—Lancaster Farming, Oct. 30. 1976
62
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.
- Southbound flights ' of
waterfowl - such as wild
swans, ducks, and geese -
should reach their peak over
Pennsylvania about now,
according to Merrill Wood,
author of “Birds of Penn
sylvania” and retired
Agricultural leaders request
DER to hear farmers too
HARRISBURG - The
Agricultural Advisory
Committee to the Depart-
ment of Environmental
Resources wants the
General Assembly to create
regional review boards to
hear appeals of farmers who
disagree with the Depart
ment over enforcement of
erosion and sedimentation
control regulations^
The Committee said such Association said the manual the DER Division of Soil
review boards should be has been edited and a Resources and Erosion
comprised of three persons revised draft should be in the Control, to approach
appointed by the Governor hands of Committee agricultural economic
and confirmed by the Senate, members shortly for final specialists at The Penn-
Two of the three would be review. sylvania State University
appointedfromlistssupplied —-The-manuaH)ffersa-“best —regarding—the—need—fv
by chartered farm practices” approach to research into economic
organizations and the third manure management. The considerations of con
would be from a Con- Environmenntal Quality servation practices. A
servation District list. Board will be asked to committee work group will
Aaron Stauffer, Ephrata, exempt from some DER develop an agricultural
of the Pennsylvania permit requirements those practices manual identifying
Association of Conservation landowners who elect to erosion and sedimentation
District Directors said the follow the manual’s controls, cropping systems,
review boards should be recommendations. equipment, facilities and
independent of DER to seek Gary Triplett of the DER land use management
a resolution when the farmer Bureau of Air Quality and presently in use.
or landowner does not agree Noise Control presented the
with application of the Advisory Committee with a
erosion and sedimentation
regulations by the Depar
tment.
Committee members
expressed their concern over
recent news coverage of
increased levels of
radioactivity and the effect
this had on some
agricultural interests.
Members expressed the hope
that should such situations
arise in the future DER will
give due consideration to the
effects of its news releases
and statements on any
agricultural products in
volved
The Advisory Committee
Birdwatchers treated with waterfowl
zoologist -at The Penn
sylvania State University.
He reports that more
swans than geese seem to
migrate through Penn
sylvania in the Fall. This
southward migration of
waterfowl ends in Novem
ber. He adds this is also the
was told by one of its
working groups that
proposed regulations will be
submitted by the Depart
ment to the Environmental
Quality Board in November
to implement a manual on
manure management for
environmental protection
which is to be printed soon.
Christopher Allen of the
Pennsylvania Farmer’s
suggested change in air
quality, regulations which
would state that any
agricultural source
operating in compliance with
guidelines adopted by the
Department would be
considered in compliance
with specified sections of the
regulations which have been
creating some problems for
farmers.
The Committee approved
a motion calling on the
Department not to submit
the Environmental Master
Plan to the Environmental
Quality Board for final ac-
tion until the Advisory
month to watch for the
beneficial hawks soaring
south over mountain ridges,
taking advantage of updraft
air currents.
The number of land bird
species migrating south
drops off in October from
peak migration in Sep-
Committee has had suf
ficient time to review the
latest draft.
Questions over the land
disposal of sewage sludge
will be referred to a working
group to pull together data
from other sources and start
work in 1977 on a committee
study and recommendations.
The Advisory Committee
asked Afton Schadel, chief of
A
BE ALERT
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tember, Wood says. Then
winter birds begin to arrive
in October. He considers
October a good time for bird
watchers to get the winter
feeding station in operation.
Wood describes the
migratory habits of 30 A calendar of Penn
species of waterfowl, and 378 sylvania birdlife tells what
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Precautionary measure during the farmers' promotion at Park City in
Lancaster last week.
migrations
total species normally
reported in the Com
monwealth, in “Birds of
Pennsylvania,” a guidebook
published by the
Agricultural Experiment
Station at Penn State.
may be seen in each month.
The calendar lists the
beginning of the fall and
spring migrations. For each
species, the guidebook in
cludes abundance, seasonal
occurrence, habits and
status changes, and general
breeding and wintering
ranges.
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