McKean County Conservation District - Erosion &
Sedimentation
Contact: Carol Riedmiller – 814-887-4002 - Click here to email
Sue Swanson - 814-887-4008 - click here to email
- Erosion and Sedimentation Control Program (E&S) Chapter 102
- Changes to General Permit PAG-02
- National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES)
- Water Obstruction & Encroachments and Wetlands – Chapter 105
- Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program
Erosion and Sedimentation Control Program (E&S) Chapter 102
One of the District's primary focuses is the Erosion and Sedimentation Control (E&SC) Program. The emphasis of the overall program is the conservation of soil and water resources. The District administers the E&S program through a delegation agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Bureau of Water Quality. Through the program, the District reviews and approves E&S control plans for earthmoving sites. Inspections of the sites are conducted to assure the plans are properly implemented, controls are installed, and sequences are followed. By doing this, the District strives to meet its goal of minimizing accelerated erosion and sediment pollution to the waters of the Commonwealth as a result of earthmoving activities.
Erosion is an ongoing process. It occurs naturally and continues to be a dominant force in shaping of earths landscape. It has the potential to become problematic when man exposes bare soil as a result of agricultural practices, timbering or excavation. With a lack of vegetation to protect the soil beneath, wind and water can readily erode and transport soil into nearby waterways, clogging them with fine sediments known as silt, clay or colloids. Runoff from bare soil may also contain chemicals, heavy metals and other pollutants that may be washed into the waters of the Commonwealth. The goal of this program is to control erosion and the resulting pollution to the waters of the Commonwealth.
When is an Erosion and Sediment Control (E&SC) Plan needed? This is a question that we at the District get asked regularly by municipalities, consulting firms and private individuals. As per the Chapter 102 Erosion and Sedimentation Control regulations, development of an erosion and sedimentation control plan is required for all earth disturbances of 5,000 square feet or greater. This would include timber harvesting or silviculture activities, which must submit a timber harvest plan. Additionally, persons proposing timber harvesting activities or road maintenance which disturb twenty-five (25) or more acres must apply for an Erosion and Sediment Control Permit.
PA Erosion Control Manual and Other Publications
- Erosion and Sedimentation Control Program Manual
- Erosion and Sediment Control Permit
- Controlling Erosion and Sediment from Timber Harvesting Operations
- Timber Harvest Action Packet
- Erosion and Sedimentation Guidelines for Small Projects
On Nov. 16, 1990, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed permitting regulations for stormwater discharges as required by the federal Clean Water Act. Effective Oct. 1, 1992, all construction activities proposing to disturb five or more acres of land must be authorized by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit.
As of December 8, 2002 a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) permit is required for earth disturbance activities that will involve between 1 and 5 acres of disturbance, over the life of the project, and
will have a point source discharge to surface waters of the commonwealth. The new regulations are commonly referred to as NPDES Phase II.
Point Source – Any discernable, confined and discrete conveyance, including, but not limited to, any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, CAFO, landfill leachate collection system, or vessel or floating craft, from which pollutants are or may be discharged.
Surface Waters of the Commonwealth - Any and all rivers, streams, creeks, rivulets, impoundments, ditches, water courses, storm sewers, lakes, dammed water, ponds, springs, wetlands and other bodies or channels of conveyance of surface water, or parts thereof, whether natural or artificial, within or on the boundaries of this Commonwealth (Pennsylvania).
Pennsylvania’s Chapter 92, NPDES regulations, provide for the development and use of individual and general NPDES permits. On Oct. 4, 1997, DEP made available General Permit PAG-2 (1997 Amendment) for the discharge of stormwater associated with construction activities. This general permit can be used for most construction activities disturbing five or more acres. Some exceptions for use of the general permit are:
1. Activities in special protection watersheds;
2. Activities that discharge hazardous pollutants or toxics;
3. Activities that would violate water quality standards;
4. Activities prohibited from coverage under 25 Pa. Code Chapter 92.
Operators of earthmoving activities which meet any one of the exceptions for general permits must obtain an individual NPDES permit. An individual permit application must be submitted, reviewed and approved before earthmoving activities begin. The District will make a recommendation on permit issuance or denial to DEP’s regional office. The final permit decision will be made by the DEP Regional Office. Applicants should allow at least 90-120 days for the processing of an individual permit application.
E&S Rules and Guidelines
Water Obstruction & Encroachments and Wetlands – Chapter 105
Beginning January 1, 2009, the District will begin acknowledging General Permits associated with the Chapter 105 Program as delegated by DEP.
• Any of the General Permit (GP’s) notification forms should be sent to Mckean County Conservation District.
• Joint Encroachment Permit.
• Environmental Assessment Package HERE.
• PNDI Project Planning Environmental Review for permit applications: Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program
The DEP’s CHAPTER 93 WATER QUALITY STANDARDS HERE in McKean County (drainage lists L, P, Q and R).
Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program
Twenty-eight thousand miles of unpaved roads provide local service to Pennsylvania's rural residents and the major enterprises of agriculture, tourism, mining/mineral industries, and forest products. Although they are inexpensive to maintain, loss of fine materials from the roads and their drainage areas creates dust and sediment. If not properly maintained, these roads can become sources of runoff and pollution to neighboring streams and waterways. Runoff in our waterways depletes the oxygen levels, smothering aquatic life that supports our fisheries. Dirt roads that are not properly maintained become large providers of dust and sediment.
On April 17, 1997 the PA General Assembly approved House Bill 67 as amended, the Transportation Revenue Bill. This bill was signed into law as Act 3 of 1997. Included in this law is $5 million annually earmarked for Dirt and Gravel Roads Maintenance. $4 million goes directly to the State Conservation Commission while the remaining $1 million goes to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for maintenance on state forestry roads.
The program came into being in response to concerns voiced by members of Pennsylvania Trout (a council of "Trout Unlimited") over problems cause by sediment pollution from unpaved roads in the state's premier trout streams. Subsequent follow-up efforts included creation of a Task Force on Dirt & Gravel Roads that was a cooperative working group consisting of state department personnel, sportsmen, environmental resource agency officials, local government representatives, private companies, Penn State researchers, legislative staff, and citizen environmental group members. Both Pennsylvania Trout and the Task Force recommended a locally based, locally controlled, cooperative approach to eliminate non-point source pollution occurring along these rural roadways.
In January 2001, the Center for Dirt & Gravel Road Studies was established at Penn State University. The Center works closely with the State Conservation Commission, Conservation Districts, Quality Assurance Boards, and local municipalities to research improved maintenance techniques, provide “hands-on” technical assistance & training, appropriate maintenance practices and products, and broaden the impact of this pollution prevention effort.
The State Conservation Commission apportions Dirt & Gravel Road Maintenance funds to the County Conservation Districts. A Quality Assurance Board (QAB) has been created in Berks County by the Berks County Conservation District to establish and administer the grant program. The QAB is responsible to encourage local cooperation with environmental quality goals, to provide adequate opportunity for public input, and to ensure participation amongst a wide spectrum of environmental expertise at all levels of government.
The four-member QAB is comprised of: A non-voting chairman appointed by the McKean County Conservation District Directors and one local representative appointed by each of the following entities:
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (federal)
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (state)
The McKean County Conservation District (local)
Local municipalities and state agencies that maintain dirt and gravel roads are eligible to receive funding. However, to be eligible for the program, the participant must first attend a two-day training session for “Environmentally Sensitive Maintenance of Dirt and Gravel Roads”. To request funding, applicants submit a one-page application to the local Quality Assurance Board (QAB). The QAB, in turn, reviews the applications. To ensure equal access to the funds, the QAB establishes local priorities to prevent pollution. To be eligible, projects must employ “environmentally sound” maintenance practices and products to correct pollution problems related to the roadway.
The State Conservation Commission adopted the following policy regarding training for municipalities and other grant recipients: Effective January 1, 2006 at least one person representing the entity that has applied for funds from the Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program must have attended environmentally sensitive maintenance training for dirt and gravel roads within the past five (5) calendar years. A municipality may not submit an application if it does not have at least one person who has attended the training within 5 years of the date of an application.
Interested municipal officials can contact the District office for further details. For a schedule of training events and program information visit the Pennsylvania Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies