The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts today issued the following statement in response to the Marcellus Shale Local Impact Fee (HB 1950) that passed the Pennsylvania Senate.

“Today, Pennsylvania’s Senate made an important and historic investment in our environment, communities and our citizens,” said Robert B. Maiden, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts. “The action taken by the Senate today to pass the local impact fee should be applauded by citizens and communities around the state. PACD appreciates the commitment of the Senate, especially Senator Scarnati, to ensure that Pennsylvania’s environment and communities are protected and safeguarded for generations to come. We look forward to the House of Representatives passing this important bill for the future of conservation in Pennsylvania.”

The local impact fee on Marcellus Shale will provide a dedicated funding stream to conservation districts. The new stable stream of funding will allow the districts the opportunity to:

• Provide much-needed local support and expertise to conserve and protect our resources in counties with Marcellus Shale development;
• Support, protect and enhance the number one industry in Pennsylvania: Agriculture;
• Provide technical assistance to install numerous Best Management Practices, such as riparian buffers and streambank stabilization, to reduce flooding and protect the quality of our water – sedimentation is Pennsylvania’s number one water pollution issue;
• Provide important local support to help farmers meet the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements without undue financial burden;
• Assist municipalities with floodplain ordinances and stormwater management plans that protect homes and businesses from being flooded.

Members of Pennsylvania’s county conservation districts, the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD), state agency representatives, and the National Resources Conservation Service met in Lewisburg, Union County, to encourage and forge new partnerships that will serve to further protect the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

“Each of our organizations have continued to make great strides in an effort to safeguard and clean up one of the nation’s most valuable water resources,” said Robert B. Maiden, Executive Director for the PACD. “We need to create a stronger synergy of collaboration between our organizations that will result in a better Chesapeake Bay now and for generations to come.”   

During the 2012 Chesapeake Bay Program Conservation District and PA Agency Staff Meeting, participants took part in the “Snapshot of Innovative Partnerships” session which featured presentations from two conservation districts that forged unique alliances to assist with their Bay efforts.

In addition, meeting participants heard updates from both Nicholas DiPasquale from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Kelly Heffner from Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection who discussed the “state of the bay” and “Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay Initiatives” respectively.

“Meetings like these provide our districts and their partners with the latest information regarding the Bay and how the work they are doing is contributing to its overall health,” added Maiden. “We must continue to be innovative and on the forefront of all Bay initiatives, including public education, that will improve the health of the Bay and ensure its sustained health.”

 Presentations from the 2012 meeting are available at: http://pacd.org/calendar/2012baymeeting/.

As a result of President Obama’s Executive Oder requiring additional measures to protect the Chesapeake Bay, the Conewago Creek Watershed in Lebanon County received a nod from the USDA to become a model showcase project for the six states responsible for restoring the Chesapeake Bay. The showcase initiative will be a collective and collaborative effort of federal, state and local partners working together to help landowners and communities use the land in the watershed in sustainable ways that will not adversely affect water quality.

With the majority of the Conewago Watershed being farmland, as well as 37% of the watershed located within Lebanon County, the County Conservation District took a leadership role with its district partners from Dauphin and Lancaster counties to survey the agricultural operations within the watershed and inventory the conservation practices already being implemented.

This survey, which included a site visit to each farm, enabled district staff to interact with landowners face to face, hear their concerns, and answer questions. Staff offered assistance to correct water quality problems that may have been identified. As a result, many landowners were interested in addressing resource concerns on their land with the help of the district staff. 

Currently, district staff in Lebanon County are actively working with eight landowners in this watershed to develop or update conservation plans and implement various Best Management Practices (BMPs) including: stream crossings, riparian buffers, terraces, stream bank fences, walkways, and an off-stream livestock watering facility. Outreach, education, and information were provided to those that may not have been reached by other means.  Through personal interactions with landowners, district staff has forged close working relationships and an on-going conservation dialog in that watershed.

In addition, three farms in the Conewago Watershed are in the process of being preserved due to the district-run Lebanon County Farmland Preservation Program.

An Employee Policy Handbook was developed for PACD by McNees, Wallace & Nurick LLC, for conservation districts to use as a model in developing or updating their own Employee Handbooks. We ask that you email pacd@pacd.org for a copy.