Pennsylvania Act 1936-47 (session 1) — FLOOD CONTROL, REFORESTATION

Act text

FLOOD CONTROL, REFORESTATION
         Act of Aug. 7, 1936, Special Session 1, P.L. 116, No. 47     Cl. 32
                      Special Session No. 1 of 1936
                               No. 1936-47

                                  AN ACT

     Authorizing and directing the Department of Forests and Waters
        to investigate, survey, and report on the location and
        availability for purchase of certain lands suitable for
        reforestation with flood control as the objective.

        WHEREAS, The continued efficiency of any water impounding
     dams which may be constructed by the State or Federal Government
     as flood control projects is dependent upon reducing to a
     minimum the silt deposited in them; and
        WHEREAS, A forest cover with its honey-combed soil and thick
     humus bedded surface is the most effective agent known to
     prevent soil erosion and the silting of streams and dams and to
     retard the water run-off; and
        WHEREAS, There are upwards of two million three hundred
     thousand acres of submarginal, idle and abandoned farm lands in
     this State, located largely on the upper river watersheds, which
     are subject to serious soil erosion and rapid water run-off,
     which constitute a growing menace during flood seasons and are
     of little value except for reforestation; and
        WHEREAS, The rate of fire damage on private unmanaged and
     unattended wild lands is six times that on State-controlled
     forest lands, and such burned-over lands constitute an
     additional menace from soil erosion and water run-off; therefore

        Section 1.  Be it enacted, &c., That the Department of
     Forests and Waters is hereby authorized and directed to make an
     investigation and reforestation survey, with flood control as
     the objective, of all private forest lands and all abandoned
     farm lands and submarginal lands, their location, availability
     for purchase, and their approximate purchase prices, together
     with all lands in any of the above classes on which the taxes
     imposed by political subdivisions are delinquent, or which have
     been sold to counties because of insufficient bids at tax sales.
        The investigation and survey shall include the three
     watersheds of the Commonwealth, the Susquehanna watershed, the
     Delaware watershed, and the Ohio watershed, including lands
     draining, directly or indirectly, into the Susquehanna River and
     its North and West Branches and the Juniata River, the Delaware,
     the Lehigh and Schuylkill Rivers, and the Ohio, Allegheny,
     Monongahela, and Beaver Rivers.
        Section 2.  The Department of Forests and Waters shall make a
     complete report of its investigation and reforestation survey to
     the next General Assembly convening in January, one thousand
     nine hundred and thirty-seven, not later than February first,
     one thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven, so that the General
     Assembly may be fully advised in order that appropriate
     legislation may be enacted with a view of adopting a
     comprehensive flood control program.