Naturally vegetated buffers along streams are good for Pennsylvania's communities, environment and economy. They help to filter out pollution from runoff, prevent erosion and flooding, and provide important habitat for aquatic life.

Clean Water Action surveyed municipalities in more than a dozen counties across Pennsylvania and found that 192 municipalities had a riparian buffer ordinance and over 30% of those ordinances required 100 foot or greater buffers on some streams.

Because water does not respect municipal borders, the best way to achieve maximum protection for the state's water resources is to adopt a statewide buffers regulation. Such a regulation would ensure that 100 feet of natural vegetation is protected alongside all streams and rivers in the state whenever new development occurs.

Buffers 100: Taking a Positive Trend Statewide (pdf, 136kb)

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