VIII.
Recommended Actions
This
chapter lists the recommended actions that are intended to address the issues
and concerns discussed in the previous chapter.
These recommendations are displayed in two distinct formats at the end
of the chapter: Recommended Action summary tables and an Implementation
Strategy. (Specific projects identified
by public meeting attendees and municipalities are also listed in Tables
B-1 and B-2 in Appendix B. These projects are also considered
recommended actions of this plan.) The
recommended actions are divided according to resource categories, which are
indicated by tabs along the edge of the plan.
They include Land,
Water, Biological,
Recreational,
Cultural/Historical,
Educational,
and Political/Economic.
The
Juniata Watershed Management Plan is a recommended plan of action based on
available resources and the problems identified by the public. There are several reasons why the JCWP
steering committee identified a need for a watershed plan. The plan has been designed to do the
following:
Reduce threats
to water quality and quantity from numerous sources such as poor or no storm
water management, eroding streambanks, nutrient and sediment overload,
inadequate or non-existing sewage treatment, acid mine drainage, and poor
floodplain management.
Provide
healthy resources to sustain the region’s way of life.
Improve and
provide greater consistency to regional planning efforts.
Encourage
municipal officials to assume responsibility for their water-related problems.
Improve the
level of education on watershed concepts and issues.
Increase
citizen participation and decision making on resource issues.
Assess and
recommend appropriate management options that address local river conservation
needs.
Create a
strategy to best implement future projects.
Direct
appropriate additional funding to municipalities and organizations to carry out
necessary conservation projects.
Foster
long-term partnerships among state and local agencies with community
stakeholders to meet common conservation goals.
A. Resource
Categories
After
collecting information through public meetings and municipal surveys, watershed
related issues were categorized by theme into seven major resource
categories. The issues that make up
these categories were prioritized according to their watershed impacts as well
as public input.
Land Resources – The land resources category consists of activities that
take place primarily on land, but which may
affect the adjacent land, water, and air.
Highest priority issues in this category include Land Use Planning;
Solid Waste Management/Illegal Dumping; Erosion and Sedimentation; Intensive
Livestock Operations; Forestry; Nutrient Pollution; and Riparian (Streamside)
Buffers.
Water Resources – The water resources category consists of specific issues
and activities that are water related and/or take place primarily in or on
water sources. Highest priority issues in this category include Water
Monitoring; Stormwater Management; Sewage and Septage; Flooding/Floodplain
Management; Public Water Supply; Wetlands; and Acid Mine Drainage.
Biological
Resources – The biological
resources category consists of issues directly related to the flora and fauna
of an ecosystem. The issues in this
category are of medium priority.
Recreational
Resources – The recreational resource category consists of issues relevant
to the need for additional recreation opportunities and for public access to
recreation. A high priority issue in
this category is Greenways/Trail Development.
The other issues in this category are of medium priority.
Cultural/Historical
Resources – The cultural resources category consists of issues related to
historic preservation. Issues in this
category are of medium priority.
Educational
Resources – The educational resources category consists primarily of issues
related to environmental education. The
highest priority issue in this category is Environmental/General Education.
Political/Economic
Resources – The political/economic resources category consists of issues
related to leadership and money. Highest
priority issues in this category include Government Coordination; Funding;
Planning and Policy Development; and Sustainable Economic Development.
B. Goal Statements
The Juniata Watershed Management Plan
has been developed with three key principles in mind: grassroots involvement,
conservation, and stewardship. These key
principles, discussed in more detail in Chapter I, guided the development of
the following goal statements. These
goal statements describe the broad, general goals the plan is striving for in
each resource category. The recommended
actions were developed with the intention that they will help to achieve these
goals.
1. Land Resources
The land resources of the
2. Water Resources
The water resources of the
Septic and public sewer systems should
be kept in good working order so that wastewater does not degrade streams or
ground water. Sources of water pollution
such as acid mine drainage and industrial point-source pollution should be
reduced and/or eliminated. Storm water
should be managed not only to reduce the amount of runoff, but also to use the
abundance of water for community benefit and then return clean water into our
streams and rivers. For example, rain
barrels could collect storm water for use as “gray water” for watering plants,
washing cars, etc. Wetlands should be
retained to improve water quality, reduce impacts from flooding, and provide
habitat for many species.
3. Biological
Resources
The biological resources of the
4. Recreational
Resources
The recreational resources of the
5. Cultural/Historical Resources
The cultural
and historical resources of the
6. Educational Resources
The educational resources of the
7.
Political/Economic Resources
The political and economic resources
of the
C. Recommended Action Summary Table Description
Recommended actions were developed to
achieve the goals described above. For
each resource category, a summary table lists the recommended actions. These tables can be found at the end of this
chapter, beginning on page VIII-88. The
structure of the tables is described in more detail below.
1. Issue Priorities
and Timelines
Each
resource category includes one or more environmental issues that were of
particular concern to watershed residents.
A priority is assigned to each issue, based on public input and the
water-related effects each issue has on the watershed. The priority indicates how soon an issue will
be addressed. A time period is
associated with each priority, identifying the suggested date of completion for
the recommended actions within an issue.
Table VIII-1
on page VIII-81 lists all of the issues and their priorities by resource
category.
This
plan recognizes that there will be limited financial and human resources
available to execute the many parts of this plan. Changes in the ordering of project
implementation are to be expected, as well as changes in the organizations
responsible for carrying out the recommended actions. However, the recommendations listed in the
plan identify initial goals and priorities.
Priority
codes are as follows:
HHH =
HH =
Highest priority and should be completed within 3-5 years.
H = High Priority and should be completed in
5-8 years.
M = Medium priority and should be completed in 8-10 years.
2. Paramount Issues of Concern
There
are three issues that came out of the public meetings that we have identified
as paramount issues, or the issues that absolutely need to be dealt with
first. These issues are Land Use
Planning, Water Monitoring, and Stormwater Management.
Land
Use Planning is of paramount importance because of the many interactions
between land use and other issues of concern in the watershed. See Chapter
VII for an in-depth discussion of these interactions. Good planning can solve a number of different
problems at once, which makes such planning an efficient use of limited
monetary resources.
Water
Monitoring is of paramount importance because it is the first step in improving
the water quality of streams and groundwater in the watershed. Although water pollution is a public concern
throughout the watershed, water testing must document the existence of
pollution before clean up efforts can take place. Without water monitoring, concerned citizens,
municipalities, and agencies can only guess at which streams are the most at
risk from pollution. With water
monitoring, these entities can focus their efforts where they can be most
useful. Water monitoring data will also
serve as an evaluation factor for the Juniata Watershed Management Plan. Water quality should begin to improve as we
implement the recommended actions. The
JCWP will use this data to measure our progress.
Stormwater
Management is of paramount importance because of the increasing development
occurring throughout the watershed and because of the potentially harmful
impacts of excessive stormwater. This issue
is closely related to Land Use Planning, because thoughtful foresight and
planning can ensure that increasing development does not lead to increased
stormwater runoff.
3. Recommended Action Description
For
each issue, several recommended actions are identified. These actions are expected to solve the
problems and/or enhance the opportunities associated with that issue. Possible funding sources and potential
partnering organizations are identified for each action. Please note, however, that organizations
other than those listed may be involved in partnering to implement and/or fund
the recommended actions. Most of the
funding sources listed in the table are government agencies. However, there are also a considerable number
of private foundations that fund watershed-based projects such as these. To decipher the acronyms of the partnering
organizations and funding sources, see Table VIII-2 on page VIII-82. Each recommended action is also assigned a
“step of action.” This number represents
the order in which an action should be carried out within an issue.
For
example, look at page VIII-88.
The Resource Category is Land Resources.
The Issue is Land Use Planning, which is a watershed-wide problem and
has a priority of HHH (Paramount Importance).
There are 24 Recommended Actions that improve or enhance the
opportunities for Land Use Planning.
These recommended actions should happen within 1 to 3 years. The first steps in completing the actions are
designated with 1’s. After the 1’s are
complete, the 2’s should be the focus, and so on. Partner agencies and possible funding sources
are listed for each of the recommended actions.
D. Implementation Strategy Description
Along
with the Recommended Action tables, an Implementation Strategy has been
prepared to describe the same actions in a more detailed format. The Implementation Strategy is intended to
enable an interested person to address an issue of concern by consulting this
section.
1. Format
The
Implementation Strategy is split into the same resource category sections as
the Recommended Action tables. Each
issue in the Implementation Strategy has its own one to three-page section. Each section begins with a short paragraph
outlining the general approach that is recommended in addressing the
issue. This “Approach” is followed by
the specific recommended actions identified for that particular issue. Some of these recommended actions include
more detailed information, such as a more thorough explanation of the activity,
a written source to consult, or locations that have or have not enacted the
suggested action. In order to help the
users of this plan to begin addressing their concerns themselves, we have, in
some cases, suggested some “Steps to Proceed” that pertain to the particular
issue. (See below, however, for a more
generalized list of “Steps to Proceed.”)
