[32 Pa.B. 4577] Amendment to Proclamation September 5, 2002
Whereas, on February 12, 2002, I declared a state of drought and water shortage emergency in twenty-four counties of the Commonwealth due to a long and continuing period of rainfall deficits and a lack of winter snow accumulation which resulted in abnormally low stream flows, reduced groundwater levels and water supply shortages within those counties; and
Whereas, on May 7, 2002 and August 9, 2002, I renewed the Declaration of Drought Emergency for ninety days in several counties of the Commonwealth due to insufficient amounts of rainfall to replenish the groundwater levels or return overall water supplies to their normal levels within those several counties; and
Whereas, since the August 9, 2002, renewal of the Declaration of Drought Emergency in fourteen counties of the Commonwealth, there have been insufficient amounts of rainfall in Bucks, Dauphin, Montgomery, Perry and Philadelphia Counties to replenish the groundwater levels or return overall water supplies to their normal levels within those five counties; and
Whereas, the present drought and water shortage conditions are expected to continue or worsen within all or most of those five counties during the next sixty to ninety day period of time; and
Whereas, there is an immediate need to place Bucks, Dauphin, Montgomery, Perry and Philadelphia Counties in a state of drought and water shortage emergency.
Now Therefore, I, Mark S. Schweiker, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pursuant to the provisions of Subsection 7301(c) of the Emergency Management Services Code (35 Pa.C.S. Section 7101 et seq.), do hereby order and direct as follows:
1. The Counties of Bucks, Dauphin, Montgomery, Perry and Philadelphia are added to the designated drought emergency area that was renewed on August 9, 2002.
2. The designated drought emergency area now includes the following counties: Adams, Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill and York.
3. All of the authorized actions by state agencies and departments, regulations, water-use restrictions and other terms, conditions, and provisions of the February 12, 2002, Declaration of Drought Emergency shall be placed into full force and effect in the designated drought emergency area until either rescinded by me or terminated by law.
4. This Proclamation amendment shall take effect immediately.
Given under my hand and the Seal of the Governor, at the city of Harrisburg, this 5th day of September in the year of our Lord, two thousand and two and of the Commonwealth, the two hundred and twenty-seventh.
Governor[Pa.B. Doc. No. 02-1628. Filed for public inspection September 20, 2002, 9:00 a.m.]
