PA Environment Digest

Scrapbook

04/15/24 - 66 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/msuwtctm

Daily Blog

Share this:

Growing Greener Coalition Urges New Investment In Restoring The Environment, Preventing Flooding, No Backsliding On Existing Funding

On March 20, the Growing Greener Coalition wrote to members of the Senate, House and to Gov. Wolf urging them to make new investments in restoring the environment and preventing flooding and not to back away from funding commitments they have already made.

The Coalition also issued a call to action to urge the General Assembly and Gov. Wolf to support new investments and no backsliding.

"Pennsylvanians want to reduce destructive flooding, restore waterways to productive life, and protect our drinking water. We need to do this to protect public safety and health.

"We need to do this as a moral imperative and constitutional responsibility. And we need to do this because the investments made to restore and protect our waters produce long-term cost savings and economic returns that more than pay for the initial investments.

“The organizations and people of the Growing Greener Coalition urge the General Assembly and Governor Wolf to greatly boost the state’s investments in reducing flooding, restoring waterways, protecting drinking water, and providing other conservation benefits:

-- The Coalition reiterates that Pennsylvania can’t afford to backslide in its community and conservation investments. Every dollar flowing into the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund and the Environmental Stewardship Fund needs to be invested in projects that protect and restore Pennsylvania’s environmental assets, not diverted to pay for government operations.

-- The Coalition applauds the Governor’s attention to conservation investment needs in his Restore Pennsylvania proposal and encourages legislators to work with the Administration to make these investments happen.

“In building on past successes and boosting the state’s conservation investments, the General Assembly and Governor can achieve many lasting and diverse benefits for Pennsylvanians, including:

-- Major reductions in property damage and loss of human life caused by flooding

-- Progress for local governments in meeting MS4 [stormwater] requirements

-- State progress in meeting mandatory Chesapeake Bay [nutrient reduction] requirements

-- Safer drinking water and lower water treatment costs

-- More miles of streams restored for recreation and economic use

-- Federal investments leveraged that otherwise would not come to Pennsylvania

-- Boosts to the agricultural and outdoor recreation industries

-- Restoring parks for communities across the Commonwealth

-- And much more

“The public’s enthusiasm for these investments continues to be overwhelming. For example, 75 percent of Republican voters, 82 percent of Democrats, and 87 percent of independents actually support spending more on conservation, even if it would mean taxing themselves more to do it. (See survey results.)

“Thank you for your attention. For more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the people and organizations of the Coalition including:

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA, Harry Campbell, PA Executive Director

-- Conservation Voters of PA, Joshua McNeil, Executive Director

-- Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, R. John Dawes, Executive Director

-- Lancaster Farmland Trust, Jeffrey Swinehart, Chief Operating Officer

-- Natural Lands, Oliver P. Bass, President

-- PennFuture (Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future), Jacquelyn Bonomo, President & CEO

-- Pennsylvania Environmental Council, John Walliser, Senior Vice President

-- Pennsylvania Land Trust Association, Andrew M. Loza, Executive Director

-- Pennsylvania Park and Forest Foundation, Marci Mowery, President

-- Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society, Tim Herd, CEO

-- Rails-To-Trails Conservancy, Tom Sexton, Director, Northeast Regional Office

-- Sierra Club PA Chapter, Joanne Kilgour, Chapter Director

-- The Conservation Fund, Kyle D. Shenk, PA State Director

-- The Nature Conservancy, PA Chapter, Ronald L. Ramsey, Senior Policy Advisor

-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Cynthia Carrow, Vice President”

Click Here for a copy of the letter. Click Here to tell your legislator to act.

Questions should be directed to Andy Loza, Executive Director, PA Land Trust Association by calling 717-230-8560 or send email to: aloza@conserveland.org.

For more information, visit the Growing Greener Coalition website.

Growing Greener Coalition Issues Call To Action To Make New Investments In Restoring The Environment, Oppose Backsliding

Growing Greener Coalition Opposes Using Community Environmental Project Funds For Agency Operating Costs; Issues Call To Action

DCNR Good Natured Blog: Making Progress Toward A Goal Of Planting More Trees Along Streams

Conservation District Leader From PA Presses Case For Strong Federal Conservation Funding In DC

PA Receives $53.8 Million In 2019 Federal Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Funds, Reclamation Fee Due To Expire

All Major PA Hunting, Angler, Wildlife Groups Oppose Using Environmental Fund Project Money To Pay Agency Operating Expenses

Environmental Rights Amendment Challenge To Unconstitutional Use Of Oil & Gas Funds Now Includes Recent Proposed Fund Transfers

PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The Golden Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose

WPCAMR Abandoned Mine Post: Growing Greener May Lose From Governor's Proposed Budget

Eastern PA Coalition For Abandoned Mine Reclamation Opposes Transfer Of Environmental Stewardship, Keystone Funds To Pay Agency Operating Costs

Bill Authorizing Fish & Boat Commission To Set Own Fees To Be Considered By House Committee On March 25