Governor Wolf’s proposed 2019 state budget slashes $75.7 million this coming year from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund and the Environmental Stewardship Fund (Growing Greener) in order to pay for government operations. Click here to take action to stop this disaster in the making.
State Budget
Open Letter to Gov. Wolf and Members of the General Assembly
The Growing Greener Coalition sent the following letter to Governor Wolf and members of the General Assembly on February 12, 2019. Click here for a PDF version.
The Growing Greener Coalition opposes Governor Wolf’s budget proposal to strip tens of millions of dollars away from tangible project investments in order to fund general government operations.
It’s been suggested that money can be taken from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund (Keystone) and the Environmental Stewardship Fund (ESF) because no harm will be done to project investments, and the proposed budget action would only tap unneeded money that’s just sitting around. This ill- considered notion misses fundamental issues:
- Keystone and ESF were established to fund projects that make lasting improvements in communities; redirecting their funds to support government operations would seriously damage the reliability of these workhorses for achieving community and environmental improvements across the Commonwealth.
- Keystone and ESF are starving for funds. Even without this budget proposal, they can’t meet the demands for project investments or the needs driving the demands (as described in the sections below)—not even close.
- The Keystone and ESF monies in state accounts are committed to projects; capital projects by their nature can take a few years to complete. If the state were to redirect any of these committed monies into operations, the state would in fact be un-committing to the projects. Under future budgets, the state could recommit funds to those projects, but, in the meantime, communities would be placed in the difficult position of making major expenditures with hopes but no guarantees that the state will come through with money in the end. (Note that if Harrisburg decides communities must take on this risk, the monies to be freed of commitment should at least be redirected to funding the large backlog of unfunded and underfunded Keystone and ESF projects.)
Helping Communities Help Themselves; Leveraging Private and Local Resources
The Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund and Environmental Stewardship Fund owe their success and longevity to their direct support of community-driven projects. The dedicated funds empower local people and the private sector to address problems at their source, not from afar in Harrisburg. Every dollar in state grants typically leverages at least $1 in other investments and usually the multiplier is much larger. The Keystone Fund alone has leveraged more than $1 billion in public/private partnerships to complete nearly 5,000 projects.
Unmet Demand
Keystone and ESF come nowhere near to meeting present demand. Roughly half of all project investment proposals must be turned away. In the case of DCNR Keystone investments, 46% of projects are rejected for lack of sufficient state funds. And these rejections only represent a portion of unmet demand because grant applicants greatly self-limit their submissions knowing that competition for scarce dollars is fierce. Further, even for those projects funded, DCNR is only able to fund 85% on average of each request (and those requests already are generally limited to 50% of total project costs).
The Need
Pennsylvania’s environmental funding needs are huge. Pressing water issues— from water quality investments needed for the Susquehanna and Chesapeake and Pennsylvania’s other water basins to municipal stormwater management and flood reduction measures—hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars are needed in the coming years. The proposed budget diversion would worsen the needs as it would effectively take money away from communities as they work to address stormwater, flooding, water treatment, and other environmental issues.
The Keystone Fund delivers $7 in flood control and prevention, water treatment, and other natural services for every dollar invested. (See Pennsylvania’s Return on Investment in the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund and other studies here.) Now is the time to strengthen Pennsylvania’s dedicated environmental funds, so that they can deliver more, not less, in project investments.
Looking beyond water issues, our parks, trails, and other outdoor recreational spaces all have pressing needs. A new report identifies a billion dollars in deferred maintenance in our state parks and forests.
Workhorses for Lasting Improvements
The Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund and Environmental Stewardship Fund are the state’s workhorses for investing in projects that bring lasting benefits to communities across the Commonwealth. Among their many accomplishments, they’ve effectively and efficiently improved water quality, conserved lands important to local communities, and created outdoor recreation opportunities for visitors and tourists alike. Their exemplary track records and the needs they address are described at length at KeystoneFund.org and GrowingGreener.info.
Operations Should Be Funded Through General Fund
The Growing Greener Coalition respects that DCNR and DEP need money to operate and that environmental staffing has plummeted in the new millennium. However, the answer to agency needs lays with the General Fund—the appropriate source for general government operations—not in special funds dedicated to investing in projects and to leveraging the incredible energy and resources existing in our communities.
Conclusion
A portion of the realty transfer tax was dedicated to the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund in 1993 and landfill tipping fees were enacted to fund the Environmental Stewardship Fund in 1999 (and expanded in 2002) in order to reinvest in our communities, redress the environmental damage of the past, and respect our generations yet to come. Both funds were established with extraordinary bipartisan support in the General Assembly as well as in public referenda. The public’s enthusiasm continues to be overwhelming: surveys have found that 75% of Republican voters, 82% of Democrats, and 87% of independents support taxing themselves more to expand conservation funding.
The Governor’s budget proposal threatens to upend decades of bipartisan consensus on the need to maintain the dedication of the Keystone Fund and ESF so that they may consistently invest in projects that deliver today and will continue delivering for future generations.
The Growing Greener Coalition asks the Governor to rethink the Administration’s strategy and for the General Assembly to reject this proposal. Coalition partners are ready and willing to meet with the Governor and legislators to resolve the gaping disconnect between the budget proposal and the reality of gross shortages in available project funding.
For more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the people and organizations of the Coalition including:
Conservation Voters of PA
Joshua McNeil, Executive Director
[email protected]
Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds R. John Dawes, Executive Director
[email protected]
Lancaster Farmland Trust
Jeffrey Swinehart, Chief Operating Officer [email protected]
Natural Lands
Oliver P. Bass, President
[email protected]
PennFuture (Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future) Jacquelyn Bonomo, President & CEO
[email protected]
Pennsylvania Environmental Council John Walliser, Senior Vice President
[email protected]
Pennsylvania Land Trust Association Andrew M. Loza, Executive Director
[email protected]
Pennsylvania Park and Forest Foundation Marci Mowery, President
[email protected]
Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society Tim Herd, CEO
[email protected]
Sierra Club PA Chapter
Joanne Kilgour, Chapter Director
[email protected]
The Nature Conservancy, PA Chapter Ronald L. Ramsey, Senior Policy Advisor
[email protected]
Trout Unlimited
David Kinney, Eastern Policy Director
[email protected]
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Cynthia Carrow, Vice President
[email protected]
Demand and Need: Keystone and Environmental Stewardship Funds
Governor Wolf’s budget proposal would strip tens of millions of dollars away from tangible project investments in order to fund general government operations. Tax receipts were wisely dedicated to the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund in 1993 and the Environmental Stewardship Fund in 1999 (and again in 2002) in continuation of Pennsylvania’s tradition of investing in its communities, redressing the environmental damage of the past, and respecting our generations yet to come.
Keystone and ESF come nowhere near to meeting present demand. Roughly half of all project investment proposals must be turned away. In the case of DCNR Keystone investments, 46% of projects are rejected for lack of sufficient state funds. And these rejections only represent a portion of unmet demand because grant applicants greatly self-limit their submissions knowing that competition for scarce dollars is fierce. Further, even for those projects funded, DCNR is only able to fund 85% on average of each request (and those requests already are generally limited to 50% of total project costs).
Pennsylvania’s environmental funding needs are huge. Pressing water issues—from water quality investments needed for the Susquehanna and Chesapeake and Pennsylvania’s other water basins to municipal stormwater management and flood reduction measures—hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars are needed in the coming years. The Keystone Fund delivers $7 in flood control and prevention, water treatment, and other natural services for every dollar invested. (See Pennsylvania’s Return on Investment in the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund and other studies in the Economic Benefits section of https://conservationtools.org.) Now is the time to see how Pennsylvania’s dedicated environmental funds can deliver more, not less, in project investments.
The Governor’s budget proposal threatens to upend more than two decades of bipartisan consensus on the need to maintain the dedication of the Keystone Fund and ESF so that they may consistently invest in projects that deliver today and will continue delivering for future generations. The Growing Greener Coalition asks the Governor to rethink the Administration’s strategy and for the General Assembly to reject this proposal.
Governor’s Budget Proposes Stripping Tens of Millions from Community Projects
The Growing Greener Coalition opposes Governor Wolf’s budget proposal to strip tens of millions of dollars away from tangible project investments in order to fund general government operations. Tax receipts were wisely dedicated to the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund in 1993 and the Environmental Stewardship Fund in 1999 (and again in 2002) in continuation of Pennsylvania’s tradition of investing in its communities, redressing the environmental damage of the past, and respecting our generations yet to come.
The Governor’s budget proposal threatens to upend more than two decades of bipartisan consensus on the need to maintain the dedication of the Keystone Fund and ESF so that they may consistently invest in projects that deliver today and will continue delivering for future generations. The Growing Greener Coalition asks the Governor to rethink the Administration’s strategy and for the General Assembly to reject this proposal.
