Definitions of common terms and acronyms used in this manual.
Definitions
Act – The Act of April 17, 1997 (P.L. 6, No. 3) amending the Vehicle Code by adding the Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program at 75 P.S. §9106.
Administrative Funds (at the district) – up to 10% of a district’s allocation that can be used to administer the Program at the county level.
Advance Working Capital – the portion of a conservation district’s allocation that is received up-front from the Commission.
Allocations – Funding distributed from the Commission to conservation district for both Dirt and Gravel, and Low Volume Roads.
Assessment – The process of evaluating a road to determine which sections are having negative environmental impacts.
Average Daily Traffic Count – A traffic count that meets the standards described in section 7.3.6 of this manual.
Bankfull – The stream channel width at the dominant channel forming flow, typically with a recurrence interval between 1 and 2 years.
Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies – Non-profit entity at Penn State that provides education, outreach, and technical assistance to entities involved in the Program.
Certification – Relating to Driving Surface Aggregate: A notarized form provided by the quarry detailing specifications of the DSA material being provided.
Cooperating Organization – An organization approved by the Commission to assist in implementing the Act.
Demonstration Project – A “Demonstration Project” is a project that is funded by the Conservation Districts that does not follow the lifecycle of the “typical project” above. Demonstration Projects can be implemented by the Conservation District to showcase a particular practice or project without the typical application submittal and ranking process using the district’s educational or administrative funds.
Dirt and Gravel Road – A public road with an unbound surface layer.
District – A conservation district as defined in the Act of December 19, 1984 (P.L. 1125, No. 221, §2) known as the Conservation District Law, 3 P.S. §849-864.
Driving Surface Aggregate (DSA) – A specification of crushed aggregate that is designed to achieve maximum density and resist erosion. DSA is the only approved surface aggregate for unpaved roads in the Program.
Education Funds (at the district) – up to 10% of a district’s allocation that can be used to for educational efforts at the county level.
Environmentally Sensitive Maintenance (ESM) – a term used to describe a suite of principles and practices that are designed to create a more environmentally and financially sustainable public road system. They are long term practices designed to reduce erosion and maintenance within the road area.
Environmentally Sensitive Maintenance Training (ESM training) – 2-day training course that potential grant applicants must attend in order to be eligible for to apply to their district for funding.
Exceptional Value – A stream or watershed which is designated as an exceptional value water pursuant to 25 Pa. Code Chapter 93.
Geographic Information System (GIS) – A systems of interconnected digital maps and databases use to store large amounts of spatial data.
Grant Applicant / Recipient – A public road-owning entity such as a municipality or state agency who is eligible to apply to the district for Program funding.
High Quality – A stream or watershed which is designated as a high quality water pursuant to 25 Pa. Code Chapter 93.
In-kind – Materials or services contributed to a project by the grant recipient.
Low Volume Road – For the purposes of the low volume road, a low volume road is a paved or sealed road with an average daily traffic count of 500 vehicles or less.
Paved or Sealed Road – For the purposes of the low volume road program, a “paved” road is defined to include any road surfaced with asphalt, “tar and chip”, “chip seal”, bitumen, concrete, or other asphalt-like coating.
Performance Standards – Administrative policies and/or technical requirements adopted by the Commission for the implementation of the Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Road Maintenance Program, including standards that prohibit the use of materials or practices which are environmentally harmful.
Project Area –A worksite that has been designated for funding through the Program. see also “worksite”
Project Completion Report – A two page form signed by the district and grant recipient that summarizes the funding and work for a particular project.
Project Participant – A municipality or state agency eligible to participate in a Dirt, and Low Volume Road Maintenance project under the Act.
Quality Assurance Board (QAB) – The 4-member administrative board impaneled by each district to administer the Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Road Maintenance Program locally, pursuant to 75 P.S. §9106(e).
Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QAQC) – A visit and review of an individual districts program administration and implementation by Program and Center staff.
Replenishment – Process for districts to claim remaining funding from the Commission after expenditure of advance working capital.
Right-of-way – A publicly owned corridor surrounding the road, in many cases extending 33’ from the centerline of the roadway.
State Conservation Commission (Commission) – Administrative home of the Program at the PA Department of Agriculture in Harrisburg.
Sunshine – Public meeting notification requirements that apply to QAB and Conservation District meetings.
Worksite – A section of road that have been identified to be a source of sediment or other pollution to a waterway.
Acronyms
ADT: Average Daily Traffic Count
ASR: Annual Summary Report
BMP: Best Management Practice
CD: Conservation District
CDGRS: Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies
COE: Corps of Engineers
DCNR: Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
DEP: Department of Environmental Protection
DGR: Dirt and or Gravel Road (unbound surface)
DGLVRP: Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Roads Program
DSA: Driving Surface Aggregate
DRBC: Delaware River Basin Commission
E&S Plan: Erosion and Sedimentation Pollution Control Plan
EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
EV/HQ: Exceptional Value/High Quality (stream designations)
ESM: Environmentally Sensitive Maintenance
FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency
G2: Growing Greener Program
GIS: Geographic Information System
GP: General Permit
GRS-IBS: Geos-synthetically Reinforced Soil – Integrated Bridge system
LVR: Low Volume Road (Under 500 Cars ADT) MOU: Memorandum of Understanding
MOU: Memorandum of Understanding
MS4: Municipal Storm Sewer System Separate from a Sanitary System
NACD: National Association of Conservation Districts
NICET: National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies
NPDES: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NPS: National Park Service
NRCS: Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA)
PACD: PA Association of Conservation Districts
PDA: PA Department of Agriculture
PEC: PA Environmental Council
PEMA: PA Emergency Management Agency
PFA: PA Forestry Association
PFBC: PA Fish and Boat Commission
PGC: Pennsylvania Game Commission
PNDI: Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory
PSATS: PA State Association of Township Supervisors
QAB: Quality Assurance Board (Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Roads Program)
QAQC: Quality Assurance / Quality Control Visit
RCSOB: Rachel Carson State Office Building
ROW: Right-of-Way
SCC: State Conservation Commission
SOP: Standard Operating Procedure
SRBC: Susquehanna River Basin Commission
TMDL: Total Maximum Daily Load (Watershed Conservation 303d)
TU: Trout Unlimited
USDA: United States Department of Agriculture
USFS: United States Forest Service
USFWS: United States Fish and Wildlife Service
USGS: United States Geological Survey
