1478 Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund; Land Trust Grant Program

DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund; Land Trust Grant Program

[26 Pa.B. 4350]

   The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has announced an open application period for a third round of funding for land trust projects from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation (Keystone) Fund. The Keystone Land Trust Grant Program is administered by DCNR's Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

   DCNR has mailed an announcement of this open application period, program manual, and application forms to the following 48 organizations which are prequalified as eligible land trust applicants. The deadline for receipt of completed grant applications by DCNR is 5 p.m. on November 8, 1996. No applications will be accepted by FAX.

Armstrong County Conservancy (Kittanning, PA)

Berks County Conservancy (Wyomissing, PA)

Brandywine Conservancy (Chadds Ford, PA)

Brandywine Valley Association (West Chester, PA)

Buck Hill Conservation Foundation (Buck Hill Falls, PA)

Central Pennsylvania Conservancy (Harrisburg, PA)

ClearWater Conservancy (State College, PA)

Conneaut Lake--French Creek Valley Conservancy
   (Conneaut Lake, PA)

Conservation Fund (Arlington, VA)

Ecologically Concerned of Zelienople (Butler, PA)

Edward L. Rose Conservancy (Brackney, PA)

Farm and Natural Lands Trust (York, PA)

Fox Chapel Land Conservation Trust (Pittsburgh, PA)

French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust
   (Pottstown, PA)

Friends of Pennypack Park (Philadelphia, PA)

Friends of the Wissahickon (Philadelphia, PA)

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association (Kempton, PA)

Headwaters Charitable Trust (Clearfield, PA)

Heritage Conservancy (Doylestown, PA)

Hollow Oak Land Trust (Moon Township, PA)

Lacawac Sanctuary Foundation (Lake Ariel, PA)

Lackawanna River Corridor Association (Mayfield, PA)

Lancaster County Conservancy (Lancaster, PA)

Loyalhanna Watershed Association (Ligonier, PA)

Merrill W. Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy
   (Lewisburg, PA)

Moraine Preservation Fund (Zelienople, PA)

Natural Lands Trust (Media, PA)

Nature Conservancy (Philadelphia, PA)

Neighborhood Gardens Association (Philadelphia, PA)

Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (Williamsport,
   PA)

Northern Allegheny Conservation Association (Warren,
   PA)

Open Land Conservancy of Chester County (Paoli, PA)

Penn Soil Conservancy Charitable Trust (Clarion, PA)

Pennsylvania Environmental Council (Philadelphia, PA)

Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust (Huntingdon
   Valley, PA)

Perkiomen Valley Watershed Association (Schwenksville,
   PA)

Pine Creek Valley Watershed Association (Oley, PA)

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (Harrisburg, PA)

Red Clay Valley Association (West Chester, PA)

Roaring Run Watershed Association (Spring Church, PA)

Schuylkill River Greenway Association (Wyomissing, PA)

Scott Conservancy (Pittsburgh, PA)

Southern Alleghenies Conservancy (Bedford, PA)

Trust for Public Land (Washington, D.C.)

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (Pittsburgh, PA)

White Clay Watershed Association (Landenberg, PA)

Wildlands Conservancy (Emmaus, PA)

Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association (Ambler, PA)

   The Keystone Fund was established by passage of the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund Act (Act 1993-50) signed on July 2, 1993. On November 2, 1993, the voters of the Commonwealth overwhelmingly approved a public referendum incurring bond indebtedness by the Commonwealth in the amount of $50 million to provide for the funding of nature preserves and wildlife habitats, and for improvements to and expansion of state parks, community parks and recreation facilities, historic sites, zoos and public libraries. The Keystone Fund is currently supported by a 15% allocation from the State Realty Transfer Tax revenues. DCNR will receive 10% of the State Realty Transfer Tax allocation for matching grants to assist land trusts with planning and acquisition projects involving natural areas and open space. Approximately $3 million will be available in this third round of funding for land trust projects.

   A land trust is defined in Act 1993-50 as a nonprofit conservation or preservation organization, conservancy or land trust whose primary purpose is the conservation and preservation of open space, park lands or natural areas for public benefit. To qualify for Keystone funding, a land trust must be tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; registered with the Bureau of Charitable Organizations, PA Department of State; and in existence for at least 5 consecutive years.

   Land trusts must prequalify as eligible applicants in accordance with procedures announced at 24 Pa.B. 4216 (August 20, 1994). Land trust organizations that are not prequalified for this third round of funding may do so prior to announcement of the next open application period. A prequalification form and instructions may be obtained from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, 555 Forum Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120 (Telephone [phone]).

   Persons with a disability who wish to submit a land trust prequalification form or grant application and require assistance should contact Darrel J. Siesholtz at [phone] to discuss how the Department may best accommodate their needs.

JOHN C. OLIVER,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 96-1478. Filed for public inspection September 6, 1996, 9:00 a.m.]