Conservation District

Overview

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) is governed by a seven member board of volunteer directors. The Board of Directors meet monthly to plan and direct local conservation issues. To accomplish their goals and objectives, the board relies on their staff, paid employees of the Conservation District, and cooperating agencies such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), PA State Conservation Commission (SCC) PA Game Commission, PA Fish & Boat Commission, PA Bureau of Forestry, Farm Service Agency, Penn State Cooperative Extension, among others.

Funding for the conservation district’s programs is obtained from the Snyder County Commissioners, PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and other agencies.

Services

Agricultural Conservation Assistance →

Agricultural Erosion Prevention (Agriculture Erosion & Sedimentation) →

Agricultural Nutrient Management →

Agricultural Land Preservation →

Dirt, Gravel & Low Volume Road Improvement →

Floodplain Management →

Worksite Erosion Prevention (Excavation Erosion & Sedimentation) →

Education & Youth →

Meetings, Workshops & Events →

Items For Sale →

Watershed Protection →

Woodland Management →

Spongy Moth & Other Pests →

County ACAP Policy Change The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) will now be accepting Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) applications from farmers on a continuing basis. Submitted ACAP applications will be reviewed during the next quarterly Local Advisory Board (LAB) meeting. LAB meetings will be held on the third Friday of March, June, September and December unless publicized otherwise. Project contracts will be ranked and awarded as funding permits and at the discretion of the LAB. The LAB operates in any capacity set forth by the SCCD Board of Directors. All applications for funding must be acted on by the SCCD’s Board of Directors at a “sun-shined” publicly advertised meeting. All applicants should be notified in writing of the funding decisions made by the SCCD Board of Directors. The SCCD may retain unfunded ACAP applications on file for two (2) years set by the LAB for future allocations. The applicant may revise or withdraw an application at any time. For more information about ACAP in Snyder County, please reach out to Lauren Cheran, SCCD Program Administrator, at 570-837-3000 x2.

Upcoming Events & Programs

SCCD Tree, Seed & Plant Sale Order Pickup: April 24 & 25

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) thanks everyone who placed an order with us this year.

Please remember to please pick up your order at our office, 10541 Route 522, Middleburg, ONLY on Wednesday, April 24 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. OR Thursday, April 25 from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Proceeds from this sale go towards SCCD education outreach.

Enviro-Camp Set for June 17 - 19

The Snyder County and Juniata County Conservation Districts will be holding another Enviro-Camp for Snyder and Juniata County students. It will be held from Monday, June 17 to Wednesday, June 19 at Basom Memorial Park, 6972 Heister Valley Road, Richfield, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Hands-on Learning
Crafts, Games & Snacks
Special Guests
Free for Snyder & Juniata County Students entering 1st to 4th grade in school year 2024-25.

To participate, guardians/parents must:

Register each student by Thursday, May 30 by going to this web-based registration form , and
Complete a Participant Form for each student. This form may be uploaded while registering the student, or it can be downloaded and mailed to the Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) at 10541 Route 522, Middleburg, PA 17842.

Registration is capped, so be sure to register as soon as possible. Additional details can be found on this flyer . Questions may be directed to Lauren Cheran, SCCD Program Administrator, at 570-837-3000 x2.

Interested in Ag. BMPs? Funding Possible!

Pennsylvania farmers are hearing news about the need to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution in our streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay by the end of 2025. PA Farmers also hear that additional funding is available for farmers to install conservation practices that improve their operations as well as water quality. What is the next step?

In Snyder County, the Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) is making a list of farmers interested in improving their farm operations with the installation of conservation practices, a.k.a. best management practices (BMPs). These BMPs include:

Manure Storages & Stacking Areas
Streamside Riparian Buffers
Barnyard Improvements & Animal Heavy Use Areas
Streambank Fencing
Milkhouse Wastewater Treatment
Silage Treatment
Cattle Stream Crossings
Roof Gutters & Outlets
Pasture Watering Facilities
Cattle Walkways
Streambank & Fish Habitat Restoration

Once a farmer contacts the SCCD and its staff visit the operation, both farmer and the SCCD can work together to see what BMPs and plans are needed, how much it costs, and how to secure potential funding. SCCD District Manager Jason Winey notes that this is the largest amount of funding available for agricultural conservation practices in recent memory. Please contact the SCCD at 570-837-3000 x0 (sccd@snydercd.org) and our staff can start the process in helping local farmers.

