One of the great things about Pennsylvania is its great system of local and state parks. Personally, I like to spend time in Chimney Rocks Park hiking the trails and enjoying the beautiful views from the limestone pillars.
That's why I was so disappointed to learn that Gov. Tom Corbett was proposing to eliminate one of the state's most important programs when it comes to funding our parks. The program is called the Keystone, and it's helped to restore and protect parks and other critical outdoor areas all over Pennsylvania.
In these tough economic times, more and more Pennsylvanians are taking "stay-cations" instead of expensive vacations. These are trips nearby that are more affordable and can involve our local outdoors like the Poconos or one of our incredible state parks.
I hope that concerned citizens will call our local legislators, Rep. Jerry Stern and state Sen. John Eichelberger, and ask them to take whatever steps are necessary to protect the Keystone Fund and keep this program's important legacy intact and ongoing.
Marta Piotrowicz
PennEnvironment intern
Philadelphia
(PennEnvironment is a statewide, citizen-funded environmental advocacy organization with about 80,000 members and activists, including many in Blair County.)