At the end of each section is a list of local and state agencies and a
description of how they can assist interested parties in addressing these
issues.
2. Contact Information
The
best initial contact regarding most of these issues is any member agency of the
Juniata Clean Water Partnership. County
conservation districts can provide detailed information on permitting,
construction, and funding for agriculture, forestry, and construction
activities. Most districts have
specialists dealing with nutrient management, erosion and sedimentation, stream
restoration, and dirt and gravel roads.
Now that a majority of counties in the watershed have the newly
designated Watershed Specialists, there is even more assistance available for
performing watershed and river restoration work or forming watershed
associations.
County
planning agencies can guide interested parties on a wide variety of planning
decisions. They are prepared to assist
with comprehensive planning, solid waste management, sewage system planning,
historic preservation, transportation issues (including trails), and ordinances
dealing with subdivisions, land use, riparian buffers, stormwater, and many
more.
The
Resource Conservation and Development Councils consist of the county
conservation districts, and thus their activities overlap. However, Southern Alleghenies Conservancy and
the RC&Ds are able to assist with matters of land acquisition, greenways
and trail planning, acid mine drainage and abandoned mine land reclamation, and
agricultural conservation practices.
Allegheny
Heritage Development Corporation and Allegheny Ridge Corporation are the lead
agencies in terms of heritage tourism and greenways and trail planning. They can also assist with development of
community parks and trails.
Penn
State Cooperative Extension agents have a wealth of information available on
many issues, including solid waste, community development, agriculture,
forestry, and other land use issues.
They also have highly skilled employees able to lead community visioning
and decision-making processes.
Here
is the list of JCWP partners. For full
contact information, consult Table
VIII-3, page VIII-84.
Allegheny Heritage Development
Corporation
Allegheny Ridge Corporation (State
Heritage Park)
Bedford County Conservation
District
Blair County Conservation District
Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources
Department
of Environmental Protection
Fulton County Conservation
District
Howard Heinz Endowment/Western
PA Watershed Protection Program
Huntingdon County Conservation
District
Juniata County Conservation
District
Mid-State Resource Conservation and
Development Council
Mifflin County Conservation
District
Pennsylvania
State Cooperative Extension
Perry County Conservation District
Southern
Alleghenies Conservancy
Southern Alleghenies Resource
Conservation and Development Council
3. General
Steps to Proceed when Responding to Watershed Concerns
The
outline below lays out a framework for responding to a problem. It does not focus on activities that are
specific to any one issue. Instead, it
is meant to help readers consider the general activities that are needed to
respond to an issue, from the beginning stages of awareness raising,
convincing, and educating, to the latter stages of securing resources and
compliance for activities that are intended to solve a problem. Please note that the “activities” referred to
in the “General Steps to Proceed” correspond with the “recommended actions” in
the summary tables and in the Implementation Strategy.
The
way the outline is laid out, it also works as a generalized list of “steps to
proceed” in addressing an issue.
Education/awareness raising is required initially. People must know that an issue exists and has
negative effects before they will act to address that issue. People must also know what kinds of activities
can address an issue before they round up the resources needed to carry out
those activities.
The
outline does not provide a strict order of action, especially toward the end of
the list. Thus, if a township wishes to
enact an ordinance (Compliance: disincentives) to limit a negative action (for
example, roadside dumping) prior to addressing the negative effects of that
action (for example, cleaning up the dump), that is appropriate. Actually, in the example, it is
preferable. For each specific case, make
sure to take the Prioritizing step very seriously, as it will be crucial in
clarifying the order of the subsequent action steps.
One
of the first steps to take on any of these issues is to determine where most people in your area (or a specific
audience on which you want to focus) would be at on this list. You would then want to begin addressing the
issue at that particular point. In other
words, if streamside landowners in your township are not concerned about the
lack of riparian buffers along the local stream, the place to begin would be to
raise awareness about the concern and convince people that it is indeed a valid
concern. However, if many landowners are
convinced that buffers are needed, but don’t know how to reestablish them, one
must start by teaching them how to carry out activities that will address the
concern.
GENERAL
STEPS TO PROCEED
Educate: Raise awareness regarding the concern.
Convince people of the need
to act to address the concern.
Achieve
consensus on how to address the
concern.
