1967

Project 500 bond issue approved providing $500 million to be used for sewage treatment plan construction, elimination of acid mine drainage and strip mine reclamation. (Act 442)

The Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee is created to conduct studies on the effectiveness of Project 500 and to evaluate air and water pollution laws and their enforcement as needed. The committee includes members from both the Senate and House. (Act 448)

Gov. Shaffer signs an agreement with New York and New Jersey to form the Mid-Atlantic States Air Pollution Control Commission.

Clean Air Council was established to educate the public about the dangers of air pollution and to take action to reduce air pollution.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation was established to educate the public about deteriorating conditions in the Chesapeake Bay.

Brandywine Conservancy, Inc. established to protect historic and natural resources through municipal land use planning

PENNSYLVANIA CONSTITUTION

 

Section 16. Land and Water Conservation and Reclamation Fund

In addition to the purposed stated in Article VIII, section seven of this Constitution, the Commonwealth may be authorized by law to create a debt and issue bonds in the amount of $500,000,000 for a Land and Water Conservation and reclamation Fund to be used for the conservation and reclamation of land and water resources of the Commonwealth, including the elimination of acid mine drainage, sewage, and other pollution from the streams of the Commonwealth, the provision of State financial assistance to political subdivisions and municipal authorities of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the construction of sewage treatment plants, the restoration of abandoned strip-mined areas, the control and extinguishment of surface and underground mine fires, the alleviation and prevention of subsidence resulting from mining operations, and the acquisition of additional lands and the reclamation and development of part and recreational lands acquired pursuant to the authority of Article VII, section 15 of this Constitution, subject to such conditions and liabilities as the General Assembly may prescribe.