The United States House of Representatives made history today by passing the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) to fully and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The Act passed with bipartisan support and will be sent to the President’s desk, where it is expected to be signed into law. The following statement can be attributed to Tom Cors, director of read more
Bigger Picture
23
July
8
June
Conservation and Justice for All
Dear Friends and Supporters, Conservation is crucial but not sufficient for ensuring that ALL people have the opportunity to live freely and prosper in healthy communities. It is deeply wrong that a Black person has to worry about being accosted and threatened while birdwatching in a park. It is evil that simply encountering law enforcement or jogging while Black can be the read more
13
May
New Laurel Highlands Study Documents $3.7 Billion in Annual Ecosystem Service Benefits
The steering committee of the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape will host public meetings on May 14, 15, and 16 to present the results of the Value of Clean Water study examining the costs and benefits of land use choices in the Laurel Highlands Region. The study estimates the value of ecosystem services in the region, including nutrient and water regulation, water read more
16
April
Pennsylvania Continues to Lead Nation, Adds 31 Farms to Nearly 6,000 Permanently Preserved
At its April meeting, Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Land Preservation Board safeguarded 3,134 additional acres on 31 farms in 17 counties through the state’s nation-leading farmland preservation program. The board preserved 31 farms covering 3,134 acres across 17 counties: Adams, Berks, Blair, Centre, Chester, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lackawanna, read more
30
July
DCNR Releases New Report on Gas Drilling in State Forests
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources recently released its second report monitoring the environmental impacts of gas drilling on the 138,866 acres of state forest land leased specifically for shale gas development. The first shale gas monitoring report was issued in April of 2014 and covered shale gas drilling operations on state forest land from 2008 to 2012. read more
25
June
Breakdown of Environmental Funding in 2018–19 Budget
On June 22, the Pennsylvania Senate passed and sent to the governor a $32.7 billion General Fund budget bill for 2018–19 (HB 2121) that includes funding for 35 new positions at the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), but few changes in other environmental funding line items. The fiscal code bill that follows the General Fund budget bill—this year, HB 1929—includes read more
