In August 2024, severe flooding caused by Tropical Storm Debby affected nearly every county in the region. Towns were evacuated, residents rescued, and there was a loss of life due to the storm. Community members and disaster relief organizations responded quickly, providing aid and supplies to those impacted.
Senator Gene Yaw (R-23) and Representative Clint Owlett (R-68) highlighted the importance of policy changes to help local officials respond more efficiently to such emergencies. They have sponsored legislation over several sessions aimed at improving stream maintenance and giving counties more flexibility in addressing flood-related hazards.
Senate Bill 403 and House Bill 327 would allow local governments to apply for permits that last at least ten years for ongoing stream maintenance within their areas. Senate Bill 404 proposes a program for counties to address stream hazards by granting emergency maintenance permits in consultation with county conservation districts.
Yaw and Owlett said they spoke with residents and emergency responders after the flood. “The overwhelming message was the need to be able to get in the streams to clean them. Right now, doing so requires a permit from Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection, a process that is lengthy, tedious and inefficient.”
They added, “Proper stream maintenance protects people, land and bridges from flood damage. The need is immediate, and our local officials are in the best position to manage and maintain our streams. Eliminating unnecessary bureaucratic barriers and red tape can help prevent more widespread damage and destruction.”
Despite bipartisan approval of Senate Bills 403 and 404 in the Senate for several sessions, all three bills remain pending in the House Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee. The committee plans a hearing on February 9 but has not yet advanced the legislation.
“We encourage residents and landowners who were impacted by flooding to contact Chairman Greg Vitali and your representative to voice your support for the bills. These are valuable and needed changes that allow our local communities to do the work safely and efficiently, protecting lives and livelihoods in the Northern tier and across the commonwealth,” they stated.
Gene Yaw represents Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga, and Union counties as state senator according to his official website. He chairs the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and has also served as vice chairman of other committees. In addition to his legislative work, Yaw has contributed as Lycoming County Solicitor of the Year in 2004 and provided legal counsel for over two decades at Pennsylvania College of Technology while chairing its board since 2013 as noted on his official site. He is also recognized for supporting community activities through coaching youth sports such as Little League Baseball and soccer according to his biography.
Clint Owlett serves Tioga County entirely along with parts of Bradford County as a member of Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives.
For further information or comment about these legislative efforts or community response measures following Tropical Storm Debby’s flooding impact, constituents may contact Elizabeth Weitzel (Yaw) at 717-787-3280 or Patricia Hippler (Owlett) at 717-772-9846.
