JULIAN — The Centre County Conservation District was awarded a $1.54 million grant by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority on behalf of Linda Hall. The grant will be put toward improvements to Hall’s small beef farm’s manure storage which houses 100 beef cows, 50 calves and 10 replacement heifers in Julian.
“Manure is a natural result of livestock farming, and without its proper storage and handling, it can increase nitrate levels in ground water and cause contamination in surface waterways, which not only kills fish, but also negatively impacts water quality,” said State Rep. Paul Takac in a statement.
“By addressing the risks posed by outdated storage systems, we can prevent harmful pollutants like nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment from entering our water supply. This project will reduce thousands of pounds of nitrogen, tens of thousands of pounds of sediment and over a hundred pounds of phosphorus from our waterways each year.
“That’s a direct benefit to local wildlife, fisheries and every resident who relies on clean, safe water.”
In a statement, Takac noted that the current manure storage unit “will be decommissioned and a new, 60-by-280-foot stacking structure and heavy use feeding area will be built elsewhere on the farm utilizing recommended agricultural best management practices.”
Additional construction includes a new roof, fencing, gates, reinforced animal trails, access lane, septic tank and piping outlets.
“The Centre County Conservation District and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service have been working for years to secure sufficient funding for this project, but due to the scale of the project, we have not been able to move forward until now,” Jim Coslo, district manager of the Centre County Conservation District, said in a statement.
“This grant makes it possible to fully fund the Hall project which will have a huge water quality impact.”
