The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA is urging Pennsylvanians to show their support for restoring waterways across the state by calling your House and Senate member and telling them to support House Bill 374 (Everett-R-Lycoming) and Senate Bill 108 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) establishing the Keystone Tree Fund.

Trees filter and absorb polluted runoff, keep streams cool and clean, provide wildlife habitat, and stabilize streambanks, among many other benefits. No other practice does so much for so little.

The bills authorize a voluntary $3 checkoff on drivers and vehicle license applications to support a new Keystone Tree Fund to provide funding to DCNR’s TreeVitalize Program (40 percent) and for Riparian Forest Buffer Grants (60 percent).

The new Fund is intended to supplement the existing capacity of these programs (sponsor summary).

House Bill 374 is now on the House Calendar for action.  The House returns to voting session on March 11.

Senate Bill 108 is in the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.  The Senate returns to voting session on March 18.

Click Here to make your voice heard and send a message to your House and Senate member.

More information on the initiative to plant 10 million trees in Pennsylvania is available at the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership webpage.

For more on Chesapeake Bay-related issues in Pennsylvania, visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA webpage.  Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left column).  Click Here to support their work.

NewsClips:

State, Federal Efforts Take Aim At Conowingo Dam

Livestaking: A Trusty Technique For Planting Trees And Shrubs On The Cheap

Tree Talk - Livestaking Video By Alliance For Chesapeake Bay

Forests For The Chesapeake Bay March Newsletter

Bay Journal: Get Pollution-Reduction Credits For Planting Trees In Your Community

Choose Clean Water Coalition Seeks More Federal Funding For Chesapeake Bay

Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal

Related Stories:

PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Adopts Phased Approach To County Planning Process

DEP Blog: Healthy Waters, Healthy Communities: York County

Sen. Scott Martin Appointed To Chesapeake Bay Commission

Interns Wanted: Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA 2 Summer Interns For Keystone 10 Million Trees Initiative

Livestaking For Minor Streambank Repairs Workshop March 30 In Lancaster County

Conodoguinet Creek Watershed Assn. Sets April 27 Riparian Buffer Planting, 2019 Creek Cleanup Events In Cumberland County

Sign Up Now To Volunteer For Western PA Conservancy Tree Planting, Garden Steward Programs

Farming & Conservation Opportunities For Hispanic, African American, Other Underserved Farmers April 9 In Berks County

Pike Conservation District: 3-Part How Your Backyard Activities Affect Your Lake Workshops

PA American Water Announces Sponsorship Of Expedition Chesapeake Film

CBF Save The Bay Photo Contest Accepting Entries Starting March 11

PaEN: Student Environmental Career Day & Job Fair Elk Country Visitor Center March 29

[Posted: March 4, 2019]

3/11/2019