Scaling the adoption of adaptive nitrogen management in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
Project Purpose: The partners will use low-cost crop imaging and nitrogen crediting technology to improve nutrient management and cover crop implementation
Fiscal Year: 2023
Lead State: MD
Lead Partner: The Nature Conservancy
Funding Pool: Chesapeake Bay Critical Conservation Area
Project Area: portions of the Chesapeake Bay in MD, PA, and DE
NRCS Funding: $21,723,626
Partner Contributions: $ 15,284,303
Status: Active
Application Periods: contact The Nature Conservancy for application information
Application Ranking Criteria: Land Management
Mid-Atlantic Dairy Farmers Producing Tangible Results Through Climate Smart Solutions
Project Purpose: Leverage relationships of the cooperative with its dairy farmer members to implement climate-smart land management practices
Fiscal Year: 2023
Lead State: PA
Lead Partner: Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative
Funding Pool: State/Multi State
Project Area: counties with cooperative members in PA, MD, VA, and NC
NRCS Funding: $10,000,000
Partner Contributions: $ 3,789,900
Status: Active
Application Periods: Mirror current EQIP/AMA/ACEP application schedule
Application Ranking Criteria: Land Management
Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape
Project Purpose: Four state agencies and five conservancies will work together to permanently conserve agriculture and forest lands in the Kittatinny Ridge landscape
Fiscal Year: 2019
Lead State: PA
Lead Partner: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Funding Pool: Chesapeake Bay Critical Conservation Area
Project Area: Kittatinny Ridge in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
NRCS Funding: $9,928,571
Partner Contributions: $38,982,500
Status: Active
Application Periods:
Application Ranking Criteria:
Ag BMP Implementation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Project Purpose: Berks County Conservation District will an effort to address resource concerns on agricultural operations in sub-watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay portion of Berks County
Fiscal Year: 2019
Lead State: PA
Lead Partner: Berks County Conservation District
Funding Pool: Chesapeake Bay Critical Conservation Area
Project Area: Chesapeake Bay portion of Berks County
NRCS Funding: $2,232,143
Partner Contributions: $2,294,875
Status: Active
Application Periods:
Application Ranking Criteria: Land Management
Buffalo Creek Watershed Conservation Alliance
Project Purpose: The Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance will conduct land management planning, implement conservation practices, and purchase easements to support a long-term goal of de-listing the watershed
Fiscal Year: 2019
Lead State: PA
Lead Partner: Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania
Funding Pool: State/Multi-State
Project Area: Buffalo Creek Watershed
NRCS Funding: $1,169,618
Partner Contributions: $1,163,815
Status: Active
Application Periods: Land Management
Preserving Farm Land
Application Ranking Criteria: Land Management
Lancaster’s Common Agenda for Clean Water
Project Purpose: The Foundation will take the lead to implement comprehensive conservation systems needed to achieve stream delisting and Chesapeake Bay restoration on agricultural lands in priority watersheds in Lancaster County
Fiscal Year: 2020/21
Lead State: PA
Lead Partner: Conservation Foundation of Lancaster County
Funding Pool: Chesapeake Bay Critical Conservation Area
Project Area: Lancaster County
NRCS Funding: $7,400,000
Partner Contributions: $13,244,890
Status: Active
Application Periods:
Application Ranking Criteria: Land Management
Turkey Hill Clean Water Partnership
Project Purpose: This project will expand the technical and financial assistance available to develop and implement CNMPs on livestock operations to reduce nutrient and sediment loss to surface waters
Fiscal Year: 2020/21
Lead State: PA
Lead Partner: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Funding Pool: Chesapeake Bay Critical Conservation Area
Project Area: Selected Watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in PA
NRCS Funding: $4,000,000
Partner Contributions: $5,707,993
Status: Active
Application Periods:
Application Ranking Criteria: Land Management
Healing Mine-Scarred Landscapes via Restoration (Alternative Funding Arrangement)
Project Purpose: This project will plant trees to re-forest land that has been previously mined
Fiscal Year: 2021
Lead State: PA
Lead Partner: US Endowment for Forestry and Communities
Funding Pool: State/Multi-State
Area: PA, KY, OH, WV
NRCS Funding: $2,178,500
Partner Contributions: $3,598,745.78
Status: Active
Application Periods:
Project Title: Farmland Preservation and Climate Change Mitigation
Project Purpose: Implement climate-smart practices on preserved farms, and fund additional Farmland and Forest easement acquisition
Fiscal Year: 2022
Lead State: PA
Lead Partner: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Funding Pool: State/Multi-State
Project Area: PA - Statewide
NRCS Funding: $7,850,000
