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Pennsylvania County Conservation Districts: E&S Permits and Contacts

Pennsylvania doesn’t leave erosion control to the township alone. State rules in 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102 set when a job needs a written erosion and sediment control (E&S) plan and when it needs a state stormwater permit, and in most counties the conservation district is the office that handles it. Here’s what triggers each one, what the district does, and the website and phone for all 66 districts.

Quick answer

Any earth disturbance in Pennsylvania, from digging to grading to fill, has to control erosion, even on small jobs. Once a job disturbs 5,000 square feet or more, you need a written E&S plan (25 Pa. Code 102.4(b)). At 1 acre or more, you also need NPDES permit coverage before you start (102.5(a)). In most counties, the conservation district is the local office for both. Every county has one except Philadelphia.

66county conservation districts, one in every county except Philadelphia
5,000 sq ftof total earth disturbance triggers a written E&S plan
1 acreof earth disturbance triggers NPDES permit coverage
1945the year the Conservation District Law created the districts

What an E&S plan is

An erosion and sediment control plan is the written plan for keeping soil on your site while the ground is open. It covers the project, the site’s soils and slopes, the controls you’ll use (the regulation calls them BMPs, for best management practices), how you’ll stabilize bare ground, and the order you’ll build in, with a drawing that shows existing and proposed contours or slopes. That’s the outline the Luzerne Conservation District asks for in its small-project plan guide; bigger jobs need more.

When you need a plan or a permit

  • Any earth disturbance: E&S BMPs are required to minimize accelerated erosion and sedimentation, “including those activities which disturb less than 5,000 square feet” (25 Pa. Code 102.4(b)(1)).
  • 5,000 square feet or more: a written E&S plan is required, and has to be followed (102.4(b)(2)(i)). It’s also required at any size if the work could discharge to a High Quality or Exceptional Value water, or if another DEP rule requires one (102.4(b)(2)(ii) and (iii)).
  • On the job: the plan, inspection reports and monitoring records must be available at the site for DEP or the conservation district during all stages of the work (102.4(b)(8)).
  • 1 acre or more: you need an individual NPDES permit or coverage under a general NPDES permit for stormwater discharges associated with construction activities before you start. That includes a smaller piece of a larger common plan of development or sale that adds up to 1 acre (102.5(a)).
  • Your township: some municipalities require a written, approved E&S plan below 5,000 square feet, so check local rules too.

What the conservation district does

Pennsylvania’s Conservation District Law of 1945 created the county conservation districts, and each one is run by a volunteer board of local people. Their programs include erosion and sedimentation pollution control, stormwater management and the Dirt and Gravel and Low Volume Road Program. Under 25 Pa. Code 102.41, DEP can delegate administration and enforcement of the Chapter 102 erosion rules to a district by written agreement, so for most homeowners and contractors the district is the first call about an E&S plan, an NPDES application or a site inspection. Many districts publish their own forms, fees and small-project guides, so start with your district’s website.

