Harrisburg Punts on Environmental Protection in the State Budget (Again)

In the final hours of budget negotiations for fiscal year 2017‑18, Pennsylvania lawmakers and the governor agreed to a general appropriations plan that keeps starving the agencies responsible for protecting our air, water and land. The Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources have already endured more than a decade of cuts, leaving them without enough staff or resources to enforce laws or maintain state parks.

Instead of raising sustainable revenue, the budget relies on one-time transfers, borrowing and raids on dedicated environmental funds like the Oil and Gas Lease Fund. By failing to pass a severance tax on natural gas and continuing to strip money from conservation programs, legislators once again punt real solutions. PennFuture calls on residents to demand a real severance tax and adequate funding for DEP and DCNR so they can protect the environment and public health.