Teach
people how to carry out activities
(recommended actions) that will address the concern.
Outreach: Recruit people to
help carry out activities.
Find
ally organizations and agencies to
work with.
Prioritize: Prioritize
activities by importance, timeliness.
Resources: Locate
and efficiently utilize existing resources
of the county Conservation Districts and Planning agencies.
Obtain funding to carry out activities (pay
personnel, increase staff time, get materials, rent equipment, etc.).
Recruit
volunteers and/or staff to spend time
carrying out activities.
Obtain needed materials (donations, purchases) to carry out activities.
Recruit
people with particular skills and
expertise to help carry out activities.
Compliance: Provide incentives (tax rebates, simplified
permitting, priority consideration) to encourage people to carry out
activities.
Provide disincentives (ordinances, regulations,
taxes) to discourage activities that would worsen the situation.
|
Prioritized
Issues and Timetable |
||
|
Issue |
Priority Level |
Timetable |
|
|
|
|
|
Land Use
Planning |
HHH |
1-3 years |
|
Erosion and
Sedimentation/Non-point Source Pollution |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Forestry |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Large
Scale/Intensive Livestock Operations |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Nutrient
Pollution |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Riparian
(Streamside) Buffers |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Solid Waste
Management/Illegal Dumping |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Agricultural
Conservation Practices |
H |
5-8 years |
|
Herbicide and
Pesticide Use |
H |
5-8 years |
|
Streambank
Fencing |
H |
5-8 years |
|
|
|
|
|
Stormwater
Management |
HHH |
1-3 years |
|
Water
Monitoring |
HHH |
1-3 years and
ongoing |
|
Acid Mine
Drainage |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Flooding/Floodplain
Management |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Public Water
Supply |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Sewage and
Septage |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Wetlands |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Industrial
Pollution |
H |
5-8 years |
|
Air Pollution |
M |
8-10 years |
|
|
|
|
|
Fisheries
Management |
M |
8-10 years |
|
Habitat
Management and Invasive Species |
M |
8-10 years |
|
|
|
|
|
Greenways/Trail
Development |
H |
5-8 years |
|
Recreational
Needs |
M |
8-10 years |
|
River Access |
M |
8-10 years |
|
|
|
|
|
Cultural/Historical
Preservation |
M |
8-10 years |
|
|
|
|
|
Environmental/General
Education |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
|
|
|
|
Funding |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Government
Coordination |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Planning and
Policy Development |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Sustainable
Economic Development |
HH |
3-5 years |
|
Environmental
Management |
H |
5-8 years |
|
Acronym List |
||
|
Acronym |
Agency/Organization |
|
|
ACorp |
Allegeny Ridge Corporation/State
Heritage Park |
|
|
AHDC |
Allegheny Heritage Development
Corporation |
|
|
ALLARM |
Alliance for Aquatic Resource
Monitoring |
|
|
Audubon |
Audubon Society |
|
|
BF |
Bureau of Forestry (DCNR) |
|
|
BAMR |
Bureau of Abandoned Mine
Reclamation (DEP) |
|
|
BP |
Chesapeake Bay Program |
|
|
BSA |
Boy Scouts of |
|
|
CBF |
|
|
|
CD |
Conservation District |
|
|
CG |
County Government/County
Commissioners |
|
|
CP |
County Planning Commission |
|
|
CRC |
County Recycling Coordinator |
|
|
CVI |
Canaan Valley Institute |
|
|
DCED |
PA Department of Community and
Economic Development |
|
|
DCNR |
PA Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources |
|
|
DEP |
PA Department of Environmental
Protection |
|
|
DOI |
U.S. Department of Interior |
|
|
DU |
Ducks Unlimited |
|
|
EASI |
Environmental Alliance for
Senior Involvement |
|
|
EDC |
Economic Development Commission |
|
|
EPA |
