Ah, shure, an' it's time for the Growin' of the Green

Far too many Pennsylvania communities have inherited a legacy of degraded rivers and streams that diminishes downstream water quality and impacts drinking water supplies for many Pennsylvanians. About one-third of the assessed streams in the state have poor water quality because of non-point pollution, such as urban and agricultural runoff, abandoned mine drainage and malfunctioning on-lot septic systems. Unreclaimed abandoned mines, for example, affecting about 250,000 acres in 43 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, still pollute more than 2,100 miles of rivers and streams.

Historically, many of our waterways were, and can once again can be, a focal point for viable communities. In 1999, the Pennsylvania Legislature, in partnership with Governor Ridge, passed the original "Growing Greener" bill creating a source of environmental restoration funding. Later, when Growing Greener was to be severely cut in hard financial times, the Pennsylvania Legislature and Governor Schweiker passed a bill to dedicate a $4 tipping fee increase on municipal waste deposited in landfills.

We supported Governor Ridge's efforts to create Growing Greener, Governor Schweiker's tipping fees to sustain Growing Greener, and we now support Governor Rendell's proposal to address under-funded aspects of Growing Greener. It is a tribute to the bi-partisan cooperative spirit of Pennsylvania's governmental entities and its non-government organizations that we have worked side-by-side to find funding to improve the environment and to improve the long-term prospect of our economy.

How we grow physically affects how we grow economically. Support Pennsylvania's environment and economy! Click here to contact your legislators in support of Rendell's quality of life proposal.

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