Rep. Carole Rubley

Rep. Carole Rubley (R-Chester) was presented this week with the James McGirr Kelly Award for Excellence from the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC-PA) at the organization’s annual meeting and awards luncheon in Harrisburg.

“It gives me great pleasure to present Carole Rubley with the Chapter’s most prestigious award,” said NAWC-PA Chairman Jeff Hines, vice president – engineering, The York Water Company. “As a member of the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) Board, Representative Rubley has been very active in advancing the availability of safe and reliable drinking water in the Commonwealth and has played a leadership role in providing financial incentives for the repair and replacement of aging water and wastewater infrastructure.”

“Rep. Rubley was also instrumental in making water and wastewater infrastructure funding part of Gov. Ed Rendell's economic stimulus package as a member of the House Consumer Affairs and Environmental Resources & Energy Committees,” Hines said. “She subsequently played a key role in insisting that an additional $100 million in unused bond authority, under the Small Water Systems Assistance Act of 1992, became available for existing water and wastewater infrastructure projects (Act 218 of 2004).”

“After September 11, 2001, Rep. Rubley recognized the need to help deter potential terrorist attacks at crucial facilities like water and wastewater treatment plants through the sponsorship of Act 51 of 2005, which authorizes PENNVEST to lend monies it receives from Federal and State sources to public and private water and wastewater systems for security-related infrastructure improvements,” said Hines.

In accepting the award for 2005, Rep. Rubley was quick to point out that the award is the result of hard work and many contributions by her colleagues in the General Assembly, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Public Utility Commission and PENNVEST.

Rep. Rubley has traditionally sponsored the House Resolution designating the week of May 7 through 13, 2006, as “Drinking Water Week in Pennsylvania” to heighten awareness of drinking water treatment, monitoring, distribution and related costs. House Resolution 679 urges all residents of this Commonwealth to protect our watersheds, conserve our precious drinking water supply and preserve its superior quality.

Carole Rubley was first elected to represent Chester County’s 157th Legislative District in the House of Representatives in 1992 and is now serving her seventh term. The district includes parts of Chester and Montgomery counties.

With expertise in environmental issues and years of local government service, Rep. Rubley’s background prepared her for the challenge of serving on the Governor’s 21st Century Environment Commission. Some of the commission’s conclusions were included in the Gov. Ridge’s Growing Greener program.

She was appointed by the House Majority Leader to the Green Ribbon Commission, which conducted an in-depth study of the diverse environmental challenges facing Pennsylvania and made recommendations that resulted in the passage of Governor Rendell’s Growing Greener II initiative to improve Pennsylvania’s environmental future.

Before her election to the House, Carole was a member of the Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors, the Eastern Chester County Regional Planning Commission and the Tredyffrin Recycling Committee. She served as the Chester County Department of Health’s solid waste coordinator and was employed as a project manager for an environmental services firm.

The award was named for the late James McGirr Kelly, a former Senior US District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Public Utility Commission member and the first recipient of the award in 1983, and is presented each year to the resident of Pennsylvania who most exemplified dedication to promoting the availability of safe and reliable drinking water in the Commonwealth.

The recipient of the award is chosen by the Board of directors of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association of Water Companies. Other award recipients have included educators, engineers, three governors, and Pennsylvania environmental pioneers Dr. Maurice K. Goddard and Clifford L. Jones.

5/12/2006