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency |
|
|
FEMA |
Federal Emergency Management
Agency |
|
|
FSA |
Farm Service Agency |
|
|
FU |
Farmer’s |
|
|
Heinz |
Heinz Endowments |
|
|
JC |
Juniata College |
|
|
JCWP |
Juniata Clean Water Partnership |
|
|
KTA |
Keystone Trails Association |
|
|
MS RC&D |
Mid-State RC&D |
|
|
Munic |
Municipalities |
|
|
NPO |
Non-profit organizations |
|
|
NPS |
National Park Service |
|
|
NRCS |
Natural Resource Conservation
Service |
|
|
PACW |
Pennsylvania CleanWays |
|
|
PADOT |
PA Department of Transportation |
|
|
PASA |
Pennsylvania Association for
Sustainable Agriculture |
|
|
PDA |
PA Department of Agriculture |
|
|
PEMA |
Pennsylvania Emergency
Management Agency |
|
|
Pennvest |
Pennsylvania Infrastructure
Investment Authority |
|
|
PFBC |
PA Fish and Boat Commission |
|
|
PGC |
PA Game Commission |
|
|
PHMC |
PA Historical and Museum
Commission |
|
|
PSATS |
PA State Association of Township
Supervisors |
|
|
PSCE |
Penn State Cooperative Extension |
|
|
PSU |
Penn State University |
|
|
RC&D |
Resource Conservation and
Development Councils |
|
|
RSVP |
Retired Senior Volunteer Program |
|
|
SA RC&D |
Southern Alleghenies RC&D |
|
|
SAC |
Southern Alleghenies Conservancy |
|
|
SAPDC |
Southern Alleghenies Planning
and Development Commission |
|
|
SCC |
State Conservation Commission |
|
|
SD |
School Districts |
|
|
SEC |
Senior Environment Corps |
|
|
SEDACOG |
Susquehanna Economic Development
Association Council of Governments |
|
|
SFI |
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
of |
|
|
SRBC |
|
|
|
TU |
Trout Unlimited |
|
|
USACOE |
U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers |
|
|
USDA |
United States Department of
Agriculture |
|
|
USFS |
U.S. Forest Service |
|
|
USFWS |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
|
|
WPC |
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy |
|
|
WPCAMR |
Western PA Coalition for
Abandoned Mine Reclamation |
|
|
WPWPP |
Western PA Watershed Protection
Program |
|
|
WRCF |
Wild Resources Conservation Fund |
|
|
WS |
Watershed Groups/Associations |
|
|
YCC |
Yellow Creek Coalition |
|
|
Organizational
Contact Information |
|||
Contact Person |
Organization/Agency |
Phone Number |
|
|
|
|
||
|
Dave |
Sewak |
Allegheny
Heritage Development Corp. |
(814)
696-9380 |
|
John |
Turner |
Allegheny
Ridge Corporation |
(814)
696-2900 |
|
Terry |
Miller |
Bedford
County Conservation District, Manager |
(814)
623-6706 |
|
Jim |
Barefoot |
Bedford
County Conservation District, Watershed Specialist |
(814)
623-6706 |
|
Jeffry |
Kloss |
Bedford
County Planning Commission |
(814)
623-4827 |
|
Donna |
Fisher |
Blair
County Conservation District, Manager |
(814)
696-0877 |
|
Jim |
Eckenrode |
Blair
County Conservation District, Watershed Specialist |
(814)
696-0877 |
|
Richard
|
Haines |
Blair
County Planning Commission |
(814)
940-5984 |
|
Janie |
French |
Canaan
Valley Institute |
(814)
768-9584 |
|
Deb |
Nardone |
Chesapeake
Bay Foundation, Juniata Project |
(814)
627-5082 |
|
Jennifer |
Henry |
Chesapeake
Bay Foundation, PA Office |
(717)
234-5550 |
|
Jim |
Mays |
Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources, Conservation Partnerships |
(717)
783-8526 |
|
Terry |
Hough |
Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources, Susquehanna Watershed Coordinator |
(717)
783-2712 |
|
Alice |
Kline |
Department
of Environmental Protection, Altoona |
(814)
946-7290 |
|
Bill |
Zett |
Department
of Environmental Protection, Altoona |
(717)
946-7290 |
|
Bernie |
Hoffnar |
Department
of Environmental Protection, Harrisburg |
(717)
787-4975 |
|
Richard |
Devore |
Department
of Environmental Protection, Southcentral Region |
(717)
705-4906 |
|
Jennifer |
Reed |
Fulton
County Conservation District |
(717)
485-3547 |
|
Mary
Kay |
Seville |
Fulton
County Planning |
(717)
485-3717 |
|
John |
Dawes |
Howard
Heinz Endowment/Western PA Watershed Protection Program |
(814)
669-4847 |
|
Andy |
Patterson |
Huntingdon
County Conservation District |
