The conservation district is accepting applications from Butler County townships to receive funding to implement dirt and gravel road improvement projects.

Pennsylvania's Dirt and Gravel Road Pollution Prevention Program is a water pollution abatement program that offers local municipalities special funding and technical support to repair, manage and maintain their dirt and gravel roads in environmentally safe ways.

The program was signed into law in April 1997 by Gov. Tom Ridge after two things came to light.

One, it was confirmed through scientific data collection techniques involving many volunteers, especially members of Pennsylvania Trout Unlimited, that the most significant pollution degrading the state's watersheds and streams, especially in high quality and exceptional value watersheds, is sedimentation.

Two, it was also confirmed that major contributors of sedimentation in otherwise protected headwaters are the state's more than 25,000 miles of dirt and gravel roads.

Through the oversight of a four-member local quality assurance board representing the Conservation District, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Dirt and Gravel Road Pollution Prevention Program offers municipalities a locally controlled program.

The program is supported with $4 million in annual nonlapsing funding designated to counties by the state Conservation Commission to address water pollution issues specific to dirt and gravel roads.

This allows municipalities to use traditional highway funds for nonwater pollution related maintenance of roads.

Ron Fodor is district manager of the Butler County Conservation District.