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Protecting Pennsylvania's
Environment
Dear Friends,
Despite being faced
with a $1.176 billion budget deficit, the Legislature voted to maintain funding
for the state's key environmental programs. The Growing Greener II Bond Fund;
Clean Air Fund; and the Environmental Stewardship Fund were all maintained
through one of the most difficult budget cycles in recent history. Growing
Greener funding is especially critical to addressing the state's environmental
needs such as cleaning up abandoned mines and restoring water sheds, upgrading
water and sewer systems, and preserving open space.
The Legislature also
maintained adequate funding for the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
because more than ever a strong department is needed to ensure our state’s
environmental statutes are enforced. In recent years, natural gas drilling has
become a booming industry in much of Pennsylvania. While this drilling of the
Marcellus Shale for natural gas will help our nation meet its energy needs, we
must ensure that the environment and groundwater is protected. The deep
drilling uses millions of gallons of water to break open the gas deposits in the
Marcellus Shale. Much of this water will flow back out of the wells, and must
be properly treated to remove harmful chemical additives used in the drilling
process. In order to ensure that proper regulations are in place, and that
state officials are well equipped to oversee the drilling, I have cosponsored
Senate Bill 1420 placing a 5 year moratorium on the drilling of new
Marcellus Shale gas wells on state lands. Already, 1/3 of state forest land has
been leased for gas exploration. The legislation also provides for a study of
the environmental impact of the drilling process.
As we are reminded daily of the oil disaster in the
Gulf of Mexico, we should be all the more committed to ensuring that natural gas
drilling and all other natural resource extraction in Pennsylvania is done
safely.
Our state abounds with state parks and forests—many
remain unbroken wilderness areas. State residents may be surprised to learn of
herds of elk that roam certain areas of the northern tier, or of the state's
large black bear population. Pennsylvania's 2.1 million acre state forest
system is one of the largest expanses of public land in the eastern United
States. Despite its size, this only represents 12% of the total forested area
of the state. This doesn't include the many state parks, game lands, and the
512,998 acre Allegheny National Forest. The opportunities for enjoying the
Pennsylvania outdoors are only as limited as one’s willingness to explore the
state's mountains, rivers, and woodland trails. To this end, I authored the
Rails-to-Trails Act of 1990 which authorized the conversion of abandoned
railroad rights of way into public recreational trails.
Environmental protection is critical for our quality
of life including recreation, human health, and our economy. Even during this
difficult economy, we must remain committed to supporting the critical programs
that have helped revitalize and preserve one of our state's greatest assets.
In this update, I'll share with you what the
Legislature has done in recent years to protect the environment and provide
links to outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania. For more information visit my
website,
www.senatorgreenleaf.com.
Recent Environmental Initiatives:
In recent years, the Pennsylvania Senate has worked to pass a number of
initiatives to ensure clean air and water, clean up abandoned coal mines,
upgrade polluting public sewage systems, and protect open space.
These include:
Growing Greener
In 1999, the Senate approved the largest
environmental investment in Pennsylvania's history: the $645 million
Growing Greener environmental initiative.
Abandoned Mines
Act 68 of 1999 cleaned up
abandoned mines and restored watersheds, protected open space, eliminated the
maintenance backlog in state parks, and provided new and upgraded water and
sewer systems. In 2002, Act 90
extended Growing Greener into a 13-year, $1.24 billion program.
Funding Growing Greener Bond
In 2005, the Senate passed
legislation to implement a $625 million Growing Greener environmental
bond approved by voters. Under Act 45, debt service on the bond is paid
by using a portion of the existing fee charged for waste disposal at
landfills.
Water Supplies and Recycling
Act 220 of 2002 launched the first comprehensive review of
Pennsylvania's water supplies in more than 25 years.
In 2006, Act 140 extended funding of the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and
Waste Reduction program until 2012. The recycling fee was scheduled to
sunset in 2009.
Alternative Energy Investment Act
During
the 2007-2008 session, the Senate approved the $650 million Alternative Energy
Investment Act to boost renewable energy development and reduce energy
consumption without imposing new taxes.
