Growing Greener Coalition Holds Capitol Rally May 9 To Support More Investments In Green Infrastructure
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The Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in Pennsylvania, will hold a rally May 9 at 10:00 a.m. on the Capitol steps to support additional investments in the state’s land conservation, recreation, environmental protection and restoration programs.

The PA Growing Greener Coalition has called on Gov. Tom Wolf and the Legislature to provide more funding to protect Pennsylvania’s water, land and other natural resources, not less.

“We want to remind Gov. Wolf and the Legislature that Pennsylvania needs more funding to protect our water, land and other natural resources, not less,” said Andrew Heath, executive director of the Coalition. “While we recognize the current fiscal challenges facing the state, this budget must not and cannot be balanced at the expense of the environment.”

“Cuts to state programs like Growing Greener, Keystone and Farmland Preservation are unacceptable,” Heath continued. “Further, any new revenue proposals must include funding for Growing Greener to ensure that Pennsylvanians continue to have access to clean water, green open spaces, parks and outdoor recreational opportunities, and nutritious, locally grown food.”

Funding for Growing Greener has decreased from an estimated average of $200 million in the mid-2000s to $57 million this year. This represents a 75 percent cut and an all-time low for the program.

Established in 1999, the state’s Growing Greener program has funded hundreds of local parks and trail projects, conserved more than 80,000 acres of threatened open space, and restored hundreds of miles of streams and waterways.

The program has also protected more than 78,000 acres of farmland, restored more than 1,600 acres of abandoned mine land, and helped reduce flooding and water pollution through 400 watershed protection projects and more than 100 drinking and wastewater treatment improvements.

Since its inception, the state’s Growing Greener program has enjoyed widespread, bipartisan public support. A 2015 Penn State poll found that 90.7 percent of Pennsylvanians surveyed would support increasing state funds to conserve and protect open space, clean water, natural areas, wildlife habitats, parks, historic sites, forests, and farms.

For more information on funding needs and proposals, visit the PA Growing Greener Coalition website.

NewsClips:

Letter: Growing Greener Program In Dire Need Of Funds

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Officials Argue For Natural Gas Severance Tax At Hearing

Editorial: State Continues To Squander Severance Tax Opportunity

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AP: April Tax Collections Bring More Bad News For Pennsylvania

Thompson: State Revenue In April Missed Revenue Estimate By $537 Million

PA Faces $1.2 Billion Budget Hole, April Revenues Fall Short By $537M

Esack: PA’s Deficit Growing As Fiscal Year Winds Down

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Related Stories:

PA Growing Greener Coalition: More Work To Do To Protect Water, Natural Resources

Growing Greener Coalition: Wolf Budget Falls Short In Protecting Water, Other Natural Resources

Growing Greener Coalition To Wolf, Legislature: Funded Needed For Green Infrastructure

Bill On Senate Calendar Would Prevent Funding Crisis In Recycling Program

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EPA Still Concerned About DEP Drinking Water Program, Urges Temporary Funding To Hire Staff Sooner

EQB To Consider Safe Drinking Water Fee Increases At May 17 Meeting

EPA: DEP Lacks Resources To Enforce Minimum Federal Safe Drinking Water Regs

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Senate Budget Hearing: Historic Cuts To DEP Budget, Safe Drinking Water, Chesapeake Bay

House DEP Budget Hearing: Safe Drinking Water, Permitting, Pipelines, Chesapeake Bay

CBF Thanks Congress For Bipartisan Action To Protect 2017 Chesapeake Bay Funding

Proposed Trump Cuts To State Grants Will Cripple DEP, Cause Drastic Fee Increases

[Posted: May 4, 2017]


5/8/2017

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