Both the House and Senate passed resolutions marking May as Watershed Awareness Month to highlight the groups working hard all over the state to cleanup their watersheds and the need to do more to protect our valuable water resources.

The House passed House Resolution 234 (Adolph-R-Delaware, George-D-Clearfield) and the Senate passed Senate Resolution 85 (M.White-R-Venango, Musto-D-Luzerne). The text of the nearly identical resolutions is below.

A RESOLUTION

Designating the month of May 2005 as "Watershed Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth's land, rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands and groundwater resources are interconnected to form a rich mosaic of watersheds; and

WHEREAS, These water resources provide citizens with clean drinking water and recreational and business opportunities; and

WHEREAS, This Commonwealth contains 83,000 miles of rivers and streams for all to enjoy and treasure; and

WHEREAS, There are eight distinct river basins in this Commonwealth, including Lake Erie, Ohio River, Genesee River (Lake Ontario), Susquehanna River, Delaware River, Potomac River, Elk River and Northeast/Gunpowder Rivers; and

WHEREAS, There are 104 watersheds, the basic building blocks of the natural environment, in this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth invests enormous resources to restore and protect water, including remediating drainage from thousands of abandoned coal mines which contaminates more than 3,000 miles of streams and associated groundwaters and is the most extensive problem affecting Commonwealth water resources; and

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth is committed to a watershed approach to resource management where concerned community members come together as watershed guardians to address and resolve problems; and

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth empowers and assists local watershed organizations working in partnership as watershed guardians to help resolve or remediate current water quality and water quantity problems within watershed boundaries; and

WHEREAS, This watershed approach to environmental protection leads to cleaner rivers and streams, safer drinking water and greater protection of aquatic wildlife habitats; and

WHEREAS, There are more than 400 active watershed groups in this Commonwealth, and new watershed groups are forming continuously; and

WHEREAS, Educational forums connecting adults and children to their watersheds, including the land, water and people, ultimately provide long-term protection for these important and valuable water resources; and

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth recognizes and celebrates the efforts of hardworking volunteers within watershed groups who improve their communities today and for future generations; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate/House designate the month of May 2005 as "Watershed Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it further RESOLVED, That the theme "Protect our Watersheds, Protect our Future" guide the many volunteer community organizations, educators and other groups conducting watershed education and awareness activities throughout the month.

4/22/2005