(814)
627-1627 |
|
Richard
|
Stahl |
Huntingdon
County Planning Commission |
(814)
643-5091 |
|
Dave |
Hockman-Wert |
Juniata
Clean Water Partnership |
(814)
627-5391 |
|
Dennis |
Johnson |
Juniata
College, Environmental Science Program |
(814)
641-5335 |
|
Paula |
Martin |
Juniata
College, Environmental Science Program |
(814)
641-3314 |
|
Dane |
Lauver |
Juniata
County Conservation District |
(717)
436-6919 |
|
Bill |
Stong |
Juniata
County Planning |
(717)
436-7729 |
|
Larry |
Schardt |
Mid-State
RC&D |
(717)
248-4901 |
|
Dan |
Dunmire |
Mifflin
County Conservation District, Manager |
(717)
248-4695 |
|
Cadie |
Pruss |
Mifflin
County Conservation District, Watershed Specialist |
(717)
248-4695 |
|
Bill |
Gomes |
Mifflin
County Planning |
(717)
242-0887 |
|
Walt |
Whitmer |
Penn
State Cooperative Extension |
(717)
436-7744 |
|
Todd |
Brajkovich |
Perry
County Conservation District |
(717)
582-8988 |
|
Len |
Lichvar |
Southern
Alleghenies Conservancy |
(814)
623-7900 |
|
Ron |
Donlan |
Southern
Alleghenies RC&D |
(814)
623-7900 |
|
|
|
Tri-County
Regional Planning (Perry County) |
(717)
234-2639 |
|
State,
Federal, and Private Agencies |
|
||
|
|
|
Alliance
for the Chesapeake Bay, Pennsylvania Office |
(717)
236-8825 |
|
|
|
Chesapeake
Bay Program (U.S. EPA) |
(800)
968-7229 |
|
|
|
PA
DCNR, Bureau of Forestry, Bald Eagle S.F. |
(570)
922-3344 |
|
|
|
PA
DCNR, Bureau of Forestry, Buchanan S.F. |
(717)
485-3148 |
|
|
|
PA
DCNR, Bureau of Forestry, Gallitzin S.F. |
(814)
472-1862 |
|
|
|
PA
DCNR, Bureau of Forestry, Rothrock S.F. |
(814)
643-2340 |
|
|
|
PA
DCNR, Bureau of Forestry, Tuscarora S.F. |
(717)
536-3191 |
|
|
|
PA
DCNR, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, Northcentral-Southcentral Region |
(717)
772-4362 |
|
|
|
PA
DCNR, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, Northcentral-Southcentral
Region, Recreation Advisors |
(717)
772-3839 |
|
|
|
PA
DEP, Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Ebensburg |
(814)
472-1800 |
|
|
|
PA
DEP, Bureau of Mining & Reclamation |
(717)
787-5103 |
|
|
|
PA
DEP, Cambria District Mining Office (Bedford, Blair, Fulton, Huntingdon) |
(814)
472-1900 |
|
|
|
PA
DEP, Pottsville District Mining Office (Juniata, Mifflin, Perry) |
(570)
621-3118 |
|
|
|
PA
DEP, Southcentral Region |
(717)
705-4700 |
|
|
|
PA
DEP, Southcentral Region, Altoona District Office |
(814)
946-7290 |
|
|
|
PA
Dept. of Community and Economic Development |
(717)
720-7300 |
|
|
|
PA
Emergency Management Agency, Central Area Office |
(800)
272-7362 |
|
|
|
PA
Fish and Boat Commission, Division of Fisheries Mgmt. |
(814)
359-5163 |
|
|
|
PA
Game Commission, Southcentral Region |
(814)
643-1831 |
|
|
|
PA
Governor's Center for Local Government Services |
(888)
223-6837 |
|
|
|
PA
Historical and Museum Commission |
(717)
787-3362 |
|
|
|
Penn
State Cooperative Extension, Bedford County |
(814)
623-4800 |
|
|
|
Penn
State Cooperative Extension, Blair County |
(814)
940-5989 |
|
|
|
Penn
State Cooperative Extension, Fulton County |
(717)
485-4111 |
|
|
|
Penn
State Cooperative Extension, Huntingdon County |
(814)
643-1660 |
|
|
|
Penn
State Cooperative Extension, Juniata County |
(717)
436-7744 |
|
|
|
Penn
State Cooperative Extension, Mifflin County |
(717)
248-9618 |
|
|
|
Penn
State Cooperative Extension, Perry County |
(717)
582-5150 |
|
|
|
PENNDOT,
District 2 (Mifflin, Juniata) |
(814)
765-0423 |
|
|
|
PENNDOT,
District 8 (Perry) |
(717)
787-6653 |
|
|
|
PENNDOT,
District 9 (Bedford, Blair, Fulton, Huntingdon) |
(814)
696-7250 |
|
|
|
Pennsylvania
Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, Inc. |
(717)
234-7910 |
|
|
|
SEDA-COG |
(570)
524-4491 |
|
|
|
Southern
Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission |
(814)
949-6500 |
|
|
|
Susquehanna
River Basin Commission |
(717)
238-0423 |
|
|
|
U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District |
(410)
962-7608 |
|
|
|
U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Raystown Lake Project |
(814)
658-3405 |
|
|
|
U.S.
