House Environmental Committee Tours Susquehanna River Basin Commission Headquarters

This summary of the July 22 House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee tour of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission headquarters in Harrisburg was published by Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler), Majority Chair of the Committee--

Following months of our inquiry into stormwater management practices, environmental regulations, and permitting timelines, on July 22, members of the House Environmental Resources and Energy (ERE) Committee were invited to tour the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) headquarters in Harrisburg for an in-depth presentation on their work.

The SRBC was formed following the signing of a 100-year interstate compact enacted in 1971 between Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and the federal government. The compact is intended to enhance the public welfare through responsible water resource management within the river basin. 

While the ERE Committee does not have direct legislative oversight over the SRBC, legislators as well as the general public may submit comments on SRBC projects, applications and regulations.

The commission works across state lines to reduce damages caused by floods, sustain and grow surface and ground water resources, protect wetlands and aquatic life, and ensure the sustained health of the Susquehanna River Basin which eventually flows into the Chesapeake Bay.

The House ERE Committee was given a presentation by SRBC to highlight the commission’s work both in the Commonwealth as well as throughout the entire Susquehanna River Basin. 

SRBC has worked to repair eroded streams and riverbanks to support riparian wildlife, abandoned mines have been used as excess water storage vessels, and contaminated coal mine waters have been naturally filtered and returned to our rivers.

A significant charge of the SRBC is to manage and regulate our water resource use by energy generators. 

Fuels such as coal and nuclear energy use a tremendous amount of water to run their turbines and cool reactors, so SRBC cooperates with generators to assure responsible water usage. 

Excess water is stored in times of plenty, while new management and construction practices are developed to aid in the efficiency of water usage. 

SRBC has conducted extensive research on hydraulic fracturing used in natural gas extraction, also known as fracking, and concluded that there is “no discernible impact on the quality of the basin’s water resources as a result of natural gas development.”

SRBC has a close regulatory relationship with natural gas drillers, and their cooperation has developed safe and effective means to extract our bountiful resources without risking the health of our waterways or the overuse of our water supplies. 

I encourage you to visit the SRBC website to view their impressive research.

Though lawmakers like myself do not always see eye-to-eye with the Commission, particularly when it comes to fees placed on Pennsylvania businesses and the extreme duration of the founding compact, we appreciate the list of accomplishments and efforts SRBC shared with us during our meeting.

We will continue to hold the commission accountable to the purpose of the initial compact and protect Pennsylvanian’s from unnecessary regulations and fees. 

The quality and necessity of SRBC’s work will continue to be strongly considered when it comes time for the General Assembly to appropriate Pennsylvania’s yearly funding contribution to the commission.

To conclude, the SRBC is nearly halfway through its 100-year compact agreement and has a number of successes to be proud of. Partially through the commission’s efforts our waterways are cleaner and healthier, our fish stocks are thriving, and our reserves are secured for future generations.

We the members of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee will continue to supervise the work of the SRBC as we work diligently to protect the health, wealth and safety of all Pennsylvanians.

If you live within or around the Susquehanna River Basin consult the SRBC flood inundation maps to see if your home and community are safe from unexpected rain or natural disasters.

Click Here for a copy of Rep. Metcalfe’s publication.

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-783-1707 or sending email to: dmetcalf@pahousegop.com. Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.