Considering the serious flooding and damage caused by Debby, it is essential that we have the tools we need to do the vital stream clearing and maintenance work necessary to prevent further damage in emergency situations.  Thankfully, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) does have the ability and routinely grants emergency authorizations for entities to do necessary work, particularly in clearing out areas around bridges.
 
Unfortunately, the scope of the approval is not always initially enough for this important work that needs to be finished in a timely fashion.  DEP typically grants emergency permits for clearing out the area 50 feet around a bridge and if PennDOT or a municipality finds that they need to do work in a greater area, they have to stop what they are doing and wait until they can get extended approval from DEP, if this comes at all.
 
My legislation would be a narrow change for this specific situation and would require DEP, when granting an emergency permit for stream clearing activities to a governmental entity like PennDOT or a municipality, to grant approval for work within 250 feet of a bridge.  This would not apply to routine stream maintenance, but only for emergency approvals when there has been a declared declaration of emergency at the county level.
 
Please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation to ensure that our municipalities and state agencies have the tools they need to protect our communities and do this critical work in a timely manner.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 0283: P.L.1375, No.325