Rep. Sturla (D-Lancaster) this week invited community volunteers to help local environmental organizations clean up the Conestoga River from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 17.

Volunteers will meet at Reigart’s Landing, Lancaster County Park, Chesapeake and Strawberry streets. Helpers must bring their own work gloves. To sign up, call Pat Coller in Sturla’s district office at 717-295-3157 or e-mail her at pcoller@pahouse.net .

“With the summer weather finally here, my Conestoga River cleanup is a great opportunity for people to enjoy the warm sunshine while bettering our environment,” Rep. Sturla said. “I look forward to another successful cleanup and urge everyone to spare some time to help out.”

Rep. Sturla is co-sponsoring his traditional cleanup with the Lancaster County Parks Department, Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, the Lancaster County Conservancy, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Employees from Lancaster Laboratories and the community will be volunteering. A free lunch will be provided by Subway and Turkey Hill.

The cleanup will target an area of the Conestoga River that has been designated a prototype of the Greenway Project. The project is a proposed network of protected areas near the waterways of Lancaster County that will be used for recreational and ecological events for local residents.

Rep. Sturla has introduced House Bill 1051 this session that would establish a state “Adopt-A-River” program to help restore Pennsylvania’s rivers, spark interest in volunteerism and conserve natural resources. The state Department of Environmental Protection would administer the program and provide trash bags, safety information and assistance to volunteer groups.

Rep. Sturla’s bill was favorably reported out of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and currently awaits consideration by the full House.

6/9/2006