The Senate and House Local Government Committees this week held a joint “State of Our Governments” hearing for representatives of local government groups to outline their legislative priorities for the year, including environmental issues.

The House Committee is chaired by Rep. Freeman (D-Northampton) and Rep. Saylor (R-York) and the Senate Committee chairs are Sen. Regola (R-Westmoreland) and Sen. Ferlo (D-Allegheny).

Douglas Hill, Executive Director of the County Commissioners Association, said countles have a role in land use planning, farmland and open space preservation, water quality and other environmental issues, as well as other matters before the General Assembly such as the State Planning Board Report, alternatives to fossil-based transportation fuels, farmland and open space preservation funding, funding for water quality initiatives such as the Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy, and stormwater planning funding.

Specifically, Hill said counties need legislative authorization to collect a solid waste administration fee which was recently struck down as a result of a court decision

Amy Sturges, Director of Governmental Affairs for the PA League of Cities and Municipalities and the PA Association of Township Commissions said PLCM consistently supports efforts to revitalize urban municipalities.

She said legislation is needed that addresses urban blight, economic investment with public and private funds, smart growth that encourages reuse of existing buildings and infrastructure rather than building new, and investment in education are very important to PLCM members, noting, “Such efforts make our communities more attractive and rebuild our tax base.”

Elam Herr, Assistant Executive Director of the PA State Association of Township Supervisors, said the Agricultural, Communities and the Rural Environment (ACRE) law designed to protect farmers from illegal local ordinances should be reviewed to make sure it is being used as intended to address violations of the Right to Farm and Nutrient Management Acts.

Herr also said PSATS supports voluntary participation in multi-municipal comprehensive plans and the use of positive incentives to encourage and promote joint planning and zoning, but said there should be municipal control of planning, zoning, subdivision and other land use decisions.

PSATS requested the General Assembly look at providing municipalities with additional authority to control development through the use of concurrency – timing development through the availability of public facilities—and a simplified impact fee enactment process.

Ed Troxell, Director of Government Affairs for the PA State Association of Boroughs, highlighted the need for doing more to deal with stormwater and its effects on municipalities and to amend the Urban Redevelopment Law to include boroughs.

Douglas Bowen and Thomas Gray, representing the PA Municipal Authorities Association, said there needs to be an improvement in the day-to-day interaction with DEP staff which they said, “too often… (we)…are viewed in an adversarial role.” “It appears to me that the level of trust, cooperation and communication between DEP and our member authorities has eroded over the years.”

PMAA asked that the General Assembly require DEP to conduct a comprehensive cost/benefit analysis that identifies the environmental benefits and economic impacts associated with new laws, regulations or policies before they are put into effect.

They also pointed with concern to the coming lifting of electricity rate caps as an issue that must deal with. They noted electricity costs are typically the third largest expenditure by water and sewer utilities after payroll and debt service.

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3/23/2007