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Issue #758 Harrisburg, PA Jan.

7, 2019

PA Environment Digest Blog​ ​Twitter Feed​ ​ Facebook Page

Senate Republican Leader Warns Of Significant Budget Challenges; House Republicans


Of Need For More Government Oversight

On January 1, Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) used his remarks
opening the new 2019-20 legislative session to warn of significant challenges ahead for this
year’s state budget.
“​This year brings with it significant challenges. The budget will certainly be a
tremendous focus this coming year. We must find balance with the budget while ensuring that
we respect taxpayers,” said Scarnati.
On November 15, the Independent Fiscal Office said the ​state faces an FY 2019-20
budget deficit of $1.7 billion or more​ because the current year budget was again balanced by $1
billion worth of one-time funding sources.
On January 2, the Department of Revenue reported Pennsylvania collected $2.9 billion in
General Fund revenue in December, which was $70.1 million, or 2.5 percent, more than
anticipated.
Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $15.3 billion, which is $403.7 million,
or 2.7 percent, above estimate. ​Click Here​ for more.
Republicans, of course, are keeping with the “no new taxes” and “live within our means”
positions they’ve had in past years.
Both the Governor’s Budget Office and House Republicans are​ downplaying coming
budget problems​ saying state revenues remain strong and the IFO usually overestimates state
spending.
House Democrats have pointed to the need to make investments in priority areas, which
include addressing ​years of underfunding and staff reductions​ that they say has hurt DEP’s
ability to review permits for business and protect the environment.
House Government Oversight
House Republicans ​used changes to House rule​s to create a new House Government
Oversight Committee to ​advance their regulatory “reform” and oversight agenda​.
Regulatory “reform” has championed by conservative Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler)
who served as House State Government Committee Republican Chair last session and has been
named Republican Chair of the House Environmental​ Resources and Energy Committee for the

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new session.
Rep. Metcalfe and House Republicans have passed by party line votes regulatory
“reforms” like allowing the General Assembly to kill any regulation by doing nothing (Senate
Republicans passed a similar bill), putting an arbitrary cap on the number of regulations, creating
a new office to waive penalties for violating state laws if a permit holder “attempts” to comply
and requiring a vote of the General Assembly before any “significant” regulation goes into effect
(Senate Republicans have a similar bill). ​Click Here​ for more.
The new Oversight Committee was given subpoena power (not a routine power given to
any committee) and will be holding hearings on any matter referred to it by the House Speaker,
Republican and Democratic leaders on any executive branch matter or not being examined by
Appropriations Committee or to a separate task force.
The Chair and members of the new committee has not yet been announced.
Committee Size Reduced
Senate Republicans ​used changes to Senate Rules​ to reduce the size of each standing
committee by 1 member to more easily accommodate the new Republican-Democratic 29 to 21
split in the makeup of the chamber.
The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, for example, went from 11
last session to 10 this session.
Republicans will still control each committee, of course, with a majority of members.
The Environmental Committee last session had 7 Republicans as regular members and 4
Democratic members.
The Senate committee chairs and members have not yet been announced.
House Republicans ​used changes to House rules​ to reduce the size of its standing
committees for a similar reason.
House committees will generally have 15 Republican members and 10 Democratic
members. Last session it was 16 and 11.
NewsClips:
AP-Scolforo: Lawmakers Sworn In At Start Of 2-Year General Assembly Term
Thompson: House Makes Several Serious Rules Changes On Opening Day
Meyer: House Adds Significant Updates To Chamber Rules
Bagenstose: Sen. Collett To Introduce PFAS Standard Bill
New State Senators Focus On Health Care, Environment Going Into Office
Related Stories:
December Revenue Collections $70.1 Million Over Estimates; $403.7 Million Over Estimates
For The Year
New Republican Chair Of House Environmental Committee Wants To Downsize PA’s
Job-Killing Regulatory Environment
Republican Chair Of House Game & Fisheries Committee To Push For Hunter, Angler Fee
Legislation
Rep Rapp To Make Full Lyme Disease Treatment Coverage A Priority As Republican House
Health Committee Chair
[Posted: Jan. 2, 2019]

New Republican Chair Of House Environmental Committee Wants To Downsize PA’s


Job-Killing Regulatory Environment

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On January 2, the House Speaker named Daryl Metcalfe
(R-Butler) as the new Republican Chair of the House
Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.
In a January 3 statement, Rep. Metcalfe said, “As
chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy
Committee, I will work to advance legislation that streamlines and
downsizes Pennsylvania’s job-killing, regulatory environment,
and most importantly, protects taxpayers.
“One disastrous economic policy that will never see the
light of day on my watch is the governor’s constant attempts to
impose one of the largest energy taxes in the nation,” said Rep.
Metcalfe.
He said the Committee’s responsibilities are to address
issues involving conventional and unconventional oil and natural
gas drilling and development; environmental permitting; coal
mining, both underground and surface mining; and “stopping the governor’s most recent
attempts to tax Pennsylvania’s over regulated energy producers out of business.”
Rep. Metcalfe has been a champion of regulatory “reform” initiatives as Republican
Chair of the House State Government Committee last session.
Rep. Metcalfe said he and House Republicans “took a monumental step forward” and
passed by party line votes regulatory “reforms” in May of 2018.
The “reforms” included allowing the General Assembly to kill any regulation by doing
nothing (Senate Republicans passed a similar bill), putting an arbitrary cap on the number of
regulations, creating a new office to waive penalties for violating state laws if a permit holder
“attempts” to comply and requiring a vote of the General Assembly before any “significant”
regulation goes into effect (Senate Republicans have a similar bill). ​Click Here​ for more.
“Overregulation caused by unelected government bureaucrats is killing family-sustaining
jobs, strangling opportunity and stifling economic growth,” reiterated Rep. Metcalfe.
“Consequently, more than 153,000 regulatory restrictions have been piling up for decades under
both Republican and Democrat governors.
“During the 2019-20 legislative session, I want to ensure that Pennsylvania’s regulations
encourage, rather than discourage, the entrepreneurial spirit of hard-working job creators, while
protecting the health, wealth and safety of Pennsylvania taxpayers,” said Rep. Metcalfe.
In his January 3 press release, Rep. Metcalfe noted he consistently ranked as the state
Legislature’s “No. 1 Conservative,” and remains a leader on the issues of taxpayer protection,
the preservation of Second Amendment freedoms, ending Pennsylvania’s illegal alien invasion
and outlawing compulsory unionism.
In July 2018, Rep. Metcalfe said he hosted a legislative briefing with President Donald
Trump’s top manufacturing and technology advocate, Tom Rossomando, U.S. Small Business
Administration, to discuss additional opportunities to partner with the Trump administration to
rein in overregulation.
Rep. Metcalfe, who was sworn into his 11th term in office on January 1, said looks
forward to his new leadership position as Republican Chairman of the House Environmental
Resources and Energy Committee.

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Although not mentioned in his January 3 release, Rep. Metcalfe has also been an
advocate for ​reducing the authority of the Susquehanna and Delaware river basin commissions​ to
manage water resources across their interstate watersheds saying the agencies were involved in
“regulatory overreach.”
Rep. Metcalfe can be contacted by calling 717-783-1707 or by sending email to
dmetcalf@pahousegop.com​.
Reaction
Penn Future​ released this statement on the appointment of Rep. Metcalfe-- “Today’s
appointment of Rep. Metcalfe by Speaker Turzai as the incoming Chair of the House
Environmental Resources & Energy Committee, the first stop in the legislature for any bills
seeking to safeguard Pennsylvania’s environment, signals cautious days ahead at best.
“Rep. Metcalfe has no track record of bipartisanship and interest in good government, but
instead has shown himself capable of being a roadblock to the forward movement of
environmental issues. PennFuture will be watching carefully."
Other Committee Chairs
The Speaker also made appointments to these other related committees--
-- Agriculture and Rural Affairs:​ Martin Causer (R-Cameron) ​Click Here​ for his priorities
-- Consumer Affairs:​ NEW-Brian Ellis (R-Butler) ​Click Here​ for his priorities
-- Game and Fisheries:​ Keith Gillespie (R-York) ​ ​Click Here​ for his priorities
-- Local Government:​ NEW-Dan Moul (R-Adams) ​Click Here​ for his priorities
-- Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness:​ Stephen E. Barrar (R-Chester)
Click Here​ for the complete announcement of Republican committee chairs.
NewsClip:
Thompson: Environmental Issues In PA Just Got More Prominence, Here’s Why
Related Story:
Growing A Cleaner, Greener Pennsylvania In 2019: Opportunities For House And Senate
Leadership
Related Stories This Week:
Republican Chair Of House Game & Fisheries Committee To Push For Hunter, Angler Fee
Legislation
Rep Rapp To Make Full Lyme Disease Treatment Coverage A Priority As Republican House
Health Committee Chair
Senate Republican Leader Warns Of Significant Budget Challenges; House Republicans Of
Need For More Government Oversight
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Republican Chair Of House Game & Fisheries Committee To Push For Hunter, Angler Fee
Legislation

On January 3, Rep. Keith Gillespie (R-York), the returning Republican


Chair of the House Game and Fisheries Committee, said he's ready to
"take another swing" at moving legislation to allow the Game and Fish
and Boat Commissions to set their own fees.
“I’m looking forward to getting back to work and supporting the
best interests of the many hunters and anglers across the state,” said

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Rep. Gillespie. “As for the work to be done, we unfortunately have some important leftover
legislation from the 2017-18 session that needs addressed as soon as possible.”
“The individual pieces of legislation that would empower both commissions each passed
overwhelmingly in the Senate but lacked the votes in our committee,” Rep. Gillespie added. “I’m
planning to take another swing at this because of my strong feeling that the PGC and PFBC both
need and deserve the ability to set their own fees for the benefit of outdoor enthusiasts for whom
they provide much-needed services.”
All 4 Chairs of the Senate and House Game and Fisheries Committees ​“promised” in
October​ to work on proposals to stabilize the financial futures of the Commissions in 2019. ​Click
Here​ for more.​
Rep. Gillespie can be contacted by calling 717-705-7167 or send email to:
kgillesp@pahousegop.com​.
Related Story:
Growing A Cleaner, Greener Pennsylvania In 2019: Opportunities For House And Senate
Leadership
Related Stories This Week:
New Republican Chair Of House Environmental Committee Wants To Downsize PA’s
Job-Killing Regulatory Environment
Rep Rapp To Make Full Lyme Disease Treatment Coverage A Priority As Republican House
Health Committee Chair
Senate Republican Leader Warns Of Significant Budget Challenges; House Republicans Of
Need For More Government Oversight
[Posted: Jan. 3, 2019]

Rep. Rapp To Make Full Lyme Disease Treatment Coverage A Priority As Republican
House Health Committee Chair

On January 3, Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren), the Republican Chair


of the House Health Committee, said she would be making
legislation requiring health insurers to cover treatment plans for
Lyme Disease or related tick-borne illnesses a priority-- ​House Bill
174​ from last session.
“It is no secret that Pennsylvania has ranked highest in the nation for
the number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease for more than six
years now,” said Rep. Rapp. “In 2016, Pennsylvania reported 12,200
cases of Lyme disease, which translates to 122,000 new cases and
accounts for 40 percent of the nation’s cases alone.”
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted primarily by ticks
and is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi.
Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, such as Babesiosis,
Bartonellosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis and
others, pose a serious threat to the quality of life of many Pennsylvanians, with the frequency of
diagnosed and reported Lyme disease cases increasing dramatically over the past several years.
Rapp also shared recent information regarding additional federal funding coming into
Pennsylvania from the Centers for Disease Control that can go directly to combatting tick-borne

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diseases.
For example, previous funding that was allocated for mosquito-borne diseases can now
only be used by state and some local health departments in support of surveillance, prevention
and education efforts for Lyme disease (and other tick-borne diseases) through CDC’s
Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity cooperative agreement.
In Fiscal Year 2018, the CDC distributed approximately $152,146 to the state of
Pennsylvania to fight against tick-borne diseases. A similar amount was also awarded to
Pennsylvania for Fiscal Year 2017.
“While the CDC funding is significant, we especially need to do a better job at the state
level to ensure that every patient diagnosed with Lyme disease and other related tick-borne
diseases has access and insurance coverage for available and emerging diagnostics and treatment
options,” said Rep. Rapp. “The legislation I am re-introducing would be a major win for those
coping with this epidemic and I look forward to advancing this legislation to the full House for
consideration in the very near future.”
Originally introduced during the 2017-18 legislative session, House Bill 174, was
unanimously adopted by the House Health Committee, and was later advanced to the Senate by a
strong 188-6 vote in the House.
For more information on this and other tick-borne diseases in Pennsylvania, visit the
Department of Health’s ​Lyme Disease​ webpage.
Related Story:
Growing A Cleaner, Greener Pennsylvania In 2019: Opportunities For House And Senate
Leadership
Related Stories This Week:
New Republican Chair Of House Environmental Committee Wants To Downsize PA’s
Job-Killing Regulatory Environment
Republican Chair Of House Game & Fisheries Committee To Push For Hunter, Angler Fee
Legislation
Senate Republican Leader Warns Of Significant Budget Challenges; House Republicans Of
Need For More Government Oversight
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Senators Killion, Dinniman Introduce Comprehensive Bipartisan Pipeline Bill Package

On January 2, Senators Tom Killion


(R-Delaware) and Andy Dinniman (D-Chester)
announced they will introduce a comprehensive
legislative package aimed at reforming
Pennsylvania’s pipeline regulatory process to
improve safety at schools and in local
neighborhoods and communities.
“For years, I’ve been working to protect our
communities from the potential safety risks of
the Mariner East pipeline project. Along the way,
I’ve identified several areas that are in dire need
of improvement in the Commonwealth,” Sen.

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Dinniman said. “These bills are a result of that ongoing effort and a necessary starting point to
refocus and reenergize our efforts in the new year. I am committed to working in the spirit of
bipartisanship and for the sake of Chester County residents and families to achieve real and
lasting pipeline safety reform in the 2019-2020 legislative session.”
“Pipelines are transporting highly flammable and toxic materials under high pressure
through densely populated areas. Having new laws in place to ensure the safety of families living
in pipeline communities is long overdue,” Sen. Killion said. “I look forward to working with
Senator Dinniman on passing these bills. Pipeline industry oversight and public safety are top
concerns for our constituents, and I’m pleased to be partnering with him on these important
issues.”
The bipartisan package consists of 12 bills, six sponsored by Sen. Dinniman and six
sponsored by Sen. Killion. Both senators also serve as first prime co-sponsor of each other’s
bills. They are as follows:
-- ​Pipeline Safety Inspection​ (Killion):​ Centralizes pipeline safety inspection within the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and requires PennDOT to apply to the
federal government for designation as an Interstate Agent in the inspection of interstate pipelines
traversing Pennsylvania. This bill is similar to ​Senate Bill 604​ of 2017.
-- ​Pipeline Impact Fee​ (Killion):​ Establishes a pipeline impact fee calculated based on the
acreage of linear feet plus right-of-way width of a pipeline using the county average land value
in an affected area. The funds would be collected by the PUC and deposited into a Pipeline
Impact Fund where they would be distributed to the counties and municipalities impacted. This
bill is similar to ​Senate Bill 605​ of 2017.
-- ​Pipeline Safety – Notification Requirements​ (Killion):​ Requires pipeline companies to
provide notification to residents, municipalities and other applicable parties affected by drilling
at least five days in advance of the initiation of any project. This bill is similar to ​Senate Bill
1027​ of 2018.
-- ​Pipeline Safety – Mandatory Study Requirement​ (Killion):​ Requires pipeline operators to
conduct proper studies and hydrological investigations of aquifers that may be potentially
impacted by pipeline construction. This bill is similar to ​Senate Bill 1028​ of 2018.
-- ​Pipeline Safety and Advanced Leak Detection​ (Killion:​ Requires Pennsylvania and the DEP
to develop clear permit conditions and siting guidelines to increase the focus on pipeline safety
and pipeline infrastructure siting to reduce the dangers of improper siting, improper safety
management and wasted resources.
-- ​Establishing a Commission to Study Pipeline Construction and Operations​ (Killion):
Establishes a special bipartisan legislative commission to recommend safety, oversight and
interagency coordination improvements for the transport of oil, natural gas and other hazardous
liquids through pipelines in this Commonwealth. This legislation is similar to ​Senate Resolution
373​ of 2018.
-- ​Pipelines Located Near Schools​ (Dinniman):​ Outlines types of information that pipeline
operators must share with schools that fall within 1,000 ft of hazardous liquids and natural gas
pipelines, including how to respond to a leak. Currently, pipeline operators are not required to
provide this information. This bill was previously ​Senate Bill 1257​ of 2018.
-- ​Pipeline Siting Review​ (Dinniman):​ Requires pipeline companies to submit a detailed
application to the Public Utility Commission prior to construction of a new pipeline. It also
requires approval from the Department of Environmental Protection, the local governing body of

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a county and the local emergency management organization coordinators in evaluating each
metric, and at least two public hearings in each county where the construction would take place.
This bill was previously ​Senate Bill 928​ of 2017.
-- ​Pipeline Emergency Response Fund​ (Dinniman): ​Authorizes counties to enact an ordinance
to impose a fee on all covered pipelines in the county. If the county does not enact an ordinance,
each municipality in the county is authorized to impose the fee on the pipelines in the county.
The funding is distributed only to those counties or municipalities based on the total distance of
pipelines in each county or municipality. This bill was previously ​Senate Bill 929​ of 2017.
-- ​Pipeline Emergency Notification​ (Dinniman): ​Requires public utility facilities transporting
natural gas or natural gas liquids to meet with the county emergency coordinator entrusted to
respond in the event of natural gas release and provide vital emergency response and evacuation
information. This bill was previously ​Senate Bill 930​ of 2017.
-- ​Pipeline Safety Valves​ (Dinniman): ​Calls for incorporating automatic or remote shutoff
valves on pipelines that impact high consequence areas throughout Pennsylvania. This bill was
previously ​Senate Bill 931​ of 2017.
-- ​Regulation of Land Agents​ (Dinniman): ​Holds pipeline land agents accountable by defining
their role and requiring registration with the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission. In addition,
the bill calls for allowing public access to a listing of registered agents, requiring criminal history
background checks, and providing the commission with the authority to revoke or suspend them
for reasons such as fraud or misrepresentation. This bill was previously ​Senate Bill 835​ of 2017.
Click Here​ for more information on the pipeline issues facing legislators in 2019.
NewsClips:
Lawmakers Introduce Comprehensive Pipeline Bill Package
Hurdle: Chester County DA Names Fmr Federal Prosecutor To Beef Up Mariner East 2 Pipeline
Criminal Probe
PA’s Most Penalized, Controversial Natural Gas Pipeline Now In Service- Mariner East 2
AP: Energy Transfer Announces Mariner East 2 Pipeline Is In Service
Controversial Mariner East 2 Pipeline Now In Service
Mariner East 2 Pipeline Is Up And Running Sunoco Says
Mariner East 2 Pipeline Now Online, Goes Through Cumberland County
Mariner East 2 Pipeline Up And Running, But Foes Not Happy
Hurdle: Mariner East Pipeline Startup Renews Safety Fears For Some Delaware County
Residents
Editorial: Is It Mariner East 2 Pipeline Or Frankenpipeline
Hurdle: NJ Attorney General: Court Erred In PennEast Pipeline Ruling
Related Story:
Growing A Cleaner, Greener Pennsylvania In 2019: Opportunities For House And Senate
Leadership
[Posted: Jan. 3, 2019]

CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1

The ​Commonwealth Financing Authority​ will begin


accepting applications for ​grants funded by Act 13​ drilling

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impact fees for watershed restoration, abandoned mine drainage abatement, baseline water
quality data, orphaned or abandoned well plugging, sewage facilities, flood mitigation programs
and recreation on February 1.
The deadline for applications is May 31.
These grants are funded by the Act 13 drilling impact fees paid by natural gas
drillers.
Here’s a quick summary of what’s available and the links for more details--
-- ​Watershed Restoration​: The overall goal of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Program
is to restore, and maintain restored stream reaches impaired by the uncontrolled discharge of
nonpoint source polluted runoff, and ultimately to remove these streams from the Department of
Environmental Protection’s Impaired Waters list.
-- ​Abandoned Mine Drainage Abatement and Treatment​: Projects which involve the reclamation
of Abandoned Mine Well(s), construction of a new AMD site, remediation and repair of existing
AMD project sites, operation and maintenance maintaining current AMD remediation sites,
establishment of trust fund to ensure ongoing maintenance is achieved, and monitoring of water
quality to track or continue to trace nonpoint source load reductions resulting from AMD
remediation projects.
-- ​Orphan or Abandoned Well Plugging Program​: Projects which involve the cleaning out and
plugging of abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells; stray gas mitigation systems; and well
venting projects.
-- ​Baseline Water Quality Data​: Projects which involve practices for water sample collection and
analysis to document existing groundwater quality conditions on private water supplies.
-- ​Sewage Facilities Program​: Costs associated with the planning work required under Act 537
Sewage Facilities Act.
-- ​Flood Mitigation​: Projects authorized by a flood protection authority, the Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) or the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or identified by a
local government for flood mitigation are eligible for the program.
-- ​Greenways, Trails And Recreation Program​: Projects which involve development,
rehabilitation and improvements to public parks, recreation areas, greenways, trails and river
conservation.
Applicants are ​strongly urged to contact their House and Senate member​ to make
them aware you intend to submit an application for funding under theses programs and ask for
their endorsement.
For more information and instructions on how to apply, visit the Commonwealth
Financing Authority ​Act 13 Programs​ webpage. Questions should be directed to 717-787-6245.
Resources
For more information on buffers, financial and technical assistance available, visit
DCNR’s ​Forest Buffers​ webpage.
New DCNR Grant Round
Learn more about grant opportunities to support riparian buffer, trail and recreation
projects, visit DCNR’s ​Community Conservation Grant Program​ webpage. A new grant round is
opening January 22 and will close April 10. ​Click Here​ for more.
Forest Buffer Summit
Registration is now open for the DCNR and Western PA Conservancy ​Pennsylvania

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Riparian Forest Buffer Summit​ on February 20-21 at the Best Western Premier Conference
Center, 800 East Park Drive in Harrisburg. ​Click Here​ for more.
(​Photo:​ Example of a buffer area from the ​Bradford County Conservation District​.)
Related Stories:
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
DEP Announces 6 Grants To Reduce Stormwater Pollution, Restore Streams, Install Buffers In
Beaver, Bradford Dauphin Counties
NewsClips:
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
$80,000 From DEP Aims To Restore 1.5 Miles Of Bushkill Creek
DEP Awards 2 Grants Totaling $447,250 To Reduce Nutrient, Sediment Pollution In Bradford
County Streams
DEP Grant To Fix Flooding Issues In Wyoming County
Crable: Lancaster Woman To Head Project To Plant 10 Million Trees In PA
New Stormwater Fee Bills Being Mailed To Wyoming Valley Homes This Week
New Stormwater Fee Bills Creating Confusion In Wyoming Valley
Frustration Storm Over Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Editorial: Take Time To Understand New Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Monroe, Pike Conservation Districts Hold Water Quality Permitting, Green Infrastructure
Workshop
Op-Ed: It’s Time For Wildlife Corridors To Save Our Ecosystem
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer


Grant Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources


will begin accepting applications January 22 for local land
conservation, recreation, riparian buffer project grants
under the ​Community Conservation Partnership Grant
Program​.
The deadline for applications is April 10.
Community Conservation Partnership grants can
fund-- Planning, acquisition, rehabilitation and
development of public parks, greenways, critical habitat
areas and open space; Recreation areas; Motorized and
non-motorized trails; ​ATV and Snowmobile​, River
conservation and access; and Conservation of open space.
The ​Riparian Forest Buffer Program ​provides financial assistance to identify locations in
need of riparian forest buffers, and to design, establish, monitor, and provide short-term
maintenance for those buffers.
Webinars

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DCNR has scheduled 2 webinars to help potential applicants--
-- January 30:​ ​Grants For Recreation, Conservation, Trail and Riparian Buffer Projects​, 10:00 to
11:30 a.m.;
-- February 27:​ ​Statewide and Regional Partnership Grant Program​ for public recreation,
conservation or heritage-area initiatives undertaken across a statewide or regional landscape,
10:00 to 11:30 a.m..
For more information, visit ​DCNR’s ​Community Conservation Partnership Grant
Program​ webpage.
More information on the full range of DCNR grant opportunities is available on the
DCNR Grants​ webpage.
Resources
For more information on buffers, financial and technical assistance available, visit
DCNR’s ​Forest Buffers​ webpage.
CFA Accepting Applications
The ​Commonwealth Financing Authority ​will accept applications from February 1 to
May 31 for its Act 13 Watershed Restoration Grants which includes funding control nonpoint
source pollution runoff, which includes agricultural operations. ​ ​Click Here​ for more.
Forest Buffer Summit
Registration is now open for the DCNR and Western PA Conservancy ​Pennsylvania
Riparian Forest Buffer Summit​ on February 20-21 at the Best Western Premier Conference
Center, 800 East Park Drive in Harrisburg. ​Click Here​ for more.
Related Stories:
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DEP Announces 6 Grants To Reduce Stormwater Pollution, Restore Streams, Install Buffers In
Beaver, Bradford Dauphin Counties
NewsClips:
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
$80,000 From DEP Aims To Restore 1.5 Miles Of Bushkill Creek
DEP Awards 2 Grants Totaling $447,250 To Reduce Nutrient, Sediment Pollution In Bradford
County Streams
DEP Grant To Fix Flooding Issues In Wyoming County
Crable: Lancaster Woman To Head Project To Plant 10 Million Trees In PA
New Stormwater Fee Bills Being Mailed To Wyoming Valley Homes This Week
New Stormwater Fee Bills Creating Confusion In Wyoming Valley
Frustration Storm Over Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Editorial: Take Time To Understand New Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Monroe, Pike Conservation Districts Hold Water Quality Permitting, Green Infrastructure
Workshop
Op-Ed: It’s Time For Wildlife Corridors To Save Our Ecosystem
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Fish & Boat Commission Survey Finds Abundant Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish

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Populations In Lower Susquehanna; Doesn’t Mean Bass Problems Are Over

On December 31, the ​Fish and Boat


Commission​ announced recent surveys by
Commission biologists concluded the
Susquehanna River is home to a healthy,
abundant population of ​smallmouth bass​ and
channel catfish​.
Smallmouth Bass
From October 22-28, fisheries
biologists conducted nighttime electrofishing
surveys targeting adult smallmouth bass at
four historic sampling sites located within the
middle portion of the Susquehanna River between Clemson Island and the Pennsylvania
Turnpike Bridge.
Sites surveyed were near Clemson Island, Rockville, the Dock Street Dam and the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Bridge near Highspire, Dauphin County.
Of note, the catch rate of smallmouth bass in 2018 was the fifth-highest on record since
standardized surveys began in the middle section of the Susquehanna River in 1990. In addition,
the surveys revealed a strong population of adult bass ranging in size from 6 to 20-inches, as well
as record numbers of trophy-sized bass measuring 18-inches or longer.
“The findings of this survey continue to reveal a strong smallmouth bass population,”
said Geoff Smith, PFBC Susquehanna River Biologist. “Because we’re seeing fish in all size
categories, we believe the population will remain strong for years to come.”
On The Recovery
Biologists from the Fish and Boat Commission provided this further explanation of why
they think the smallmouth bass population has recovered--
“According to our biologists, the primary reason for the population recovery is improved
recruitment after several years of reduced disease-related mortality of young-of-year Smallmouth
Bass that resulted from Largemouth Bass Virus (LMBV) in concert with a host of other factors.
“Smallmouth Bass populations are typically driven by one strong year class and more
numerous poor or weak year classes, where that strong year class supports the fishery for several
years.
“At the height of outbreaks, we observed normal poor year classes caused by high stream
flow or colder temperatures during and after the spawn; however the conditions that created
strong year classes, low stream flows and warm temperatures, also coincided with large-scale
mortality.
“As a result, several years of poor recruitment occurred consecutively resulting in
substantially fewer “new” fish being recruited into the population, resulting in the decreased
adult abundance.
“Since 2012, we have observed a few moderate to strong year classes within the
population as disease prevalence has waned. During that time, disease prevalence has remained
at around 10 percent or less as opposed the highs of the mid-2000s when we observed lesions on
67 percent of smallmouth bass surveyed in the middle Susquehanna River.
“We now have a more robust population with multiple year classes, including a large

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number of juvenile fish, that can withstand the fluctuations in the population (natural or
otherwise) should they occur.”
Former Commission Executive Director John Arway​, who was deeply involved in the
Susquehanna River Study and the smallmouth bass issue, had this to say about this year’s survey
results--
“There is a fundamental theory in ecology called inertia and elasticity. I remember a
paper published by Dr. John Cairns from VPI in the late 1970’s which explained that biological
communities in natural systems are like rubber bands.
“You can stretch them a long way and as long as they don’t break from the stress
imposed by human insults, they can withstand tremendous pressures.
“I believe that is what happened to the Susquehanna. The algae blooms and oxygen
depletion that stressed the fishery from 2005 to 2010 have not reappear because of changing
environmental conditions.
“Primarily higher and cooler water levels at critical times for old and young bass.
Therefore we have seen a recovery in bass populations.
“It is not time to declare victory and assume that conditions will remain like this for the
near future.
“If we see the algae blooms again which will again lower instream dissolved oxygen
levels to dangerous conditions for fish, we should expect similar results that we saw in 2005.
“Unfortunately there are some who believe that today’s conditions are a new baseline and
would prefer to ignore the lessons from our past.
“If we are not diligent in reducing nutrients and sediments to achieve the TMDL
requirements for the Chesapeake Bay, we could very well see 2005 happen again in our river.
“We don’t control Mother Nature but do control what we do to our land and water. Add
in endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), pesticides and herbicides, malfunctioning STPs and a
host of other stressors which we know very little about, the challenges still exist.
“Unfortunately this press release doesn’t tell both sides of the story. I guess positive spin
sells more licenses than reality.
“‘The tragedy of life is often not in our failure, but rather in our complacency; not in our
doing too much, but rather in our doing too little; not in our living above our ability, but rather in
our living below our capacities.’—- Benjamin E. Mays
“That’s my opinion as a fish biologist now watching from afar from a couch in Lamar. I
still plan to fish the river and take the pulse of the bass so I will be speaking out for the fish as
necessary.”
Channel Catfish
In a second report, PFBC biologists outlined the findings of adult channel catfish surveys
conducted between 2016 to 2018. During this time, biologists surveyed eleven sites; six in the
middle section of the Susquehanna River extending from Sunbury to York Haven, and five in the
lower Susquehanna River from York Haven to the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge.
Using commercial catfish bait, biologists collected thousands of channel catfish ranging
in length from 12 to 31-inches.
While equipment used in the survey is not capable of collecting younger fish, typically
those under 12-inches, the number of catfish in the angler-preferred length of 24-inches or longer
was good in both the middle and lower sections of the river with no evidence of overfishing.
Click Here​ for a copy of the smallmouth bass report. ​Click Here​ for a copy of the

13
channel catfish biologist report.
Susquehanna River Study
There is an ongoing study of the Lower Susquehanna River by DEP, the Fish and Boat
Commission and the U.S. Geologic Survey to determine what caused a significant decline of the
smallmouth bass population several years ago.
Commission surveys from ​2005-2012 found severely reduced numbers​ of smallmouth
bass due to illness in the lower Susquehanna and lower Juniata rivers. Populations started to
improve beginning with surveys in 2013 through the 2018 survey.
The Commission launched the ​S.O.S. - Save Our Susquehanna​ campaign in ​2015 to raise
funds for water and soil conservation projects​ along the Susquehanna River to address the illness
and elevated mortality rates of smallmouth bass populations.
Preliminary results of the ​study released in 2015 found the two most likely causes​ for the
population decline of smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna River are endocrine-disrupting
compounds and herbicides; and pathogens and parasites.
Based on those and other scientific results, groups like the Fish and Boat Commission
and the ​Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA​ strongly ​encouraged DEP to list the lower Susquehanna
River as impaired.
DEP did not list the lower Susquehanna​ as impaired for aquatic life in the most recent
listing submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2016.
Continuing The Study/Listing Efforts
The Fish and Boat Commission supports the continuation of the Susquehanna River
Study and listing the lower Susquehanna as impaired.
“Several interesting or concerning factors were identified over the course of the
[Susquehanna River] study that need more investigation regardless of the response of the
Smallmouth Bass population.
“Water quality factors like presence of herbicides and pesticides and other endocrine
disrupting compounds, occurrence of nuisance algae and harmful algal blooms, and the tributary
mainstem dynamics of the Susquehanna still need to be better understood.
“Similarly, a number of fish health concerns, like intersex and melanosis, as well as the
identification of several parasite and pathogens still need further investigation.
“The Susquehanna River Study provided us the opportunity to continue to adapt and
refine our investigation as we gathered more data and better understand the factors and discover
things that might have otherwise been overlooked.
“Among these was a study done in collaboration with Michigan State University and
funded by Pennsylvania Sea Grant and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
that demonstrated the ability for LMBV to affect juvenile Smallmouth Bass.
“ Until this time, LMBV was not known to affect Smallmouth Bass; they were simply
thought to be a carrier. This finding helped to resolve some of the outstanding spatial and
temporal questions that other identified factors failed to address.
“We need to continue to ride the momentum to work to understand some of these other
issues as well. While not all of what was found can be directly relatable to the Smallmouth Bass
issues, they may have other ecological or human health implications that need to be understood
as the ramifications may be equally if not more important.”
[The Commission continues] to support an impairment listing for the Susquehanna River
(and any other body of water) where data would indicate that water quality criteria are not being

14
met. We look forward to carefully reviewing and commenting as necessary on the next list of
impaired waters submitted to EPA.”
For more information and the results so far, visit DEP’s ​Susquehanna River Study
Updates​ webpage.
NewsClips:
Schneck: Susquehanna River Smallmouth Bass Continue Recovery, Big Time
Smallmouth Bass Growing In Susquehanna River, Catfish Also Abundant
[Posted: Jan. 1, 2019]

Application Deadlines Set For CFA Green Building, Alternative, Renewable Energy
Grants

The ​Commonwealth Financing Authority​ is


now accepting applications for its ​High
Performance Building and Renewable
Energy Grant Programs​ ​throughout 2019.
Applications for these programs are
due at least 60 days prior to the scheduled
meetings of the CFA board. The deadlines
for 2019 are: January 25, March 22, May
17 and July 19.
Here’s a quick rundown on the
programs--
-- ​Alternative & Clean Energy​: funds grants and loans for construction of alternative and clean
energy projects;
-- ​Renewable Energy-Geothermal and Wind​: funds activities to assist with geothermal
technologies and wind energy projects;
-- ​Solar Energy Program​: provides financial assistance in the form of loan funds to promote the
use of alternative solar energy in Pennsylvania; and
-- ​High Performance Building Program​: funds activities to assist with the construction or
renovation associated with a high performance building.
Applicants are ​strongly urged to contact their House and Senate member​ to make
them aware you intend to submit an application for funding under theses programs.
For more information and instructions on how to apply, visit the Commonwealth
Financing Authority ​Energy Programs​ webpage. Questions should be directed to 717-787-6245.
Related Stories:
StateImpact PA Holds Public Climate Forum On A Zero Carbon Future In Pittsburgh Jan. 29
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

StateImpact PA Holds Public Climate Forum On A Zero Carbon Future In Pittsburgh Jan.
29

StateImpact Pennsylvania​ will host a public forum

15
on ​The Future Of Energy: Can We Get To Zero Carbon?​ on January 29 at the ​Energy Innovation
Center,​ 1435 Bedford Avenue in Pittsburgh from 6:15 to 8:30.
Several recent reports, including from the United Nations and ​the U.S. government​, stress
the urgency of reducing carbon emissions to check the worst effects of climate change.
StateImpact Pennsylvania is bringing together a distinguished panel to discuss this huge
challenge and potential solutions.
Panelists will include--
-- Paulina Jaramillo​, associate professor of engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon
University and co-director of the ​Green Design Institute​;
-- Ivonne Peña​, an energy analyst who has worked for the ​National Renewable Energy
Laboratory​ in the U.S. and the Colombia’s Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission; and
-- Greg Reed​, a professor of electric power engineering at the University of Pittsburgh’s
Swanson School of Engineering, and director of ​Pitt’s Center for Energy and the Energy GRID
Institute​.
The event features a tour of the Energy Innovation Center before presentations begin.
Click Here​ to RSVP and for more information.
Related Stories:
PEC: New Report Shows Deep Decarbonization Pathways For Electricity In PA
Nuclear Energy Caucus Releases Report On The Impact Of Closing Nuclear Power Plants In PA
Center For Rural PA Study: 71% Increase In Very Heavy Precipitation Events In Last 54 Years
In Northeast, PA
Growing A Cleaner, Greener PA In 2019: Opportunities For House And Senate Leadership
4th National Climate Assessment: Climate Change Is Human Caused; Flooding, Wildfires,
Health Impacts, Infrastructure, Economic Damage Will Increase Without Action
Related Stories This Week:
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
NewsClips:
AP: Climate Change Affecting Northeastern Pennsylvania
Lancaster County Passes 5 Feet Of Rain In 2018
Letter: Changing Bird Migration Thru Erie Region Hints At Climate Change
Op-Ed: We Need To Courageously Confront Climate Change In 2019
Op-Ed: It’s Time For Wildlife Corridors To Save Our Ecosystem
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
Sustainable Farming Can Have More Effective Impact On Climate
In The Age Of Climate Change, Farmers Weigh Their Options For The Future
U.S. Meeting Paris Climate Goals Without Being Part Of The Agreement
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Half-Ton PA Farm Show Butter Sculpture Unveiled, Will Again Be Turned Into
Renewable Energy

On January 3, Gov. Tom Wolf, Agriculture


Secretary Russell Redding, members of the

16
American Dairy Association Northeast and Land O'Lakes unveiled the ​2019 PA Farm Show
butter sculpture-- "Find Your Power - Choose PA Dairy."
Also on hand to unveil the sculpture were Marilyn Hershey of Ar-Joy Farms in Chester
County; Charlie Batch, two-time Super Bowl Champion and former quarterback for the
Pittsburgh Steelers; and sculptors Jim Victor and Marie Pelton of Montgomery County.
The butter sculpture is on display in the Farm Show's Main Hall. Following the Farm
Show, the butter will be moved to the ​Reinford Farm ​in Juniata County to be converted into
renewable energy in the farm's methane digester.
The ​PA Farm Show​ runs from January 5 - 12 in Harrisburg.
NewsClips:
PA Farm Show Butter Sculpture Revealed!
PA Farm Show’s Half-Ton Butter Sculpture Embraces Power Of Agriculture
29 Things The PA Farm Show Butter Sculpture Honors
Related Stories:
DEP Invites Comments On New Erosion & Sedimentation Control Manual For Farm Operations
Monroe, Pike Conservation Districts Hold Water Quality Permitting, Green Infrastructure,
Invasive Species Workshop Feb. 5 & 6 In Monroe
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
Stroud/Farm Credit: Healthy Soil, Healthy Water Film About Local Farmers Improving Their
Bottom Lines Jan. 17
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
Pittsburgh’s Hilltop Urban Farm Accepting Applications For Farmers To Farm Rehabilitated
Land
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Senate/House Co-Sponsor Memos/Session Schedule/Gov’s Schedule

House and Senate Co-Sponsorship Memos

House: ​Click Here​ for all new co-sponsorship memos

Senate: ​Click Here​ for all new co-sponsorship memos

Session Schedule

Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--

Senate
January 15, 16, 28, 29, 30
February 4, 5, 6
Budget Hearings: Feb. 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, March 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
March 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27
17
April 8, 9, 10, 29, 30
May 1, 6, 7, 8
June 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

House
January 15, 16, 28, 29, 30
February 4, 5, 6, 19, 20, 21
Budget Hearings: Feb. 11 March 7
March 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27
April 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 29, 30
May 1, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 22, 23
June 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

Governor’s 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. Wolf’s Weekly Calendar and Public
Appearances.

News From The Capitol

December Revenue Collections $70.1 Million Over Estimates; $403.7 Million Over
Estimates For The Year

On January 2, the Department of Revenue reported Pennsylvania collected $2.9 billion in


General Fund revenue in December, which was $70.1 million, or 2.5 percent, more than
anticipated.
Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $15.3 billion, which is $403.7 million,
or 2.7 percent, above estimate.
Since the start of the 2018-19 fiscal year, overall tax revenue is $934.7 million, or 6.7
percent, more than was collected in the same period of the last fiscal year.
The Independent Fiscal Office also released its ​Monthly Trends Report​ which found
December General Fund collections were $80.8 million (2.9 percent) above the IFO’s revenue
projections released in July and $419.7 million (2.8 percent) above estimate for the fiscal
year-to-date (FYTD).
Dept. Of Revenue
Sales tax receipts totaled $935.2 million for December, $23.2 million above estimate.
Year-to-date sales tax collections total $5.6 billion, which is $163.2 million, or 3 percent, more
than anticipated.
Personal income tax (PIT) revenue in December was $972.4 million, $132.4 million
below estimate. This brings year-to-date PIT collections to $5.9 billion, which is $203.4 million,
or 3.3 percent, below estimate.
December corporation tax revenue of $577.9 million was $87.5 million above estimate.
Year-to-date corporation tax collections total $1.7 billion, which is $294.6 million, or 21.6
percent, above estimate.
18
Inheritance tax revenue for the month was $87 million, $3.8 million below estimate,
bringing the year-to-date total to $517.8 million, which is $0.3 million, or 0.1 percent, above
estimate.
Realty transfer tax revenue was $48.1 million for December, $1 million below estimate,
bringing the fiscal-year total to $276.9 million, which is $5.7 million, or 2 percent, less than
anticipated.
Other General Fund tax revenue, including cigarette, malt beverage, liquor and gaming
taxes, totaled $190.8 million for the month, $14.2 million above estimate and bringing the
year-to-date total to $950.6 million, which is $3.8 million, or 0.4 percent, above estimate.
Non-tax revenue totaled $93.6 million for the month, $82.3 million above estimate,
bringing the year-to-date total to $355.5 million, which is $151 million, or 73.8 percent, above
estimate.
In addition to the General Fund collections, the Motor License Fund received $192.8
million for the month, $15.5 million below estimate. Fiscal year-to-date collections for the fund
— which include the commonly known gas and diesel taxes, as well as other license, fine and fee
revenues — total $1.4 billion, which is $36.9 million, or 2.6 percent, below estimate.
Related Story:
Senate Republican Leader Warns Of Significant Budget Challenges; House Republicans Of
Need For More Government Oversight
[Posted: Jan. 2, 2019]

January Joint Conservation Committee Newsletter Now Available

The January newsletter​ from the ​Joint Legislative


Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation
Committee​ is now available featuring articles on--
-- Turkey Hill Dairy Sets Example Of
Environmental Stewardship ​Click Here​ for more.
-- PA Forests Yield Sweetest Product - Maple
Syrup
-- Hypoxia - Dead Zones - In Urban Watersheds
-- Park Lands Have Warmed Twice As Fast As
The Rest Of The Country
-- Avoiding Future Food Shortages
-- Carbon Capture & Storage Still Widely Debated
-- PA Farmers Eligible For Disaster Relief Funding
For more information, visit the ​Joint Conservation Committee​ website, ​Like them on
Facebook​ or ​Follow them on Twitter​. ​Click Here​ to sign up for regular updates from the
Committee.
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

News From Around The State

DEP Announces 6 Grants To Reduce Stormwater Pollution, Restore Streams, Install


Buffers In Beaver, Bradford, Dauphin Counties
19
On January 3 and 4, the Department of
Environmental Protection announced the award of 6
Growing Greener Grants to install a riparian buffers
and stabilize a stream bank in Beaver County,
reduce sediment and nutrient pollution in Bradford
County and reduce stormwater runoff pollution in
Dauphin County.
Beaver County
A $94,800 grant was awarded to the
nonprofit ​Stream Restoration Incorporated​ to
stabilize 500 feet of streambanks and install 800 feet
of riparian buffer along Raccoon Creek in Beaver County.
The project will reduce sediment pollution by an estimated 500 tons per year. The project
also includes an extension to a recreational trail and removal of invasive species.
“Improving stream habitat – by stabilizing streambanks and planting buffers – also
improves recreation opportunities through better access and better habitat,” said DEP Secretary
Patrick McDonnell.
Bradford County
DEP awarded 2 grants totaling $447,250 to stabilize streambanks, rehabilitate a stream
corridor, and reduce sediment, and nutrient pollution in Bradford County.
“Bradford County has seen more than its share of flooding events in recent years,” said
DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “These projects aim to protect residents from future flooding
and will improve water quality.”
DEP awarded a $270,000 grant to the ​Bradford County Commissioners​ to continue the
successful Bradford County Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Initiative.
The award will fund ten streambank stabilization projects and ten driveway/access lane
improvement projects, reducing erosion and sediment pollution to receiving streams. Sites will
be selected by the recipient through a competitive public application process.
A second grant of $177,250 was awarded to the ​Bradford County Conservation District
for the Satterlee Creek Stream Corridor Rehabilitation project, will fund stream stabilization on
five sites in the Satterlee Creek watershed.
Combined, the work funded by these grants is anticipated to stabilize or restore 4,800 feet
of streambank and reduce pollution of sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus by 2,000 tons, 5,000
tons, and 2,000 tons per year, respectively.
Dauphin County
A $272,840 grant was awarded to the nonprofit ​Capital Area Greenbelt Association, Inc​.
to design and permit a 1.4 mile stretch of stream restoration along the Parkway Creek in Dauphin
County.
The project will eliminate an estimated 293,336 pounds of sediment, 445 pounds of
phosphorus, and 491 pounds of nitrogen from entering the creek annually. This project will build
upon past projects completed by the association which were also funded through the Growing
Greener Program.
A $170,000 grant was awarded to ​Dauphin County Commissioners​ to remove and dredge
241,000 cubic yards of sediment and restore 90 acres of freshwater marsh at Wildwood Lake.

20
The project will reduce streambank erosion in the lake and improve stream quality and flood
protection.
A $15,000 grant is awarded to the ​Derry Township Municipal Authority​ to expand and
retrofit two existing undersized detention basins in the township’s Oakmont development. The
estimated annual reduction of 29,895 pounds of sediment will improve downstream water
quality.
The Growing Greener grant program is supported by the Environmental Stewardship
Fund, which receives its funding from landfill tipping fees and a transfer from the Marcellus
Shale Legacy Fund.
Click Here​ for more information on DEP’s Growing Greener Plus Grant Program.
Resources
For more information on buffers, financial and technical assistance available, visit
DCNR’s ​Forest Buffers​ and DEP’s ​Stormwater Management​ webpages.
CFA Accepting Applications
The ​Commonwealth Financing Authority ​will accept applications from February 1 to
May 31 for its Act 13 Watershed Restoration Grants which includes funding control nonpoint
source pollution runoff, which includes agricultural operations. ​ ​Click Here​ for more.
New DCNR Grant Round
Learn more about grant opportunities to support riparian buffer, trail and recreation
projects, visit DCNR’s ​Community Conservation Grant Program​ webpage. A new grant round is
opening January 22 and will close April 10. ​Click Here​ for more.
Forest Buffer Summit
Registration is now open for the DCNR and Western PA Conservancy ​Pennsylvania
Riparian Forest Buffer Summit​ on February 20-21 at the Best Western Premier Conference
Center, 800 East Park Drive in Harrisburg. ​Click Here​ for more.
(​Photo:​ A r​ iparian buffer being installed along Raccoon Creek​, Beaver County.)
Related Stories:
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
NewsClips:
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
$80,000 From DEP Aims To Restore 1.5 Miles Of Bushkill Creek
DEP Awards 2 Grants Totaling $447,250 To Reduce Nutrient, Sediment Pollution In Bradford
County Streams
DEP Grant To Fix Flooding Issues In Wyoming County
Crable: Lancaster Woman To Head Project To Plant 10 Million Trees In PA
New Stormwater Fee Bills Being Mailed To Wyoming Valley Homes This Week
New Stormwater Fee Bills Creating Confusion In Wyoming Valley
Frustration Storm Over Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Editorial: Take Time To Understand New Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Monroe, Pike Conservation Districts Hold Water Quality Permitting, Green Infrastructure
Workshop
Op-Ed: It’s Time For Wildlife Corridors To Save Our Ecosystem

21
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Monroe, Pike Conservation Districts Hold Water Quality Permitting, Green


Infrastructure, Invasive Species Workshop Feb. 5 & 6 In Monroe

The ​Monroe​ and ​Pike​ Conservation Districts


will host a ​2019 NPDES The Big Picture
Workshop​ on February 5 and 6 at Keystone
Hall and Gallery, Room 202, ​Northampton
Community College - Monroe Campus​, 2411
Rte. 715 in Tannersville.
Tentative topics this year will include Chapter
102 and 105 updates, Green Infrastructure,
​Invasive Species and much more.
Vendors will also share innovative stormwater
technology with an environmental theme. Our
goal is to keep standards high, and provide an
educational and informative workshop.
Click Here​ to register and for all the details.
For more information on programs, initiatives and assistance available to landowners,
visit the ​Monroe​ and ​Pike​ Conservation Districts websites.
Related Stories:
DEP Invites Comments On New Erosion & Sedimentation Control Manual For Farm Operations
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
Stroud/Farm Credit: Healthy Soil, Healthy Water Film About Local Farmers Improving Their
Bottom Lines Jan. 17
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
Pittsburgh’s Hilltop Urban Farm Accepting Applications For Farmers To Farm Rehabilitated
Land
Half-Ton PA Farm Show Butter Sculpture Unveiled, Will Again Be Turned Into Renewable
Energy
[Posted: Jan. 2, 2019]

DEP Invites Comments On New Erosion & Sedimentation Control Manual For Farm
Operations

The Department of Environmental Protection is inviting


public comments on a new proposed ​Soil Erosion and
Sedimentation Control Manual for Agricultural
Operations​ in the ​January 5 PA Bulletin​.

22
This brand new Manual is designed to complement the existing ​Manure Management
Manual​ and make complying with the erosion and sedimentation requirements easier for small
farmers.
Chapter 102 of DEP regulations require all agricultural operations to minimize
accelerated erosion and sedimentation to the waters of this Commonwealth by implementing
appropriate Best Management Practices.
Those operations that plow or till 5,000 or more square feet, including no-till, or that have
Animal Heavy Use Areas that are 5,000 or more square feet in total, are required to have a
written Agricultural Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan.
The purpose of this guidance is to further explain the requirements of an Ag E&S Plan
and it has several elements--
-- What: what is an Ag E&S Plan, and what are the required
-- Who: to whom does it apply?
-- Why: attempted to focus on the benefits to the farmer as well as regulatory compliance
-- When: when would it need to be developed, updated, implemented, etc.
-- How: how should it be developed (i.e. how to identify and address resource concerns)
-- Includes reference to tools and resources (i.e. NRCS, ​PAOneStop​, Conservation District
planning assistance)
Click Here​ for a copy of the 59-page Manual. ​Click Here​ for a DEP presentation on the
new manual (DEP ID: 383-4200-002).
DEP developed the Manual in consultation with county conservation districts, the State
Conservation Commission, Penn State Extension, the U.S. Natural Resource Conservation
Service-PA and DEP’s own Agricultural Advisory Board members.
Comments are due March 6 and can be submitted online through ​DEP’s eComment
webpage​, by email to: ​ecomment@pa.gov​ or in writing to: Technical Guidance Coordinator,
Department of Environmental Protection, Policy Office, Rachel Carson State Office Building,
P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063.
A copy of the proposed manual will be posted on ​DEP’s eComment webpage​. Questions
should be directed to Jill Whitcomb by email to: ​jiwhitcomb@pa.gov​ or by calling
717-783-5205.
CFA Accepting Applications
The ​Commonwealth Financing Authority ​will accept applications from February 1 to
May 31 for its Act 13 Watershed Restoration Grants which includes funding control nonpoint
source pollution runoff, which includes agricultural operations. ​ ​Click Here​ for more.
New DCNR Grant Round
Learn more about grant opportunities to support riparian buffer, trail and recreation
projects, visit DCNR’s ​Community Conservation Grant Program​ webpage. A new grant round is
opening January 22 and will close April 10.
Forest Buffer Summit
Registration is now open for the DCNR and Western PA Conservancy ​Pennsylvania
Riparian Forest Buffer Summit​ on February 20-21 at the Best Western Premier Conference
Center, 800 East Park Drive in Harrisburg. ​Click Here​ for more.
Related Stories:
Inspections Find 96% Of Small Farms In Survey Making Good Strides To Improve Water
Quality In Chesapeake Bay Watershed

23
Register Now! Pennsylvania Sustainable Agriculture Conference Feb. 6-9 In Lancaster
2019 PA In The Balance Conference On Farm Conservation Feb. 6-8 Hershey
Related Stories This Week:
Monroe, Pike Conservation Districts Hold Water Quality Permitting, Green Infrastructure,
Invasive Species Workshop Feb. 5 & 6 In Monroe
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
Stroud/Farm Credit: Healthy Soil, Healthy Water Film About Local Farmers Improving Their
Bottom Lines Jan. 17
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
Pittsburgh’s Hilltop Urban Farm Accepting Applications For Farmers To Farm Rehabilitated
Land
Half-Ton PA Farm Show Butter Sculpture Unveiled, Will Again Be Turned Into Renewable
Energy
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21

Registration is now open for the DCNR and Western


PA Conservancy ​Riparian Forest Buffer Summit​ on
February 20-21 at the Best Western Premier
Conference Center, 800 East Park Drive in Harrisburg.
Pennsylvania has a goal of planting 95,000 acres of
riparian buffers statewide by 2025 to improve water
quality.
The objective of the Summit is to provide conservation
professionals and other Riparian Forest Buffer
practitioners, decision makers and others with the
latest and greatest information on Forest Buffer
science, implementation strategies, outreach, funding options, as well as to provide networking
opportunities for those working and volunteering in the forest buffer field.
DCNR and the Conservancy held the ​first Forest Buffer Summit​ last year.
Click Here to register​, for a tentative agenda, sponsorship opportunities and more.
Questions should be directed to Teddi Stark, DCNR's Riparian Forest Buffer Coordinator, by
calling 717-787-0656 or send email to: ​c-tstark@pa.gov​.
Resources
For more information on buffers, financial and technical assistance available, visit
DCNR’s ​Forest Buffers​ webpage.
CFA Accepting Applications
The ​Commonwealth Financing Authority ​will accept applications from February 1 to
May 31 for its Act 13 Watershed Restoration Grants which includes funding control nonpoint
source pollution runoff, which includes agricultural operations. ​ ​Click Here​ for more.
New DCNR Grant Round

24
To learn more about grant opportunities to support riparian buffer, trail and recreation
projects, visit DCNR’s ​Community Conservation Grant Program​ webpage. A new grant round is
opening January 22 and will close April 10.
Related Stories:
4th Biennial Forest Landowners Conference, Working Woods For Today & Tomorrow March
22-23 In State College
DCNR, Penn State Extension Forest Health, Insect & Disease Briefing March 19 In State
College
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
[Posted: Jan. 3, 2019]

Stroud/Farm Credit: Healthy Soil, Healthy Water Film About Local Farmers Improving
Their Bottom Lines Jan. 17

The ​Stroud Water Research Center​ and ​Farm Credit


in Chester County will host a January 17 ​showing of
Lay Of The Land: Healthy Soil, Healthy Water
documentary about local Pennsylvania farmers
sharing their experiences of how best management
practices improve their bottom line and improve water
quality.
The film is produced by ​Natural Light Films​ in
partnership with the Stroud Center, ​Lancaster County
Conservancy​, and the ​Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance​.
Click Here​ to watch a trailer for the film.
The program will be held at the Stroud Water Research Center, 970 Spencer Road,
Avondale, Chester County starting at 6:00 p.m. RSVPs appreciated.
Click Here​ to RSVP and for all the details.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the ​Stroud Water
Research Center​ website, ​Click Here​ to subscribe to UpStream. ​Click Here​ to subscribe to
Stroud’s Educator newsletter. ​Click Here​ to become a Friend Of Stroud Research, ​Like them on
Facebook​, ​Follow on Twitter​, include them in your ​Circle on Google+​ and visit their ​YouTube
Channel​.
Related Stories:
DEP Invites Comments On New Erosion & Sedimentation Control Manual For Farm Operations
Monroe, Pike Conservation Districts Hold Water Quality Permitting, Green Infrastructure,
Invasive Species Workshop Feb. 5 & 6 In Monroe
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
Pittsburgh’s Hilltop Urban Farm Accepting Applications For Farmers To Farm Rehabilitated
Land

