published monthly environmental...

A Legislative Service Agency of the Pennsylvania General Assembly

The Chairman’s CornerSen. Scott E. Hutchinson, Chairman

(continued on page 8)

August 2014Vol. 15, No. 8

Published Monthly

CJC

oint LegislativeAir and WaterPollution Control and

onservation

ommittee

In This Issue…The Chairman’s Corner ......................... p. 1Notes From the Director ....................... p. 2Research Briefs ................................. p. 3-6

The World’s Energy Outlook for 2040

Concerns over Freshwater Availability

A Profile of Older Americans

Nuisance Flooding on the Rise

On the Horizon ..................................... p. 7

ENVIRONMENTAL SYNOPSIS

At first glance, it may remind you of a scene from the popular TV series, The Walking Dead. A dark and ominous tunnel, overgrown with weeds,

looming in the distance. The long stretch of highway and tunnel appear to be completely abandoned, yet remarkably intact, as if one day all humankind had suddenly vanished. The entrance to the tunnel is lined with graffiti and, through the darkness, you can just barely make out daylight on the other side of the abyss.

While it may sound like I am describing a journey through a post-apocalyptic world, this bizarre and fascinat-

ing sight is found right here in our own backyard. Known as the “Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike,” this popular roadside oddity is the subject of renewed interest as local organizations are looking to turn this forgotten stretch of highway into an outdoor recreation hotspot.

The Aban-doned Turnpike is a retired sec-tion of highway in Bedford and Fulton Coun-ties that was part of the original Penn-sylvania Turn-pike built dur-ing the 1940s. The original turnpike fol-lowed much of

the same route as the old South Pennsylvania Railroad, including several of the existing railroad tunnels through the Southern Allegheny Mountains. As use of the new superhighway gradually increased, traffic congestion through the tunnels became problematic, as they only allowed for one lane of traffic in each direction, creating a bottleneck of traveling motorists.

Finally, in 1968, after conducting several studies, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commis-sion (PTC) decided to bypass a portion of the existing roadway and two of the original tunnels, Rays Hill and Sideling Hill, in favor of larger, less restrictive structures. The bypass left a 13-mile stretch of highway, the two tunnels and even a roadside service plaza without a clear purpose.

ENVIRONMENTAL SYNOPSIS / AUGUST 2014 / P. 2

NOTES FROM THE DIRECTORTONY M. GUERRIERI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Smokey Bear recently celebrated a big milestone. The national symbol for wildfire prevention turned 70 years old earlier this month, but there are no

plans for him to hang up his shovel and retire any time soon. He still goes to work in his iconic ranger hat and blue jeans and utters only one sentence, but his message is loud and clear – “Only you can prevent wildfires.”

To commemorate his 70th birthday, here are some little-known facts about Smokey Bear:

● Smokey was created in 1944, one of the first cam-paigns of the U.S. Forest Service, the National Associa-tion of State Foresters, and the newly created Ad Council. Smokey’s job was to warn Americans of the dangers of forest fires.

● Smokey Bear first appeared in a poster on August 9, 1944, pouring a bucket of water on a campfire.

● Many people do not know that Smokey was a real bear. In 1950, an orphaned black bear cub was rescued from a fire in a New Mexico forest and became the liv-ing symbol of forest fire prevention. Upon rehabilitation, Smokey lived at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., until his death in 1976.

● The Wall Street Journal included an obituary for the real Smokey Bear on the front page of the paper dated November 11, 1976.

● Smokey Bear was buried in Capitan, New Mexico, at what became the Smokey Bear Historical Park.

● Contrary to popular belief, Smokey Bear is not called “Smokey the Bear.” The incorrect name caught on in 1952 after a song was written about him. The word “the” was inserted between Smokey and Bear to maintain the proper rhythm in the song. His proper name always was, and still is, Smokey Bear.

● Clearly, Smokey is not your average bear. In 1984 the U.S. Postal Service issued a Smokey Bear Commemorative Stamp.

● For 54 years, Smokey said: “Only you can prevent forest fires.” The famous catchphrase was updated in 2001 to address the growing threat of devastating wildfires in suburban and urban areas, and “forest fires” became “wildfires.”

