“As someone who has lived in rural Pennsylvania my entire life, I am well-aware of the concerns expressed by counties and municipalities on the importance of flood mitigation and infrastructure improvement. Unquestionably, we need to find a better way to manage our infrastructure from a practical and monetary standpoint, while coordinating at all levels of government. I am hopeful the State Planning Board will look into the regulatory issues to address some of these problems. We need to let regulators know that landowners and citizens are not the enemy but rather partners.
More specifically, the lack of sufficient funding at the federal, state and county levels to address watershed and stream channel issues, both in the near and long term, necessitate the consideration of a maintenance program that would both meet the needs of the communities bordering streams, as well as working within environmental sensitivities. I have sponsored legislation on this topic.
Regardless of political party, the Governor’s announcement yesterday is a proactive step that will hopefully strengthen the state’s long-term flood and hazard mitigation planning moving forward.”
-Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23)
2019-2020 Chairman
PA Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee