Legislation

As the budget season ends in Harrisburg, we would like to share some great news with you – Growing Greener III (now referred to as an Outdoor Recreation Program in the budget) and the Clean Streams Fund have been included in the budget. A large portion of the federal American Rescue Plan dollars were allocated to environmental/conservation/outdoor recreation investments. Here is the final breakdown:

• $100 million to an Outdoor Recreation Program to be managed by the DCNR for State Parks and Forest infrastructure, conservation, and recreation projects
• $220 million to a newly created Clean Streams Fund
  • 70% to State Conservation Commission for the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program
  • 10% to PennVEST
  • 10% to the Nutrient Management Fund
  • 4% to DEP for Stormwater Management Grants
  • 4% to DCNR for the Keystone Tree Restricted Account
  • 2% for AMD abatement
• $320 million to Commonwealth Financing Authority for water, sewer, flood, and high hazard dam projects

We would like to thank you for your continued efforts that have aided in us crossing the finish line for FY 22/23.

In the next few weeks, we will be analyzing the impact of these investments. Additionally, we will begin discussing what our next steps will be as we push forward.

If you have any questions regarding the budget please contact Brad Barkdoll, WeConservePA’s Advocacy Manager, at [email protected].

1. Identify that you are their constituent and state your community’s general or specific needs for state investments [if examples would be helpful, see sample needs and opportunities and sample messages].
2. Note that the state’s American Rescue Plan funds and budget surplus provide a great opportunity to address these needs. If the state can’t make long-term investments in our future now, then when will it ever be able to do so? Note that the investments made today can provide an ongoing stream of health, economic, and other public benefits for years and generations to come.
3. Ask them to support legislative initiatives (often referred to as “Growing Greener III”) and a 2022-23 state budget to make these investments happen. Further ask them to talk to their fellow legislators and legislative leaders about the need and opportunity to do something now.

Legislative Context

Background

April 25, 2022

Dear Member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly,

The Pennsylvania Public Horticulture Coalition (PPHC) is a coalition of diverse public gardens and related-horticulture entities throughout Pennsylvania. Our organization was formed in 2021 after we collectively determined that our industry needed a unified voice in Harrisburg following the adverse effects of COVID-19.

PPHC strives to be the leading voice for Pennsylvania’s dynamic public horticulture industry, so all citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recognize and celebrate the vital contributions of our members.

We write today as a collective offering its full support for efforts to create a Growing Greener III initiative. With a focus on preserving Pennsylvania’s natural resources while stimulating economic growth in our communities, Growing Greener III represents the type of public policy consideration needed in the Keystone State.

Pennsylvania offers an eclectic mix of big cities and sprawling natural space that makes it one of the most desired destinations in the country. We welcome millions of visitors to our communities each year, and our natural resources help tourism remain a driving force in our economy. PPHC members embrace our role in the state’s tourism industry and are proud of our concurrent position as active players in agriculture.

Combining these paramount interests, PPHC recognizes the substantial benefit that could be derived from driving new funds into programs supported by Growing Greener III. Efforts to maintain and bolster the natural beauty of Pennsylvania align with the goals of our organization, and we encourage lawmakers to consider these benefits as they debate this measure.

Growing Greener III legislation has garnered bipartisan support in both the state House and Senate, and it was a prominent point in the governor’s budget proposal. With substantial federal funds available to support the initiative and its potential $500 million investment, we hope lawmakers consider including this program with the state’s final budget plan this spring.

