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WEST PITTSTON — As state and local officials stood on Susquehanna Avenue on Thursday watching the river roll by, they discussed how Gov. Tom Wolf’s Restore Pennsylvania initiative could benefit disaster survivors when the river inflicts damage not covered by federal aid.
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Deputy Director for Preparedness Steve Bekanich, former Luzerne County Emergency Management Director and a resident of Plymouth, was joined by Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri, state Sen. John Yudichak, county EMA officials, West Pittston Mayor Thomas Blaskiewicz and others to offer their support for the governor’s plan.
“Communities, like West Pittston and Exeter, fully understand that they cannot recover from major flood events or meet the rising cost of public infrastructure projects without Gov. Wolf’s $4.5 billion Restore Pennsylvania plan,” said Yudichak, D-Nanticoke. “A fair, responsible severance tax on natural gas continues to be embraced by Democrats and Republicans in Harrisburg as the best way to fund Restore Pennsylvania without putting any more burden on local taxpayers.”
Yudichak said he has seen increased support for the severance tax from both Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate. However, GOP leadership has previously spoken out against the idea.
Bekanich said much of the state recently saw record-breaking rain and catastrophic flooding — a situation West Pittston knows all too well.
“Chronically flooded towns like these are important places for us to highlight. These communities are on the front lines of disaster response, breathing sighs of relief when federal disaster funds are made available, and dealing with the consequences if those funds don’t materialize.”
‘Still rebuilding’
Restore Pennsylvania would invest $4.5 billion over the next four years in significant, high-impact projects to rebuild Pennsylvania’s infrastructure. Additionally, it seeks to eliminate significant gaps in the disaster safety net by establishing a disaster relief trust fund for individuals who suffer losses that are not compensated through grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, or other programs.
The proposal also would provide funding for municipalities to prevent flooding via stream-bank restoration, levees or floodwalls, and stream restoration and maintenance.
“Flooding is a part of life in our town, and that is how we know dollars spent on remediation projects are long-term investments that ultimately save taxpayers from even more costly recovery/rebuilding projects after the fact,” Mayor Blaskiewicz said.
Councilwoman Ellen Quinn said the borough is still seeking a resolution to its flooding issues. West Pittston is not protected by a levee system and has seen devastating high-water events several times in recent years.
Pedri, meanwhile, noted that Luzerne County has seen several floods, a tornado and an ice jam in recent years.
“Restore Pennsylvania is needed,” he said.
Yudichak talked about flooding in West Pittston due to the 2011 Lee storm when the river backed up and flowed into homes and businesses.
“In 2011, families lost homes, this town lost history,” Yudichak said. “And eight years later, we are still rebuilding.”
