Guest blog by Ezra Thrush, PennFuture
From left: Donna Kohut, PennFuture, Sara Ramotnik, Choose Clean Water Coalition, Kristin Reilly, Choose Clean Water Coalition, Kelly Knutson, Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed (holding “Every Drop Counts, Fund Clean Water sign”), Michael Mehrazar, PennFuture
The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed joined PennFuture, the Choose Clean Water Coalition, members of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, and other Pennsylvania partners in Harrisburg on May 7th for Clean Water Education Day.
This spring has led to yet another contentious budget season in Harrisburg. While lawmakers negotiate funding and appropriation priorities before their June 30th deadline, the current two-year legislative session and, consequently, the window of opportunity to get bills passed through the chambers of the General Assembly and to the Governor’s desk is also coming to a close.
Budget season presents a unique opportunity to see movement on critical environmental investment and policy priorities outside of the traditional legislative process. Despite plenty of debate over the ideal tools and policies, the budget process provides space for bipartisan cooperation to achieve the goals of protecting and restoring Pennsylvania’s abundant waterways.
On May 7, 2024, watershed coalition partners from across the Commonwealth met with 24 lawmakers in the Capitol for the 8th annual Clean Water Education Day, outlining their top five clean water priorities:
Funding & Policy Priorities
The coalitions called on the General Assembly and Governor Shapiro to support two new funding and legislative priorities:
Create the Healthy Outdoors for All Program (HOAP), which would provide matching grants to fund projects that rehabilitate and support trails, parks, and open spaces.
Clean water quality isn't just crucial for safeguarding public health and preserving ecosystems; it also enriches the recreational pursuits of those who cherish parks, trails, and the great outdoors. Supporting the establishment of the Healthy Outdoors for All Program will help revitalize and enhance parks, trails, and outdoor spaces, particularly expanding access for disadvantaged communities.
Support the Riparian Buffer Protection Act (House Bill 1275) which mandates a 100-foot riparian buffer along each side of a surface body of water and a 300-foot buffer around special protection (High Quality or Exception Value) waters.
Riparian buffers play a crucial role in curbing pollution runoff, combating climate change impacts, safeguarding ecosystems, and serving as a cost-efficient method for managing water quality. The Riparian Buffer Protection Act stands as a vital initiative through which the Commonwealth can actively encourage the establishment of more of these invaluable natural assets.
Our watershed partners remained committed to pushing for progress on three priorities carrying over from last year’s effort. We called on decision-makers to:
Support full “fair share” funding for the Interstate Basin Commissions responsible for protecting and monitoring water quality and quantity.
Inadequately funded and staffed commissions put Pennsylvania’s communities at risk of suffering from increased water pollution, infrastructure issues, and declining aquatic wildlife. Funding requirements for the interstate basin commissions have been established for decades, and Pennsylvania must honor the commitment made to these compacts.
Protect marginalized communities who bear the brunt of downstream pollution by codifying the Office of Environmental Justice (Senate Bill 158/House Bill 742) and the Environmental Justice Advisory Board (House Bill 707).
Clean water issues are also often environmental justice issues. We strongly advocate for strengthening the roles of the Office of Environmental Justice and the Environmental Justice Advisory Board to address the disproportionate burden borne by marginalized communities.
Support sustainable annual funding for the Clean Streams Fund, the first Pennsylvania fund dedicated to water protection and restoration, created with American Rescue Plan Act funding in the 2022-23 budget.
The CSF addresses the three primary causes of water pollution in PA: acid mine drainage, agriculture, and stormwater runoff. The scale of water pollution in Pennsylvania means that a one-time injection of funds into the Clean Streams Fund will not be sufficient.
More detailed information about each of our 2024 requests can be found here.
Tools for Engagement with Legislators & Fellow Advocates
Meeting with lawmakers is a critical component of Clean Water Education Day, but the coalitions also recognize not all members and supporters can participate in-person in Harrisburg. As a result, we offer a variety of tools to contribute to this advocacy, including:
Call to Action for All Clean Water Advocates (New this year!) - This year, PennFuture created another opportunity for coalition partners to let their legislators know how much they value clean water funding in the Pennsylvania budget. Click here to send a letter directly to your legislators!
Legislative Meetings - Partners from across the Commonwealth held 23 meetings with legislators representing portions of all of Pennsylvania’s major watersheds, a majority of which were in person in Harrisburg. Delaware Basin advocates met with Senators Committa, Farry, Argall, and Hughes, and Representatives Harris, Young, and Vitali.
Joint Sign-On Letter - We are thankful for the support of 41 partner organizations that signed on to a letter to Governor Shapiro and all members of the General Assembly outlining our Clean Water Education Week requests. This is an increase from the 29 organizations that signed on last year. Thanks to our new sign-on partners!
Rotunda Press Conference - On Tuesday, May 7th, we held a press conference in the main Rotunda of the Capitol Building.
We want to thank our participating speakers, including:
Patrick McDonnell, President & CEO, PennFuture
Rep. Joe Webster, HD-150
Kristin Reilly, Director of Choose Clean Water Coalition
Rafiyqa Muhammad, member of the Environmental Justice Advisory Board
Hannah Smith-Brubaker, Executive Director of Pasa Sustainable Agriculture
Social Media Toolkit - This toolkit is designed to provide pathways for all Coalition members and partners to get involved, even if they are unable to make it to Harrisburg in person. It shares graphics and photos, hashtags, and sample posts. Examples of these posts from our partners at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania are linked here!
Responsible stewardship of Pennsylvania’s abundant waterways requires consistent policy pressure and watchdogging. Clean Water Education Day remains the critical vehicle to coalition collaborations in the Commonwealth, and we need everyone’s help to keep the momentum going this budget season!
Members of the General Assembly, especially those on the Appropriations Committees, need to keep hearing about our priorities. Help keep the Clean Water Education Day momentum going by reaching out to your legislators!