On February 14, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Deputy Secretary John Norbeck visited Gifford Pinchot State Park in York County to call attention to the park’s infrastructure needs and how the use of recovery funds could address vital infrastructure needs across the state.

“Our wonderful network of state parks and forests are facing operating challenges because of critical infrastructure needs,” Norbeck said. “Pinchot is one of our premier parks, but it requires millions of dollars in improvements to ensure it continues to be a place that visitors can turn to as a healthy, safe respite. We must invest in our buildings, water systems, trails, dams, campgrounds, bridges, educational centers to maintain visitor comfort and safety on public lands.”

Gifford Pinchot State Park is a 2,338-acre full-service park consisting of reverting farm fields and wooded hillsides with the 340-acre Pinchot Lake serving as a prime attraction.

The park faces a number of infrastructure challenges including replacing its water distribution system, water treatment plant, sewage collection, new wells, dam repairs, ADA compliance upgrades and other green infrastructure needs.

Norbeck noted Gov. Tom Wolf’s $1.7 billion plan to help Pennsylvania recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, which includes a designating $450 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars for conservation, recreation and preservation.

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.

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.

Statewide, outdoor recreation is a multibillion dollar industry that directly supports 150,000 jobs. For every dollar invested in state parks, $12.41 returns to the Commonwealth.

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.

[Citizen Action

[Visit the PA Parks & Forests Foundation Protect Our Parks & Forests website to learn more about how you can help restore our State Parks and Forests.]

NewsClips:

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: From Pit Latrines To Poorly Rated Bridges, PA State Parks, Forests Showing Their Age, Officials Say

-- PennLive - Marcus Schneck: Pandemic Brought Unexpected Changes In Outdoor Recreation, Penn State Study Says

Related Articles:

-- Two Bipartisan Bills Just Sitting In Senate Waiting To Address Record Number Of Water Quality Impaired Streams, Recreation Needs

-- Gov. Wolf’s Environmental Budget Builds On Bipartisan Support For $450 Million Conservation Allocation From Federal ARP Funds; Increases DEP Staff To Manage Historic Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Funding

-- DCNR Blog: Gov. Wolf’s Proposed Budget Supports Conservation And Recreation

-- Gov. Wolf Proposes $450 Million Growing Greener III Initiative Funded By Federal American Rescue Plan; Bipartisan Support Building For Conservation Allocation

-- DCNR Secretary Outlines 2022 Priorities To Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council, Including Need For $1.4 Billion In Infrastructure Improvements

-- General Assembly Diverted $3.602 Billion From Environmental Infrastructure Projects And Programs Into State Budget Black Hole

[Posted: February 15, 2022]

2/21/2022