PROGRAM PURPOSE: Pennsylvania’s Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Road (DGLVR) Maintenance Program provides funding to eliminate stream pollution caused by runoff and sediment from the State’s comprehensive network of unpaved and low volume paved public roads. The Program was enacted into law in April 1997 as Section 9106 of the PA Vehicle Code, with $5 Million in annual funding for “environmentally sensitive road maintenance” for unpaved roads. The goal of the Program is to create a more environmentally and economically sustainable dirt, gravel, and low volume road network through education, outreach, and project funding.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE: The PA State Conservation Commission (SCC) allocates $28 Million annually to 65 of Pennsylvania’s Conservation Districts which are responsible for administering the Program at the county level. Local road-owning entities, typically municipalities, then apply to their Conservation District for project funding.
The Fulton County Conservation District (District) administers and implements the Program at the county level. The District accepts applications for funding from potential applicants, and award grants to local road owning entities. District staff are responsible for working with grant applicants to develop projects, project oversight, financial tracking and reporting, and general administration of the Program at the county level. District staff work closely with the QAB described below.
QUALITY ASSURANCE BOARD: The District is required to form a Quality Assurance Board (QAB) made up of 4 members including District staff, PA Fish and Boat Commission, and Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). The QAB acts in an advisory capacity to the District board. The QAB, working closely with District staff, is responsible for recommending local Program policies, developing application ranking criteria, and recommending projects for funding. All policies and funding recommendations by the QAB must be adopted by the District board.
GRANT APPLICANTS: Any state or local public entity that owns and maintains public roads is eligible to apply for Program Funding. The majority of applicants are townships, but other entities such as boroughs, cities, counties, PA Game Commission, PennDOT, PA Fish and Boat Commission, and others are eligible to apply. Applicants are encouraged to work closely with the District, starting with a pre-application meeting. Successful applicants will enter into contracts with the District to complete project work. Applicants can complete project work themselves, or by hiring contractors.
For more information about the Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Road (DGLVR) Maintenance Program in Fulton County, please contact Program Specialist, Hunter Snyder at 717-325-6098 or hunter@fultoncountyconservationdistrict.org