Senator Environment

State Rep Kate Harper writes in defense of Rick Santorum.

During my service, I've seen firsthand Sen. Santorum's commitment to our environment. He authored the Farmland Protection Act, one of our nation's most successful conservation programs. Pennsylvania has reaped the benefits of it as more than 13,000 acres of state farmland have been preserved through the more than $12 million in assistance received. All told, more than 2,500 Pennsylvania farms have been revitalized and preserved because of the program.

Sen. Santorum has been committed to preserving Pennsylvania's precious open space. He has authored legislation to redevelop blighted brownfield sites to ensure that responsible development takes place and our communities are not overrun by strip malls and congestion.

He was a leader in enacting the Highlands Conservation Act, which authorizes $100 million for land conservation projects in four mid-Atlantic states, including Pennsylvania.

He is working to include additional tax incentives for charitable donations of property for conservation purposes. This would encourage the conservation of land, and would ensure that land-rich but cash-poor families receive an incentive to donate land for such purposes.