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News

October 15, 2009

The PA budget logjam has finally come to an end. Late last week the Governor signed a budget for the current fiscal year. The lines of most interest to conservation districts are as follows:

2009-10 FY 2008-09 FY
PDA Transfer to Conservation District Fund $1.65 million $1.66 million
DEP Transfer to Conservation District Fund $3.06 million $3.6 million
PDA Nutrient Management Fund $3.1 million $3.138 million
Chesapeake Bay Pollution Abatement Program $3.032 million $3.214 million
Overall, DEP was cut by almost 27%, DCNR was cut by 18.5%, and PDA was cut by 11%.

The PA General Assembly chose not to consider a severance tax proposal at this time. They did pass language allowing for leasing state forest land for natural gas drilling in the hope of generating $60 million. Unlike the previous leasing version we reported last week, the final language signed by the governor does not limit or cap the acreage, requires no minimum bids/royalties on the leased land, but does let DCNR control the leasing process. The bill requires the transfer of $60 million in FY 2009-10 from the Oil and Gas Fund to the General Fund. The bill also includes a provision which says, ” In making appropriations (from the Oil and Gas Fund), the General Assembly shall consider the adoption of an allocation to municipalities impacted by a Marcellus well.”

Finally, the budget reduces the Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) program by 50% from $10 million available for tax credits down to $5 million. The State Conservation Commission has over $ 9 million in REAP Tax Credit applications pending.

September 10th, 2009

Pennsylvania’s 66 Conservation Districts, promoting the protection, improvement and wise use of the Commonwealth’s natural resources, are feeling the pinch of local funding reductions and the state budget impasse. The absence of a state budget coupled with the threat of significant financial cutbacks on the state and county levels concern conservation districts who are wondering how they will continue to provide local citizens with vital conservation programs.

All 66 conservation districts have been troubled from the lack of a state budget. The Columbia County Conservation District is no exception. Partially because the conservation district has not received any state allocations for delegated state programs since June 30, 2009, the conservation district may have to reduce its work week and staff hours even though everything is being done to avoid these reductions. “As with the other conservation districts across the Commonwealth, we have developed a strong reputation with the public of offering services, providing technical advice, environmental education and protection of our natural resources,” stated Maryruth Wagner, Columbia County Conservation District Manager. Wagner continued, “We will strive to offer the programs the state funded, but if funding is cut, we will not be able to continue at the current level. With no budget, it will be a struggle to make it to the end of the calendar year.”

JoAnn McCready, Lawrence County Conservation District agreed. Lawrence County is looking at a $1.5 million deficit. McCready fears the conservation district will suffer a reduced allocation from the county as well as significant state cuts. A state budget impasse has compounded the issue with the threat of no state payments for this quarter’s activities. “Nothing has been said about if, when, and to what extent, we will get reimbursed for the time we are working on state programs without a budget allocation,” McCready stated. “Additionally, if we have to reduce hours due to the budget stalemate, we will have a difficult time responding in a timely manner.”

Irvil Kear, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation District President and Schuylkill County Conservation District Director stated, “For over 60 years the state’s 66 conservation districts have served as leaders, addressing local natural resource concerns at the county level.” She concluded, “It is undisputed that conservation districts provide much needed services to Commonwealth citizens to help them identify and resolve critical natural resource concerns. Funding reductions and the lack of a state budget are severely hindering conservation district activities.