The Carbon County Commissioners entered into a Program Management Agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for participation in the The Emergency Food Assistance Programfrom October 2016, to Sept. 30, 2021. The state-operated programprovides funds for purchasing food commodities that are distributed to food banks throughout the county.

The county contracts with the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley to serve as its lead agency for the program. The committee works in conjunction with the Shepherd House board, consisting of county residents and officials, for the administration of the program to the food banks. The agreement spells out each entities' responsibilities for receiving, distribution and accounting for the funds and commodities.ResolutionsThe commissioners adopted five resolutions, including one declaring "Clean Water Counts Month." The document calls on Gov. Tom Wolf and the state legislature to provide additional funding for clean water operatives.Also adopted was a proclamation honoring Eagle Scout Nicholas Rosenberger of Troop 555, Penn Forest Township, and resolutions honoring Sister Bernard Agnes and Sister Judy Trumbore and the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, recognizing the two nuns for their years of service to Marian High School and the

I.H.M. order, for over 100 years of service to the Catholic communities of Carbon-Schuylkill counties. The

I.H.M. nuns are closing their service to this area with the close of the 2015-16 school year, ending 132 years of service.The commissioners also approved a CDBG Fair Housing Notice/Resolution that states the county will not discriminate against people in its administration of the Community Development Block Grant program.The commissioners withdrew a contract it awarded to Courier Printing Corporation, Deposit, New York, for the printing of 30,000 ADRC Guides for clients of the LINK program operated through the Area Agency on Aging. The contract, awarded May 19, was for $15,110, and is being withdrawn due to the "unavailability of artwork."CorrespondenceThe county was also notified by the state Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Clean Water, that it is undertaking an evaluation of water quality standards throughout the state that may result in a regulatory change in the designated uses of stream segments and stream basins. The evaluation includes the Lehigh Canal in Weissport and the Little Schuylkill River in nearby Schuylkill County.These evaluations are being conducted in response to data submitted by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission pertaining to the addition of stream segments to the PFBC Class A Wild Trout and Wild Trout lists. The PFBC surveys for trout biomass using its established protocols and applies the Class A certification following public notice, review of comments and approval of the commission. The PFBC then submits the reports to DEP, where staff conducts an independent review of the trout biomass data in the fisheries management reports for each stream.PennDOTnotified the county Hanson Aggregates Pennsylvania LLC, has been awarded a contract to improve sections of Route 2012 and Route 2015 in Franklin Township, resulting in resurfacing of approximately 25,726 linear feet of roadway.