Jun. 26, 2017
SHREWSBURY - Local residents, representatives from nearby municipalities and golf course superintendents from across the state filled the Shrewsbury Borough Office Building this morning as the House State Government Committee hosted a hearing on allegations of overregulation and overreach by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC).
“Seeing a large number of people travel a significant distance to fill a southern York County borough building on a Monday morning speaks to the gravity of this issue,” said Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York Township), a member of the committee that hosted the hearing. “I knew the impact SRBC’s actions have had on local water bills would draw a large crowd. Today, borough residents found out they are far from alone in their anger.
“To them, the turnout is a comfort. To taxpayers, the reason for it should be a disappointment.”
Testifiers from municipalities in Adams, Cumberland and Lancaster counties joined Richard “Buck” Buchanan, president of Shrewsbury Borough Council, who feels his town of less than 4,000 residents is being unduly penalized.
“I understand the General Assembly is considering severely cutting and maybe eliminating SRBC funding,” Buchanan said. “If that happens, the commission could still survive on its fund balance and excessive fines it imposes. Shrewsbury Township, which is adjacent to us, pays nothing to the commission. The borough of Shrewsbury is cutoff (nearly 28 miles) from the Susquehanna River, yet we ‘contribute’ significantly to its $40 million fund balance. We’re being penalized for having a responsibly managed public water supply.”
The hearing also drew a number of representatives from golf courses, one of which is being charged by the SRBC for water usage from wells that sit on its own property. Actions such as these prompted comments from one testifier whose company specializes in economic development, land use planning and zoning.
“The federal-interstate compact commission that created the SRBC in the 1970s did not intend it to be a regulatory agency,” said Thomas Shepstone of Shepstone Management Company in Honesdale, Wayne County. “Executive Director Andrew Dehoff testified they’ve lost money on reviews they’ve performed. Maybe they’re spending too much time on reviews.”
Dehoff did mention the commission’s recent decision to deepen the municipal discount and not increase fees. This fact was little consolation to Phillips-Hill.
“The damage is already done,” she added. “Shrewsbury Borough was forced to hike water rates three times over seven years to pay for an unnecessary computerized monitoring system. A Lock Haven utility is facing a more than $100,000 bill from the commission for field work already performed by the Department of Environmental Protection.
“The ball is now in the Legislature’s court. We don’t plan to sit still and allow the SRBC to continue to exercise power it doesn’t truly have.”
Representative Kristin Phillips-Hill
93rd Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Scott Little
717.260.6137
slittle@pahousegop.com
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