MUSTO RECEIVES PARKS & RECREATION AWARD

March 27, 2002 State Senator Ray Musto was recognized Tuesday for his outstanding support for parks, recreation and conservation.

The Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society (PRPS) honored Musto with the group’s 2002 Government Award at its annual banquet, which was held at the Adams Mark Hotel in Philadelphia. The PRPS, founded in 1935, is the state’s principal organization promoting quality recreation and park opportunities for citizens of the Commonwealth.

Senator Musto, considered an expert on conservation and environmental issues in the Pennsylvania Senate, is the longtime Democratic chairman of the senate’s Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Also honored by the PRPS was Senator Mary Jo White, Republican chairman of the senate’s environmental committee.

Senators Musto and White were recognized for working together on key legislation, including the Growing Green Program, the state’s $645 million environmental initiative, approved in 1999. The program addressed a large backlog of state park and forest rehabilitation projects.

Robert Griffith, PRPS executive director, said that the senators "share a strong commitment and dedication to the protection and enhancement of our natural resources and to the provision of quality recreation and park experiences for our citizens who enjoy our parks and outdoor recreation areas."

During his tenure, Senator Musto has authored landmark legislation in Pennsylvania, including the state’s amendments to the federal Clean Air Act, a statewide hazardous materials safety program, a statewide environmental education program for school students, and an amendment creating the state’s curbside recycling program. He has been a strong proponent of state parks and forests.

Senator Musto has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2001 Thomas P. Shelburne Environmental Leadership Award and the 2000 Pennsylvania Wildlife Federation’s Conservation Legislator of the Year Award.