DCNR Discusses Infrastructure Needs At Shikellamy State Park, Across State Parks And Forests
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On October 8, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn joined state Senator John Gordner for a tour of Shikellamy State Park in Union and Northumberland counties to assess infrastructure needs for parks, forests and trails across Pennsylvania.

“This park and our network of state parks and forests are wonderful public resources that are increasingly facing operating challenges because of infrastructure needs,” Dunn said. “Visitor comfort and safety are paramount, and our trails, dams, campgrounds, bridges, and educational centers require a financial investment.”

Shikellamy State Park has several critical infrastructure concerns totaling $56 million, including a deteriorating marina building, parking lot disrepair, riverbank erosion, impacts from flooding, and other green infrastructure needs.

State Senator John Gordner joined Secretary Dunn for the tour.

Shikellamy State Parks lies on the Susquehanna River and features a marina and boat launch, hiking and biking trails, and an overlook of the river.

DCNR has a documented need of more than $1.4 billion for infrastructure repairs and improvements.

Issues such as addressing wear and tear, extreme weather and climate change impacts, and a high demand for outdoor recreation require investments, which also allow incorporation of sustainable design and energy efficiency.

“More and more people have flocked to the outdoors during the pandemic and we’re seeing many of them return,” Dunn said. “Investing in the outdoors provides healthy, safe recreational opportunities and boosts a key part of Pennsylvania’s economy. It is crucial we do not miss this opportunity to address our infrastructure needs so that the outdoors continue to be a destination for millions of Pennsylvanians and out-of-state visitors.”

Statewide, outdoor recreation is a $29 billion industry that directly supports 251,000 jobs. For every dollar invested in state parks, $12.41 returns to the Commonwealth.

Pennsylvania made its last major injection of funding for conservation an outdoor recreation in 2005 with the Growing Greener II initiative, which funded hundreds of trail projects, conserved thousands of acres of threatened and open space and helped with hundreds of water projects to reduce pollution and flooding.

For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s website, Click Here to sign up for the Resource newsletter, Visit the Good Natured DCNR Blog,  Click Here for upcoming events, Click Here to hook up with DCNR on other social media-- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

(Photo: Secretary Dunn, Sen. Gordner)

NewsClip:

-- ReadingE: People Continue To Find Refuge From COVID In The Outdoors

Related Articles This Week:

-- House Hearing On Recreation, Hunting & Fishing During Pandemic Highlights Importance Of Investments In Green Infrastructure, Clean Water

-- Vote Now! For PennDOT Multimodal Project Improving Accessibility At Ohiopyle State Park In Fayette County

Related Articles:

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

-- Senate Committee Reports Out Bipartisan Bill Allocating $500 Million In American Rescue Fund Monies For Local Environmental Improvement, Recreation Projects

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

-- WPCAMR: Federal Mine Reclamation Fee Expired Sept. 30 - Congress Considers The Future Of Mine Reclamation Program [PA’s #1 Water Pollution Problem]

-- 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?

-- After More Than A Decade Of Warnings Significant Funding Was Needed, Floods Are Again Devastating Pennsylvania

-- Gov. Wolf Calls On U.S. Dept. Of Agriculture To Implement $737 Million Chesapeake Bay Resilient Farms Initiative

[Posted: October 8, 2021]


10/11/2021

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