Over the years, Smokey Bear taught the public how to safely manage controlled burns of debris, campfires, and other seemingly simple tasks that could result in the burning of thousands of acres. This, and similar education campaigns, were actually so effective that they eventually started to do more harm than good. The growth in educa-tion among the public, joined with enhanced methods of firefighting, started disrupting the natural fire cycle of the forests in the United States.

After decades of doing everything they could to prevent and suppress fires, forest managers have begun to change their philosophy. Dousing every wildfire, they realized, was simply encouraging the buildup of combusti-ble fuels that has led to massive fires across the West in re-cent years. Extinguishing all fires as soon as possible has inadvertently allowed trees, needles, pine cones, grasses and scrub to pile up like kindling.

As forest managers have retreated from the “Smokey Bear” philosophy that all fire is the sworn enemy, they increasingly have turned to small, controlled fires (also known as prescribed burns) to thin dense vegetation on public lands.

The fires, deliberately set under specific conditions, are intended to clear undergrowth that could spark major wildfires and also to restore the natural role of fire in forest ecosystems by recycling nutrients and promoting the re-production of some species. Prescribed burns are carefully planned. Fire managers take into account wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, wildlife habitats, and air quality conditions before deciding to conduct a burn.

______________________________________________The Joint Conservation Committee’s Forestry

Task Force was instrumental in developing controlled burning legislation like the Prescribed

Burning Practices Act ______________________________________________

In 2007 and 2008, Joint Legislative Conservation Committee staff met with various stakeholders to assess current challenges of controlled burns and discuss the future of prescribed fire in Pennsylvania. The fire laws of the Commonwealth were enacted over 80 years ago. While these laws are fundamentally strong, several sec-tions needed to be updated to address the issue of using prescribed fire as a land management tool.

On July 14, 2009, the Prescribed Burning Practices Act, Act 17 of 2009 was signed into law. It defines practices for prescribed burning as a habitat and land management tool in Pennsylvania. The Act is the product of collaborative research, discussion and hands-on experience involving a number of well-respected and knowledgeable parties, and represents a consensus of diverse opinions. Much of the research into the use of prescribed burning can be traced to the study done by the Committee’s Forestry Task Force and its December 2007 report, which recommended devel-opment of legislation like the Prescribed Burning Practices Act.

You can find copies of Act 17 of 2009 on the General Assembly’s website, or by contacting the Committee of-fice.


Each month, the committee’s staff researches and prepares a number of “briefs” on several topics relevant to the Joint Conservation

Committee’s mission. Very often, these briefs include references to reports

and further research on the topics so that readers may pursue issues on their own.

Please Note: The information and opinions expressed in the Research Brief articles do not necessarily represent the opinions or positions of the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee, nor those of the

Pennsylvania General Assembly.

RESEARCH BRIEFS

Fossil Fuels Continue to Dominate World Energy Supply- Tony M. Guerrieri, Executive Director

The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) report, International Energy Outlook 2013, projects that renewable energy and nuclear

power will each increase 2.5 percent annually through 2040, but fossil fuels will continue to supply almost 80 percent of world’s energy use during the same time period.

According to the report, global energy consumption is expected to rise 56 percent between 2010 and 2040, mostly in developing countries where strong economic growth is driving energy demand. World energy con-sumption will rise from 524 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2010 to 630 quadrillion Btu in 2020 and to 820 quadrillion Btu in 2040. Energy use in countries outside the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will grow 90 percent, while in OECD countries, growth will increase a modest 17 percent.

World net electricity generation is forecast to in-crease by 93 percent in the EIA’s reference case, from 20.2 trillion kilowatt-hour (kWh) in 2010 to 39.0 trillion kWh in 2040. Total net electricity generation in non-OECD countries increases by an average of 3.1 percent per year in the reference case, led by non-OECD Asia (including China and India), where annual increases average 3.6 percent from 2010 to 2040. In contrast, total net generation in the OECD nations grows by an average of 1.1 percent per year from 2010 to 2040.

The reference case projects increases in world consumption of marketed energy from all fuel sources through 2040. World coal consumption is forecast to rise about 1.3 percent per year through 2040, reflecting significant increases in China, India, and other non-OECD countries. However, the report notes that due to environmentally driven policies, “coal’s share of world energy consumption stops growing in the next decade and gradually declines after 2025” – particularly in the power generation sector.

