August 28, 2007
Dear Representative,
On behalf of PennEnvironment’s citizen members, I am writing to ask you to become an original cosponsor legislation introduced by Rep. Lisa Bennington (HB 1839) that will create a statewide Bottle Bill in Pennsylvania. You should have received a co-sponsorship memo from Rep. Bennington on this subject last week.
Under this proposal, uncollected deposits from bottles and cans that are purchased in the Commonwealth would be directed to fund the reauthorization of Pennsylvania’s Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund.
Since the first Bottle Bill was passed in Oregon in 1971, the programs have been shown to be an effective way to divert trash away from landfills and incinerators. Currently, 1 in 4 Americans live in states that have enacted Bottle Bill legislation to promote recycling, reduce landfill trash and limit litter in their communities.
Pennsylvania would garner an additional benefit from the passage of this legislation—a dedicated and sustainable funding source for the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund (HSCA). Currently, 37 counties in Pennsylvania are home to abandoned industrial waste sites that scar our landscape, pollute our environment and drag down our local economies. With the passage of Rep. Bennington’s legislation, we will be able to continue to address the cleanup of these toxic sites and guarantee that the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund will not run out of money in the near future.
This legislation has broad support across the Commonwealth. Already, this proposal has gained the endorsement of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, as well as many of the state’s largest environmental groups. For these reasons, I hope that you will support this important legislation.
Thank you in advance for your consideration. As always, do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you have on this or other environmental issues. I look forward to continuing our work together to protect Pennsylvania’s environment.
Sincerely,
David Masur, PennEnvironment Director
