PRINTER'S NO. 520
No. 482 Session of 1987
INTRODUCED BY ARGALL, LUCYK, BALDWIN AND McCALL, FEBRUARY 25,
1987
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSERVATION, FEBRUARY 25, 1987
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of November 26, 1978 (P.L.1415, No.333),
2 entitled "An act designating a portion of the Schuylkill
3 River as a component of the Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers System
4 in accordance with the Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers Act;
5 authorizing further classification; providing for
6 cooperation, limitation of liability and protection of
7 critical areas, and authorizing the expenditure of moneys,"
8 extending the designation to an additional portion of the
9 Schuylkill River and to two of its tributaries.
10 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11 hereby enacts as follows:
12 Section 1. Sections 2, 4, 7 and 8 of the act of November 26,
13 1978 (P.L.1415, No.333), known as the Schuylkill Scenic River
14 Act, are amended to read:
15 Section 2. Legislative findings and purpose.
16 The Department of Environmental Resources has, in accordance
17 with the act of December 5, 1972 (P.L.1277, No.283), known as
18 the "Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers Act," fulfilled its obligations
19 and responsibilities prerequisite to the designation of a
20 portion of the Schuylkill River and a portion of two of its
21 tributaries as a component of the Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers
1 System. The designation of this Schuylkill scenic river
2 component by this act is with the view of conserving and
3 enhancing its scenic quality and of promoting public
4 recreational enjoyment in conjunction with present and future
5 commercial, agricultural, residential, industrial and
6 transportational uses, all in accordance with the policy and
7 provisions of the "Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers Act."
8 Section 4. Designation and classification.
9 (a) The portion of the Schuylkill River, including related
10 adjacent land areas, from the Forks at Port Clinton, Schuylkill
11 County, to Fairmont Dam, Philadelphia County, excepting the 5.2
12 mile segment between Norristown Dam and Spring Mill Creek, is
13 designated as a component of the Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers
14 System under the Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers Act. The Schuylkill
15 River designation is extended to include a portion of the
16 Schuylkill River and related adjacent land areas in Schuylkill
17 and Berks Counties and portions of the West Branch and Little
18 Schuylkill River tributaries and their related adjacent land
19 areas in Schuylkill County. The boundaries of the component and
20 of the classified segments have been defined by the Department
21 of Environmental Resources and are shown on the [map] maps
22 entitled "SCHUYLKILL RIVER STUDY" and "SCHUYLKILL RIVER
23 EXTENSION STUDY" which [is] are on file and available for public
24 inspection in the [Bureau] Division of Land Records, [Department
25 of Community Affairs] Pennsylvania Historical and Museum
26 Commission of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
27 (b) Segments of the component are classified as follows:
28 (1) Port Clinton (Forks) to Cross Keys (Bridge)--16.2
29 river miles--recreational.
30 (2) Cross Keys (Bridge) to Reading (Route 422 above
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1 Fritz Island)--12.3 miles--modified recreational.
2 (3) Reading (Route 422 Bridge over Fritz Island) to
3 Douglassville (Bridge)--15.3 river miles--recreational.
4 (4) Douglassville (Bridge) to Norristown Dam--34.2 river
5 miles--modified recreational.
6 (5) Spring Mill Creek to Fairmont Dam--10.4 river
7 miles--modified recreational.
8 (6) Route 209 (Highway) to Cressona Route 183 (Bridge)--
9 5.0 river miles--recreational.
10 (7) Cressona Route 183 (Bridge) to Auburn Basin
11 (Spillway)--9.6 river miles--modified recreational.
12 (8) Auburn Basin (Spillway) to Port Clinton (Forks)--7.4
13 river miles--recreational.
14 (9) Port Clinton (Forks) to T848 (Bridge)--9.2 river
15 miles--pastoral.
16 (c) The Secretary of Environmental Resources is authorized
17 to classify the 5.2 mile segment between Norristown Dam and
18 Spring Mill Creek as "modified recreational" when he determines
19 that it meets the criteria for such classification. When so
20 classified, that segment shall become part of the Schuylkill
21 scenic river component designated under this act, and all of the
22 provisions of this act and of the "Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers
23 Act" shall become applicable thereto.
24 Section 7. Cooperation of local authorities.
25 The Department of Environmental Resources shall encourage all
26 levels of government, Federal, State and local, and private
27 individuals and organizations to recognize and protect those
28 areas within the Schuylkill scenic river component which have
29 been determined by the Department of Environmental Resources to
30 be critical areas and are shown as such on the [map] maps
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1 entitled "SCHUYLKILL RIVER STUDY" and "SCHUYLKILL RIVER
2 EXTENSION STUDY" which [is] are on file and available for public
3 inspection in the [Bureau] Division of Land Records, [Department
4 of Community Affairs] Pennsylvania Historical and Museum
5 Commission of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
6 Section 8. Expenditure of funds.
7 The Departments of Environmental Resources and Community
8 Affairs are authorized to expend moneys when available for:
9 (1) technical assistance for implementation of and
10 planning under the study of the Schuylkill River conducted by
11 the Department of Environmental Resources under the
12 "Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers Act" and known as the "Schuylkill
13 Scenic River Study" and "Schuylkill River Extension Study";
14 and
15 (2) assistance in the development of a booklet guide for
16 recreational users of the Schuylkill scenic river component.
17 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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