The Luzerne Conservation District administers the State Conservation Commission’s (SCC) Dirt and Gravel Road Program in Luzerne County. The purpose of the Dirt and Gravel Road Program is “to fund safe, efficient, and environmentally sound maintenance of sections of dirt and gravel roads which have been identified as sources of dust and sediment pollution.” Through this program, the district provides grants and technical assistance to local municipalities for work on dirt roads.  Our partners in this program include: the SCC, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and Penn State University’s Center for Dirt & Gravel Road Studies.

The program is designed to encourage municipalities to implement environmentally sensitive road maintenance practices on dirt and gravel roads in Luzerne County.  Once a municipality has completed the required training, they are eligible to apply to the district’s Quality Assurance Board for grants to fund environmentally sensitive road maintenance projects.  Funding for this program is made available to districts through the State Conservation Commission. The Luzerne Conservation District also obtained funding through DEP Growing Greener Grant program to help supplement the funding it received from the State Conservation Commission.

For more information on the Dirt & Gravel Roads Program, visit:  www.dirtandgravelroads.org