Liz G. Deardorff
Director, Clean Water Program Pennsylvania
Department: Conservation
Area of Focus: Liz works with local and state decisionmakers who have water resource management responsibilities. Her work enables funding and encourages low impact development and green infrastructure practices that sustain communities.
Background: Liz joined American Rivers' Clean Water Program for Pennsylvania in August of 2007. For five years prior she worked in West Virginia advocating for clean water policies and enabling watershed groups to protect rivers serving their communities. For nearly 15 years, Liz developed Geographic Information System capacity in Virginia for resource managers and planners protecting watersheds. In addition, Liz has interlaced her 30 years of whitewater experience working in the outdoor industry and volunteering to secure sound river management, recreational access and flows, and ensuring boater safety.
Education: B.A. in Geography from Mary Washington University, and Graduate Studies in Geography at Virginia Polytechnic and State University (Virginia Tech)
Favorite River: A long list of Appalachian streams
Blog Posts By This Author
Susquehanna Fish Diseased Yet The River Is Not “Impaired”
May 13, 2013 | Water Pollution, Urban Rivers
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved Pennsylvania’ Department of Protection list of impaired waterways disappointing advocates for a healthy Susquehanna River.
Read more »An “Impaired” Susquehanna can become a Healthier River
February 28, 2013 | Water Pollution
American Rivers and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation have submitted a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region III (EPA) regional administrator, Shawn Garvin requesting amendment to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) list of impaired waterways. Notably lacking from the list DEP recently submitted to EPA is the Lower Susquehanna River.
Read more »Clean Water Rules Provide for Safe Whitewater Boating
January 24, 2013 | Urban Rivers, Water Pollution, Stormwater & Sewage
I started whitewater canoeing 35 years ago. I’ve paddled hundreds of rivers over thousands of trips. I can only recall abandoning a planned trip for two reasons, OK three— once I had to carry my boat out in pieces once after shredding it in a rock sieve. The other two: insurmountable wind conditions for my strength and pollution. This story is about pollution. The other stories can be saved for the camp fire.
Read more »Greener Landscapes For A Healthier Chesapeake Bay in 2013
January 4, 2013 | Water Pollution, Urban Rivers, Stormwater & Sewage
Green infrastructure investments are one of the few spotlights in the State of the Bay report released by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) for the New Year. Promotion and support of green infrastructure solutions for managing stormwater is also identified in the Action Plan for federal resource agencies with jurisdiction in the Bay.
Read more »Green to Go Green for Clean Water in the Chesapeake
March 22, 2012 | Water Pollution, Stormwater & Sewage, Floods & Floodplains
My office sits near the bank of the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania, so it was a treat to leave the office several days ago to travel downstream to where this 464 mile long river flows into the Chesapeake Bay at Havre de Grace, Maryland. I was there to attend an announcement of $4 million in new federal funding for local governments to use for green infrastructure, like green roofs, parks, and green streets, for cleaner water to help meet pollution reduction goals.
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