A GREEN LANDSLIDE
Posted on Thursday, 19 May 2005 (18:44:30) CDT by admin
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Source: Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future - PennFuture Facts
Pennsylvania added a new page to its conservation history yesterday when voters approved the Growing Greener bond by a healthy majority. As of this writing (with 99 percent of the precincts reporting), 60 percent of the voters said "Yes" to Growing Greener. That is a robust majority by any political calculation, and it shows how deeply Pennsylvanians value their natural heritage .
Governor Rendell and legislators from both parties who supported the bond question were told by the voters, "Good job!" The voters also made it plain to all legislators that they expect them to implement immediately what the voters mandated. The voters want the Commonwealth to spend $625 million to preserve farmland and natural areas, clean up the damage left behind by unregulated coal mining, and restore polluted streams. And they want the details worked out before the legislature takes its summer break.
Growing Greener passed in 46 of the Commonwealth's 67 counties, and a look at the vote is something of a political geography lesson. Voters in Philadelphia's suburban ring counties - Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery - gave Growing Greener an overwhelming 77 percent approval. The "Yes" votes trounced the "No" votes in Delaware and Montgomery counties 79 percent to 21 percent, in Chester County by 76 percent to 24 percent, and in Bucks by 73 percent to 27 percent. Philadelphia's "Yes" vote came in at 75 percent to 25 percent "No."
Southeastern Pennsylvanians, both Republicans and Democrats, are clearly alarmed at the rate that farmland and natural areas are disappearing and concerned over their access to clean water. When given a chance, they overwhelmingly support strong environmental protection policies.
The other area of the state that delivered "Yes" votes in the 70 percent range were mining-scarred Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. A significant amount of Growing Greener will go to restore land ruined by coal mining companies that long ago went out of business, and to clean up streams polluted by acid mine discharges. Here again, the voters were crystal clear in their desire for a better environment that will attract new businesses and jobs.
Voters in Monroe and Pike counties in the Poconos are feeling the pressure of fast growing development and also gave Growing Greener solid support. 73 percent of Monroe's voters said "Yes," as did 65 percent of Pike County's voters. In the Lehigh Valley, another region straining under intense development pressure, Northampton and Lehigh counties came in with "Yes" votes in the mid-60 percent range.
Even many voters in Pennsylvania's conservative "T" - the counties between the metropolitan areas of the east and west plus the northern tier - said "Yes" to Growing Greener. Voters in Blair, Clearfield, Clinton, Fulton, Northumberland, Bradford, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wayne all delivered majorities for Growing Greener. Voters in Centre County, in the heart of the "T" said "Yes" by 66 percent.
In Lancaster County, a majority voted for Growing Greener even as they shot down a library tax, and in Lebanon 53 percent of the voters showed they care about farmland preservation and stream restoration that will be possible with Growing Greener funding.
In the southwest, another area looking for help in cleaning up damage from mining, Fayette and Greene counties both delivered majorities for Growing Greener, and Allegheny County voters favored the bond by 61 percent.
Growing Greener lost by small margins in the northwestern counties of Crawford, Warren, McKean, Venango, Elk, Cameron, and Clarion and in Westmoreland in the southwest. It also lost in a swath starting in Bedford County stretching to the northeast in Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Snyder counties. But the real story even in these counties, where the measure was not expected to do well, was how small the margin against Growing Greener turned out to be.
Pennsylvanians are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work with Growing Greener. Our legislators in the Pennsylvania House and Senate should quickly pass implementing legislation that honors the voters' green mandate
PennFuture Facts is a biweekly publication designed to be a brief, informative and interesting look at a topical environmental and/or economic issue in Pennsylvania. Please visit our website for more information about PennFuture, http://www.pennfuture.org.
PennFuture Facts is available for reprint in newspapers and other publications. Authors are available for print or broadcast interviews. For more information, please contact us at 717-214-7920, or [email protected].
Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future
610 N. 3rd Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
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