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FAW chides Thompson on roadless area bills

An environmental group, PennEnvironment, released a report last week that claimed millions of acres of national forest across the country are at risk of development if three congressional measures are signed into law.

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Enviro group, reps at odds on ANF

A Philadelphia-based environmental group is crying foul over measures that, in its estimation, would put the Allegheny National Forest at risk.

Report | PennEnvironment

Trashing Our Treasures: Congressional Assault on the Best of America

National parks, forests and public lands are essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems, safeguarding our waterways, cleaning up the air we breathe, protecting wildlife habitat, and providing opportunities for Americans to connect with the outdoors. This report showcases treasured places across the country at risk of resource exploitation and development if attacks on our public lands are signed into law.

News Release | PennEnvironment

Pennsylvania Budget a Mixed Bag on the Environment

As the dust settled on a sprint-like finish to state budget passage, citizen-based environmental group PennEnvironment judged the outcome as a mixed bag for the Commonwealth’s environment.

Headline

Opinion: TRAIN wreck waits to happen

On Sept. 23, the U.S. House passed legislation that would greatly limit government's ability to curb air pollution.

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Gov. Corbett, Keep Our State Parks Public

Gov. Tom Corbett recently told reporters that our stunning state park system tops his short list of state assets to privatize along with liquor stores and prisons.

Pennsylvania’s state parks are one of the Commonwealth’s greatest resources, and we should value them as such. We should be working to repair, restore, expand and improve these places that make Pennsylvania great—not trying to sell them off to the highest bidder.

News Release | PennEnvironment

PennEnvironment Applauds Executive Order to Protect State Forests

PennEnvironment applauds Governor Ed Rendell for signing an Executive Order today to ban any further leases for Marcellus Shale gas drilling in Pennsylvania’s state forests. While the drilling industry appears to be using its access and influence to run rampant in Harrisburg—most recently convincing the state Senate to hold up a natural gas severance tax—it is reassuring to see Gov. Rendell take such strong steps to protect this valuable resource.
 
Because all Pennsylvanians are the owners and stewards of our state forests, we have an obligation to protect them from encroaching gas drilling and all of the negative environmental impacts that come with it.

News Release | PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Under Threat from Underfunding

A new report released today by PennEnvironment, The Best of America Under Threat from Underfunding, showed that visitorship to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is on the rise. But even as the Water Gap draws more and more visitors, it faces budget cuts in the coming year—leaving it with fewer resources for maintenance, upkeep and stewardship.

Report | PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center

The Best of America Under Threat from Underfunding

America’s national parks are the nation’s most treasured places—where visitors can experience the best of America’s great outdoors, wildlife, history and culture. National parks are becoming increasingly popular. In 2009, overall visitorship was up by 4%, the highest level in nearly a decade.23 Two-thirds of national parks, including parks in nearly every state, saw an increase in visitors in 2009. However, even as more people are visiting parks, operating budgets for the majority of national parks are at risk of being cut. Nearly three-quarters of parks that saw an increase in visitorship last year face a budget cut in the next fiscal year.

News Release | PennEnvironment

While House Majority Fights the Good Fight, Budget Deal Ravages Environmental Programs

As the dust settles in Harrisburg after a contentious 101-day budget fight, one of the state’s largest citizen-based environmental advocacy groups assessed the damage done to Pennsylvania’s conservation programs and the Commonwealth’s environment.

“While steps were taken to make this horrible proposal a bit better, this budget deal does a disservice to Pennsylvania’s environment,” stated PennEnvironment Director David Masur. “That being said, the outcome would have been much worse--downright disastrous--if it wasn’t for the leadership and commitment of the House Democrats to protect the Commonwealth’s environment.”

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