25
Half-Ton PA Farm Show Butter Sculpture Unveiled, Will Again Be Turned Into Renewable
Energy
[Posted: Dec. 31, 2018]

Pittsburgh’s Hilltop Urban Farm Accepting Applications For Farmers To Farm


Rehabilitated Land

The ​Hilltop Urban Farm​, a 23-acre urban farm nonprofit in the


City of Pittsburgh, is accepting applications from experienced
urban farmers to farm 5.75 rehabilitated urban acres under its
2019 Pilot Farmer Incubation Program.
The deadline for applications is February 1.
Since 2017, Hilltop Urban Farm has rehabilitated 5.75 urban
acres for farming purposes, completing a soil rebuilding
process that included cover crop rotations and compost
amendments.
The 2019 Pilot Program is a workforce development program
for small-scale organic urban farm enterprises that seeks to
grow farmers and grow food.
In Allegheny County, the average age of a farmer is nearly 60
years old, and local farmers are transitioning out of farming.
The Program is designed to train a new generation of farmers, focused on the urban core of the
City of Pittsburgh.
Participants of the 2019 Pilot Program will be provided access to land and farming
amenities and will learn farm business management skills and food growing techniques. Once
under full production, FIP farmers at Hilltop Urban Farm will quadruple the amount of produce
grown within the City of Pittsburgh.
Site Tour/Workshop
Two local events will be hosted by Hilltop Urban Farm to support applicants--
-- January 13:​ Site Tour and Information Session at Hilltop Urban Farm from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
at 700 Cresswell Street in Pittsburgh; and
-- January 16: ​Application Working Session from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at 831 E Warrington
Avenue, Floor 2 in Pittsburgh.
Click Here​ to download an application.
Related Stories:
DEP Invites Comments On New Erosion & Sedimentation Control Manual For Farm Operations
Monroe, Pike Conservation Districts Hold Water Quality Permitting, Green Infrastructure,
Invasive Species Workshop Feb. 5 & 6 In Monroe
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
Stroud/Farm Credit: Healthy Soil, Healthy Water Film About Local Farmers Improving Their
Bottom Lines Jan. 17
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set

26
Half-Ton PA Farm Show Butter Sculpture Unveiled, Will Again Be Turned Into Renewable
Energy
[Posted: Jan. 3, 2018]

Pittsburgh Water Authority Replaced 2,048 Lead Water Service Lines In 2018, Surpassing
DEP Goal

On January 3, the ​Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority


announced its ​Community Lead Response Program
replaced 2,048 water service lines made of lead in 2018,
surpassing DEP’s replacement goal by 565 lines
The 2018 replacement program cost $40 million, but the
program costs came in $4 million below estimates.
Since July 2016, the Authority has replaced 2,761 lead
service lines.
“The success of PWSA’s 2018 lead line replacement
program puts it on track to meet its goal of replacing all
lead service lines by 2026 to ensure a safe and healthy
future for Pittsburgh’s children and families,” Pittsburgh
Mayor William Peduto said.
PWSA’s 2018 replacement program used five separate
local construction contractors, in-house staff, and professional engineering consultants to plan,
coordinate and replace the lead service lines.
Over a dozen crews worked evenings and weekends to replace lead lines in
neighborhoods across PWSA’s drinking water service area.
Contractors and in-house crews have perfected innovative trenchless replacement
methods to remove lead from our water system more quickly and with less disruption to
property.
Other noteworthy components of PWSA’s ​2018 Community Lead Response​ included:
-- Distributing over 10,300 free lead water test kits
-- Providing more than 2,600 certified lead water filters and pitchers
-- Launching a dedicated ​lead.pgh2o.com​ webpage with video content
-- Inspecting 15,000 curb boxes to identify the location of lead service lines
-- Attending 15 community meetings to explain the replacement program
-- Securing agreement from over 2,200 property owners to replace their private lead lines
-- Uploading 83,000 data points onto interactive searchable online lead map
-- Holding over 2,400 in person pre-construction meetings with homeowners
-- Responding to over 6,600 emails directed to: ​LeadHelp@pgh2o.com
-- Utilizing trenchless replacement technique at over 96 percent of replacement sites
-- Permanently removing over an estimated 7.5 miles of lead water lines
“We’re proud of the progress made in 2018, but we are not resting on our laurels,” said
PWSA Executive Director Robert Weimar. “We’re already hard at work planning for the 2019
replacement program that will replace an additional 3,400 lines using $49 million in state
funding assistance. Our goal is to replace all lead service lines in Pittsburgh’s water system as
quickly, and as efficiently as possible.”

27
PWSA Board of Directors Chairman Paul Leger said, “We look forward to continued
success with our replacement program and the imminent orthophosphate water treatment
upgrades that will reduce corrosion within any remaining lead service lines. The Board of
Directors is committed to providing the oversight and the resources to ensure PWSA is doing
everything possible to reduce the risk of lead in our water.”
Reducing Lead Risk
PWSA recommends several steps anybody can take to reduce the risk of lead in tap
water:
-- Test your tap water for free. Kits can be requested at ​pgh2o.com/leadform​ or by calling our
Lead Help Desk at 412-255-8987.
-- Search the records we have for your home at: ​pgh2o.com/leadmap​. Many of the records are
from the time of original construction, but it’s useful to see if you may have a lead service line.
A licensed plumber can also inspect the private line entering your home.
-- If you think you have a lead service line, run your tap for at least one minute before using
water for cooking or drinking. You can also use water filters certified to remove lead. Coupons
for filters ​can be found here​.
To learn more about PWSA’s Community Lead Response programs visit
lead.pgh2o.com, email: ​LeadHelp@pgh2o.com​ or call our Lead Help Desk at 412-255-8987.
PWSA also urges you to take advantage of the Allegheny County Health Department’s
programs to ​reduce lead exposure​ from sources other than water.
For more information, visit Pittsburgh Water Authority’s ​Community Lead Response
webpage.
Visit DEP’s ​Pittsburgh Water Authority​ webpage for more information on DEP’s actions
on the lead service line issue in Pittsburgh.
For more information on health threats from lead in drinking water, visit DEP’s ​Lead In
Drinking Water​ webpage.
More Resources
The ​Joint State Government Commission​ and a special ​Senate Lead Exposure Task
Force​ will be making recommendations on reducing exposure to another hazardous substance--
lead-- as early as April in 2019 as a result of ​Senate Resolution 33​, sponsored by Sen. John
Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy
Committee.
For information on health threats from lead from other sources, visit the Department of
Health’s ​Lead Poisoning​ webpage.
NewsClips:
Pittsburgh Water Authority Exceeded DEP’s Lead-Line Replacement Goals In 2018
Bagenstose: Sen. Collett To Introduce PFAS Standard Bill
New State Senators Focus On Health Care, Environment Going Into Office
Op-Ed: How The Philadelphia Region Should Navigate Its PFAS Contamination Problem
Philly Council Members Promote Private Water, Sewer Line Warranty
Communities Confront Threat Of Unregulated Chemicals In Their Drinking Water
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Applications Due For DEP Municipal, Hazardous Waste Host Municipality Inspector
Grants March 31

28
The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for reimbursements
under the Municipal Waste and Hazardous Waste Facility ​Host Municipality Inspector Programs
for the 2018 calendar year. The deadline for applications is March 31. ​(​Jan. 5 PA Bulletin, page
73​)
Reimbursements are allocated from the Recycling Fund authorized under Act 101 for
municipal waste facilities, or from the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund under Act 108 for
hazardous waste facilities.
Reimbursements are available to any municipality that has a municipal waste landfill,
resource recovery facility, or commercial hazardous waste storage, treatment and disposal
facility located within its geographic borders.
Upon application from any host municipality, the Department shall award
reimbursements for authorized costs incurred for the salary and expenses of up to two certified
Host Municipality Inspectors.
The reimbursement shall not exceed 50 percent of the approved costs of salaries and
expenses. Reimbursement is available only for Host Municipality Inspectors trained and certified
by the Department.
Applications must be submitted through DCED’s ​Electronic Single Application For
Assistance​ webpage.
For more information on this program, visit DEP’s ​Host Municipality Inspector Programs
webpage. Questions should be directed to Timothy Gilbert, Bureau of Waste Management, by
sending email to: ​timgilbert@pa.gov​ or call 717-787-2553.
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

PA Resources Council: Looking Back At 2018 Accomplishments

As 2018 comes to a close, the ​PA


Resources Council​ would like to
thank all of its supporters, patrons
and partners for contributing to
their work of protecting
Pennsylvania's natural resources.
From collection events to
classrooms PRC continued to
connect people to their
environment with practical tools
and knowledge.The lasting impacts of PRC's diverse programs is made possible through the
generosity of donors and volunteers.
Here are just a few of the accomplishments during 2018--
-- ​Hard To Recycle Collection Events​:​ 348,842 pounds of electronics, 1,394 tires – enough to
outfit 77 eighteen-wheeler trucks, 2,100 CFL bulbs and 2,363 Fluorescent tubes, 5,544 Cubic
feet of expanded polystyrene, 355 Freon contain appliances and 525 small appliances;
-- ​Household Chemical Collection Events​:​ 355,574 pounds of material collected from 4,010
families;
-- Watershed/Stormwater Management:​ Completed 107 property audits under ​PRC’s Stream

29
Smart House Call Program​; built ​new demonstration rain gardens​ at Academy Park High
School, Darby Township School, and Morton Borough Hall, and assisted the ​Hav-a-Raingarden
program​ in Haverford Township, Delaware County with 10 residential rain garden installations.
Students assisted with the digging and planting of the school rain gardens, learning about
watershed stewardship and potential career paths in Green Stormwater Infrastructure.
PRC continues its partnership in the William Penn Foundation’s Delaware River
Watershed Initiative. Phase II of the program was launched in 2018, with PRC’s work focused
on the ​Naylors Run portion of the Cobbs Creek Watershed west of Philadelphia​. PRC is a
key partner in Green Stormwater Infrastructure initiatives and intensive water quality monitoring
in this area.
-- Conservation Workshops:​ Over the course of ​19 Backyard Composting Workshops​ 404
participants learned about backyard composting and 285 bins were distributed. During these
workshops participants learned how to expand their recycling efforts to include kitchen scraps
and yard debris, while generating natural, home-made compost for their lawn and gardens.
Through eleven ​Rain Barrel Workshops​ across the state 325 participants learned how to
collect and use rainwater. Additionally, 270 barrels were distributed. These workshops teach
residents how to reduce their contribution to combined sewer overflow, flooding, and polluted
urban runoff by learning how to practice watershed protection and conservation in their own
backyards!
-- Zero Waste PA:​ This year alone, ​PRC’s Zero Waste Pennsylvania​ program has diverted over
38 tons of recycling and organic material from landfills through its zero waste event program.
The service was provided for over 50 event days throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania with an
average diversion rate of 79 percent​.
-- In School Education: ​PRC’s ​school education programs​ bring environment and ecology to
life both in the classroom and on field trips. In 2018 we enhanced the educational experience of
3389 students during 260 programming days across PRC’s Eastern, Central, and Western PA
service areas.
-- Litter Prevention:​ The ​Litter? Not in Philly!​ online block adoption program recruited over
1,300 volunteers to help clean up litter in their neighborhood each week. The program is
currently being expanded to new neighborhoods, including Southwest Philadelphia.
The 34th Annual ​Gene Capaldi Lens on Litter Photo Contest​ attracted many great entries
depicting the problems of litter and illegal dumping in Pennsylvania. The contest was renamed
for longtime a dedicated PRC volunteer who ran the contest for many years and who passed
away in 2017.
-- Annual Events:​ PRC and many partners also host a series of annual events--
-- ​Reuse Fest​ promoting the reuse of household and many other items
-- ​Wild & Scenic Film Festival
-- ​PRC Annual Awards Celebration​ honored Wawa, Philadelphia Media Network LLC, Falk
School of Sustainability at Chatham University, and Eldredge, Inc.
Click Here ​for a complete list of 2018 accomplishments.
For more information on programs, initiatives, special events and how you can get
involved, 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 PRC’s Events Calendar.
Click Here​ to support their work.
NewsClips:

30
Editorial: Pittsburgh Has A Game Plan For Electronic Waste
Editorial: Seek Local Recycling Solutions
Editorial: Recycle Or Reuse All That Cardboard
[Posted: Dec. 31, 2018]

PA Environmental Council: In Case You Missed It In December

The In Case You Missed It In December


newsletter is now available from the ​PA
Environmental Council​ featuring stories
on--
-- ​PA Statewide Watershed Conference
Coming Feb. 24-25
-- Podcast: ​2019: A Year of Action On
Climate
-- ​Tali MacArthur Provides New
Leadership For PA Organization for
Watersheds & Rivers
-- ​Not Too Late To Save Land & Water Conservation Fund
-- Podcast: ​Over The River & Through The Woods - Reforestation
-- Podcast: ​Practice Makes Perfect - PEC Legal Intern Ethan Story
-- ​Click Here​ to sign up for your own copy
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 PEC’s ​Audio Room​ for the latest podcasts. ​Click Here​ to receive regular
updates from PEC.
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

DEP/Health Encourage Pennsylvanians To Test Homes For Radon

On January 2, the departments of Environmental


Protection and Health encouraged
Pennsylvanians to start off the new year by
conducting a ​simple test of their homes for
radon​, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that
is the second leading cause of lung cancer.
Winter is a good time to test in the
Commonwealth because doors and windows are
closed, providing more accurate results.
“Because of our geology, nearly every county in
the commonwealth has locations of high radon levels, putting Pennsylvanians at risk of
exposure,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “A radon test is a great way to protect
yourself and your family. Fortunately, testing your home for radon is as simple as opening a can,
and inexpensive do-it-yourself tests are available at hardware and home stores.”
“Radon is a leading cause of lung cancer in Pennsylvania,” Health Secretary Dr. Rachel

31
Levine said. “Since we know that radon is prevalent in homes across Pennsylvania, it is
important to test your home. It is a simple step you can take to protect your family’s health.”
Radon is an odorless, colorless, radioactive gas that occurs from the breakdown of
uranium in the ground. It enters homes through cracks in the foundation or other openings. As a
result, high levels of radon tend to be found in basements, but the gas can be found anywhere in
the home.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set 4 picocuries of radon per liter
(pCi/L) of air as an Action Level. If your radon level is higher than this, EPA, DEP, and the U.S.
Surgeon General recommend having a radon mitigation system professionally installed to lower
it.
Typically consisting of a pipe and exhaust fan, the system will vent radon to the outside.
All radon testers, mitigators, and laboratories in Pennsylvania must be certified by DEP,
which provides a ​public list of certified radon service providers​.
People can also obtain a hard copy or verify a company’s certification by calling DEP at
800-23RADON (800-237-2366).
DEP will send free follow-up test kits​ to Pennsylvanians who’ve tested their homes and
have results higher than 100 pCi/L or who’ve installed an active mitigation system in the past
year.
Compared with the associated risk of lung cancer, a radon reduction system is very
affordable, generally in the price range of other common home improvements.
Having a system installed will also make the future sale of your home easier. If you’re
building a new home, DEP recommends installing a passive radon system during construction.
There is no reliable way to test the ground in advance for radon, and the cost of installing
the radon system during construction is typically much less than installing one after the fact.
For people buying or selling a home, Pennsylvania’s Real Estate Seller Disclosure Act
requires sellers to disclose the results of any known radon testing. The DEP website ​lists radon
testing options for real estate transactions​.
DEP provides ​several downloadable radon publications​ and is posting radon tips on
Facebook​ and ​Twitter​ and airing a ​public service announcement​ throughout January, National
Radon Action Month.
For more information, visit DEP’s ​Radon In The Home​ webpage or contact the DEP
Radon Division via phone at 800-237-2366 or 717-783-3594, or via email at
ra-epbrpenvprt@pa.gov​.
[Posted: Jan. 2, 2019]

PA One Call Damage Prevention Committee Takes Enforcement Action Against 42

On January 3, the Public Utility Commission


announced the ​PA One Call Damage
Prevention Committee​ this month filed
disciplinary action against 42 facility owners,
excavators and project owners during its
second meeting in Harrisburg.
Click Here​ for a list of the actions taken.
PA One Call​ is designed to prevent damage

32
to underground utilities and pipelines by excavation and construction activities.
The creation of the committee was authorized by ​Act 50 of 2017​, which enhances
Pennsylvania’s Underground Utility Line Protection Act – also known as the “One Call Law.”
Modeled after successful programs in other states, the focus of the committee is a
reduction in the number of “hits” on underground utilities.
The DPC meets regularly to review alleged violations of the Act and makes
determinations as to the appropriate response including, but not limited to, the issuance of
warning letters or administrative penalties.
The next meeting of the Committee is on February 12 in Hearing Room 1 of the
Keystone Building in Harrisburg starting at 9:00.
Nominees
The PUC is currently accepting nominations for individuals to serve on the DPC. ​More
information​ and the ​nomination form​ are available on the PUC’s website. The PUC will accept
nominations until January 18 for DPC representatives from each of the following industries:
-- Non-municipally owned or affiliated facility owner industries – including telephone and cable
television – nominated by facility owners or affiliated organizations (two positions); and
-- Excavators – nominated by excavators or affiliated organizations (one position).
For more information, visit the PUC’s ​PA One Call Damage Prevention Committee
webpage. Questions should be directed to Paul Metro by calling 717-787-6382 or send email to:
pmetro@pa.gov​.
(​Photo: ​What happens when a backhoe strikes a natural gas gathering line.)
[Posted: Jan. 3, 2019]

FERC Issues Environmental Assessment For Adelphia Natural Gas Pipeline Project
Finding No Significant Impact

On January 4, ​Adelphia Gateway, LLC​ announced the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
staff issued its ​Environmental Assessment​ for the ​Adelphia Gateway Pipeline Project
recommending the FERC Certificate Order for the Project contain a finding of no significant
environmental impact.
The Adelphia Pipeline route travels through Delaware, Chester, Bucks, Montgomery and
Northampton counties.
"Adelphia Gateway is an important project that will deliver clean, low cost natural gas to
constrained markets in the Greater Philadelphia region," said Steve Westhoven, president and
chief operating officer of New Jersey Resources, the parent company of Adelphia Gateway. "We
are pleased FERC Staff issued the Environmental Assessment and confirmed the project will
have no significant environmental impact as it converts an existing pipeline to natural gas. We
look forward to continuing to work with regulators and local communities to place Adelphia
Gateway into service."
The EA process is designed to independently analyze Adelphia Gateway's proposed
conversion of an existing oil pipeline to natural gas and assess potential environmental impacts
of the construction and operation of the Project.
Following receipt of a FERC Certificate Order and all other necessary regulatory
approvals, Adelphia Gateway expects the Project to be placed into service in 2019.
The Adelphia Gateway Project will convert 50 miles of an existing 84-mile pipeline--

33
spanning portions of Delaware, Chester, Bucks, Montgomery and Northampton counties-- from
oil to natural gas.
The northern 34 miles of the pipeline, which extends from western Bucks County to the
Martins Creek terminal in Northampton County, has delivered natural gas since 1996.
The Project also involves construction of compressor station facilities in West Rockhill
Township and Lower Chichester Township and approximately 4.7 miles of new laterals in
Delaware County, Pennsylvania and New Castle County, Delaware.
DEP held public hearings​ on the compressor station projects December 4.
When commissioned, the Adelphia Gateway Project will deliver natural gas to serve
customers in the Greater Philadelphia region.
Click Here​ for a copy of the Environmental Assessment. ​Click Here​ for the FERC notice
of availability.
For more information related to DEP actions on this project, visit DEP’s ​Adelphia
Gateway​ webpage.
NewsClips:
Lawmakers Introduce Comprehensive Pipeline Bill Package
Hurdle: Chester County DA Names Fmr Federal Prosecutor To Beef Up Mariner East 2 Pipeline
Criminal Probe
PA’s Most Penalized, Controversial Natural Gas Pipeline Now In Service- Mariner East 2
AP: Energy Transfer Announces Mariner East 2 Pipeline Is In Service
Controversial Mariner East 2 Pipeline Now In Service
Mariner East 2 Pipeline Is Up And Running Sunoco Says
Mariner East 2 Pipeline Now Online, Goes Through Cumberland County
Mariner East 2 Pipeline Up And Running, But Foes Not Happy
Hurdle: Mariner East Pipeline Startup Renews Safety Fears For Some Delaware County
Residents
Editorial: Is It Mariner East 2 Pipeline Or Frankenpipeline
Hurdle: NJ Attorney General: Court Erred In PennEast Pipeline Ruling
Related Story:
Senators Killion, Dinniman Introduce Comprehensive Bipartisan Pipeline Bill Package
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Cumberland Valley TU Accepting Applications For Rivers Conservation & Fly-Fishing


