THE GOVERNOR
AMENDMENT TO PROCLAMATION
[26 Pa.B. 424] Whereas, On January 7, 1996, I declared a State of Disaster Emergency in forty-seven counties of the Commonwealth due to a severe winter storm which produced historical record amounts of snow accumulation, freezing rain, and high winds and also devastated certain areas of Pennsylvania and resulted in extensive road closures and posed other adverse life safety impacts upon the general population of the Commonwealth; and
Whereas, on January 12, 1996, a second severe winter storm struck Pennsylvania which resulted in additional large amounts of snow accumulation in most areas of Pennsylvania, additional road closures and continued adverse life safety impacts for the general population of the Commonwealth to the extent that Allegheny, Armstrong, Bradford and Washington Counties were added to the previously designated disaster emergency area; and
Whereas, on January 18 and 19, 1996, another weather system struck Pennsylvania with unseasonably high temperatures, large amounts of rain, fog, and high winds, all of which directly impacted upon the historical record amounts of accumulated snowpack and ice located upon the ground and frozen river and stream surfaces of the Commonwealth; and
Whereas, the large amount of rain caused an immediate and dramatic increase in the moisture and water content levels of the massive snowpack located throughout the Commonwealth and caused additional adverse impacts upon areas of the Commonwealth located both within and outside the previously designated disaster emergency area; and
Whereas, the cumulative impacts of the widespread and abnormally large amounts of rain, increased levels of moisture and water content in the snowpack, and the unseasonable high temperatures all combined to cause a sudden and widespread meltdown of the snowpack throughout the Commonwealth; and
Whereas, investigations made at my direction have disclosed that the sudden meltdown of the snowpack, as exacerbated in gravity and severity by the rains and high temperatures of January 18 and 19, 1996, has caused widespread flooding to occur throughout the stream and river systems of the Commonwealth; and
Whereas, the severe flooding caused by the sudden snowmelt and precedent rains has caused the evacuation and sheltering of tens of thousands of citizens of the Commonwealth, extensive damage to highways, bridges, and other forms of private and public property, and has seriously affected the safety, health and welfare of a substantial number of citizens of the Commonwealth, and has been of such magnitude and severity as to render essential the Commonwealth's augmentation of county and municipal efforts and resources and the continuing activation of all applicable state, county, and municipal emergency response plans in order to mitigate and contend with the magnitude and severity of this continuing and expanding disaster emergency.
Now Therefore, Pursuant to the provisions of Subsection 7301(c) of the Emergency Management Services Code (35 Pa.C.S.A. Section 7101 et seq.), I do hereby amend my Proclamation of January 7, 1996, as follows:
1. The counties of Beaver, Cameron, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter and Tioga are now declared to be in a state of disaster emergency and are added to the previously designated disaster emergency area.
2. I direct that the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency coordinate the activities of the various agencies of the Commonwealth to take appropriate action aimed at the alleviation of human suffering, the restoration of essential public services, and the preparation of damage assessment reports concerning the economic, financial, public safety, and other impacts caused to Pennsylvania by this series of winter storms and resultant flooding.
3. I authorize the Secretary of the Department of Transportation to use all available equipment, resources, and personnel of the Department, in whatever manner that he deems necessary, to ensure that all interstate or other federal and state highways in the disaster affected areas are cleared of debris and any other obstructions resulting from the flooding. In addition, I hereby waive any laws or regulations that would restrict the application and use of the Department's equipment, resources, and personnel to assist local jurisdictions in the clearing and removal of debris and other types of obstructions from non-state-owned highways. This assistance to local jurisdictions may be provided solely at the discretion of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation.
4. I urge the governing bodies and executive officers of all political subdivisions affected by the winter storms and resultant flooding to act as necessary to meet the current exigencies as legally authorized under this proclamation, namely; by the employment of temporary workers, by the rental of equipment and by entering into such contracts and agreements as may be required to meet these emergencies, all without regard to those time-consuming procedures and formalities normally prescribed by law, mandatory constitutional requirements excepted.
GIVEN under my hand and the Seal of the Commonwealth, this twentieth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and ninety-six, and of the Commonwealth the two hundred and twentieth.
Governor
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 96-128. Filed for public inspection February 2, 1996, 9:00 a.m.]
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