Flooding remains a serious issue in Pennsylvania and causes severe damage to property and infrastructure within our state.  As seen in 2024 with Hurricane Debby, which wreaked havoc in my area, it is essential that our state agencies have the tools needed to do the vital stream clearing and maintenance work necessary to prevent further damage in emergency situations. 
 
Unfortunately, though our state DEP has limited ability to grant emergency permits for stream clearing, these authorizations are limited in the distance and type of work that PennDOT would be able to do, even when PennDOT finds that more work would be necessary.  By contrast, in our neighboring state of New York, just across the border from my district, their department of transportation is allowed to do any stream clearing work that they find to be necessary.  They are authorized to do so by law without being required to obtain any permit or be subject to distance restrictions, particularly when such work is necessary to protect persons or prevent damage to personal or real property.
 
This leads to the unfortunate situation where New York is able to protect their citizens and infrastructure just across our border, while PennDOT has their hands tied and must watch increased destruction happen in our communities which sometimes would have been within their ability to prevent.  We are getting beat by New York when it comes to protecting lives and livelihoods, which is unacceptable and must be addressed.  My legislation would simply provide PennDOT with the same authority as New York provides their department of transportation to engage in stream clearing work that they find to be necessary to protect people, properties, and infrastructure.
 
Please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation to ensure that our state agencies are not hamstrung by senseless bureaucracy as they attempt to protect lives and livelihoods in our communities.