Alternative Energy Research
Special Session Act 1 of 2008 supports research and development of
alternative energy technologies, helps municipalities and businesses
implement clean-energy projects, and provides assistance to consumers to
cover up to 25 percent of the cost to install energy-saving equipment. It
also boosts funding of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by
$100 million and provides rebates for the purchase of hybrid vehicles.
Alternative Fuels Incentive Fund
Special
Session Act 2 of 2008 will improve and expand the state Alternative Fuels
Incentive Fund, which is aimed at reducing air pollution and providing the
Commonwealth with the independence to manufacture its own fuel sources.
Solar Energy
Act 35 of 2007 - This law
will steadily increase the amount of solar energy used in Pennsylvania through
2020. (Summary of Act 35/HB 1203). This bill increases the expected level of
solar energy required to be sold to retail customers and ensures that the
alternative energy that counts for compliance is derived locally.
Hazardous Sites Cleanup Funding
Act 77 of 2007 would fund the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act through
2010-11 without raising taxes. The measure provided $17 million for HSCA through the 2007-08 fiscal
year. It earmarked $40
million out of the state Capital Stock and Franchise Tax for the
following three fiscal years.
Limiting Truck Pollution, Noise
The Senate approved legislation to reduce the noise and noxious exhaust
fumes of idling tractor trailers. Act 124 of 2008 bars commercial diesel vehicles from idling for more
than five minutes during any 60-minute period. Violators could face fines ranging from $50 to $150. The measure
includes a list of exceptions to allow truckers to do their jobs.
Eliminating Phosphate in Detergents
Act 15 of 2008 would amend the Phosphate Detergent Act to require
household dishwashing cleaning agents to contain no phosphorous.
Phosphorus is destructive to fish and plant life when it makes
its way into rivers and other bodies of water.
Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Program
Act 20 of 2007 - This law provides a five-year sunset extension for the
Underground Storage Tank Environmental Cleanup Program and Underground
Storage Tank Pollution Prevention Program. These initiatives were due to
expire in July 2007.
PA Climate Change Act
The Pennsylvania Climate Change Act of 2008 would create a stakeholders group to advise the
state on climate change issues and identify green economic opportunities
in Pennsylvania. A committee will issue a report on
the
potential impact of climate change on health, the economy, wildlife,
agriculture and tourism.
Comprehensive Mine Safety Law
The Senate approved the first rewrite of Pennsylvania's mining laws in nearly half a
century. Act 55 of 2008 would create a new Board of Coal Mine Safety to keep
Pennsylvania's mine safety standards regularly updated. The legislation also provides for greater legal responsibility for
operators to ensure mine safety, and enables the state to establish a
central database of mine maps. It also addresses responses to accidents,
requiring mine operators to notify DEP within 15 minutes of an accident,
and updates ventilation and roof support requirements.
Reforming State Conservation Districts
Act 75 of 2008 proposes to streamline and increase operating funds for
the conservation districts, better coordinate efforts between districts,
provide uniform staff capabilities, and establish fair review fees.
Links to Outdoor Recreation in Pennsylvania:
Trails
Pennsylvania offers 6,763 miles of trials for hiking, biking, and
backpacking. To find a trail
visit
www.explorepatrails.com
Outdoor Adventures
At
www.dcnr.state.pa.us/getoutdoorspa you can learn about a variety of
outdoor activities and where to find them.
Or, www.visitpa.com can help
you plan a variety of outdoor activities.
Appalachian Trail
www.appalachiantrail.org
Pennsylvania has 229 miles of the 2,175 miles A.T., which runs from
Maine to Georgia and is a unit of the National Park Service.
PA Game Commission
www.pgc.state.pa.us
Information on watchable wildlife, bird breeding, and state hunting
regulations.
PA Fish and Boat Commission
www.fish.state.pa.us
Fishing and boating regulations and information on state waterways.
State Forests
www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry
Find state forests and recreational opportunities.
State Parks
www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks
Pennsylvania's state
parks competed with the best systems in the country and was awarded the
top honor as the 2009 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park
and Recreation Management.
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