While our coalition is rather new, our member-organizations are deeply rooted in our communities. We take great pride in ensuring our communities embrace the benefits afforded by our state’s horticulture industry, and we believe Growing Greener III presents opportunities to strengthen these benefits for years to come.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Pennsylvania Public Horticulture Coalition

Keith Kaiser
Co-Chair, PPHC
Executive Director
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden

Mandy Santiago
Co-Chair, PPHC
Executive Director Tyler Arboretum

Pennsylvania Public Horticulture Coalition Members:

American Public Gardens Association
Awbury Arboretum
Bartram’s Garden
Chanticleer Garden
Hershey Gardens
Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens
Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries
Longwood Gardens
Morris Arboretum
Natural Lands
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Philadelphia Zoo
Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden
Stoneleigh: a natural garden
Tyler Arboretum

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Two-thirds (66 percent) of Pennsylvanians agree that state lawmakers should place a high priority on funding for state parks and forests, according to a recent state poll of likely voters. The agreement was broad-based and bipartisan, including majorities of voters regardless of their party affiliation, age, gender, geography, or ethnicity.

“Pennsylvanians – no matter who they are, where they live, or what political views they hold – support investing in our state parks and forests and protecting our precious natural resources,” said Brad Mallory, Board Chair of the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF), which commissioned the scientific statewide poll.

In addition, the poll shows that 67 percent of Pennsylvania likely voters support using as much as $125 million of the state’s share of the federal American Rescue Plan’s funding on the maintenance and repair of state parks and forests. Support for using American Rescue Plan funding also was broad-based and bipartisan, including support from 62 percent of Democrats, 66 percent of Independents, and 73 percent of Republicans.

Through every phase of the pandemic, state parks and forests provided space for improving the physical, mental, and emotional health of Pennsylvanians. In 2020, close to 47 million visitors were recorded at state parks alone, an increase of 26 percent over the previous year. And heavy use is continuing.

“Throughout the pandemic, it was universally recognized that outside was the place to be for our own health and wellness. State parks and forests provide a way to experience the great outdoors close to home thus the use of these public spaces exploded” said Marci Mowery, President of PPFF. “Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation believes an important role that our parks and forests play is in protecting and improving human health.”

Parks and forests also have proven their economic value in Pennsylvania. According to an Outdoor Recreation Industry study, Pennsylvania ranks fifth in the nation in terms of consumer spending on outdoor recreation, generating $29.1 billion in consumer spending annually, supporting 251,00 jobs, and generating $1.9 billion in state and local tax revenue.

The likely voters were told that PPFF estimates that state parks and forests face a $1.4 billion backlog of infrastructure renovations and deferred maintenance, including much-needed repairs to roads, bridges, trails, dams, water and sewer systems, cabins, restrooms, and other visitor facilities. Voters overwhelmingly support using the American Rescue Plans funds, even if it means that funding cannot be spent on other programs.

When told that state forests serve as a natural filter to remove harmful pollutants from Pennsylvania streams, rivers, and lakes, 79 percent of likely voters agreed that the state should invest in state forests to protect clean water and reduce flooding.

“Now is the time to invest in our state parks and forests,” said Mallory. “We call on the members of the General Assembly to utilize a portion of the federal American Rescue Plan funds provided to Pennsylvania to help fill this backlog so that these lands may be safe and enjoyable for all.”

To share your support, visit the Take Action Center of the PPFF website at https://ppff.online/voice and send a message to your state senator and representative.

The statewide poll, conducted Feb. 21-28, 2022, by Susquehanna Polling and Research, interviewed 701 Pennsylvania likely voters and has a margin of error of +/- 3.7 percent.

About the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation supports 121 state parks and 2.2 million acres of forest by coordinating volunteers, activities, and donations through its 48 chapters. The mission of the foundation is to inspire stewardship of Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests. To learn more about PPFF, visit https://paparksandforests.org/.

April 11, 2022

Re. Growing Greener III
Never a Better Time for a Boost to Conservation Investments

Dear Pennsylvania Senators, Representatives, and Governor Wolf:

On behalf of the 70 member organizations of WeConservePA, I write to express our appreciation for the leadership of the senators and representatives who are working to increase state investments in Growing Greener-type projects. We ask all members of the General Assembly and the Governor’s office to work to ensure that this spring’s legislative efforts include a much needed boost to state conservation investments. These are capital investments, not operational expenditures that have to be repeated (and supported out of the general fund) after the federal money is gone.

Senator Gordner’s SB 525 invests $500 million of ARPA funds into a “Growing Greener III.” The bill enjoys sponsorship by a bipartisan majority of 28 senators and has received second consideration by the Senate. Representative Culver’s counterpart, HB 2020, is presently collecting sponsors (24 Republicans and 13 Democrats so far).

Complementing these bills is the creation of a Clean Streams Fund and Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program as provided in Senator Yaw’s SB 832 (which has also received second consideration) and Representative Hershey’s House version, HB 1901.

Additionally, earlier this year Governor Wolf called for a $450 million boost in state conservation investments.

These proposals will judiciously invest in capital projects that can be implemented now and deliver huge returns for decades to come. From nature-based solutions that prevent flooding and stream degradation to rehabilitation of state and local parks and trails that underpin a large part of the commonwealth’s tourism and outdoor recreation economies, ARPA dollars can make a tremendous difference in the lives of Pennsylvanians.

Our various natural infrastructure needs are immense, but the economic payoff in addressing them is huge. ARPA dollars applied to natural infrastructure would support myriad small businesses and good-paying jobs. It is well established that state environmental investments provide tremendous rates of return—whether the measure is job creation and economic activity, avoided costs (such as public health and flooding), net tax revenues, or the wellbeing of people and communities. (See the numerous studies documenting the benefits in the Economic Benefits section of https://conservationtools.org.)

Past Growing Greener investments have accomplished tremendous good, supporting projects to restore polluted waterways, protect water supplies, and conserve productive farmland and open space important to communities. The investments have also improved community parks, trails, State Parks and Forests, and more.

A Growing Greener III is crucial to restoring the thousands of miles of Pennsylvania streams still unsafe for drinking, fishing, or swimming; using natural infrastructure to reduce flooding; addressing the tremendous infrastructure needs in our parks and other public lands; and delivering other environmental benefits. It is also needed to leverage hundreds of millions in federal dollars available to address abandoned mine drainage and other environmental concerns.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Andrew M. Loza
Executive Director
WeConservePA

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The state still has $1.8 billion or so in federal American Rescue Plan funds to spend. Considering this and that state revenues are exceeding expenses by billions of dollars, this spring presents the most optimal conditions in a generation for legislators to boost conservation and outdoor recreation investments.

Contact your state senator and representative or their staff (every individual call and email has impact):

Identify that you are their constituent and describe your community’s needs for a boost in state investments [if examples would be helpful, see sample needs and opportunities and sample messages].
Note that the state’s American Rescue Plan funds provide a golden opportunity to address these pressing needs. If the state can’t make long-term investments in our future now (with American Rescue Plan money available and huge state revenue surpluses coming in), then when will it ever be able to do so? Note also that the state’s one-time investments can provide an ongoing stream of health, economic, and other public benefits for years if not generation to come.

Ask them to support legislative initiatives (often referred to as “Growing Greener III”) and a 2022-23 state budget to make these investments happen. Further ask them to talk to their fellow legislators and legislative leaders about the needs and opportunity to do something now.

Also, ask your family, friends, and associates to act. The more of us who take action, the greater the likelihood of success.

Legislative Context

Governor Wolf on 2/2/2022 called for injecting $450 million into a Growing Greener III using a portion of the state’s American Rescue Plan dollars. The Governor’s call is particularly exciting because it dovetails with Republican initiatives in both the PA Senate and House. Senator Gordner’s SB 525 injects $500 million of American Rescue Plan funds into a Growing Greener III. The bill, which enjoys sponsorship by a bipartisan majority of senators (13 Republicans and 14 Democrats), has received second consideration by the chamber. Representatives Schlegel Culver and Quinn introduced a House version as HB 2020.

Complementing these bills is the creation of a Clean Streams Fund and Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program as provided in Senator Yaw’s SB 832 (which has also received second consideration) and Representative Hershey’s House version, HB 1901.

