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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 10, 2021 11:47 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Brett R. Miller |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Native Vegetation Along Pennsylvania’s Highways |
| In the near future, I will re-introduce legislation to direct the Department of Transportation to plant vegetation which has been identified by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as being native to Pennsylvania. Last session this bill was introduced as HB 447 which passed unanimously out of the House Transportation Committee and the House, however, session ended prior to the bill achieving final passage in the Senate. Through the years non-native plants have been introduced throughout the state with some of them becoming noxious and invasive resulting in substantial disruption to the state’s ecosystem. Plants that are native to Pennsylvania are part of the state eco-system and their use throughout the Commonwealth helps to maintain the environmental balance that has been developed over many years. These native plants, when planted along highways, will thrive because those plants are better adapted to local conditions. Further, native vegetation is also more likely to support wildlife, while discouraging invasive plant species. This legislation will require PennDOT to develop a list of native vegetation species that can be used in roadside work that is done throughout the state. The use of specific species in a given area will be based on the recommendations of the PA Department of Agriculture’s Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Committee. By requiring the use of native plants as part of the roadway work of PennDOT, we can help control invasive plants and promote the restoration of native vegetation throughout the state. I urge you to join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. Co-sponsors from last session include: B. MILLER, MURT, ZIMMERMAN, JAMES, ULLMAN, MENTZER, MARKOSEK, PASHINSKI, FREEMAN, HILL-EVANS, RADER, KAUFER, CIRESI, HERSHEY, FEE, EVERETT AND KORTZ. |
Introduced as HB763