Let’s Remember The People, Environmental Programs Hurt By DEP Funding Cuts

Earth Day is a good time for reflection, and PA Environment Digest thought it would be a good time to reflect on the kinds of programs, initiatives and services funding cuts have eliminated in the last 13 years.

Both political parties need to take the responsibility for 13 years of rolling back environmental protection programs.

Here are just a few of the programs eliminated or significantly scaled back by funding cuts--

-- Remember When The General Assembly Funded 4,125 Acres Of Mine Reclamation/Year Not 1,368?

-- Remember When The General Assembly Used To Fund An 11,000 Participant Citizen Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program?

-- Remember When The General Assembly Used To Fund $50 Million/Year In Watershed Restoration Grants, Not $27M Or Less?

-- Remember When The General Assembly Used To Fund Pollution Prevention Programs Saving Billions Of Gallons Of Water & Btus?

-- Remember When The General Assembly Used To Fund A Comprehensive DEP Public Participation Program?

-- Remember When The General Assembly Used To Fund A DEP  Chief Information Officer To Upgrade IT Operations?

-- Remember When The General Assembly Used To Fund Creative Environmental Education Efforts?

-- Remember When The General Assembly Used To Fund DEP So It Had The Staff To Build Partnerships To Reduce, Eliminate Pollution?

-- Remember When The General Assembly Created The PA Center For Environmental Education In Law And Didn’t Fund It?

-- Remember When The General Assembly Used To Fund DEP At Levels Allowing World-Class Innovation?
Look Back At Earth Day 2002: April 26, 2002 DEP Update.

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