NO SPECIAL FUND TRANSFERS
Electronic Version Sent: July 22, 2017
Updated: August 31, 2017
Dear Members of the General Assembly,
As discussions continue on the 2017-2018 Fiscal Year budget, we, the undersigned business and community leaders, elected officials, and organizations, strongly urge you to protect special funds for conservation, recreation, and preservation programs critical to the protection of our land, water, and heritage.
We recognize current budget challenges, but we also recognize that the Commonwealth cannot achieve prosperity by cutting crucial investments in Pennsylvania’s future – investments that bring lasting improvements to our communities and contribute so much to our economic and environmental health.
We request your leadership in opposing proposals that reduce or eliminate dedicated funding to programs that protect our land and water, strengthen our communities, and protect our families.
We want to emphasize and reiterate the importance of keeping intact the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund, the Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Fund and the Farmland Preservation program.
Now more than ever, Pennsylvania needs to increase and optimize its investment in local efforts to protect our open space, preserve our family farms, support parks and recreation, and preserve our historic and cultural sites.
The investments made by these successful and time-tested programs in conservation, recreation, and preservation are proven to bolster the economy. For example, a Trust for Public Land study on the Keystone Fund found that for every $1 invested in land and water conservation, the Commonwealth saw a $7 return on investment in goods and services.
Public polls show strong, consistent, and bipartisan public support for programs that improve our quality of life, boost the economy, and protect the environment throughout Pennsylvania. A survey released by Penn State found that more than 90.7 percent of Pennsylvanians surveyed support increasing state funds dedicated to protecting rivers and streams; conserving open space, forests, natural areas and wildlife habitats; providing parks and trails; and preserving farmland.
The survey also found that more than three-quarters of respondents, 82.6 percent, would support increasing state funds to address these threats to our environments, even if it would cost the average household $10 more annually.
The people of Pennsylvania feel that these conservation, recreation, and preservation programs offer substantial value and must not be diminished.
We recognize the challenges ahead and look forward to working with you to ensure that funding for programs that protect our open space, preserve our family farms, support our parks and trails, and safeguard our historic treasures remain intact.
Thank you.
Andrew Heath, Executive Director
Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition
SIGNATORIES
Dave Swope, Chairman of the Board
Adams County Trout Unlimited 323
Christina Handley, President
Allegheny Aquatic Alliance
Jane Sheffield, President
Allegheny Ridge Corporation
HeritagePA
Christopher J. Beichner, President & CEO
Tom Dougherty, VP of External Affairs
Allegheny Land Trust
Rebecca Zeyzus, Executive Director
Allegheny Watershed Alliance
Will Callaway, Mid-Atlantic Policy Manager
Appalachian Mountain Club
Karen Lutz, Regional Director
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Jim Vogt, President
Aquashicola/Pohopoco Watershed Conservancy
Will Brandau, President
Association of Warm Season Grass Producers
Greg Goldman, Executive Director
Audubon of Pennsylvania
Jim Bonner, Executive Director
Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania
Peggy Morrison Outon, Executive Director
Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management
Ken Hemphill, Director
Beaver Valley Preservation Alliance
Hazel A. Bilka
Bellwood Antis Community Trust, Inc.
