1Recognizing the selection of the Schuylkill River as
2Pennsylvania's 2014 River of the Year.

3WHEREAS, Since 1983, the Department of Conservation and
4Natural Resources has coordinated a program to select
5Pennsylvania's River of the Year; and

6WHEREAS, This annual recognition helps raise awareness of the
7important role we as individuals and, collectively, a society
8can have in maintaining and improving the beauty and viability
9of Pennsylvania's waterways; and

10WHEREAS, Recently, the program was revamped to include a
11community participation process in which the public is invited
12to vote for a river from a group of finalists; and

13WHEREAS, In this year's balloting, the Schuylkill River,
14which was nominated by several entities, including Montgomery
15County, was chosen from a group of five waterways as
16Pennsylvania's 2014 River of the Year; and

1WHEREAS, Previously selected in 1999 as Pennsylvania's River
2of the Year, the Schuylkill River joins only a handful of
3waterways to have been honored as multiyear winners; and

4WHEREAS, The Schuylkill River stretches 128 miles from its
5headwaters in the anthracite mining region of this Commonwealth
6to its confluence with the Delaware River in the City of
7Philadelphia; and

8WHEREAS, In the mid-20th century, the Schuylkill River was
9one of the nation's dirtiest rivers, as its waters served as a
10depository for factory effluent, raw sewage and, perhaps most
11damaging of all, coal waste; and

12WHEREAS, In 1945, the Commonwealth agreed to undertake the
13Schuylkill River Project, which dredged millions of tons of coal
14waste from the river; and

15WHEREAS, Thanks to the Schuylkill River Project and public
16and private stewardship efforts, such as the Schuylkill County
17Greenway Association, the health of the Schuylkill River has
18improved markedly over the past seven decades to the point where
19it now serves as a drinking water source for approximately 1.5
20million people; and

21WHEREAS, The Schuylkill River is also a popular recreational
22destination for boaters, trail users and anglers, thereby
23stimulating economic development and revitalization in
24waterfront communities along its shores; and

25WHEREAS, The Schuylkill River is a noteworthy environmental
26success story that has become a valuable asset to this
27Commonwealth and the communities through which it flows;
28therefore be it

29RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
30selection of the Schuylkill River as Pennsylvania's 2014 River

1of the Year.