Background

Use of American Rescue Plan funds for a Growing Greener III constitutes an investment in capital projects that can be implemented now and will deliver huge returns on the investment for decades to come. From nature-based solutions that prevent flooding and stream degradation (including installation of riparian forest buffers, passive AMD treatment, and wetland restoration) to rehabilitation of parks and trails and protection of wildlife habitat that underpin a large part of the Commonwealth’s tourism and outdoor recreation economies, American Rescue Plan dollars can make a tremendous difference in the lives of Pennsylvanians.

Our various natural infrastructure needs are immense but the economic payoff in addressing them is huge. American Rescue Plan dollars applied to natural infrastructure would support myriad small businesses and good-paying jobs. Investing in Pennsylvania’s environment also makes strong fiscal sense. It is well established that state environmental investments provide tremendous rates of return—whether the measure is job creation and economic activity, avoided costs (such as public health and flooding), net tax revenues, or the wellbeing of people and communities.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Lina Berón Echavarría ([email protected] or 717.803.8149) or Bradley Barkdoll ([email protected] or 717.910.1580) with any questions or concerns.

The partner organizations of the Growing Greener Coalition on behalf of our hundreds of thousands of supporters and hundreds of allied organizations across the Commonwealth commend Governor Wolf for his call to inject $450 million into a Growing Greener III using funding provided to the state by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This dovetails with Republican initiatives in both the PA Senate and House.

Senator Gordner’s SB 525 invests $500 million of ARPA funds into a Growing Greener III. The bill, which enjoys sponsorship by a bipartisan majority of senators (13 Republicans and 14 Democrats), has received second consideration by the chamber. Representatives Schlegel Culver and Quinn introduced a House version as HB 2020. We commend Senator Gordner and the representatives for their leadership in moving these bills.

Complementing these bills is the creation of a Clean Streams Fund and Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program as provided in Senator Yaw’s SB 832 (which has also received second consideration) and Representative Hershey’s House version, HB 1901. We thank the senator and representatives for their leadership on these initiatives to improve water quality.

These proposals will judiciously invest in capital projects that can be implemented now and deliver huge returns on the investment for decades to come. From nature-based solutions that prevent flooding and stream degradation (including installation of riparian forest buffers, passive AMD treatment, and wetland restoration) to rehabilitation of state and local parks and trails and protection of wildlife habitat that underpin a large part of the Commonwealth’s tourism and outdoor recreation economies, ARPA dollars can make a tremendous difference in the lives of Pennsylvanians.

Our various natural infrastructure needs are immense but the economic payoff in addressing them is huge. ARPA dollars applied to natural infrastructure would support myriad small businesses and good-paying jobs. Projects involve surveyors, appraisers, legal services, engineers, planners, drafters, environmental remediators, hydrologists, geologists, agricultural consultants, horticulturalists, architects, landscape architects, landscapers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, heavy equipment operators, painters, roofing contractors, fencing installers, paving contractors, material delivery, sign makers, archaeologists, and arborists. Supplies and equipment are needed from nurseries, lumber yards, quarries, building material suppliers, hardware stores, equipment manufacturers, and equipment rental businesses.

Investing in Pennsylvania’s environment makes strong fiscal sense. It is well established that state environmental investments provide tremendous rates of return—whether the measure is job creation and economic activity, avoided costs (such as public health and flooding), net tax revenues, or the wellbeing of people and communities. (See the numerous studies documenting the benefits in the Economic Benefits section of https://conservationtools.org.)

For more information, please reach out to the people of the Growing Greener Coalition’s partner organizations, including but not limited to:

Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Shannon Gority, PA Executive Director
[email protected]

Conservation Voters of PA
Molly Parzen, Interim Executive Director
[email protected]

Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds
John Dawes, Executive Director
[email protected]

Lancaster Farmland Trust
Jeffrey Swinehart, President & CEO
[email protected]

Natural Lands
Oliver P. Bass, President
[email protected]

PennFuture
Jacquelyn Bonomo, President & CEO
[email protected]

Pennsylvania Environmental Council
John Walliser, Senior Vice President
[email protected]

Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation
Marci Mowery, President
[email protected]

Pennsylvania Recreation & Park Society
Tim Herd, CEO
[email protected]

Sierra Club PA Chapter
Jen Quinn, Legislative and Political Director
[email protected]

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Tom Sexton, Northeast Regional Director
[email protected]

The Conservation Fund
Kyle D. Shenk, Northeast Region Director
[email protected]

The Nature Conservancy, PA/DE Chapter
Ronald L. Ramsey, Senior Policy Advisor
[email protected]

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
Alexandra Kozak, Pennsylvania Field Organizer
[email protected]

 The Trust for Public Land
Owen Franklin, PA State Director
[email protected]

WeConservePA
Andrew M. Loza, Executive Director
[email protected]

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Cynthia Carrow, Vice President
[email protected]

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Many of TRCP’s members hunt, fish, camp, and enjoy Pennsylvania’s abundant natural resources every year, and we want future generations to have these opportunities, as well. But there are changes occurring in the waters we wade and forests and fields we scout. Agricultural runoff and abandoned mines pollute nearly 30 percent—more than 25,000 miles—of our rivers and streams and degrade hundreds of thousands of acres of land, robbing sportsmen and sportswomen of access to quality places to hunt and fish.

To support habitat and access while boosting our economy, Governor Wolf and the General Assembly should provide adequate funding for a Growing Greener III program—which has a long track record of proven success in conserving the state’s fish and wildlife habitat—and a Clean Streams Fund using resources already granted to the state as part of national economic recovery efforts.

That is why TRCP was so pleased to see Wolf’s announcement last week about a plan to prioritize federal American Rescue Plan Act funding for conservation, recreation, and preservation. This announcement, along with accompanying legislation in each chamber of the General Assembly, would provide the funding needed to create jobs while conserving natural resources that increase our quality of life.

Specifically, S.B. 832 and H.B. 1901 would create a funding source known as the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program to help farmers implement conservation practices that keep valuable topsoil in place and reduce potentially harmful material from reaching local waterways. Polluted runoff is not just an issue for anglers seeking clean water and abundant fisheries. Restoring the health of agricultural land to reduce runoff will boost farm businesses and provide meadow and woodlot habitats for just about all the game species we pursue—from ducks to whitetail deer.

We’ve already seen increased hunting opportunities and more abundant wildlife after completion of just a portion of the state’s plan to send fewer nutrients downstream to the Chesapeake Bay by 2025, also known as Pennsylvania’s Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan. It includes several new initiatives and accelerated strategies that will benefit anglers, hunters, and anyone who enjoys the outdoors or cares about clean water. The governor’s plan, combined with the legislation discussed above, would hasten these efforts to restore Pennsylvania’s impaired waters across the Commonwealth.

S.B. 832 and H.B. 1901 would go a long way toward helping us conserve Pennsylvania’s water resources and expand access to outdoor recreation, while shoring up the health of vital industries like tourism and agriculture. If you value our state’s coldwater fisheries, big game and bird habitat, and widespread public access to outdoor recreation that supports local jobs, do NOT wait. Act now and urge decision-makers to support S.B. 832 and H.B. 1901 today.

“PennFuture enthusiastically applauds the efforts of Gov. Tom Wolf and other elected officials who want to use $450 million in American Rescue Plan money to fund clean water projects through the Growing Greener 3 program,” said PennFuture President and CEO Jacquelyn Bonomo. “The Growing Greener program has a solid history of providing critical support to community-driven work that improves and protects clean water resources, open spaces, and recreational pursuits for Pennsylvanians and tourists alike.

Investing in clean water initiatives isn’t just the smart thing to do, it’s the right thing to do for the health of Pennsylvania residents and communities, now and in the future. PennFuture has been calling on state leaders for the last year to use these ARP funds in exactly this manner, and we are thrilled that countless communities across the Commonwealth will benefit from the decision made today to invest in clean water.”