Some staffing for this project promoting agricultural environmental compliance was financed by in part by an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant provided by the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of EPA, DEP, or any of its subagencies.

Soil Health “Bucket” On-Farm Service Offered

Farmers, you may have heard about soil health and how it can help both environmentally and economically. Maybe you are curious on whether your crop field’s soils are healthy now or needs some help? Or you just want to talk to someone face to face about soil health outside a meeting room.

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) is offering a free opportunity for farmers to bring our “Soil Health Bucket” and conduct soil health tests and discuss opportunities and options for future improvements. (While the SCCD is willing to help, our technician with the “Soil Health Bucket” is not a substitute for your local agronomic consultant or Extension field crops educator.)

If you are interested in having a SCCD technician stop by on your farm with our “Soil Health Bucket,” please contact Barry Spangler, Ag. Conservation Technician, at 570-837-3000 x5 to set up an appointment.

Ag. Planning Program for Middle Creek Watershed Farms

Snyder County farmers (who are not CAOs or CAFOs) within the Middle Creek Watershed interested in having necessary plans to follow PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations can sign up at the Snyder County Conservation District. The Conservation District can help pay for the following plan(s):

Manure management plan (MMP)
Nutrient management plan (NMP, Act 38 or NRCS “590”)
Agricultural erosion & sedimentation (Ag. E&S) plan
Conservation plan (NRCS style)

The pressure is on farmers to comply with new agricultural environmental regulations enforced by DEP and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This will also help farmers thinking of seeking financial assistance from various programs to install BMPs on their operations.

Interested farmers must complete an application with the Conservation District. Additional information is available at the office at 10541 Route 522, Middleburg. Contact Barry Spangler, Ag. Conservation Technician at 570-837-3000 x5, or by viewing this fact sheet .

To see a map of Middle Creek Watershed within Snyder County, click here .

Plan funding statement: The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and its funding sources. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Government, or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation or its funding sources.

Ag. Planning Program for Mahantango Watershed Farmers

Snyder County farmers within the Mahantango Creek Watershed interested in having necessary plans to follow PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations can sign up at the Snyder County Conservation District. The Conservation District can help pay for the following plan(s):

Manure management plan (MMP)
Nutrient management plan (NMP, Act 38 or NRCS “590”)
Agricultural erosion & sedimentation (Ag. E&S) plan
Conservation plan (NRCS style)

Interested farmers must complete an application with the Conservation District. Additional information is available at the office at 10541 Route 522, Middleburg. Contact Lauren Cheran, Program Administrator, at 570-837-3000 x2.

To see a map of Mahantango Creek Watershed within Snyder County, click here .

Ag. Planning Program for any Snyder Co. Farmer

For those who do not qualify for the Middle Creek or Mahantango Watershed planning programs: Farmers may hire a qualified consultant to develop or update their MMPs, Ag. E&S plans, nutrient management plans (NMPs) and conservation plans offered through the PA Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD). CAOs and CAFOs may participate. The only stipulation is that the operation cannot have participated in a similar program recently offered by DEP.

Interested farmers must complete an application with the Conservation District and their consultant. Additional information is available at the SCCD office by reaching out to Barry Spangler, Ag. Technician at 570-837-3000 x5.

Note: This program is “on hold.” Stay tuned for new information as we receive it.

Financial and other support for the Ag Plan Reimbursement Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Some staffing for this project promoting agricultural environmental compliance was financed by in part by an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant provided by the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of EPA, DEP, or any of its subagencies.

SCCD Board Meetings

All meetings will be held at the Conservation District Office, 10541 Route 522, Middleburg, PA 17842, on the 1st Tuesday of every month, starting on 4:00 p.m., unless noted otherwise.

News

Farmers Winter Meeting Held outside Selinsgrove

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD, Conservation District) held another annual Farmers Winter Meeting on February 16 at Christ Community United Methodist Church outside of Selinsgrove. Seventy (70) attended the meeting. Consultants, medical professionals, sales representatives, federal and conservation district staff members, and Penn State Extension staff various presentations. Click here for a brief description.

Attendees paid $5.00 to attend the event. Participants were able to receive pesticide, nutrient management and manure hauler/broker credits through the PA Department of Agriculture (PDA), Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) credits, and NRCS conservation recertification credits. Local businesses advertised their services in a printed program given to attendees.

For more information, reach out to Barry Spangler, SCCD Ag. Conservation Technician, at 570-837-3000 x5.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Some of the staffing promoting agricultural environmental compliance during this meeting and throughout this program, including planning for this meeting, was financed by in part by an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant provided by the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of EPA, DEP, or any of its subagencies. All Conservation District, USDA and Penn State programs and services are offered on a non-discrimination basis. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Penn State is an affirmative action equal opportunity university. Public agencies participating in the meeting do not indicate any endorsement of any business, advice or products mentioned during the meeting.

2023 Annual Report Released

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) just released its 2023 Annual Report of what we have done throughout the year on this website. Click here to download a copy.

For more information, reach out to us at sccd@snydercd.org or 570-837-3000 x0.

County ACAP Policy Change

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) will now be accepting Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) applications from farmers on a continuing basis. Submitted ACAP applications will be reviewed during the next quarterly Local Advisory Board (LAB) meeting. LAB meetings will be held on the third Friday of March, June, September and December unless publicized otherwise.

Project contracts will be ranked and awarded as funding permits and at the discretion of the LAB. The LAB operates in any capacity set forth by the SCCD Board of Directors. All applications for funding must be acted on by the SCCD’s Board of Directors at a “sun-shined” publicly advertised meeting. All applicants should be notified in writing of the funding decisions made by the SCCD Board of Directors.

The SCCD may retain unfunded ACAP applications on file for two (2) years set by the LAB for future allocations. The applicant may revise or withdraw an application at any time.

For more information about ACAP in Snyder County, please reach out to Lauren Cheran, SCCD Program Administrator, at 570-837-3000 x2.

Other Thoughts

Planning any Earth Disturbance this Spring or Summer?

Are you building a new house? Perhaps you are expanding your farming operation with a new barn or manure storage facility. Are you moving soil to expand a parking area for your store or business? Any of these activities may require a permit or an approved plan.

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) is here to help you through this process. Any project involving 5,000 sq. ft. of earth disturbance requires an erosion and sediment (E&S) plan to be utilized and available onsite. There are times when this plan may need to be submitted to the SCCD for review.

When the earth disturbance reaches one (1.00) acre or more, an NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Permit is required and must be submitted for review and approval through the SCCD.

Your local municipality may have further regulations that could affect your project. For more information or assistance, please contact SCCD Resource Conservation Technisian Tim Hornberger at 570-837-3000 x4.

Note: You can also find additional information on our Worksite Erosion Prevention → web page.

Message for Farmers, Ag. & Animal Operations

The Snyder County Conservation District wants to remind farmers and agricultural, livestock and equine operations that they need the following plans:

A manure management plan (MMP) or nutrient management plan (NMP) if you produce or utilize manure, and
An agricultural erosion & sedimentation plan (Ag. E&S Plan) or conservation plan if you raise crops or hay or graze pastures.

If you do have these plans, check if they are up to date and reflect your current operation.

If you do not have these plans or are not sure if your plans are sufficient to satisfy PA regulatory requirements, please call the Conservation District and set up a meeting with Barry Spangler, Ag. Conservation Technician, at 570-837-3000 x5.

You can also visit our Agricultural Erosion Prevention → and Agricultural Nutrient Management → web pages.

Staff funding statements: Staffing for this project promoting agricultural environmental compliance was financed by in part by an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant provided by the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of EPA, DEP, or any of its subagencies.

If Your Farm/Equine Operation Changes, Then What?

If you, a farmer or agricultural/equine operator, is thinking of building a new facility, manure storage or stacking structure, or other work that involves earth disturbance, please make an appointment with the Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) during the planning stages. If you are gaining or losing pasture and/or cropland, check with the SCCD staff to see what changes are needed in your plans.

Depending how much land is disturbed, you will need an excavation erosion & sedimentation control plan (Excavation E&S Plan) and possibly a federal excavation (NPDES, National Pollutant Discharge Eliminating System) permit before building your new facility.
If you add more animals, you will need to reflect that change in your manure management plan (MMP) or need to hire a nutrient management specialist to develop a nutrient management plan (NMP) because you will be a concentrated animal operation (CAO) due to animal density numbers.
For certain animal expansion plans, you may need to apply for an NPDES concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) permit through the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Any work near, along or in a perennial or intermittent stream may be required a general permit through DEP.
New CAOs, expanding CAOs or expanding CAFOs will need to hire a certified odor management specialist to develop an odor management plan (OMP).
If a new liquid or semi-liquid manure storage is planned, a P.E. (Professional Engineer) must be hired to design and certify the new structure.
For new construction, check with your local municipality to see if you are required to secure a building permit and/or land development plan.
No matter the situation, you must have your conservation or agricultural erosion & sedimentation plans (Ag. E&S Plans) updated to reflect what you are doing.