Kimberly Murphy, President
Berk Nature
Sarah Clark Stuart, Executive Director
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
Thomas Smithwick, President
Big Spring Watershed Association
Janis B. Long
Blacklick Creek Watershed Association
Bruce Erb, Commissioner
Terrence Tomassetti, Commissioner
Blair County Board of Commissioners
Christopher Clouser, President
BluAcres, LLC
Robert Struble, Jr., Watershed Conservation Director
Brandywine Red Clay Alliance
Marcus S. Berg, Board Member
Buffalo Creek Watershed
Kathy Altmann, President
Bushkill Stream Conservancy
Kevin Boozel, Commissioner
Butler County Board of Commissioners
Lori Reed, Chair
Phillip Jones, Commissioner
Cameron County Board of Commissioners
Wayne E. Nothstein, Chairman
Tom J. Gerhard, Vice Chairman
William J. O’Gurek, Commissioner
Carbon County Board of Commissioners
Bernard Survil, Executive Director
Care of Creation
Ed Wytovich, President
Catawissa Creek Restoration Association
Anna N. Yelk, Executive Director
Central Pennsylvania Conservancy
Michael Pipe, Chair
Mark Higgins, Commissioner
Centre County Board of Commissioners
Harry Campbell, Director
Chesapeake Bay Foundation, PA Chapter
Kathi Cozzone, Commissioner
Chester County Board of Commissioners
Dale Kotowski, President
Chestnut Ridge Chapter of Trout Unlimited
Larry J. Schweiger, President & CEO
Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture)
Lindsay Taylor, Director of Park & Recreation
City of Allentown
Joseph Minott, Executive Director
Clean Air Council
Steve Hvozdovich, PA Campaign Director
Clean Water Action
Robert Smeltz, Chairman
Jeffrey Snyder, Vice Chairman
Paul Conklin, Commissioner
Clinton County Board of Commissioners
Josh McNeil, Executive Director
Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania
Bill Kern, Executive Director
Countryside Conservancy
Sarah Clark Stuart, Chair
Circuit Trails Coalition
Aimee Erickson, Executive Director
Citizens Coal Council
Vincent DiFilippo, Commissioner
Jim Hertzler, Commissioner
Cumberland County Board of Commissioners
Elissa M. Garofalo, Executive Director
Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Inc.
Diane Rosencrance, Executive Director
Delaware Highlands Conservancy
John Oliver, Former Secretary
Department of Conservation & Natural Resources
Russ Collins, President
Doc Fritchey Chapter of Trout Unlimited
Michael A. Dziak, President/CEO
Earth Conservancy
Robert Hughes, Executive Director
Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR)
Cynthia Kishinchand, Coordinator
East Falls Tree Tenders
Jason Lang, Director of Parks & Recreation
East Goshen Township, Chester County
Marty Detering, President
Elk Creek Watershed Association
Annette Schultz, Executive Director
Endless Mountains Heritage Region, Inc.
Vince Vicites, Chairman
Fayette County Commissioner
Andrew Pitz, Executive Director
French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust
Susan Taylor, Executive Director
Friends of the Delaware Canal
Alexis Franklin, Coordinator
Friends of McMichael Park
John Dawes, Executive Director
Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds
Lee V. Fishel, Manager
Goldsboro Borough, York County
Victoria Laubach, Executive Director
Green Valleys Watershed Association
Laurie J. Goodrich, Director of Long-Term Monitoring
Hawk Mountain
Janie French, Executive Director
Headwaters Charitable Trust
Jeff Marshall, President
Heritage Conservancy
Tom Hodges, Board President
Sean Brady, Executive Director
Hollow Oak Land Trust
Dee Dee Brown, Mayor
Huntingdon Borough, Huntingdon County
Jeff Thomas, Commissioner
Huntingdon County Board of Commissioners
Victoria E. Michaels, Executive Director
Independence Conservancy
Rodney Ruddock, Commissioner
Indiana County Board of Commissioners
Janis B. Long
Indiana County Farmland Preservation Board
Joseph Neville, Executive Director
Keystone Trails Association
Craig Lukatch, President
Lacawac Sanctuary
Joseph J. Corcoran, Executive Director
Lackawanna Heritage Valley National & State Heritage Area
David Skellie, President
Lake Erie Region Conservancy
Eugene Garber, Chair
Lancaster County Agricultural Board
Craig Lehman, Commissioner
Lancaster County Board of Commissioners
Philip R. Wenger, President & CEO
Lancaster County Conservancy
Karen Martynick, Executive Director
Lancaster Farmland Trust
Jo Ellen Litz, Commissioner
Lebanon County Board of Commissioners
Dr. Percy Dougherty, Commissioner
Dan Hartzell, Commissioner
Lehigh County Board of Commissioners
Olga Herbert, Executive Director
Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor
Susan L. Huba, Executive Director
Loyalhanna Watershed
Rick Mirabito, Commissioner
Lycoming County Board of Commissioners
Carol Parenzan, Riverkeeper
Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, Inc.