Youth Camp June 16-21

The ​Cumberland Valley Chapter of Trout


Unlimited​ is now accepting applications
for the ​25th Anniversary Rivers
Conservation and Fly-Fishing Youth
Camp​ to be held June 16-21 for boys and
girls between 14 and 17.
The deadline for applications is
March 21, but competition for the 32
positions available is spirited.
While at camp, students will engage in a

34
variety of activities including fly fishing, instruction both in the classroom and outdoors, fly
tying, and building a habitat structure.
They will develop an understanding of what conservation is about while enjoying nature
and fly fishing.
The Camp’s goal is to instill within the next generation a love for the outdoors while
giving them the skills to protect our natural resources.
Click Here​ to watch a video about the Camp. The Camp will be held at ​Messiah College
in Grantham, Cumberland County.
Many students are sponsored to attend the Rivers Camp by their local Trout Unlimited
Chapter. ​Check with your Chapter​ to see if they offer financial aid.
If you would like to have fun, work hard, and engage in a unique experience, get your
application in early.
To apply or for more information, visit the ​Rivers Conservation and Fly-Fishing Youth
Camp​ website.
[Posted: Jan. 3, 2019]

PA Historical & Museum Commission Accepting Applications For Keystone Fund


Historic, Archaeological Protection Grants

On January 3, the ​PA Historical and Museum


Commission​ announced it is now accepting
applications from nonprofit organizations and
local governments for the Keystone Historic
Preservation Grant Program. The deadline for
applications is March 1.
Grants support projects that identify,
preserve, promote and protect historic and
archaeological resources in Pennsylvania for
both the benefit of the public and community
revitalization.
The grants receive funding from the
Keystone Recreation, Park, and Conservation
Fund​.
A total of $2.5 million has been set aside for this program, an increase of $1 million over
the previous year due to continued popularity of the program.
Two categories of grants-- project and construction-- are available for historic resources
in Pennsylvania listed, or eligible for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places.
Applicants may apply for only one type of grant.
Project grants​ are available for planning and development initiatives that enhance historic
preservation in communities. Project grant applications may include municipal planning
initiatives focusing on historic resources or may be used to meet building - or project - specific
planning goals.
Keystone Historic Preservation Project Grants are available between $5,000 and $25,000
and require a 50/50 cash match.
Construction grants​ are available for rehabilitation, preservation and restoration activities

35
for historic resources that are publicly accessible and under nonprofit or local government
ownership.
Keystone Historic Preservation Construction Grants are available between $5,000 and
$100,000 and require a 50/50 cash match.
Webinars
PHMC will host two webinars about the Keystone Grant program guidelines and
application process-- January 14: 11:00 a.m. and January 23: 2:00 p.m. ​Click Here​ to register
for either webinar.
Grants will be awarded through a competitive selection process and are contingent on the
availability of funds. Please note that all PHMC grant applications are now submitted on the
Commonwealth’s ​Single Application for Assistance System​.
For grant program guidelines and program fact sheet, visit PHMC’s ​Grants & Tax Credits
webpage.
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Dept. Of Health, University Of Pittsburgh School Of Public Health Award 11 Grants To


Improve Walking, Biking Opportunities

On January 3, the Department of Health and the


University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of
Public Health​ selected 11 communities to receive
grants to assist with the development of active
transportation plans and policies promoting
walking and biking.
The grants were awarded under the ​WalkWorks
Program​. The communities and organizations
receiving the grant awards are--
-- Allegheny County:​ Wilkins Township;
-- Bucks County:​ Bristol Borough, Morrisville
Borough, New Britain Borough and Plumstead
Township;
-- Cumberland County:​ Lower Allen Township;
-- Lehigh County:​ Lehigh Valley Planning Commission;
-- Montgomery County:​ Hatfield Township, Montgomery County Planning Commission and
Upper Dublin Municipal Authority; and
-- York County:​ Springettsbury Township.
“Having access to areas for recreation, such as walking and biking is essential in helping
to keep Pennsylvanians healthy,” Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Physical activity can
lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and premature death.
Being active also helps prevent weight gain, reduce depression and improve cognitive function in
older adults. These communities should be applauded for their efforts to review how they can
make physical exercise part of transportation planning in their community.”
The plans will emphasize walking and biking enhancements to each community’s
infrastructure, thereby expanding opportunities for physical activity.
The grants will help assist in community planning and design to incorporate more

36
opportunities for walking, cycling and public transit for a healthier population. This shift in
planning requires a concerted effort to link transportation policy and public health, which these
grants support.
“Planning healthy, compact, complete communities is needed to support active
transportation,” said Carol L. Reichbaum, M.S.L., M.S.P.A., director of WalkWorks in Pitt
Public Health’s Center for Public Health Practice. “Doing so will not only lead to improved
health, it will also address other major concerns, including congestion, economic vitality and
sustainability. While community design has long been the domain of land use and transportation
planners, it has become increasingly obvious that our communities will benefit from greater
collaboration of public health practitioners, municipal planning entities and other partners to
create built environments that better support health.”
The grant recipients were selected from a competitive pool of high-quality applicants by
a multidisciplinary review team that included Reichbaum and representatives of DOH,
PennDOT, the departments of Conservation and Natural Resources, Aging, Community &
Economic Development, and the ​Center for Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure​ in Pitt’s
Swanson School of Engineering.
Funding for WalkWorks is provided by the Department of Health through the Preventive
Health and Health Services Block Grant and the State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program,
both from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For more information, visit the Department of Health’s ​WalkWorks Program​ webpage.
CFA Accepting Applications
The ​Commonwealth Financing Authority ​will accept applications from February 1 to
May 31 for Act 13 Greenways and Trails Grants. ​ ​Click Here​ for more.
New DCNR Grant Round
Learn more about grant opportunities to support riparian buffer, trail and recreation
projects, visit DCNR’s ​Community Conservation Grant Program​ webpage. A new grant round is
opening January 22 and will close April 10. ​Click Here​ for more.
Related Stories:
Call For Proposals: PA Greenways & Trails Summit Sept. 22-24 At Shippensburg University
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Call For Proposals: PA Greenways & Trails Summit Sept. 22-24 At Shippensburg
University

The organizers of the ​2019 PA Greenways and


Trails Summit​ to be held September 22-24 at
the ​Conference Center at Shippensburg
University​ have issued a call for presentation
proposals.
Mobile Workshop proposals​ are due January
18 and ​Workshop and Session proposals​ are

37
due February 1.
This three-day statewide summit provides exceptional training and networking
opportunities for those engaged in all aspects of trail and greenways work, including planning
and economic professionals; trail and conservation staff, board and volunteers; park
professionals; local, county, and state government officials; consultants and builders; and trail
enthusiasts.
The Summit is presented by the ​PA Land Trust Association​ with the support of the
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The ​South Mountain Partnership​, ​Shippensburg University​ and ​Visit Cumberland Valley,
PA​ are the local hosts.
More information is available at the ​2019 PA Greenways and Trails Summit​ webpage.
Other Greenways & Trails News
Click Here​ for the latest Pennsylvania greenways and trails news.
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​, and ​Follow them on Twitter​. ​Click Here​ to support their work.
The ​2019 PA Land Conservation Conference​ will be held May 16-18 at Skytop Lodge in
Monroe County.
CFA Accepting Applications
The ​Commonwealth Financing Authority ​will accept applications from February 1 to
May 31 for Act 13 Greenways and Trails Grants. ​ ​Click Here​ for more.
New DCNR Grant Round
Learn more about grant opportunities to support riparian buffer, trail and recreation
projects, visit DCNR’s ​Community Conservation Grant Program​ webpage. A new grant round is
opening January 22 and will close April 10. ​Click Here​ for more.
Related Stories:
Dept. Of Health, University Of Pittsburgh School Of Public Health Award 11 Grants To Improve
Walking, Biking Opportunities
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Game Commission Accepting Seedling Orders To Improve Game Habitat Jan. 7, Seedlings
For Schools Feb. 4

On January 7, the Game Commission's ​Howard Nursery​ will start


accepting online orders for tree and shrub seedlings from
landowners to help improve game habitat.
The ​Seedlings for Schools Program​ opens for orders on
February 4, in partnership with the ​Wildlife for Everyone
Foundation​.
The Howard Nursery grows tree and shrub seedlings for
state game lands, participating Hunter Access cooperators, the

38
Seedlings for Schools Program and the Game Commission’s conservation partners.
Any remaining surplus is available to Pennsylvania residents for purchase for wildlife
food and cover, watershed protection, soil-erosion control, and for reclamation of disturbed
areas, such as surface mine sites and utility rights-of-way.
The selection of seedlings changes from year to year due to available seed, seedling
germination, or growing conditions.
“Last year, game lands and partner demands for seedlings was greater than our supply,”
explained Brian D. Stone, manager at Howard Nursery. “This year, after fulfilling our
commitments to our game lands projects and our partners, we will have a limited supply of
surplus available for public sale.”
Seedlings are sold in units of 25. ​The 2019 order form​ contains a selection of shrubs and
nut-bearing trees, most of which are native to Pennsylvania and collected from Pennsylvania
sources and also offers seedling descriptions, site preferences and benefits.
Those species available are: buttonbush, graystem dogwood, Northern bayberry,
ninebark, chokecherry, common elderberry, arrowwood viburnum, Washington hawthorn, black
walnut, black locust, and black-gum.
Many of the seedlings offered for sale can be purchased at a discounted price.
Orders of 12 or more total units qualify for applicable discounted pricing. With the
discount, prices are as low as $5.50 per unit. Regular price ranges from $7.50 to $9.50,
depending upon the seedling species.
Species that qualify for the discount are clearly marked on the order form.
Stone said those who are interested might want to call Howard Nursery at 814-355-4434.
Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Orders can be placed
by telephone, as well.
Click Here​ for the order form. The order form can be completed and submitted online, or
printed out and faxed or mailed. Payment is not due until the order is confirmed by Howard
Nursery.
For those without Internet access, order forms can be obtained at Game Commission
offices or various displays or booths at shows in which the agency participates through the spring
or by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Howard Nursery, 197 Nursery Road,
Howard, PA 16841.
The preferred method of delivery is by United Parcel Service (UPS). Shipping and
handling charges do apply.
Orders are shipped only Monday through Wednesday to assure delivery for weekend
planting. However, orders also may be picked up in person at the nursery once buyers are
notified the order is ready.
Generally, seedlings ship in the month of April.
For more information, visit the Game Commission’s ​Howard Nursery​ and ​Seedlings for
Schools Program​ webpages.
Resources
For more information on buffers, financial and technical assistance available, visit
DCNR’s ​Forest Buffers​ webpage.
CFA Accepting Applications
The ​Commonwealth Financing Authority ​will accept applications from February 1 to
May 31 for Act 13 Watershed Restoration Grants. ​ ​Click Here​ for more.

39
New DCNR Grant Round
Learn more about grant opportunities to support riparian buffer, trail and recreation
projects, visit DCNR’s ​Community Conservation Grant Program​ webpage. A new grant round is
opening January 22 and will close April 10. ​Click Here​ for more.
Forest Buffer Summit
Registration is now open for the DCNR and Western PA Conservancy ​Pennsylvania
Riparian Forest Buffer Summit​ on February 20-21 at the Best Western Premier Conference
Center, 800 East Park Drive in Harrisburg. ​Click Here​ for more.
(​Photo: ​Howard Nursery tree bundle.)
Related Stories:
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Legislation
DCNR, Penn State Extension Forest Health, Insect & Disease Briefing March 19 In State
College
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
4th Biennial Forest Landowners Conference, Working Woods For Today & Tomorrow March
22-23 In State College
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
[Posted: Jan. 3, 2019]

DCNR, Penn State Extension Forest Health, Insect & Disease Briefing March 19 In State
College

Penn State Extension​, in partnership with


DCNR's Bureau of Forestry, ​Division of
Forest Health​ will hold the ​38th Annual
Forest Health, Inspect and Disease Briefing
on March 19 at the Penn Stater Hotel and
Conference Center in State College from 8:30
a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The briefing will review the status of
Pennsylvania’s forest insect and disease
problems and provide important forest health
updates and information.
The briefing is approved for
Pennsylvania pesticide recertification credits, both category and core.
It has also been approved for Society of American Foresters Continuing Forestry
Education credits as well as International Society of Arboriculture Continuing Education Units
and Sustainable Forestry Initiative Training Units.
Click Here​ to register or for more information.
Related Stories:

40
Game Commission Accepting Seedling Orders To Improve Game Habitat Jan. 7, Seedlings For
Schools Feb. 4
4th Biennial Forest Landowners Conference, Working Woods For Today & Tomorrow March
22-23 In State College
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
NewsClips:
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
Agriculture Officials Warn Of Spotted Lanternfly’s Peril To Fruit Crops
Crable: Lancaster Resident PA’s First Female State Forester
Crable: Lancaster Woman To Head Project To Plant 10 Million Trees In PA
Crable: Aerial Photos Show Extent Of Logging On Girl Scouts Camp In Lancaster
4th Biennial Forest Landowners Conference March 22-23 In State College
Rep. Rapp To Make Full Lyme Disease Treatment Coverage A Priority As Republican House
Health Committee Chair
How To Recycle Your Live Christmas Tree In Philadelphia
Options For Disposing Of Old Christmas Trees In Lackawanna County
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
Cusick: PA Researcher Helps Document Deforestation, Mass Extinction In Haiti
[Posted: Jan. 2, 2019]

4th Biennial Forest Landowners Conference, Working Woods For Today & Tomorrow
March 22-23 In State College

The ​Penn State Center For Private Forests


and other partners will host the ​4th Biennial
Forest Landowners Conference​ March
22-23 with the theme of Working Woods
For Today And Tomorrow at the Penn
Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State
College.
The Conference is the region’s foremost
gathering of woodland owners, forest
practitioners, forest businesses, and others
interested in woodlands and the wildlife that
use them.
Nearly 740,000 owners care for Pennsylvania’s 11.5 million acres of privately-owned
woods. The goal is to equip a growing number of woodland owners with educational and
networking opportunities to ensure continued benefits to and from these resources.
Whether you own 1 or 2,000 acres, come learn, meet others who share your interests, and

41
get the resources you need to improve the well-being of your woods.
Discover more about...
-- Enhancing woodland health and resilience
-- Opportunities for small acreages
-- Drones, GPS, and mapping
-- Improving wildlife habitat
-- Controlling invasive plants
-- Planning the future and legacy of your woods
-- Citizen science, fungi foraging and cultivation, prescribed fire, pollinators, and much more!
Attend the Conference for two days of presentations, exhibits, field tours, workshops, and
valuable connection and conversation opportunities!
Click Here​ to register or for more information on keynote speakers, related events,
optional events and presentations.
To learn more about private forest landowner educational opportunities and services, visit
the ​Penn State Center For Private Forests​ webpage.
Related Stories:
Game Commission Accepting Seedling Orders To Improve Game Habitat Jan. 7, Seedlings For
Schools Feb. 4
DCNR, Penn State Extension Forest Health, Insect & Disease Briefing March 19 In State
College
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
NewsClips:
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
Agriculture Officials Warn Of Spotted Lanternfly’s Peril To Fruit Crops
Crable: Lancaster Resident PA’s First Female State Forester
Crable: Lancaster Woman To Head Project To Plant 10 Million Trees In PA
Crable: Aerial Photos Show Extent Of Logging On Girl Scouts Camp In Lancaster
DCNR, Penn State Extension Forest Health, Insect & Disease Briefing March 19 In State
College
Rep. Rapp To Make Full Lyme Disease Treatment Coverage A Priority As Republican House
Health Committee Chair
How To Recycle Your Live Christmas Tree In Philadelphia
Options For Disposing Of Old Christmas Trees In Lackawanna County
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
Cusick: PA Researcher Helps Document Deforestation, Mass Extinction In Haiti
[Posted: Jan. 2, 2019]

Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate

42
Forest stewardship in the Upper Delaware River Region can help to mitigate the effects of a
changing climate and save landowners time and money, according to a report issued by the
Pinchot Institute for Conservation​.
“​Helping Your Woodland Adapt to a Changing Climate​” details projected impacts of
climate change on woodlands, and outlines how good forest management decisions can affect a
forest’s capacity to withstand disturbances and recover afterward.
Projected impacts include:
-- Increasing temperatures
-- Changes in rainfall and streamflow patterns
-- Longer growing seasons
-- Drier soil in summer and wetter soil in winter
-- More invasive species, pests and diseases
-- More frequent extreme weather event
Landowners are encouraged to consider what they value about their forestland, learn
more about their land, contact a forester, and develop a stewardship plan to help achieve their
goals.
Many of the management options available are common practices that enhance wildlife,
increase timber values, and create recreational opportunities.
Considering the Upper Delaware Region is approximately 75 percent forestlands, and
private landowners hold about 77 percent of the total acreage, the positive impact of good
stewardship can be widespread, while increasing an owner’s enjoyment of the property and
reducing the risk of future losses.
Stewardship Strategies
According to the report: “One of the most important strategies to help Upper Delaware
River Region communities and natural resources adapt to climate change impacts is to retain
existing forests. These forests filter water, recharge groundwater, slow stormwater runoff, keep
air and water temperatures cool in summer, and absorb air pollution (including carbon dioxide).
“They also provide important habitat for a variety of insects and wildlife, which need to
retain access to a diversity of interconnected forests and other open space to be able to adapt to
change themselves.”
In addition to information on key management options-- which revolve around the
choices to cut something, plant something, or do nothing-- the report includes a list of
organizations and resources to help landowners learn more about their woodlands.
Click Here​ for a copy of the report.
Visit the ​Pinchot Institute for Conservation​ website for information on its conservation
research and policy programs. The Institute was created to continue the work of Pennsylvania
Governor and first U.S. Forest Service Director Gifford Pinchot. ​Click Here​ to sign up for the
Institute’s regular updates.

(Reprinted from the ​Pike County Conservation District​ website.)


