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This list of the meaning of abbreviations that are encountered in land conservation work is capped by WeConservePA at 120 to guard against the list becoming too unwieldy to be of practical use. Send suggestions for additions and refinements (or deletions) to [email protected] with the heading Abbreviations.
| ACAP | Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program | established under the Clean Streams Fund in PA's FY2022-2023 state budget |
| ACEP | Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (NRCS managed program) | federal program to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands, grasslands, farms, and ranches |
| ACEPP | Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program | PA state/county program established under the Agricultural Area Security Law |
| ALE | Agricultural Land Easement | specific NRCS program under ACEP to preserve farm and ranch lands |
| ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act | |
| AICP | American Institute of Certified Planners | |
| AMD | abandoned mine drainage; alternatively, acid mine drainage | |
| AML | abandoned mine land | |
| ANCA | Association of Nature Center Administrators | |
| ARPA | American Recovery Plan Act | |
| ASA | agricultural security area | authorized by PA's Agricultural Area Security Law to protect farms from nuisance ordinances and condemnation |
| ASLA | American Society of Landscape Architects | |
| BLM | U.S. Bureau of Land Management | largest holder of land within the federal government |
| BMP | best management practice | |
| BOF | DCNR Bureau of Forestry | |
| BRC | DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation | |
| BSP | DCNR Bureau of State Parks | |
| C2P2 | Community Conservation Partnership Program | DCNR's marketing term for the various grant programs it administers |
| CERCLA | Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act | federal Superfund law |
| CFA | Commonwealth Finance Authority | Grantmaking body controlled in part by PA General Assembly leaders |
| CFR | Code of Federal Regulations | |
| CFRE | Certified Fund Raising Executive | |
| CLE | continuing legal education | |
| CLI | Conservation Landscape Initiative | DCNR program focusing investments in designated "Conservation Landscapes" |
| CREP | Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program | program of NRCS |
| CRP | Conservation Reserve Program | program of NRCS |
| DCED | Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development | |
| DCNR | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources | |
| DEI | diversity, equity, and inclusion | Add A for access, B for belonging, J for justice |
| DEP | Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection | |
| DOJ | U.S. Department of Justice | |
| DUNS | Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System | |
| DVRPC | Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission | |
| ED | Executive Director | |
| EPA | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | |
| EQIP | Environmental Quality Incentives Program | |
| ESA | Endangered Species Act of 1973 | U.S. law |
| ESF | Environmental Stewardship Fund | Uses landfill tipping fee revenue for PA state government to make environmental investments |
| E&S | erosion and sedimentation | descriptor used for controls, plans, pollution, regulations, etc. |
| FMV | fair market value | |
| FOIA | Freedom of Information Act | Federal statute (PA's state counterpart is called the Right-to-Know Law) |
| FSA | Farm Service Agency | Federal program within the USDA delivering various services to the agriculture sector |
| FSC | Forest Stewardship Council | certification system |
| FY | fiscal year | |
| GGC | Growing Greener Coalition | |
| GIS | geographic information system | |
| GSI | green stormwater infrastructure | |
| HB # | house bill [number] | likewise, SB for senate bill |
| HOA | homeowners association | |
| HPA | Highest Protection Area | Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants term |
| Keystone | Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund | Uses state realty transfer tax revenue for PA state government to support conservation and other projects |
| IRC | Internal Revenue Code of 1986 | federal statutory tax law implemented by the IRS |
| LTA | Land Trust Alliance | |
| LTAC | Land Trust Accreditation Commission | |
| LWCF | Land and Water Conservation Fund | federal funding generated by oil and gas leasing on federal lands; a portion is administered by DCNR |
| MPA | Minimal Protection Area | Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants term |
| MPC | Municipalities Planning Code | Pennsylvania statute governing land use regulation by local government |
| MS4 | Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System | program under which permittees must develop and implement stormwater management plans |
| NEPA | National Environmental Policy Act | |
| NFWF | National Fish and Wildlife Foundation | grantmaking entity funded by several federal agencies as well as foundation and corporate partners |
| NGO | non-governmental organization | |
| NHA | Natural Heritage Area | identified in County Natural Heritage Inventories under the PNHP |
| NPO | nonprofit organization | |
| NRCS | Natural Resources Conservation Service | an arm of the USDA |
| O&M | operations and maintenance | |
| OPDMD | other power driven mobility device | a term used with the ADA |
| PALTA | Pennsylvania Land Trust Association, now known as WeConservePA | |
| PDA | Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture | |
| PDR | purchase of development rights | a (technically incorrect) descriptor of some government programs for easement purchases |
| PEC | Pennsylvania Environmental Council (or Piedmont Environmental Council) | |
| PennDOT | Pennsylvania Department of Transportation | |
| PENNVEST | Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority | adminsters the Clean Water State Revolving Fund via low interest loans and grants (among other programs) |
| PFAS | polyfluoroalkyl substances | |
| PFBC | Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission | |
| PGC | Pennsylvania Game Commission | |
| Phase 1 | phase 1 environmental site assessment | alternatively, Phase 1 ESA |
| PNDI | Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory | |
| PNHP | Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program | |
| PPHC | Pennsylvania Public Horticulture Coalition | |
| PRPS | Pennsylvania Recreation & Park Society | |
| RCPP | Regional Conservation Partnership Program | NRCS adminstered |
| RFP | request for proposals | |
| RFQ | request for qualifications | |
| RGGI | Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | |
| RKMF | Richard King Mellon Foundation | alternatively RK Mellon |
| RTKL | Pennsylvania Right-to-Know-Law | Makes state and local government documents open to the public unless an agency proves confidentiality is needed |
| ROFO | right of first offer | similar to ROFR for right of first refusal |
| RULWA | Recreational Use of Land and Water Act | PA law providing liability protection to those opening their land to the public |
| S&P | Land Trust Standards and Practices | |
| SALDO | subdivision and land development ordinance | |
| SCC | State Conservation Commission | a PA state agency |
| SCORP | State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan | prepared by DCNR for LWCF eligibility and to prioritize grants |
| SFI | Sustainable Forestry Initiative | certification system |
| SPA | Standard Protection Area | Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants term |
| SRBC | Susquehanna River Basin Commission | a compact of the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York to address water issues |
| Stroud | Stroud Water Research Center | |
| SWAP | state wildlife action plan | |
| TDR | transfer of development rights | |
| TMDL | total maximum daily load | maximum amount of pollutants allowed into an impaired waterway |
| TNC | The Nature Conservancy | |
| TPL | The Trust for Public Land | |
| TSP | technical service provider | |
| USDA | U.S. Department of Agriculture | |
| USFS | U.S. Forest Service | |
| USFWS | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | |
| USPAP | Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practices | |
| WeConserve | WeConservePA | |
| WPF | William Penn Foundation | |
| WRE | Wetland Reserve Easement | specific program under ACEP |
| Yellow Book | Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions |
