Mar. 30, 2017
HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania House of Representatives Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) appointed Rep. Parke Wentling (R-Crawford/Erie/Lawrence/Mercer) to the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee for the 2017-18 session of the General Assembly.
“Nearly 50 years ago, former Gov. Raymond Shafer, who was from Crawford County, signed an act that formed the committee,” Wentling said. “Since then, the committee has worked to protect our natural resources in a responsible, bipartisan manner. I am honored to be carrying on this important tradition.”
Wentling has worked to protect natural resources, such as heading an initiative to build osprey nesting boxes, which is helping to restore the osprey population in Mercer County. Osprey are known to construct nests on power lines, which often cause power outages to thousands of residents.
The project – a partnership between First Energy, Friends of Goddard State Park and the Audubon Society – has now grown to include a five-state area. This win-win initiative will help the osprey population thrive while also scaling back power outages caused by the birds.
The committee is tasked with making recommendations to the General Assembly with regard to the stewardship of Pennsylvania’s diverse land, water and air resources. It is governed by an eighteen-member board, comprised of nine legislative members from each party – half from the Senate and half from the House of Representatives.
“We are excited to welcome Rep. Wentling to the committee,” committee Executive Director Tony Guerrieri said. “His passion for conservation issues will certainly be an asset to our endeavors this legislative session and into the future.”
The committee seeks to determine the challenges facing Pennsylvania's natural resources, as well as collaborative solutions; bringing together conservation, industry and government leaders. In recent years, the committee has focused on forestry, electronic waste recycling, state parks, land sewer and water infrastructure, prescribed fires and Pennsylvania's heritage areas program.
For more information about the committee, go to
jcc.legis.state.pa.us.
Representative Parke Wentling
17th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com
RepWentling.com /
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