Stream Cleaning Bills Could Be the Key to Flood Prevention

February 5, 2026

By: Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23) and Rep. Clint Owlett (R-68)

In August 2024, nearly every county in our region was impacted by severe flooding from Tropical Storm Debby. Towns were evacuated and residents had to be rescued as flood waters engulfed homes, farms and roads. Tragically, a life was lost in the storm, underscoring the devastating power of the flooding and the urgency of the response.

In the days following, teams of volunteers surveyed the damage and disaster relief organizations mobilized to help. Community members came out in droves to donate food, water and cleaning supplies. The resilience and determination of the people there is truly inspiring and in the face of overwhelming destruction, our first responders showed extraordinary courage and dedication.

As elected officials, we are responsible for putting forth policies that protect the constituents we serve and help local officials respond more quickly and efficiently to emerging problems. This includes changes to ensure better maintenance of creeks and streams to help minimize the impact of flooding.

For the past several sessions, we’ve sponsored legislation addressing stream maintenance and giving counties and municipalities greater flexibility in handling obstructions and flood-related hazards in local waterways.

Senate Bill 403 and House Bill 327 allow local government organizations to apply for a permit for continuing maintenance for at least 10 years for the streams within their jurisdiction. Senate Bill 404 will create a program that allows counties to opt in to address hazards within their streams by granting emergency maintenance permits in consultation with their county conservation district.

We spent a great deal of time on the ground talking with residents and emergency responders in the days following the flood. The overwhelming message was the need to be able to get in the streams to clean them. Right now, doing so requires a permit from Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection, a process that is lengthy, tedious and inefficient.

Proper stream maintenance protects people, land and bridges from flood damage. The need is immediate, and our local officials are in the best position to manage and maintain our streams. Eliminating unnecessary bureaucratic barriers and red tape can help prevent more widespread damage and destruction.

Despite the Senate’s bipartisan approval of Senate Bills 403 and 404 for several consecutive sessions, all three bills await action from the House Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee. The Committee plans to hold a hearing on Feb. 9 to examine the issue, but until the House moves forward, local governments and counties remain unable to implement the long-term stream maintenance strategies these bills were designed to support. Unfortunately, it’s only a matter of time until another storm wreaks havoc on our area. We need action now.

We encourage residents and landowners who were impacted by flooding to contact Chairman Greg Vitali and your representative to voice your support for the bills. These are valuable and needed changes that allow our local communities to do the work safely and efficiently, protecting lives and livelihoods in the Northern tier and across the commonwealth.

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Sen. Gene Yaw was elected to represent the 23rd Senatorial District consisting of Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga and Union counties. He serves as chairman of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

Rep. Clint Owlett was elected to represent the 68th Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, serving all of Tioga County and parts of Bradford County.

CONTACT:
Elizabeth Weitzel (Yaw)
717-787-3280

Patricia Hippler (Owlett)
717-772-9846