PRINTER'S NO. 1958
No. 224 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY RHOADES, BRIGHTBILL, MADIGAN, MUSTO, GREENLEAF, KUKOVICH, THOMPSON, LAVALLE, TOMLINSON, WAGNER, DENT, KITCHEN, MURPHY, SCHWARTZ, CONTI, BODACK, TARTAGLIONE, C. WILLIAMS, D. WHITE, STACK, GERLACH, BOSCOLA, ERICKSON, LEMMOND, WENGER, HUGHES, EARLL, STOUT, COSTA, O'PAKE, LOGAN, MELLOW, PUNT, ORIE, ARMSTRONG AND MOWERY, APRIL 29, 2002
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, APRIL 29, 2002
A RESOLUTION 1 Designating May 2002 and every month of May thereafter as 2 "Watershed Awareness Month" in 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; 12 and 13 WHEREAS, There are eight distinct river basins in 14 Pennsylvania, including Lake Erie, Ohio River, Genesee River 15 (Lake Ontario), Susquehanna River, Delaware River, Potomac 16 River, Elk River and Northeast/Gunpowder Rivers; and
1 WHEREAS, There are 104 watersheds, the basic building blocks 2 of the natural environment, in this Commonwealth; and 3 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth invests enormous resources to 4 restore and protect water, including remediating drainage from 5 thousands of abandoned coal mines which contaminates more than 6 3,000 miles of streams and associated groundwaters and is the 7 most extensive problem affecting Commonwealth water resources; 8 and 9 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth is committed to a watershed 10 approach to resource management where concerned community 11 members come together as watershed guardians to address and 12 resolve problems; and 13 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth empowers and assists local 14 watershed organizations working in partnership as watershed 15 guardians to help resolve or remediate current water quality and 16 water quantity problems within watershed boundaries; and 17 WHEREAS, This watershed approach to environmental protection 18 leads to cleaner rivers and streams, safer drinking water and 19 greater protection of aquatic wildlife habitats; and 20 WHEREAS, There are more than 250 active watershed groups in 21 this Commonwealth, and new watershed groups are forming 22 continuously; and 23 WHEREAS, Educational forums connecting adults and children to 24 their watersheds, including the land, water and people, 25 ultimately provide long-term protection for these important and 26 valuable water resources; and 27 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth recognizes and celebrates the 28 efforts of hardworking volunteers within watershed groups who 29 improve their communities today and for future generations; 30 therefore be it 20020S0224R1958 - 2 -
1 RESOLVED, That the Senate of Pennsylvania designate May 2002 2 and every month of May thereafter as "Watershed Awareness Month" 3 in Pennsylvania; and be it further 4 RESOLVED, That the theme "The Watershed Connection: Land, 5 Water and You!" guide the many volunteer community 6 organizations, educators and other groups that conduct watershed 7 education and awareness activities throughout the month. C25L82SFL/20020S0224R1958 - 3 -