News Release

PACD Engineering Technical Assistance Program Celebrates Five Year Anniversary

This summer the PACD will celebrate the five year anniversary of the PACD Engineering Assistance Program. The program, which is a partnership effort between the PACD and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, began in 2001 with the receipt of a Growing Greener grant to provide engineering technical assistance. In 2004, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provided matching federal funds for engineering technical assistance for the implementation of comprehensive nutrient management plans.

The PACD Engineering Assistance Program has been extremely successful because it offers assistance to conservation districts, watershed associations, and other eligible recipients, who may not otherwise have access to these services. Engineering technical assistance is provided through eight different engineering services, called components. The eight components include inventory and evaluation, topographic survey, soils investigation, design and specifications, construction quality assurance, technical reviews, training and watershed assessment.

PACD can provide engineering technical assistance for projects that include agricultural best management practices, stream restoration, and treatment of abandoned mine drainage. During the past five years, the PACD has completed 305 individual environmental improvement projects for hundreds of local organizations in Pennsylvania. The PACD estimates that these projects contributed $14.2 million dollars worth of environmental improvements during this period. A recent Growing Greener grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection will continue this program into the next calendar year.

The PACD engineers and engineering technicians that provide services are based in the four Technical Center offices of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service located around Pennsylvania. For more information about the program or how to obtain engineering technical assistance, visit the PACD website at http://www.pacd.org/products/tech_asst.htm and click on Engineering Assistance.

PACD, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization representing Pennsylvania's 66 conservation districts. For more information on the PACD visit www.pacd.org.

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