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Pennsylvania Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources
| Pennsylvania Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $174,527 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $175,368,000 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Authority: | Pennsylvania Constitution, Article IV, Section 1 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by Governor |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Pennsylvania Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources
Cindy Adams Dunn | |
| Other Pennsylvania Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
The Pennsylvania Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources is a state executive position in the Pennsylvania state government. The secretary is the head of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, an office created in 1995 to maintain and preserve state parks and forest lands.[1]
The nonpartisan secretary is appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania with the approval of two-thirds of the Pennsylvania State Senate.[1]
Current officeholder
The current Pennsylvania Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources is Cindy Adams Dunn (nonpartisan). Dunn assumed office in 2015.
Authority
Though the state constitution does not specifically create the office of Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources, it does allow for the addition of public officers in Article IV, Section 1:
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All officers, whose selection is not provided for in this Constitution, shall be elected or appointed as may be directed by law.[2] |
Qualifications
There are no specific qualifications for the Pennsylvania Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources.[2]
Appointments
The Pennsylvania Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources is appointed. The governor nominates a candidate to the state senate, and the senate confirms the nominee by a two-thirds majority before the candidate takes the oath of office.[1]
Vacancies
Article IV, Section 8 of the Pennsylvania Constitution grants the governor the power to appoint officers to fill vacancies. In the event of a vacancy in the office, the governor nominates a successor. This nomination must be made to the state senate within 90 days of the vacancy. The senate must then take action (confirming or not confirming the nomination) within 25 legislative days.[2][3]
Duties
- See Energy policy in Pennsylvania for information on the state's energy portfolio and goals.
The secretary is responsible for the oversight of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The primary duties of the department are:
- maintaining and preserving Pennsylvania's 117 state parks
- managing 2.1 million acres of state forest land
- providing information on Pennsylvania's ecological and geological resources
- establishing community conservation partnerships to benefit rivers, trailways, greenways, local parks, regional parks and open spaces[1]
Divisions
As of February 2, 2021, the department of conservation and natural resources houses the following bureaus and departments:[1]
State parks
Pennsylvania boasts 117 state parks that cover approximately 295,000 acres. The State Parks Bureau manages the operation of the parks, providing recreational and educational opportunities for the more than 36 million annual park visitors.
Forestry
The Forestry Bureau manages the 2.1 million acres of "Penn's Woods," the namesake of the commonwealth. The bureau works to provide recreational and education programming, forest fire and pest prevention, and to protect the thousands of plant and animal species that make a home in the state forests.
Geologic Survey
The Topographic & Geologic Survey Bureau maps and provides information about geographic and topographic features throughout the commonwealth. The staff also disseminate information and date pertaining to water, gas and oil wells and other underground resources.
Recreation & Conservation
Through the Recreation & Conservation Bureau, the department awards monetary grants to local communities for programs that work to conserve the commonwealth's natural and cultural resources. The bureau also manages 12 heritage sites.
Facility Design & Construction
The Facility Design & Construction Bureau works to maintain the infrastructure of state parks and forests. Staff engineers design and manage projects to build and improve bridges, water and sewage systems, swimming pools, beach areas and dams.
Conservation & Natural Resources
The Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory manages several collaborative programs to support the mission of the department, identify emerging environmental issues and educate Pennsylvania residents about sustainable practices.
Administrative Services
The Administrative Services Bureau provides administrative support to the department.
State budget
- See also: Pennsylvania state budget and finances
The budget for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in Fiscal Year 2025 was $175,368,000.[4]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
The secretary's salary is set by statute and subject to cost-of-living adjustments, also known as COLAs, pursuant to Section 3(e) of the Public Official Compensation Law (amended in 1995). This law mandates that Pennsylvania executives' salaries "shall be increased by applying the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland area for the most recent 12-month period for which figures have been officially reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) immediately prior to the date adjustment is due to take effect."[5]
Under this law, the appropriate salaries were last increased by 1.6 percent, effective January 1, 2015.[6]
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $174,527, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $161,899, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2021
In 2021, the secretary received a salary of $153,313, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2020
In 2020, the secretary received a salary of $153,313, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2019
In 2019, the secretary received a salary of $148,085, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2018
In 2018, the secretary received a salary of $148,085, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2017
In 2017, the secretary received a salary of $146,910, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2016
In 2016, the secretary received a salary of $145,025, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2015
In 2015, the secretary received a salary of $145,025, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2014
In 2014, the secretary received a salary of $142,741, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2013
In 2013, the secretary was paid an estimated $142,314. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.[17]
2010
In 2010, the secretary was paid an estimated $132,934, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Pennsylvania Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Pennsylvania Secretary Conservation Natural Resources. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Rachel Carson State Office Building
PO Box 8767
400 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8767
Email links for specific questions
Contact information for the Bureaus of the Department
See also
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, "About DCNR," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ Pennsylvania State Legislature, "Executive branch," February 2, 2021
- ↑ Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, "2024-25 Enacted General Fund Tracking Run," accessed January 22, 2025
- ↑ Pennsylvania Legislature, "Senate Bill: Act 51 of 1995," accessed February 2, 2021
- ↑ The Pennsylvania Bulletin, "NOTICES: Statutory Cost of Living Increases for Salaries of State Officials and the Heads of Departments, Boards and Commissions," December 27, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 26, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 26, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 26, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 26, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 8, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," January 28, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments Book of the States, Chapter 4, Table 4.11," accessed June14, 2011
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