Jun. 17, 2025
HARRISBURG – Today, the House voted on legislation permitting the theft of nearly 400 acres of State Game Lands 141 by Gov. Josh Shapiro, said Rep. David Maloney (R-Berks).
The measure, an amendment to
House Bill 553 driven by Gov. Josh Shapiro’s request to do so, would allow the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to steal 391 acres and use it to enlarge Lehigh Gorge State Park.
“I made the point prior to the vote that this was an illegal taking of lands under the Pittman-Robertson Act,” Maloney said. “As it happened, the Democrats refused to acknowledge this illegal act and voted to violate federal law.”
The rules regulating federal funds dispersed under the Pittman-Robertson Act are very strict.
“Once again, as when I raised the alarm the Senate was trying to make a grab for $150 million of PGC funds, sportsmen are being disrespected and the diversion of federal Pittman-Robertson funds is illegal. It was lawless to take the hunters’ money then, and it is lawless to take the hunters’ land now.
As the United States Fish and Wildlife Service stated in the case of the $150 million:
If PGC loses control of license revenue or license revenue is used for purposes other than the administration of the PGC, the Service may declare your agency to be in diversion and ineligible to receive Pittman Robertson-Wildlife Restoration Program funding.
“Diversion of Pittman-Robertson funds for activities not directly related to hunting, such as general park maintenance or recreation programs not focused on wildlife, is prohibited according to the PGC’s own fact sheet,” Maloney said. “Diversion can occur when a state fish and wildlife agency does not have control and expenditure authority over the use of license revenues.
“It is now Gov. Shapiro’s job to explain how the 391 acres being transferred is not a violation of federal law under the Pittman-Robertson Act. This line of Democrat-thinking follows on former Gov. Rendell’s failed campaign to illegally commercialize state game lands.”
“Finally, the precedent this sets essentially allows this governor to take game lands whenever he wants,” said Maloney. “What’s next? Growing pot on our game lands?”
Representative David Maloney
130th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives