May 3, 2021
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Re: Support Amendment #A00860 to House Bill 859
Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Trust Fund
Dear Representative:
On behalf of the 70 member organizations of WeConservePA (formerly the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association) and their more than 100,000 Pennsylvania members, I write to request your support for Amendment #A00860 to House Bill 859.
Amendment #A00860 converts the incredibly productive Keystone Recreation, Park, and Conservation Fund into a trust fund at the State Treasury. The amendment guarantees that state funding commitments to Keystone projects will be honored and not pulled back by the General Assembly for other uses. This provides important assurance to the thousands of municipalities, nonprofits, and private contractors engaged in recreation, park, and conservation projects supported by the Keystone Fund. They make serious financial and employment commitments upon being awarded Keystone grants and should not be at risk that the state won’t honor its obligations.
To view a sampling of the thousands of long-lasting improvements made to Pennsylvania’s communities, thanks to Keystone Fund investments, please visit the informational website https://keystonefund.org.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Andrew M. Loza
Executive Director
cc: member organizations