The Pennsylvania Alliance for Restoration and Conservation, a coalition of environmental groups in the Commonwealth, wrote to each member of the Senate and House asking them to oppose using monies from the Growing Greener fund to pay off the Growing Greener II bond issue debt service.

The group supported Gov. Rendell’s proposal to impose a new $2.25 fee on municipal waste to pay for a portion of the Growing Greener II bond and to fund the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund.

PARC said, “Pennsylvania voters approved the statewide Growing Greener II ballot initiative in May 2005 by nearly a 2:1 margin. This broad support crossed geographic boundaries and partisan ideologies, and serves as just one example of the public’s support for promoting conservation funding efforts.

“These voters cast their ballots to increase funding for the important environmental and conservation programs, and they do not want funding for these programs to be diverted to debt payment or for other purposes.

“We are writing to ask your support to ensure that Growing Greener dollars from the Environmental Stewardship Fund go to conservation and restoration projects and not to other purposes, such as paying off a bond. We also ask you to provide funding for the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund (HSCA) and for payment of debt service on the Growing Greener bond.”

The PARC letter also noted, “In his budget address, the Governor proposed raising the tipping fee by $2.25 to provide stable funding for HSCA and for a revenue stream to pay for a portion of the debt on the Growing Greener bond. We support the Governor’s proposal, and we would also be interested in other revenue-raising ideas that keep HSCA whole and help ensure that Environmental Stewardship Funds are available for watershed restoration and conservation projects, community planning efforts and other projects that protect and restore our natural resources.

“We respect the fact that the legislature has tough fiscal decisions to make during the FY’08 budget and we look forward to working with you to tackle issues like funding the Hazardous Site Cleanup Fund and other important initiatives.

“Thank you in advance for helping us ensure the integrity of the Growing Greener program during the upcoming budget debates. Please don’t hesitate to contact any of the organizations or staff who have signed on to this letter with questions or concerns, and thank you for your continued support for a clean and healthy environment and protecting Pennsylvania’s rich natural heritage.”

In 2005, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, on behalf of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Restoration and Conservation released a poll conducted by the firm of Madonna-Young Opinion Research indicating more than 70 percent of those polled support funds to protect forests, farmland and open space, clean up abandoned mines and polluted streams, and reinvest in parks and communities.

The poll also indicated that people are willing to pay for the bond. Solid majorities in all areas of Pennsylvania would put up $20 per household to finance the bond.

5/11/2007