EPA, Region III |
(800)
438-2474 |
|
|
|
U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Pennsylvania Field Office |
(814)
234-4090 |
|
|
|
USDA
Forest Service, Morgantown Field Office |
(304)
285-1501 |
|
|
|
USGS,
Water Resources Division, Lemoyne |
(717)
730-6900 |
|
|
|
Western
PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation |
(724)
837-5271 |
E. Land Resources – Table and Strategy
Goal: The land resources of the Juniata watershed should
be utilized efficiently to ensure sustainable productivity of food and fiber
while reducing soil erosion and keeping fertilizers and chemicals in the soil
rather than in streams or ground water.
High-risk land areas such as floodplains, wetlands, and steep slopes
ought to be restricted to low-impact land uses.
|
Issue |
Priority |
Strategy Page Number |
|
|
Land Use Planning |
HHH |
VIII-88 |
|
|
Erosion and
Sedimentation/Non-point Source Pollution |
HH |
VIII-89 |
|
|
Forestry |
HH |
VIII-89 |
|
|
Intensive Livestock Operations |
HH |
VIII-90 |
|
|
Nutrient Pollution |
HH |
VIII-90 |
|
|
Riparian (Streamside) Buffers |
HH |
VIII-91 |
|
|
Solid Waste Management/Illegal
Dumping |
HH |
VIII-91 |
|
|
Agricultural Conservation
Practices |
H |
VIII-92 |
|
|
Herbicide and Pesticide Use |
H |
VIII-92 |
|
|
Streambank Fencing |
H |
VIII-92 |
|
Priority |
Date to be
completed |
|
|
HHH |
Paramount – the issues that need to be
addressed first |
1-3 years |
|
HH |
Highest Priority |
3-5 years |
|
H |
High Priority |
5-8 years |
|
M |
Medium Priority |
8-10 years |
Implementation Strategy
JCWP Watershed
Plan
Issue: Land Use Planning and Development
Approach:
Communities in
our watershed have a variety of needs.
Job opportunities and economic development often top the list of
community needs. In addition, residents
want to preserve a sense of community and rural character. Historical structures and cultural resources
should be preserved to maintain a connection with our cultural heritage. Residents want to preserve productive farm
and forest lands and protect sensitive wildlife habitats. Public safety needs to be protected by
limiting development in hazardous areas such as steep slopes and
floodplains. To do all of these things,
municipal officials need to have the tools to plan for the future growth and
development of their communities. They
should be supported as they guide development in ways that meet the distinct
economic, environmental, and social needs of their residents. This necessitates a balanced approach that
acknowledges the diversity of needs in a community.
Recommended
Actions:
Complete or update county comprehensive
plans to provide a model for municipalities.
Juniata County lacks an approved county
comprehensive plan.
Create GIS layers of impervious
surfaces, land cover/land use, sewer/water infrastructure, agricultural security
areas, parcels with Forest Stewardship Plans, county soil maps for all
watershed counties. Fill in the gaps for
counties without particular datasets.
Discourage development in
environmentally sensitive areas, such as steep slopes, floodplains, and
wetlands. Provide GIS mapping of these
areas to the counties.
Educate, promote, and provide assistance
for the establishment of Agricultural Security Areas and countywide
agricultural easement programs.
o Huntingdon County lacks a county
agricultural easement program.
Encourage regional and multi-municipal
planning efforts. Provide incentives to
encourage municipalities to work with each other and with their county
governments.
Encourage the completion of mandated
environmental plans for all municipalities.
· Establish and promote urban growth
boundaries.
· Provide education and assistance for
open-space preservation and open-space/ conservation subdivision planning. Promote conservation subdivision and better
site design standards.
