Pa Environment Digest Dec. 11, 2017

Issue #702 Crisci Associates, Harrisburg, PA Dec.
11, 2017
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Gov. Wolf Announces Growing Greener Grant Awards To 106 Local Clean Water Projects
Gov. Tom Wolf Thursday announced the award of 106

projects to clean up local waters statewide, benefiting
hundreds of communities, have been selected to receive
funding through the Department of Environmental
Protections Growing Greener Program.
These grant projects represent important opportunities for
citizen and community engagement in local water cleanup
around the commonwealth. The vitally important roster of
local governments and nonprofit organizations who willingly
tackle them is a great representation of our spirit of
partnership, said Gov. Wolf. Their efforts are invaluable investments in our public health, the
vitality of our communities, and the quality of our environment in Pennsylvania.
Growing Greener grants will go to 106 projects. Fifty-one are in Pennsylvanias part (43
counties) of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, reflecting part of the ramped-up state and federal
funding commitment to Pennsylvanias federal mandate to reduce nitrogen, phosphorous, and
sediment pollution in the watershed.
Fifty-five Growing Greener projects are in the 24 counties beyond the watershed.
Together, all projects will receive just over $20.7 million.
Theres no magic wand to wave to clean up all of Pennsylvanias streams and rivers at
once. Reducing acid mine drainage, nutrients, sediment, and other pollutants requires countless
strategic, collaborative community efforts at the creek, river, lake, and watershed levels.
Achieving a collective impact is the essential role Growing Greener projects play, said DEP
Secretary Patrick McDonnell.
The Growing Greener grant program--the largest single investment of state funds to
address Pennsylvanias environmental challenges--is supported by the Environmental
Stewardship Fund, which receives its funding from landfill tipping fees.
Since it was launched in 1999, the Growing Greener program has provided more than
$296 million to environmental projects statewide.
Grant Awards Outside Chesapeake Bay Watershed
-- Allegheny
-- Allegheny County Parks Foundation, Pinkertons Run acid mine drainage treatment and
streambank stabilization, $318,672
-- Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, Larimer/East Liberty Park green infrastructure,
$60,000
-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Deer Creek stream restoration, $38,642
-- Armstrong
-- Armstrong County Conservation District, Pine Run stream restoration, $59,889;
-- Agricultural best management practices to reduce sediment and nutrient loads to Spra Run,
$110,096
-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Buffalo Creek stream restoration, $73,995
-- Berks
-- Berks County Conservation District, County agricultural best management practices
implementation, $231,486
-- Bucks
-- Bucks County Conservation District, Dimple Creek Watershed water chestnut management
project, $95,385
-- Carversville Farm Foundation, Carversville farm stream restoration, $60,904
-- Middletown Township, Sediment reduction initiative to retrofit five stormwater basins,
$175,000
-- Warrington Township, Naturalizing the detention basin at Folly and Pickertown Roads,
$16,515
-- Butler
-- Stream Restoration Incorporated, Slippery Rock Stream bioengineering, $125,450
-- Carbon
-- Carbon County Conservation District, Nesquehoning Creek stabilization phase 3, $215,000
-- Chester
-- Brandywine Red Clay Alliance, Plum Run Watershed Renaissance Initiative, $150,000
-- Kennett Area Park Authority, Red Clay/Nixon Park stream restoration, $77,500
-- New Garden Township, Bucktoe Creek stream restoration, $36,000
-- Open Land Conservancy of Chester County, Design and installation of stormwater best
management practice in Airdrie Preserve, $52,360
-- Uwchlan Township, Ludwigs Run stormwater basins retrofit, $90,775
-- Valley Forge Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Wilson Run stream restoration, $130,812
-- Crawford
-- Crawford County Conservation District, Agricultural Best Management Practice Cost Share
Program, $263,343;
-- Little Sugar Creek streambank stabilization, $79,368
-- Delaware
-- Borough of Media, Bioretention and infiltration best management practices, $163,050
-- Erie
-- Environment Erie, Begin ANEW stormwater education and management, $55,556;
-- Service Learning Projects, $36,650
-- Greene
-- Greene County Conservation District, Browns Creek stabilization/best management practice
-- Indiana
-- Indiana County Conservation District, McKee Run streambank stabilization, $20,494
-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Ross Run restoration phase 2, $52,193
-- Jefferson
-- Jefferson County Conservation District, Pine Run agricultural best management practices
-- Mercer
-- Mercer County Conservation District, Elder Run streambank stabilization, $40,247; Sandy
Creek Watershed conservation project, $209,000
-- Montgomery
-- Borough of Ambler, Growing Ambler Greener 2017-2020, $206,100
-- Upper Dublin Township, Rose Valley Creek Willowmere Study, $18,991
-- Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association, Thompson Dam alternatives analysis, $44,000
-- Worcester Township, Defford/Clyston Roads retrofit basin, $42,804
-- Northampton
-- Northampton County, Monocacy Creek restoration at Archibald Johnston Conservation Area,
$80,000
-- Philadelphia
-- City of Philadelphia, Philly Tree Canopy (Renew Philly Trees), $250,000
-- Venango
-- Scrubgrass Creek Watershed Association, Restoration of Upper Scrubgrass Creek phase 2,
$147,418
-- Warren
-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Brokenstraw Watershed improvement phase 2, $96,072
-- Washington
-- Washington County Conservation District, Covered Bridge Meadow agricultural best
management practices, $36,683
-- Wayne
-- Equinunk Watershed Alliance, Equinunk Area Watershed Management Plan, $50,000
-- Lake Wallenpaupack Watershed Management District, Stormwater structure installation at
Deerfield Lake, $123,910
-- Westmoreland
-- Jacobs Creek Watershed Association, Route 31 green infrastructure urban stormwater best
management practices, $350,000
-- Sewickley Creek Watershed Association, Lowber treatment system iron sludge management,
$171,725
-- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Murrysville stormwater basin retrofits, $64,620;
-- Vandergrift CBD stormwater management phase 2, $5,000
In Chesapeake Bay Watershed
-- Bedford
-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Bobs Creek erosion/sediment reduction, $46,572
-- Berks
-- Berks County Conservation District, Creekside Stables erosion best management practices,
$50,033;
-- Dennis Bross Farm best management practices, $306,551
-- Blair
-- The Trust for Tomorrow, Freedom Township stream restoration project, $57,801
-- Bradford
-- Bradford County Commissioners, Bradford County sediment and nutrient reduction initiative,
$220,000
-- Sugar Creek Watershed Association, Browns Creek stream corridor restoration, $68,000
-- Cambria
-- Cambria County Conservation District, Glendale Lake shoreline stabilization project phase 5,
$167,618;
-- Northern Cambria flood control restoration project phase 2, $29,838
-- Centre
-- Centre County Conservation District, Reducing pollution loads from Centre County farms,
$702,147
-- Penns Valley Conservation Association, Upper Penns Valley streambank best management
practices, $65,911
-- Cumberland
-- Cumberland County Conservation District, Agricultural best management practices, $289,813
-- Dauphin
-- Capital Area Greenbelt Association, Paxtang Parkway Watershed restoration and management,
$421,200
-- Huntingdon
-- The Trust for Tomorrow, Brown Farm Stream Restoration Phase 2, $182,866;
-- Peachy and Brown Farms Stream Restoration, $249,194
-- Indiana
-- Cambria County Conservation District, Cherry Tree flood control restoration phase 2, $70,701
-- Juniata
-- Juniata County Conservation District, Lost Creek restoration phase 2, $116,028
-- Lackawanna
-- Throop Borough, Sulphur Creek restoration, $280,000
-- Lancaster
-- Borough of Ephrata, Ephrata Wastewater Treatment Plant stormwater management
improvements, $85,033
-- City of Lancaster, Longs Park stormwater mitigation, $500,000
-- Luzerne
-- Dallas Township, Toby Creek streambank stabilization and stormwater enhancement design,
$36,550
-- Harveys Lake Borough, Eradication/control program for Hydrilla in Harveys Lake, $208,870
-- Luzerne County Conservation District, 2016 Agricultural best management practice projects,
$318,000;
-- Nescopeck Creek Watershed restoration efforts, $140,000
-- Lycoming
-- Lycoming County Conservation District, Agricultural and streambank best management
practices, $214,984
-- Montour
-- Montour County Conservation District, Chillisquaque Creek/Limestone Run restoration,
$746,713
-- Potter
-- Potter County Conservation District, Potter County streambank stabilization, $20,050
-- Trout Unlimited, Kettle Creek nonpoint source sediment reduction, $32,100
-- Schuylkill County
-- Schuylkill Conservation District, Good Spring Creek floodplain restoration phase 1, $230,000;
-- Swatara Creek floodplain restoration phase 1, $2,991,000
-- Snyder
-- Snyder County Conservation District, Snook barnyard improvement lower lot, $163,840
-- Susquehanna
-- Susquehanna County Conservation District, Countywide spring developments, $71,808;
-- Priority watershed spring developments, $32,651;
-- Meshoppen Watershed barnyards, $38,328; -- Tunkhannock Creek Watershed barnyards,
$170,000; Wyalusing Watershed barnyards, $180,000
-- Tioga
-- Tioga County Conservation District, Marsh Creek Watershed improvement, $60,389
-- Wyoming
-- Lake Carey Welfare Association, Nutrient inactivation of phosphorous in Lake Carey, $69,210
-- Wyoming County Conservation District, Freeman Farm manure and wastewater handling and
storage, $134,650
-- York
-- American Rivers, Inc., Removal of Kehm Dam and wetland and riparian buffer development,
$219,632
-- Hallam Borough, Unnamed tributary to Kreutz Creek stream restoration, $80,000
-- Jackson Township, Jackson Township Community Park stream restoration, $190,000
-- Wrightsville Borough, Wrightsville green infrastructure plan, $356,350
Multiple Counties
-- Armstrong Conservation District, Excitation emission matrix analysis water quality testing in
Armstrong and Indiana Counties, $7,839
-- Cooks Creek Watershed Association, Watershed Implementation Plan, $39,080
-- Headwaters Resource Conservation and Development Council, Agricultural best management
practices on nine farms, $181,352
-- PA Association of Conservation Districts, CREP Outreach Program Office, $382,355
-- PA Lake Management Society, Lake best management practices phase 3, $103,068
-- Stroud Water Research Center, Healthy Soils, Healthy Streams training and technical
assistance, $336,630
-- Trout Unlimited, Nonpoint Source Technical Assistance Program, $191,300
-- Villanova University, Impact of nutrient and fine sediment accumulation and distribution on
stormwater rain garden performance study, $244,937
-- Western PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Quick Response 8: Timely repair
projects to prevent environmental degradation or costly repairs, $100,000
-- Wildlands Conservancy, Implementing high priority stream restoration in the Lehigh
Watershed, $138,039
Multiple Counties or Regions
-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Prioritizing forested buffer investments, $629,557
-- Columbia County Conservation District, Multicounty soil health project, $409,465
-- Endless Mountains Resource Conservation and Development Council, Applied agroforestry
education, $46,200
-- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Pennsylvania-NFWF Agricultural Conservation
Collaborative, $550,000
-- Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy, Focused sediment reduction in Chesapeake Bay,
$425,000
-- Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, TreeVitalize XIII, $100,000
-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Chesapeake Bay Conservation Easement Incentive
Project, $379,000;
-- Juniata best management practices implementation/technical assistance, $194,770
For more information on the program, visit DEPs Growing Greener Program webpage.
NewsClips:
Bradford, Lycoming, Susquehanna County Projects Awarded Growing Greener Grants
Growing Greener Grants Awarded To Western PA Communities
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Triple Benefits: Pittsburgh Water Authority, Corps Cost-Share On Negley Run Green
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Triple Benefits: Green Master Plan Leads To Stormwater Improvements At Wrightsville
Riverfront Park
Growing Greener Coalition Applauds Growing Greener Grants, Points To Need For More Clean
Water Investments
DCNR Invests $44 Million In Local Recreation, Natural Resource Conservation Projects
Growing Greener Coalition Applauds DCNR Grants To Support Local Conservation, Recreation
Projects, Cautions Funding Is Insufficient
DEP Awards $550,000 For 15 Projects To Protect Lake Erie, Delaware Estuary Areas
[Posted: Dec. 7, 2017]
Growing Greener Coalition Applauds Growing Greener Grants, Points To Need For More
Clean Water Investments
The PA Growing Greener Coalition Thursday issued the

following statement from Executive Director Andrew
Heath in response to Gov. Wolfs announcement of 106
local clean water projects will receive Growing Greener
Program funding--
The Coalition applauds the Wolf administration and
General Assembly for recognizing the need to improve
water quality in Pennsylvania and for investing in projects
to enhance our watersheds, mitigate acid mine drainage,
and support programs to reduce pollution.
These investments through the Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Fund are
critical to keeping our drinking water clean and ensuring that current and future generations are
able to enjoy our rivers, lakes, streams and other waterways.
It is also important to note, however, that funding for Growing Greener program needs
to be increased. Funding for Growing Greener has decreased from an estimated average of $200
million in the mid-2000s to less than $60 million this year. This represents a nearly 75 percent
reduction.
The Coalition urges lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to come together to advance
a Growing Greener III initiative to continue investments to protect and preserve Pennsylvanias
water resources as well as our green open spaces, family farms, parks and trails, and historic
sites.
Of the 106 local water clean-up projects awarded through the Department of
Environmental Protections Growing Greener program, fifty-one are in the Chesapeake Bay
Watershed. Pennsylvania has a federal mandate to reduce nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment
pollution in the watershed.
Click Here for a list of local clean water projects funded. For more information on the
program, visit DEPs Growing Greener Program webpage.
According to the DEP, the Growing Greener grant program is the largest single
investment of state funds to address Pennsylvanias environmental challenges. Since 1999, DEP
has provided more than $296 million towards environmental projects statewide.
For more information on green infrastructure funding needs, visit the PA Growing
Greener Coalition website. The Coalition is the largest coalition of conservation, recreation, and
preservation organizations in the Commonwealth.
Its mission is to enhance the health and economic well-being of communities across the
Commonwealth by advocating for funding to conserve, protect and restore land, water and
wildlife; to preserve farms and historic places, and to provide well-managed parks and
recreational areas throughout the state.
Established in 2008, the Coalition comprises local, regional and statewide conservation,
recreation and preservation groups.
NewsClips:
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Gov. Tom Wolf Tuesday announced an investment of

$44 million for 266 projects across Pennsylvania that
will create new recreational opportunities, conserve
natural resources, and help revitalize local communities
under Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants.
DCNR will begin accepting applications for the 2018 round of Community Conservation
Partnerships Program Grants on January 23 through April 12. DCNR will accept riparian buffer
and snowmobile/ATV trail grants until December 20.
Communities go from good to great when they provide residents and visitors with parks
and trails, access to waterways, and opportunities for healthy outdoor activity, Governor Wolf
said. This $44 million in grants will support communities throughout Pennsylvania working to
protect and improve natural amenities for our citizens.
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn today
joined officials from the City of Pittsburgh and the Urban Redevelopment Authority at an event
adjacent to the Hays Woods property to highlight the grants in Allegheny County.
The URA was approved for an $800,000 grant to assist with the acquisition of the
563-acre property that will eventually be turned over to the city for its second largest park for
enjoyment and recreation.
Parks nearby are the places where our kids play; that make our urban neighborhoods
beautiful and attractive to homeowners; where we gather to build community; and they help
attract the businesses that provide jobs, Dunn said. Its fantastic to be able to protect a sizable
amount of open space in this dense urban area.
Dunn was joined Tuesday at the event by Urban Redevelopment Authority Executive
Director Robert Rubinstein and other state and local officials.
"The URA is excited to play a role in protecting and preserving this important ecological
treasure for future generations of Pittsburghers to enjoy," Rubinstein told the gathering.
Additional investments include: 49 trail projects; protecting nearly 8,000 acres of open
space; nine projects for planting riparian buffers along streams; 14 projects for rivers
conservation; and over 100 projects to develop or rehabilitate recreation, park and conservation
areas and facilities.
Heritage Areas/Other Grants
More than $2.36 million is being provided to Heritage Areas for projects including
advancing river and trail towns, closing gaps in Pennsylvanians destination trails, developing
heritage tourism initiatives, improving educational and interpretive signage, and planning and
marketing heritage tourism events.
The grants are administered by DCNR through the Community Conservation
Partnerships Program.
Click Here for a list of grants awarded to local projects.
For more information on this grant program, visit DCNRs Community Conservation
Partnerships Program Grants webpage.
NewsClips:
Western PA Communities Benefit From $44 Million In DCNR Grants
Dallas Twp Awarded $200K DCNR Grant For Park Renovation
DCNR Grants Will Fund Erie County Parks, Trail Projects
DCNR Grants To Enhance Open Space In Chester County
Luzerne County Recreation Projects Win Grants
Foundation For Sustainable Forests Receive DCNR Grant To Protect 292 Acres
$200,000 DCNR Grant Will Fund Meadville Ice Arena Upgrades
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Growing Greener Coalition Applauds DCNR Support For Local Conservation, Recreation
The PA Growing Greener Coalition Tuesday applauded

the state for awarding $44 million in grants to support
local conservation and recreation projects across the
Commonwealth, while at the same time, issued a caution
that overall funding for conservation and recreation
remains at all-time lows.
Because of this, the Coalition calls on the Governor and
Legislature to take action by passing a fully funded
Growing Greener III Program.
The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition applauds the state for investing in critical
conservation projects across the Commonwealth, said Andrew Heath, executive director of the
Coalition. However, the Governor and Legislature must take action to ensure that
Pennsylvanians continue to have access to clean water, green open spaces, parks and outdoor
recreational opportunities, and nutritious, locally grown food.
The grants were awarded through the Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2), which is largely supported
with funds from the Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Fund and Keystone
Recreation, Park & Conservation Fund.
The Department received 442 applications requesting more than $87 million in project
funding.
The fact that the state must deny nearly 40 percent of grant requests received reveals
how underfunded these programs are. The needs facing our Commonwealth are great, and they
grow exponentially with each year we ignore them, said Heath. The Commonwealth must
address these funding shortfalls.
Funding for Growing Greener has decreased from an estimated average of $200 million
in the mid-2000s to less than $60 million this year.
This represents a nearly 75 percent reduction.
In the fall of 2016, the Growing Greener Coalition unveiled its blueprint for a statewide
Growing Greener III Program, detailing the need for more than $315 million in annual
investments to protect Pennsylvanias water, land, communities and other natural resources.
On May 24, Senators Tom Killion (R-Delaware), Richard Alloway (R-Adams) and
Chuck McIlhinney (R-Bucks) introduced Senate Bill 705, which serves as the framework for a
Growing Greener III program, but without a source of funding.
The legislation has 27 co-sponsors and is now in the Senate Environmental Resources &
Energy Committee.
Companion legislation is being introduced in the House by Representatives Hal English
(R-Allegheny), Mike Carroll (D-Lackawanna), Alex Charlton (R-Delaware), Robert Freeman
(D-Northampton) and Chris Quinn (R-Delaware) and currently has 110 co-sponsors.
The Growing Greener III plan proposed by the PA Growing Greener Coalition has been
endorsed by more than 180 conservation, preservation and recreation organizations, as well as
several businesses and local governments, representing hundreds of thousands of
Pennsylvanians.
Established in 1999, the states Growing Greener program has funded hundreds of local
parks and trail projects, conserved more than 80,000 acres of threatened open space, and restored
hundreds of miles of streams and waterways.
The program has also protected more than 78,000 acres of farmland, restored more than
1,600 acres of abandoned mine land, and helped reduce flooding and water pollution through 400
watershed protection projects and more than 100 drinking and wastewater treatment
improvements.
For more information on green infrastructure funding needs, visit the PA Growing
Greener Coalition website. The Coalition is the largest coalition of conservation, recreation, and
preservation organizations in the Commonwealth.
Its mission is to enhance the health and economic well-being of communities across the
Commonwealth by advocating for funding to conserve, protect and restore land, water and
wildlife; to preserve farms and historic places, and to provide well-managed parks and
recreational areas throughout the state.
Established in 2008, the Coalition comprises local, regional and statewide conservation,
recreation and preservation groups.
NewsClips:
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Water Investments
Green stormwater infrastructure, greenway planning,

and shoreline enhancement strategies are just a few
of 15 projects that have been awarded nearly
$550,000 in grants from the Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday to protect and
restore the states two coastal zones along Lake Erie and the Delaware Estuary.
Our coastal zones are vital environmental, economic, and community resources for the
Commonwealth, said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. Each year, the diverse Coastal Zone
projects help us rethink, reexamine, and rededicate our efforts towards a comprehensive
approach to ensuring the sustainability of these habitats.
Coastal zones are the area where land meets the coast, and include both coastal waters
and adjacent shorelands and are under increasing pressure from development, erosion,
biodiversity loss, and pollution.
Coastal Zone Grants are awarded to projects related to fisheries, wetlands, stormwater
management improvements, recreation, public education, coastal hazards such as bluff recession,
and other areas. Grants may also be awarded to other projects in the watershed that have an
impact on coastal waters.
This year, 15 nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and municipalities received
funding. The three largest grants ($50,000 each) went to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning
Commission for municipal outreach on climate resiliency, to the Delaware River Basin
Commission to examine nutrient treatment technologies, and to Erie County to provide technical
assistance for Lake Erie coastal zone projects.
The 112-mile Delaware Estuary coastal zone is located in Bucks, Delaware, and
Philadelphia counties and encompasses islands, marshes, and other areas in the Delaware Estuary
watershed. It is the largest freshwater port in the world.
The 77-mile Lake Erie coastal zone is in Erie County and includes the Lake Erie
shoreline and several major tributaries. The coastal zone also extends to the middle of the lake, to
the international boundary with Canada, and inland an average of 1.4 miles.
Funded primarily by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the grants
are administered by DEPs Coastal Resources Management Program. Since federal approval of
the DEP Coastal Resources Management Program in 1980, the program has provided more than
$50 million in funding for coastal zone projects.
Click Here for a list of funded projects.
For more information on the program, visit DEP's Coastal Resources Management
Program webpage.
NewsClip:
Erie County Projects Get $190,000 In Coastal Zone Grants
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House Appropriations Reschedules Hearing On DEP, DCNR Use Of Special Funds To Jan.
25
The House Appropriations Committee has rescheduled the three hearings it had scheduled on
how state agencies use special funds to pay for grants and programs. The Committee is now
scheduled to question representatives of the departments of Conservation and Natural Resources
and Environmental Protection on January 25.
In September, House Republicans unveiled a plan to take over $450 million from
environmental special funds to help balance the state budget. They said these monies were
surplus and unused when that was clearly not the case.
While that raid was not successful, the budget revenue package that ultimately passed on
October 30 included a provision directing the Governor to transfer $300 million from special
funds of his choosing to the General Fund to accomplish the same objective.
DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell told the Citizens Advisory Council November 14 he
did not yet know if environmental funds would be impacted by the special fund transfers.
With the Independent Fiscal Office now projecting significant deficits in the state budget
in each of the next five years starting with nearly $1 billion in next years budget, the threat to
raid environmental and other special funds continues to be real.
In the letter requesting DEP and DCNR to appear for the hearing, Rep. Stan Saylor
(R-York), Majority Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said--
Throughout this year's budget negotiations process, there have been many unanswered
questions about the balances of these accounts and the expenditures of these accounts. The
people of Pennsylvania deserve transparency when it comes to their tax dollars and the
Appropriations Committee is determined to achieve that'
During these hearings the committee will be taking an in-depth review of the special
funds under the purview of both the Department of Environmental Protection and the
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Those funds include the Conservation District Fund, Coal Lands Improvement
Fund, Energy Development Fund, Environmental Education Fund, Environmental
Stewardship Fund, Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund, Keystone Recreation Park and
Conservation Fund, the Recycling Fund, and the Solid Waste-Resource Recovery
Development Fund.
lt is vital that you bring all necessary staff to answer questions about the revenues and
expenditures that are related to the specified funds.
Specifically, we are requesting DCNR Deputy Secretary for parks and Forestry John
Norbeck; DCNR Director of the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation Tom Ford; DCNR
Director of Administrative Services Stacie Amsler; DEP Executive Deputy Secretary for
Administration and Management Darrin Bodner; DEP Bureau of Fiscal Management Director
Tina Sutton; DEP Grants Center Director Michele Devaney to join you in front of the committee
to answer questions on these special funds.
Additionally, I am requesting that you submit documentation to the Committee by
December 4, 2017 detailing current commitments in the Conservation District Fund, Coal Lands
Improvement Fund, Environmental Education Fund, Environmental Stewardship Fund,
Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund, Keystone Recreation park and Conservation Fund, the Recycling
Fund, and the Solid Waste-Resource Recovery Development Fund.
Specifically, I am requesting that you detail in writing the currently open projects that
have been awarded funding by 1) award date, 2) entity name, 3) project start date and 4) the
anticipated date by which the funding will be expended.
It is important that the committee and the viewing public be allowed to listen and
respond to any information that is provided. Our desire is to have questions answered that day.
Therefore, any unanswered questions will require the testifiers to come back and provide
additional public testimony before the committee.
Click Here for a copy of the letter.
The location and time of the hearing has not been set. Committee hearings are typically
webcast through the House Republican Caucus website.
Similar hearings have been rescheduled for the Department of Transportation on
December 14 and the Department of Community and Economic Development on January 24.
Rep. Stan Saylor (R-York) serves as Majority Chair of the Committee and can be
contacted by calling 717-783-6426 or send email to: ssaylor@pahousegop.com. Rep. Joe
Markosek (D-Allegheny) serves as Minority Chair of the Committee and can be contacted by
calling 717-783-1540 or send email to: RepMarkosek@pahouse.net.
(Photo: Rep. Stan Saylor (R-York), Majority Chair of the House Appropriations Committee.)
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Letter: Congress Pass RECLAIM Mine Reclamation Act Before Christmas, EPCAMR
DEP Eyes New Land For Abandoned Mine Cleanup
Mifflin-Juniata Human Services Dept Receives Impact Fee Funded Housing Funds
PEDF Files Petition Urging Court To Declare New Transfers Of Monies From Oil & Gas
Fund Unconstitutional, $1.1 Billion At Stake
The PA Environmental Defense Foundation Tuesday filed an addendum to its petition with
Commonwealth Court challenging the provisions of the Fiscal Code bill-- House Bill 674 --
enacted in October transferring monies from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to DCNR and the
Marcellus Legacy Fund asking that they be declared unconstitutional because they were made
with no regard for the public trust under the constitutions Article I, Section 27 Environmental
Rights Amendment.
The addendum says now over $1.1 billion earned from the sale of natural resources from
state forests is now at stake in this case.
This issue is before Commonwealth Court because of the June 20 PA Supreme Court
decision declaring other transfers in past budgets unconstitutional for the same reason. The
upper court directed the Commonwealth Court to sort out issues related to these transfers
consistent with the courts ruling.
The June 20 ruling by the PA Supreme Court declared 2009 and 2010 amendments to the
Fiscal Code transferring $478 million from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to the General Fund
unconstitutional because there was no evidence the General Assembly considered the use of the
funds in its role as public trustee for natural resources under the Environmental Rights
Amendment.
The addendum to the petition filed Wednesday deals with the transfer of $61 million
from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to pay operating expenses for the Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources for FY 2017-18.
It also includes the transfer of $35 million from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to the
Marcellus Legacy Fund and re-transfer of those monies to the Environmental Stewardship Fund
and the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund to pay for activities that while beneficial, do not prevent
and remedy the harm to the State Forest from oil and gas extraction.
In the July PEDF filed motions with the Court to declare the 2017-18 General Fund
budget bill-- House Bill 218 (Saylor-R-York)-- unconstitutional because it transfers over $61
million from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to finance the general operations of the Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources.
The new motion says over $1.1 billion generated from the lease and sale of public
natural resources on our State Forests has been removed from the Section 27 public trust since
2009 for uses other than preventing and remedying the degradation, diminution and depletion of
our State Forest and Park public natural resources by oil and gas extraction.
As a result of the above Oil and Gas Lease Fund appropriations and transfers, the people
who live and work and recreate in the PA WILDS, including the PEDF members, as
beneficiaries of the public trust under Section 27, are deprived of their rights by the continued
degradation of our State Forests and Parks, continued diminishment of public natural resources
that will be needed to sustain the forest for future generations, and the continued loss of the
money that is a public natural resource asset.
The motion also points out, Section 1601.2-E(c) of the Fiscal Code bill actually re-enacts
the Oil and Gas Lease Fund, but fails to include a requirement to reasonably exercise its duties
as trustee of the environmental trust created by Section 27, the newly designated Oil and Gas
Lease Fund needs to be amended to reflect these requirements.
In the July motions, PEDF said, If the Commonwealth can use our public natural
resources for general operating expenses, including salaries and expenses, even assuming it is
argued that the employees salaries and expenses are related to conserving and maintaining
public natural resources, then no constitutional protection of the actual public natural resources
will exist.
The Commonwealth can and will argue that most, if not all, of DCNR employees are
working toward conserving and maintaining our State Parks and Forests. The Department of
Environmental Protection employees are also arguably working to conserve and maintain the
public natural resources of our clean air and pure water.
Other agencies also have obligations that could be viewed, under this interpretation, to
be conserving and protecting our public natural resources, including both statewide and
municipal entities.
An interpretation of Article I, Section 27 that allows DCNR to decide to lease our State
Forests for private industrial use to extract oil and gas to pay the general operational costs of
DCNR and other State agencies results in the degradation, diminution and depletion of the
corpus of the public trust and, therefore, fails to conserve and maintain the public natural
resources for the benefit of the people, including future generations.
The proceeds of the sale of trust assets must be directly related to conserving those
resources. Article XVI of the Appropriations Act of 2017 makes an impermissible and
unconstitutional general appropriation of trust assets for purposes that are not consistent with the
trust purposes.
Click Here for a copy of the addendum to the petition.
For more information on this issue, visit the PA Environmental Defense Foundation
website.
Effort To Refer Severance Tax Bill To House Committee Fails By One Vote, 1 Week Of
Session Left
On Monday, a motion by Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield) to refer the natural gas severance tax
bill-- House Bill 1401 (DiGirolamo-R-Bucks)-- to the House Environmental Committee failed
by a vote of 93 to 94.
An effort was made to amend the bill twice more on Monday.
Rep. Stephen Bloom (R-Cumberland) offered A04292 that would have invalidated the
minimum royalty payment provisions of the bill, but the amendment was withdrawn after a
lengthy debate. This was the second day he offered the amendment.
[Note: Rep. Bloom is running for Congress in the 11th District now represented by Lou
Barletta. This district includes Columbia, Montour, and Wyoming counties, along with parts of
Carbon, Cumberland, Dauphin, Luzerne, Northumberland, and Perry counties.]
Rep. Eli Evankovich (R-Allegheny) offered A04432, that would have required natural
gas distribution companies to put the names of the Governor, Senate and House member voting
for the severance tax on each customers bill, was defeated 53 to 134, again after lengthy debate.
A motion to force an immediate final vote on the bill by Rep. James Santora
(R-Delaware) failed for lack of members to second the motion. He got 14 seconds and needed
20.
The House took no further action on the bill Tuesday or Wednesday and it remains on the
House Calendar for when the House returns December 11.
It is likely there will be another effort to refer the bill to the House Environmental
Committee, if and when the House takes up the bill again.
As a reminder, there is no funding in this bill for any environmental programs.
Click Here for a summary of amendments made to the bill November 20 & 21.
Whats Next?
The House and Senate both dropped the week of December 18 from their voting schedule
making December 11, 12 and 13 the last voting days of the year for both chambers.
The Senate and House next return to Harrisburg on January 2 to formally open the second
half of the 2017-18 legislative session.
The real work will start on January 22 and the Governors budget address a 2 weeks later
on February 6 when the state will start the year with a budget already $1 billion in the hole.
NewsClips:
Related Story:
House Leaves Town Without Finishing Debate On Natural Gas Severance Tax Bill
Bills On Governor's Desk
The following bills were given final approval by the Senate and House and are now on the
Governor's desk for action--
Water Authorities Under PUC: House Bill 1490 (Turzai-R-Allegheny) placing the Pittsburgh
Water and Sewer Authority under the regulation of the Public Utility Commission. A House
Fiscal Note and summary is available.)
Storage Tanks: House Bill 290 (Metzgar-R-Bedford) providing for legislative appointments to
the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Board, fills a gap in funding for DEPs Storage
Tank Program and extends the sunset date for the environmental cleanup programs for storage
tanks. A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.
Senate/House Bills Moving Last Week
The following bills of interest saw action last week in the House and Senate--
House
Storage Tanks: House Bill 290 (Metzgar-R-Bedford) providing for legislative appointments to
the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Board, fills a gap in funding for DEPs Storage
Tank Program and extends the sunset date for the environmental cleanup programs for storage
tanks was reported out of the House Rules Committee and was concurred in by the House. The
bill now goes to the Governor for his action. A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.
Recreation Liability: House Bill 544 (Moul-R-Adams) further providing liability related to
landowners opening their land for recreation was reported out of the House Appropriations
Committee and passed by the House. A House Fiscal Note and summary is available. The bill
now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Replacing Water Lines: Senate Bill 656 (Fontana-D-Allegheny) authorize local governments to
make funds available to repair or replace lateral water lines contaminated with lead was removed
from the Table and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.
Tire Dumping: House Bill 1850 (Cruz-D-Philadelphia) relating to enforcement of trash laws in
Philadelphia related to dumping of waste tires (sponsor summary) was reported out of the House
Local Government Committee with a recommendation it be re-referred to the House Urban
Affairs Committee and it was.
Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule [Updated]/Govs Schedule/ Bills

Introduced
Here are the Senate and House Calendars for the next voting session day and Committees
scheduling action on bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--
Bill Calendars
House (Dec. 11): House Bill 1401 (DiGirolamo-R-Bucks) which amends the Tax Code to
impose a sliding scale natural gas severance tax, in addition to the Act 13 drilling impact fee, on
natural gas production was amended to divert all revenues to the General Fund and NO money
for environmental programs and add provisions related to minimum landowner oil and gas
royalties; House Resolution 284 (Moul-R-Adams) urging Congress to repeal the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agencys MS4 Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (sponsor
summary). <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.
Senate (Dec. 11): Senate Bill 234 (Blake-D-Lackawanna) would authorize local governments to
create energy improvement districts to help fund energy efficiency, renewable energy and water
conservation projects by commercial and industrial buildings to reduce their operating costs;
Senate Bill 656 (Fontana-D-Allegheny) authorize local governments to make funds available to
repair or replace lateral water lines contaminated with lead; Senate Bill 792
(Alloway-R-Franklin) requiring law fertilizer applicators to be certified in application techniques
and creates an education program. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.
Committee Meeting Agendas This Week
House: the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider Senate Bill
497 (Vogel-R-Beaver) exempting steel slag from the definition of waste if it was not produced
prior to January 1, 2007 or mixed with other waste (sponsor summary); the Agriculture and
Rural Affairs Committee meets to consider House Bill 1932 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) setting
a 90 day deadline for reviewing nutrient management plans, if a decision is not made it is
deemed approved (sponsor summary); the Appropriations Committee holds a hearing on
special funds related to PennDOT. <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.
Senate: the Appropriations Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 799

