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PEC sent the following letter to Members of the Senate Community, Economic & Recreational Development Committee on June 21, 2023:   Dear Senators: On behalf of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), I am writing to express our strong support for Senate Bill 507 which is scheduled for consideration by the Committee tomorrow. This legislation amends the Recreational Use of Land and Water Act to provide protections to volunteers and volunteer organizations that maintain, improve, or otherwise provide access to land for recreational purposes. Public lands and recreational amenities have witnessed an extraordinary surge in use. PEC has performed a series…

PEC sent the following letter to Members of the House Tourism, Economic and Recreational Development Committee on May 1, 2023:   Dear Representatives: On behalf of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), I am writing to express our strong support for House Bill 33 and House Resolution 87, which are scheduled for consideration by the Committee on May 3rd. We are thankful for the bipartisan sponsorship of both proposals. House Bill 33 This bill amends the Recreational Use of Land and Water Act to provide protections to volunteers and volunteer organizations that maintain, improve, or otherwise provide access to land for recreational…

Today Governor Shapiro presented his first budget proposal for the Commonwealth, which included much-needed increases in funding for both the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) to better support state park and forest maintenance, air quality monitoring, public safety, climate resilience, and other key efforts. In addition, the Governor recognized an important opportunity that may not receive immediate attention, but will provide significant benefits for Pennsylvania’s residents and economy in the years to come: the organization of an Office of Outdoor Recreation. PEC has advocated for the establishment of an Office of Outdoor…

For immediate release January 10, 2023 Contact: Josh Raulerson, Director of Communications 412-209-7982 PEC Applauds Governor-Elect Shapiro’s Nominations for DCNR and DEP Building Agency Strengths Sets the Right Tone Pittsburgh — The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) praised Governor-elect Josh Shapiro’s nomination of Cindy Dunn to continue as Secretary of the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR), and Richard Negrin as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Davitt Woodwell, President of PEC, offered the following statement in support of the nominations. Secretary Dunn’s leadership at DCNR over the past eight years has been a tremendous asset to our…

In November 2021 Congress passed, and President Biden signed into law, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The $1.2 trillion package includes funding for a range of energy, transportation, water quality, climate resiliency, conservation, and legacy pollution cleanup projects. Naturally, many of these grant programs are germane to work currently being planned or carried out in Pennsylvania by nonprofit organizations like PEC, as well as by state and local governments, researchers, landowners, and other stakeholders. But with such a vast and wide-ranging piece of legislation, prospective grantees may not be able to readily identify exactly what funding prospects exist, which ones hold…

PEC submitted a letter to the House Tourism & Recreational Development Committee in support of House Bill 1694, which would expand liability protections to volunteers and organizations that help maintain and develop public recreational assets. A copy of our letter is included below.

PEC sent the following letter to the House Transportation Committee in support of House Bill 140 – bipartisan legislation that will update the PA Vehicle Code to allow communities the design flexibility to better protect bicyclists.

PEC submitted the following letter to members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly on November 16, 2020. Dear Members of the General Assembly: This week the legislature is tasked with the difficult job of finishing the state budget through the remainder of the fiscal year. One idea that has been proposed is to divert revenues from several Special Funds, including the Environmental Stewardship (“Growing Greener”) and Keystone Funds. We understand the financial challenges facing our state, but diverting revenues from these Funds will imperil jobs and projects that underpin our state’s growing recreational economy. At a time when access to recreational…

PEC was pleased to participate in a Senate Democratic Policy Committee hearing today on the growth of outdoor recreation during the Covid-19 pandemic. Frank Maguire, Director of Trails and Recreation, highlighted both PEC’s report on the surge in trail usage as well as the importance of the recreational economy to Pennsylvania – which itself has adapted during these unprecedented times. The hearing was particularly timely given that the General Assembly will soon be making decisions on the state budget, with potentially drastic implications for state programs that support our trails and public lands. Without question, the pandemic has underscored that…

Like humans, animals need space and the ability to move safely across it. But habitat fragmentation caused by development is disrupting wildlife migration, leading to more frequent and sometimes dangerous encounters with people — and the effects will only intensify with climate change. We discuss with supporters of a resolution, currently before the General Assembly, that calls for action to protect and support wildlife corridors in Pennsylvania. Links Endangered Species Coalition House Resolution 670

PEC submitted the following letter to the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, which will be considering HB2004 on May 5, 2020.

PEC and the Environmental Defense Fund sent the following letter to members of the state House of Representatives today in opposition to House Bill 2416, which could indefinitely delay agency rulemakings necessary for the protection of the environment and public health.