Bucks County Members Say "No" To Irresponsible Flood Clean-Up

State Reps. Tina Davis, John Galloway and Steve Santarsiero, all D-Bucks, said they voted against a bill this week that would remove the permit requirement for municipalities performing flood clean-up.

House Bill 2359 would allow local municipalities and individual landowners to remove flood-related hazards and debris from streams without first obtaining permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

"My colleagues and I all represent and live in communities along and downstream of flood-prone waterways," Davis said. "This bill is simply irresponsible in removing the oversight of DEP. Under this provision, our communities will be subject to even more damaging flooding as residents remove debris and send flood waters downstream.

"All of our communities already suffer from major flooding problems. The consequences from this bill could even affect the embankments, how the water flows and the rate of the flow," Davis said.

"We should not be surprised that, once again, bills are being passed to weaken environmental protections. This administration has made it clear that convenience, profit and de-regulation trump all else in our Commonwealth," Galloway said.

The legislation directs the state’s Environmental Quality Board to establish a process for the removal of flood-related hazards or related stream clearing activities by people owning an adjacent property or by the local municipality. The guidelines would require that DEP be notified prior to the removal of debris, but would not require permits or professional engineering services.

Further, in the event of an immediate emergency – as deemed by local, county, or state authorities – the flood-related hazards may be removed prior to notifying DEP.

"While this bill may be intended to be helpful to municipalities, intent and reality are two very different things," Santarsiero said. "It is important to be mindful of how any changes, including debris removal, may impact stream health and aquatic life.”

This bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration.