The FY 2019-20 state budget does next to nothing to help your community reduce flooding, damage from stormwater or to cleanup our rivers and streams.

Yet, politicians in Harrisburg are very proud of this year’s budget, like they’ve said year after recent year-- "We're proud of our on time budget." “We’re proud of our on time budget.” “We’re proud of our on time budget.”

Is an on time budget something to be proud of when it doesn't address ANY of the issues that hurt real people, cause damage to property and keep streams polluted?

Here’s What Happened Last Week In The Real World...

NewsClips:

Pregnant Woman, 8-Year Old Killed After Being Washed Away By Floodwaters In Berks

AP: Child, Pregnant Mom Found Dead In Car Amid Flood In Berks County

Flooded Roads Kept Emergency Workers From Reaching Woman, Child In Car Swept Away

Police ID Pregnant Woman, 9-Year-Old Killed After Being Swept Away By Floodwaters

Widespread Flooding As Heavy Rains Sweep Through Philly Region

Drenching Storms Blamed For 3 Deaths In Southeast PA

9 People Rescued In Penn Borough After Torrential Rain

Flash Flooding Engulfs Cars, Overwhelms Businesses In Montgomery County

More Than a Dozen Boats Damaged, Lost During Storms At Bartram’s Garden

AP: Torrential Rain Brings Floods, Landslides Around Pittsburgh

Storms, Flash Flooding Pummel Pittsburgh, Close Numerous Road

Westmoreland Sees Flooding, Damage During Torrential Rain

Western PA Residents Grow Weary Of Rain, Flood Cleanups

Flash Flooding Causes Headaches Around Wilkes-Barre

Severe Storm Blows Down Trees, Damages Homes, Closes Roads In Central PA

Floods Hit Northwest Of Williamsport 

As Weather Gets Wetter, What Can Towns Do To Cut Down On Stormwater Flooding

NOAA: There Has Never Been A Wetter 12-Month Period On Record For PA

Rainfall Pushes Region Toward Another Record-Setting Year Of Precipitation

Related Articles From Last Week:

Politicians In Harrisburg Are Proud Of Their New State Budget! -- Meanwhile In The Real World…

Op-Ed: Conservation Efforts Lose Out In State Budget - Len Lichvar

Op-Ed: Step Up Support To Clean Rivers, Streams - Harry Campbell, CBF-PA

Op-Ed: State Budget Shows Little Understanding, Concern For The Environment - Rep. Vitali

PennFuture Blog: PA State Budget Turns Blind Eye To Environment

Bay Journal: States’ Latest Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plans Found Lacking By EPA; Pennsylvania Misses Goal, Funding Needs By Substantial Margins

Volunteers Needed July 15 To Repair Meeks Run Trail Damaged By Flooding In Allegheny County

NOAA Just Reported Pennsylvania Had The Wettest 48-Month Period On Record - Since 1895

DEP Reports Mosquitos In Philadelphia Test Positive For West Nile Virus

Your Politicians, Not Row Crops

While there are no instant fixes for stormwater and flooding, we do know cost-effective, proven ways to reduce flooding, damage to property and cleanup our rivers and streams using nature’s green infrastructure.

Politicians in Harrisburg haven’t seriously addressed these issues for the last decade, and they have been warned for years.

They prefer, obviously, to be proud of state budgets that take money away from environmental restoration programs to disappear into the state’s General Fund.

Politicians in Harrisburg aren't grown there like row crops.  They come from YOUR communities. 

You're a voter, you have a voice.  Politicians should work for YOU.

Let them know what you think they should do to really deal with these issues-- fund local green infrastructure projects to reduce flooding, manage and cleanup stormwater and our rivers and streams-- not cut $16 million in local project money like they did this year.

Now that would be something to be proud of in the real world!… but apparently not in the world of Harrisburg politicians.

Click Here to find your local state politician.

(Photo: From flooding Sunday in Western PA - Triblive.com.)

Related Articles:

Major Environmental Priorities Not Addressed In FY 2019-20 State Budget, Shell Game Continues

Gov. Wolf Signs Bills Providing $6 Million In Farm Conservation Aid Missing Target By $171 Million Or So This Year

Growing Greener Coalition: Cuts Made To Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Funding Could Have Planted 32,000 Acres of Stream Buffers

CBF: PA Elected Leaders Failed To Show The Will, Leadership To Restore Pennsylvania's Rivers And Streams

CBF: State Needs To Step Up Support For Those Working Hard To Cleanup PA's Rivers And Streams - Harry Campbell

Bay Journal: States’ Latest Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plans Found Lacking By EPA; Pennsylvania Misses Goal, Funding Needs By Substantial Margins

NewsClips:

Senators Muth, Argall Have Very Different Views On $34 Billion Spending Plan

Caruso: Fiscal Code Bill Hides $61 Million In Earmarks [WAMS] For Legislative Projects - Not A Single One To Benefit The Environment

Swift: Joint Legislative Conservation Committee To Disband As Part Of New Budget

Editorial: Overdue PA Farm Bill Offers Hope To The Industry

New Luzerne Stormwater Fee Won’t End All Street Flooding Officials Say

Greencastle Sets Stormwater Credit, Appeal Program

South Williamsport Considers Stormwater Fee, Administration Is A Nightmare

Beaver County, Municipalities See More Money From Drilling Impact Fee

More Wells, Fewer Dollars: Drilling Impact Fee Distribution In Lycoming County

DCNR Dedicates Colonel Denning State Park Improvements Discusses Restore PA

[Posted: July 13, 2019]

7/15/2019