Mar. 17, 2016
HARRISBURG – The state House of Representatives last night voted 154-37 to approve
House Bill 1103, legislation authored by Rep. Dave Zimmerman (R- East Earl) that would exempt high tunnel greenhouses from the planning and regulatory requirements of the Storm Water Management Act. Zimmerman is a member of the House Agriculture Committee.
Due to new EPA rules, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued new regulations that required some Pennsylvania townships to impose new ordinances requiring that high tunnel greenhouses constructed within their jurisdictions be subject to storm water planning and engineering requirements. These requirements can cost the nursery or farm constructing the high tunnel thousands of dollars.
“I was recently contacted by a farmer who hired an engineering firm to design storm water drainage for his high tunnel greenhouse and the cost was more than the structure itself,” Zimmerman said. “These large greenhouses extend the growing season for farmers, providing consumers with fresh vegetables long after the normal outdoor season has ended.”
Zimmerman’s legislation would especially help produce growers throughout Pennsylvania as it would waive storm water management plans for high tunnel structures, which are temporary buildings often used to raise plants like tomatoes. Because tomatoes take more nutrients out of the soil then other crops the high tunnels are often moved to new soils from one growing season to the next.
“Some of these high tunnels are uncovered during the winter month, so no storm water issues occur at that time,” Zimmerman said. “The problem is that many municipalities have been requiring engineered storm water systems that often require large earthen berms and stone filter beds to manage storm water runoff. Placing these systems in the middle of farm fields really destroys the integrity of the farmland. Storm water management for many permanent structures makes sense and should be done. However requiring this for high tunnels is clearly an overreach.”
House Bill 1103 now moves to the state Senate for action.
Representative Dave Zimmerman
99th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Charles Lardner
717.260-6443
clardner@pahousegop.com
RepZimmerman.com /
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