Growing Greener: A Conservation Planning
Workbook for Municipal Officials in Pennsylvania, Natural Lands Trust,
610-353-5587, members@natlands.org
Better Site Design: A Handbook for
Changing Development Rules in Your Community, Center for Watershed Protection,
410-461-8323
· Provide education and assistance to
municipal officials on comprehensive planning, subdivision ordinances, and
zoning ordinances, including sample ordinances.
o Huntingdon County Planning is partnering
with municipalities to complete new or updated subdivision ordinances.
· Provide incentives and encourage
municipalities to do comprehensive plans and keep them up to date.
o Blair County Planning is helping to
collect and analyze data for municipal comprehensive planning.
Commit to continuous evaluation of local
and basin-wide planning and implementation of policies and ordinances.
· Encourage municipalities to develop land
development ordinances in support of comprehensive and watershed plans.
· Encourage redevelopment in areas such as
Brownfields.
· Implement a Brownfields site inventory
and provide incentives to the counties to use these sites.
· Link transportation planning to land use
planning. Encourage the development of
bicycle and pedestrian trails as part of an area transportation plan.
· Promote clustered development in areas
already served by public utilities.
· Promote EPA’s Green Communities program.
The Green Communities Assistance Kit is
a website that assists communities in planning for a socially, economically,
and environmentally sustainable future. www.epa.gov/Region3/greenkit
· Promote land-value property taxation for
boroughs.
This is a split-rate property tax system
that taxes land values higher than building values, removing the de facto
penalty on improving buildings.
· Promote mixed-use (neo-traditional or
village) development patterns and architectural styles.
· Promote, plan, and provide funding for
downtown revitalization projects and establish Main Street programs where
needed.
The Main Street Program is a part of PA
Department of Community and Economic Development. Existing area programs include Hollidaysburg
and Lewistown.
Promote the development of stewardship
plans for institutional land management, including schools and hospitals.
Institutions own a significant amount of
land, and personnel turnover can be relatively frequent. Stewardship plans ensure that high-quality
land management will remain consistent and will not depend solely on
conscientious and well-informed staff.
· Promote the public acquisition of
conservation areas.
Provide tax incentives to developers and
homeowners who build along existing sewer lines and who reuse old home and/or
factory sites.
Provide tax incentives to developers and
homeowners who build or live in conservation subdivisions.
Steps to
Proceed:
See contacts.
Contacts:
· Municipalities – Regulatory
powers over land use.
· County and municipal planning agencies –
The only official agencies authorized to plan, advise, and make regulations.
· DCED, Center for Local Government
Services – Can provide funding for planning, assistance with the Municipalities
Planning Code, and information.
· Conservation Districts, NRCS, PSCE – Can
provide information to guide planning decisions.
PA State Association of Township
Supervisors – Can provide information and assistance with planning regulations,
including sample ordinances.
Implementation Strategy
JCWP Watershed
Plan
Issue: Erosion and Sedimentation/Non-point Source Pollution
Approach:
In
order to reduce soil erosion and the associated siltation and sedimentation of
streams, we must reduce overall soil disturbance, increase the use of sediment
controls and traps, and increase the overall amount of vegetative soil cover. To achieve these goals, we will have to
increase the use of best management practices (BMPs) on construction sites,
logging operations, and farm fields.
Along with these efforts, the existing regulations intended to reduce
erosion and sedimentation (25 Pa. Code Ch. 102) must be enforced.
Recommended Actions:
Actively
support the Dirt & Gravel Road Program.
Provides
funding and assistance to townships to maintain publicly owned dirt and gravel
roads in order to reduce erosion, sediment, and dust pollution. Available through all Conservation Districts
in the Juniata watershed.
Develop model
E&S ordinances for development, logging, and agriculture and provide them
to municipalities.
Source: Model
Ordinances to Protect Local Resources, EPA Office of Water, http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/ordinance/erosion.htm
Educate
municipal officials and the public about erosion and sedimentation BMPs: what
they are, why they are needed, how to implement them.
Development/construction:
Pennsylvania
Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas, PA Association of
Conservation Districts, 717-545-8878
Erosion and
Sediment Pollution Control Program Manual, PA DEP, Bureau of Water Quality
Protection, 717-787-2666
Logging:
Controlling
Erosion and Sedimentation from Timber Harvesting Operations, Penn State
Cooperative Extension, 814-863-3438 or 814-865-6713 (PSU Publications
Distribution Center)
Agriculture:
Soil Erosion
and Sedimentation Control Manual for Agriculture (Draft), PA DEP, Bureau of
Water Quality Protection, 717-787-2666