Washington, DC - Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski (PA-11) and several legislators from Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania gathered in Harrisburg last week at a meeting convened by Representative Phyllis Mundy to discuss how state resources may be used to support the federal American Heritage River initiative to restore the environment and the economy of the Upper Susquehanna- Lackawanna Watershed.

Congressman Kanjorski said, "I appreciate the willingness of these legislators to take the time to meet to discuss how we can maximize the value of this prestigious designation. As I have said before, the value of the American Heritage River designation will be determined by what we as a community make of it. Given that state governments are responsible for managing many federal environmental clean-up programs, I hope that the unprecedented federal commitment to improving our watershed will be matched by an equal commitment from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This meeting with the state legislators is an important step in making that happen." Congressman Kanjorski specifically thanked Representative Phyllis Mundy for putting the meeting together.

State Representative Phyllis Mundy said, "As Chair of the Northeast Delegation and a member of the Luzerne County Delegation, I look forward to working with Congressman Kanjorski on this important initiative to help clean up the Susquehanna River and fund conservation and economic development projects in the watershed. I appreciate that he came to Harrisburg to discuss how we can work together to ensure that Northeastern Pennsylvania gets its fair share of state and federal funding. I also would like to thank the Congressman for addressing a priority concern of the Northeast Delegation and introducing federal legislation to help reduce the flow of out-of-state trash into the region."

Also attending the meeting were State Representatives Todd Eachus (Luzerne County), John Yudichak (Luzerne County), Kevin Blaum (Luzerne County), Thomas M. Tigue (Luzerne & Monroe counties), Keith McCall (Carbon & Luzerne counties), Edward G. Staback (Lackawanna & Wayne counties), Joseph W. Battisto (Monroe County), John Gordner (Columbia County), Edward J. Lucyk (Schuylkill County), Thomas R. Caltagirone (Berks County), and staff members of State Senator Raphael J. Musto (Luzerne County) and State Representative Robert E. Belfanti Jr. (Columbia, Montour, & Northumberland counties). Many members of the Upper Susquehanna-Lackawanna Watershed Steering Committee were also in attendance: Northumberland County Commissioner Allen Cwalina, Columbia County Commissioner Frederick Trump, Montour County Commissioner Tom Herman, Howard Grossman of the Economic Development Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Bernard McGurl of the Lackawanna River Corridor Association, Robert Hughes of the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition of Abandoned Mines, Rob Krehely of the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority, Allan Sachs of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Tom Ruskey (representing Steve Barrouk of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Area Chamber of Commerce), and Luzerne County Planning Director Adrian Meroli (representing Luzerne County Commissioner Thomas Makowski). Karen Hobbs, a member of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, spoke at the meeting. This meeting was related to the Steering Committee's ongoing effort to compile a "Work Plan" of potential projects to be completed as part of the American Heritage River program.

The American Heritage Rivers initiative is a comprehensive effort to assist and promote rivers that have important cultural, historical, economic, and environmental value and needs. Congressman Kanjorski and the Economic Development Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania drafted the application of the Upper Susquehanna-Lackawanna Watershed to become an American Heritage River in 1997. President Clinton named the Upper Susquehanna-Lackawanna Watershed as one of the nation's fourteen American Heritage Rivers on July 30, 1998. On February 17, 1999, Congressman Kanjorski announced the appropriation of the first $1 million of federal funds for the Upper Susquehanna-Lackawanna Watershed clean-up.