Quarterly Meetings

Bernie Hoffnar statement before CAC Meeting in Indiana (July 06)

I see Growing Greener dollars as an investment to benefit future generations.

This investment is making up for lack of adequate federal and state regulations.

We didn't regulate and didn't hold accountable those people who created the problems that local watershed groups are now trying to correct.

Thank God there are some people with energy who want to work in their local communities to get these G2 funds directed appropriately. To me it's  like you're going to penalize these people because they're working hard. No, no, let's figure out a way to help and encourage them.

Growing Greener is unique. This is how Pa. approaches environmental problems by helping and encouraging groups to clean up problems in their watershed. The state has an obligation to invest in problems that it helped create so that’s why I oppose a required 15% match.

I think that the notion of having a match as one criterion for funding is entirely responsible. You say how much match can you put up if you want to do a half million dollar project and the more you can put up the more favorable we'll look at your project proposal. You've made a commitment to help us - you're making our money go further.

What PA is doing is investing in its own future and investing to make up for problems past regulation at the state and federal helped to create.

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