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Hello partners for water quality!
We have much news to share on progress by state, local, and sector partners to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution and improve water quality in Pennsylvania’s share of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
For more details on the Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan and Countywide Action Planning, visit the Phase 3 WIP website. For a broader educational look at nutrient and sediment pollution in local streams, rivers, and lakes in the watershed, including tips and success stories, visit Healthy Waters, Healthy Communities. Please consider how you might join in or help support this work. Anyone interested in their county’s Phase 3 WIP County Wide Action plan can sign up to get involved. And help spread the word! Share this newsletter or the subscribe page. — DEP Bureau of Watershed Restoration and Nonpoint Source Management
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DEP is accepting applications for the 2023 Growing Greener Plus grant program
DEP’s Growing Greener Plus grant program is accepting applications through June 23, 2023. The programs covered under the Growing Greener Plus grants program are Growing Greener Watershed Restoration and Protection, Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) Bond Forfeiture, and Stormwater Management Planning (Act 167) grants. New watershed grant features include:
- The Growing Greener Plus Grants program is soliciting applications for county Stormwater Management Planning (Act 167) grants.
- Technical Assistance project applicants should include public-private partnerships to expedite on-the-ground, BMP implementation.
- AMD Set-Aside Grants are no longer part of the Growing Greener Plus Grants Program. The maximum grant request amount is $500,000, and applicants must submit a project workplan.
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DEP is accepting applications for the 2023 Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management grant program
The Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management grant program is accepting applications through June 23, 2023. New grant features this year include:
- Applicants may apply for new Watershed Implementation Plan development in Environmental Justice areas.
- For funded projects larger than $250,000, grantees must comply with the federal Buy America, Build America Act.
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Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) mini-grant open
The PA Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) is now accepting mini-grant applications for up to $3,000 to implement educational and outreach activities that support and extend the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Projects should focus on CREP enrollment, re-enrollment and/or CREP maintenance. Applications will be accepted and approved on a rolling basis until funds are expended. CREP is funded by DEPs Growing Greener Plus grant program.
Project examples:
- Walkabouts/field days
- Farmer and landowner workshops
- Riparian buffer workshops
- Workshop series with several topics
- Developing educational materials like brochures, flyers, fact sheets, or even billboards
- Hiring interns to provide CREP outreach
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Shapiro Administration begins rollout of Clean Streams Fund program to build healthier soil, cleaner water, farm viability
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding visited Matthew and Samantha Stahlnecker's Lycoming County farm to announce the first funding rolling out under the new, $154 million Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP). Pennsylvania's Clean Streams Fund was created with $220 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, and funds conservation programs including ACAP, designed to share the costs to farmers for farm management practices that reduce sediment in waterways, keeping the nutrients out of waterways, and on the farm to build soil health. ACAP funding, administered by the State Conservation Commission (SCC), is part of a coordinated package of state conservation initiatives, grants, loans and tax incentives that leverage Pennsylvania's long-standing partnership with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Conservation Districts. Find more information and apply on the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program webpage, and for more State Conservation Commission programs and investments in the future of Pennsylvania farms, visit agriculture.pa.gov.
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Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding talks with the Stahlnecker family, Matthew and Samantha and their daughter Rylee, 1, before a press conference on March 30, 2023
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PA Department of Agriculture (PDA) is accepting Agricultural Research grant applications
PDA is now accepting applications for Agriculture Research Grants on a variety of research areas. The deadline to apply is May 15. Research topics can include, but are not limited to water quality BMPs, chronic wasting disease, animal health, biodegradable packaging, invasive species management, manure treatment, alternative methods of preserving prime agricultural lands, integrating silvopasture and other agro-forestry techniques into farm operations, urban agriculture and many more.
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USDA NRCS is accepting applications for 2023 Conservation Innovation grants
USDA NRCS in Pennsylvania is accepting proposals for its Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Program through May 26, 2023. It is anticipated that a total of up to $150,000 will be available to fund multiple one to three year projects. Single projects may be eligible to receive $5,000 to $75,000 in funding. CIG is a voluntary program to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production. Proposed projects should augment existing NRCS technical tools (planning, assessment/delivery) to better facilitate conservation on farms. In 2023, Pennsylvania NRCS is prioritizing proposals that address the following on-farm resource concerns: Carbon Sequestration; Legacy Sediment; Soil Health; Water Quality; Urban Farming; or Non-Industrial Private Forestland. Visit the NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Program webpage for more information. Questions should be directed to Ashley Lenig at 717-237-2204 or ashley.lenig@usda.gov for additional information or to apply.
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NRCS announces $75 million to assist producers transitioning to organic as part of USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative
NRCS will dedicate $70 million in direct farmer assistance to assist producers with a new organic management standard under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Eligible producers include farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and other producers beginning or in the process of transitioning to organic certification. NRCS will announce state-specific deadlines later this year, after which producers can apply through NRCS at their local USDA Service Center. NRCS will dedicate $5 million to partner with six organic technical experts through five-year agreements. The organic experts will develop regional networks and support NRCS staff who provide services to USDA customers. These services include hosting hands-on organic training and fielding organic-related staff questions. One organic research position will support this network. A Notice of Funding Opportunity, closing on June 11, outlines requirements for proposals from regional organizations and partners.
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South Mountain Partnership accepting 2023 Mini-grants and Flex grant applications
The South Mountain Partnership is now accepting applications for 2023 Mini-Grants to further the Partnership's mission to conserve landscape resources that enrich the quality of life and a sense of place for citizens and communities. The deadline for applications is May 26. The South Mountain Partnership is also accepting applications for Flex Grants, a small-scale funding opportunity to support projects not traditionally eligible for Mini-grants.
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Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) is now accepting applications for Groundwater Level Monitoring grants
SRBC is now accepting applications for Groundwater Level Monitoring grants. The deadline to apply is June 30. The grants are designed to assist SRBC-regulated projects with collecting and reporting water level data in groundwater wells within the basin. Grantees may receive up to $2,500 per groundwater well, with a total facility cap of $7,500. The grant program is focused on projects that need to purchase, install or maintain monitoring equipment to address equipment failure, achieve better data accuracy, improve efficiency or even automate water level measurement.
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USDA announces up to $9.5 million for Compost and Food Waste Reduction projects
USDA announced the availability of up to $9.5 million for Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) pilot projects for fiscal year 2023. The cooperative agreements support projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans. They are part of USDA’s broader efforts to support urban agriculture.
USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) – led by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service – will accept applications on Grants.gov until June 15, 2023.
Cooperative agreements support projects led by local governments or other eligible entities that:
- Generate compost;
- Increase access to compost for agricultural producers;
- Reduce reliance on and limit the use of fertilizer;
- Improve soil quality;
- Encourage waste management and permaculture business development;
- Increase rainwater absorption;
- Reduce municipal food waste; and
- Divert food waste from landfills.
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Shapiro Administration announces commitment to fight climate change under new EPA climate grant program
Earlier this month, Pennsylvania opted into the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program, part of the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The program provides grants to state and local government entities to develop climate action plans and makes them eligible for grants from the $4.6 billion pool administered by EPA. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission have all opted into the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program. Pennsylvania will receive up to a $3 million planning grant through the program; the regional planning commissions will receive up to $1 million planning grants.
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DEP Acting Secretary Rich Negrin joins Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3 Administrator Adam Ortiz, PENNVEST Chairman Dr. Brian Regli, and local government partners to celebrate Earth Month and highlight the partnership between federal, state, and local governments to fight climate change
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DEP Bureau of Watershed Restoration and Nonpoint Source Management
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DEP’s Bureau of Watershed Restoration and Nonpoint Source Management (BWRNSM) Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division (CBWRD) hosts Cover Crop Roundtable
On April 5, the CBWRD’s Watershed Accountability and Administration Section (WAAS) hosted a virtual Cover Crop Roundtable Webinar Wednesday. The purpose of the session was to have a collaborative, guided discussion between state and county partners to help answer questions that many county partners have surrounding the creation and organization of a cover crop incentive program. Several counties operate successful programs and that knowledge and experience is a valuable resource to fellow Bay watershed counties. The goal was to share experience-based knowledge and promote county partner communication and collaboration by walking through multiple discussion prompts that were provided to the counties ahead of the meeting. The webinar was well attended, with over 70 state and county partners joining to learn and take part in the discussion. Topics covered during the webinar ranged from in-depth technical questions about specific cover crop species and reporting, to bigger picture program focused discussion about education and outreach. This webinar generated valuable discussion on the benefits of cover crops as building blocks of agricultural outreach.
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Programs and Projects by Local, State and Federal Partners
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2023 Watershed Forestry Summit registration now open
PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Western Pennsylvania Conservancy invite you to the 2023 Watershed Forestry Summit. All watershed forestry professionals, decision-makers, and volunteers are encouraged to join! There will be sessions on the latest watershed forestry science, outreach and implementation strategies, funding options and more. The Summit will be held at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona, June 14-15, with an optional pre-conference field day on June 13. Registration is available online.
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Governor’s Awards for Local Government Excellence recognizes the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission
The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission received a Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence under the Innovative Community/Governmental Initiatives for their Regional Water Resource Enhancement Program. In order to cut local government costs by 60 to 90 percent and improve water quality and flood prevention, the county commissioners and the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission created a strategic solution through a regional Water Resources Enhancement Program (WREP). To date, fifteen municipalities are participating in WREP. By working together on stormwater management, municipalities can lower stormwater management costs and can shift municipal revenues to other essential infrastructure projects.
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The 2023 Virtual Conservation District and PA Agency Agriculture meeting was a success
The 2023 Virtual Conservation District and PA Agency Ag Meeting was organized by watershed, with April 3 focusing on the Ohio, Erie, Genesee, and Delaware watersheds, and April 6 focusing on the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Over 90 individuals attended the April 3 portion of the meeting, and over 150 attended on April 6. Participants included conservation district staff, CAP coordinators, and staff from PA state agencies and USDA NRCS. This year’s agendas included state and federal agency updates, conservation district agricultural project highlights and breakout sessions on collaboration and problem-solving. Recordings of the meetings are available on the Clean Water Academy.
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USDA invests $12 million in cooperative Agreements for conservation for farmers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) has awarded $12 million in cooperative agreements for 49 projects that expand access to conservation technical assistance for livestock producers and increase the use of conservation practices on grazing lands. These projects have identified barriers to accessing grazing assistance for producers and will include outreach and support for reaching underserved producers. Three of the awarded projects will benefit Pennsylvania farmers:
- Pennsylvania Grazing/Forage Lands Conservation Coalition: Pennsylvania’s Conservation Organizations Working Together to Support Grassland Agriculture and Managed Grazing
- National Cattlemen’s Beef Association: Empowering Producers to Take Action with Grazing Management Through Access to Technical Assistance to Support Grazing Planning and Conservation Practice Implementation
- Northeast Pasture Consortium, Inc.: Leveraging Outreach and Impacts of Northeast Grazing
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Chesapeake Tree Canopy Network releases tree cover fact sheets
The first step in working toward a tree canopy goal is understanding what is already there. The Chesapeake Tree Canopy Network has released new county fact sheets for all Chesapeake watershed counties that provide tree cover status, benefits and change information over the 2013/14 to 2017/18 time periods. Municipal fact sheets will be produced later in 2023.
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Manada Conservancy protects 97 acres on Peters Mountain
Manada Conservancy completed their first conservation easement project of 2023, a 97 acre mountain property that is part of the Kittatinny Ridge conservation landscape. The protected property is predominantly forest covered, with acreage on both the north and south facing slopes of Peters Mountain within the Kittatinny Ridge Important Bird Area. Contiguous with thousands of acres of other protected lands, this addition furthers efforts to safeguard the Appalachian Trail viewshed and trail experience, and supports the water quality in Clarks Creek, which flows into the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay.
With more on the horizon, this project marks the eighth that Manada Conservancy has completed through Fort Indiantown Gap’s Army Compatible Use Buffer program, in partnership with program administrators, the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation. Protecting land surrounding the military base has the dual purpose of protecting land of high conservation value as well as the dark skies and flight path necessary for military training operations.
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Study reveals importance of groundwater for stability of freshwater fish populations and resilience to climate change
A new USGS study investigated how groundwater affects fish population stability and resiliency to climate change. This study is unique because researchers evaluated how fish populations have changed over multiple decades and how these changes are linked to climate resiliency.
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High-resolution land data now published in additional formats
The Chesapeake Bay Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) database was developed by the University of Vermont’s Spatial Analysis Laboratory, in cooperation with Chesapeake Conservancy (CC) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In 2022, the LULC data was released at county-scale through CC’s website. The USGS has recently published the data, which provides additional formats for users to retrieve the information.
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EPA Mid-Atlantic Region 2023 Virtual Summit: Engaging and Investing for a Healthy and Sustainable Future
On May 17, the EPA Mid-Atlantic Region will convene the 2023 Virtual Summit: Engaging and Investing for a Healthy and Sustainable Future, to showcase the collective work and innovative practices that are addressing 21st century environmental and public health challenges impacting the communities they serve. The Summit is a one-day informational exchange that brings together EPA and its partners to share pioneering ideas and practices in protecting the environment and human health in the Mid-Atlantic region. Attendees will learn from leaders in the field of environmental and human health on priority topics including environmental justice, climate and infrastructure. The Summit is free and open to the public.
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Adams County increases BMP verification and hosts Spring Tree distribution event
Adams County has also been utilizing money in both the Chesapeake Bay Technician Grant and the CAP Coordinator Grant to hire two retired NRCS technicians who are working on a BMP re-verification project. These techs are travelling to farms in the county where BMPs have fallen out of their life cycles. These BMPs will be re-verified and re-entered into the PracticeKeeper database so Adams County and the ag operators get credit for the work they have done.
The Adams County Conservation District hosted its Spring Tree distribution event, which took place on April 21-22. The district gave out nearly 10,000 native trees and shrubs to landowners to be planted across Adams County. These trees are provided at no cost by the Chesapeake Bay Foundations Keystone 10 Million Trees initiative.
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Clinton County Conservation District releases a CAP Newsletter
The Clinton County CAP Newsletter provides an overview of the county CAP. This overview identifies key partners, provides examples of projects and programs that help the county meet its nutrient and sediment reduction goals, and provides information on additional new funding sources that will help the county meet their clean water goals.
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Cumberland County’s Cover Crop Program reaches over 80 operators
The Cumberland County Conservation District’s 2022-2023 Cover Crop Incentive Program has been a huge success, with 81 farmers participating. The program has covered 7,476 acres of no-till and 1,649 acres of minimum till with a wheat, rye, barley or triticale cover crop. The program has grown exponentially since it started 17 years ago in the 2006-2007 cover crop season, which covered 1,082 acres with both no-till and minimum till practices. The first picture below depicts a green cover crop protecting what would have been bare soil, and most susceptible to erosion and runoff into the local waters. The second picture is corn planted in a chemically killed or “burned” cover crop. The residue of the cover crop provides organic matter, which attributes to building good soil health. The Conservation District will be administering the Cover Crop Program again for the upcoming 2023-2024 crop year. Farmers interested in applying or more information, please call the Cumberland County Conservation District at 717-240-7812.
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Green cover crop protecting bare soil
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Residue of “burned” cover crop
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Franklin County gains 14,000 trees in a quarry reclamation site at Furnace Run Park
Furnace Run Park, located in Southampton Township, is a 226-acre nature park that has two quarries, together totaling about 25 acres. These quarries were graded when Southampton Township gained possession of the park; however, regrowth was non-existent and the steep slopes began to erode. Through a coordinated effort by Southampton Township, DEP and New Enterprise Stone and Lime, and with funding from the PA Environmental Council, the Township has had both quarries “ripped” to deal with the steep slopes.
In April, Southampton Township hosted nearly 150 volunteers at an event to plant approximately 14,000 PA-native trees, of which 12,500 were donated by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), to reforest the quarries. Those who volunteered for this event include, but are not limited to: SRBC, CBF, Southampton Township, Franklin County Conservation District, Penn State Mont Alto, Conococheague Audubon Emma Munson Foundation, Walmart, various watershed groups from surrounding areas, and friends and families of Franklin County and beyond!
This effort will generate immeasurable ecological uplift and serve as great contribution to Franklin County’s progress in reaching nutrient/sediment reduction goals for its Clean Water Plan. This two-day effort will account for 24 acres (60%) of the plan’s 40-acre goal for tree planting.
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Volunteers planting trees in Furnace Run Park
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Lancaster Conservancy acquires 77 acres of land in Elizabeth Township
Lancaster Conservancy is expanding the de Perrot Woods Nature Preserve by 77 acres. The conservancy acquired the land in the Highlands region of Lancaster County and adjacent to the 31-acre expanse of the de Perrot Woods Nature Preserve. The preserve, which was donated to the conservancy in 2015, is located in Elizabeth Township north of Lititz and now encompasses over 100 acres. With this addition, the conservancy is protecting land along the Conestoga Trail and a tributary to Hammer Creek and Speedwell Forge Lake. It includes forest and open space field habitats supporting native wildlife.
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Lancaster County completes streambank fencing program
Eshelman Run, a small creek in Strasburg Borough suffers during heavy rainstorms, overloaded with soil and other organic material; the stream also affected farmland near the creek and the municipality's stormwater system. With $164,712 from a Clean Water Fund Large Implementation Grant, Strasburg Borough planned and oversaw the construction of conservation best management practices for 400 linear feet of stream. In collaboration with a landowner adjacent to the stream, TeamAg developed a conservation plan for the 39 acres farm to address the health of a portion of the streambank. Additional partners also included: Lancaster Conservation District, DEP, ELA Group, Lancaster Farmland Trust and LandStudies.
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Lancaster County gears up for annual Water Week celebrations to advocate for clean water
Now in its 7th year, Lancaster Water Week celebrates the 1,400 miles of streams and rivers in Lancaster County. These waterways are the source of our drinking water, drive economic and agricultural growth, and allow us to escape into nature to fish, paddle and swim. Many of these beautiful streams are polluted, but there is an incredible effort underway in Lancaster County to bring them back to health in our lifetime.
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Susquehanna County Conservation District completes Roofed Heavy Use Area Protection (HUAP) on local dairy operation
The Susquehanna County Conservation District assisted with the implementation of a roofed HUAP on a dairy operation located in Middletown Center, Middletown Township. This project was completed utilizing both Growing Greener and CAP grant funding. The project consists of 3,632 square feet of roofed animal containment area with a 6-month capacity manure storage. Roof gutters connected to underground outlets capture clean water and direct any runoff to a stabilized outlet, preventing contact with animals and manure. Animals will access the structure via an improved animal tail and walkway from an existing barn. This structure will not only eliminate and water quality issues associated with the Animal Concentration Areas (ACA’s) but will also allow the farmer to store manure and nutrient rich bedding material to be spread on his fields consistent to the rates developed in his Nutrient Management Plan. This structure is unique in that the manure storage was designed for the center of the structure to better serve the operators management of the structure and animals.
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Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101
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