(Alloway-R-Franklin) a voluntary program to allow municipalities to pay for nutrient reductions;
the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 800
(Alloway-R-Franklin) eliminating and replacing the existing state electronics waste recycling
law with a more comprehensive program, Click Here for more; House Bill 1341
(Pyle-R-Armstrong) expands the qualifications for emergency medical personnel who must be
employed onsite at coal mines (House Fiscal Note and summary); the Senate Republican Policy
Committee holds a hearing on the Buckeye Pipeline proposal to reverse the flow of the Laurel
Pipeline. <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.
Bills Pending In Key Committees
Check the PA Environmental Council Bill Tracker for the status and updates on pending state
legislation and regulations that affect environmental and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.
Bills Introduced
The following bills of interest were introduced last week--
E-Waste Recycling: Senate Bill 975 (Gordner-R-Columbia) makes significant changes to the
electronics waste recycling law (sponsor summary).
Session Schedule
Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--
Senate
December 11, 12, 13, [canceled- 18, 19, 20]
2018
January 2, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31
February 5, 6 (Governor's Budget Address), 7
Budget Hearings: Feb. 20 - March 9
March 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28
April 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30
May 1, 2, 21, 22, 23
June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
House
December 11, 12, 13, [canceled- 18, 19, 20]
2018 [Updated]
January 2 (non-voting), 22, 23, 24
February 5, 6, 7
March 12, 13, 14
April 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 30
May 1, 2, 22, 23
June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
Governors Schedule
Gov. Tom Wolf's work calendar will be posted each Friday and his public schedule for the day
will be posted each morning. Click Here to view Gov. Wolfs Weekly Calendar and Public
Appearances.
The Feds
EPAs Pruitt Tells Congress Hes Leading EPA With A Back To Basics Agenda
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt

Thursday testified before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce
Subcommittee on Environment on a variety of issues. This was his
opening written statement--
Good morning Chairman Shimkus, Ranking Member Tonko
and members of the subcommittee. I appreciate the invitation to join
you today to discuss the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys
(EPA) Back to Basics agenda.
The Back to Basics agenda has three goals:
-- Refocus the Agency back to its core mission.
-- Restore power to the states through cooperative federalism.
-- Lead the Agency through improved processes and adhere to the
rule of law.
Core Missions
Pollution comes in many forms with myriad impacts on human health and the
environment. With the goal of clean and safe air, water, and land for all Americans, Congress
enacted a range of environmental statutes that spell out EPAs core responsibilities.
Our nation has come a long way since the EPA was established in 1970. We have made
great progress in making rivers and lakes safer for swimming and boating, reducing the smog
that clouded city skies, cleaning up lands that were once used as hidden chemical dumps, and
providing Americans greater access to information on the safety of chemicals used throughout
our nation.
Today we can see this enormous progressyet we still have important work to do.
The EPA has established priorities for advancing progress over the next four years in
each of its core mission areasland, air, wateras well as chemicals.
The Agency will focus on speeding the cleanup of Superfund sites. We will work with
states to more rapidly review submissions of state implementation plans for attaining air quality
standards, reducing contaminants that can cause or exacerbate health issues.
We will work to make water cleaner and safer by helping to update aging infrastructure,
both for drinking water and wastewater systems.
Of significant importance, EPAs top priority for ensuring the safety of chemicals in the
marketplace is the implementation of the new Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st
Century Act, which modernizes the Toxic Substances and Control Act (TSCA) by creating new
standards and processes for evaluating the safety of chemicals in the marketplace within specific
deadlines.
These endeavors will be supported by strong compliance assurance and enforcement
efforts in collaboration with our state and tribal partners, and use of the best available science
and research to address current and future environmental hazards, develop new approaches, and
improve the foundation for decision making.
To address existing pollution and mitigate future environmental problems, the Agency
will collaborate more efficiently and effectively with other federal agencies, states, sovereign
tribal nations, local governments, communities, and other partners and stakeholders.
EPA will enhance its direct implementation of federal environmental laws on Native
American lands where tribes have not taken on program responsibility. With our partners, we
will pay particular attention to vulnerable populations.
Children and the elderly, for example, may be at significantly greater risk from elevated
exposure or increased susceptibility to the harmful effects of environmental contaminants.
Much work remains, and together with our partners, we will continue making progress in
protecting human health and the environment.
Cooperative Federalism
The idea that environmental protection is a shared responsibility among the states, tribes,
and federal government is embedded in the environmental laws Congress enacted.
More than 45 years after the creation of the EPA and the enactment of a number of broad
federal environmental protection laws, most states, and to a lesser extent territories and tribes,
are authorized to implement delegated federal environmental programs within their jurisdictions.
Recognizing the congressionally intended responsibilities of our state, local and tribal
partners, we must adapt and modernize our practices to reduce duplication of effort with
authorized states and tailor oversight of delegated programs.
We must create a sense of shared accountability to achieve positive environmental
results. EPA understands that improvements to protecting human health and the environment
cannot be achieved by any actor operating alone, but only when the states and EPA, in
conjunction with affected communities, work together in a spirit of trust, collaboration, and
partnership.
Additionally, EPA recognizes the advances states and tribes have made in implementing
environmental laws and programs.
This Administration will undertake a series of initiatives to rethink and assess where we
are and where we want to be with respect to joint governance. These initiatives will clarify the
Agencys statutory roles and responsibilities and tailor state oversight to maximize our return on
investment and reduce burden on states, while assuring continued progress in meeting
environmental program requirements, as established by Congress.
We also recognize that meeting the needs of states, local governments, and communities,
and achieving environmental improvements cannot be done in isolation from economic growth.
Opportunities for prosperous economic growth and clean air, water, and land are lost
without effective infrastructure investments that align with community needs, especially
infrastructure investments that repair existing systems, support revitalization of existing
communities, take advantage of existing roads, and lead to the cleanup and redevelopment of
previously-used sites and buildings.
EPA will play a role in supporting infrastructure investment by optimizing and aligning
its relevant programs to catalyze other resources.
EPA needs to be a better partner to the states, which all have unique challenges and needs
when it comes to meeting environmental goals.
An important aspect of becoming a better partner is recognizing that a one-size-fits-all
strategy to achieve environmental outcomes has not, and will not, work.
For example, as the Agency continues the process of defining Waters of the United
States, I have traveled to over 27 states in order to get different perspectives, to hear from
people about how this rule affects different parts of the country.
During this process, I am thankful to have had the blessing of learning about the unique
challenges faced by each region, and the one-size-fits-all mentality of the previous
administration.
This type of top-down regulation does not foster a cooperative relationship with the states
that Congress intended in the Clean Water Act.
The Agency can also work to be a better partner through compliance assistance and
compliance assurance. We will use a full set of compliance tools, such as compliance
monitoring, electronic reporting, traditional enforcement, grants to states and tribes, and tribal
capacity building, to work jointly with our co-regulators to protect human health and the
environment.
EPA will also respect the important role that state governors play in cooperative
federalism and will seek their views and perspectives on compliance assistance and other
opportunities to improve the EPA-state partnership.
In addition, the Agency will work to strengthen intergovernmental consultation methods
to engage stakeholders and hear diverse views on the impacts of prospective regulations.
Improved Processes and the Rule of Law
EPA will seek to improve its processes and reinvigorate the rule of law as it administers
environmental regulations as Congress intended, and to refocus the Agency on its core statutory
obligations.
I am a firm believer that Federal agencies exist to administer laws passed by Congress, as
intended. Along with faithfully following the Rule of Law, improving the processes by which
EPA has operated will be crucial as we refocus the Agency.
Over the years, outside the regulatory process, well-funded special interest groups have
attempted to use lawsuits to force federal agencies especially EPA to issue regulations that
advance their priorities.
At some point, this exercise of Sue-and-Settle and the practice of acquiescence through
consent decrees or settlement agreements, which were often crafted behind closed doors and
without the transparency of the rulemaking process, became all too common.
This will not continue at EPA, which is why on October 16th of this year, I signed a
memorandum ending the practice.
Additionally, gone are the days of routinely paying tens of thousands of dollars in
attorneys fees to these groups with which we swiftly settle.
Finally, my directive creates a more transparent process in which impacted parties and
states have a voice and creates more awareness for the general public.
As I mentioned before, and have championed since my time as an attorney general, I am
a firm believer that federal agencies exist to administer laws passed by Congress, in accordance
with the will of this body.
Compliance with the law is not just about enforcementit is about ensuring consistency
and certainty for the regulated community, so it has a complete understanding of the impact of
proposed actions on human health, the environment, and the economy, and a clear path and
timeline to achieve that compliance.
Policies and rules will reflect common sense, consistent with EPAs statutory authorities,
and the public will benefit from greater regulatory and economic certainty.
EPA will enforce the rule of law in a timely manner and take action against those that
violate environmental laws to the detriment of human health or the environment.
An important aspect of how EPA must now look at the rule of law is with respect to its
own authorities under the law. We are reversing an attitude and approach under the previous
administration that one can simply reimagine authority under statutes.
For far too long, the EPA pursued initiatives which exceeded the authority granted to it
by Congress, or circumvented the will of Congress completely.
As an Agency, we must ensure that we are acting within the parameters which Congress
has laid out for us. For too long, EPA has failed to provide the regulatory consistency and
certainty the regulated community needs.
Any action by the EPA that exceeds the authority granted to us by Congress cannot be
consistent with the Agencys mission.
Conclusion
We are committed to performing the work that is necessary to meet our mission of
protecting human health and the environment. With support from our state and local partners-
and by working with each of you, and the rest of your colleagues in Congress, we can make a
real difference to communities across America.
I look forward to answering your questions.
Click Here to watch a video of the hearing and for written testimony.
NewsClips:
Congress Questions Pruitt On Industrys Growing Influence In EPA
Reuters: EPA Chief Says May Launch Public Climate Debate In January
EPAs Pruitt Promises Controversial Red Team Climate Debate Could Come Soon
AP: EPA To Hold 3 More Hearings On Clean Power Plan Repeal
EPA Works To Ease Air Quality Permitting Process
EPA Promises Not To Silence Scientists
House Members Press EPA Chief For RFS Changes
EPA Launches Cross-Agency Effort To Address PFAS, PFOA, PFOS
Reuters: Trump Open To Biofuel Policy Reform, Senators Say After Meeting
Frazier: PA, State Sue EPA For Missing Ozone Deadline
Greens, Health Groups Sue EPA Over Missed Smog Deadline
Op-Ed: Critical Federal Support for Hunting, Fishing Lands Under Threat
By Chris Hennessey, Northeast Public Lands Coordinator, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers
Most of us who love hunting and fishing know they are more than just
leisure activities-- they are a way of life, a part of who we are.
Some of lifes most important lessons are not imparted in a classroom
but in a duck blind, a deer stand or waist deep in a river, rod in hand.
Hunting and fishing teach the importance of preparation, planning,
hard work, patience and ethics.
Young men and women who go afield learn to endure difficult
weather conditions, appreciate wildlife and learn early and often that
you dont always get a trophy.
The lessons nature can teach us may seem outdated, but they are
quintessentially American and worth preserving.
Americas hunting and angling heritage is embattled on many fronts. From urban sprawl
and habitat loss to a shift among youth to team sports and electronics, threats to our outdoor
heritage abound.
Yet the biggest threat to the future of our sports isnt societal or cultural; it is the simple
fact that we are losing access to places to hunt and fish.
As more and more farms and private forests are subdivided, sold or placed off-limits, and
as streams are posted against angling, fewer sportspeople are heading afield.
Nationwide, loss of access is the No. 1 reason cited by Americans who drift away from
their hunting and fishing roots.
Fortunately, there is a bright spot.
For 50 years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has been our nations most
important tool to ensure outdoors people have access to public lands to hunt and fish.
It has represented a bipartisan commitment to safeguard our sporting heritage by
conserving lands with high wildlife-habitat value and important water resources that support
healthy fisheries, and by securing access for recreational opportunities that fuel an $887 billion
annual outdoor recreation economy supporting 7.6 million American jobs.
The LWCF does not use our tax dollars-- it is funded by royalties oil companies pay to
the government for drilling offshore in public waters.
Matching grants leverage investments from states and local governments to provide
financial support for shared land-conservation strategies and tools such as voluntary conservation
easements that improve outdoor recreation by permanently securing irreplaceable lands.
Funding from the LWCF has made possible public access and recreation projects across
Pennsylvania.
One of the single largest beneficiaries of LWCF dollars in the Commonwealth is the great
Allegheny National Forest in the northwest corner of the state, but hundred of projects have
benefited.
The LWCF has helped finance additions and improvements to state gamelands and access
to rivers and lakes, including the construction of campgrounds and boating facilities.
Regrettably, this critically important program will expire in 2018 unless Congress acts.
Without the LWCF, tens of millions of dollars for critical outdoor projects in
Pennsylvania would disappear.
We cant allow Washington politics to curtail important hunting and fishing activities in
Pennsylvania-- weve already lost too much land and access as it is. Backcountry Hunters and
Anglers and allied sporting organizations are calling on our elected representatives to save the
LWCF from extinction.
In a democracy, there is no room for bystanders. With the number of sportspeople in
Pennsylvania shrinking, we must speak louder and be more vigilant in protecting our outdoor
heritage.
Let us all rededicate ourselves to preserving our public lands and making them accessible
so that these great traditions continue to thrive, for the next generation and beyond.
Chris Hennessey is Northeast Public Lands Coordinator for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers
and he lives in State College. He can be contacted by sending email to:
chris@backcountryhunters.org. You can follow him on Twitter.
NewsClip:
Related Link:
DCNR: Land and Water Conservation Fund In Pennsylvania
Friends Of Allegheny Wilderness Oppose Federal Bill Opening Wilderness Areas To Bikes
The Friends of Allegheny Wilderness issued this

statement Wednesday ahead of a December 7 U.S.
House Subcommittee on Federal Lands hearing on
HR 1349 (McClintock-R-California) that would
open up federally designated wilderness areas to
mountain bikes and other wheeled transportation--
Friends of Allegheny Wilderness is proud
to be one of 133 conservation groups from across
the country standing side by side with Wilderness
Watch to help keep machines like mountain bikes
from terrorizing the peaceful, scenic hiking trails in Americas National Wilderness Preservation
System-- just as Tionesta, Pennsylvania native and [federal] Wilderness Act of 1964 author
Howard Zahniser had envisioned, said Kirk Johnson, executive director for the Warren,
Pennsylvania-based non-profit organization Friends of Allegheny Wilderness.
Designated Keystone State wilderness areas like Hickory Creek Wilderness, and
prospective wilderness areas like the proposed 9,700-acre Tracy Ridge Wilderness, are going to
need the full unfettered protections provided by the Wilderness Act in the years to come, for
future generations, explained Johnson. Especially now, with so many of our federal public
lands across the country under attack from Washington, D.C., it is no time to begin such an
overtly hostile dismantling of the most fundamental tenets of this foresighted law that Howard
Zahniser worked for so long and so hard.
Further, with the advent and exploding popularity of dangerous motorized mountain
bikes, known as e-bikes, which are impossible to distinguish from traditional non-motorized
mountain bikes allowing bikes on wilderness hiking trails is tantamount to allowing
motorcycles and ATVs into the wilderness, Johnson added.
As Pennsylvanias Howard Zahniser, the author of the federal Wilderness Act, said in
1949--
It is not for the sake of any privileged few that we are thus working so strenuously for
wilderness preservation, but rather for all Americans. We feel that the privilege of a wilderness
experience is something to which every American is entitled, including those who are not yet
born. There is no person that we should like to see excluded. We are indeed trying to keep out
buildings, roads, airplane landing fields, mechanical vehiclesand all the things that make the
wilderness not the wilderness. That often makes it look as though we are trying to keep out
people because these things would all bring people. But, as we see it, they would not bring
them to the wilderness because the wilderness would no longer be there for anyone.
Click Here for witnesses and testimony at the hearing. Click Here for the Wilderness
Watch testimony.
For more information on wilderness issues, visit the Friends of Allegheny Wilderness
website. Click Here to sign up for updates from Friends (right side of page). Click Here to
support their work.
(Photo: Proposed Tracy Ridge Wilderness Area.)
News From The Capitol
Bill Extending Storage Tank Cleanup Programs, Funding Tank Program Goes To
Governor
The House Wednesday gave final approval to House Bill

290 (Metzgar-R-Bedford) that extends the Storage Tank
Environmental Cleanup and Pollution Prevention Program
through 2022, restoring the ability of DEP to help cleanup
leaking tanks. The bill now goes to the Governor for his
action.
This provision was previously included in separate
legislation-- Senate Bill 649-- sponsored by Sen. John
Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Minority Chair of the Senate
Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, and was
added to House Bill 290 in the Senate.
The bill also authorizes the transfer of up to an additional $4 million from the
Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund to DEP to help pay the administrative costs for
the Storage Tank Program and avoiding an increase in fees on aboveground and underground
tank owners.
The composition of the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Board is also
changed with the addition of appointments by the Senate and House to the Board. Previously the
Governor appointed all members.
A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.
House Environmental Committee Meets Dec. 11 On Bill To Exempt Steel Slag From Waste
Definition
The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet on December
11 to consider Senate Bill 497 (Vogel-R-Beaver) exempting steel slag from the definition of
waste if it was not produced prior to January 1, 2007 or mixed with other waste (sponsor
summary).
The agenda also includes the standard admonition and any other business that may come
before the Committee.
The meeting will be held in Room B-31 Main Capitol at the Call of the Chair, which
means at any time after the House convenes at 1:00. House Committee meetings are typically
webcast on the House Republican Caucus website.
Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental
Committee and can be contacted by sending email to: jmaher@pahousegop.com. Rep. Mike
Carroll serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by sending email to:
mcarroll@pahouse.net.
Senate Environmental Committee To Consider E-Waste Recycling Overhaul Dec. 13
The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet on December
13 to consider legislation overhauling the states electronics waste recycling program and a bill
to update training requirements for deep mine safety medical personnel. The bills include--
-- E-Waste Recycling: Senate Bill 800 (Alloway-R-Franklin) eliminating and replacing the
existing state electronics waste recycling law with a more comprehensive program Click Here
for more; and
-- Deep Mine Safety: House Bill 1341 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) expands the qualifications for
emergency medical personnel who must be employed onsite at coal mines (House Fiscal Note
and summary).
The meeting will be held in the Rules Room, Off the Floor, meaning it could happen any
time after the Senate recesses.
Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental
Committee and can be contacted by sending email to: gyaw@pasen.gov. Sen. John Yudichak
(D-Luzerne) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by sending email to:
yudichak@pasenate.com.
Related Stories:
Sen. Alloway Introduces Bill To Totally Revamp PA Electronics Waste Recycling Program
Senate Hearing: E-Waste Recycling Law Broke, 5.1 Million CRTs, TVs Waiting To Be
Recycled In PA
News From Around The State
CBF: Study Finds Exelon Can Make Contributions To Mitigate Impacts Of Conowingo
Dam
A new study commissioned by the Chesapeake Bay

