PACD Front Page 04.16.18

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PA Association of Conservation Districts

Front Page: Your Weekly News & Updates

PACD awards, topic-based E&S training, Chesapeake Bay toolbox, news from Northumberland, Pike, and Blair counties, and stewardship week.

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Happy Conservation District Week!

The Pennsylvania State Senate and the House of Representatives declared April 15-21,2018 as "Conservation District Week." The dates coincide with Earth Day (April 22nd) events and celebrations. During Conservation District Week, offices across the state will hold events.

PACD developed a press release, fact sheet, and several social media images for districts to use. Contact Shannon Wehinger at [email protected] for copies of these images.

Click here for more information.

Last Chance for PACD Conservation Award Nominations

April 30th is the last day to submit a nomination for a PACD Award. Don't miss this opportunity to recognize a deserving district director, associate director, employee, or honor administrative excellence in environmental recreation!

The awards are as follows:

Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director or Associate Director Excellence Award
Conservation District Employee Excellence Award
Legislator Recognition Award
Maurice K. Goddard Award for Excellence in Environmental Recreation

Click here for more information. Contact Jann McNamara at [email protected] with any questions.

Training for DEP and Conservation District Staff Supports Water Quality

This year's 102/105 Topic-based Technical Training took place April 10-12, 2018, at the Ramada Conference Center in State College, PA. A record 125 participants from 47 conservation districts and the PA Department of Environmental Protection received in-depth training on Post Construction Stormwater Management (PCSM), Chapter 105, and other topics that support clean, accessible, water for Pennsylvania's citizens.

This annual training is funded through a grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection and made possible through the cooperation of the PA Association of Conservation Districts and Pennsylvania's conservation districts.

Photo caption: Nathan Crawford, P.E., reviews PCSM on April 11, 2018. Mr. Crawford is Environmental Group Manager for the PA Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Clean Water, NPDES Permitting Division, Stormwater Construction Section.

Northumberland County Conservation District Holds 7th Annual Legislative Luncheon

On April 5, PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh traveled to Northumberland County for the district's legislative breakfast. During the breakfast, the district thanked state legislators and the commissioners for their continued support.

Photo caption (left to right): County Commissioner Sam Schiccatano, State Representative Kurt Masser, State Representative Lynda Culver, District Manager Judy Becker, State Senator John Gordner, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh, and Northumberland County Conservation District Board Chairman Michael Hubler. Photo provided by Northumberland County Conservation District.

Clean Water Toolbox for Chesapeake Bay

PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh was one of about 200 leaders from municipal governments, county conservation districts, agriculture, environmental groups, water companies, and other entities to participate in a meeting hosted by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The meeting was held April 10 in Lancaster with the goal to expand local engagement in Phase 3 of the state plan for improving water quality in Pennsylvania's portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Participants in the meeting shared their expertise to help finalize the Community Clean Water Toolbox drafted by the Local Area Goals Work Group. The work group is co-chaired by Lisa Shaeffer, Director of Government Relations for the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania; Steve Taglang, Environmental Program Manager for DEP's Bureau of Clean Water; and Davitt Woodwell, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.

The toolbox presents a draft set of local data, resource, engagement, planning, and tracking tools for counties to develop and implement action plans to reduce nitrogen, phosphorous, and sediment from streams and rivers. It quantifies the amount of pollutants reduced so far, current pollutant levels, and further reductions needed for each county.

Lancaster, York, Adams, and Franklin counties will pilot the toolbox to create their action plans by October. The toolbox will then be further modified, as needed, for potential use by other counties in the watershed.

Click here to read more about the toolbox.

Sally Corrigan Retires

On April 6, 2018, a retirement party was held for Pike County Conservation District Manager Sally Corrigan in Lake Ariel, PA. The event was attended by both the conservation community and elected officials. PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh traveled to Pike County for the event. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement, Sally!

Photo caption: PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh (left), retiring Pike County Conservation District Manager Sally Corrigan, and State Conservation Commission Executive Secretary Karl Brown pose for a photo at Sally's retirement party.

Blair County Conservation District Breaks Ground

The Blair Conservation District held a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, March 29, 2018, for Blair County's first environmental-specific park. The park, located at 10 Bedford Street in the Borough of Hollidaysburg, has been named "NatureWorksPark".

Construction is slated to be completed by late summer 2018 and will include a walkway with instructional signage, a mitigated wetland and boardwalk, a pollinator garden, "soft access" to the Beaverdam Branch of the Juniata River, two pavilions, an amphitheater, demonstration areas for plants/crops, stormwater alternatives, riparian buffer establishment, and wetlands.

The project was partially funded by a $250,000 grant from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and $4,000 from the Altoona Sunrise Rotary, . The remainder of the funds will come from the Conservation District Account funded by the Public Utility Commission through the Marcellus Shale program.

Click here to read the entire press release.

Photo caption for staff photo (L to R) Bonnie Young, Administrative Assistant; Chelsey Ergler, Stormwater Coordinator; Beth Futrick, Ombudsman; Donna Fisher, District Manager; Diane Thomas, Resource Conservation Technician; Suzanne Black, Conservation Education Specialist; Margaret Angle, retired District Clerk; Rich Huether, Ag Conservation Specialist; Stephen Dumm, Resource Conservation Technician; and Joshua Stoehr, Resource Conservation Technician. Photo provided by the Blair County Conservation District.

Stewardship Week: April 29-May 6

The 2018 Stewardship Week will take place April 29-May 6, 2018. The theme is, "Watersheds: Our Water, Our Home." The National Association of Conservation Districts offers an educators guide and other resources for conservation districts to use, including: