Plum native a natural for conservation district job

Craig Barras knew as a youth the outdoors was where he wanted to be. The Plum native spent as much of his free time as possible outside, as a Boy Scout and later hunting.

Today, the watershed specialist for the Westmoreland County Conservation District is helping municipalities determine the best way to prevent erosion from rainwater runoff and maintain healthy waterways in their communities - whether they be creeks, small streams or even water retention ponds.

Barras, 30, of Jeannette, initially went to work with an environmental consulting firm after he graduated college, but soon found the work was not to his liking.

'I started to look around and I came across the conservation district,' he said. 'I started working for it in 1996 by doing inspections on earth-moving projects.'

Barras took quickly to his new job. And the people he works for and with took quickly to him.

'He came to us a number of years ago and we really liked his educational background,' said Greg Phillips, district manager of the conservation district. 'He's a hard worker and he puts in a lot of time with the various grass-roots conservation groups.'

Two years ago, former Gov. Tom Ridge signed a bill authorizing the Department of Environmental Protection to spend $650 million on the Grow Green Program - a project dedicated to improving the state's water quality.

Barras was tapped as the county conservation district's watershed specialist - a position he describes as a liaison between the state and local governments on water quality improvement projects.

As he began to determine how Westmoreland County communities could benefit from the program, he came across an idea Murrysville had to improve water quality.

The municipality was determined to find funding to drain and reconstruct water retention ponds at a number of municipal developments to improve the quality of water being emptied into the Haymaker Run watershed.

'In the past, we've always focused on flood issues and the quantity of water' drained away from a development, Barras said. 'That's a good idea, but now we want to control the quality as well.'

He said the Murrysville project made sense because municipal officials were aiming to reduce the levels of oils, gasoline and salt deposited into the watershed. Consequently, he helped author a funding proposal for it.

Although the DEP did not believe the project merited funding under the Growing Greener grant program, the state agency did grant the municipality nearly $32,000 through another fund.

But Barras also has eight other watersheds he must be aware of in Westmoreland County as well as a number of other programs the conservation district administers, said Phillips. And with each, Barras has a great rapport with those constituencies.

'That's the key - he gets along with people and he understands the big picture,' Phillips said. 'He has a full plate and he has been able to do it all.'

Barras said he approaches his job every day with the same zeal he had when he first joined the conservation district and said he tries to follow the approach of a former Steelers linebacker.

'Kevin Greene said one time that if there's no passion in what you're doing you ought to find something else,' Barras said. 'I really enjoy what I do. I try to be the best and put a lot of extra time in, which my wife's not too happy with,' he quipped.

Indeed, Phillips said Barras goes beyond the call of duty, attending township meetings throughout the county when his expertise is needed.

'Some of that is normal, but in this county there is so much happening. He goes above and beyond what is required of him,' Phillips said.

Noting that he's 'no tree hugger,' Barras said maintaining and improving the environment is an economic advantage for southwestern Pennsylvania.

'It's a quality of life thing. If you have a cleaner environment, companies will want to move here partly because their employees have places to recreate,' he said, adding that both the region's business leaders and political leaders 'are starting to recognize that.'