Foundation and The Nature Conservancy shows Exelon
Generation Company can mitigate a substantial portion
of environmental impacts caused by its Conowingo
Dam operation on the Susquehanna River, while
continuing to make a healthy profit.
"The good news that comes with this report is that
Conowingo's environmental performance can be
brought into the 21st century with effective mitigation
measures while the dam continues to provide low
carbon energy and Exelon receives a reasonable return on its investment," said Mark Bryer,
TNC's Chesapeake Program Director.
The report, "An Economic Analysis of the Conowingo Hydroelectric Generating
Station," examined the dam's revenues and expenses, various flow scenarios, market prices, and
rates of return.
It concluded Conowingo generates sufficient revenue to provide $27 million to $44
million annually in "headroom for remediation" depending on flow regimes and energy prices.
Exelon said in a statement, Exelons goal is to continue to operate Marylands largest
source of renewable electricity - the Conowingo Dam - safely and reliably through the latter part
of the century, while continuing to work with key stakeholders to ensure the long-term health of
the Lower Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay.
The dam provides significant benefits to the region, as confirmed by the more than 50
studies conducted since 2010 that came to this same conclusion.
While we are still reviewing the study published today, its estimates of the dams future
revenues and profitability are based on a number of flawed assumptions and theories, and dont
align with Exelon Generations own projections based on its 90-year ownership of the dam. Its
important to note that Conowingos operations do not generate sediment. Most of the sediment
that impacts the Bay comes from upstream sources. As such, the regional sources of sediment
across the basin should take joint responsibility for the issue, not a single company or entity.
As with all of our operations, we are committed to being a good neighbor. In 2016,
Exelon Generation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced an agreement for fish
passage improvements at the Conowingo Dam over the next 50 years at an estimated cost of up
to $312 million, which will jumpstart the restoration efforts of American shad in the
Susquehanna, among other environmental improvements.
We are a proud member of the Chesapeake Bay community and remain committed to
help find the most innovative and effective ways to address the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
The CBF/TNC report was conducted by Energy+ Environmental Economics of San
Francisco, California, for the Water Power Law Group, CBF, and TNC. It was released prior to a
public hearing Tuesday by the Maryland Department of the Environment on the Conowingo
pollution issue.
"More pollution will come through the Conowingo Dam and into the Bay than scientists
previously calculated," said CBF President Will Baker. "Exelon has the responsibility and
revenue to pay for its share of the solution."
Conowingo Dam is the largest dam on the Susquehanna River, which is the largest river
on the East Coast of the U.S. The dam and its reservoir contribute to downstream water quality
degradation in the Chesapeake Bay.
The dam's operation dramatically impacts habitats in the river and Bay, and populations
of migratory fish, freshwater mussels, and underwater grasses, all of which have vital economic
and ecological value.
For decades, the Conowingo Dam acted as a drain stop to trap significant amounts of
sediment and nutrient pollution flowing from farms, sewage plants, and other sources upstream
in the Susquehanna River watershed.
But the reservoir behind the dam nearly has filled up, and earlier than was expected. Big
storms scour some of that pollution from behind the dam and into the Chesapeake.
Recent studies affirmed that while most of the sediment and phosphorus in the dam
reservoir originates upstream, the dam itself also worsens downstream water quality because it
alters the form of the sediments and phosphorus and the timing of their discharge.
Other studies have shown that Conowingo discharges water in a way that is more harmful
to fish and habitat than average dams elsewhere.
Exelon has filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a
new operating license for the Conowingo Dam. Under federal law and FERC's relicensing
process, Exelon is required to obtain a Clean Water Act Water Quality Certification from MDE.
Exelon must demonstrate that the dam's operation meets
Maryland's water quality standards. MDE will hold a public hearing on the certification
today, December 5, 2017. The public has until January 15, 2018 to submit written comments.
CBF and TNC both are scheduled to testify at the public hearing.
They will urge that MDE require Exelon to: 1) mitigate the harm the dam causes to
downstream water quality, including a financial contribution to mitigate sediment and nutrient
pollution; 2) make operational changes to restore safe and effective habitat for migratory fish like
American shad and striped bassand for keystone species like freshwater mussels and aquatic
vegetation; and 3) make structural investments to restore fish passage connectivity to upstream
spawning habitats.
A copy of the study is available online.
For more on Chesapeake Bay-related issues in Pennsylvania, visit the Chesapeake Bay
Foundation-PA webpage. Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left
column). Click Here to support their work.
NewsClips:
Environmentalists Ask Exelon To Pay For Conowingo Dam Sediment Cleanup
Environmental Groups Say Conowingo Operator Can Afford To Help Stop Sediment
CBF: Study Finds Exelon Can Make Contributions To Mitigate Impacts Of Conowingo Dam
Growth Projections To Be Used To Adjust 2025 Chesapeake Bay Pollution Reduction Goals
Morelli: Flathead Catfish, Swimming Under The Radar For Years, Now Raising Concerns
Morelli: Cove Mountain Forests Offer Refuge For Animals, People
Raising A Hellbender Is Rough, But Rewarding
Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal
Click Here to subscribe to the Chesapeake Bay Journal
Click Here to support the Chesapeake Bay Journal
Follow Chesapeake Bay Journal On Twitter
Like Chesapeake Bay Journal On Facebook
Related Stories:
Feature: Conowingo Dam No Longer Holds Back PA Nutrients Going To Chesapeake Bay
Dams On Susquehanna Are Undoing Progress In Reducing Pollution To Chesapeake Bay
MD Governor Announces Pilot Project To Dredge Behind Conowingo Dam To Help Bay
DEP To Reissue Current PAG-02 Stormwater General Permit Effective Dec. 8
The Department of Environmental Protection Thursday

announced it will reissue the current general permit
associated with stormwater discharges related to
construction activity, the PAG-02, for an additional two
years on December 8, 2017. (formal notice)
The current permit expires on December 7, 2017, so there will be no lapse in the
availability of the PAG-02 permit coverage for new projects.
DEP coordinated this reissuance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A
comment period on reissuing the current permit ended on December 4, 2017. A PA Bulletin
listing for the reissued permit will appear in the December 16, 2017 edition of the PA Bulletin.
The PAG-02 is one of the most used permits in construction, and any lapse in the
availability of this general permit could have hampered economic growth in the commonwealth,
said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. DEP will be considering possible changes to the
general permit in the future, but it is important that we keep the permit available and accessible
to those that need it in the short term.
The reissued PAG-02 will be available for two years. DEP expects to propose revisions
to the PAG-02 sometime during the two-year permit term. Such revisions will include notice and
a public participation process.
The general permit package can be accessed through the Department's eLibrary website.
To learn more about stormwater pollution reduction, visit DEPs Municipal Stormwater
and How To Be Stormwater Smart webpages.
NewsClips:
Triple Benefits: State, Local Officials Tour Stormwater Pollution Reduction Project In
Dauphin County
The Department of Environmental Protections

Southcentral Regional Director Joe Adams Tuesday
participated in a demonstration of Derry Townships
recently completed stormwater management project
designed to reduce stormwater runoff and improve water
quality.
Supported through funding provided to DEP by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the
Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant, Derry Township
re-configured an approximately 40,000-square-foot
parking lot located near 43 West Caracas Avenue in
downtown Hershey.
Nearly one-third of the lot was repaved with porous asphalt beds, which will absorb
rainwater, promote groundwater recharge, reduce the volume of stormwater runoff, and improve
water quality flowing into nearby Spring Creek.
More than 3,500 square feet of vegetative islands and shade trees were added to help
absorb rainwater.
Properly managing stormwater runoff is a challenge facing many municipalities in the
Commonwealth, said Director Adams. Derry Township is to be commended for implementing
this proven effective best management practice (BMP) which will not only improve conditions in
the downtown area, but improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed by reducing
sediments and nutrients entering the local waterways.
Regional Director Adams, township officials and invited guests witnessed how water
poured onto the newly paved surface dissipates into the asphalt instead of running off into nearby
storm drains.
The project is expected to produce a sediment load reduction of more than 100 pounds
per year, plus lesser amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus.
Derry Township received $200,000 in funding in July 2016 as part of the Local
Stormwater Best Management Practice Implementation Program.
To learn more about stormwater pollution reduction, visit DEPs Municipal Stormwater
and How To Be Stormwater Smart webpages.
(Photo: Demonstrating porous asphalt.)
NewsClips:
Related Stories:
Riverfront Park
Investing In Green Infrastructure Offers Triple Benefits: Reduces Flooding, Nutrient, Sediment
Runoff
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority and the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District,
Tuesday announced they have entered into a
cost-sharing agreement to fund the $1.2 million Negley
Run Green Infrastructure Project.
With the agreement in place and contractors,
Tetra Tech and Stantec selected, the project team is
moving ahead to conceptualize the plan and develop its
project specifications for construction.
The Negley Run project involves several
Pittsburgh neighborhoods and will address regional,
water quality issues in an area that is prone to some of Pittsburghs most catastrophic wet
weather events.
Separating stormwater from the sewer system along Negley Run Boulevard will
alleviate a habitual problem of flash flooding during storm events along that corridor of the city,
said Capt. Matthew Wright, project manager Pittsburgh District. Current stormwater
infrastructure was not designed to hold the volume of water that occasionally precipitates in that
area.
Homewood, Larimer, Lincoln-Lemington, Point Breeze and parts of East Liberty all have
a direct connection to Washington Boulevard where it is essential to manage stormwater.
The project team is reviewing previous studies conducted by these neighborhoods and
will coordinate the final design with multiple city departments, regional, state, and federal
agencies as well as impacted community groups and nonprofit partners.
Local community groups and nonprofits have done an exceptional job studying this
area, stated Robert Weimar, Interim Executive Director of PWSA. These existing studies will
help to inform the final design, and we look forward to continued collaboration throughout this
project.
It is estimated that the completed project will divert 17 million gallons annually from the
combined sewer system. In early 2018, the design team will seek community input from project
stakeholders, and PWSA is in the process of developing a public outreach plan to continue the
community process.
The Negley Run project is a Section 219 Environmental Infrastructure Project as defined
by the Water Resources and Development Act of 1992. It authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers to assist non-federal agencies in carrying out water-related environmental
infrastructure and resource protection projects.
The Army Corps of Engineers will provide 75 percent of the project cost as part of the
cost-sharing agreement, and PWSA will contribute the remaining 25 percent.
Working with a partner like PWSA is an integral component of a cost-share project such
as this one, said Wright. Ultimately, we want to design a system that meets the needs of PWSA
and the residents along Negley Run. PWSA makes for a valuable partner because they have a
level of expertise and access to a lot of the hydrologic data needed to design an appropriate
system.
For more information on Pittsburghs green infrastructure plans, visit the Authoritys
Going Green webpage. Click Here for the November Green Infrastructure newsletter.
(Photo: Negley Run Bioswale concept.)
NewsClips:
Related Stories:
County
Riverfront Park
Runoff
Riverfront Park
Approximately three years ago, Lancaster

County-based LandStudies provided a green master
plan, engineering, permitting, and related design
services for green infrastructure improvements that
will provide efficient management of urban
stormwater runoff for Wrightsville Borough, York
County, and improve the environmental function of
the river corridor associated with the 11-acre
Wrightsville Riverfront Park.
LandStudies work piggybacked off a Master Plan for the park that was developed by
YSM in 2011.
Ann Yost, Landscape Architect with YSM, said, LSI integrated green infrastructure
improvements into the park design in a manner that retained recreation value while addressing
municipal MS4 requirements.
In October 2017, the Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources, Ms. Cindy Dunn, along with representatives from LandStudies, YSM, Lancaster
Civil Engineering, and others, toured the site and discussed future plans.
Across the state, regardless of the waterway or the town, we have seen the very good
things that fall into place when a rebounding river is used as a catalyst for a municipalitys
revitalization, said Secretary Dunn.
The nearly $2 million in renovations and improvements will include natural area
restoration, passive use trails, a boat ramp, and stormwater best management practices (BMPs),
including a series of bioretention swales to manage and filter runoff before it enters the
Susquehanna River.
The project will also include the construction of playground improvements that will be
completed in the next couple months.
Ben Craddock, project manager with Lancaster Civil Engineering, said, Not only did
LSI create a master plan that balanced recreational and green infrastructure improvements, but
theyve provided valuable ongoing support and expertise throughout the entire process from
concept through construction.
For more information on the green master plan, visit the Landscape Architecture page.
For more information, visit the LandStudies website or contact Christine Le,
717-726-4440 or send email to: christine@LandStudies.com. Click Here to sign up for green
infrastructure updates.
LandStudies is certified as a Womens Business Enterprise (WBE), Minority Business
Enterprise (MBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) based in Lititz, Lancaster
County. Follow LandStudies on Twitter, Like them on Facebook.
NewsClips:
Revitalization Project Announced For Wrightsville Park
$1.9 Million In Renovations Underway In York County Park
Related Stories:
Wrightsville, DCNR Officials Tour Ongoing Riverfront Park Rehabilitation Project
County
Runoff
DEP Blog: A New Life For Monocacy Creek In Bethlehem
By: Colleen Connolly, Community Relations Coordinator, DEP Northeast Regional Office
Monocacy Creek before restoration Its OUT with the railroad ties
and IN with the rocks and natural flow of the stream!
Thats the new life for Monocacy Creek in Bethlehem,
Lehigh/Northampton counties.
For nearly 40 years, old railroad ties embedded into the
creeks banks controlled erosion and limited the amount of
sediment that had accumulated. Those ties also acted as barriers to
channel the flow of the stream.
The idea was that the wooden structures would stabilize the
stream bank and control erosion. It did. For a while. However, by
late 2015, erosion began and the creek started to suffer. The water
muddied, and the stream bank began to fall.
Staff at the Wildlands Conservancy, a Lehigh Valley-based
conservation organization, felt the railroad ties were not good for
the health of the stream and the fish and other habitat that relied on it for survival.
They had a plan to rebuild and renew the stream. But the project needed funding. Enter
DEPs Growing Greener Grant Program.
Ron Yablonsky, water quality specialist in DEPs Northeast Regional Office, reviewed
the proposal by Wildlands to remove the railroad ties and other dam structures on the creek.
The plan was to replace the ties with rock to ease the flow and create a natural channel.
This would also help to create a deeper body of water so fish can have more oxygen, and
migrate.
Other work involved removing old dams and replacing them with modern V-shaped rock
structures that span the width of the stream. (Click Here to see more photos.)
Yablonsky, now retired, felt the plan would improve the overall quality of the stream and
make it make it more appealing for fisherman and other recreational uses.
This stream restoration project would not only enhance the quality of aquatic life, but
protect it as well, and make the stream flow in a more natural state, said Yablonsky.
In the summer of 2016, DEP awarded Wildlands Conservancy a $55,000 Growing
Greener Grant for the project. Work began in the fall of that year and continued throughout the
year.
Large machinery moved in, and the railroad ties were ripped from the banks. Old
structures on the stream were also dismantled. The creek sediment was removed.
One highlight of the project was the installation of several fish hatcheries along the
stream. Those structures provided an area where fish can grow and be released, creating more
opportunities for fisherman to catch fish during the season.
The creek bank also now has a more natural cover: a coconut fiber mat designed by the
Conservancy. Over the years, the mat will naturally decompose once vegetation takes root to
keep the newly created bank in place.
Its a more natural creek now, said Yablonsky. The fish can flow more freely and the
banks are stronger and will only get stronger. It is what nature intended.
For more information on funding opportunities, visit DEPs Growing Greener Grant
Program webpage.
For information on other programs, visit DEPs website, Click Here to sign up for DEPs
monthly newsletter, visit DEPs Blog, Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit
DEPs YouTube Channel.
NewsClips:
Earth Conservancy: From Pollution To Possibility
POWR: Voting Results So Far For 2018 PA River Of The Year
Voting To Begin For PAs 2018 River Of The Year
Lackawanna River In Running For PA River Of The Year
Duncannon OKs Deal To Preserve Watershed Lands
Delaware RiverKeeper Dec. 8 RiverWatch Video Report
Kummer: Tibet Explorers Family To Donate $3M To Academy Of Natural Sciences
Dec. 15 Forum: Hunters, Anglers, Watershed Groups Working Together On Conservation
Hunting, fishing and conservation groups

are hosting a Sportsmen Forum on December 15 at the Millport Conservancy, 737 E. Millport
Road in Lititz, Lancaster County from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to explore opportunities for
hunters, anglers, watershed groups and conservation professionals to work together to restore
local habitat and waterways.
The agenda includes keynotes by Amy Wolfe, PA Trout Unlimited and Roger Rohrer a
local Lancaster County farmer.
Panel discussions include speakers on successful local restoration projects; a restoration
project tour; how to get folks from 4 to 94 talking about riparian buffers; opportunities for
funding projects; and ending with a networking opportunity.
Donegal Trout Unlimited, the PA Council of Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited,
Pheasants Forever, Chesapeake Light Tackle, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Forests for the
Bay and the Stroud Water Research Center are co-sponsoring the event.
Click Here for all the details and to register.
Triple Benefits: December Green Infrastructure Newsletter Now Available From

