Watch CBS News

Md. Conference Focuses On Gravel Road Pollution

FROSTBURG, Md. (AP) -- The Nature Conservancy and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources are teaming up to reduce pollution from a source that gets little attention: gravel roads.

A two-day conference starting Wednesday in Frostburg aims to teach municipalities and forest business operators how to reduce maintenance costs and sediment pollution from unpaved roads.

The solutions come from the Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies at Penn State University.

Pennsylvania's leadership on the issue dates to 1993, when a state task form was formed at the urging of the Trout Unlimited conservation club.

Since then, Pennsylvania has identified thousands of trouble spots and distributed millions of dollars to road owners for
improvements.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.