Coalition Statement: No Special Fund Transfers
For Immediate Release: September 5, 2017
Coalition Statement on ‘Taxpayer Caucus’ Budget Proposal
(HARRISBURG, PA) The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in the Commonwealth, today issued the following statement from Executive Director Andrew Heath in response to the ‘Taxpayer Caucus’ budget proposal.
“Today, a handful of Republican House members presented a revenue proposal that relies heavily on special fund transfers, including transfers from Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Fund, the Keystone Recreation, Park & Conservation Fund and the Agriculture Conservation Easement Fund. Each of these funds provide critical investments in local communities in order to address a growing list of conservation, recreation and preservation challenges facing the state.
By raiding these accounts, this group of legislators discount the critical work being accomplished and the jobs these projects produce. These are not just numbers on a page – these are real Pennsylvanians who will be affected. These funds go towards protecting our water, building our community parks and trails, maintaining our state parks and forests, protecting our family farms, promoting our state’s heritage and tourism, and much more.
It is unclear, at this time, just how many Pennsylvania businesses and communities will be affected if this proposal is accepted.
It is also unclear whether the proposal would target previously dedicated funds for state and local parks, farm and open space conservation, environmental protection and other community projects. Many of the account balances referenced by the House members include funds obligated to projects, but not yet dispersed.
This proposal misses the mark of addressing the real budget issues facing the state.”
In addition to the statement released today, the Coalition distributed a sign-on letter to House members last week urging them to reject environmental special fund transfers. The letter garnered the support of more than 125 organization and community leaders, along with 34 County Commissioners. A copy of the letter can be found on the Coalition website at: https://pagrowinggreener.org/2803-2/
Sign-On Letter: No Special Fund Transfers
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
Proposed State Budget Falls Short
For Immediate Release: February 7, 2017
GROWING GREENER COALITION: WOLF BUDGET FALLS SHORT IN PROTECTING WATER AND OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES
(HARRISBURG, PA) The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in Pennsylvania, today issued the following statement from Executive Director Andrew Heath in response to Governor Wolf’s proposed budget:
“Governor Wolf’s proposed budget falls short when it comes to protecting Pennsylvania’s water, land, forests, parks, trails and other natural resources, and the economic benefits and jobs they provide.
“Any transfers from or reductions to the current Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Fund are unacceptable and do not advance Pennsylvania’s commitment to clean streams, public recreation and locally grown food.
“We need to invest more in the state’s environment, not less.
“Pennsylvania’s Growing Greener program needs at least $315 million annually to keep our water clean, preserve our open space and family farms, and ensure children and families continue to have access to parks, trails and other outdoor recreational opportunities, which are vital to our communities and quality of life here in Pennsylvania.
“Our elected leaders can no longer delay when it comes to investing in the Growing Greener program. The Coalition strongly urges the Governor and the Legislature to work together to identify a sustainable revenue source to Keep Pa Growing Greener now and for generations to come.”
More Funding Needed for Environment, Not Less
For Immediate Release: February 2, 2017
GROWING GREENER COALITION TO GOVERNOR, LEGISLATURE: MORE FUNDING NEEDED FOR ENVIRONMENT, NOT LESS
(HARRISBURG, PA) The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in Pennsylvania, today called on Gov. Tom Wolf and the Legislature to provide more funding to protect Pennsylvania’s water, land and other natural resources, not less.
“As Governor Wolf prepares to present his budget next week, we want to remind him and the Legislature that Pennsylvania needs more funding to protect our water, land and other natural resources, not less,” said Andrew Heath, executive director of the Coalition. “While we recognize the current fiscal challenges facing the state, this budget must not and cannot be balanced at the expense of the environment.”
“Cuts to state programs like Growing Greener, Keystone and Farmland Preservation are unacceptable,” Heath continued. “Further, any new revenue proposals must include funding for Growing Greener to ensure that Pennsylvanians continue to have access to clean water, green open spaces, parks and outdoor recreational opportunities, and nutritious, locally grown food.”
Funding for Growing Greener has decreased from an estimated average of $200 million in the mid-2000s to $57 million this year. This represents a 75 percent cut and an all-time low for the program.
The Coalition recently unveiled its blueprint for a statewide Growing Greener III program, detailing the need for more than $315 million in annual investments to protect Pennsylvania’s water, land, forests and other natural resources, stimulate economic growth in our communities and improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians.