LandStudies
The December green infrastructure

newsletter is now available from Lancaster
County-based LandStudies featuring articles
on--
-- Green Master Plan Leads To Stormwater
Improvements At Wrightsville Riverfront
Park
-- Wet Weather vs. Dry Weather Sampling In
Stormwater Pollution Reduction Planning
-- Employee Spotlight: Meet Paul Artale
-- Give A Gift To Your Loved Ones And The Environment
-- Click Here to sign up for green infrastructure updates.
For more information, visit the LandStudies website or contact Christine Le,
717-726-4440 or send email to: christine@LandStudies.com. LandStudies is certified as a
Womens Business Enterprise (WBE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Disadvantaged
Business Enterprise (DBE) based in Lititz, Lancaster County. Follow LandStudies on Twitter,
Like them on Facebook.
Related Story:
Runoff
NewsClips:
Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Certification Jan. 25-26 In Lancaster
The next Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional

Certification Level I course will be held January
25-26 in Lancaster
Whether you are experienced in this field, or you
want to move your practice in a new direction,
CBLP offers expert trainers, hands-on experience,
and networking and collaborative practice opportunities. Day 1 includes classroom instruction
while day 2 includes a field-based maintenance practicum and BMP inspection training.
Click Here for all the details.
NewsClips:
29th Annual Landscape Design Symposium Jan. 11-12 In Montgomery County
The 29th Annual Landscape Design Symposium will

be held January 11-12 at Montgomery County
Community College in Blue Bell with the theme
Ecological Complexity in Landscapes for People.
The Symposium explores a core challenge of
contemporary landscape design: blending plants,
wildlife, and people in spaces that advance
ecological function and are enjoyable to be in.
While the destination is clear, the route is complex and ill-defined or nonexistent. Learn
from real world experiences of a select group of landscape architects and designers who are
successfully navigating this challenge.
The Symposium has been approved Professional Development Credits will be available
for the following: ISA, PLNA, LA CES, APLD, NJ Board of Architects, NOFA-AOLCP and is
being offered by Morris Arboretum.
For more information and registration, visit the 29th Annual Landscape Design
Symposium webpage or call 215-247-5777, ext. 125.
PEC Celebrates 10 Years Of Dumpsite Cleanups In Pike, Potter, Susquehanna, Wayne

Counties
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the PA

Environmental Councils Community Illegal Dumpsite
Cleanup Program in Pike, Potter, Susquehanna and
Wayne counties.
The program expanded in 2015, when PEC obtained
funding through the settlement of a Department of
Environmental Protection enforcement action to
continue cleaning up illegal dumpsites in Pike County,
Potter County, Susquehanna County and Wayne
counties.
With this funding, PEC financed and coordinated a total of 126 illegal dumpsite cleanups,
sent hundreds of letters and emails, made phone calls, hired contractors, contacted land owners,
acquired insurance, provided equipment and supplies, educated and recruited volunteers, and
formed many partnerships.
In just the past three years, the program has removed 185 tons of trash, 37 tons of scrap
metal and 105 tons of tires (more than 8,500 tires) from 72 sites, thanks largely to the efforts of
more than 1,200 volunteers who donated nearly 6,800 hours of their time.
PEC staff also worked with municipalities, conservation districts, foresters, and others to
clean up 29 locations, and hired contractors to eradicate another 25 illegal dumpsites.
A breakdown by county of the results of these cleanups follows:
-- Pike County: 16 sites were eradicated by 513 volunteers working a total of 3,544 hours. 37
tons of trash, 80 pounds of scrap metal, and 23.32 tons of tires were removed and disposed of
properly. Six of these sites were within a waterway.
-- Potter County: 69 volunteers spent 205 hours cleaning up 36 sites, removing 15.94 tons of
trash, 6.1 tons of scrap metal and 15.23 tons of tires. 21 of these sites were within a waterway.
-- Susquehanna County: 527 volunteers worked 2,522 hours to eradicate 55 illegal dumpsites.
In all, 110 tons of trash, 19.43 tons of scrap metal and 60 tons of tires were removed and
disposed of properly. 28 of these sites were within a waterway.
-- Wayne County: 19 sites were cleaned up over a total of 502 hours by 129 volunteers.
Together they hauled away 22.61 tons of trash, 11.25 tons of scrap metal and 6.6 tons of tires.
Eleven of these sites were within a waterway.
The PA Environmental Council extends its thanks to all the volunteers, organizations,
schools, churches, clubs, sponsors, conservation districts, county work release and probation
offices, county and state employees, municipalities and local officials for supporting this much
needed project.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the PA
Environmental Council website, visit the PEC Blog, follow PEC on Twitter or Like PEC on
Facebook. Visit PECs Audio Room for the latest podcasts. Click Here to receive regular
updates from PEC.
Nominations Now Being Accepted For 3rd Annual Western PA Zero Waste Event &
Business Awards
The PA Resources Council is now accepting nominations

for the 3rd Annual Western PA Zero Waste Event and
Business Awards. The deadline for nominations is
January 19.
The Awards recognize those who recognize those
who adopt and utilize strategies to achieve Zero Waste
including waste avoidance, reuse, recycling, and
composting. They include--
-- Zero Waste Achievement Awards for any event or
institution that has diverted a significant percentage of
their waste in 2017 in Gold, Silver and Bronze categories;
and
-- Zero Waste Excellence Awards for exemplary dedication to the principles of Zero Waste.
By sponsoring these awards, PRC hope to encourage the region to implement Zero Waste
techniques and principles to reach over 90 percent diversion!
Awards Ceremony
A awards ceremony to recognize the winners will be held on February 22 at Construction
Junction, 214 North Lexington Street, Pittsburgh from 5:30 to 8:30.
Click Here for nomination instructions. Click Here for all the details. Questions should
be sent to: zerowaste@prc.org.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the PA Resources
Council website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates, follow PRC on Twitter or Like them
on Facebook. Click Here for PRCs Events Calendar. Click Here to support their work.
NewsClips:
AP: Sensitive Medical Records Thrown Away In Recycling Bin
Recycling Advocates Call For Bins Amid Shortage of Giant Eagles Blue Bags
Remote Recycling Locations In Armstrong To Close For Holidays
Covanta's Chester Energy-From-Waste Plant Reuses Wastewater Treatment Plant Water
Waste Management Pitches Costs Savings For Trash, Recyclables To Wilkes-Barre Officials
DEP Begins Accepting Applications From Counties For Waste Planning, Household Haz.
Waste, Education Grants Jan. 1
The Department of Environmental Protection Friday

announced it will begin accepting applications from
counties for Act 101 grant applications for county waste
planning, household hazardous waste and education
programs on January 1. (formal notice)
County planning grants fund 80 percent of the
approved costs for preparing municipal waste
management plans, as required by Act 101, for carrying
out related studies, surveys, investigations, inquiries,
research and analysis, including those related to siting,
environmental mediation, education programs on pollution prevention and HHW and providing
technical assistance to small businesses for pollution prevention.
The maximum grant to a county cannot exceed $75,000 per calendar year for planning
and is limited to direct costs attributable exclusively to the grant project.
Additionally, a county may also request up to $75,000 every 2 years for costs associated
with HHW educational programs. HHW educational costs incurred on or beyond January 1,
2016, will be eligible for grant funding.
Potential applicants are required to meet with the DEP Regional Planning and Recycling
Coordinator prior to submitting an application for funding consideration.
This application period will remain open until further notice.
Applications must be submitted electronically through DCEDs eGrants webpage.
Questions regarding the electronic submission of these grants should be directed to the
Department of Community and Economic Development's Customer Service line at (800)
379-7448 or ra-dcedcs@pa.gov.
Questions about the grants begin offered should be directed to Mark Vottero, Bureau of
Waste Management, Department of Environmental Protection, Rachel Carson State Office
Building, P.O. Box 8472, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8472 or by sending email to: mvottero@pa.gov.
For more information on financial assistance, visit DEPs Recycling Financial Assistance
webpage.
NewsClips:
[Posted: Dec. 8, 2017
December Newsletter Now Available From PA Resources Council
The December newsletter is now available from the PA

Resources Council featuring stories on--
-- Zero Waste PA Diverts 46 Tons Of Waste In 2017
Events
-- PRC Wraps Up 2017 Special Collection Season
Diverting 360,000 Pounds Of Waste
-- Western PA Clear The Air Student Poster Contest
Now Accepting School Registrations
-- Congratulations Again To 2017 Environmental Leadership Award Winners
-- Tips For A Green Holiday Celebration
-- Click Here to sign up for your own copy
Council website. for regular updates, follow PRC on Twitter or Like them on Facebook. Click
Here for PRCs Events Calendar. Click Here to support their work.
DEP, Ag, Ed Officials Tour New Agricultural, Environmental Learning Center In

Philadelphia
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, Education

Secretary Pedro Rivera, and Environmental Protection
Secretary Patrick McDonnell Friday participated in the
grand opening of the first Head Start center in
Philadelphia to use agriculture and environmental
lessons for teaching science, technology, engineering
and math (STEM) concepts to young children.
The School District of Philadelphia welcomed
Wolf Administration officials, local leaders and
families to celebrate the opening of the Agricultural and
Environmental Learning Center with Outdoor
Engagement Learning Gardens.
The Pratt Head Start Center facility, which serves 150 pre-school children, will become a
model for the districts other 100 Head Start facilities.
Agriculture is the perfect medium to teach STEM skills. The school garden becomes a
living laboratory, literally sowing the seeds for students to pursue careers ranging from food
scientists to equipment service technicians to drone pilots, Secretary Redding said. Even if
they dont enter a STEM-related career, these children will have greater agricultural literacy and
appreciation for the people who produce the food they eat.
Researchers project that the agriculture and food industry will need more than 75,000
new workers to fill job openings during the next 10 years. The Outdoor Engagement Learning
Gardens uses project-based, hands-on curriculum that provides three- to five-year-olds with basic
concepts to apply in school and in life.
At DEP, we believe that its never too early to show people how their choices can help
or hurt our shared environment, Secretary McDonnell said. Young children will carry these
lessons with them, act on them, and impart them to others. Thats why the Agricultural and
Environmental Learning Center is such an important investment in the future of Philadelphia and
across the commonwealth.
Since Gov. Tom Wolf took office in 2015, more than $90 million have been invested in
early childhood education.
Earlier this year, Gov. Wolf announced that more than 3,100 additional Pennsylvania
families will have access to high-quality early learning programs through the Pennsylvania Pre-K
Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program Grant Funding.
Early childhood education programs provide the essential building blocks for
Pennsylvanias youngest learners to develop a passion for lifelong learning, and prepares them
for future academic success, said Secretary Rivera. Allowing students to participate in fun and
interesting learning opportunities now, keeping them engaged and excited to learn, will only
build on that future success.
Pratt Head Start received a $20,000 grant through the Keep America Beautiful program,
which is funded by Lowes Community Partners Grant Program.
Since 2011, Lowes has supported Keep America Beautiful and its network of more than
620 state and community-based affiliates with more than $5.4 million in contributions and the
support of Lowes Heroes employee volunteers.
DEP is a supporter of the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful affiliate.
For more information, visit DEPs website, Click Here to sign up for DEPs monthly
newsletter, visit DEPs Blog, Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEPs
YouTube Channel.
(Photo: DEP Secretary McDonnell helps out with an activity.)
NewsClip:
Northampton County Commits $10M To Easton Da Vinci Science Center
Related Stories:
Wildlife Leadership Academy Seeks Motivated Students To Become Youth Conservation
Ambassadors
Western PA Clear The Air Student Poster Contest Now Accepting School Registrations
Demolition Begins For New Brodhead Creek Nature Center In Monroe County

Ambassadors
The Wildlife Leadership Academy in

Lewisburg, Union County has opened its
exclusive Youth Conservation Ambassador
nomination process to the public and is
currently seeking referrals of motivated
students ages 14 to 17 to become Certified Conservation Ambassadors.
Nominations are now being accepted online. Letters to nominated students, with an
invitation to apply to the 2018 program, will be sent out January 1, 2018.
Nominated students should have demonstrated interest in wildlife and/or fisheries
conservation.
Accepted nominees will become certified Conservation Ambassadors through attending
one of five 5-day residential summer field schools which will focus on white-tailed deer, bass,
brook trout, ruffed grouse, and turkey.
Students in each field school will gain extensive knowledge about wildlife/fisheries and
conservation, leadership experience, and communication skills.
Applicants may be nominated by an adult who knows them well but is not a relative
(teacher, school counselor, Envirothon advisor, employer, youth group leader, etc.).
As Conservation Ambassadors, students receive a letter of a recommendation for college
applications; certification of community service work, and a certificate designating them as
Conservation Ambassadors.
Students are also eligible to apply for three transferable college credits through Cedar
Crest College, return to the Academy tuition free the following year, compete for college
scholarships, and join an Academy Alumni Network of 100+ wildlife, fisheries, and conservation
professionals.
Academy Alumni and Conservation Ambassador Luke Benzinger of Westmoreland
County describes his participation in the program as life changing.
He shared, My whole life changed since attending the Wildlife Leadership Academy
where I talked to so many knowledgeable adults who wanted to spend time with other teenagers
that were there with me. These adults opened my eyes to what I could do to teach everyone else
in the world about the passion I have for the outdoors.
Click Here to watch a video about the program.
The mission of the Wildlife Leadership Academy is to engage and empower high school
age youth to become Conservation Ambassadors to ensure a sustained natural resource legacy
for future generations. The Academy, a nonprofit organization, is a cooperative initiative
involving state agencies and conservation organizations.
For all the details, visit the Youth Conservation Ambassador webpage.
NewsClip:
Related Stories:
DEP, Ag, Ed Officials Tour New Agricultural, Environmental Learning Center In Philadelphia
Demolition has begun at ForEvergreen

Nature Preserve, 1539 Cherry Lane Road,
Stroud Township in Monroe County, tearing
down the unsalvageable former golf course
clubhouse. Soon, construction will begin on the new Brodhead Creek Heritage Center.
But partners in the project still have to raise the funds to raise the roof.
A joint project of local nonprofits Brodhead Watershed Association and Pocono Heritage
Land Trust, along with support from Stroud Township, the center will provide space at the
preserve for offices, nature activities, public events, nature displays and a fly fishing exhibit.
The work will be done by Stroudsburg builder Robert K. Ace Construction.
An anonymous donor has pledged to match gifts up to $50,000 toward construction of the
center. Then another anonymous donor pledged to match donations up to $5,000, meaning
further donations could triple their value.
However, the matches end Dec. 31, 2017, so now is the time to donate.
The 40-acre ForEvergreen Preserve is on the site of the former Penn Hills golf course,
and is owned by Stroud Township. T
he preserve is being restored to its natural state, with native plantings and a
demonstration rain garden. It is open to the public dawn to dusk and includes walking and
running paths and access to the historic Brodhead Creek for catch-and-release fly fishing.
This stretch of the creek is well-known among trout enthusiasts as the birthplace of fly
fishing in America.
Bob Heil, executive director of BWA, said, Through this match, anyone who donates
$100 will in effect be making a $300 gift.
The preserve protects the water of the Brodhead Creek, said Cindy Miano, executive
director of PHLT. And the creek provides drinking water for thousands of people throughout
our area. The center will be a focus for water science and land use at the heart of the county.
Click Here to download a brochure on the project.
For information or to donate, visit the Brodhead Watershed Association website or call
BWA at 570-839-1120 or PHLT at 570-424-1514.
NewsClip:
Related Stories:
Ambassadors
The Southwest PA Air Quality Partnership and the PA

Resources Council are now accepting school registrations
for its Lets Clear The Air Student Poster Challenge.
Teachers should register to participate by January 15.
All public, parochial, and private schools in Allegheny,
Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana,
Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties are
invited to participate.
There are three contest categories--
-- Upper Elementary - Grades 4 & 5
-- Middle School - Grades 6 to 8
-- High School - Grades 9 to 12
The challenge now in its 8th year is designed to increase awareness of the effects of
air pollution, explains ways to reduce exposure and encourages students to take action.
Click Here for all the details.
Council website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates, follow PRC on Twitter or Like them
on Facebook. Click Here for PRCs Events Calendar. Click Here to support their work.
(Photo: 2017 winner Maggie Dobich from independence Elementary, Beaver County.)
Related Stories:
Ambassadors
DEP Issues Cabot Oil & Gas $99,000 Penalty For Numerous Well Site Air Quality
Violations In Susquehanna County
The Department of Environmental Protection Monday announced it has reached an agreement

with Cabot Oil and Gas, Corp. of Delaware for the company to pay a $99,000 civil penalty for
air quality violations related to equipment at natural gas wells throughout Susquehanna County.
The violations include excess emission rates of natural gas, and failing to submit
operational and compliance reports in a timely manner.
DEP enforces regulations to ensure that there are not harmful impacts to public health
and the environment, said Mike Bedrin, Director of DEPs Northeast Regional Office in
Wilkes-Barre. DEP will hold any operators that violate those regulations accountable.
Cabot has acknowledged these violations and taken necessary corrective measures to
come into compliance.
Since 2013, Cabot had excess emissions of natural gas from 267 pneumatic controllers at
various well sites. Pneumatic controllers are automated instruments used for maintaining
conditions such as liquid levels, pressure, and temperature.
Those levels exceeded 6 cubic feet per hour of natural gas, a level above Environmental
Protection Agencys national standards.
Additionally, Cabot failed to submit complete compliance demonstration reports for 20
gas wells. The compliance demonstration reports are used to determine whether the wells are
exempt from permitting requirements.
The lack of reporting by Cabot and the excessive emissions are a violation of the
Pennsylvania Air Pollution Control Act and Federal New Source Performance Standards.
The civil penalty will be paid to the departments Clean Air Fund, which is used to fund
air quality programs throughout the Commonwealth.
NewsClips:
Cabot Oil & Gas To Pay $99K For Air Quality Violations In Susquehanna County
Allegheny Health Dept Hearings Set For Lawrenceville, Brackenridge Plants
Pittsburgh Foundry Not A Polluter, Employees Say At Permit Hearing
Editorial: Give Air Quality Hearings Public Access In Allegheny County
Trumps EPA Rewarding Iowa By Keeping Biofuel Mandate Steady
PA AG, Others Sue EPA For Missing Ozone Rule Deadline
API To Launch Voluntary Industry Program To Limit Methane Emissions
Oil Firms Pledge To Plug Methane Leaks In Bid To Burnish Image
EDF: APIs Voluntary Methane Emission Reduction Program Does Not Keep Pace With
Industry Leaders
DEP Air Quality Advisory Committee Meets Dec. 14 On Draft Final GPs Controlling
Methane From Natural Gas Operations
DEPs Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet December 14 to discuss
the draft final GP-5 and new GP-5A general permits that control methane emissions for new
unconventional natural gas operations and related documents.
The updated GP-5 is applicable to midstream and natural gas transmission facilities, and
GP-5A is for unconventional well sites and pigging stations. Both general permits incorporate
the most current state and federal requirements.
Also on the agenda for discussion are--
-- Clean Air Program Funding Shortfalls: DEP is projecting a deficit in Air Quality Program
funding of over $29.4 million from FY 2016-17 to FY 2019-20 for Title V federal permitting
($7.3 million shortfall) and state permitting activities ($22.1 million shortfall). DEP has
proposed some fee concepts to deal with these significant shortfalls.
-- Clean Power Plan Repeal Update
-- Status of 2015 Ozone Pollution Nonattainment Designations
The meeting will be held in Room 105 Rachel Carson Building starting at 9:15.
For more information and available handouts, visit DEPs Air Quality Technical
Advisory Committee webpage. Questions should be directed to Kirit Dalal by sending email to:
kdalal@pa.gov or call 717-772-3436.
NewsClips:
Industry Leaders
Harrisburg University Hosts The Author Of The Fracking Debate At March 2 Program
Fracking expert and author Daniel Raimi from Resources for the Future
will visit Harrisburg University of Science and Technology on March 2 to
give a presentation on the issues and opportunities related to the fracking
industry and oil and gas development across the United States.
The free event, presented by the Center for Environment, Energy, and
Economy at HU, is part of a tour in support of Raimis new book, The
Fracking Debate, a synthesis of scientific research and stories Raimi
compiled while studying the nations growing oil and gas production
industry.
From 2013 to 2016, Raimi traveled to every major oil and gas producing
region across the U.S. to investigate the local impacts of increased domestic
oil and gas production. Along the way, he met hundreds of people and gathered dozens of stories
from the oilfield, according to The Fracking Debate website.
The Fracking Debate combines these stories with an in-depth look at the most
commonly asked questions related to fracking and oil and gas development more broadly. The
book features answers for anyone who is interested in the big questions pertaining to the shale
revolution.
Raimi, a senior research associate at Resources for the Future, who also teaches energy
policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, and is a
faculty affiliate with the University of Michigan Energy Institute, will speak in Harrisburg
Universitys 14th floor auditorium at noon.
The event will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. From 11:30 to noon, there will be
networking and a complimentary lunch. Raimis talk begins at Noon with time for Q&A with the
author following.
To attend the discussion, Click Here to RSVP. Questions should be directed to John
Quigley, Director, Center for E3/Lecturer in Sustainability, by sending email to:
JQuigley@HarrisburgU.edu or call 717-901-5100 Ext. 1659
About the Center for E3: Harrisburg Universitys Center for Environment, Energy, and
Economy (E3) was created in August 2017 to connect HUs faculty, curriculum, and students to
change-makers who work to combine environmental protection and sustainability practices with
economic development.
The Center partners with and solves problems for businesses and governmental entities,
focusing on IT, data, and systems-based projects that can support evidence-based
decision-making systems, policy development, and practice.
NewsClips:
Drinking Water Near Lycoming Gas Well Site Not Contaminated State Says
Some Say Fracking Ban In Delaware Watershed Not Enough
Hearings Set For Delaware Watershed Plan To Nix Gas Drilling
Editorial: DRBC Delivers A Mixed Ruling On Fracking
IFO Natural Gas Report: Production up 4.8%, Producing Wells Up 9.3% Over 2016
The Independent Fiscal Office released its third quarter Natural Gas Production Report for the
year which shows production is up 4.8 percent from the prior year and producing wells are up
9.3 percent from 2016.
Four counties-- Susquehanna, Washington, Bradford and Greene-- comprised two-thirds
of statewide natural gas production.
Click Here for a copy of the full report.
NewsClips:
Turnaround In Natural Gas Putting Focus On End Users
Appalachia Region Drives Growth In U.S. Natural Gas Production Since 2012
Report: U.S. Natural Gas Boom Largely Due To Marcellus Shale
PUC Invites Comments On Proposal To Enhance Consumer Information About

Electricity, Natural Gas Shopping
As part of its continuing effort to enhance consumer information about energy shopping in
Pennsylvania and help avoid consumer confusion and frustration, the Public Utility Commission
Thursday issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking public comment on proposed
amendments to regulations for retail electricity service.
The Commission voted 5-0 to adopt proposed changes to Chapter 54 of the Public Utility
Code regarding customer information, including disclosure statements for residential and small
business customers.
These changes, initiated by the PUCs Office of Competitive Market Oversight, are
intended to provide customers with accurate, timely pricing information when they are shopping
for electric generation suppliers (EGSs).
The retail electric market continues to evolve, and as this happens so must Commission
regulations evolve, noted PUC Chairman Gladys M. Brown in a statement at Thursdays public
meeting.
Vice Chairman Andrew G. Place also offered a statement regarding the proposed
rulemaking, stressing the importance of input in the process.
I want to emphasize that this is a proposed rulemaking, and actively encourage parties to
provide comments to assist the Commission in providing the necessary guidance and rules to
ensure that customers are fully informed regarding the purchase of electricity, including the
associated contract terms and conditions, Commissioner Place said.
Public comments are being sought on several proposals, including:
-- A ban on early termination fees once an EGS has provided the customer with an initial
contract renewal notice;
-- Requirements that EGSs display their prices in a format that allows for easier
price-comparisons;
-- Requirements that any introductory pricing be clearly identified and explained to the customer,
and disclose both the introductory price and the price after the introductory period expires;
-- Requirements to provide more information about variable prices;
-- Use of common, consistent terminology by EGSs in their customer communications, including
marketing, billing and disclosure statements; and
-- Simplifying the format of customer contract summaries that customers receive with their full
EGS disclosure statement.
Interested parties may submit comments up to 60 days from the date the Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking is published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin by providing written comments
to the Public Utility Commission, Attn: Secretary, P.O. Box 3265, Harrisburg, PA 17105-3265.
Comments may also be filed electronically through the PUCs e-File System. Docket
No.: L-2017-2628991
Click Here for a copy of the proposed rule.
NewsClip:
Maykuth: PUC To Update PA Electricity Shopping Rules
Report Shows Slight Drop In Consumer Complains About Electric, Natural Gas, Water,
Telephone Utilities In 2016
The Public Utility Commission Wednesday released its latest Utility Consumer Activities Report
and Evaluation (UCARE Report), which shows a slight decrease in consumer complaints about
utilities, a small increase in payment arrangement requests and the majority of customers
contacting the PUCs Bureau of Consumer Services for assistance rated their experience as
positive during 2016.
"The PUC is focused on ensuring that consumer issues are addressed in an effective
manner, and this annual UCARE report is an important measure of the handling of consumer
issues by utilities and the Commission, said PUC Chairman Gladys M. Brown. Consumers
should call the PUCs Bureau of Consumer Services, at 1-800-692-7380, if they are unable to
reach an agreement with a utility or are unsatisfied with the utilitys response to their problem.
The UCARE Report is an annual evaluation of the customer service performance of the
states major jurisdictional electric, natural gas, water, wastewater and telephone companies.
Overall, the total number of consumer complaints received by BCS decreased from
10,684 in 2015 to 10,368 in 2016, a 3 percent drop. During that same period the number of PARs
rose from 50,434 to 52,898, which is a 5 percent increase.
PUC data also shows an ongoing downward trend in overall consumer complaints
which are currently at the lowest level in more than a decade.
Complaints involving electric and natural gas utilities account for the large majority
(approximately 77 percent) of all consumer complaints filed with the PUC. During 2016 the
volume of consumer complaints concerning electric utilities fell by 8 percent, while complaints
involving natural gas utilities dropped by 14 percent.
Conversely, the numbers of complaints filed by residential customers involving telephone
services rose by 34 percent, compared to 2015, and the number of complaints against water
utilities went up by 14 percent.
Apart from the electric and other utility categories, requests for PARs decreased for every
category of utility service between 2015 and 2016, including natural gas (1 percent), water (4
percent) and telephone (21 percent).
Electric rose by 8 percent, while other utilities went up 150 percent.
According to the report, billing disputes were the most common reason for residential
consumer complaints about the electric (18 percent) and water (33 percent) utilities.
Personnel problems were the primary reason for residential consumer complaints about
the natural gas industry (17 percent). Unsatisfactory service was the main reason for residential
consumer complaints about the telephone industry (51 percent).
Click Here for a copy of the report.
For more information on its responsibilities, visit the Public Utility Commission website.
Pittsburgh Startup Module Designs Urban Homes With Energy-Saving, Sustainable Design
Features
One Pittsburgh startup-- Module-- is making it possible for

prospective homeowners to buy just the house they need now,
knowing they can seamlessly expand when and if their needs
change tomorrow.
Module creates urban homes that can grow as the owners
needs, family or lifestyle changes. Incorporating a
patent-pending wall system and design platform, Module home
designs allow residents to expand a one-bedroom starter unit into
a three-bedroom house, providing just the right amount of space
at the right time.
Module homes come in three starter unit designs of 600,
1,000 and 1,200 square feet. A 400 square-foot unit is in
development. Homeowners can expand up to three stories in
height, maxing out at 2,000 square feet.
Modules Demo Unit, located on Pittsburghs North Side, incorporates a clean,
contemporary aesthetic, with energy-saving and sustainable design features that include the use
of rockwool insulation and natural cork facades. A reflective roof option to reduce heat-island
effect is available.
By building only the amount of house that is needed, the process naturally cuts back on
excess use of materials, and eliminates the energy waste that comes with heating and cooling a
large space.
Module is currently taking reservations to design residential homes in the Pittsburgh area.
To learn more about green innovation in the Pittsburgh Region, visit the Pittsburgh Green
Story website.
NewsClip:
KEEA Energy Efficiency Success Stories: Training Clean Energy Workers
PEC In Case You Missed It In November Now Available
The PA Environmental Councils In Case You

Missed It In November newsletter is now available
featuring stories on--
-- Amended Severance Tax Bill A Bad Trade
-- State Limps Across Budget Finish Line
-- Read About Trail Development Successes In
Western PA
-- Vote For 2018 PA River Of The Year
-- A Job Well Done: Abington Twps Environmental
Advisory Council
-- Getting To Zero: ZECs And The Future Of
Nuclear Energy
-- Click Here to receive regular updates from PEC.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the PA
Environmental Council website, visit the PEC Blog, follow PEC on Twitter or Like PEC on
Facebook. Visit PECs Audio Room for the latest podcasts.
PennDOT Completes Marked Bicycle Lanes In Chester, Delaware, Montgomery Counties
In its ongoing effort to enhance the bicycle experience

across the state, the Department of Transportation has
completed new bicycle lanes on three suburban state
highways in the Philadelphia region, PennDOT Secretary
Leslie S. Richards said Friday.
The pilot program will help determine long-term
maintenance cost data for such bicycle facilities which,
along with the Wolf Administrations PennDOT
Connects initiative to reach out to communities and
partners earlier in project planning, will help evaluate
bicycle accommodations where planning efforts indicate
such needs.
This initiative reflects our new PennDOT Connects program, which were using to reach
out more to our communities and partners and considering many viewpoints right from the start
of planning for transportation projects, Richards said, joining other officials at an event at the
Thorndale commuter rail station. While maintaining the highway and bridge networks is a
crucial part of our mission, it is not the only part. We want to consider and enhance the other
modes, be it commuter rail, served by this station here, other forms of public transit and those
who chose to bicycle or walk.
The locations are:
-- In Chester County, two miles along Business. U.S. 30 (Lincoln Highway) between Diamond
Street at the City of Coatesville/Caln Township line and Hazelwood Road (at SEPTAs
Thorndale Train Station) in Caln Township. The new bicycle lanes tie into the existing bicycle
lanes that have been in place on Business U.S. 30 starting at the Diamond Street intersection and
proceeding west to 2nd Avenue in Coatesville.
-- In Delaware County, about 2.2 miles along Route 320 (Sproul Road/Chester Road) between
Route 420 (Woodland Avenue) in Springfield Township and College Avenue in Swarthmore
Borough, Delaware County.
-- In Montgomery County, about a third of a mile along Route 663 (King Street) between
Route 100 and Manatawny Street in Pottstown. Route 663 was resurfaced by PennDOT this past
summer and bicycle lanes were implemented as part of a road diet.
PennDOT replaced traffic lines and painted new bicycle lanes and legends on Business
U.S. 30 and Route 320 under a department paving contract this fall. The operation began in
October and the bicycle-lane work on both roads was recently completed. The cost estimate for
installing bicycle lanes on the three state highways is $127,000.
These three state roads were chosen for the pilot program by the Southeast Pennsylvania
Suburban Bike Lanes Working Group, which consists of the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia,
PennDOT, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and the suburban county
planning commissions.
As part of a series of improvements for bicyclists, PennDOT earlier this year issued a
policy change removing the Bicycle Occupancy Permit from its design manual. Moving forward,
local governments need only provide a letter of request for the proposed bicycle lane that
includes the necessary information for PennDOT to appropriately evaluate the request.
After a review, a letter of approval will be issued by the department. This replaces the
previous requirement for a formal agreement between PennDOT and the municipality.
For more information, visit PennDOTs Ride A Bike webpage.
PA Land Trust Assn Accepting Nominations For Govt. Leadership, Conservation

Leadership Awards
The PA Land Trust Association is now accepting

nominations for the 2018 Government Leadership and
Conservation Leadership Awards.
Conservation Leadership
This award recognizes individuals who have
decades of leadership and dedication in conserving
Pennsylvanias special places and landscapes.
The deadline for nominations is January 15.
Click Here for all the details and a nomination form. Questions should be directed to
Nicole Faraguna at 717-909-1298 or send email to: nfaraguna@conserveland.org.
Government Leadership
This award recognizes any Pennsylvania municipal or county government that has
demonstrated leadership and vision that resulted or will result in the permanent conservation of
open space and valuable and unique land and/or water resources.
Success in natural resource conservation can be achieved through land use planning and
regulations, resource protection strategies, and land and/or easement acquisition.
Recognition may be based on the work of a government, multi-government partnership,
commission or board but must be sanctioned by the governing body or bodies.
The deadline for nominations is February 12.
Click Here for all the details and a nomination form. Questions should be directed to
Nicole Faraguna at 717-909-1298 or send email to: nfaraguna@conserveland.org.
The Awards will be presented in conjunction with the 2018 Pennsylvania Land
Conservation Conference April 12-14 in Malvern, Chester County.
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the PA Land
Trust Association website, Click Here to sign up for regular updates from PLTA, Like them on
Facebook, Follow them on Twitter, and Join them on Google+. Click Here to support their
work.
(Photo: Lancasteronline.com.)
Related Story:
PA Land Trust Assn. Honors Union County, Tom Kerr For Protecting Natural Resources
NewsClips:
Antis Twp, Blair County Spends $100K On Land For Recreation, Conservation
Trump Outlines Big Cuts To Utah Monuments, Environmentalists Sue
Op-Ed: Its Still Not Too Late To Save Our PA Wilderness, But Time Is Short
Outdoors Industry Groups Ratchet Up Trump Criticism
(Reprinted from an article in December PA Township News.)

Brandywine Conservancy, Greenway Partners Install New Creek Access In Downingtown

Park
Kayakers at Downingtowns Kerr Park in Chester

County now have an easier way to access the
Brandywine Creek thanks to a partnership between
the Brandywine Conservancy, Downingtown
Boroughs Park and Recreation Commission, and the Lionville Boy Scout Troop 220.
Working together, staff and volunteers installed a canoe and kayak storage rack and an
information kiosk along the creek behind Borough Hall, making Downingtown the first
municipality on the Brandywine with such public amenities.
The creek access improvements are part of the Conservancys Brandywine Creek
Greenway initiative, and will be a valuable recreational asset for the community for years to
come.
Steven Egnaczyk, a 14-year-old Eagle Scout with the Lionville Boy Scout Troop 220,
completed the construction work for both projects. The canoe and kayak storage rack will allow
boaters to safely secure their boats while they drop another vehicle downstream or spend time in
the Borough.
The new information kiosk will contain maps of the creek, access points and other
recreation opportunities. Both additions were funded by generous grants from the William Penn
Foundation and the Miller Fund, and highlight the Conservancys community efforts with its
partners.
The Brandywine Creek Greenway is a regional planning initiative of the Brandywine
Conservancy, along with 25 municipal partners, including the Borough of Downingtown, in
Chester and Delaware counties.
The greenway is a 30-mile long conservation and recreation corridor along both branches
of the Brandywine, and stretches from the Delaware state line just south of Chadds Ford to the
Pennsylvania Highlands Mega-Greenway at the northern border of Honey Brook Township.
The Brandywine Creek and its network of parks and trails form the western limit of the
Circuit, a regional trail network of the greater Philadelphia region.
Goals of the Greenway defined by the Conservancy and its municipal partners include
protecting scenic, historic, and natural resources; educating communities about the Brandywine
and its resources; and promoting water related and other forms of outdoor recreation.
To learn more, visit the Brandywine Creek Greenway website.
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Brandywine
Conservancy website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Conservancy (middle
of the webpage.) Visit the Conservancys Blog, Like the Conservancy on Facebook and Follow
them on Instagram.
84-Acre Natural Area Donated To Western PA Conservancy In Somerset County
An 84-acre natural area has been protected in Addison

Township, Somerset County, and is now open to the public
for hiking, fishing and nature watching along Whites
Creek, the Western PA Conservancy announced recently.
The Whites Creek Valley Natural Area was donated to the
Conservancy by Paul McMillan, Jr., a retired botanist. It
was important to McMillan to protect the forested
property, consisting of mixed deciduous species and
eastern hemlock trees, from future development.
The mature forest has been untouched for more than 100
years, said McMillan, who now resides in Arizona. It gives me pleasure knowing that it will
continue to be cared for under the Conservancys ownership and managed as a natural area open
to the public to enjoy.
The protection of this land helps to maintain the quality of Whites Creek, classified by
the Department of Environmental Protection as a High Quality Cold Water Fishery stream.
A tributary to the Casselman River, Whites Creek is a popular natural trout-producing
stream that is stocked by the PA Fish and Boat Commission.
The property is located within the PA Audubon Societys Winding Ridge Forest Block
Important Bird Area. This area contains habitat for a variety of birds, including forest interior
birds, riparian birds and Neotropical migrants, such as Louisiana waterthrush, wood thrush and
scarlet tanager, which are dependent on healthy forests.
Now owned and managed by the Conservancy, Whites Creek Valley Natural Area also
supports mountain laurel, rhododendrons and number of rare wildflowers. A small parking lot is
available on the southern portion of the property off of Whites Creek Road.
You can find directions to the property using Google Maps or view a map of the property
and other nearby natural areas.
McMillan inherited the property in 1997 from his mother, who first purchased the land in
the 1930s. An abandoned railroad bisects the property, originally owned by Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad, which supported local lumber and coal mining activities.
We greatly appreciate Mr. McMillans foresight in his donation of Whites Creek Valley
Natural Area, said Thomas D. Saunders, president and CEO of the Conservancy. This is
another wonderful addition of protected lands available for public recreation in the Laurel
Highlands in Somerset County.
The Conservancy welcomes inquiries from landowners interested in learning more about
conservation options for their land, including donations of property or conservation easements.
Landowners can often obtain charitable income tax deductions and other tax benefits.
For more information, please contact WPC at 412-288-2777 or send email to:
info@paconserve.org.
More information is available on programs, initiatives and special events at the Western
PA Conservancy website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Conservancy, Like
them on Facebook, Follow them on Twitter, add them to your Circle on Google+, join them on
Instagram, visit the Conservancys YouTube Channel or add them to your network on Linkedin.
Click Here to support their work.
NewsClips:
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Names Jayne Miller President & CEO
Jayne Miller, currently superintendent of the Minneapolis

Park and Recreation Board, is moving to Pittsburgh to
become President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Parks
Conservancy.
Minneapolis Parks has been ranked multiple times as the #1
park system in the country by the Trust for Public Land.
Following a national search, Miller was chosen to replace
Meg Cheever, who founded the Parks Conservancy and
also has served as its president and CEO for 21 years.
Cheever will retire at the end of March 2018.
Under Millers leadership, the Minneapolis Parks system was named the #1 among U.S.
park systems for the last five of Millers seven years.
Millers accomplishments also include forging an agreement with the City of
Minneapolis to provide an additional $250 million in funding over 20 years for the Citys 160
neighborhood parks, reversing decades of chronic underfunding and establishing the
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board as the leader in racial and economic equity work.
The bar for selecting our next president and CEO was very high, based on Meg
Cheevers magnificent $100-million park restoration and revitalization programs, said Daniel
Booker, chairman of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Board of Directors. As we consider our
path forward for the next decade, our goal is to achieve a more sustainable parks infrastructure,
enhance operating performance and ensure equity across all city parks. Jaynes expertise matches
perfectly with our strategic vision.
The overarching goals for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy are significant: To establish
a unified parks management plan and become one of the leading park systems in the country.
This will entail securing increased funding and streamlining our important working
relationship with the City of Pittsburgh, added Booker.
In her current position, Miller has also been actively engaged as an industry professional
and community member.
She has been a board member of The City Parks Alliance, a national organization based
in Washington D.C; a board member of the international organization World Urban Parks,
Minneapolis Urban League, Minneapolis Parks Foundation, Meet Minneapolis, Sports
Minneapolis, and St. Anthony Falls Heritage.
Miller also has served as a Founding Member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of
Recreation, Parks, and Tourism in Public Health.
I believe in strong communities, which are anchored by thriving park systems that
enable emotional, intellectual and physical development, said Miller. As a park system leader,
Im committed to making connections in my community.
With roots in upstate New York, Miller was connected to parks at a young age. They
inspired my active lifestyle and belief about strong community infrastructure, she added.
Prior to her appointment as Minneapolis Parks Superintendent, Miller served as director
of the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority, a five-county regional park system in southeast
Michigan; community services area administrator for the City of Ann Arbor and a number of
other positions with the City of Ann Arbor for more than 22 years.
Miller holds a masters degree in recreation administration from the University of
Maryland and a bachelor's degree from Midland University in Nebraska.
Miller assumes her new position on February 5, 2018. She will work alongside Meg
Cheever in a two-month transition period through March 31.
"Who wouldn't be proud to say that her successor has led the #1 ranked park system in
the country," said Cheever. "With Jayne Miller as our next leader, the Pittsburgh Parks
Conservancy is in prime position to help make our Pittsburgh park system even more amazing
for our region."
For more information on programs and upcoming events, visit the Pittsburgh Parks
Conservancy website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates (bottom of page). Follow them
on Twitter. Like them on Facebook. Visit the Conservancys YouTube Channel. Click Here to
support their work.
NewsClip:
Minneapolis Parks Chief to Head Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Westmoreland Land Trust Names Betsy Aiken Executive Director
Betsy Aiken of Export has been named executive director of

the Westmoreland Land Trust, a nonprofit organization
dedicated to the preservation of open space in Westmoreland
County.
Aiken, a well-known and long-time community
volunteer, has served as a member of the Board of Directors
of the Westmoreland Land Trust since the organizations
founding in 2008. She is stepping out of that role to assume
this new position with the Land Trust.
Among her many local, county, and state volunteer
efforts, she co-founded the Friends of Murrysville Parks;
co-founded and leads the Murrysville Trail Alliance; serves
on the Citizens Advisory Board for the Westmoreland
County Department of Parks and Recreation; and serves on
the PA Trails Advisory Committee of the states Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources.
We couldnt ask for a more knowledgeable or dedicated executive director, said
Westmoreland Land Trust Chair Chuck Duritsa, who has worked with Betsy as a member of
organizations board for the past 10 years.
It is important to me to do things that make a differencethat leave a legacyand I
believe that the Westmoreland Land Trust has great potential to do that, Aiken said.
Aiken has a BA and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.
Since 2008, the 10-year-old Westmoreland Land Trust has been achieving its goals
largely through the volunteered time, efforts, and energies of some 23 board members. Board
members will continue their active involvement, but having Aiken as the executive director will
help achieve goals more quickly and comprehensively, Duritsa said.
The Westmoreland Land Trust has conserved some 235 acres in six Westmoreland
County communities, including the City of Greensburg, North Huntingdon Township, and
Murrysville.
Its most recent acquisition was 28 acres in Rostraver Township, obtained in partnership
with the Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and Recreation, and added to Cedar Creek Park.
The executive director position was created with funding from the Allegheny Foundation.
For more information, visit the Westmoreland Land Trust website. Click Here to support
their work.
Public Participation Opportunities/Calendar Of Events
This section lists House and Senate Committee meetings, DEP and other public hearings and
meetings and other interesting environmental events.
NEW means new from last week. [Agenda Not Posted] means not posted within 2 weeks
of the advisory committee meeting. Go to the online Calendar webpage for updates.
December 11-- NEW. Senate Appropriations Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 799
(Alloway-R-Franklin) a voluntary program to allow municipalities to pay for nutrient reductions.
Rules Room. Off the Floor.
December 11-- NEW. House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to
consider Senate Bill 497 (Vogel-R-Beaver) exempting steel slag from the definition of waste if it
was not produced prior to January 1, 2007 or mixed with other waste (sponsor summary). Room
B-31 Main Capitol at the Call of the Chair (after 1:00).
December 11-- CANCELED. DEP Sewage Enforcement Officer Exams. PA State Association
of Township Supervisors Education Center, 4855 Woodland Drive in Enola, Cumberland
County. 1:00 to 4:30.
December 11-- Center For Watershed Protection. Integrating Stream Restoration Into PAs
Chesapeake Bay Local Pollution Reduction Plans Workshop. Upper Allen Township Office, 100
Gettysburg Pike, Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County. 8:00 to 4:00
December 12-- NEW. House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meets to consider House
Bill 1932 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) setting a 90 day deadline for reviewing nutrient
management plans, if a decision is not made it is deemed approved (sponsor summary). Room 60
East Wing. 9:00.
December 12-- NEW. Senate Republican Policy Committee holds a hearing on the Buckeye
Pipeline proposal to reverse the flow of the Laurel Pipeline. Room 8E-A East Wing. 9:30.
Click Here to watch live. Click Here for more on the issue.
December 12-- Agenda Posted. Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel
Carson Building. 9:00. DEP Contact: Laura Edinger, Environmental Quality Board, 400 Market
Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101, 717-772-3277, ledinger@pa.gov.
-- Final regulation revising the drinking water disinfection requirement
-- Final regulation eliminating the low-RVP gasoline requirement in the Pittsburgh region
-- Final-omitted regulation correcting transcription errors in cleanup standards for the Land
Recycling Program.
December 12-- DCNR Public Meeting On Bloody Skillet & Whiskey Springs ATV Trails In
Centre, Clinton Counties. Durrwachter Alumni Conference Center, Lock Haven University,
Lock Haven. 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
December 12-- DEP Informal Public Conference On Wilson Creek Energy Deep Coal Mining
Permit In Somerset County. Jenner Township Municipal Building, 2058 Lincoln Highway,
Boswell, Somerset County. 1:00 to 3:00.
December 12-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Columbia County Resiliency Office Ice Jam Training Workshop. Scott Township Building, 350
Tenny Street, Bloomsburg, Columbia County from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
December 12-13-- Growing PAs Organic Farms Conference. Harrisburg. Sheraton Harrisburg
Hershey.
December 13-- NEW. Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to
consider Senate Bill 800 (Alloway-R-Franklin) eliminating and replacing the existing state
electronics waste recycling law with a more comprehensive program, Click Here for more;
House Bill 1341 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) expands the qualifications for emergency medical
personnel who must be employed onsite at coal mines (House Fiscal Note and summary). Rules
Room, Off the Floor.
December 13-- CANCELED.House Appropriations Committee holds a hearing on special funds

related to the Department of Community and Economic Development. Room 140 Main Capitol.
9:00. Note: Rescheduled to January 24. Click Here for more.
December 13-- CANCELED. DEP Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board. Room 105
Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. DEP Contact: Michael Maddigan, mmaddigan@pa.gov,
717-772-3609. (formal notice)
December 13-- DCNR, PA Recreation & Park Society Grant Application Webinar. 10:00 to
11:30.
December 13-- Delaware River Basin Commission will hold a business meeting on water
withdrawal requests and other items. Washington Crossing Historic Park Visitor Center, 1112
River Road, Washington Crossing, Bucks County. 10:30. (formal notice) Click Here for more.
December 13-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Webinar On Registering Grandfather

Water Uses. 1:00 to 2:00. Click Here to register.
December 13-- Dept. of Labor & Industry Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory
Council meeting. Room E-100, First Floor, Department of Labor of Industry Building, 651 Boas
Street in Harrisburg. 10:00. Contact: Cindy Holtry, Department of Labor and Industry,
December 14-- CANCELED. House Appropriations Committee hearing on Special Funds Used
By DEP and DCNR. Note: Rescheduled to January 25. Click Here for more.
December 14-- NEW. House Appropriations Committee holds a hearing on special funds related
to PennDOT. Room G-50, Irvis Building. 9:30. Click Here for more.
December 14-- Agenda Posted. DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting.
Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:15. DEP Contact: Kirit Dalal, kdalal@pa.gov or
717-772-3436.
-- Draft Final GP-5, GP-5A Controlling Methane Emissions From Natural Gas Operations
-- Proposals for increase in Air Quality Permit Fees
-- Info: 2015 Ozone Nonattainment Area Designations
-- Info: EPA Clean Power Plan Repeal Status
December 14-- Agenda Posted. DEP Aggregate Advisory Board meeting. 14th Floor
Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg. 10:00. DEP Contact Daniel Snowden,
dsnowden@pa.gov or 717-787-5103. (formal notice)
-- Presentation on PA Environmental Defense Fund v. Commonwealth court decision
December 14-- Agenda Posted. DEP State Board For Certification Of Water and Wastewater
Systems Operators meeting. 10th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.
DEP Contact: Cheri Sansoni, csansoni@pa.gov, 717-772-5158.
December 14-- DEP Hearing On Chapter 16 Water Quality Toxics Management Strategy
Changes. DEP Southwest Regional Office, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh. 1:00.
December 14-- Environmental Quality Board Hearing On Chapter 93 Water Quality Standards
Changes Under Triennial Review. DEP Southwest Regional Office, 400 Waterfront Drive,
Pittsburgh. 2:00.
December 15-- West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund. PA Wilds Center. Funding
Opportunities For Clean Energy Breakfast. Laughing Owl Press Co., 59 N Fraley Street, Kane,
McKean County. 10:00 to Noon.
December 15-- NEW. Hunters, Anglers, Watershed Groups Sportsmen Forum. Millport
Conservancy, 737 E. Millport Road in Lititz, Lancaster County. 8:30 to 5:00.
December 17-- Brodhead Watershed Association. Get Outdoors Poconos. West End Regional
Park Hike. Monroe County. 10:00.
December 19-- DCNR Public Meeting On Bloody Skillet & Whiskey Springs ATV Trails In
Centre, Clinton Counties. Durrwachter Alumni Conference Center, Lock Haven University,
Lock Haven. 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
December 20-- CANCELED. DEP State Board For Certification of Sewage Enforcement
Officers meeting. 11th Floor Conference Room B, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP
Contact: 717-772-2186 or send email to: RA-seotrng@pa.gov. (formal notice)
January 4-- DEP hearing on RACT 2 Air Quality Plan for NRG Energy Center in Dauphin
County. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg. 10:00. The
deadline to pre-register is December 28. To register to speak contact Thomas Hanlon at
717-705-4862. (formal notice with additional details PA Bulletin, page 7349).
January 10-- DEP hearing on RACT 2 Air Quality Plan for Lehigh Cement Company in Berks
County. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg. 10:00. Deadline
to pre-register is January 3. To register to speak contact Thomas Hanlon at 717-705-4862.
(formal notice with additional details PA Bulletin, page 7351).
January 11-- DCNR, PA Recreation & Park Society Grant Application Webinar. 10:00 to 11:30.
January 11-12-- NEW. Morris Arboretum. 29th Annual Landscape Design Symposium.
Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell.
January 20-- Pocono Heritage Land Trust. Cross Country Skiing Adventure, Brodhead Creek
Heritage Center at ForEvergreen Nature Preserve, 1539 Cherry Land Rd., East Stroudsburg,
Monroe County. Noon.
January 23-- Delaware River Basin Commission. Hearing on proposed fracking ban in
Delaware Watershed. Ladore Camp, Retreat and Conference Centers Performing Arts and
Recreation Center (PARC) Pavilion, 287 Owego Turnpike, Waymart, Wayne County. 1:00 to
4:30. Click Here to register to attend.
Delaware Watershed. Ladore Camp, Retreat and Conference Centers Performing Arts and
Recreation Center (PARC) Pavilion, 287 Owego Turnpike, Waymart, Wayne County. 6:00 to
9:30. Click Here to register to attend.
January 24-- NEW. House Appropriations Committee holds a hearing on special funds related
to the Department of Community and Economic Development. Location, Time To Be
Announced. Click Here for more.
January 24-- Dept. of Labor & Industry Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory
January 25-- NEW. House Appropriations Committee hearing on Special Funds Used By DEP
and DCNR. Location, Time To Be Announced. Committee hearings are typically webcast
through the House Republican Caucus website. Click Here for more.
Delaware Watershed. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Airport, 4509 Island Ave.,
Philadelphia. 1:00 to 4:30. Click Here to register to attend.
Delaware Watershed. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Airport, 4509 Island Ave.,
Philadelphia. 6:00 to 9:30. Click Here to register to attend.
January 25-26-- NEW. Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Certification Level I Training.
Lancaster.
January 31-- Pocono Heritage Land Trust. Full Moon Night Hike, Jonas Mountain Nature
Preserve, 506 Watercrest Dr. Monroe County. 6:00 p.m.
February 6-- Governors Budget Address.
February 6-- DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Mark Brojakowski, 717-772-3429 or send email to:
mbrojakows@pa.gov.
February 7-10-- PA Association For Sustainable Agriculture Annual Conference. State

College.
February 11--Pocono Heritage Land Trust. Winter Snowshoe Adventure, Brodhead Creek
Heritage Center at ForEvergreen Nature Preserve, 1539 Cherry Lane Rd., East Stroudsburg,
Monroe County. Noon.
February 13-- Dept. of Labor & Industry Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory
February 23-24-- Keystone Coldwater Conference. State College. (Note: PA Environment

