Advocacy
The Honey Hollow Advocacy Committee speaks up for a healthy local environment. The committee is comprised of staff and volunteers from Bucks County who know that our residents, local economy, wildlife, water and well-being all depend on a clean and sustainable environment.
The advocacy committee meets monthly and works on the following:
- Create and distribute ‘Five in Five’ alerts to help people take 5 actions in 5 minutes – a weekly notice via email
- Comment on local, state, and national regulations and legislation
- Work with local governments to encourage sustainable land management practices that help protect wildlife
- Host events on topics ranging from climate change to recycling
Honey Hollow’s advocacy focus is on climate change, clean water, education, and habitat and wildlife protection.
Our Advocacy Areas
Climate Change
Statement on Climate Change
HHNC agrees with the scientific consensus that the Earth is warming, that our climate is changing at a rapid pace, and that this change is largely due to human activity, primarily from the emissions of greenhouse gases due to the use of hydrocarbon-based fuels. This changing of the Earth’s climate brings with it the likelihood of environmental impacts on numerous ecosystems, including serious negative effects to the wildlife and vegetation in our area. We support initiatives at the personal, local and government level to reduce greenhouse gases, to improve habitats and preserve open space, and to educate the public on the causes and impacts of climate change.
Energy Policies
HHNC supports the development of renewable, sustainable energy sources such as geothermal, solar, and wind energies. The siting of these facilities must be undertaken with due regard to the potential environmental impact to sensitive landscapes including habitats that support threatened or endangered species, raptor and bat concentrations, flyways and migration routes, wetland and riparian zones, and areas that have been specifically designated as conserved lands by private or governmental bodies. Further, we support distributed generation projects such as rooftop solar and home geothermal systems.
Pipelines
There are over 2.6 million miles of pipelines nationwide in the US.[i] The existence of pipelines through populated areas and environmentally sensitive areas poses well-documented risks. Our own property at Honey Hollow is crossed by transmission pipelines and while there have been no accidents or discharges here we do not support the construction of additional pipelines through previously undisturbed lands and habitats. Where there is the need for more capacity in the short term transition period from fossil fuels to sustainable, renewable energy sources this capacity should be constructed along already disturbed rights-of-way.
Fracking
HHNC opposes the extraction of fossil fuels in general because of its impact on the climate and fracking in particular because of the known and potential impacts on the environment from this technology. Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” is the process of extracting natural gas and/or light oil from tight rock formations using fluids, chemicals etc. at high pressure to break or “fracture” the rock and release the hydrocarbons. Fracking operations are known to deliberately vent as well as inadvertently leak methane, a strong greenhouse gas 64 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a heat-trapping gas. Bucks County is underlain by the South Newark Basin within which gas deposits are approximately 1/20th of the more well-known Marcellus Shale.
Resources:
Clean Water
Statement on Clean Water Protection
HHNC supports the need for clean and accessible water as a vital resource for the successful continuation and support of the quality of human life, to ensure bird and wildlife survival and to support healthy plant life. HHNC is part of the Honey Hollow watershed and has always taken responsibility for ensuring that the water on its property remains clean to support flora and fauna on the land we manage. In addition, we ensure that water used by HHNC re-enters the watershed as clean and pure as possible in support of others in our watershed and beyond.
HHNC supports both the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s commitment to natural resources including clean water in its Constitution and the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq.) passed by the United States Congress in 1972.
HHNC is committed to working along with its partners and the general public to ensure continued support for the protections of our water resources through education about Clean Water laws and policies and by promoting personal actions to protect and conserve our water resources.
Resources:
Education
Statement on Education
HHNC believes that environmental education should create a connection to the natural world, provide scientifically accurate information, and inspire action as responsible citizens of the Earth. HHNC supports public policies at all levels that strengthen environmental and science education.
HHNC advocates for high-quality, science-based environmental education that:
- Reaches everyone, regardless of demographic and socioeconomic factors.
- Inspires people of all ages, especially children, to go outdoors.
- Enriches all levels of learning, especially school curricula.
- Connects with and supports scientific understanding and research.
- Promotes lifelong interests and activities.
- Provides opportunities for participants to make personal changes that can positively impact the environment.
Habitat and Wildlife Protection
Statement on Habitat Protection
HHNC promotes and encourages the protection of land and water habitats on the local, state, and federal levels.
HHNC is concerned about the destruction, degradation, and fragmentation of viable habitat for wild plants and animals, which may harm local populations, lead to local extinctions, or increase human-wildlife conflicts. HHNC urges citizens and communities to preserve open space, curb development of farmland, preserve or restore watersheds, and protect waterways in both public and private areas.
Habitat protection is at the very core of HHNC’s mission and educational programs. HHNC is a steward of the Honey Hollow Watershed, registered as a National Historic Landmark in 1969. It is the first upland watershed in agricultural use and with multiple private ownerships that demonstrates that cooperative local action, supported by Federal assistance, is a practical method of achieving national goals in watershed health, soil science, wildlife conservation, and flood prevention.