Administrative Guidance Manual - Center for Dirt and Gravel Road ...

II. County Conservation District Funding
A. Conservation Districts
Section 9106 of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code establishes a dedicated funding
mechanism that provides appropriations to the county conservation districts. Section
9106 of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code sets forth the requirements the SCC is to
use in establishing allocations to the county conservation districts. The administrative
framework to transfer program funds from the SCC to county conservation districts
includes the Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program Statement of Policy and the
Five Year Program Agreement (Appendix A). The policy statement and program
agreements establish a process to allow annual program allocations without amending the
contract. Section 9106 provides that conservation districts issue financial grants to
eligible participants for work to prevent and control pollution from dirt and gravel roads.
B. Allocation
Section 9106 of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code annually provides for the
allocation of $5,000,000 from the Motor Vehicle License Fund for the Dirt and Gravel
Road Maintenance Program. Of that amount $1,000,000 is allocated directly to the
Bureau of Forestry for their use in maintaining the dirt and gravel roads under their
jurisdiction. The State Conservation Commission (SCC) is responsible for the remaining
$4,000,000 and allocating funds to the 65 County Conservation Districts who participate
in the Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program. The fund is placed in a non-lapsing,
nontransferable account restricted to maintenance and improvement of dirt and gravel
roads. A conservation district has two years to spend or commit funds for dirt and gravel
road maintenance projects. Failure to spend or encumber the money may prevent any
further allocation of Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program funds to the
conservation district.
An Advance Working Capital system has been established to enable conservation
districts to receive all or a portion of their annual allocation, advance funds to successful
grant applicants and assure prompt payment to participants when work covered by grants
is properly completed.
The conservation districts provide grants to local municipalities and other eligible entities
that must spend the money in accordance with the law, the statement of policy and the
procedures described in this manual. The funds must be spent or committed to projects
by the district within two years of their allocation. Spent funds are those monies that are
paid directly to municipalities or other participating agencies. Committed funds are those
funds which have been approved to be spent by a district’s board of directors, are
encumbered to a specific project and a contract with the municipality has been drafted.
Funds which are committed but not yet spent must be maintained in an interest bearing
account. The interest generated on those funds may only be used for projects.
14 Version 6.00 March 3, 2005