Digest is a Conference sponsor.)
March 2-- NEW. Harrisburg University Center for Environment, Energy and Economy. Hosts
The Fracking Debate Author Daniel Raimi In Discussion Program. Harrisburg University, 326
Market St, Harrisburg. 11:30 to 1:00.
March 6-- Dept. of Labor & Industry Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory Council
meeting. Room E-100, First Floor, Department of Labor of Industry Building, 651 Boas Street
in Harrisburg. 10:00. Contact: Cindy Holtry, Department of Labor and Industry, 717-783-4560.
(formal notice)
March 12-13-- PA Association of Environmental Educators. 2018 Annual Conference. State

College, Centre County.
March 20-- Dept. of Labor & Industry Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory
April 3-- Dept. of Labor & Industry Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory Council
(formal notice)
April 10-- Center for Watershed Protection. 2018 National Watershed & Stormwater
Conference. Maryland and Virginia In-person and online.
April 17-- Dept. of Labor & Industry Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory Council
(formal notice)
April 17-19-- National Forum On Low-Zero Energy Buildings. Wyndam Grand Hotel,
Pittsburgh.
May 2-4-- PA Association Of Environmental Professional. Annual Conference. State College.
May 8-- 2018 PA Groundwater Symposium. Ramada Inn in State College, Centre County.
October 17-21-- Passive House Western PA. North American Passive House Network 2018
Conference. David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh.
Visit DEPs Public Participation Center for public participation opportunities. Click Here to sign
up for DEP News a biweekly newsletter from the Department.
Sign Up For DEPs eNotice: Did you know DEP can send you email notices of permit
applications submitted in your community? Notice of new technical guidance documents and
regulations? All through its eNotice system. Click Here to sign up.
DEP Regulations In Process
Proposed Regulations Open For Comment - DEP webpage
Submit Comments on Proposals Through DEPs eComment System
Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods - DEP webpage
Recently Finalized Regulations - DEP webpage
DEP Regulatory Update - DEP webpage
August 2017 DEP Regulatory Agenda - PA Bulletin, Page 4922
DEP Technical Guidance In Process

Draft Technical Guidance Documents - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
Copies of Final Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
DEP Non-Regulatory/Technical Guidance Documents Agenda (July 2017) - DEP webpage
Other DEP Proposals For Public Review

Other Proposals Open For Public Comment - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Other Proposals - DEP webpage
Other Proposals Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
DEP Facebook Page DEP Twitter Feed DEP YouTube Channel
Click Here for links to DEPs Advisory Committee webpages.
DEP Calendar of Events DCNR Calendar of Events
Senate Committee Schedule House Committee Schedule
You can watch the Senate Floor Session and House Floor Session live online.
Grants & Awards
This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other
recognition programs. NEW means new from last week.
December 15-- DEP Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants

December 15-- Alliance For Watershed Ed In The Delaware Art Project
December 15-- Coldwater Heritage Partnership Watershed Grants
December 18-- PA Parks & Forests Foundation 2018 Awards
December 20-- DCNR Forested Stream Buffer Grants
December 20-- DCNR Snowmobile, ATV Trail Grants
December 22-- Voting For PA 2018 River Of The Year
December 22-- PA Wilds Signage Mini-Grants
December 22-- PA Wilds Route 6 Facade Grants
December 29-- Western PA Conservancy Watershed Mini Grant Program
December 29-- PA Assn. Of Environmental Educators Excellence Awards
December 31-- DEP Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebates (First-Come, First-Served)
January 1-- Governors Awards For Environmental Excellence
January 1-- NEW. DEP Accepting County Act 101 Waste Planning, HHW, Education Grants
January 15-- NEW. PA Land Trust Assn. Conservation Leadership Award
January 15-- NEW. Register For Western PA Lets Clear The Air Student Poster Challenge
January 19-- NEW. 3rd Annual Western PA Zero Waste Event and Business Awards
January 20-- What Does The Delaware River Mean To You? Beauty
January 20-- CFA Solar Energy Program Grants/Loans
January 23-- NEW. Start Applying: DCNR Community Conservation Partnership Grants
February 1-- U.S. Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant Program
February 1-- Delaware River Basin Commission Winter Photo Contest
February 1-- ExtremeTerrains Clean Trail Grant Program
February 5-- PA Environmental Professionals College Science Scholarships
February 12-- NEW. PA Land Trust Assn. Government Leadership Award
February 27-- West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund Clean Energy Projects RFP
March 22-- CFA Solar Energy Program Grants/Loans
April 1-- DEP Farm Conservation Plan Grant Chesapeake Bay Watershed
April 6-- Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
April 12-- NEW. DCNR Community Conservation Partnership Grants
May 18-- CFA Solar Energy Program Grants/Loans
May 23-- SBA Flood Assistance Clearfield, Washington, 8 Other Counties
July 20-- CFA Solar Energy Program Grants/Loans
December 31-- NEW. DEP County Act 101 Waste Planning, HHW, Education Grants
-- Visit the DEP Grant, Loan and Rebate Programs webpage for more ideas on how to get
financial assistance for environmental projects.
-- Visit the DCNR Apply for Grants webpage for a listing of financial assistance available from
DCNR.
Environmental NewsClips - All Topics
Here are NewsClips from around the state on all environmental topics, including General
Environment, Budget, Marcellus Shale, Watershed Protection and much more.
The latest environmental NewsClips and news is available at the PA Environment Digest Daily
Blog, Twitter Feed and add PaEnviroDigest Google+ to your Circle.
Air
Industry Leaders
Alternative Fuels
Awards & Recognition
Biodiversity/Invasive Species
After A Century-Long Absence, Freshwater Mussel Confirmed In Kiski River
Budget
DCNR Awards $1.1 Million In Blair County Regional Grants
Chesapeake Bay
Climate
Cartwright Bill Would Protect Natural Resources From Climate Change
Industry Leaders
Trumps Interior Dept Delays Regulation On Oil & Gas Methane Emissions
Pittsburgh, 50 Other North American Cities Join Chicago Climate Charter
Vatican Sees A Way Around Trump On Climate Change, Official Says
WSJ: Electricity Prices Plummet As Gas, Wind Gain Traction And Demand Stalls
Fate Of $700 Million Utility Sector Hinges On Trump Buzzword
Coal, Nuclear Plans Also Seek Billions In New Federal Tax Credits
Trump Disbands Group Meant To Prepare Cities For Climate Shocks
Letter: Clean Power Plan Beneficial To Economy
Kids Lawsuit Over Climate Change Faces Big Test In Federal Court
Coal CEO: Senate Republican Tax Plan Wipes Us Out
Coal Mining
EPCAMR Colleague Melissa Meade Wins 2 Awards For In The Shadow Of The Coal Breaker
PPL Expects Sharp Decline In Coal Fleet By 2050
FERC Needs 30-Day Extension Before It Can Rule On DOE Plan To Save Coal, Nuclear Plants
FERC Chair Requests 30-Day Extension For Review Of DOE Grid Resiliency Plan
Trumps Plan To Bail Out Coal May Be Unraveling Under New FERC Chief
Frazier: Trump Coal, Nuclear Plant Plan Could Have Big Impact On PA
Op-Ed: U.S. Still Needs Electricity From Coal, Nuclear Plants
Pennsylvania Coal Production Increased Last Week
GE To Slash 12,000 Jobs As Coal Wanes, Renewable Energy Use Grows
Coastal Zone
Compliance Action
Delaware River
Drinking Water
Pittsburgh Water Authority Reburied Hundreds Of Lead Lines, Now Has To Replace Them
Maykuth: PUC Approves 9.4% Rate Increase For PA American Water Customers
PA American Water Rate Hike Comes With Surprise Scranton Sewer Rate Increase
13,000 Northampton Water Customers To See Higher Bills In 2018
PA American Water Reminds Customers To Act Now To Prevent Frozen Pipes
NJ Seeks Stricter Limit On PFOA In Drinking Water
Economic Development
Website Lists Future Job Opportunities At Shell Ethane Plant
Education
Energy
Plan For Natural Gas Power Plant Next To New Medical Marijuana Operation
Maykuth: PUC To Update PA Electricity Shopping Rules
PPL Expects Sharp Decline In Coal Fleet By 2050
PUC Approves PPL Programs For Poor, For Energy Conservation
PPL Finally Gets Reimbursed For Damage Caused By Runaway Military Blimp
PSEG CEO: Salem, Hope Creek Nuclear Power Plants Will Close Absent Subsidies
Largest Ever Drilling Lease Sale In Alaska Yields Few Bids
Op-Ed: Focus On U.S. Energy: Turning Abundance Into Dominance
Energy Conservation
Forests
Go Real For Christmas, Go Green
Wildfire Erupts In Bel-Air As Blaze Rages Across Southern California
California Wildfires Force LA Rams To Practice Indoors
Southern California Wildfire Forces Thousands To Evacuate
California Wildfire Hops Highway, Nears Ocean
California Sent Wildfire Danger Text Alert To 12 Million People
Green Infrastructure
Growing Greener
Lackawanna River
Land Conservation
Mine Reclamation
EPCAMR Colleague Melissa Meade Wins 2 Awards For In The Shadow Of The Coal Breaker
Mining - Noncoal
CMU Enthusiasts Enjoy Art Event In Fmr Armstrong County Underground Limestone Mine
Oil & Gas
Hearings Set For Delaware Watershed Plan To Nix Gas Drilling
Industry Leaders
Trumps Interior Dept Delays Regulation On Oil & Gas Methane Emissions
Plan For Natural Gas Power Plant Next To New Medical Marijuana Operation
Appalachia Region Drives Growth In U.S. Natural Gas Production Since 2012
Report: U.S. Natural Gas Boom Largely Due To Marcellus Shale
Website Lists Future Job Opportunities At Shell Ethane Plant
Water Treatment Company Evoqua Posts Small Profit
Federal Judge Doubles Fracking Workers Award In Overtime Case
Trump Administration Rolls Back Oil Train Rules
Federal Lawmakers Consider Breaks For Oil, Gas In Federal Tax Bills
AP: Motorists See Slight Drop In Gasoline Prices In PA
How Trump Did The Impossible: Got Solar, Oil Lobbyists To Unite
Pipelines
AP: Some Lancaster Pipeline Protesters Intend To Fight Trespassing Charges
Lancaster Pipeline Protesters Enter Pleas In Court
Natural Gas Pipeline Project In Susquehanna County On Track
Editorial: Pipeline Lead Shows Need For Policy Updates
Buckeye: PUC Does Not Have Authority To Block Reversing Laurel Pipeline Flow
Radiation Protection
PSEG CEO: Salem, Hope Creek Nuclear Power Plants Will Close Absent Subsidies
Recreation
DCNR Awards $1.1 Million In Blair County Regional Grants
Dec. 8 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation
Crable: Agencies, Legislator Strike Out In Keeping Brunner Island Open For Public Use
$1.7M In Valley Forge Casino Money Benefits Montco Nonprofits, Parks
Pedestrian Park To Put Lawns, Walkways Over I-579 In Pittsburgh
Minneapolis Parks Chief to Head Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Pocket Park Proposal To Come Off The Table In Scranton
Petition Demands Philly Move Faster To Improve Safety For Cyclists
Recycling/Waste
Renewable Energy
PA Making Strides In Solar Energy
Solarize Philly Helps Provide 186 Homeowners With Rooftop Solar Panels
Op-Ed: The Sun Is Rising On Solar Energy In PA, Heres How, DEP Secretary McDonnell
Analysts Expect Final GOP Tax Bill Will Throttle Renewable Energy
Stormwater
Susquehanna River
Waste Facilities
Analysts Expect Final GOP Tax Bill Will Throttle Renewable Energy
Wastewater Facilities
Water Treatment Company Evoqua Posts Small Profit
Watershed Protection
Wetlands
Erie Farmer Wins A Round In 31-Year Wetland Legal Battle
Wildlife
Habitat Is A Key Player In Deer Population In PA
Its Time To Reconsider Your Deer Hunting Tactics
Crable: Agencies, Legislator Strike Out In Keeping Brunner Island Open For Public Use
After A Century-Long Absence, Freshwater Mussel Confirmed In Kiski River
PA Judge To Decide If Raccoons Deserve Protection From Cruelty
Judge Turns Aside Mans Defense For Drowning Raccoon
Schneck: State Museum Mammal Hall Dioramas Rejuvenated, Restored
Ron Ramsey Reflects On Why He Enjoys Bird Watching During the Winter
Other
Wildfires
Wildfire Erupts In Bel-Air As Blaze Rages Across Southern California
California Wildfires Force LA Rams To Practice Indoors
Southern California Wildfire Forces Thousands To Evacuate
California Wildfire Hops Highway, Nears Ocean
California Sent Wildfire Danger Text Alert To 12 Million People
Federal Policy
EPA Promises Not To Silence Scientists
Federal Lawmakers Consider Breaks For Oil, Gas In Federal Tax Bills
Op-Ed: Focus On U.S. Energy: Turning Abundance Into Dominance
Businesses Fighting Back Against Environmentalists Using Courts To Club Industry
Click Here For This Week's Allegheny Front Radio Program
Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits
No new regulations were published this week. Pennsylvania Bulletin - December 9, 2017
Sign Up For DEPs eNotice: Did you know DEP can send you email notices of permit
applications submitted in your community? Notice of new technical guidance documents and
regulations? All through its eNotice system. Click Here to sign up.
DEP Regulations In Process
Proposed Regulations Open For Comment - DEP webpage
Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods - DEP webpage
Recently Finalized Regulations - DEP webpage
DEP Regulatory Update - DEP webpage
August 2017 DEP Regulatory Agenda - PA Bulletin, Page 4922
Technical Guidance & Permits
Note: DEP published 60 pages of public notices related to proposed and final permit and
approval/ disapproval actions in the December 9 PA Bulletin - pages 7472 to 7532.
The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the December 9 PA Bulletin it

is extending the availability of the PAG-02 general stormwater permit until December 29, 2017.
DEP published notice in the December 9 PA Bulletin it is rescinding technical guidance DEP
ID:391-3200-004. Aquatic LifeUse Attainability Studies for Flowing and Impounded Water
Bodies. Description:Established procedures to conduct Use Attainability studies. The contents
of this document were updated and published as part of the Assessment and Listing Methodology
as Federally required. Questions should be directed to M. Josh Lookenbill by sending email to:
mlookenbil@pa.gov or calling 717-787-9637.
DEP Technical Guidance In Process

Draft Technical Guidance Documents - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
Copies of Final Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
DEP Non-Regulatory/Technical Guidance Documents Agenda (July 2017) - DEP webpage
Other DEP Proposals For Public Review

Other Proposals Open For Public Comment - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Other Proposals - DEP webpage
Other Proposals Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
Visit DEPs Public Participation Center for public participation opportunities. Click Here to sign
up for DEP News a biweekly newsletter from the Department.
DEP Facebook Page DEP Twitter Feed DEP YouTube Channel
Click Here for links to DEPs Advisory Committee webpages.

DEP Calendar of Events DCNR Calendar of Events
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Issue #702 Crisci Associates, Harrisburg, PA Dec.

PA Environment Digest Blog Twitter Feed PaEnviroDigest Google+

Gov. Tom Wolf Thursday announced the award of 106

The PA Growing Greener Coalition Thursday issued the

Gov. Tom Wolf Tuesday announced an investment of

The PA Growing Greener Coalition Tuesday applauded

Green stormwater infrastructure, greenway planning,

Bills On Governor's Desk

Senate/House Bills Moving Last Week

Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule [Updated]/Govs Schedule/ Bills

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

Senate: the Appropriations Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 799

The following bills of interest were introduced last week--

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt

The Friends of Allegheny Wilderness issued this

News From The Capitol

The House Wednesday gave final approval to House Bill

Senate Environmental Committee To Consider E-Waste Recycling Overhaul Dec. 13

News From Around The State

A new study commissioned by the Chesapeake Bay

DEP To Reissue Current PAG-02 Stormwater General Permit Effective Dec. 8

The Department of Environmental Protection Thursday

The Department of Environmental Protections

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority and the

Approximately three years ago, Lancaster

DEP Blog: A New Life For Monocacy Creek In Bethlehem

Dec. 15 Forum: Hunters, Anglers, Watershed Groups Working Together On Conservation

Hunting, fishing and conservation groups

Triple Benefits: December Green Infrastructure Newsletter Now Available From

The December green infrastructure

Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Certification Jan. 25-26 In Lancaster

The next Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional

The 29th Annual Landscape Design Symposium will

PEC Celebrates 10 Years Of Dumpsite Cleanups In Pike, Potter, Susquehanna, Wayne

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the PA

The PA Resources Council is now accepting nominations

The Department of Environmental Protection Friday

December Newsletter Now Available From PA Resources Council

The December newsletter is now available from the PA

DEP, Ag, Ed Officials Tour New Agricultural, Environmental Learning Center In

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, Education

Wildlife Leadership Academy Seeks Motivated Students To Become Youth Conservation

The Wildlife Leadership Academy in

Demolition has begun at ForEvergreen

The Southwest PA Air Quality Partnership and the PA

The Department of Environmental Protection Monday announced it has reached an agreement

PUC Invites Comments On Proposal To Enhance Consumer Information About

One Pittsburgh startup-- Module-- is making it possible for

PEC In Case You Missed It In November Now Available

The PA Environmental Councils In Case You

PennDOT Completes Marked Bicycle Lanes In Chester, Delaware, Montgomery Counties

In its ongoing effort to enhance the bicycle experience

PA Land Trust Assn Accepting Nominations For Govt. Leadership, Conservation

The PA Land Trust Association is now accepting

(Reprinted from an article in December PA Township News.)

Brandywine Conservancy, Greenway Partners Install New Creek Access In Downingtown

Kayakers at Downingtowns Kerr Park in Chester

84-Acre Natural Area Donated To Western PA Conservancy In Somerset County

An 84-acre natural area has been protected in Addison

Jayne Miller, currently superintendent of the Minneapolis

Westmoreland Land Trust Names Betsy Aiken Executive Director

Betsy Aiken of Export has been named executive director of

Public Participation Opportunities/Calendar Of Events

December 13-- CANCELED.House Appropriations Committee holds a hearing on special funds