NewsClip:
In The Age Of Climate Change, Farmers Weigh their Options For The Future
Related Stories:
Game Commission Accepting Seedling Orders To Improve Game Habitat Jan. 7, Seedlings For
Schools Feb. 4

43
DCNR, Penn State Extension Forest Health, Insect & Disease Briefing March 19 In State
College
4th Biennial Forest Landowners Conference, Working Woods For Today & Tomorrow March
22-23 In State College
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
StateImpact PA Holds Public Climate Forum On A Zero Carbon Future In Pittsburgh Jan. 29
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
[Posted: Jan. 2, 2019]

The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action

A ​new report released by The Nature


Conservancy​ in November examines the
country’s potential to implement natural
solutions-- such as growing taller trees,
improving soil health, protecting
grasslands and restoring coastal
wetlands-- to increase carbon storage and
reduce greenhouse gas pollution.
Essentially, turbo-charging nature
to address global warming, while also
providing natural benefits for people,
water and wildlife.
The findings in the report
underscore the value of pathways like forest carbon sequestration, which are being advanced in
Pennsylvania through the ​Working Woodlands​ Program of the ​PA Chapter-The Nature
Conservancy​. It’s another area where a state like Pennsylvania can make a significant impact.
“​Natural climate solutions for the United States​,” a the study authored by The Nature
Conservancy and 21 institutional partners and published in the journal Science Advances,
investigates the potential of 21 different natural functions, from restoring forests and grasslands
to a range of agricultural practices.
This study also considers how carbon payments at various price levels could incentivize
action where low-cost opportunities exist.
It is the first comprehensive assessment of land-based climate solutions in the U.S.,
following on an earlier TNC-led study showing that, worldwide, natural solutions could mitigate
more than a third of the emissions needed to hit global targets by 2030.
The U.S. study shows that if all 21 pathways were implemented to their full potential,
they could prevent or sequester more than one-fifth of annual U.S. greenhouse gas pollution-- the
equivalent of removing the emissions from all U.S. cars and trucks from the road.
Or, to frame it another away, the equivalent of the entire annual emissions from Brazil.
The findings in the report are significant for the entire world.
While the U.S.’s future in the Paris Climate Agreement may be in question, its

44
contribution to global emissions is not. The world can’t keep temperatures within safe
boundaries if large industrialized nations like the U.S. don’t take steps to reduce pollution.
Of course the sheer size and diversity of the U.S. land mass also ensures the country has
significant potential for land-based solutions.
Globally, natural solutions can get us a third of the way to the Paris Agreement targets by
2030, with a tenth of that potential coming from the U.S. And the variety pathways available
ensures that almost any state can contribute on some level.
Forest-based pathways offer the most potential overall—especially reforestation in
Eastern seaboard and Appalachian states.
But agricultural practices also show promise—Iowa might rank 26th in land area among
states, but its strength on agricultural pathways gives it the second greatest potential overall.
Fire management and tidal wetland restoration can also make an impact; even densely
populated areas can contribute through urban reforestation.
Perhaps most important, though, is that many of these natural solutions can implemented
today, and at a relatively low cost compared with other strategies to address global warming.
And as carbon markets continue to grow, payments for carbon offsets could offer income for
land owners who adopt climate-friendly management strategies.
Even without carbon payments, though, the natural benefits generated by these pathways
offer powerful incentives.
Strategies like improved fire management offer an obvious good for people, of course,
but other pathways also generate significant benefits for communities and wildlife.
Agricultural pathways such as nutrient management and using more cover crops, for
example, reduce runoff into rivers, ensuring cleaner drinking water downstream and reducing the
size of hypoxic “dead zones” such as the one in the Gulf of Mexico.
Reforestation also improves water filtration and creates more habitat for wildlife.
“One of America’s greatest assets is its land,” says Joe Fargione, the lead author of the
paper and TNC’s lead scientist for North America. “We demonstrated we could reduce carbon
pollution and filter water, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, and have better soil health to grow
our food—all at the same time. “
Natural pathways are just one piece of puzzle, of course—we’ll also have to accelerate
the transition to clean energy and rapidly cut fossil fuel pollution, in the U.S. around the world.
But the U.S. and global studies demonstrate that nature can and must serve as a bridge
now to a clean energy future. The bottom line is that we cannot afford to ignore natural solutions
for global warming that are available to us now, right beneath our feet.
Click Here​ for a copy of the report.
PA-TNC Working Woodlands
Visit the PA-TNC ​Working Woods Program​ webpage to learn more about the program.
Questions should be directed to: ​workingwoodlands@tnc.org​.
NewsClip:
In The Age Of Climate Change, Farmers Weigh their Options For The Future
Related Stories:
Game Commission Accepting Seedling Orders To Improve Game Habitat Jan. 7, Seedlings For
Schools Feb. 4
DCNR, Penn State Extension Forest Health, Insect & Disease Briefing March 19 In State
College

45
4th Biennial Forest Landowners Conference, Working Woods For Today & Tomorrow March
22-23 In State College
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
StateImpact PA Holds Public Climate Forum On A Zero Carbon Future In Pittsburgh Jan. 29
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set

(Reprinted from ​The Nature Conservancy website.)​


[Posted: Jan. 2, 2019]

Western PA Conservancy Protects 490 Acres In Allegheny, Cameron, Fayette, Mercer,


Somerset Counties

The ​Western Pennsylvania Conservancy


recently protected a total of 490 acres in 4
different transactions in Allegheny,
Cameron, Fayette, Mercer and Somerset
counties.
Allegheny County
WPC recently added 52 acres to the
Toms Run Nature Reserve​ in Kilbuck
Township. Allegheny County bringing the
total acreage to 369.
The addition protects a large forested slope
above Toms Run, a tributary to the Ohio River, and keeps the forest intact along the road leading
from Rt. 65 to the reserve’s trailhead. The newly conserved area is part of the former Dixmont
State Hospital property, which closed in 1984.
Located in western Allegheny County near I-79 and Route 65, Toms Run Nature Reserve
has been protected by the Conservancy since 1977 and is open to the public for hiking, nature
watching, hunting and birding.
The reserve includes large stands of mature maple, oak and American beech trees and is
one of the largest remaining undeveloped forested areas in the county. Toms Run, which flows
along the preserve’s eastern border, is the largest of several streams on the reserve.
Over the past decade, the Conservancy has made improvements to enhance outdoor
recreation options and help restore the forest and streams on the reserve.
Those efforts, strengthened by Conservancy members and volunteers, included
demolishing dilapidated buildings, capping abandoned oil and gas wells, and limiting the use of
ATVs and dirt bikes.
Local residents and Pittsburgh-area school students have increasingly been using the
property for recreation and learning in recent years.
With donations from individuals and state grants now in hand, the Conservancy will soon
provide a new 2.5-mile trail loop, which will contain an ADA-accessible path, and an expanded
parking lot to accommodate school buses and additional parking.

46
These improvements, along with the installation of trail and educational signs, are
expected to conclude in late 2019.
“Toms Run is a special property for the Conservancy,” said Tom Saunders, president and
CEO of the Conservancy. “We are glad to protect this forested landscape and stream in such an
otherwise developed area. It’s in a good location for hiking and exploring, and is accessible to so
many people in the Pittsburgh region. We are looking forward to the new trails being planned
now to open next year.”
Before exploring Toms Run Nature Reserve, visitors are encouraged to first contact the
Conservancy for parking and access information due to upcoming trail-construction activities.
For additional information about the reserve or volunteer opportunities to help restore it,
contact the Conservancy at 412-586-2318 or send email to: ​azadnik@paconserve.org​.
Cameron County
Joseph Wolfgang has ensured that his 110-acre property in Cameron County will remain
permanently forested by donating a conservation easement to the Western PA Conservancy.
The Shippen Township property is contiguous to Elk State Forest to the northwest and
has steep forested slopes along Hart Run, a high-quality tributary to West Creek.
The southern portion includes additional riparian frontage along West Creek, a major
tributary to Driftwood Branch Sinnemahoning Creek.
The ​West Creek Recreational Trail​, a popular rail-to-trail that extends from the
communities of Emporium and St. Marys, traverses the property. Hart Run and West Creek are
classified by the Department of Environmental Protection as High Quality Cold Water Fisheries.
Wolfgang, a lifelong advocate of nature and conservation, says that he and his wife
Miranda feel that protecting this property in perpetuity is the right thing to do for themselves and
all residents of Northcentral Pennsylvania.
Through this easement, Wolfgang will continue owning his land while permanently
limiting land uses and development in order to protect the land’s conservation values.
“I’ve always been concerned about air and water quality issues, and finding ways to
improve the environment and reduce pollutants going into our waterways and groundwater,” he
said. “So, I see this as my way of improving the health of local residents and nature.”
Hosting mixed hardwoods of mostly oak and maple with some birch, beech and
hemlocks, the property provides scenic views of forestland from the ​Bucktail Scenic Byway, PA
Rt. 120​.
This easement will not only provide viewshed protection, but keeps the forest intact so it
will eventually become old-growth woodlands.
“This is a wonderful property that lies within a priority forest landscape area for the
Conservancy,” said Tom Saunders, president and CEO of the Conservancy. “The amazing
landscape in this area of the state, with its deep forests, wild streams, steep hills and big views, is
part of what makes our state so extraordinary. We appreciate the Wolfgang family for wanting to
protect their land through this generous donation of a conservation easement, which will allow
the land to stay in private ownership but will protect it from development in the future, and
accomplishes their intent for this beautiful property.”
The Conservancy welcomes inquiries from landowners interested in learning more about
donating conservation easements or other conservation options. For more information, please
contact WPC at 412-288-2777 or send email to: ​info@paconserve.org​.
Fayette, Somerset Counties

47
WPC recently protected ​281 acres in Somerset and Fayette counties​ near the summit of
Laurel Ridge and many popular Laurel Highlands outdoor recreational destinations.
The land will be transferred to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Bureau of State Parks as an addition to ​Laurel Ridge State Park​ this year.
This scenic land shares its northern border with Laurel Ridge State Park and State Game
Lands 111 at its southeastern corner, connecting the region’s public lands and expanding
recreation opportunities.
The 70.5-mile ​Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail​, ​Forbes State Forest​ and ​Bear Run Nature
Reserve​ are all within close proximity to this land.
In addition, this 281-acre acquisition protects buffers around Sandy Run, a High Quality
Coldwater stream that flows into Laurel Hill Creek. Sandy Run supports a range of important
aquatic species, including naturally reproducing trout, shellfish, hellbender salamanders,
macroinvertebrates and many other aquatic species.
“This is another wonderful addition to the protection of lands in the Laurel Hill Creek
watershed and Pennsylvania’s state parks,” said Tom Saunders, president and CEO of the
Conservancy. “This project expands the Conservancy’s historic acquisitions that led to the
creation of Laurel Ridge State Park in the late 1960s.”
In 1969, the Conservancy protected and conveyed more than 11,000 acres to become
Laurel Ridge State Park.
Today, the 13,625-acre state park is home to portions of the popular 70-mile Laurel
Highlands Hiking Trail, which the Conservancy helped establish. Acquisition of this land also
protects undeveloped land surrounding the hiking trail corridor.
The purchase of this property was made possible through the generosity of the family of
B. Kenneth Simon, with additional support from the Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources.
Mercer County
On January 3, the ​Western Pennsylvania Conservancy​ announced it has permanently
protected a 47-acre farm in Findley Township, Mercer County.
As a result of this action, the farm will soon be available for lease to local farmers to
grow crops or raise livestock as part of the Conservancy’s program to help support the local food
economy by making land more accessible to local farmers.
The demand for locally grown food, coupled with rising interest in organic food and
sustainable farming operations, continues to increase in the Pittsburgh region. To meet these
demands, farmers need agricultural land in close proximity to local restaurants, farmers markets
and food distributors.
This newly acquired farm, located just an hour north of Pittsburgh off of I-79, is the first
of several new farm properties the Conservancy is working to acquire and then lease to farmers
for diverse, small-scale agricultural operations.
Leasing programs provide successful options near urban areas where high land prices
make it challenging for farmers, particularly those who are new to the industry, to acquire land.
“We want to help address the challenge of land access and make affordable farmland
available to farmers who want to grow local foods for the Pittsburgh food market, said Tom
Saunders, president and CEO of the Conservancy. It’s a nice bridge between two goals: the
Conservancy protects open space, including farmland, and with this program we can also help
local farmers wanting to provide fresh, local foods to our markets here in Pittsburgh.”

48
The Conservancy already has an established model for its new initiative. At its 394-acre
Plain Grove Fens Natural Area​ in Lawrence County, WPC leases 57 acres to ​Fallen Aspen Farm​,
a grower of livestock and produce for the Pittsburgh market.
The farm, in operation since October 2014, distributes products through direct sales,
including scheduled farm pick-ups and city deliveries.
Jake Kristophel, who co-owns Fallen Aspen Farm with his wife Desiree, grew up with a
farming ethic but admits they weren’t ready for all of the demands and challenges of starting out
in the industry.
“Purchasing land and equipment to operate a farm are among the biggest financial
challenges most new farmers will face,” said Kristophel. “The option to lease land made farming
more attractive and affordable for us, and leasing continues to be the right choice for our small
business.”
Saunders says other land trusts around the country also are combining land protection
goals and helping farmers by allowing them access to affordable farmland.
“Conservation organizations across the country with established leasing programs are
serving a variety of different roles to support their local food industries,” he said. “Through this
proactive effort, we believe we can partner with other organizations and support existing local
efforts while protecting the ecological significance and agrarian heritage of our region’s lands.”
Interested Farmers
Farmers interested in leasing acres of the farm in Mercer County should contact the
Conservancy at 412-288-2777 or send an email to: ​land@paconserve.org​ for more information.
Click Here​ for a downloadable map of the property.
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is a nonprofit conservation organization and is
accepting donations of land for its Farmland Access Initiative.
Landowners wishing to donate land suitable for organic farming within an hour of the
Pittsburgh region are encouraged to also call the Conservancy at 412-288-2777 for more
information regarding conservation options.
Funding for WPC’s Farmland Access Initiative is made possible by the generosity of the
Henry L. Hillman Foundation and an anonymous donor.
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​, join them on ​Instagram​, visit the ​Conservancy’s
YouTube Channel​ or add them to your ​network on Linkedin​. ​Click Here​ to support their work.
CFA Accepting Applications
The ​Commonwealth Financing Authority ​will accept applications from February 1 to
May 31 for Act 13 Greenways and Trail Grants. ​ ​Click Here​ for more.
New DCNR Grant Round
Learn more about grant opportunities to support riparian buffer, trail and recreation
projects, visit DCNR’s ​Community Conservation Grant Program​ webpage. A new grant round is
opening January 22 and will close April 10. ​Click Here​ for more.
(​Photo:​ ​Toms Run Nature Reserve,​ Allegheny County.)
NewsClips:
Chester County Preserves 500th Farm In Open Space Initiative
Crable: Part Of Camp Mack Could Become State Game Lands In Lancaster County
Related Stories:

49
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

John Brosious Retiring From PA Municipal Authorities Assn; Jennie Shade Named
Director Of Government Relations

The ​PA Municipal Authorities Association​ recently named Jennie Shade Director of Government
Relations who is responsible for the Association’s statewide government relations services.
She is taking over the responsibilities of John Brosious who has served as PMAA Deputy
Director since 1998 and who is retiring from full-time service June 30.
For the past seven years, Ms. Shade has worked for two administrations in the
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, most recently as Legislative Liaison. Prior
to state government, Jennie worked for a government relations firm in Harrisburg advocating a
variety of issues for various associations.
She is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor’s degree in
Political Science from the Schreyer Honors College and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
Ms. Shade will be based in PMAA’s Harrisburg office. She can be contacted by calling
717-737-7655 or sending email to: ​shade@municipalauthorities.org​.
John Brosious
Prior to taking the position of PMAA Deputy
Director in 1998, Brosious held several positions in the
Department of Environmental Protection and the former
Department of Environmental Resources over a 10 year
period.
He was DER’s first Local Government Liaison and
later Deputy Secretary for Public Liaison. He finished his
career with DEP as Director Of Local Government
Relations.
Brosious was an elected County Commissioner in
Lehigh County where he headed the Planning Committee for 3 years overseeing land use,
environmental, transportation and farmland preservation issues.
He began his career in public service in 1979 as the planning director and zoning officer
for Whitehall Township in Lehigh County), a post he held for 5 years.
Has also served as a member of the Cumberland County Planning Commission.
He has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Penn State and a B.A. in
Government from the University of Notre Dame.
For more information, visit the ​PA Municipal Authorities Association​ website.
[Posted: Jan. 4, 2019]

Help Wanted: Keep PA Beautiful Development & Marketing Manager

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful​ is seeking qualified candidates to fill a full-time ​Development and

50
Marketing Manager​ based in Greensburg, Westmoreland County to work in partnership with the
Executive Director and Director of Programs to oversee the organization’s overall development
and marketing strategies. The deadline for applications is January 27. ​Click Here​ for all the
details.
[Posted: Jan. 3, 2019]

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.