All 66 Pennsylvania conservation districts

CountyDistrictWebsitePhone
AdamsAdams Conservation Districtadamscountypa.gov(717) 334-0636
AlleghenyAllegheny Conservation Districtaccdpa.org(412) 241-7645
ArmstrongArmstrong Conservation Districtarmstrongcd.org(724) 548-3425
BeaverBeaver Conservation Districtbeavercountyconservationdistrict.org(724) 378-1701
BedfordBedford Conservation Districtbedfordcountyconservation.com(814) 623-8099
BerksBerks Conservation Districtberkscd.com(610) 372-4657
BlairBlair Conservation Districtblairconservationdistrict.org(814) 696-0877 ext. 5
BradfordBradford Conservation Districtbccdpa.com(570) 485-3144
BucksBucks Conservation Districtbucksccd.org(215) 345-7577
ButlerButler Conservation Districtbccdonline.org(724) 284-5270
CambriaCambria Conservation Districtcambriaconservationdistrict.org(814) 472-2120
CameronCameron Conservation Districtcameroncd.org(814) 486-2244
CarbonCarbon Conservation Districtcarbonconservation.org(610) 377-4894 ext. 4
CentreCentre Conservation Districtcentrecountypa.gov(814) 355-6817
ChesterChester Conservation Districtchesco.org(610) 455-1360
ClarionClarion Conservation Districtclarionconservation.com(814) 297-8032
ClearfieldClearfield Conservation Districtclfdccd.com(814) 765-2629
ClintonClinton Conservation Districtclintoncountypa.gov(570) 726-3798
ColumbiaColumbia Conservation Districtcolumbiaccd.org(570) 317-9456
CrawfordCrawford Conservation Districtcrawfordconservation.com(814) 763-5269
CumberlandCumberland Conservation Districtcumberlandcountypa.gov(717) 240-7812
DauphinDauphin Conservation Districtdauphincd.org(717) 921-8100
DelawareDelaware Conservation Districtdelcocd.org(610) 892-9484
ElkElk Conservation Districtelkconservationdistrict.com(814) 776-5373
ErieErie Conservation Districterieconservation.com(814) 825-6403
FayetteFayette Conservation Districtfayettecd.org(724) 438-4497
ForestForest Conservation Districtco.forest.pa.us(814) 755-3450
FranklinFranklin Conservation Districtfranklinccd.org(717) 264-5499
FultonFulton Conservation Districtfultoncountyconservationdistrict.org(717) 325-6096
GreeneGreene Conservation Districtgreenecountypa.gov(724) 852-5278
HuntingdonHuntingdon Conservation Districthuntingdoncd.org(814) 819-0230
IndianaIndiana Conservation Districticcdpa.org(724) 471-4751
JeffersonJefferson Conservation Districtjeffersonconservation.com(814) 849-7463
JuniataJuniata Conservation Districtjuniataccd.org(717) 997-8001
LackawannaLackawanna Conservation Districtlccd.net(570) 382-3086
LancasterLancaster Conservation Districtlancasterconservation.org(717) 299-5361 ext. 5
LawrenceLawrence Conservation Districtlawrencecd.org(724) 652-4512
LebanonLebanon Conservation Districtlccd.org(717) 277-5275
LehighLehigh Conservation Districtlehighconservation.org(610) 391-9583
LuzerneLuzerne Conservation Districtluzernecd.org(570) 674-7991
LycomingLycoming Conservation Districtlycomingcountypa.gov(570) 433-3003
McKeanMcKean Conservation Districtmckeanconservation.com(814) 887-4001
MercerMercer Conservation Districtmercercountycd.com(724) 662-2242
MifflinMifflin Conservation Districtmifflinccd.com(717) 248-4695
MonroeMonroe Conservation Districtmcconservation.org(570) 629-3060
MontgomeryMontgomery Conservation Districtmontgomeryconservation.org(610) 489-4506
MontourMontour Conservation Districtmontourccd.com(570) 271-1140
NorthamptonNorthampton Conservation Districtnorthamptoncd.org(610) 726-1030
NorthumberlandNorthumberland Conservation Districtnccdpa.org(570) 495-4665
PerryPerry Conservation Districtperryccd.org(717) 582-8988 ext. 4
PhiladelphiaNo conservation district——
PikePike Conservation Districtpikeconservation.org(570) 226-8220
PotterPotter Conservation Districtpottercd.com(814) 320-3334
SchuylkillSchuylkill Conservation Districtschuylkillcd.com(570) 622-3742 ext. 5
SnyderSnyder Conservation Districtsnydercounty.org(570) 837-3000
SomersetSomerset Conservation Districtsomersetcd.com(814) 289-4652
SullivanSullivan Conservation Districtsullcon.com(570) 928-7057
SusquehannaSusquehanna Conservation Districtsuscondistrict.org(570) 782-2105
TiogaTioga Conservation Districttiogacountypa.us(570) 724-1801
UnionUnion Conservation Districtunioncountypa.org(570) 524-3860
VenangoVenango Conservation Districtvenangocd.org(814) 676-2832
WarrenWarren Conservation Districtwcconservation.net(814) 726-1441
WashingtonWashington Conservation Districtpawccd.org(724) 705-7098
WayneWayne Conservation Districtwaynecountypa.gov(570) 253-0930
WestmorelandWestmoreland Conservation Districtwestmorelandconservation.org(724) 837-5271
WyomingWyoming Conservation Districtwccdpa.org(570) 836-2589
YorkYork Conservation Districtyorkccd.org(717) 840-7430
Websites and phone numbers mostly from the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts directory. Six entries come from the district’s own or county site instead: Elk (the directory’s link is cut off), Lycoming (the directory’s link now redirects to the county home page), and the phone numbers for Bedford, Clarion, Huntingdon and Somerset (each district’s own site lists a different number than the directory). Checked Nov. 12, 2026. Staff and numbers change, so confirm on the district’s site before you rely on one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an erosion control plan for a patio or yard regrade in Pennsylvania?

