|
Senate Passes
Environmental Bond Legislation
Rejects Call by Governor to
Increase Taxes
Executive
Summary (PDF)
Final Amendment
(PDF)
Legislation to implement the $625 million environmental bond
approved by voters in May passed the General Assembly today
and is headed to Governor Rendell, according to state Sen.
Mary Jo White (R-21), who chairs the Senate Environmental
Resources and Energy Committee.
The legislation
authorizes the Commonwealth to borrow $625 million over six
years for a variety of environmental and conservation
initiatives collectively known as "Growing Greener." The
program was initiated in 1999 by former Governor Tom Ridge,
and sponsored by White in the Senate.
"Growing Greener
provides funding for a host of important needs - acid mine
drainage abatement, mine reclamation, oil and gas well
plugging, parks and recreation, open space and farmland
preservation and State park and forest improvements," said
White. "It has empowered local volunteer groups and
provided measurable improvements to our environment and
added protection of our natural resources."
Debt service on the
bond will be paid by using a portion of the existing $4.25
per-ton fee charged for waste disposal at landfills.
Governor Rendell had originally proposed increasing taxes on
households and businesses by nearly $150 million annually to
pay debt service and fund other projects. Senate
Republicans rejected the governor's proposal.
A key provision of
the legislation is the creation of an innovative County
Environmental Initiative program, a concept spearheaded by
White and Senate Majority Leader David J. Brightbill. Under
this program, each county will be able to designate at least
$1 million in priority projects to be funded from bond
proceeds. The actual amount for each county was determined
by the county's class as designated under state law.
"Senate Republicans
put forth a simple proposition: that local communities – not
Harrisburg – should be able to establish priorities for some
of this funding, and that the money should be equitably
distributed across the Commonwealth," said White. "This
legislation does so without increasing the tax burden on
hard working Pennsylvanians."
Other highlights of
the package include:
-
At least $100
million for improvements to State parks and State forests;
-
$80 million to
supplement farmland preservation programs;
-
At least $60
million for acid mine drainage abatement and mine cleanup;
-
$90 million for
open space conservation;
-
$27.5 million to
the Fish & Boat Commission and $20 million to the
Pennsylvania Game Commission for infrastructure
improvements;
-
Continued funding
for the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund, a priority of Senate
Republicans.
White also noted
the legislation continues support for county and local
government recycling programs through a $2 per-ton recycling
fee. Governor Rendell sought to redirect the funding to
other programs.
# # #
  White
Wonderling
|
