Pennsylvania Additional Contributions to Reduce Nutrient Loads in Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Lead
Activity/Program
Funding Level
DCNR
Pilot Riparian Buffer Program DCNR has dedicated $500,000 in annual Keystone Rivers funding from Pennsylvania’s Realty Transfer Tax to launch a new forest buffer matching grant to install riparian buffers in the Bay watershed, including income-producing buffers. Grants require a minimum 1:1 match.
$1,000,000 (includes required partner match)
DCNR
Bay Program Assessment and Implementation Grant DCNR secured a competitive grant from to design and install 3-5 demonstration multifunctional riparian forest buffers in Pennsylvania, and to conduct an economic analysis on income generation potential for each buffer.
$65,000
DCNR
Pilot Buffer and other Bay Forestry Technical Assistance DCNR will divert 25% of its state service foresters to direct its buffer program (total also includes $100k of mgt/exec staff in-kind) DCNR is also in the process of hiring 2 new buffer foresters and a program coordinator to expand its work on multifunctional buffers.
$425,000
PENNVEST
Funding for riparian buffer program PennVEST will dedicate $3 million in grant funds over the next three years to augment DCNR’s riparian forest buffer program to fund site preparation, installation, plant materials, and maintenance of multifunctional buffers in the Bay watershed.
$1,000,000 (pending board approval)
PDA
Center for Dairy Excellence & Center for Beef Excellence Conservation Initiative $80,000 from the Ag Excellence Line will be committed to helping dairy and beef farm operations meet baseline compliance requirements for environmental stewardship. This funding will be split between providing additional support through a coordinator role and providing a series of eight workshops intended to walk farms through writing the appropriate plans, with the remainder of the funding going to support $1,000 grants for farms to work with professional services in developing more complex plans.
$80,000
PDA
Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Conservation Tax Credit Program The REAP Tax Credit Program will award an additional $1 million in state tax credits for conservation BMPs, nutrient and conservation plan development, no-till planting equipment and other BMPs and equipment approved by the State Conservation Commission.
$1,000,000
Pennsylvania Additional Contributions to Reduce Nutrient Loads in Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Lead
Activity/Program
Funding Level
PDA
State Farmland Preservation Increased Support Funding support for Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Easement (farmland preservation) Program was increased for FY 2016-17 and beyond, increasing from $20.5 million annually in cigarette tax to $25.5 million in cigarette tax. The $5 million increase will allow about half of that increase to flow into CB WS area for the purchase of agricultural easements.
$2,500,000
PDA
Dirt, Gravel and Low Volume Road Maintenance (DGLVR) Program Increased funding for evaluation and quantification of DGLVRP ESM BMPs creditable storm water BMPs under the CB Program Model.)
Up to $200,000
PDA
CDFAP AG BMP Pilot Conservation District Fund Allocation Program (CDFAP) special project AG BMP pilot committing $500,000 as a funding pool for priority AG BMPs. Funding offered to conservation districts in counties with the highest nutrients loads within the PA CB WS area.
$1,000,000 (includes required partner match)
PDA
PA Adaptive Toolbox for Conservation Saturation Pilot of the Pennsylvania Adaptive Toolbox for Conservation Saturation to achieve 100 percent livestock stream exclusion, accelerated participation in conservation planning and practice implementation, and a demonstrated correlation between conservation efforts, herd health, and farm profitability. Project will focus on three subwatersheds in Fishing Creek, a region dominated by Plain Sect farms located in the Lancaster County region of the Susquehanna River Basin. 16 project partners, include DEP, DCNR, SCC, and PDA were able to bring to provide a $909,104 matching contribution to leverage a $632,000 NFWF grant.
$909,104
DEP
Growing Greener Program Funding DEP’s new request for proposals for GG funding prioritizes the Chesapeake Bay Watershed for agricultural and urban stormwater practices, with an additional $2.1 million directed to work in the Bay over and above prior year allocations.
$2,127,265
DEP
Conservation Plan Rebate Program This program will re-dedicate Special Fund Waiver Monies to help farmers finance the development of nutrient/manure
$1,500,000
Pennsylvania Additional Contributions to Reduce Nutrient Loads in Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Lead
Activity/Program
Funding Level
management or agricultural erosion and sediment control plans. DEP
Chesapeake Bay Agricultural Source Abatement Fund This fund is a line item in the state budget used to implement the Chesapeake Bay Program. It is used as part of the match for the EPA Chesapeake Bay Regulatory and Accountability and Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant Programs.
$26,000
DCNR $1,490,000 PENNVEST TOTAL $1,000,000 PDA TOTAL $5,689,104 DEP TOTAL $3,653,265 STATE TOTAL $10,832,369 GRAND TOTAL WITH PARTNER MATCH $11,832,369