Established in 1999, the state’s Growing Greener program has funded hundreds of local parks and trail projects, conserved more than 80,000 acres of threatened open space, and restored hundreds of miles of streams and waterways. The program has also protected more than 78,000 acres of farmland, restored more than 1,600 acres of abandoned mine land, and helped reduce flooding and water pollution through 400 watershed protection projects and more than 100 drinking and wastewater treatment improvements.
Since its inception, the state’s Growing Greener program has enjoyed widespread, bipartisan public support. A 2015 Penn State poll found that 90.7 percent of Pennsylvanians surveyed would support increasing state funds to conserve and protect open space, clean water, natural areas, wildlife habitats, parks, historic sites, forests, and farms.
The Growing Greener III plan proposed by the Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition has been endorsed by more than 170 conservation, preservation and recreation organizations, as well as several businesses and local governments, representing hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians. For a copy of the plan and full list of supporters visit www.growinggreener3.com.
Coalition Statement on State Budget: Keep Pennsylvania Growing Greener
For Immediate Release: July 14, 2016
Coalition Statement on Budget Agreement: Keep PA Growing Greener
(HARRISBURG, PA) The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in the Commonwealth, today issued the following statement from Executive Director Andrew Heath in response to the state budget agreement.
“We are pleased that the Governor and General Assembly have reached a bipartisan budget agreement that allows Pennsylvania to move forward.
“The Coalition is thankful that funding for the state’s Heritage Areas has been restored so we can continue to protect Pennsylvania’s historic treasures and the significant cultural and economic benefits they bring. We are also grateful to both the House and the Senate for passing legislation to recognize this essential program.
“As we look ahead to the future, we strongly urge the Governor and General Assembly to invest in a Growing Greener III program to ensure that Pennsylvanians continue to have access to clean drinking water, parks and trails, green open spaces, and locally grown farm fresh food.
“This budget reflects the second year the Growing Greener program has experienced a significant reduction of $15 million. Combined with last year’s cut, the communities and non-profits that rely on Growing Greener funding have lost more than $30 million for critical projects and programs.
“Since the mid-2000s, funding for Growing Greener has been cut by more than 75 percent. Governor Wolf and the General Assembly must act soon to provide adequate funding for the program – which has long enjoyed bipartisan public support – and to protect our water resources and Keep Pennsylvania Growing Greener.”
Coalition Calls for Increased State Funding for Environment
Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition calls on Wolf Administration, state lawmakers to boost funding for state environmental agencies
(HARRISBURG, PA) — The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in the Commonwealth, today called on the Wolf Administration and state lawmakers to boost funding for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, citing concerns that inadequate technology and bare bones staffing levels are putting Pennsylvania’s environment at risk.
In addition, the Coalition urged the Governor and legislators to also provide adequate funding for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture to address Pennsylvania’s growing environmental needs.
“If we want to improve and protect the quality of our water and air, the state must stop short-changing environmental protection,” said Andrew Heath, executive director of the Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition. “Inadequate funding directly threatens the health of Pennsylvania’s land, air and water and consequently, our communities.”
As discussed in today’s Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, DEP simply cannot absorb further budget cuts without sacrificing the ability to enforce regulations that protect the Commonwealth’s environment, and in fact, the state should be putting more money – not less – toward programs that protect and preserve Pennsylvania’s open spaces, family farms, parks and trails, waterways and historic sites.
“With hundreds of acres of open space lost to development each day in Pennsylvania, we need to be doing more to protect our natural resources, not less,” said Heath. “As the Environmental Stewardship Fund continues to shrink, now is the time for lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to come together to advance a Growing Greener III initiative and continue Pennsylvania’s conservation, recreation, and preservation legacy.”
Funding for the Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Fund has decreased from an average of $200 million in the mid-2000s to approximately $60 million in 2014.
The Coalition also called for restoring funding for the state Department of Agriculture, which along with DEP, plays a critical role in ensuring Pennsylvania meets its commitments to cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and urged the Wolf Administration to save DCNR’s Heritage Areas Program from being eliminated.
About the Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition
The mission of the Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition is to enhance the health and economic well-being of communities across the Commonwealth by advocating for funding to conserve, protect and restore land, water and wildlife; to preserve farms and historic places, and to provide well-managed parks and recreational areas throughout the state. Established in 2008, the Coalition comprises local, regional and statewide conservation, recreation and preservation groups. For more information, visit www.PaGrowingGreener.org.