The take home message: Check with the SCCD (570-837-3000) early so we can point you in the right direction. We may also be able to point you toward some funding or tax credit options available for farmers who hire a plan writer or install certain farm best management practices (BMPs) such as barnyard improvements, manure storage structures or stream buffers.

View County CAP, Rapid Stream Delisting Program Info

Snyder County CAP

Taken from PA DEP CAP Website:

“Forty-three of Pennsylvania’s counties contain waterways that drain to either the Susquehanna or the Potomac rivers. This effort is part of the Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan (Phase 3 WIP). State agencies, led by the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), are working with interested parties in the counties whose local waters run to the Chesapeake Bay to create Countywide Action Plans (CAPs). These plans will outline how each county’s share of the state’s 2025 pollution reduction goals will be met. EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program has modeled Chesapeake Bay pollution sources including pollution entering Pennsylvania’s waterways and where it originates. Each Pennsylvania county has its own goal to reduce its share of pollution. Some counties have more work to do than others. The Phase 3 WIP Steering Committee grouped the 43 counties into tiers. Tier 1 counties have the most pollution to reduce, and Tier 4 counties have the least.

“The state believes that the path to success starts at the local level. County partners understand their communities, economy, waterways, and challenges better than anybody. If you get involved in this process at the local level, you will have a say in how the county’s pollution reduction goals are met. You can shape the mix of solutions that are chosen within your county—and make a difference for your community.

“It is important to note that the county clean water goals do NOT establish any new requirement of regulatory obligations on counites. The goals are simply a way for Pennsylvania to engage with local partners on shared issues and focus resources on efforts that help Pennsylvania reach its Chesapeake Bay goals. This empowers communities to lead efforts to improve their own local water quality using the most beneficial methods for their stakeholders and residents Designated countywide groups (partnerships, local governments, county conservation districts, and other identified stakeholders) will utilize the following templates, to report priority initiatives and planned actions to achieve necessary reductions.”

To view the Snyder County CAP, click here to go to the DEP CAP website .

Rapid Stream Delisting Program

From Chesapeake Conservancy’s website:

“Chesapeake Conservancy is a nonprofit organization based in Annapolis, Maryland. We are a team of conservation entrepreneurs. We believe that the Chesapeake is a national treasure that should be accessible for everyone and a place where wildlife can thrive. We use technology to enhance the pace and quality of conservation, and we help build parks, trails, and public access sites.”

The Conservancy uses technology to identify small watersheds (currently containing DEP identified impaired streams) where a.) nutrient and sediment conservation best management practices (BMPs) are installed (such as streambank fencing, riparian buffers, etc.) and b.) when implemented, these stream segments can be removed from DEP’s impaired streams list.

Three small watersheds within Snyder County were identified by Chesapeake Conservancy. They are:

Western section of North Branch Mahantango Creek
Western section of West Branch Mahantango Creek
Headwaters of Susquehecka Creek

To view these and all the central PA watersheds identified with hopes to have them delisted if more BMPs are on the ground, go to the Chesapeake Conservancy arcgis.com site here . For more information about Chesapeake Conservancy and its Rapid Stream Delisting Program, contact Adrienne Gemberling, Senior Project Manager, Natural Sciences Center at Susquehanna University, 514 University AVE, Selinsgrove, PA 17870 (570-444-9200).

Forms, Documents & Links

Forms & Documents

Publications

Snyder County AG BMP Guide (Updated June 2023)

NEW E&S Plan Review Fees (Effective May 1, 2023)

2023 Annual Report (Just Released)

Right-to-Know

Snyder County Countywide Action Plan (DEP Website)

Rapid Stream Delisting Program (Chesapeake Conservancy Website)

Conservation District Directors & Staff

Directors List

SCCD & NRCS Staff List

Useful Links

Contact

(570) 837-3000
(570) 837-7300 (Fax)
sccd@snydercd.org
10541 Route 522
Middleburg, PA 17842
Monday - Friday: 8 am - 4 pm
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