For example, the coal-fired share of world electricity generation is predicted to decline from 40 percent in 2010 to 36 percent in 2040, while the renewables share

will increase from 21 percent to 25 percent. The natu-ral gas share will rise from 22 percent to 24 percent, and the nuclear share from 13 percent to 14 percent.

The report highlights that natural gas will be the fastest growing fossil fuel over the next three decades as global natural gas consumption increases by 1.7 percent each year, from 113 trillion cubic feet in 2010 to 185 trillion cubic feet in 2040._______________________________________________

According to the EIA report, global energy consumption will increase by 56 percent

between 2010 and 2040, mainly in developing countries where rapid economic

growth is fueling demand _______________________________________________

“Natural gas continues to be the fuel of choice for the electric power and industrial sectors in many of the world’s regions, in part because of its lower carbon intensity compared with coal and oil, which makes it an attractive fuel source in countries where governments are implementing policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” the report says.

“In addition, it is an attractive alternative fuel for new power generation plants because of relatively low capital costs and the favorable heat rates for natural gas generation.” The EIA projects that industrial and electric power sectors together account for 77 percent of the total projected world increase in natural gas consumption.

The report notes that world natural gas trade, both by pipeline and by shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG), is poised to increase. LNG’s share of world natural gas trade will more than double, with most increases in liquefaction capacity occurring in Australia, the U.S., and Canada. A multitude of new liquefaction projects are expected to be developed, many of which will become operational within the next decade. Pipe-line transportation of natural gas will also soar, and the report predicts several new long-distance pipelines and the expansion of existing infrastructure through 2040.

At the same time, almost 80 percent of the project-ed increase in renewable electricity generation is fueled by hydropower and wind power. Most of the growth in hydroelectric generation (82 percent) occurs in the

ENVIRONMENTAL SYNOPSIS /AUGUST 2014 / P. 4

non-OECD countries, and more than half of the growth in wind generation (52 percent) occurs in the OECD countries.

Not surprisingly, nuclear power will also see sig-nificant growth. Electricity generation from nuclear power worldwide increases from 2,620 billion kWh in 2010 to 5,492 billion kWh in 2040 in the EIA’s reference case, as “concerns about energy security and green-house gas emissions support the development of new nuclear generation capacity.” Although Germany and Switzerland had pledged to phase out nuclear power altogether, substantial increases in nuclear generat-ing capacity are projected for several other countries, including 149 gigawatts (GW) in China, 47 GW in India, 31 GW in Russia, and 27 GW in South Korea.

The report notes that, given the lack of regulations limiting fossil fuel consumption in developing coun-tries, worldwide energy-related carbon dioxide emis-sions will rise from about 31 billion metric tons in 2010 to 36 billion metric tons in 2020 and then to 45 billion metric tons in 2040, a 46 percent increase.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s re-port, International Energy Outlook 2013, is available at: http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/ieo/.

GAO Report Highlights Freshwater Concerns - Michael J. Nerozzi, Communications Specialist

In light of California’s ongoing, historic drought, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) was recently tasked with providing Congress an

overview of the nation’s freshwater resources, as well as steps state and federal government have taken to ensure an adequate supply of freshwater in the future.

The study was an update to a 2003 report issued by the GAO, and came at the request of several members of Congress who were interested to see if freshwa-ter management had changed over the last decade. The original report projected significant challenges to freshwater availability in the near future, and unfortu-nately, the updated study found those concerns largely remain. In many instances, the concerns are even elevated.

While over 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, the amount of water that is readily available for use by humans and our ecosystems is far less plentiful, comprising only one percent of the total water supply. In the wake of California’s three-year drought and another severe drought in the Great Plains region, it is evident that there are multiple, competing demands for this scare resource.

Here in the U.S., the federal government has a limited role in freshwater resource management. Most of the responsibility is entrusted to the individual states, who manage their own freshwater conserva-tion programs. The federal government is responsible,

however, for implementing federal laws related to water quality and water rights, and administering a few targeted data collection and storage programs through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The original 2003 GAO report surveyed state water managers, experts and scientific literature and pro-jected that many states would be facing shortages of freshwater within the following decade. The original report also found that increased federal water data collection and more involvement with state managers would better prepare states for meeting increasing freshwater demands. _______________________________________________Forty out of the fifty state water managers expect that at least a portion of their state will face freshwater shortages within the

next decade _______________________________________________

The updated report, issued in May of this year, broadens the scope of analysis by examining the avail-ability and use of freshwater, expectations for availabil-ity in the future, steps states have taken to better man-age freshwater, and actions the federal government has taken or could take to support state efforts.

