HISTORY:
Southeastern
Pennsylvania Resource Conservation & Development (SEPA RC&D)
covers seven counties: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh,
Montgomery, and Northampton.
In
1992, people from throughout the region got together to work towards
forming a RC&D Council. The
SEPA RC&D Council was incorporated in 1994.
A cooperative agreement application was submitted in the fall of
1997 to the Secretary of the United State Department of Agriculture.
Approval was given for the cooperative agreement in the spring of
1998. The Council was
granted non-profit status by the Internal Revenue Service in the spring
of 1999. SEPA RC&D is
registered with the State of Pennsylvania Bureau of Charitable
Organizations. The
Pennsylvania Department of Revenue has determined SEPA RC&D is
exempt from Pennsylvania Sales Tax.
The Southeastern PA RC& D Councils Strategic Area Plan Can be
reviewed in pdf format by clicking here.
The SEPA RC&D Council Bylaws
are also available.
Federal
Public Law 87-703 created the Resource Conservation Development (RC&D)
Program in 1962. The
responsibility of administering the program was given to the USDA’s
Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Locally, conservation districts and county governments are the
primary sponsors and are joined in operating the RC&D Councils by
other groups, businesses, and government agencies.
There are currently 9 RC&D Councils in Pennsylvania
and over 375 RC&D Councils in the nation.
Funding
for the Council comes primarily from donations, membership fees, grants,
and income producing projects. Projects
are completed by securing grants, donations, and volunteers.
RC&D
Councils usually become involved in projects dealing with land
conservation, water resources, community development, and environmental
concerns.
The
Natural Resources Conservation Service provides an employee to serve as
Coordinator for the council. The
Coordinator’s role is to provide technical assistance to the SEPA
RC&D so that it can achieve its’ goals and objectives.
SEPA
RC&D wishes to partner with local groups, businesses, and agencies
throughout the region to accomplish locally important projects.
The Council can be in either a supportive role or the primary
sponsor of a project.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Resource Conservation and
Development Council can assist by finding sources of funding, project
partners, and/or the personnel to complete a project.
SEPA
RC & D is a member of the National
Association of RC & D Councils, Mid-Atlantic
Association of RC & D Councils, PA
Association of RC & D Councils, and the PA Association of Nonprofit Organizations.
Download
a brochure on "What
is RC&D?" - PDF Format (157 KB)*
* PDF Files require Adobe Acrobat software.
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Here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for Free.
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