses on Chapter 102 regulations and how they enhance and improve the County's abundant natural resources through the use of proper BMPs.

· Chester Conservation District: Rain Barrel Workshop ($2,000) Workshop covers stormwater issues relevant to nonpoint source (NPs) pollution and the benefits of using a rain barrel. Participants will construct and install a rain barrel.

· Crawford Conservation District: Pymatuning Clean Water Festival ($2,000) Festival serves as an interactive learning area geared toward educating the public on water quality, NPs pollution, and watershed conservation issues.

· Dauphin Conservation District: Municipal Planning Workshop & BMP Tour ($2,000) Workshop provides a review of issues and regulations related to stormwater runoff as well as an educational tour of 16 different functioning BMPs.

· Elk Conservation District: Watershed Awareness Booth ($1,000) Booth displays educational material on local watersheds and NPs pollution, where it is in the county, and what we can each do to remediate it.

· Erie Conservation District: No-till Field Day ($1,250) Field day focuses on the importance of no-till farming on protecting the environment, particularly local water quality as it pertains to the impacts of NPs pollution.

· Erie Conservation District: No-till Meeting ($1,250) No-till meeting is a partnership of northwest PA counties for farmers. Meeting focuses on utilizing no-till and cover crops to reduce soil loss and NPs pollution from runoff.

· Greene Conservation District: Conservation Farmer Tour & Articles ($1,500) Project involves a farm tour and newspaper articles that draw attention to local farms that can be visited where agricultural BMPs are in place and have been successfully carried out.

· Indiana Conservation District: Fundamentals of Successful Farming: Rotational Grazing Workshops ($2,000) Field days provide education for Amish dairy farming community about rotational grazing with an emphasis on environmental stewardship in dairy production.

· Jefferson Conservation District: Project Grass Conference & Farm Tours ($2,000) Grazing conference focuses on rotational grazing in an effort to decrease NPs pollution in watersheds by better utilizing land and water resources.

· Jefferson Conservation District: Watershed Festival ($1,250) Festival promotes county-wide conservation efforts to correct and avoid NPs pollution. Educates stakeholders on how to become involved in locally-led environmental efforts.

· Lancaster Conservation District: Lancaster/Lebanon Watershed Forum ($2,000) Educational forum and networking opportunity to increase knowledge of participants on NPs pollution and to fuel continued involvement in watershed conservation.

· Lancaster Conservation District: Rain Barrels in Urban Environments ($2,000) Workshop provides stormwater education and distributes rain barrels. Goal of project is to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff emanating from the urban environment.

· Lawrence Conservation District: Guidance for Proper Installation of Best Management Practices ($1,650) Produce a PowerPoint presentation that details, step-by-step, proper installation of BMPs. Hold a local educational workshop using the presentation as a learning tool.

· Luzerne Conservation District: Watershed Workshops ($2,000) Workshops address means of reducing NPs pollution and stormwater runoff. Include demonstrations on how to keep sediment and nutrient pollution out of local waterways.

· McKean Conservation District: Clean Water Campaign ($2,000) Campaign shows that individuals can make a difference, even if they don't live next to a stream. Focus is on negative impacts of NPs pollution on water resources and health.

· Montgomery Conservation District: Rain Barrel Workshop ($2,000) Workshop educates residents on proper management of stormwater to enhance and improve water quality by reducing NPs pollution generated on their property.

· Northumberland Conservation District: Twilight Meetings ($750) Meetings educate farmers about conservation and how to improve their practices including through the installation of agricultural BMPs.

· Pike Conservation District: Pike/Wayne Rain Barrel Workshop ($2,000) Program for homeowners on importance of stormwater management. Focus is on NPs pollution, how it affects the watershed, and how to reduce it by installing a rain barrel.

· Pike Conservation District: Pike/Wayne/Monroe Stormwater/Flood Summit ($2,000) Summit targets local decision-makers to inform and educate them on the importance of stormwater and floodplain management and implications for reducing water pollution.

· Potter Conservation District: Agricultural E&S Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Clinic ($2,000) Program promotes understanding of how to reduce NPs pollution through erosion and sedimentation (E&S) controls and how the reduction of erosion benefits watersheds.

· Somerset Conservation District: Watershed Summit & Tour ($2,000) Summit and Tour focuses on the Casselman River Watershed, historically impacted by severe point and nonpoint source mine drainage. Tour highlights restoration efforts and educates participants on actions they can continue to take.

· Venango Conservation District: Conservationist Newsletter ($2,000) Newsletter promotes understanding of the importance of conservation and the impact that conservation practices have on NPs pollution. Newsletter features actions to take.

· Venango Conservation District: Rain Barrel Education Project ($2,000) Workshops provide stormwater management education and cover the construction of rain barrels. Educational brochures will also be developed and distributed.

· Warren Conservation District: Conservation Tour ($2,000) Tour educates area residents about agriculture and conservation, the prevention or control of NPs pollution, BMPs on area farms, and riparian restoration projects.

· Warren Conservation District: Rotational Grazing as Nutrient Management Tool ($2,000) Tours cover rotational grazing as a nutrient management tool, and strategies for transitioning from a barn and concrete management system to a grass-based system. Focus is on reducing NPs pollution.

· Wayne Conservation District: Contractor's Workshop ($1,125) Workshop addresses NPs Pollution through E&S education and stormwater, including the use of BMPs. Also touches on oil and gas site preparation and remediation.

· Wayne Conservation District: Loggers & Stone Harvesters Workshop ($1,275) Workshop addresses NPs Pollution through E&S education, including the use of BMPs and issues relevant to Chapter 102 and 105 regulations.

· Westmoreland Conservation District: We All Live Downstream: Conservation Tour of Sewickley Creek Watershed ($2,000) Tour includes sites were BMPs are being used to improve the quality of the Sewickley Creek watershed. Relevant NPs education will be provided at each site.

For more information, visit the PACD website.

7/4/2008