HARRISBURG – In the wake of major flood damage caused by Tropical Storm Debby, Rep. Clint Owlett of Tioga & Bradford Counties introduced two measures aimed at boosting the funding and freedom necessary to better maintain creeks and streams to reduce flood risk. House Bill 2602 would require the Department of Environmental Protection to expand the work area associated with emergency permits for stream clearing activities awarded to a governmental entity or a municipality. Under current law, permits only allow for clearing out the area 50 feet around a bridge. If a larger area needs clearing, as often happens, the work must stop and crews wait for extended DEP approval, which sometimes never comes. It would change the emergency permit to allow for work within 250 feet of a bridge. House Bill 2603 addresses the limited funding for stream clearing work by requiring any lease and royalty payments made to the state for oil and gas production under stream beds outside of state forests to be placed in accounts that may be used only for maintenance of creeks and streams.
REP. CLINT OWLETT