Harrisburg, PA – On Friday, Pennsylvania’s General Assembly passed, and Governor Tom Wolf signed into law the Commonwealth’s 2022 – 2023 budget, which includes significant funding for environmental conservation and restoration.

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The 2022-2023 budget directs $696 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds to support clean water, conservation initiatives and state parks in Pennsylvania. In addition to clean water infrastructure investments, this funding includes $220 million for a Clean Streams Fund that will fund clean water programs such as a new Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP). The budget also includes $100 million that will support infrastructure, rehabilitation and park creation for Pennsylvania state parks.

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Chesapeake Conservancy President and CEO Joel Dunn applauded the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Governor Tom Wolf for passing the 2022-2023 budget.

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“With the passage of the 2022-2023 budget, Pennsylvania has just shown the rest of the country that investments in environmental conservation and in parks and recreation are fundamentally investments in economic resiliency, they are investments in the health and well-being of current and future generations, and importantly, they benefit everyone regardless of political party. I applaud the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Governor Tom Wolf for their outstanding leadership to work across the aisle and pass this historic budget for Pennsylvania’s environment and its people.”

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Feature Photo by Don Shall