Kevin P. Kodish, Chairman
Stephen Dunkle, Commissioner
Robert Postal, Commissioner
Mifflin County Board of Commissioners
Val Arkoosh, Chair
Montgomery County Board of Commissioners
Donna Holdorf, Co-Lead
Monongahela River Towns Program
Kenneth A. Holdren, Chairman
Dan W. Hartman, Vice Chairman
Trevor S. Finn, Commissioner
Montour County Board of Commissioners
Beverly Braverman, Executive Director
Mountain Watershed Association
Amanda John, Program Manager, PA & DE
National Parks Conservation Association
Donna Holdorf, Executive Director
National Road Heritage Corridor
Molly Morrison, President
Natural Lands
Mark Szybist, Senior Program Advocate
Natural Resources Defense Council
Melinda Hughes, President
Nature Abounds
Brenda Smith, Executive Director
Nine Mile Run Watershed Association
Bill Moul, President
North Area Environmental Council
Jim MacKenzie
Octoraro Native Plant Nursery
John R. Phillips, II, President & CEO
Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism
Jack D. Miller, Chair
Otzinachson Regional Group, Sierra Club
Terri Dennison, Executive Director
PA Route 6 Alliance
PA Route 6 Tourist Association
Tina Manoogian-King, Recreation Director
Palmyra Area Recreation & Parks Commission
David Masur, Executive Director
PennEnvironment
Rev. Sandra Strauss, Director of Advocacy & Ecumenical Outreach
Pennsylvania Council of Churches
Charlie Charlesworth, President
Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited
Davitt Woodwell, President
Pennsylvania Environmental Council
Richard A. Martin, Coordinator
Pennsylvania Forest Coalition
Richard Lewis, Vice President
Pennsylvania Forestry Association
Larry Williamson, Chairman
Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition
Jeffrey Barg, Director of Planning
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Andy Loza, Executive Director
Pennsylvania Land Trust Association
Gregg E. Robertson, Government Relations
Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association
Michele Richards, President
Pennsylvania Master Naturalist
Marci Mowery, President
Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Kirk S. Rakos, President, Board of Directors
Tim Herd, CEO
Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society
Tim Schumann, President
Peters Creek Watershed Association
Walter Tsou, MD., Executive Director
Philadelphia Physicians for Social Responsibility
Meg Cheever, President & CEO
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Mindy Crawford, Executive Director
Preservation Pennsylvania
Tom Sexton, Director Northeast Office
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Robert Cross, President
Responsible Drilling Alliance
Lee Walker, President
Rural Area Concerned Citizens
William Reichert, President
Schuylkill Headwaters Associations, Inc.
Joseph R. Syrnick, President & CEO
Schuylkill River Development Corporation
Elaine Schaefer, Executive Director
Schuylkill River Heritage Area
Joanne Kilgour, Chapter Director
Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter
Kristy Owens, Parks & Recreation Manager
Silver Spring Township, Cumberland County
Malcolm L. Derk, Vice Chairman
Snyder County Board of Commissioners
James Moses, President
Somerset County Conservancy
Katie Hess, Director
South Mountain Partnership
Gail Kulp, Executive Director
Susquehanna Greenway Partnership
Mark Platts, President
Susquehanna Heritage
Court Gould, Executive Director
Sustainable Pittsburgh
Tim Kearney, Mayor
Swarthmore Borough, Delaware County
Gwendolyn Lacy, Executive Director
The Land Conservancy of Southern Chester County
Kyle Shenk, Pennsylvania State Director
The Conservation Fund
Ron Ramsey, Sr. Policy Advisor
The Nature Conservancy, PA Chapter
Stacy McCormack, Mid-Atlantic Director
The Trust for Public Land
Jim Engel, Executive Director
Tinicum Conservancy
Ann M. Toole, CPRP
Toole Recreation Planning
Danielle Crumrine, Executive Director
Tree Pittsburgh
David Kinney, Mid-Atlantic Policy Director
Trout Unlimited
Lance Bowes, District Manager
Venango Conservation District
Jeff Eggleston, Commissioner
Warren County Board of Commissioners
Gary R. Peacock
Watershed Alliance of York, Inc.
Nate Pritchard, Vice President
Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley
Thomas D. Saunders, President & CEO
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Betty Reefer, Director
Westmoreland County Agricultural Land Preservation
Mary Tate, Executive Director
Westmoreland Land Trust
Christopher Kocher, President
Wildlands Conservancy
Bonnie Van Allen, Executive Director
Willistown Conservation Trust
Susan Byrnes, President
Doug Hoke, Vice President
Christopher Reilly, Commissioner
York County Board of Commissioners
Ted Kovall, President
Yough River Trail Council