In general, the report found that many of the key issues related to freshwater availability, such as popula-tion growth and trends in usage, have largely remained the same since 2003. There are new issues, however, such as climate change and the impact of energy development on water quality, that have come to the forefront since the original report was issued.

According to the report, the freshwater shortages that were previously identified are projected to con-tinue well into the next decade. Forty out of the fifty state water managers polled in the study expect that at least some portion of their state will face a freshwater shortage, under average conditions, within the next 10 years. Other factors could further complicate the state water manager’s planning efforts, such as economic growth and land use activity.

Since the original report was issued, several states have recognized the seriousness of the issue and implemented programs to better manage freshwater availability. Some of these efforts include mitigating severe weather events, like developing drought and climate change management plans. Others include assessments of freshwater resources, developing con-servation plans and creating water management tools.

The federal government has taken significant steps to empower state water management in the last de-cade. The updated report cites the USGS National Wa-ter Census, which studied water availability across the nation. Additionally, the multi-agency National Drought Resiliency Partnership helps communities minimize the impact of droughts on households and businesses. The report suggested the federal government continue


these efforts, but also increase collaboration among agencies and states to better manage freshwater re-sources in the future.

You can view the entire report, Freshwater: Sup-ply Concerns Continue, and Uncertainties Complicate Planning, on the GAO’s website at http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/663343.pdf.

New Census Data Offers Insights on the 65+ Demographic- Tony M. Guerrieri, Executive Director

The nation’s population is aging. This is hap-pening at a time when the rate and scale of environmental change is overwhelming, raising

concerns over the consequences for society. A report by the U.S. Census Bureau (Bureau) offers

a comprehensive look at the nation’s population aged 65 and older. Among the most significant public health challenges facing this aging population are long-term exposure to toxic pollutants in air, water and food, as well as severe natural events, such as heat waves, flooding and storms.

The report, 65+ in the United States: 2010, con-tains many findings about the 65-and-older population on topics such as: size and growth; longevity; health; socio-economic characteristics; and geographic distri-bution. It also makes projections for 2030 and beyond, when all members of the Baby Boomer generation – those born between 1946 and 1964 – will have passed their 65th birthdays.

In 2010, 40 million people aged 65 and over lived in the United States, 12 times the number in 1900. That number is expected to double, reaching 83.7 million – one-fifth of the entire U.S. population – by 2050. The percentage of the population aged 65 and over among the total population increased from 4.1 percent in 1900 to 13 percent in 2010 and is projected to reach 20.9 percent by 2050.

There has been a real explosion in what the Bureau calls the “Oldest Old,” or those over 85 years of age. They accounted for 1.8 percent (5.5 million) of the total population counted in the 2010 Census, nine times their share in 1900. They also account now for 13.6 percent of the over-65 population, tripling the 1900 ratio.

The number of Americans 90 and older, now 1.78 million, is expected to quadruple by 2050. That is an important number because, as the report notes, those citizens are more likely to live in nursing homes and to have a disability than those aged 85 to 89 or those of other, younger age groups within the 65-and-over population.

In 2010, 11 states had more than 1 million people aged 65 and older, with California topping the list at 4.2 million. The other ten states, in order of descending

population size, were Florida (3.2 million), New York (2.6 million), Texas (2.6 million), Pennsylvania (1.9 mil-lion), Ohio (1.6 million), Illinois (1.6 million), Michigan (1.3 million), North Carolina (1.2 million), New Jersey (1.1 million), and Georgia (1 million).

The proportion of the population 65 and over varies by state. This proportion is partly affected by the state birth and mortality rates and partly by the number of older and younger people who migrate to, and from, the state. In 2010, Florida had the highest proportion of people age 65 and over (17 percent). Maine (15.9 percent), Pennsylvania (15.4 percent), and West Virginia (16 percent) also had high proportions.

According to the report, Florida and Pennsylvania are notable for ranking among the top five in both the overall size of their older populations as well as the per-centage of older people in the total population.

