PRINTER'S NO. 1551
No. 234 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY ADOLPH, HERSHEY, ARMSTRONG, CRAHALLA, R. MILLER,
RAPP, REED, ROSS, RUBLEY, FREEMAN, GEORGE, McGEEHAN, THOMAS,
YUDICHAK, LEACH, MANN, ALLEN, ARGALL, BALDWIN, BARRAR,
BASTIAN, BEBKO-JONES, BENNINGHOFF, BOYD, BROWNE, CALTAGIRONE,
CAPPELLI, CIVERA, CORRIGAN, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, DENLINGER,
DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, J. EVANS, FABRIZIO,
FAIRCHILD, FICHTER, FLEAGLE, GABIG, GEIST, GILLESPIE,
GINGRICH, GOOD, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, WANSACZ, HARHAI, HASAY,
HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HESS, JAMES, KOTIK, LEDERER, LEH, MAJOR,
MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McGILL, McILHATTAN, S. MILLER, MUNDY,
MUSTIO, PALLONE, PAYNE, PETRI, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, PISTELLA,
QUIGLEY, READSHAW, REICHLEY, SAINATO, SANTONI, SATHER,
SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SHANER, SHAPIRO, B. SMITH, SOLOBAY,
STABACK, STURLA, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR, TIGUE, TRUE, WALKO,
WATSON, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD AND ROBERTS, APRIL 11, 2005
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
APRIL 11, 2005
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating May 2005 as "Watershed Awareness Month" in
2 Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth's land, rivers, streams, lakes,
4 wetlands and groundwater resources are interconnected to form a
5 rich mosaic of watersheds; and
6 WHEREAS, These treasured water resources provide citizens
7 with clean drinking water and recreational and business
8 opportunities; and
9 WHEREAS, This Commonwealth contains 83,000 miles of rivers
10 and streams, making Pennsylvania second only to Alaska in the
11 number of river and stream miles for all to enjoy and treasure;
1 and
2 WHEREAS, There are eight distinct river basins in
3 Pennsylvania, including Lake Erie, Ohio River, Genesee River
4 (Lake Ontario), Susquehanna, Delaware River, Potomac, Elk and
5 Northeast/Gunpowder; and
6 WHEREAS, There are 104 watersheds, the basic building blocks
7 of the natural environment, in this Commonwealth; and
8 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth invests enormous resources to
9 restore and protect water, including remediating drainage from
10 thousands of abandoned coal mines which contaminates more than
11 3,000 miles of streams and associated groundwaters and is the
12 most extensive problem affecting Commonwealth water resources;
13 and
14 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth is committed to a watershed
15 approach to resource management where concerned community
16 members come together as watershed guardians to address and
17 resolve problems; and
18 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth empowers and assists local
19 watershed organizations working in partnership as watershed
20 guardians to help resolve or remediate current water quality and
21 water quantity problems within watershed boundaries; and
22 WHEREAS, This watershed approach to environmental protection
23 leads to cleaner rivers and streams, safer drinking water and
24 greater protection of aquatic wildlife habitats; and
25 WHEREAS, There are more than 400 active watershed groups in
26 this Commonwealth, and new watershed groups are forming
27 continuously; and
28 WHEREAS, Educational forums connecting adults and children to
29 their watersheds, including the land, water and people,
30 ultimately provide long-term protection for these important and
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1 valuable water resources; and
2 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth recognizes and celebrates the
3 efforts of hardworking volunteers within watershed groups who
4 improve their communities today and for future generations;
5 therefore be it
6 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate May
7 2005 as "Watershed Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it
8 further
9 RESOLVED, That the theme "Protect our Watersheds, Protect our
10 Future" guide the many volunteer community organizations,
11 educators and other groups that conduct watershed education and
12 awareness activities throughout the month.
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