Partner Contributions: $12,795,255
Status: Active
Application Periods: Mirror current EQIP/AMA/ACEP application schedule
Application Ranking Criteria: Land Management and Easement
Project Title: Delisting Ag-Impaired Streams in Central PA
Project Purpose: Land management practices for water quality with intent to help “delist” ag-impaired streams
Fiscal Year: 2022
Lead State: PA
Lead Partner: Chesapeake Conservancy
Funding Pool: Chesapeake Bay CCA
Project Area: Lycoming, Union, Snyder, Clinton, Centre, and Huntingdon Counties
NRCS Funding: $9,996,006
Partner Contributions: $11,495,313
Status: Active
Application Periods: Mirror current EQIP/AMA/ACEP application schedule
Application Ranking Criteria: Land Management
COMPLETED RCPP PROJECTS (No longer taking applications)
Productive Farms and Clean Streams for Berks and Chester Counties
Project Purpose: Partners will conduct conservation planning and implement conservation practices combined with riparian forested buffers
Fiscal Year: 2014/15
Funding Pool: State
Lead State: Pennsylvania
Project Lead Partner: Stroud Water Research Center
Funding Pool: State
Project Area: Selected Watersheds in Berks and Chester Counties
NRCS Funding: $1,500,000
Partner Contributions: $3,000,000
Status: Project Completed
Delaware River Watershed Working Lands Conservation and Protection Partnership
Project Purpose: Partners will work together to implement conservation practices on working lands and conserve and protect wetlands in the William Penn Foundation priority Delaware River Watershed Clusters
Fiscal Year: 2014/15
Lead State: Pennsylvania
Lead Partner: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Funding Pool: National
PA Project Area: Selected Watersheds in Berks, Chester, Lehigh, and Schuylkill Counties
NRCS Funding (PA): $7,213,750
Partner Contributions: $5,666,057
Status: Project Completed
Comprehensive Watershed Conservation in Dairy and Livestock Landscapes of the
Chesapeake Bay
Project Purpose: Partners will implement high impact, priority conservation practices in targeted sub-watersheds in selected counties in three states in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Fiscal Year: 2014/15
Lead State: Pennsylvania
Lead Partner: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Funding Pool: Chesapeake Bay Critical Conservation Area
PA Project Area: Selected Watersheds in Bradford, Lancaster, and Juniata Counties
Project Area Maps:
NRCS Funding (PA): $4,520,000
Partner Contributions: $4,200,000
Status: Project Completed
Mason-Dixon Working Lands Partnership
Project Purpose: The Alliance will lead an effort to accelerate adoption of priority conservation practices on working lands in Maryland and Pennsylvania
Fiscal Year: 2014/15
Lead State: Maryland
Lead Partner: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Funding Pool: Chesapeake Bay Critical Conservation Area
NRCS Funding (PA): $750,000
Status: Project Completed
Cerulean Warbler Appalachian Forestland Enhancement
Project Purpose: The American Bird Conservancy will lead an effort to implement conservation practices and enhance habitat for the Cerulean Warbler in multiple states
Fiscal Year: 2014/15
Lead State: West Virginia
Lead Partner: American Bird Conservancy
Funding Pool: National
PA Project Area: Identified Habitat Areas
NRCS Funding (PA): $4,413,334
Status: Project Completed
Soil Health: Improving Land, Water, and Producer Profitability
Project Purpose: Partners will provide education and outreach combined with financial assistance to improve soil health, water quality, and farm profitability
Fiscal Year: 2017
Lead State: Pennsylvania
Lead Partner: Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Funding Pool: State
Project Area: Center, Clinton, and Lycoming Counties
NRCS Funding: $420,847
Partner Contributions: $422,972
Status: Completed
Application Periods: No longer accepting applications
CCCD Partnership for Chesapeake Bay Water Quality
Project Purpose: Chester County Conservation District will lead and effort to address water quality resource concerns by implementing conservation practices in the Chesapeake Bay portion of Chester county
Fiscal Year: 2018
Lead State: Pennsylvania
Lead Partner: Chester County Conservation District
Funding Pool: Chesapeake Bay Critical Conservation Area
Project Area: Chesapeake Bay Watershed in Chester County
NRCS Funding: $3,600,000
Partner Contributions: $7,301,367
Status: Completed
Application Periods:
Application Ranking Criteria: Land Management
Implementing Conservation Practices and CNMPs on Pennsylvania Preserved Farms
Project Purpose: The PA Department of Agriculture and County Farmland Preservation agencies will address water quality resource concerns with conservation practices on Pennsylvania preserved farms
Fiscal Year: 2018
Lead State: Pennsylvania
Lead Partner: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Funding Pool: Chesapeake Bay Critical Conservation Area
Project Area: Franklin, Adams, York, Cumberland, Perry, and Dauphin Counties
NRCS Funding: $6,370,000
Partner Contributions: $19,186,000
Status: Completed
Application Periods:
Application Ranking Criteria: Land Management