Erosion & Sedimentation Pollution Control Program
The Juniata County Conservation District (JCCD) maintains a Level II delegation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to administer the PA Code Title 25 Chapter 102 Rules and Regulations and the Clean Streams Law in Juniata County.
JCCD reviews Erosion & Sediment Control Plans (E&S Plans) for earthmoving sites requiring a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES Permit), as well as non-permitted sites. Permitted sites are inspected on a regular basis; while non-permitted sites are inspected only on a complaint basis.
Why do E&S Controls matter?
Sediment has been identified as the #1 source of pollution to our waterways in south central Pennsylvania. Sediment in our waterways have negative impacts for both our local wildlife, our families and our neighbors. Sediment impacts the local wildlife by disrupting aquatic ecosystems. Sediment can cause streams to alter their flow patterns and increase the temperature of streams, changing what species can live in our streams. Sediment damages the gills of fish and other aquatic organisms, in turn suffocating them. It also blocks light need for aquatic plants to grow, choking out organism’s dependent on streambed habitat.
Sediment also impacts drinking water quality, not just for the local wildlife, but for our families and our neighbors as well. It can carry contaminants such as viruses, bacteria, pesticide residue, and mineral nutrients. When sediment erodes into our waterways, these contaminants are carried along, leading to the spread of illness, increasing water treatment costs, and raising the risk of flooding. To check the quality of the surface water surrounding, try out DEP’s latest Integrated Water Quality Report. The Integrated Water Quality reports are interactive and published for the public every two years.
To check the quality of the surface water surrounding, try out DEP’s latest Integrated Water Quality Report. The Integrated Water Quality reports are interactive and published for the public every two years.
What are E&S controls or BMPs?
Controls, or Best Management Practices (BMPs), include both designed and implemented practices, as well as managing the timing of earthmoving. Constructed controls range in complexity from compost filter socks (CFS), as featured in the photo to the left, to large basins with baffle systems. Management controls include: limiting the area being disturbed at one time, keeping buffer areas, such as grass strips, between the disturbed area and a sensitive area (i.e. stream, wetland), and immediately seeding and mulching areas that are disturbed. Other controls include: erosion control matting, vegetated swales, vegetated filter strips or buffers, and sediment traps or basins. Most structural BMPs can be converted into Post Construction Stormwater Management BMPs. More information on BMPs can be found in the Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Program Manual.
When Is an Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan (ESCP) Required?
The law requires the implementation and maintenance of erosion and sediment controls for any earthmoving activity. Only projects having less than 5,000 square feet (about 0.1 acre) of earth disturbance are exempt from developing a written plan. They are, however, required to implement and maintain erosion and sedimentation controls.
Those projects which disturb 5,000 square feet or more of land are required to develop a written plan, then implement and maintain the erosion controls on the site. The written plan is required to be available on the site at all times. However, if the municipality requires an approval letter from the Conservation District, then it is necessary to submit the erosion control plan to our office for review. All projects that disturb 1.0 acre (one acre) or greater require an NPDES permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Construction Activities. As part of this permit, an approved erosion control plan is required. Therefore, anyone who wishes to disturb one acre or greater needs to submit an E&S plan and NPDES Permit Package to our office for review.
All projects that disturb 1.0 acre (one acre) or greater require an NPDES permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Construction Activities. See “When is a permit required?” for more details.
Please refer to our fee schedule for E&S program for details about submitting an E&S Plan and details associated to permit applications as well.
What about Logging?
E&S Plans for permitted and non-permitted logging sites are also reviewed by JCCD. Persons conducting timber harvesting or road maintenance activities which involve 25 acres or more of earth disturbance must also apply for and obtain coverage for an Erosion and Sedimentation Control Permit.
If you are harvesting timber please review the Best Management Practices for Timber Harvest Operations and the Timber Harvest Operations Field Guide for Waterways, Wetlands, and Erosion Control for guidance on BMP’s and additional information about environmental regulations concerning timber harvesting.
What about Plowing?
Earth disturbance activities associated with agricultural plowing or tilling do not require coverage under an NPDES permit. Instead, operational agricultural earth disturbance activities are addressed in the operation’s Agricultural Erosion & Sediment Control Plan (Ag E&S Plan) or a NRCS Conservation Plan to ensure erosion is minimized.
The Ag E&S Plan or the Conservation Plan of the operation identifies BMPs to minimize accelerated erosion and sedimentation, and also addresses runoff from animal concentration areas (ACA ). An agricultural operation without a Conservation Plan, an Ag E&S Plan, or an operation whose current plan needs to be updated to reflect current practices in use, is encouraged to contact JCCD for assistance.
See our Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program to read more about possible funding opportunities for implementing agricultural BMPs.
When is an Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan (ESCP) Required?
The law requires the implementation and maintenance of erosion and sediment controls for any earthmoving activity. Only projects having less than 5,000 square feet (about 0.1 acre) of earth disturbance are exempt from developing a written plan. They are, however, required to implement and maintain erosion and sedimentation controls.
Those projects which disturb 5,000 square feet or more of land are required to develop a written plan, then implement and maintain the erosion controls on the site. The written plan is required to be available on the site at all times. However, if the municipality requires an approval letter from the Conservation District, then it is necessary to submit the erosion control plan to our office for review. All projects that disturb 1.0 acre (one acre) or greater require an NPDES permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Construction Activities. As part of this permit, an approved erosion control plan is required. Therefore, anyone who wishes to disturb one acre or greater needs to submit an E&S plan and NPDES Permit Package to our office for review.
A small projects packet and small projects example plan are available at the District and at the link labeled Small Projects Package at the bottom of the page.
For more information, please contact the Conservation District at 717-997-8001.
When is a permit required?
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Construction Activities is required for construction sites of 1.0 acre or more of earth disturbance, over the entire life of the project. The permit must be in-hand and approved before earth disturbance begins. The requirements for an NPDES permit are set by Federal and State regulations.
NPDES permits can be considered either "individual" or "general". There are 16 different criteria to determine whether an Individual Permit is required or a general permit is required. The most common requirement for an Individual permit is based on the location of the project. If the project is located in a drainage basin(s) designated as "High Quality" or "Exceptional Value," an Individual Permit would be required. Official designation of drainage basins and streams are listed in Chapter 93 of the Pennsylvania Code. DEP maintains a list of Statewide Existing Use Classifications.
An NPDES permit application consists of several forms, letters of notification, an erosion control plan, a post construction stormwater plan, ongoing operation and maintenance of permanent BMPs, and fees. The components of an NPDES permit application are stated in a checklist found on DEP's E&S Resources, one for an individual permit, and one for a general permit. All forms can be obtained from DEP's E&S Resources or from the Conservation District office.
Erosion and Sediment Control Technicians:
Garrett Berry, Resource Conservation Technician
Email: garrett-berry@juniataccd.org
Direct Dial: 717-997-8004
Hannah Hunsberger, Resource Conservation Technician
Email: Hannah-hunsberger@juniataccd.org
Direct Dial: 717-997-8005
Additional information concerning specific topics is available in these DEP’s Frequently Asked Questions Documents:
JCCD Fee Schedule (PDF Version)
DEP E&S Resources: E&S Resources | Department of Environmental Protection | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
DEP Clean Water Academy, Visual Site Inspection Report: Course: 2024 PAG-02 General Permit
25 Pa. Code Chapter 102. Erosion And Sediment Control
E&S Control Manual: - DEP eLibrary
25 Pa. Code Chapter 93. Water Quality Standards
E&S FAQ Version 1.6 - Revised, June 2, 2025
FAQ for PAG-02 and Individual Permits Version 1.7 - Revised, September 1, 2023
Chapter_102_Permit_Amendments_FAQ.pdf Version 1.4 - Revised April 17, 2023
Solar Panel Farms FAQ - Version 1.1 - Revised April 30, 2021
EP_Analysis_FAQ.pdf - Version 1.3 - Revised May 19, 2025
Common Plan of Development FAQ - Version 1.3 - Revised September 14, 2023
NOT_FAQ.pdf - Version 1.4 - Revised February, 24, 2025
RMA_FAQ.pdf - Version 1.3 - Revised April 13, 2023
MRC_FAQ.pdf - Version 1.7 - Revised August 15, 2025
Site Restoration FAQ - Version 1.1 - Revised September 8, 2023