County Conservation Districts Oppose Further Cuts To Environmental Funding

The PA Association of County Conservation Districts sent this letter to all members of the Senate and House opposing further cuts to environmental funding and supported the adoption of a natural gas production severance tax--

Dear House/Senate Members,

The PA Association of Conservation Districts, (PACD) opposes Gov. Rendell’s list of environmental fund transfers and suspensions totaling $132 million that he views as potential revenue sources to help bridge the current $700 million gap in spending proposals for the next fiscal year.
The Environmental Stewardship Fund, Growing Greener II, the Agricultural Easement Fund, and the Keystone Recreation Park and Conservation Fund are included on the list. Surface mining conservation, clean air protection and energy development are also on the Governor’s list.
Please join PACD in opposition to any budget that would cut these critical sources of funding. Instead, please consider raising additional funds by levying a severance tax on natural gas drilling. Currently House Bill 1489 (PN 3936) is a compromise bill with a portion dedicated to the Conservation District Fund (3 percent) and the Environmental Stewardship Fund (15 percent) and Local governments (20 percent), and is aimed at providing PA with a reasonable severance tax to help protect our natural resources and defray local infrastructure costs associated with Marcellus gas extraction. Thank you for your consideration in this matter.