PRINTER'S NO. 3639
No. 516 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY HERSHEY, ARGALL, RUBLEY, ADOLPH, ARMSTRONG, BARD, BASTIAN, BEBKO-JONES, BROOKS, BROWNE, BUNT, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CIVERA, CLYMER, L. I. COHEN, COLAFELLA, CORRIGAN, COSTA, COY, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, DALEY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, DONATUCCI, J. EVANS, FAIRCHILD, FEESE, FICHTER, FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GORDNER, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARHART, HARPER, HASAY, HERMAN, HESS, HORSEY, JAMES, JOSEPHS, LAUGHLIN, LEDERER, LEH, LESCOVITZ, MAITLAND, MAJOR, MANDERINO, MANN, MARSICO, McCALL, McGILL, McILHATTAN, McNAUGHTON, MELIO, MICHLOVIC, MICOZZIE, MUNDY, PALLONE, PICKETT, PIPPY, PISTELLA, READSHAW, ROBERTS, ROSS, SANTONI, SATHER, SCHRODER, SCHULER, SEMMEL, SHANER, B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STABACK, STAIRS, R. STEVENSON, STURLA, SURRA, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TIGUE, TRICH, VANCE, WASHINGTON, WATERS, WATSON, WOJNAROSKI, G. WRIGHT, YOUNGBLOOD, ZIMMERMAN AND ZUG, APRIL 10, 2002
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, APRIL 10, 2002
A RESOLUTION 1 Designating May 2002 as "Watershed Awareness Month" in 2 Pennsylvania. 3 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth's land, rivers, streams, lakes, 4 wetlands and groundwater resources are interconnected to form a 5 rich mosaic of watersheds; and 6 WHEREAS, These treasured water resources provide citizens 7 with clean drinking water and recreational and business 8 opportunities; and 9 WHEREAS, This Commonwealth contains 83,000 miles of rivers 10 and streams, making Pennsylvania second only to Alaska in the 11 number of river and stream miles for all to enjoy and treasure;
1 and 2 WHEREAS, There are eight distinct river basins in 3 Pennsylvania, including Lake Erie, Ohio River, Genesee River 4 (Lake Ontario), Susquehanna, Delaware River, Potomac, Elk and 5 Northeast/Gunpowder; and 6 WHEREAS, There are 104 watersheds, the basic building blocks 7 of the natural environment, in this Commonwealth; and 8 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth invests enormous resources to 9 restore and protect water, including remediating drainage from 10 thousands of abandoned coal mines which contaminates more than 11 3,000 miles of streams and associated groundwaters and is the 12 most extensive problem affecting Commonwealth water resources; 13 and 14 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth is committed to a watershed 15 approach to resource management where concerned community 16 members come together as watershed guardians to address and 17 resolve problems; and 18 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth empowers and assists local 19 watershed organizations working in partnership as watershed 20 guardians to help resolve or remediate current water quality and 21 water quantity problems within watershed boundaries; and 22 WHEREAS, This watershed approach to environmental protection 23 leads to cleaner rivers and streams, safer drinking water and 24 greater protection of aquatic wildlife habitats; and 25 WHEREAS, There are more than 250 active watershed groups in 26 this Commonwealth, and new watershed groups are forming 27 continuously; and 28 WHEREAS, Educational forums connecting adults and children to 29 their watersheds, including the land, water and people, 30 ultimately provide long-term protection for these important and 20020H0516R3639 - 2 -
1 valuable water resources; and 2 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth recognizes and celebrates the 3 efforts of hardworking volunteers within watershed groups who 4 improve their communities today and for future generations; 5 therefore be it 6 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate May 7 2002 as "Watershed Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it 8 further 9 RESOLVED, That the theme "The Watershed Connection: Land, 10 Water and You!" guide the many volunteer community 11 organizations, educators and other groups that conduct watershed 12 education and awareness activities throughout the month. K7L82DMS/20020H0516R3639 - 3 -