The House Local Government Committee Wednesday reported out House Bill 821 (Harper-R-Montgomery) and Senate Bill 351 (Erickson-R-Delaware), companion bills which give communities new tools to help address stormwater management issues by giving municipal authorities the power to engage in stormwater management.

“Stormwater management is a significant challenge facing our communities, especially those older communities developed without stormwater management adequate for today’s storms,” said Rep. Kate Harper, Chair of the Committee. “This legislation gives municipalities another tool to allow communities to address their need for stormwater projects and funding for them.”

The bills allow, but do not mandate, the creation of a stormwater authority, or the addition of storm water management to an existing authority that might handle a township’s water or sewage operations. It also would allow municipalities to create a joint authority with neighboring towns and townships in the same watershed to work together on storm water management issues.

Recognizing the importance of addressing storm water issues, the bill is supported by several environmental advocacy organizations and local government associations.

“PennFuture greatly appreciates Rep. Kate Harper guiding House Bill 821 through the House Local Government Committee with overwhelming bipartisan support,” said Steve Stroman, policy director of PennFuture. “Giving local governments the option to form storm water authorities will assist multi-municipal efforts to tackle storm water issues on a watershed basis, provide them with additional resources for storm water planning and projects, and help reduce one of the largest sources of pollution of our rivers and streams.”

“This bill will allow municipalities and counties to use another unit of government to address what many consider to be a multi-municipal or even a regional issue that needs to be addressed,” said John Brosious, deputy director of the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association. “A municipal authority becomes a vehicle they can use to address this both from an environmental infrastructure perspective as well as a financial one.”

Ron Grutza of the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs added, “Over the past several years, the federal government has placed an ever-increasing mandate on municipal storm water runoff. Due to these costly mandates and more communities being mandated to comply, municipalities must dedicate more and more revenue from their general fund budget to comply with these mandates and maintain the infrastructure. This is a step in the right direct in helping our communities manage and finance storm water projects.”

Both measures go to the full House for consideration.

Rep. Robert Freeman (D-Lehigh) serves as Minority Chair.

6/17/2013