March 14 PA Environment Digest Now Available

March 14 PA Environment Digest now available. Click Here to print this Digest.

Budget Cuts For Environmental Agencies Not Pretty, Not As Dramatic As Last 2 Years

The funding picture for environmental programs in Gov. Corbett's proposed budget is not pretty, and they took hits like other parts of the budget, but not as dramatically as in the last two years. DEP and the Growing Greener Fund had the biggest reductions from already reduced levels.
Gov. Corbett also announced the formation of a Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission to "oversee how we can build around this new industry and how we can make certain we do this while protecting our lands, our drinking water, our air – all the time growing our workforce."
DEP Proposal
Funding for the Department of Environmental Protection was decreased to $679.3 million from $839.3 million, most as a result of the federal stimulus project funds not being available. The General Fund portion was reduced to $139.9 million from $147 million this year.
These reductions take the General Fund appropriations below the 1994 levels DEP was cut to over the last two years. Click Here to read more...