Between the prior census in 2000 and 2010, the percentage of the older population using the Internet rose from 14.3 percent to 44.8 percent. While lower than the 75.8 percent of Americans age 3 to 64 who reported using the Internet, the Bureau notes that the 31 percentage-point gap in Internet usage between the older population and the younger population in 2010 was smaller than in any year of the previous decade. Of Internet users age 65 and older, 89 percent said they used it for email, 62 percent read news online, and 40 percent did their banking online._______________________________________________

Among the significant public health concerns facing our aging population are

toxic pollutants in the air, water and food, as well as severe natural events such as heat

waves, flooding and storms _______________________________________________

At 26.5 percent, heart disease remained the leading cause of death for those over 65 in the 2010 Census, though that was down considerably from the 33 per-cent of deaths caused by heart disease in 2000. Can-cer remained the second leading cause of death (22.1 percent in 2010; 21.8 percent in 2000), followed by chronic lower respiratory disease, stroke and Alzheim-er’s, which at 4.6 percent, was up significantly from 2000, when it was the seventh-largest cause of death for those over 65.

Despite health concerns, the report shows medical conditions are not keeping seniors out of the work-force. They were the only U.S. age group that had actually increased employment numbers during the recession, and the only group whose home ownership rates did not decline. They were also the only segment of the population that had a higher voter turnout in 2012 than in 2008.

Other important numbers highlighted in the report:92 percent – the percentage of people 65 and older

who had at least one chronic medical condition, such as high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease, lung


disease or diabetes. The report notes the prevalence of these conditions increased from 1998 to 2008.

$83,585 – The average yearly cost of a private room in a nursing home in 2010. That is $229 per day. Less than one-fifth of older people have the personal finan-cial resources to live in a nursing home for more than three years and almost two-thirds cannot afford even one year.

The report draws on data from the 2010 census and other nationally representative surveys, such as the Current Population Survey, The American Community Survey, and the National Health Interview Survey; the national vital statistics system; and recent population projections for the United States.

The report was funded by the National Institute of Aging (part of the National Institute of Health). The U.S. Census Bureau report, 65+ in the United States: 2010, is available for download at: http://1.usa.gov/V34jwf.

Nuisance Flooding Climbed 650 Percent in Philadelphia- Tony M. Guerrieri, Executive Director

Minor flooding has always been a problem for cities along the coasts, but is it becom-ing a more frequent problem? According

to a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), rising sea levels resulting from climate change are leading to a dramatic increase in so-called nuisance flooding.

The report, Sea Level Rise and Nuisance Flood Fre-quency Changes around the United States, compared data from 45 tide-level gauges across the country with reports of flooding from the periods of 1957-1963 and 2007-2013. It found that localized, coastal flooding – which causes such public inconveniences as frequent road closures and overwhelmed storm drains – has increased between 300 and 925 percent on all three U.S. coasts since the 1960s.

The report defines nuisance flooding as a daily rise in water level above a particular area’s minor flooding threshold, a number that is set locally by NOAA’s Na-tional Weather Service._______________________________________________

In Philadelphia, the average number of nuisance flooding days per year increased

from 1.6 during the 1957-63 time period to 12.0 during 2007-13

_______________________________________________

Of the 45 tide gauges that were examined, the frequency of flooding increased at 41 locations. More-over, the report indicates that the rate of the increase was accelerating at 28 of those locations and the larg-est increases were concentrated along the mid-Atlantic coast. Such flooding, which inundates low-lying areas, is one of the more recognizable effects of rising seas, as opposed to less frequent but more extreme storms,

such as hurricanes.In the 1950s, nuisance flooding occurred once

every one to five years, the report found. By 2012, the frequency had increased to about once every three months at most NOAA gauges. According to the report, the primary reason for the increase in flooding is that sea levels have risen by nearly half-a-foot since 1963.

Of the top 10 U.S. cities to experience more nui-sance flooding, eight are on the Atlantic coast. Annap-olis and Baltimore, Maryland, have by far seen the high-est percent increase in nuisance flooding events since the 1960s. In Annapolis, the number of these events has increased 925 percent. From 1957 to 1963, it averaged 3.6 minor flood days a year; now it averages more than 39 a year. Baltimore has seen an increase of 922 percent. The annual number of days with nuisance flooding rose from an average of 1.3 (from 1957 to 1963) to 13.1 (from 2007 to 2013).

