State Parks, Forests, and Economy Will Be Harmed
Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture) today warned that the proposed deal on the Pennsylvania state budget presents a significant threat to Pennsylvania's public lands, if the reports on the deal are true.
"The budget that is close to passing contains severe cuts to two of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' vital programs – state parks operations and state forestry operations," said Jan Jarrett, PennFuture's president and CEO. "And to add insult to injury, the budget may also divert funding from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund, leaving DCNR with little room to ameliorate the severe cuts in its operating budget.
"This plan is amazingly shortsighted," said Jarrett. "Our state parks have received gold medal awards and tourists flock to them. The cuts to the parks budget could result in severe cuts in programs and services and leave our parks system a mere shell. DCNR may need to curtail seasons, lay off employees and shut down programming at parks across the state. And that would have a devastating impact on our state's second largest industry, tourism.
"Cuts to the state forest operations could erode DCNR's ability to manage its timber operations," said Jarrett. "The cuts could also mean closing forestry roads, severely impacting the timber industry. Logging on state forest land has helped to keep the Pennsylvania forest products industry alive through the recession. Now we may damage that industry. And closure of state forestry roads would also hinder Marcellus shale gas drilling.
"And there's even more bad news for the environment," continued Jarrett. "The budget almost completely wipes out the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund allocation for land conservation, virtually eliminating grants to local land trusts for conserving important open space.
"We urge the legislature and Governor Rendell to stop and think about what they are doing," said Jarrett. "An on-time budget is simply not worth destroying Pennsylvania's environment and economy.
"Take your time and do it right," she concluded.
PennFuture is a statewide public interest membership organization that advances policies to protect and improve the state's environment and economy. With offices in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, West Chester, and Wilkes-Barre, PennFuture's activities include litigating cases before regulatory bodies and in local, state and federal courts, advocating and advancing legislative action on a state and federal level, public education, and assisting citizens in public advocacy.
Contacts:
Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future
Jeanne K. Clark, 412-258-6683 /
412-736-6092
info@pennfuture.org
www.pennfuture.org