Capitol Update by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint)
 FacebookWebsite Bio Latest News State Forms Photo Gallery Contact Capitol Update Friday, March 17, 2023 The latest news from the State Capitol You are welcome to contact me through this link. Around the District  I recently attended the annual Potter County Conservation District legislative luncheon with fellow elected officials to get an update on projects they are working on and discuss legislative issues. Thank you to all the dedicated conservation district board members and staff for your great work! Thank you to Rick Esch, president of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, and Dr. Matt Kropf, director of the Energy Science and Technology Program, for giving me a tour of the new George B. Duke Engineering and Information Technologies Building. What a great addition to the campus!!More Than $3.4 Million in Grants Awarded in Region  Great news for several communities across Cameron, McKean and Potter counties! More than $3.4 million in state grants were awarded to nine communities for key infrastructure, maintenance and transportation needs. The grants are as follows: McKean County • Annin Township: $381,100 for resurfacing a portion of Annin Creek Road. • Keating Township: $123,634 for purchasing an excavator. • Lewis Run Borough: $123,000 for water main replacement. • Mount Jewett Regional Sewer Authority: $74,372 for replacement of the lagoon system aerator. • Port Allegany Borough: $1.57 million for replacement of the Arnold Avenue Bridge. Cameron County • Emporium Borough: $300,000 for purchasing equipment such as a dump truck and street cleaning vacuum. • Mid-Cameron Authority: $229,544 for the rehabilitation of two lift stations – the West Creek and Prospect stations which each provide sewer services to Shippen Township. Potter County • Austin Borough: $232,007 for upgrading borough trucks that are more than l5 years old and purchasing an excavator. • Coudersport Borough: $395,270 for the Ross Glen Road stormwater rehabilitation project. The Arnold Avenue Bridge project grant was awarded through the Multimodal Transportation Fund. The remaining grants were awarded through the Local Share Account program, which is funded by gaming revenue. Hearings to Analyze Budget Begin Next Week  Working to ensure your tax dollars are spent wisely, the House Appropriations Committee will launch a series of hearings next week to examine the governor’s nearly $46 billion spending proposal. The committee will hear from officials with the state Department of Education all day Monday, and then discuss higher education, including state-related universities, community colleges and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency on Tuesday. The PA State System of Higher Education will appear before the committee on Wednesday morning, followed by the Department of Agriculture in the afternoon. The first week of hearings will conclude on Thursday with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in the morning and the Department of Environmental Protection in the afternoon. All hearings will be live streamed at www.PAHouseGOP.com. For a schedule of upcoming hearings and video of completed hearings, click here. Think Spring…Trout Fishing Season is Almost Here!  The statewide opening day of trout season is coming up in just two weeks on Saturday, April 1. If you haven’t already, it’s time to buy your fishing licenses and permits and get your gear organized. Be sure to check out the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) online for licensing details and access to trout stocking schedules. Information is also available on the FishBoatPA mobile app. Next weekend, on Saturday, March 25, the commission will hold its statewide Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day, a great opportunity to expose a new generation of anglers to the joy of fishing. To participate, youth anglers (those under the age of 16) must have either a free Mentored Youth Permit or a Voluntary Youth Fishing License. More information about the mentored youth program, as well as a link to obtain a permit or license, is available here. Reminder: Maple Weekend Has Arrived! Click here to view full brochure Bring your sweet tooth and check out the annual Maple Weekend this Saturday and Sunday, March 18-19, at nearly two dozen different maple producers in Potter and Tioga counties. You’ll find a variety of opportunities at each location to learn more about the process of collecting sap and making maple syrup and other products, as well as the chance to sample or purchase a wide range of products, including syrup and maple candy, and more unique maple products such as salad dressing, barbecue sauce, jellies, homemade cookies, maple milkshakes and cotton candy. Click here for details about this educational – and very tasty! – event. |