Kettle Creek

The House this week unanimously adopted House Resolution 246 (Adolph-R-Delaware, George-D-Clearfield) designating May as Watershed Awareness Month.

Senators Ray Musto (D-Luzerne) and Mary Jo White (R-Venango) are expected to introduce a similar resolution shortly in the Senate.

Also passed this week in the House was House Resolution 251 (Rubley-R-Chester) designating May 6 – 12 as “Drinking Water Week” in Pennsylvania.

This year’s special theme, "Reclaiming Abandoned Mines to Reclaim Pennsylvania’s Waterways" celebrates the success of the effort to reauthorize the federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund fee and the steps taken by the AML Campaign, federal and state governments and watershed groups throughout the state to address Pennsylvania’s number one threat to clean water.

Here is the text of the resolution….

A RESOLUTION

Designating the month of May 2007 as "Watershed Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, The land, rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands and groundwater resources of this Commonwealth are interconnected to form a rich mosaic of watersheds; and

WHEREAS, These treasured water resources provide citizens with clean drinking water and recreational and business opportunities; and

WHEREAS, This Commonwealth contains over 83,000 miles of rivers and streams; and

WHEREAS, There are eight distinct river basins in Pennsylvania, including Lake Erie, Ohio River, Genesee River(Lake Ontario), Susquehanna, Delaware, Potomac, Elk and Northeast/Gunpowder; and

WHEREAS, There are 104 watersheds, the basic building blocks of the natural environment, in this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Over 13,400 miles of streams and rivers in Pennsylvania are so impaired that they do not meet current water quality standards; and

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth invests enormous resources to restore and protect water, including the remediation of polluted water from 180,000 acres of abandoned coal mines and the more than 2 billion tons of coal refuse which contaminates more than 6,200 miles of streams and associated groundwater; and

WHEREAS, Abandoned mines, coal refuse and their associated polluted water discharges are the number one reason contaminated streams do not meet water quality standards; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Congress last year reauthorized the federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund fee to help provide Pennsylvania with an estimated $1.4 billion in federal funding over the next 15 years to reclaim abandoned mines and treat abandoned mine drainage; and

WHEREAS, the AML Campaign in Pennsylvania, made up of watershed and environmental groups, the coal industry, conservation districts, state and local governments and many others, lobbied tirelessly for action on the federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund fee; and

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth is committed to a watershed approach to resource management where concerned community members come together as watershed guardians to address and resolve problems; and

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth empowers and assists local watershed organizations working in partnership as watershed guardians to resolve or remediate current water quality and water quantity problems within watershed boundaries; and

WHEREAS, This watershed approach to environmental protection leads to cleaner rivers and streams, safer drinking water and greater protection of aquatic wildlife habitats; and

WHEREAS, There are more than 400 active watershed groups in this Commonwealth and new watershed groups are forming continuously; and

WHEREAS, Watershed groups have reclaimed over 5,000 acres of abandoned mines, planted over 1,500 miles of stream buffers and created or restored over 3,000 acres of wetlands since 1999; and

WHEREAS, Over 11,000 citizens are actively engaged in monitoring water quality throughout the state, in particular over 2,500 volunteers in 52 counties covered by local chapters of the Pennsylvania Senior Environment Corps; and

WHEREAS, Local watershed groups are a cost-effective investment in environmental cleanup for the Commonwealth: for every $1 invested by the State, watershed groups have matched it with $1.25 of their own funds, more than doubling the Commonwealth's investment; and

WHEREAS, Educational forums connecting adults and children to their watersheds, including the land, water and people, ultimately provide long-term protection for these important and valuable water resources; and

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth recognizes and celebrates the efforts of hardworking volunteers within watershed groups who improve their communities today and for future generations; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the month of May 2007 as "Watershed Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the theme "Reclaiming Abandoned Mines to Reclaim Pennsylvania’s Waterways" celebrates the success of the effort to reauthorize the federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund fee and the steps taken by the AML Campaign, federal and state governments and watershed groups throughout the state to address Pennsylvania’s number one threat to clean water.

Session Schedule

The Senate will return to voting session April 30. The House will be back in voting session on May 7.

PA Environment Digest Video Blog

· A Visit to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Presque Isle, Erie

On the Hill

· On the Senate/House Agenda/ Bills Introduced

· Other Senate/House Bills Moving

· House Environmental Committee Moves Mine Safety, Reactor Fees Bills

· Governor Gives Senate More Time on McGinty, DiBerardinis Nominations

· Hanna Creates Animal Deterrent and Damage Fund

· Senate Committee to Consider Storage Tank, Nuclear Power Plant Fee Bills

Other News

· DEP Releases Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy Implementation Documents

· PA Landscape and Nursery Assn. Highlights Arbor Day, Supports REAP

· Nearly 50 Attend Town Meeting on Helping Farmers Install Conservation BMPs

· Pleasant Hills Middle School Students Plant Peters Creek Stream Buffer

· Passive Treatment Systems in Slippery Rock Watershed Yield Black Glaze

· DEP Invites Comments on Draft Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Plan

· Workshop on Invasive Aquatic Species Set for May 24-25 in Philadelphia

· New, Improved Water Quality Modeling Tool Released By EPA

· PA Cleanways Announces Litter Hawk Youth Award Program Winners

· Poetic Justice for One Illegal Dumper in Westmoreland County

· Bring Your Hard to Recycling Items to PRC Collection Event May 12

· So What Did You Do on Earth Day? Look at What Springside School Did

· Lehigh University Among EPA P3 Award Winners

· DCNR Warns of Spring Wildfire Danger

· Shipley Energy Brings BioHeat to Customers, Launches Shipley Green Team

· Pittsburgh's David L. Lawrence Convention Center Proves Green Practices Impact

· Wanner Farm Digester to Generate Electric, Reduce Greenhouse Gases

· Energy Efficiency Workshop for Local Officials Set for May 24

· Peregrine Falcons and Osprey Return to Three Mile Island

· Southwestern PA Smart Growth Conference Set for May 18

· Gaito Named to DEP’s Office of Community Revitalization and Local Government

· Help Wanted: 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania

Features

· Shaver's Creek Uses New Academic Partnerships to Extend its Offerings

· Are You Ready? Neotropical Birds are Coming North, Black Bears Have Emerged from Hibernation, By Joe Kosack, Game Commission

Go To: PA Environment Digest Calendar Page

4/27/2007