Commissioners say meeting with DEP clarified roles with conservation district; no enforcement actions taken
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Summary
County commissioners reported a recent meeting with the Department of Environmental Protection and the conservation district to clarify which agency has enforcement authority over certain development sites; the meeting produced no action items and staff said construction had resumed under restrictions at one site.
Commissioners told the Beaver County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 8 that a meeting with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), state representatives and the county conservation district clarified roles and the division of enforcement authority for several development sites in the county.
A commissioner said the meeting — convened after complaints and leadership changes at DEP — was largely educational, explaining where voluntary conservation district compliance ends and DEP enforcement begins. The commissioner said the county's delegation agreement, signed in 2021 when the conservation district received limited delegation, was discussed to ensure all parties understood their responsibilities.
The discussion produced "no resolution, no motion, [and] no action items," according to the commissioner. The same speaker said one development site discussed had satisfied a prior stop‑work condition and that construction had resumed under restrictions.
The commissioner emphasized that, under the county's limited delegation, the conservation district serves as "boots in the ground" while DEP retains enforcement authority; no enforcement actions by the county were reported at the work session.