Senate Bill 832 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) that would allocate $250 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act to establish a Clean Streams Fund for Pennsylvania seems like a good bill.  It will be considered by the Senate Environmental Committee on September 28.  Read more here.

But you have to look deeper.

This bill includes a sneaky attempt to adopt a one-size-fits-all, bureaucratic state-run nutrient credit procurement program that has been promoted in one version or another by one company-- Bion Environmental Technologies-- and its allies which has been rejected by local stakeholders since 2013 [Read more here].

This approach is incompatible with the local, county-based grassroots-driven approach now used to implement the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Plan to reduce water pollution and is drafted to guarantee taxpayers fund the most expensive nutrient reduction technologies promoted by Bion compared to a dozen other options.  Read more here.

It’s a pretend solution to solving Pennsylvania nutrient pollution problem.

Bait & Switch

And to top it off, there was nothing about this program in the memo sent by the prime sponsor to his colleagues asking them to co-sponsor this legislation-- classic bait and switch move.

Sen. Yaw-- stick with Senate Bill 465-- everyone likes that one and has called for its adoption.  Read more here.

The other bill to support is Senate Bill 525 (Gordner-R-Columbia, Comitta--D-Chester)-- bipartisan legislation allocating $500 million from the federal American Rescue Plan to fund Growing Greener watershed, farm conservation, mine reclamation and recreation projects.

It is also scheduled to be considered by the Senate Environmental Committee September 28.  Read more here.

Related Articles:

-- Senate Committee Meets Sept. 28 On Bills Allocating A Portion Of American Rescue Fund Monies For Local Environmental Improvement Projects

-- DCNR Secretary: American Rescue Fund Dollars One Option To Address $1 Billion State Parks, Forests Maintenance Project Backlog, Paying Back Oil & Gas Fund

-- Growing Greener Coalition: American Rescue Plan For Water & Green Infrastructure

-- Growing Greener Coalition: Let’s Invest In Natural Infrastructure So We Don’t Have To Worry About Floods

-- Senate/House Return Sept. 20 - Will They Fund Local Flood Prevention, Watershed Restoration, Recreation Projects With Part Of The $5 Billion That’s Laying Around?

-- Presidents Of PA Farm Bureau, Farm Groups: In Chesapeake Bay Watershed Call For USDA To Create $737 Million Resilient Farms Initiative

[Posted: September 25, 2021]

9/27/2021