Be Inspired! 175 Stories About Hundreds Of Great PA Environmental Stewards In 2018


Bagenstose: Environmentalists Count Wins, Loses From 2018
Dietz: Locally, Statewide, 2018 Produced Many Positives For Outdoorsmen
AP-Levy: Wolf Prepares For 2nd Term, Wanting To Get Things Done
John Brosious Retiring From PA Municipal Authorities Assn; Jennie Shade Named Director Of
Government Relations
Politics
Senate Republican Leader Warns Of Significant Budget Challenges; House Republicans Of
Need For More Government Oversight
New Republican Chair Of House Environmental Committee Wants To Downsize PA’s
Job-Killing Regulatory Environment
Thompson: Environmental Issues In PA Just Got More Prominence, Here’s Why
Republican Chair Of House Game & Fisheries Committee To Push For Hunter, Angler Fee
Legislation
Rep Rapp To Make Full Lyme Disease Treatment Coverage A Priority As Republican House
Health Committee Chair
Esack: Powerful New House Oversight Committee Triggers Legal, Political Questions
Click Here for a Week’s Worth Of Political NewsClips
Air
York County Environmental Group Blasts EPA Mercury Regulation Rollback
Editorial: Don’t Weaken Power Plant Mercury Rule
EPA Making It Harder To Tighten Mercury Rules On Power Plants In The Future
Awards & Recognition
Chester County Preserves 500th Farm In Open Space Initiative
Conodoguinet Creek In Running For PA River Of The Year
Biodiversity/Invasive Species
Agriculture Officials Warn Of Spotted Lanternfly’s Peril To Fruit Crops
Monroe, Pike Conservation Districts Hold Water Quality Permitting, Green Infrastructure
Workshop
Budget
Legere: PUC Prepares To Collect Millions In Drilling Impact Fee After Court Ruling
51
December Revenue Collections $70.1 Million Over Estimates; $403.7 Million Over Estimates
For The Year
Chesapeake Bay
New Stormwater Fee Bills Being Mailed To Wyoming Valley Homes This Week
New Stormwater Fee Bills Creating Confusion In Wyoming Valley
Frustration Storm Over Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Editorial: Take Time To Understand New Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal
Click Here​ to subscribe to the free Chesapeake Bay Journal
Click Here​ to support the Chesapeake Bay Journal
Follow Chesapeake Bay Journal​ On Twitter
Like Chesapeake Bay Journal​ On Facebook
Climate
AP: Climate Change Affecting Northeastern Pennsylvania
Lancaster County Passes 5 Feet Of Rain In 2018
Letter: Changing Bird Migration Thru Erie Region Hints At Climate Change
Op-Ed: We Need To Courageously Confront Climate Change In 2019
Op-Ed: It’s Time For Wildlife Corridors To Save Our Ecosystem
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
Sustainable Farming Can Have More Effective Impact On Climate
In The Age Of Climate Change, Farmers Weigh Their Options For The Future
U.S. Meeting Paris Climate Goals Without Being Part Of The Agreement
Coal Mining
York County Environmental Group Blasts EPA Mercury Regulation Rollback
Editorial: Don’t Weaken Power Plant Mercury Rule
EPA Making It Harder To Tighten Mercury Rules On Power Plants In The Future
Delaware River
$80,000 From DEP Aims To Restore 1.5 Miles Of Bushkill Creek
Philly-Area Rivers Have Been Gushing, And Here Comes More Rain
Delaware RiverKeeper Jan. 4 RiverWatch Video Report
Drinking Water
Pittsburgh Water Authority Replaced 2,048 Lead Water Service Lines In 2018, Surpassing DEP
Goal
Pittsburgh Water Authority Exceeded DEP’s Lead-Line Replacement Goals In 2018
Bagenstose: Sen. Collett To Introduce PFAS Standard Bill
New State Senators Focus On Health Care, Environment Going Into Office
Op-Ed: How The Philadelphia Region Should Navigate Its PFAS Contamination Problem
Philly Council Members Promote Private Water, Sewer Line Warranty
Communities Confront Threat Of Unregulated Chemicals In Their Drinking Water
Education
Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse Coming Jan. 21
Schneck: Meteor Showers In 2019: Your Guide
Emergency Response
AP: Firefighter Training Not Required, But Necessary Chiefs Say

52
Shelter-In-Place Order Lifted After Airgas, Inc. Leak In Bucks County
Officials Investigating Hazardous Materials Incident At Bucks County Gas Company
Energy
High-Paying Jobs In Nuclear Power Aren’t Looking So Safe Anymore
Tenaska Westmoreland Natural Gas Power Plant Begins Commercial Operation
Sisk: When Will Residents Of Shale Gas Region Be Able To Heat With Gas?
National Fuel Gas Bills Expected To Fall In 2019
Survey: More Than 18,000 PA Households Lack Safe Heating Sources
Fewer Erie-Area Homes Without Safe Way To Heat
York County Environmental Group Blasts EPA Mercury Regulation Rollback
Editorial: Don’t Weaken Power Plant Mercury Rule
EPA Making It Harder To Tighten Mercury Rules On Power Plants In The Future
Energy Conservation
Legere: PA Housing Finance Agency Making Ultra-Efficient, Affordable Housing Mainstream
Farming
Chester County Preserves 500th Farm In Open Space Initiative
Pittsburgh’s Hilltop Urban Farm Accepting Applications For Farmers
DEP Invites Comments On New Erosion & Sedimentation Control Manual For Farm Operations
In The Age Of Climate Change, Farmers Weigh their Options For The Future
Half-Ton PA Farm Show Butter Sculpture Unveiled, Will Again Be Turned Into Renewable
Energy
PA Farm Show Butter Sculpture Revealed!
PA Farm Show’s Half-Ton Butter Sculpture Embraces Power Of Agriculture
29 Things The PA Farm Show Butter Sculpture Honors
Flooding
DEP Grant To Fix Flooding Issues In Wyoming County
Editorial: Stream Cleaning Needs Defined Responsibility, Long-Term Funding
AP: Climate Change Affecting Northeastern Pennsylvania
Lancaster County Passes 5 Feet Of Rain In 2018
What The Wettest Year On Record Meant For Centre County
Rainfall Set Record In Pittsburgh
Philly-Area Rivers Have Been Gushing, And Here Comes More Rain
So You Think It Rained A Lot This Year? Here’s How Bad It Was
Flooding Closes Dauphin County Parks Through Sunday
FEMA Now Says It Will Sell New, Renewed National Flood Insurance Policies
Forests
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
Agriculture Officials Warn Of Spotted Lanternfly’s Peril To Fruit Crops
Crable: Lancaster Resident PA’s First Female State Forester
Crable: Lancaster Woman To Head Project To Plant 10 Million Trees In PA
Crable: Aerial Photos Show Extent Of Logging On Girl Scouts Camp In Lancaster
4th Biennial Forest Landowners Conference March 22-23 In State College
DCNR, Penn State Extension Forest Health, Insect & Disease Briefing March 19 In State
College
Rep. Rapp To Make Full Lyme Disease Treatment Coverage A Priority As Republican House

53
Health Committee Chair
How To Recycle Your Live Christmas Tree In Philadelphia
Options For Disposing Of Old Christmas Trees In Lackawanna County
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
Cusick: PA Researcher Helps Document Deforestation, Mass Extinction In Haiti
Forests - Wildfires
Devastating Wildfires Force California’s Largest Utility To Plan Sale Of Gas Assets
Geologic Hazards
Landslide Restricts Traffic In Allegheny Township
Green Infrastructure
CFA Begins Accepting Applications For Act 13 Watershed Restoration, Mine Reclamation,
Sewage, Flood Mitigation, Recreation Grants Feb. 1
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
$80,000 From DEP Aims To Restore 1.5 Miles Of Bushkill Creek
DEP Awards 2 Grants Totaling $447,250 To Reduce Nutrient, Sediment Pollution In Bradford
County Streams
DEP Grant To Fix Flooding Issues In Wyoming County
Crable: Lancaster Woman To Head Project To Plant 10 Million Trees In PA
New Stormwater Fee Bills Being Mailed To Wyoming Valley Homes This Week
New Stormwater Fee Bills Creating Confusion In Wyoming Valley
Frustration Storm Over Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Editorial: Take Time To Understand New Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Monroe, Pike Conservation Districts Hold Water Quality Permitting, Green Infrastructure
Workshop
Op-Ed: It’s Time For Wildlife Corridors To Save Our Ecosystem
Pinchot Institute Report: Helping Your Woodland Adapt To A Changing Climate
The Nature Conservancy: A Natural Path To U.S. Climate Change Action
Hazardous Sites Cleanup
Bagenstose: Sen. Collett To Introduce PFAS Standard Bill
New State Senators Focus On Health Care, Environment Going Into Office
Op-Ed: How The Philadelphia Region Should Navigate Its PFAS Contamination Problem
Communities Confront Threat Of Unregulated Chemicals In Their Drinking Water
Hazardous Substances
Pittsburgh Water Authority Replaced 2,048 Lead Water Service Lines In 2018, Surpassing DEP
Goal
Pittsburgh Water Authority Exceeded DEP’s Lead-Line Replacement Goals In 2018
Land Conservation
Chester County Preserves 500th Farm In Open Space Initiative
Western PA Conservancy Protects 443 Acres In Allegheny, Cameron, Fayette, Somerset
Counties
Western PA Conservancy Permanently Protects 57-Acre Mercer County Farm, Will Lease For
Farming

54
Crable: Part Of Camp Mack Could Become State Game Lands In Lancaster County
Littering/Illegal Dumping
Editorial: Keeping Philly Clean Is Everyone’s Job
Oil & Gas
Legere: PUC Prepares To Collect Millions In Drilling Impact Fee After Court Ruling
Cusick: Following Court Ruling, Drillers Must Pay Millions In Impact Fees Due
AP: PA Drillers On Hook For Impact Fees After Ruling
Luzerne County Taking Applications For Act 13 Drilling Impact Fee Grants
Tenaska Westmoreland Natural Gas Power Plant Begins Commercial Operation
National Fuel Gas Bills Expected To Fall In 2019
Sisk: When Will Residents Of Shale Gas Region Be Able To Heat With Gas?
Pennsylvania Close To Another Natural Gas Production Record
Op-Ed: Natural Gas Cleanly Powers Our Modern World - Marcellus Shale Coalition
Gasoline Prices Drop To 17-Month Low In Lancaster County
West Virginia: What It Looks, Sounds Like When A Gas Driller Overruns Your Land
Amid Boom, U.S. Is Still Importing Natural Gas
AP: Number Of Earthquakes Decrease In Oklahoma 3 Years After New Oil & Gas Waste
Disposal Well Regs
Permitting
Monroe, Pike Conservation Districts Hold Water Quality Permitting, Green Infrastructure
Workshop
Pipelines
Senators Killion, Dinniman Introduce Comprehensive Bipartisan Pipeline Bill Package
Lawmakers Introduce Comprehensive Pipeline Bill Package
Hurdle: Chester County DA Names Fmr Federal Prosecutor To Beef Up Mariner East 2 Pipeline
Criminal Probe
PA’s Most Penalized, Controversial Natural Gas Pipeline Now In Service- Mariner East 2
AP: Energy Transfer Announces Mariner East 2 Pipeline Is In Service
Controversial Mariner East 2 Pipeline Now In Service
Mariner East 2 Pipeline Is Up And Running Sunoco Says
Mariner East 2 Pipeline Now Online, Goes Through Cumberland County
Mariner East 2 Pipeline Up And Running, But Foes Not Happy
Hurdle: Mariner East Pipeline Startup Renews Safety Fears For Some Delaware County
Residents
Editorial: Is It Mariner East 2 Pipeline Or Frankenpipeline
Hurdle: NJ Attorney General: Court Erred In PennEast Pipeline Ruling
Radiation Protection
Crable: Peach Bottom Nuclear Plant Given Violation Notice For Damaged Emergency Generator
High-Paying Jobs In Nuclear Power Aren’t Looking So Safe Anymore
Litvak: How Westinghouse Is Shrinking The Nuclear Power Plant
Radon
DEP/Health Encourage Pennsylvanians To Test Homes For Radon
Recreation
Editorial: Ohiopyle River Guides Among 2018 Carnegie Hero Honorees
Snowboarder Dies After Injury At Seven Springs

55
DCNR Begins Accepting Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grant
Applications Jan. 22, Webinars Set
Dept. Of Health, University Of Pittsburgh School Of Public Health Award 11 Grants To Improve
Walking, Biking Opportunities
DCNR Blog: First Day Hikers Log Almost 8,000 Miles In PA On New Year’s Day
Call For Proposals: PA Greenways & Trails Summit Sept. 22-24 At Shippensburg University
Stand-Up Comedy Shows Will Benefit Westmoreland Parks, Trail Projects
You Can Help Shape Future Of Ferguson Twp, Centre County Park
Partial Bridge Collapse Closes Schuylkill River Trail Section In Chester County
Seven Springs, Hidden Valley Report Best December Since 2010
January 4 Take Five Fridays With Pam, From PA Parks & Forests Foundation
Editorial: DCNR Plans New Year’s Day Hikes
Rep. Rapp To Make Full Lyme Disease Treatment Coverage A Priority As Republican House
Health Committee Chair
Flooding Closes Dauphin County Parks Through Sunday
Eagle Scout Project Brings Fitness Equipment To Lower Burrell Park
Garbage, Feces Take Toll On National Parks Amid Shutdown
PA’s National Park Sites Open, But Don’t Expect To use The Bathroom
Nonprofit Works To Keep Gettysburg Park Open Despite Govt. Shutdown
Recycling/Waste
Editorial: Pittsburgh Has A Game Plan For Electronic Waste
Editorial: Seek Local Recycling Solutions
Editorial: Recycle Or Reuse All That Cardboard
Renewable Energy
Applications Deadlines Set For CFA Green Building, Alternative, Renewable Energy Grants
Stormwater
New Stormwater Fee Bills Being Mailed To Wyoming Valley Homes This Week
New Stormwater Fee Bills Creating Confusion In Wyoming Valley
Frustration Storm Over Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Editorial: Take Time To Understand New Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
Susquehanna River
Fish & Boat Commission Survey Finds Abundant Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish
Populations In Lower Susquehanna; Doesn’t Mean Bass Problems Are Over
Healing Waterways Energizes Susquehanna RiverKeeper
Waste Management
Applications Due For DEP Municipal, Hazardous Waste Host Municipality Inspector Grants
March 31
Wastewater Facilities
Philly Council Members Promote Private Water, Sewer Line Warranty
Watershed Protection
Registration Open! Pennsylvania Riparian Forest Buffer Summit Feb. 20-21
Healing Waterways Energizes Susquehanna RiverKeeper
Conodoguinet Creek In Running For PA River Of The Year
$80,000 From DEP Aims To Restore 1.5 Miles Of Bushkill Creek

56
DEP Grant To Fix Flooding Issues In Wyoming County
New Stormwater Fee Bills Being Mailed To Wyoming Valley Homes This Week
New Stormwater Fee Bills Creating Confusion In Wyoming Valley
Frustration Storm Over Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Editorial: Take Time To Understand New Wyoming Valley Stormwater Fee
Editorial: Stream Cleaning Needs Defined Responsibility, Long-Term Funding
Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal
Click Here​ to subscribe to the Chesapeake Bay Journal
Follow Chesapeake Bay Journal​ On Twitter
Like Chesapeake Bay Journal​ On Facebook
Wildlife
Fish & Boat Commission Survey Finds Abundant Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish
Populations In Lower Susquehanna; Doesn’t Mean Bass Problems Are Over
Schneck: Susquehanna River Smallmouth Bass Continue Recovery, Big Time
Smallmouth Bass Growing In Susquehanna River, Catfish Also Abundant
Dietz: Locally, Statewide, 2018 Produced Many Positives For Outdoorsmen
Schneck: Pennsylvania Nature Calendar For January
Lycoming County Bear Attack Victim’s Condition Improves Following Surgeries
Game Officers Investigating Unlawfully Killed Elk In Central PA
Mysterious Deer Deaths In Central PA? Here’s What Could Be The Cause
Deer Rescued From Well In Luzerne County
Hayes: New License Plan Lets Anglers Support Favorite Fishing Programs
Crable: Volunteer Birdwatchers Fan Out Across Lancaster County
Variety Of Birds Spotted In Fox Chapel During Audubon Bird Count
Vultures Roost In Downtown Jacobus, York County
Hundreds Of Crows Swooping Down Along Wooded Area In East Allentown
Letter: Changing Bird Migration Thru Erie Region Hints At Climate Change
Crable: Part Of Camp Mack Could Become State Game Lands In Lancaster County
Op-Ed: It’s Time For Wildlife Corridors To Save Our Ecosystem
West Nile/Zika Virus
What PA, Federal Records Say About Zika Virus In 2018
Rep. Rapp To Make Full Lyme Disease Treatment Coverage A Priority As Republican House
Health Committee Chair
Federal Policy
Trump Jokingly Congratulated Acting EPA Chief For Not Acting Like Pruitt

Click Here For This Week's Allegheny Front Radio Program

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. Go to the ​online Calendar​ webpage for updates.

Note: ​DEP published the 2019 schedules of its advisory committees, councils and board
57
meetings in the ​Dec. 10 PA Bulletin, page 7708​.

January 9-- ​DEP Coastal Zone Advisory Committee​ meeting. 12th Floor Conference Room,
Rachel Carson Building. 9:30. Contact: Stacey Box, 717-772-5622 or ​sbox@pa.gov​.

January 9--​ ​DEP Technical Advisory Committee on Diesel-Powered Equipment​ (Mining)


meeting. DEP New Stanton Office, 131 Broadview Road, New Stanton. 10:00. Contact: Peggy
Scheloske, 724-404-3143 or ​mscheloske@pa.gov​.

January 10--​ ​DEP Coal And Clay Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund Board​ meeting. 12th Floor
Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. Contact: James Charowsky, 717-787-7007.
jcharowsky@pa.gov​.

January 10--​ ​Penn State Extension Farm Soil Health & Cover Crop Workshop​. Penn State
Extension Mercer County, 463 North Perry Highway, Mercer. 10:00 to 1:00.

January 10-11--​ ​NDAL Ecology Based Landscape Design: What Comes Next?​ Montgomery
County Community College.

January 11--​ ​Foundation for Sustainable Forests. French Creek Valley Conservancy. Woods &
Waters Film Series​. Helene Barco-Duratz Cultural Center, 415 Chestnut Street (East Alley
entrance), Meadville, Crawford County. 6:30.

January 12--​ ​Delaware Highlands Conservancy Eagle Watch Bus Tour​. 10:00 to 1:00,​ ​Click
Here​ for more.

January 15--​ Inauguration Day For Gov. Wolf, Lt. Gov. Fetterman

January 16--​ ​PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee​ meeting. Room 105
Rachel Carson Building. 1:00. ​Click Here​ to register to join the meeting by webinar.
Participants also need to call in ​1-650-479-3208, PASSCODE: 642 304 985​.

January 16--​ ​Penn State Extension Land Use Webinar Series​. ​Zoning Ethics, Overview Of
Zoning And Land Development Plan Process​. Noon to 1:15.

January 17--​ ​DEP Mining & Reclamation Advisory Board​ meeting & Regulatory, Legislative &
Technical Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 8:30 (Committee), 10:00
(Board). A conference call option will also be available. DEP Contact: Daniel Snowden,
717-783-8846 or ​dsnowden@pa.gov​. ​(f​ ormal notice)​

January 17--​ ​NEW​. ​Stroud Water Research Center.​ ​Farm Credit​. ​Healthy Soil, Healthy Water
Film About Local Farmers Improving Their Bottom Lines​. ​Stroud Water Research Center, 970
Spencer Road, Avondale, Chester County. 6:00.

January 18--​ ​Harrisburg University Center for Environment, Energy & Economy Climate

58
Disruption & Sustainable Development Series​: What Citizens Need To Know About Climate
Change. Harrisburg University, 14th Floor Auditorium, 326 Market Street, Harrisburg. 11:30 to
1:00.

January 19--​ ​Brodhead Watershed Association. Schisler Museum Naturalist Hike - Students,
Adults​. East Stroudsburg University, Monroe County. 1:00- Students, 3:00- Adults

January 22--​ ​DEP Citizens Advisory Council ​meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building.
10:00. Contact: Keith Calador, Executive Director, 717-787-8171 or ​ksalador@pa.gov​.

January 23-- ​DEP Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee​ meeting. 12th Floor
Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. Contact: Nancy Herb, 717-783-9269 or
nherb@pa.gov​.

January 24--​ ​DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee​ meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 9:30. Contact: Diane Wilson, 717-787-3720 or ​diawilson@pa.gov​.

January 24--​ ​DEP Aggregate Advisory Board​ Regulatory, Legislative & Technical Committee
meeting. 10th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. A conference call option
will also be available. DEP Contact: Daniel Snowden, 717-783-8846 or ​dsnowden@pa.gov​.
(​formal notice)​

January 24--​ ​Penn State Extension, Partners Online Tree Tender Training​. First of weekly
sessions through March 7. Noon, 7:00.

January 26--​ ​Delaware Highlands Conservancy Eagle Watch Bus Tour​. Noon to 1:00.​ ​Click
Here​ for more.

January 27-30--​ ​Partnership For The Delaware Estuary​. ​2019 Delaware Estuary Science &
Environmental Summit​. Cape May, NJ.

January 29--​ ​NEW​. ​StateImpact PA Public Climate Forum On A Zero Carbon Future​. ​Energy
Innovation Center,​ 1435 Bedford Avenue, Pittsburgh. 6:15 to 8:30.

January 30--​ ​DEP Open House/Hearing On Specialty Granules, LLC NPDES Water Quality
Permit for a Mining Operation In Adams County​. ​Fairfield Fire and EMS Building​, 106
Steelman Street, Fairfield. 6:00

January 30--​ ​NEW​. ​DCNR Webinar On Applying For Recreation, Conservation, Trail and
Riparian Buffer Grants​. 10:00 to 11:30.

