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The enacted Fiscal Year 2011-2012 Pennsylvania Commonwealth Budget accomplished Governor Tom Corbett's primary objective to meet a target spending number of $27.3 billion, regardless of the impact. The final budget, $27.249 billion, is the lowest amount since 2008-2009. Not surprisingly, historic preservation, heritage and the environment were not priorities for funding in this year's budget.
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Museum Assistance line item was again zeroed out after being significantly cut two years ago and eliminated last year. This line item provides funding support for Pennsylvania's museums and historical organizations, including General Operating Support for Museums and County Historical Societies, Statewide Organizations, Project Grants, Statewide Conferences, Historical Markers and Technical Assistance.
The budget did maintain the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund that provides funding for the Keystone Historic Preservation Grant Program. The program provides funding support for projects that identify, preserve, promote and protect historic and archaeological resources.
PHMC's overall operating budget was reduced by 5.1%.
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Funding for DCNR was cut by a third ($27.2 million) in 2011-12, reducing it to $55.3 million. The state parks and state forests received cuts of 41% and 51%, respectively. These cuts are partially offset by a $15 million increase in funding from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund, which collects revenue from drilling on state-owned land. With the park system becoming more dependent on gas well revenue, it seems likely that there will be increased pressure to drill more gas wells on state land.
The state Heritage Areas received no funding. Over the past several years, this line item has been eliminated, refunded at a greatly reduced rate, and now eliminated again this year.
Growing Greener, the grant program responsible for protecting thousands of acres of green space across the state in the last decade, has largely exhausted its funding at the start of the 2011-12 fiscal year. While the Renew Growing Greener Coalition (Preservation Pennsylvania is a member) has worked to make the case for the continuation of the Growing Greener program, that was not accomplished as part of this budget.
Begun under the Tom Ridge administration in 1999, $650 million in state funds were set aside for five years' investments in working farm preservation, open space conservation, restoration and protection of streams and rivers, improving and expanding state and local parks and developing new trails and greenways.
Although no severance tax or impact fee for Marcellus Shale drillers was enacted as part of the budget, this issue is not going away. At the end of the budget negotiations, several legislators attempted to enact some type of tax or fee but at very low amounts with virtually no funds going to protect the environment. It is hoped that some significant work on this issue will continue in the fall.
Department of Community and Economic Development
The Main Street and Elm Street Programs have been funded in the past under the New Communities line item. The New Communities line item was eliminated and the three programs under that designation were combined with three housing programs under a new program called "Keystone Communities." Funding for these programs was slashed in the process, going from a combined $27.8 million in 2010-11, to $12 million in the final budget - a cut of 57%. It is not known at this time how the six programs under the Keystone designation will divide the available funding.
What's Next?
We need to be ready to advocate for the programs we care about beginning in the fall and throughout the winter and spring so that as funding levels rise, the Governor and the legislature know what programs are important to us. We will be in touch to let you know how you can be involved in this very important work. | 
