Cl4-Lancaster Faming, Saturday, April 24, 1993 HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Directors and staff of conserva tion districts throughout Pennsyl vania traveled to the state capitol recently to meet with legislators on current issues affecting their operations in the conservation of Pennsylvania’s natural resources. The annual Capitol Day is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Dis trict Directors, Inc. (PACD), the non-profit organization represent ing Pennsylvania’s 66 conserva tion districts in Harrisburg. The priority issue for conserva tion districts this year is funding. State funding is allocated to con servation districts through the Legislators Hear District Concerns State Conservation Commission for the employment of profession al staff, administrative expenses, and special conservation projects. The annual budget appropria tion has remained the same since Fiscal Year 1988-1989 and is proposed at the same level for the 1993-1994 Fiscal Year. “Conservation districts must have a significant funding increase in order to catch up with rising costs and current needs in manpower and special projects,” said Kurt Leitholf, executive director of the PACD. “While conservation districts are being asked to do more by state and fed eral agencies, budget appropria tions are not keeping pace. The result is our inability to maintain staff levels, let alone increase them to handle the added workload.” The Capitol Day participants also presented their views on relevant bills currently under con sideration. Conservation districts support the environmental educa tion goals of Senate Bill 181. They also encourage the passage of House Bill 100 which mandates that farms with excessive animal density be required to prepare nutrient management plans. On the subject of management of Pennsylvania’s surface and groundwater resources. Senate Bill 351 proposes to establish within the Department of Environ mental Resources a comprehen sive program of water manage ment, thus placing the develop ment of water resources and water ROPE IN SOME EXTRA CASH! Advertise With A Lancaster Farming CLASSIFIED A 0... Phone: 717-394-3047 or 717-626-1164 emergency management plans in the hands of the state. Conserva tion districts believe that this authority should rest with regional resource boards.
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