Every earth disturbance in Pennsylvania has to use erosion and sediment control BMPs, even jobs under 5,000 square feet (25 Pa. Code 102.4(b)(1)). A written erosion and sediment control plan is required once total disturbance reaches 5,000 square feet or more, when the work could discharge to a High Quality or Exceptional Value water, or when another DEP rule requires one (102.4(b)(2)). Some townships also require a written plan for smaller jobs, so check with yours too.

When does a construction project need an NPDES permit in Pennsylvania?

Before you start any earth disturbance of 1 acre or more, or a smaller piece of a larger common plan of development or sale that totals 1 acre or more, you need coverage under a general or individual NPDES permit for stormwater discharges associated with construction activities (25 Pa. Code 102.5(a)). Agricultural plowing and tilling, animal heavy use areas, timber harvesting and road maintenance are handled under other rules.

What does a county conservation district do?

It's the county-level office for soil and water conservation, created under Pennsylvania's 1945 Conservation District Law and run by a local board of directors. DEP can delegate administration and enforcement of the Chapter 102 erosion and sediment rules to a district by written agreement (25 Pa. Code 102.41), so the district is usually the local office to call about erosion control plans and permits. Your plan, inspection reports and monitoring records must be available at the site for DEP or the district to inspect (102.4(b)(8)).

Does Philadelphia have a conservation district?

No. Pennsylvania has 67 counties and 66 conservation districts; the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts states that Philadelphia does not have one. For Chapter 102 questions there, DEP's construction stormwater page lists RA-EPChapter102@pa.gov as the contact.

Who can write an erosion and sediment control plan?

The rule says the plan must be prepared by a person trained and experienced in erosion and sediment control methods and techniques that fit the size and scope of the project (25 Pa. Code 102.4(b)(3)). Some districts publish a fill-in guide for small projects; ask yours before you draw one yourself.

Planning information, not legal or engineering advice. Chapter 102 has more rules than this page covers, including post-construction stormwater, special protection watersheds and permit exemptions. Your conservation district or DEP has the final word, and your township may add its own rules.

Sources: 25 Pa. Code 102.4 · 25 Pa. Code 102.5 · 25 Pa. Code 102.41 · DEP construction stormwater · PACD: about conservation districts · PACD district directory · Luzerne Conservation District small-project E&S guide (PDF)

Related: Pennsylvania building codes, permits and contractor rules · Drainage laws by state · 811 dig laws · Retaining wall permits · All state guides

Checked Nov. 12, 2026 against the Pennsylvania Code, DEP and the PACD district directory. Contacts change; spot something out of date? Email info@muthlerlandscaping.com and we’ll fix it.

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Cite as: Muthler Landscaping & Construction, “Pennsylvania County Conservation Districts: E&S Permits and Contacts,” https://muthlerlandscaping.com/state-guides/pa-conservation-districts/ (last checked November 12, 2026).