January 31--​ ​DEP Small Water Systems Technical Assistance Center Board​ meeting. Room
105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. Contact: Dawn Hissner, 717-772-2189 or ​dhissner@pa.gov​.

February 2--​ ​Delaware Highlands Conservancy Eagle Watch Bus Tour​. 10:00 to 1:00.​ ​Click

59
Here​ for more.

February 5- ​Governor’s Budget Address.

February 5-6--​ ​NEW​. ​Monroe, Pike Conservation Districts Hold Water Quality Permitting,
Green Infrastructure, Invasive Species Workshop​. Keystone Hall and Gallery, Room 202,
Northampton Community College - Monroe Campus​, 2411 Rte. 715, Tannersville.

February 6--​ ​Penn State Extension Woods In Your Backyard Webinar Series Starts​. 7:00 to
8:00 p.m.

February 6-8--​ ​Penn State Agriculture & Environment Center​. ​PA In The Balance Conference
On Farm Conservation​. Hershey Lodge, Hershey.

February 6-9--​ ​PA Association For Sustainable Agriculture​. ​Pennsylvania Sustainable


Agriculture Conference​. ​Lancaster County Convention Center​, Lancaster.

February 7--​ ​Harrisburg University Center for Environment, Energy & Economy Climate
Disruption & Sustainable Development Series​: Is 100% Renewable Energy The Answer To
Climate Change?. Harrisburg University, 14th Floor Auditorium, 326 Market Street, Harrisburg.
11:30 to 1:00.

February 11--​ ​House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 10:00- Independent Fiscal
​ ouse Republican
Office. Room 140 Main Capitol. ​Hearings are typically webcast through the H
Caucus​ website.

February 12-13--​ ​Advanced Watershed Educator Workshops For Non-Formal Educators​.


Dauphin County Agriculture & Natural Resources Center​, 1451 Peters Mountain Road, Dauphin,
Dauphin County.​ ​Click Here to register​.

February 13--​ ​House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 10:00- State Treasurer, 1:00-
Auditor General, 3:00- Attorney General. Room 140 Main Capitol. ​Hearings are typically
webcast through the ​House Republican Caucus​ website.

February 14--​ ​House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 10:00- Dept. of


Environmental Protection, 1:00- Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources. Room 140 Main
​ ouse Republican Caucus​ website.
Capitol. ​Hearings are typically webcast through the H

February 19--​ ​Senate Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 10::00- Dept. of


Revenue/Lottery, 1:00- Independent Fiscal Office, 3:00- Public Utility Commission. Hearing
Room 1, North Office Building.

February 20--​ ​Penn State Extension Land Use Webinar Series​. ​Geodesign: Using Data
Transparency And Community Voices For Enhanced Land Use Planning​. Noon to 1:15.

60
February 20-21--​ ​DCNR, Western PA Conservancy. PA Riparian Forest Buffer Summit​. Best
Western Premier Conference Center, 800 East Park Drive, Harrisburg.

February 21-- ​PA Resources Council. Zero Waste Pennsylvania. Green Building Alliance. True
Zero Waste Symposium​. ​Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens​, Pittsburgh. 8:00 to 3:00.

February 21--​ ​Senate Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 1:00- State Police/Homeland
Security, 3:00- PA Emergency Management Agency/Fire Commissioner. Hearing Room 1,
North Office Building.

February 22--​ ​Foundation for Sustainable Forests. French Creek Valley Conservancy. Woods &
Waters Film Series​. ​Erie National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center​, 11296 Wood Duck Lance,
Guys Mills, Crawford County. 6:30.

February 24-25--​ ​PA Environmental Council​, ​PA Organization For Watersheds & Rivers​.
Statewide Watershed Connections Conference​. State College.

February 25--​ ​House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 10:00- State


Police/Homeland Security, 3:00- Dept. of Health. Room 140 Main Capitol. ​Hearings are
​ ouse Republican Caucus​ website.
typically webcast through the H

February 25--​ ​Senate Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 3:00- Dept. of


Transportation. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building.

February 26--​ ​House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 1:00- Dept. of


Transportation, 3:00- Dept. of General Services. Room 140 Main Capitol. ​Hearings are
​ ouse Republican Caucus​ website.
typically webcast through the H

February 27--​ ​House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 1:00- Dept. of Community &
Economic Development. Room 140 Main Capitol. ​Hearings are typically webcast through the
House Republican Caucus​ website.

February 27--​ ​Senate Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 10:00- Dept. of Health.
Hearing Room 1, North Office Building.

February 27--​ ​NEW​. ​DCNR Webinar On Applying For Statewide and Regional Partnership
Grants​. 10:00 to 11:30.

February 28--​ ​Senate Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 3:00- Dept. of


Environmental Protection. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building.

March 2--​ ​PA Wilds.​ ​Retailers, Producers, Public 3rd Annual PA Wilds Buyer’s Market​.
Gemmell Student Complex Multi-Purpose Room​, Clarion University.

March 4--​ ​House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 10:00- Dept. of Education.

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​ ouse Republican Caucus
Room 140 Main Capitol. ​Hearings are typically webcast through the H
website.

March 4--​ ​Senate Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 3:00- Dept. of Conservation &
Natural Resources. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building.

March 5--​ ​House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 10:00- Dept. of Agriculture.
​ ouse Republican Caucus
Room 140 Main Capitol. ​Hearings are typically webcast through the H
website.

March 5-- ​DEP Board Of Coal Mine Safety​ meeting. DEP Ebensburg Office, 286 Industrial
Park Road, Ebensburg. 10:00. DEP Contact: Margaret Scheloske, 724-404-3143,
mscheloske@pa.gov​. ​(​formal notice​)

March 5-6--​ ​Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance​. ​Healthcare Industry Forum On Energy
Efficiency​. Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, State College, Centre County.

March 6--​ ​House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 10:00- Governor’s Budget
​ ouse
Secretary. Room 140 Main Capitol. ​Hearings are typically webcast through the H
Republican Caucus​ website.

March 6--​ ​Senate Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 1:00- Dept. of Agriculture.
Hearing Room 1, North Office Building.

March 7--​ ​House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 10:00- Open. Room 140 Main
​ ouse Republican Caucus​ website.
Capitol. ​Hearings are typically webcast through the H

March 7--​ ​Senate Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings​: 1:00- Dept. of Community &
Economic Development, 3:00- Budget Secretary. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building.

March 9--​ ​2019 Watershed Congress Along The Schuylkill River​. Montgomery County
Community College​ ​campus in Pottstown​.

March 9--​ ​Penn State Extension York County Master Gardeners GardenWise Native Plants,
Ecosystems Gardening Workshop​ ​Central York Middle School​, 1950 N. Hills Road, York. 7:30
to 4:00.

March 15--​ ​Harrisburg University Center for Environment, Energy & Economy Climate
Disruption & Sustainable Development Series​: Legal Pathways To Zero Greenhouse Gas
Emissions. Harrisburg University, 14th Floor Auditorium, 326 Market Street, Harrisburg. 11:30
to 1:00.

March 18-19-- ​PA Assn. Of Environmental Educators​. ​2019 Cityscapes & Greenscapes
Conference​. Philadelphia.

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March 19--​ ​NEW​. ​DCNR, Penn State Extension Forest Health, Insect & Disease Briefing​. Penn
Stater Hotel and Conference Center, State College. 8:30 to 3:30

March 20--​ ​Penn State Extension Land Use Webinar Series​. ​Options For Meeting MS4
Stormwater Pollution Reduction Requirements Without Breaking The Budget​. Noon to 1:15.

March 20-21-​- ​Northeast Recycling Council Spring Conference.​ Wilmington, DE.

March 21-- ​DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board​ meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Todd Wallace, 717-783-9438, ​twallace@pa.gov​. ​(f​ ormal
notice)​

March 22-23--​ ​NEW​. ​Penn State Center For Private Forests 4th Biennial Forest Landowners
Conference​. Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, State College.

March 27-28--​ ​Advanced Watershed Educator Workshops For Non-Formal Educators​. ​Jennings
Environmental Education Center​, 2951 Prospect Road, Slippery Rock, Butler County.​ ​Click
Here to register​.

March 29--​ ​Harrisburg University Center for Environment, Energy & Economy Climate
Disruption & Sustainable Development Series​: Natural Gas In PA: Energy, Innovation And The
Environment. Harrisburg University, 14th Floor Auditorium, 326 Market Street, Harrisburg.
11:30 to 1:00.

April 5-- ​Wildlife For Everyone We Love Wild Things & Wild Places Gala​.

April 5--​ ​Harrisburg University Center for Environment, Energy & Economy Climate Disruption
& Sustainable Development Series​: Towards A Public Web-Platform For Limiting Methane
Emissions From The Oil & Gas Sector. Harrisburg University, 14th Floor Auditorium, 326
Market Street, Harrisburg. 11:30 to 1:00.

April 7-9--​ ​CMU Mascaro Center For Sustainable Innovation. 2019 Engineering Sustainability
Conference​. ​David L. Lawrence Convention Center​, Pittsburgh.

April 17--​ ​Penn State Extension Land Use Webinar Series​. ​Making The Most Of Historical And
Heritage Assets​. Noon to 1:15.

April 19--​ ​Harrisburg University Center for Environment, Energy & Economy Climate
Disruption & Sustainable Development Series​: Using The Latest Digital Innovations To Address
Energy Poverty In Developing Counties. Harrisburg University, Room 1151, 326 Market Street,
Harrisburg. 11:30 to 1:00.

April 29 to May 2--​ ​Center for Watershed Protection​. ​2019 National Watershed and Stormwater
Conference​. South Carolina.

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May 1--​ ​Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium​. State College.

May 8-10--​ ​PA Assn. Of Environmental Professionals​. ​2019 Annual Conference - Growth
Through Collaboration​. State College.

May 15--​ ​Penn State Extension Land Use Webinar Series​. ​The Benefits And Challenges of
Ridesharing On The Transportation System​. Noon to 1:15.

May 16-18--​ ​PA Land Trust Association​. ​Land Conservation Conference​. Monroe County.

June 16-21--​ ​NEW​. ​Cumberland Valley TU Rivers Conservation & Fly-Fishing Youth Camp​.
Messiah College​, Grantham, Cumberland County.

July 24-26-- ​Professional Recyclers Of PA​. ​Annual Recycling & Organics Conference​.
Harrisburg.

September 22-24--​ ​NEW​. ​Pennsylvania Greenways And Trails Summit​. Shippensburg


University Conference Center.

October 8-10--​ ​Natural Areas Association Natural Areas Conference​. Pittsburgh.

Related Tools ----------------

Visit DEP’s ​Public Participation Center​ for public participation opportunities.


Click Here​ for links to DEP’s Advisory Committee webpages.
Visit ​DEP Connects​ for opportunities to interact with DEP staff at field offices.
Click Here​ to sign up for DEP News a biweekly newsletter from the Department.
DEP Facebook Page​ ​DEP Twitter Feed​ ​DEP YouTube Channel
DEP Calendar of Events​ ​DCNR Calendar of Events
Click Here​ to hook up with DCNR on other social media-- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and
Flickr.
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.

January 7--​ ​NEW​. ​Begin Accepting. Game Commission Landowner Seedling Orders
January 11-- ​DEP Class 8 Truck/Transit Bus Clean Vehicle Grants
January 11-- ​PennDOT Green Light-Go Program, LED Light Upgrades
January 11-​- ​DEP Environmental Education Grants
January 11--​ ​PA Solar Center Assistance To Nonprofits Converting To Solar Energy
January 11--​ ​Small Farms, Big Impact Sustainable Farming Grants
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January 16--​ ​West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund Project Funding
January 18--​ ​South Mountain Partnership Spirit Of South Mountain Award
January 18--​ ​PA Land Trust Assn. Lifetime Achievement Award
January 22--​ ​NEW​. ​Accepting. DCNR Community Conservation Partnership, Buffer Grants
January 25--​ ​DEP Grants/Rebates Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
January 25--​ ​Appalachian Audubon Hog Island Youth Education Scholarship
January 25--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Alternative & Clean Energy Funding
January 25--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal and Wind Funding
January 25--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Solar Energy Funding
January 25--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA High Performance Building Funding
January 31--​ ​NFWF Five Star & Urban Waters Restoration Grants
January 31--​ ​EPA Brownfields Assessment, Cleanup and Multipurpose Grants
January 31--​ ​Appalachian Trail Museum Hall Of Fame Nominations
February 1--​ ​NEW​. ​Accepting CFA Act 13 Watershed Restoration Grants
February 1--​ ​NEW​. ​Accepting CFA Act 13 Abandoned Mine Drainage Treatment Grants
February 1--​ ​NEW​. ​Accepting CFA Act 13 Orphan or Abandoned Well Plugging Grants
February 1--​ ​NEW​. ​Accepting CFA Act 13 Baseline Water Quality Data Grants
February 1--​ ​NEW​. ​Accepting CFA Act 13 Sewage Facilities Grants
February 1--​ ​NEW​. ​Accepting CFA Act 13 Flood Mitigation Grants
February 1--​ ​NEW​. ​Accepting CFA Act 13 Greenways, Trails & Recreation Grants
February 4-- ​PA Environmental Professionals College Scholarships
February 4--​ ​NEW​. ​Accepting Game Commission Seedlings For Schools
February 8--​ ​DEP FAST Act Alternative Fuels Corridor Infrastructure Grants
February 8-- ​Wildlife Leadership Academy Youth Conservation Ambassador
February 11--​ ​PA Land Trust Assn. Government Leadership Award
February 15--​ ​EPA Environmental Justice Small Grants
February 15--​ ​Delaware River Basin Commission Winter Photo Contest
February 15--​ ​Green Stormwater Infrastructure Partners Awards - Philly Area
February 20--​ ​NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education & Training Grants
February 28--​ ​PA Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau Winter Photo Contest
March 1--​ ​NEW​. ​PHMC Keystone Fund Historic, Archaeological Protection Grants
March 1--​ ​PA Parks & Forests Foundation Wilderness Wheels Grants​ ​(Rolling Deadline)
March 1--​ ​West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Investment Funding​ ​(Rolling Deadline)
March 4-- ​DCNR PA Outdoor Corps Young Adult Crews​ ​(At The Very Latest!)
March 15-- ​WPC TreeVitalize Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Tree Planting Grants
March 21--​ ​NEW​. ​Rivers Conservation & Fly-Fishing Youth Camp
March 22--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Alternative & Clean Energy Funding
March 22--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal and Wind Funding
March 22--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Solar Energy Funding
March 22--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA High Performance Building Funding
March 31--​ ​DEP Level 2 Electric Charging Station Rebates​ ​(First-Come)
March 31--​ ​NEW​. ​DEP Municipal, Hazardous Waste Host Municipality Inspector Grants
April 10--​ ​NEW​. ​DCNR Community Conservation Partnership, Recreation, Buffer Grants
May 10-- ​DEP Class 8 Truck/Transit Bus Clean Vehicle Grants
May 17--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Alternative & Clean Energy Funding

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May 17--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal and Wind Funding
May 17--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Solar Energy Funding
May 17--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA High Performance Building Funding
May 31--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Act 13 Watershed Restoration Grants
May 31--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Act 13 Abandoned Mine Drainage Abatement and Treatment Grants
May 31--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Act 13 Orphan or Abandoned Well Plugging Grants
May 31--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Act 13 Baseline Water Quality Data Grants
May 31--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Act 13 Sewage Facilities Grants
May 31--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Act 13 Flood Mitigation Grants
May 31--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Act 13 Greenways, Trails And Recreation Grants
July 15--​ ​DEP Grants/Rebates Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
July 19--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Alternative & Clean Energy Funding
July 19--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal and Wind Funding
July 19--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA Solar Energy Funding
July 19--​ ​NEW​. ​CFA High Performance Building Funding
December 16--​ ​DEP Grants/Rebates Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
March 1--​ ​Western PA Trail Volunteer Fund Grants
March 22--​ ​DEP Act 101 Recycling Implementation Grants
June 1--​ ​Western PA Trail Volunteer Fund Grants
September 1--​ ​Western PA Trail Volunteer Fund Grants
September 23-- ​DEP Class 8 Truck/Transit Bus Clean Vehicle Grants
December 1--​ ​Western PA Trail Volunteer Fund 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.

Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits

Here are highlights of actions taken by agencies on environmental regulations, technical


guidance and permits.

Regulations -----------------------

No new regulations were published this week. ​Pennsylvania Bulletin - January 5, 2019

Technical Guidance -------------------

The Department of Environmental Protection invited comments on a new proposed Soil Erosion
and Sedimentation Control Manual for Agricultural Operations in the ​January 5 PA Bulletin​.
Chapter 102 of DEP regulations require all agricultural operations to minimize
accelerated erosion and sedimentation to the waters of this Commonwealth by implementing
appropriate Best Management Practices.
Those operations that plow or till 5,000 or more square feet, including no-till, or that have
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Animal Heavy Use Areas that are 5,000 or more square feet in total, are required to have a
written Agricultural Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan.
The purpose of this guidance is to further explain the requirements of an Ag E&S Plan
and it has several elements--
-- What: what is an Ag E&S Plan, and what are the required
-- Who: to whom does it apply?
-- Why: attempted to focus on the benefits to the farmer as well as regulatory compliance
-- When: when would it need to be developed, updated, implemented, etc.
-- How: how should it be developed (i.e. how to identify and address resource concerns)
-- Includes reference to tools and resources (i.e. NRCS, ​PAOneStop​, Conservation District
planning assistance)
Click Here​ for a DEP presentation on the new manual (DEP ID: 383-4200-002).
Comments are due March 6 and can be submitted online through ​DEP’s eComment
webpage​, by email to: ​ecomment@pa.gov​ or in writing to: Technical Guidance Coordinator,
Department of Environmental Protection, Policy Office, Rachel Carson State Office Building,
P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063.
A copy of the proposed manual will be posted on ​DEP’s eComment webpage​. Questions
regarding this TGD should be directed to Jill Whitcomb by email to: ​jiwhitcomb@pa.gov​ or by
calling 717-783-5205.

The ​Susquehanna River Basin Commission​ published notices in the January 5 PA Bulletin--
Projects ​approved at its October meeting​, Projects ​approved at its November meeting​, actions
taken at its December meeting​.

Permits ------------

Note:​ The Department of Environmental Protection published 51 pages of public notices related
to proposed and final permit and approval/ disapproval actions in the January 5 PA Bulletin -
pages 22 to 73​.

Sign Up For DEP’s 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.

Related Tools ----------------------

Visit DEP’s ​Public Participation Center​ for public participation opportunities.

DEP Proposals Out For Public Review


Other Proposals Open For Public Comment​ - DEP webpage
Submit Comments on Proposals Through ​DEP’s eComment System
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Other Proposals​ - DEP webpage
Other Proposals Recently Finalized​ - DEP webpage

DEP Regulations In Process


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Proposed Regulations Open For Comment​ - DEP webpage
Submit Comments on Proposals Through ​DEP’s eComment System
Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods​ - DEP webpage
Recently Finalized Regulations​ - DEP webpage
DEP Regulatory Update​ - DEP webpage
August 4, 2018 DEP Regulatory Agenda - ​PA Bulletin, Page 4733

DEP Technical Guidance In Process


Draft Technical Guidance Documents​ - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines​ - DEP webpage
Submit Comments on Proposals Through ​DEP’s eComment System
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 2018)​- DEP webpage

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