House Speaker Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) had the opportunity to do a virtual visit to the Susquehanna River Basin Commission on August 21 to talk about river basin issues.

SRBC  staff  highlighted  a  few  Commission  activities: its  partnership  with  the  Lancaster  County  Planning Commission  toward  better  understanding  of  water  supply  needs  and  sustainability,  and  the  Commission’s  efforts with  the  Chester  Water  Authority  to  work  collaboratively  on  ways  to  mitigate  water  use  that  is  currently  being diverted from the Octoraro reservoir and Susquehanna River to the Delaware River Basin. 

Speaker Cutler hails from the 100th Legislative District in Lancaster County, which stretches between the Susquehanna River and the Octoraro Creek, a region rich with issues related to water quality and quantity in the river basin.

With family roots at his present home dating to the 1800s, Cutler hunts and fishes and has been a long‐time supporter of organizations involved in creek restoration.

Speaker Cutler instills in his children many conservation principles. “We are borrowing our world from our  children,” said Cutler, “and we need to be better stewards.” 

When  asked  by  Executive  Director  Andrew  Dehoff  what  Speaker Cutler  would  like  to  see  happen  regarding  an  update  to  the  State Water  Plan  or  Chesapeake  Bay  restoration,  the  Speaker  responded  that  his  concerns  include sediment  behind  the  Conowingo  Dam  and  the  continued  issue  of  legacy  sediments  in  our  local  streams  (the  accumulation of sediment along stream corridors after centuries of intensive land use of upland areas). 

Speaker Cutler, in turn, shared upcoming legislative challenges and his insights into budgetary shortfalls as a result of  COVID‐19 economic impacts.

In  June  2020,  Rep.  Cutler  was  elected  by  his  colleagues  to  serve  as  the  139st  Speaker  of  the  House, having previously serving as the Majority Leader. At age 45, he is among the youngest to be elected House Speaker.

For more information on programs, training opportunities and upcoming events, visit the Susquehanna River Basin Commission website.  Click Here to sign up for SRBC’s newsletter.   Follow SRBC on Twitter, visit them on YouTube.

Related Articles:

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Business Meeting Set For Sept. 18

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Investigates Mocanaqua Tunnel Mine Pools for Consumptive Water Use Mitigation

[Posted: August 25, 2020]

8/31/2020