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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 26, 2022 11:17 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Valerie S. Gaydos and Rep. Emily Kinkead |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Landslide Insurance and Assistance Fund |
| Landslides represent a significant financial burden to our Commonwealth, costing the state millions in damages every year. While landslides as a result of mining practices and mudslides are covered under existing insurance programs, landslides, slope movement and sinkholes as a result of other natural causes are typically not covered. This lack of protection leaves many Pennsylvanians vulnerably exposed to the financial fallout from the devastation caused by these forces and creates a large burden to communities in a multitude of ways. Western Pennsylvania is particularly susceptible to landslides because of two natural geologic characteristics: (1) the bedrock land composition, consisting mainly of incompetent mud rocks such as silty shales and clay stones that weather easily; and (2) the regional topography, consisting of steep slopes. Changing weather patterns, heavy rainfall and increasing flooding has also caused increasingly significant geologic hazards across the state and is a risk to nearly all Pennsylvanians who may not have the ability to financially prepare. Landslides encouraged by human factors like construction, grading, cutting, drilling etc. will not be covered under this legislation. This is why we are introducing legislation to add coverage of landslides, slope movement and sinkholes to an existing program in the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that currently only covers mine subsidence assistance and insurance. This small measure will have far reaching impact in safeguarding our residents against nature’s often unpredictable forces. Please join us in sponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as HB2914