Supporters of the state’s Growing Greener initiative came together last Thursday night to learn more about the status of the endangered environmental program, which has invested hundreds of millions of dollars statewide to protect drinking water, keep air clean and preserve working farms and green open spaces.

“Growing Greener has helped support thousands of projects to protect our environment across the state and right here in Montgomery County,” said Andrew Heath, executive director of the Renew Growing Greener Coalition. “The program has a tremendous legacy of success, and we hope to continue that legacy for our children and grandchildren.”

Heath was joined by Patricia Elkis, associate director of comprehensive planning for the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, and Beth Pilling of the Montgomery County Planning Commission.  The forum took place at the Upper Dublin Township building and was co-sponsored by Montgomery County Lands Trust and the GreenSpace Alliance.

“The Growing Greener program has enabled Montgomery County to leverage significant dollars to help protect our environment and preserve our open spaces,” said Dulcie Flaherty, Montgomery Lands Trust executive director. “Without Growing Greener funding, along with funding from other generous partners, our county could never afford to do these projects, which have helped reduce flooding, improve streamwater quality, and enhance parks and trails that attract thousands of users every year.”

Specific projects include:

• Preservation of the 450-acre Erdenheim Farm in Whitemarsh Township, one of the few remaining large farm tracts in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

• Expansion of the Sandy Run wetlands along Bethlehem Pike in Fort Washington to help control flooding and reduce pollution into the Wissahickon Creek.

• Restoration of fish populations in the main stem of Pennypack Creek in Abington.

• Installation of a solar system in the Jenkintown School District to power several schools, reduce costs and educate students about renewable energy.

• Creation of a green roof on the county-owned parking garage in downtown Norristown to decrease stormwater runoff and sewer overflows.  

In addition, a recent study by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and the GreenSpace Alliance showed that investments in preserved open space generate significant economic benefits.
 
“Our preserved open spaces are economic powerhouses, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in savings and benefits annually for Southeastern Pennsylvania,” said Elkis. “Growing Greener provides supporting resources to conserve these open spaces, but after a decade of success, the funding sources for Growing Greener are nearly gone.”
 
Forum attendees also participated in an open space success story video project. Each participant had 90 seconds to share what Growing Greener has done for their community or what a future Growing Greener project will do.

Growing Greener was established in 1999 under Governor Tom Ridge and later expanded by governors Schweiker and Rendell. Since its establishment, Growing Greener has preserved more than 33,700 acres of Pennsylvania’s family farmland, conserved more than 42,300 acres of threatened open space, added 26,000 acres to state parks and forests, and restored over 16,000 acres of abandoned mine lands.  
 
In 2002, a dedicated source of revenue for Growing Greener was identified in an increase in the state’s “tipping fee,” the fee charged for dumping trash in Pennsylvania’s landfills.  Those funds were supplemented by a $625 million bond approved by voters in 2005, called Growing Greener II. Unless action is taken, those funds will be largely exhausted as of June 30, with most of the Growing Greener I tipping fees going to the debt service on the Growing Greener II bonds.

To date, more than 150 organizations and groups have announced their support for renewing Growing Greener.  In addition, at least 60 Pennsylvania municipalities and counties have passed resolutions urging the Governor and legislature to renew Growing Greener funding.