Stormwater legislation passes in Pennsylvania State Senate

HARRISBURG, PA, Mar. 27, 2012 -- The Pennsylvania Senate has unanimously passed Senator Ted Erickson's Senate Bill 1261 allowing municipalities to create stormwater authorities.

Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture) praised the action as a wise move forward in giving local governments another tool to address flooding and improve stormwater management through the creation of municipal stormwater authorities.

"Senate Bill 1261 creates an important option for local governments to help manage the costs of complying with new regulatory requirements and address the ongoing problems of flooding and stormwater pollution across Pennsylvania," said Brian Glass, chair of PennFuture's law staff.

"The bill passed by the Senate will allow municipalities to create stormwater authorities, which many municipalities are reluctant to create without express legislative authorization," continued Glass. "Stormwater authorities could provide many municipalities with potential sources of funding for stormwater planning and projects. It will also allow local communities to work with one another to stormwater issues on a watershed basis."

The legislation must now pass in the Pennsylvania House.

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