by Pat Beaudet, Robin Mann and Jim Wylie, Members, Southeastern Pennsylvania Group
Part I: History
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Group (SPG) comprises five counties in the southeast corner of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Bucks. It was started in the late 70’s not long after the inauguration of the Pennsylvania Chapter. Membership fluctuates depending on the political situation. For example, during the Trump presidency, membership soared but has since subsided. Current membership figures hover around 8,759.
Since the beginning, SPG has been a force for environmental protection in the greater Philadelphia area. My favorite story about SPG is the role it played in the history of the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT), launched in the late 70’s. The SRT is a multi-use recreational trail which will ultimately stretch 120 miles from Philadelphia, through Montgomery, Chester, and Berks Counties to Frackville, Schuylkill County. Local architects Jim Campbell and Bob Thomas were original executive committee members of SPG when funding became available to build the Trail. Under their leadership, SPG became the non-profit conduit through which the funding was passed. Jim Campbell actively helped to fund the effort well into the 90’s by holding bike races. Longtime SPG member and activist, Robin Mann, found this article which describes the truly historic events surrounding that time.
In its early years, SPG’s long-running participation in Sierra Club’s national program to help provide underserved kids with access to the outdoors, now known as Inspiring Connections Outdoors, was under the dedicated leadership of Club volunteer and EPA wetlands ecologist Art Spingarn, who organized scores of hiking and camping trips together with Cathi Tillman, Dan Wolk and other ICO leaders.
In the late 1990’s the SPG joined Manayunk neighborhood groups in mobilizing opposition to two large, multi-unit residential developments proposed for Venice Island, an area lying in the floodway between Manayunk Canal and the Schuylkill River. Citing the flood risk to residents, opponents took their legal challenge all the way to Pennsylvania Supreme Court, but were unsuccessful. As expected, severe flooding has occurred since, including rescue of residents by boat in 2014, and Hurricane Ida submerging the island altogether. Undeterred, Philadelphia has since allowed even more development, despite the concerns of City planners.
In 2001-2002, the SPG joined forces with the Friends of Valley Forge Park, National Parks Conservation Association leaders and concerned local residents to mobilize in support of Valley Forge National Historical Park’s ultimately successful efforts to avert a large Toll Brothers housing development on private land in the northern corner of the park.
The SPG has served as a supporting partner to the Eastwick Friends and Neighbors Coalition (EFNC) since 2012, when it formed to try to block the Korman Company’s efforts to rezone undeveloped, flood prone acreage adjacent to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge for a dense residential project. The City had granted Korman the option to buy the 128 acres as part of its horrifically unjust and misguided urban renewal project launched in the 1950s, resulting in condemnation and seizure of over 2,500 acres of land and displacement of thousands of residents. While EFNC and allies successfully defeated the Korman project, the work continues to ensure Eastwick residents play a meaningful role in determining the future of the land and long overdue remediation of toxic pollution, flooding and other environmental burdens harming this environmental justice pursuing community.
These are some of these landmark moments in SPG history. In the September issue, we will focus on current issues and SPG’s continued impacts on the greater Philadelphia area in Part II.
This blog was included as part of the August 2023 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!