U.S. Senator Pulls Federal Land Steal Legislation as Shapiro Poised For his Own Theft of PA State Game Lands, Maloney Says

June 30, 2025

HARRISBURG – If there was a time to use the veto pen, Gov. Josh Shapiro should immediately use his on House Bill 553 which now contains an illegal measure to steal 391 acres of State Game Lands (SGL) 141, state Rep. David Maloney (R-Berks) said today.

House Bill 553 was standard land swap legislation until it was amended in the House to steal the 391 acres and transfer it to Glen Onoko State Park at Shapiro’s request. The plan is to grow the state park under the guise of “safety.”

“We were lectured to debate about how many injuries and deaths occurred at the rock formations around the falls, about how much time and money and danger police and emergency crews expended due to these dangerous rocks,” Maloney said. “Well, you could add 1,000 acres and the rocks will still be there, and people will continue to injure themselves or die.”

In a curious juxtaposition, U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) recently pulled his legislation to sell off many parcels of U.S.-owned land in the West to private entities because of mass opposition to losing vast swaths of lands the public can currently access for hunting, ATvV riding, camping, fishing and other pursuits.

“The U.S. Senate listened to their constituents, but Pennsylvania’s General Assembly and governor appear deaf to rights of sportsmen and the theft of their land,” Maloney said. “These 391 acres were likely purchased with Pittman-Robertson Act funds and were definitely maintained by Pittman-Robertson funds, which makes them off limits to land-swaps or transfers or for growing pot.”



Representative David Maloney
130th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives