Conservation District

What is the ACAP Program?
The Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) was created through the Clean Streams Fund established by the FY2022-23 General Funds Sate Budget. The purpose of the $154 million program is to assist farmers and landowners in the design and installation of agricultural BMP’s that will reduce or prevent nutrient and sediment losses from their farms and improve water quality and soil health across the Commonwealth. ACAP is administered by the State Conservation Commission (SCC) and delegated to participating conservation Districts for local implementation of the program. Funding to participating county conservation districts is based on written apportionment criteria developed by the SCC. The SCC’s apportionment criteria must consider:

• Agriculturally Impaired Stream Miles
• Number of Cropland Acres
• Number of Farms
• Number of Livestock and Poultry
• Other criteria established by the SCC

Each county conservation district will receive three equally-divided annual allocations. Greene’s apportionment is approximately $1,500,000 or $500,000 for each allocation. All funds must be committed by December 31, 2024 and spent by December, 31, 2026. 

What are the Criteria?

• Best Management Practices (BMP’s) funded need to meet the goals of any applicable Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) or Countywide Action Plan (CAP).
• The BMP must be part of a Conservation Plan or an Agriculture Erosion & Sedimentation Control Plan and a Manure Management Plan or a Nutrient Management Plan.
• Priority is given to BMP’s that implement BMP’s for control of nitrogen, phosphorus or sediment.
• All Animal Concentration Areas (ACA) on the farm must be treated to abate stormwater runoff, loss of sediment, loss of nutrients from the ACA, or the implementation of such BMP’s shall be included in an application for funds.
• Buffer installation is required as part of an ACAP application if the existing Conservation Plan or Ag E&S Control Plan includes a buffer as a BMP and the project proposes a manure storage or Heavy Use Area.
• BMP’s with proximity to surface waters, public drinking water sources or Karst Geology with underground drainage systems or open sinkholes are to be given priority during the ranking of projects.
• The project must meet the design and construction standards established by the PA Technical Design Guide, or other standard established by the SCC.
• Maximum grant award is $500,000 unless approved by the SCC.
• PA State Prevailing Wages are required for projects that exceed $25,000.
• Cost share percentage will be determined by each conservation district. The district’s cost share is 90%.
• Funding is able to be paired with other funding programs. 

 

Bidding Requirements

Procurement Method	Expense Amount	Requirements
Micro-Purchase (No quotes required)	Less than $10,000	Consider price to be reasonable Distribute equitably among suppliers to extent practical
Small Purchase Procedures (Relatively simple and informal)	$10,000 to $249,999	Obtain/document price or rate quotations from a reasonable number of qualified sources Written or documented quotes required to be kept in the contract file
Sealed Bids	$250,00 or more	Bids must be publicly advertised using standard bidding requirements Bid must allow for a minimum of 15 days for response time Bids must be solicited from an adequate number of qualified sources Sealed bids must be publicly opened Contract award must be made to the lowest responsible bidder Contract must be a firm, fixed price

What are eligible ACAP project costs?

• Project design engineering and associated planning
• Project construction or installation – including labor provided by the applicant
• Equipment, materials and other components of eligible projects
• Post construction inspections

Any of the above costs for services that may be provided by a Conservation District or private sector technical service provider through a fee or charge are eligible costs and may be included in the ACAP project application. Private sector technical assistance can be reimbursed up to 10% of the estimated construction cost.

Applying for ACAP Grants
Applications are available through the State Conservation Commission (SCC) Website or from the Greene County Conservation District (GCCD) Website. The SCC website can be accessed using this link: State Conservation Commission ACAP Website
The District recommends requesting assistance from a private consultant as the application requires preliminary design and cost estimate.
A completed application packet needs to be submitted to the District for review, ranking, and approval. Districts have 90 days to accept and review applications. There is a rolling submission deadline and projects are approved at monthly District Board meetings.

Reminders
The ACAP Program Guidelines, Application, and Best Management Practice List are available in the “Application Resources” section on this page. Please contact Greene County Conservation District at gccd@co.greene.pa.us or call (724)-852-5278.

Our Agricultural Programs are a very important part of the Greene County Conservation District and our farmland communities. We offer various programs to assist farmers, landowners, and others interested in agricultural programs throughout Greene County. Descriptions of the programs that we offer are listed below.

The Easement purchase program was developed in 1988 to help slow the loss of prime farmland to non-agricultural uses. The program enables state, county, and local governments to purchase conservation easements, sometimes called development rights, from owners of quality farmland.

The Erosion & Sediment Control Program is delegated to the Conservation District by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The Program helps landowners conducting earth disturbance and/or stream encroachment activities remain in compliance with Pennsylvania Clean Stream Laws by developing, implementing, and maintaining Best Management Practices (BMP) that minimize the potential for accelerated erosion and sedimentation during construction as well as managing post construction storm water.

Conservation District Permit Fee Schedule and Policy
Conservation District Project Review Application
 

Dirt and gravel roads are important links in Pennsylvania's overall transportation network. Covering more than 27,000 miles throughout the commonwealth, dirt and gravel roads provide vital access for Pennsylvania's major industries — agriculture, mining, forestry, and tourism - while weaving the fabric of rural community life for over 3.6 million residents. Local municipalities and state agencies — with jurisdiction over more than 90% of the state's dirt and gravel roads — can ill afford to pave dirt roads and then adequately maintain them. Dirt and gravel roads programs assist with road repairs and pollution problems in environmentally safe ways.

Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies
Greene County's dirt, gravel and Low-volume roads program

The Watershed Management & Education Program exists to help landowners make wise decisions that protect and improve water quality in Greene County. This is accomplished through activities that increase awareness of water quality issues, promote practices that protect these resources and through technical and/or financial assistance in implementing such practices.

The Greene County Conservation District was formed and declared a District by the Greene County Board of Commissioners on July 18, 1956, in accordance with the "Soil Conservation Law" of 1945, Act 217, of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and began operations on Sept. 16, 1956. The district was organized at the request of county citizens to provide for the conservation of soil and water, flood protection, preservation of woodland and wildlife, protection of public lands, preservation of the tax base and the protection and promotion of the health, safety and general welfare of the people.