Atlantic City, New Jersey, came in at No. 3 on NOAA’s list with 24.6 average nuisance flood days a year between 2007 and 2013, a 682 percent increase from the yearly 3.1 minor flood day average from 1957 to 1963.

The situation is similar in Philadelphia, which was ranked fourth on the list. In the City of Brotherly Love, the average number of nuisance flood days from 1957 to 1963 was 1.6. From 2007 to 2013, that number had increased to 12.0 – an increase of 650 percent. Only two non-East coast cities made the list. Port Isabel, Texas (6th), along the Gulf coast, showed an increase of 547 percent, and nuisance flood days in San Francisco, California (9th), increased 364 percent.

The extent of nuisance flooding depends on mul-tiple factors, including the topography of different locations, as well as amount of existing land cover. The report focused on coastal areas at or below these levels that are especially susceptible to flooding.

The report concludes that any acceleration in rising sea levels that are predicted to occur this century will further intensify nuisance flooding impacts over time, and will further reduce the time between flood events. The report provides critical NOAA environmental data that can help coastal communities assess flooding risk, develop ways to mitigate these threats, adapt to the ef-fects of rising sea levels, and improve coastal resiliency in the face of climate induced changes.

The 66-page National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report, Sea Level Rise and Nuisance Flood Frequency Changes around the United States, is available at: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/sto-ries2014/20140728_nuisanceflooding.html.


A LOOK AT UPCOMING EVENTSON THE HORIZON . . .

ENVIRONMENTAL SYNOPSIS / JUNE 2013 / P. 7

ON THE HORIZON . . . A LOOK AT UPCOMING EVENTS

No events are scheduled at this time.

Check the committee website at http://jcc.legis.state.pa.us for events that may be added to the schedule.

Why Not Switch to “E-Synopsis”You can receive the Environmental Synopsis electronically if you don’t want to wait for the mail to be

delivered or you want to help the committee save paper and reduce mailing costs.

If readers would like to change the method in which they receive the Synopsis from mailed hard copy to an e-mailed version, please contact Geoff MacLaughlin at 717-787-7570, or by e-mail at [email protected] requesting to be removed from the mailing list and added to the e-mail list. Remember to provide your e-mail address.

Don’t forget toVisit Our Website

Learn More athttp://jcc.legis.state.pa.us

To learn more about the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Commit-tee, simply pay a visit to our website.

Website visitors will find infor-mation such as the Environmental Issues Forums schedule; the Envi-ronmental Synopsis monthly news-letter; committee members; current events; committee reports; staff contact information; committee his-tory and mission; and links to other helpful sites.

The website address is http://jcc.legis.state.pa.us. Stop by the web-site often to keep up with committee information and events.

✔ Monday, September 22, 2014, 11 a.m. - Environmental Issues ForumRoom 8E-A, Capitol East Wing, Capitol Complex, Harrisburg PA

The topic of the Environmental Issues Forum will be Pennsylvania’s “Abandoned Turnpike”, a 13-mile stretch of the original PA Turnpike in Bedford and Fulton Counties that was bypassed in 1968 to reduce traffic congestion. The Abandoned Turnpike has been featured in the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and even the popular book series Weird U.S. Currently, a lo-

cal initiative is underway to turn this abandoned stretch of highway and historic tunnels into a scenic, recreational biking trail. The forum will specifically cover the history and folklore associated with this section of the PA Turnpike, an overview of its

current status, and the “Pike2Bike” project. ✔ Monday, October 6, 2014, 12 noon – Environmental Issues Forum

Room 8E-A, Capitol East Wing, Capitol Complex, Harrisburg PAShannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, and Michele Nestor of Nestor Resources will discuss illegal dump

sites in Pennsylvania. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful completed a county-by-county survey of illegal dump sites in 2013, and will be releasing a follow-up report offering specific recommendations for reducing these sites at the Solid Waste Associa-

tion of North America conference in September.

Please call the Committee office at 717-787-7570 if you plan to attend the Environmental Issues Forums. And, check the Committee website at http://jcc.legis.state.pa.us for more details and events that may be added to the

schedule.

