08/05/24 - 134 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/2ftnnnut
| Share this: | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
DEP Secretary, Sen. White Spar Over Senate, Governor's Environmental Funding Cuts
|
|
Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger and Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, exchanged words this week over proposed cuts in environmental funding by both the Senate Republicans and the Governor.
Secretary Hanger said the Senate Republican plan to cut $50 million in additional funding to his department’s budget would have long-term, negative consequences for the state’s natural resources, public health, and economic viability.
“The Senate Republican plan removes funds that help keep sewage out of the land and water, that help our river basin commissions monitor potentially dangerous activities throughout the state, and that fight potentially deadly mosquitoes that could carry the West Nile virus and the bothersome black flies that are such a nuisance each summer,” said Secretary Hanger. “They also cut much-needed funds that help communities protect themselves against floods and that will make it easier for consumers to avoid higher energy costs by installing insulation and windows or by purchasing more energy efficient appliances.”
Sen. White responded with a letter to Secretary Hanger saying his statement was "outrageous and insulting."
"While the Senate-passed budget contains many difficult funding reductions, it is a plan that requires DEP and other state agencies to do what Pennsylvania families and businesses across the state do on a daily basis: live within their means," Sen. White said. "It transfers $100 million from legislative accounts to help fund state programs, including those within DEP, and reduces funding for the legislature by 10 percent. This builds upon the $18 million transferred from caucus accounts to fund DEP’s Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program after the Governor defunded the program."
"The Governor’s budget proposal was never realistic; it has become less so as the state’s deficit has grown to nearly $3 billion," Sen. White added.
Secretary Hanger did note Gov. Rendell already proposed to cut $19 million from DEP's budget saying they were difficult, but necessary, cuts. But, he said, those reductions would minimize the risk to Pennsylvania’s prosperity and progress.
Here is the list of cuts Secretary Hanger highlighted from the Senate GOP budget, along with Sen. White's response on each item--
Secretary Hanger- Keystone HELP: Eliminate the $15 million Keystone HELP program that helps households avoid higher energy prices by insulating their homes or installing ENERGY STAR-qualified windows and doors. Nearly 1,700 people have already applied for grants and rebates through the Keystone HELP program.
Sen. White Response: Your press release fails to note that Pennsylvania is receiving nearly $130 million under the federal stimulus law for the State Energy Program and the Energy Efficiency Block Grant Program. PA is also receiving over $220 million for weatherization grants. Your critique is interesting given that the Keystone HELP program is not even administered by DEP after your agency abdicated its responsibility for this program. Furthermore, after criticizing the Senate last June for an Alternative Energy Investment Act which rolled out money “too little, too late,” you have failed to distribute the bulk of the first year’s funding more than 10 months into the fiscal year.
Secretary Hanger- West Nile Funding: Imperil the public health by cutting $1.9 million from the West Nile virus program, which would make DEP unable to maintain the level of surveillance and treatment it has in previous years. Last year, 14 people were confirmed to have acquired the virus and one died. Although the virus was confirmed in only 37 counties last year, the disease could be found in any of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties—each of which was served last year through the program.
Sen. White Response: Senate Bill 850 (Senate Republican budget) appropriates $5.193 million for this program. This provides sufficient funding for the $4.25 million county grant program; in fact the bulk of the money requested by the Governor for this line item was for higher personnel costs, not the county spraying program. Furthermore, the Department has access to its Clean Water Fund, which currently has approximately $6 million. Certainly, if this is a priority you believe is unmet in the final budget adopted by the legislature, you can utilize money out of this account for this purpose.
Secretary Hanger- Black Fly Spraying: Cut $1.7 million from the popular Black Fly suppression program that now serves 33 counties. The reduced funding means that fewer counties will likely benefit this year or the number of treatments that are applied will have to be reduced, which could undermine their effectiveness.
Sen. White Response: Apparently when Gov. Rendell proposed cutting the black fly program entirely only a few years ago, he was being sensible and prudent. Senate Republicans are now “failing to protect our citizens.”
Secretary Hanger- Flood Control: Cut nearly $1.4 million from the state’s Flood Control Program, which helps keep communities safe by responding quickly to emergency situations where permanent structures are threatened or supporting maintenance, reconstruction and post-flood repair work on levees. Without these important resources to fight floods all of the planned levee closure projects DEP had planned for 2009 are in jeopardy.
Sen. White Response: The H2O program, which was crafted by the Senate Republican caucus, allocates $100 million for flood control projects. Only $10 million in projects has been applied for. Moreover, in 2005 the Senate Republican caucus amended the law establishing the Environmental Stewardship Fund to specifically permit DEP to utilize the fund for flood control projects.
“The Governor’s plan puts people to work rebuilding the state's deteriorating water and wastewater infrastructure, revitalizing communities, and reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” said Secretary Hanger. “The Senate’s proposal serves only to impede that effort and roll back the progress our state has made to clean the air and water, reclaim brownfields and dangerous mine sites, and deploy more clean energy resources like windmills, solar panels and conservation measures.”
“After the Governor released his budget proposal in February, he was roundly criticized by senators for cutting this program or cutting that program despite the difficult financial situation we find ourselves in because of the national recession,” said Secretary Hanger. “Now, the Senate is pushing a budget that cuts $2 billion more out of the budget—much of which comes from programs for which senators had previously advocated for more funding.
“The Senate’s budget proposal, in short, is bad for Pennsylvania’s economy, its citizens, and its future,” he concluded.
Sen. White end her letter by saying, "In closing, it is particularly ironic that Senators who you claim have routinely pressed for budget increases for specific line items are being called hypocritical for making the tough spending decisions necessitated by our budget situation. That is neither accurate nor productive." Sen. White's letter is available online. DEP's press release is as well.
|
|
5/15/2009 |
| Go To Preceding Article Go To Next Article |
