PRINTER'S NO. 3967
No. 2660 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY STURLA, RUBLEY, ARGALL, ADOLPH, BEBKO-JONES,
BELARDI, BLAUM, BOYD, COY, CRAHALLA, DALEY, DENLINGER,
FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, FRANKEL, GERGELY, GOODMAN, HARHAI,
HARPER, HERMAN, HESS, HORSEY, BALDWIN, ARMSTRONG, HUTCHINSON,
JAMES, JOSEPHS, KIRKLAND, LAUGHLIN, LEVDANSKY, LEWIS, MANN,
McILHATTAN, MUNDY, NAILOR, O'NEILL, PAYNE, PETRARCA,
READSHAW, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER,
SHANER, SOLOBAY, SURRA, TIGUE, TRUE, WALKO, WANSACZ,
WASHINGTON, WATSON, YOUNGBLOOD, BROWNE AND McGEEHAN,
JUNE 7, 2004
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
JUNE 7, 2004
AN ACT
1 Establishing the Adopt-a-River Program; providing for powers and
2 duties of the Department of Conservation and Natural
3 Resources; and making an appropriation.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Adopt-a-River
8 Act.
9 Section 2. Declaration of policy.
10 The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
11 (1) Widespread flooding and damage caused by severe
12 winter storms greatly damage the riverbeds and streambeds of
13 this Commonwealth. Flooding of urban and industrial areas
14 often results in the pollution of rivers and the accumulation
1 of extraordinary amounts of trash and debris in the
2 streambeds, on the stream banks and in flood plain areas.
3 (2) There is a heightened public awareness of
4 conservation and the need to protect the rivers of this
5 Commonwealth from pollution, damage, trash and debris and to
6 provide the resources necessary to restore Pennsylvania's
7 rivers and streams.
8 (3) The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission personnel
9 and financial resources available for operation of its
10 existing Adopt-a-Stream Program are limited. The Pennsylvania
11 Fish and Boat Commission program is designed to expand fish
12 habitat, angling, boating and aesthetic values of
13 Commonwealth waters and would complement the Adopt-a-River
14 Act to be administered by the Department of Conservation and
15 Natural Resources.
16 Section 3. Definitions.
17 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
18 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
19 context clearly indicates otherwise:
20 "Department." The Department of Conservation and Natural
21 Resources of the Commonwealth.
22 "Program." The Adopt-a-River Program established by this
23 act.
24 Section 4. Establishment of Adopt-a-River Program.
25 The department shall administer a program designed to remove
26 litter from and to beautify the rivers of this Commonwealth. The
27 program shall be known as the Adopt-a-River Program. The program
28 shall include public informational activities but shall be
29 directed primarily toward encouraging and facilitating
30 involvement of volunteer groups in litter cleanup work,
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1 assigning each group to a specific river or stream segment.
2 Volunteer groups may include individuals, civic groups and
3 businesses.
4 Section 5. Agreements.
5 An agreement entered into between the department and a
6 volunteer group under section 4 shall include, but is not
7 limited to, the following criteria:
8 (1) The volunteer group may request a specific segment
9 of the river or stream it wishes to adopt, but the assignment
10 shall be at the discretion of the department. In assigning
11 sections of a river, the department shall coordinate and
12 cooperate with affected Federal, State and local management
13 agencies and private landowners. The department may require
14 the volunteer groups to notify or obtain written permission
15 to perform cleanup activities from landowners immediately
16 abutting the waterways.
17 (2) The group shall remove litter along the designated
18 river or stream segment at least twice each year or as funds
19 permit and in a manner that is safe and appropriate for
20 members of the volunteer group.
21 (3) The group shall agree to abide by all rules related
22 to the program that are adopted by the department.
23 (4) The volunteer group shall contract to care for the
24 designated river or stream segment for at least two years.
25 Section 6. Department responsibilities.
26 (a) Distribution.--The department shall ensure a wide and
27 diverse distribution of the funds, materials and information to
28 a variety of projects throughout this Commonwealth.
29 (b) Assistance.--The department shall provide trash bags,
30 safety information and assistance to the participating volunteer
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1 groups.
2 (c) Large and heavy items.--The department shall be
3 responsible for facilitating contracts for the removal of large
4 or heavy items from a river or stream segment as deemed
5 necessary and feasible by the department. The department may
6 also use funds for tipping fees and disposal costs involved with
7 the removal of trash and debris.
8 (d) Private contributions.--The department shall encourage
9 private contributions to the program to aid in implementing the
10 program to the fullest possible extent.
11 Section 7. Volunteer recognition.
12 The department shall create a recognition program to
13 acknowledge the efforts of volunteer groups, agencies and
14 businesses that participate in the program which may include
15 appropriate signage in areas of high visibility which does not
16 detract from the natural beauty of the stream.
17 Section 8. Reporting requirement.
18 The department shall report annually to the General Assembly
19 on the implementation and progress of the program established by
20 this act.
21 Section 9. Regulations.
22 The department may adopt the regulations necessary for
23 implementation of the program.
24 Section 10. Appropriation.
25 The sum of $1,000,000, or as much thereof as may be
26 necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Department of
27 Conservation and Natural Resources for the fiscal year July 1,
28 2004, to June 30, 2005, to carry out the provisions of this act.
29 Section 11. Effective date.
30 This act shall take effect in 120 days.
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