Authorizing the Committee on the Environment to hold hearings to determine the need for a conservation district to be enacted within Philadelphia County.

Authorizing the Committee on the Environment to hold hearings to determine the need for a conservation district to be enacted within Philadelphia County. WHEREAS, Conservation districts in Pennsylvania operate under the Pennsylvania Conservation District Law, which established these districts to work collaboratively with state agencies, local governments, and other organizations to achieve their conservation goals. They are typically organized at the county level, with each district serving the specific needs and challenges of its area; and WHEREAS, Philadelphia County is the only county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that does not possess a conservation district, a local governmental entity responsible for promoting and implementing soil and water conservation practices. These districts work to protect and manage natural resources, address environmental concerns, and support sustainable land use practices within their jurisdiction; and WHEREAS, There is a critical importance of addressing environmental and resource management challenges in our urban landscape, including the conservation of soil and water resources, the prevention of soil erosion, and the promotion of sustainable practices. Accelerated soil erosion, inadequate management of soil and water resources, and the need for improved urban agriculture practices are significant problems of public concern within Philadelphia County; and WHEREAS, In the Philadelphia Urban Agriculture Plan: Growing from the Root, pub…