Why Not Switch to “E-Synopsis”?You can receive the Environmental Synopsis electronically if you don’t want to wait for the mail to be delivered

or to help the Committee save paper and reduce mailing costs. If readers would like to change the method in which they receive the Synopsis from hard copy to an emailed version, please contact Mike Nerozzi at 717-787-7570, or by email at [email protected] requesting to be removed from the mailing list and added to the email list.

Learn More athttp://jcc.legis.state.pa.us

To learn more about the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conser-vation Committee, simply pay a visit to our website.

Website visitors will find information such as the Environmental Issues Forums schedule; The Environmental Synopsis monthly newsletter; Committee members; current events; Committee reports; staff contact information; Committee history and mission; and links to other helpful sites.

The website address is http://jcc.legis.state.pa.us. Stop by the website often to keep up with Committee information and events.

Don't forget toVisit Our Website


How toContact

The JointConservation Committee

Phone: 717-787-7570 Fax: 717-772-3836

Location: Rm. 408, Finance Bldg.

Internet Website: http://jcc.legis.state.pa.us

Mail: Joint Conservation CommitteePA House of RepresentativesP.O. Box 202254Harrisburg, PA 17120-2254

CJC

oint LegislativeAir and WaterPollution Control and

onservation

ommittee

Printed on Recycled Paper

Despite the retirement, the Abandoned Turnpike has seen some sporadic use over the decades. In the early 1970s, the tunnels were used to test emissions levels from unleaded gasoline. During the 1980s, the PTC used the roadway as a Safety Testing and Research facility (STAR), where they conducted studies on rumble strips and visual reflectivity.

Other uses of the highway have been rather unconventional, to say the least. The U.S. Army Reserve used the roadway to conduct convoy training during the Iraq War. The old Cove Valley service plaza found use as a firing range for the Pennsylva-nia State Police. Fittingly, the highway was even used during the filming of The Road, a 2008 post-apolocyptic drama starring actor Viggo Mortensen.

Visitors have come from all over the state and region to view this distinctive attraction. A quick internet search reveals hundreds of photos and videos taken by inquisitive explorers who are eager to get a first-hand look at this hidden gem. In fact, articles on the highway have been featured in the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and even the popular book series, Weird U.S.

Recognizing its recreational potential, the PTC sold a large portion of the property to a local non-profit organization back in the early 2000s. A coalition was formed shortly thereafter to turn the roadway and tunnels into a recreational bike path. Al-though funding challenges have existed over the years, a 2013 study by the Bedford and Fulton County Commissioners demonstrated the positive economic impact a “Pike2Bike” trail could bring to the local community.

_________________________________________________________________________Articles on the “Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike” have been

featured in the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and even the popular book series, Weird U.S.

_________________________________________________________________________

The economic impact study focused on three development scenarios for the Pike2Bike trail. The first scenario represented a “safety-first” approach by focusing solely on public access and safety, while the other two approaches include more amenities and trail features such as restrooms, additional trailheads and even a mu-seum. The report estimated how much investment each of these scenarios would require and how development would impact the economy in surrounding commu-nities in terms of employment, visitor spending, tax revenue and overall economic output.

The study found that the public is largely supportive of the project. Over 80 per-cent of residents in Bedford and Fulton Counties support the Pike2Bike trail. Addi-tionally, 76 percent of survey participants believe that the Pike2Bike initiative will posi-tively impact the local economy, and the study’s findings largely echo that sentiment.

The trail will require a substantial investment – $3.85 to $6.87 million depending on the development scenario – however, the impact on the local economy could be significant. Even at the minimal level of development, the study estimated a $5.1 million impact on the economy and 56 new jobs in construction and ongoing sup-port. At the maximum level of development, the impact to the economy is estimated at $8.8 million and 143 new jobs. Now that the study is complete, the coalition is looking to secure the funding necessary to make this vision a reality.

If you find the Abandoned Turnpike to be as fascinating as I do, you may want to attend our first Environmental Issues Forum of the fall legislative session. Represen-tatives from the PTC will be on hand to discuss the history and folklore associated with this retired stretch of highway, and several members of the Pike2Bike initiative will talk in detail about the plans for development.

For more details regarding our upcoming Environmental Issues Forums, check out our Committee website at http://jcc.legis.state.pa.us.

published monthly environmental...

Documents