Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1
-- Leveraging the existing Farmland Preservation Program to promote conservation
-- Provide agriculture integrator incentives and industry pressure
-- Adopt the Restore Pennsylvania funding initiative, PA Farm Bill
-- Expand the REAP Farm Conservation Tax Credit Program
-- Use pay for performance mechanisms to attract private capital
-- Eliminate the Sales Tax Exemption for bottled water
-- Adopt a water use fee
The presentations given at the meeting are included in these handouts--
-- Handout #1 – Scenario Results for the Draft WIP (PDF)
-- Handout #2 – Pennsylvania Snapshot (Bay Goals) (PDF)
-- Handout #3 – Pennsylvania Snapshot (Local Waterways Goals) (PDF)
-- Handout #4 – County Planning Progress (PDF)
-- Handout #5 – Funding Workgroup Recommendations
The next meeting of the Steering Committee has been scheduled for April 3, 2nd Floor
Auditorium, Rachel Carson Building starting at 9:00 a.m. to review the draft of the Watershed
Implementation Plan. Click Here to join the meeting via Skype. Participants may also need to
call in +1 (267) 332-8737. CONFERENCE ID: 75588007.
For more information and copies of available handouts, visit the PA Chesapeake Bay
Watershed Implementation Plan Steering Committee webpage.
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Environment, Oppose Backsliding
Growing Greener Coalition Opposes Using Community Environmental Project Funds For
Agency Operating Costs; Issues Call To Action
Growing Greener Coalition Urges New Investment In Restoring The Environment, Preventing
Flooding, No Backsliding On Existing Commitments
DCNR Good Natured Blog: Making Progress Toward A Goal Of Planting More Trees Along
Streams
Conservation District Leader From PA Presses Case For Strong Federal Conservation Funding In
DC
All Major PA Hunting, Angler, Wildlife Groups Oppose Using Environmental Fund Project
Money To Pay Agency Operating Expenses
Bay Journal: Exelon, Maryland Spar Over Who Is Responsible For Nutrients Passing Over
Conowingo Dam
Penn State Brook Trout Researchers Featured In New Expedition Chesapeake Film
Gov. Wolf Proposes To Shift $75.7 Million From Environmental Funds To Pay Operating Costs
Instead of Funding Community-Based Projects
Gov. Wolf Proposes A $4.5 Billion, 4-Year Restore Pennsylvania Community & Environmental
Infrastructure Investment Program
NewsClips:
Op-Ed: Article Misrepresents PA Farm Bureau’s Role In Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Innovative Green Stormwater Project Improves Water Infrastructure in Pittsburgh
Stormwater Fee Headaches Persist In Luzerne County
You Didn’t Pay Your Stormwater Fee In Luzerne? What Now?
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
2
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Accepting Submissions For Photo Contest
Bay Journal: Trump Administration Makes Another Bid To Slash Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Funds
Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal
[Posted: March 22, 2019]
3
-- Boosts to the agricultural and outdoor recreation industries
-- Restoring parks for communities across the Commonwealth
-- And much more
“The public’s enthusiasm for these investments continues to be overwhelming. For
example, 75 percent of Republican voters, 82 percent of Democrats, and 87 percent of
independents actually support spending more on conservation, even if it would mean taxing
themselves more to do it. (See survey results. )
“Thank you for your attention. For more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to
the people and organizations of the Coalition including:
-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA, Harry Campbell, PA Executive Director
-- Conservation Voters of PA, Joshua McNeil, Executive Director
-- Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, R. John Dawes, Executive Director
-- Lancaster Farmland Trust, Jeffrey Swinehart, Chief Operating Officer
-- Natural Lands, Oliver P. Bass, President
-- PennFuture (Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future), Jacquelyn Bonomo, President & CEO
-- Pennsylvania Environmental Council, John Walliser, Senior Vice President
-- Pennsylvania Land Trust Association, Andrew M. Loza, Executive Director
-- Pennsylvania Park and Forest Foundation, Marci Mowery, President
-- Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society, Tim Herd, CEO
-- Rails-To-Trails Conservancy, Tom Sexton, Director, Northeast Regional Office
-- Sierra Club PA Chapter, Joanne Kilgour, Chapter Director
-- The Conservation Fund, Kyle D. Shenk, PA State Director
-- The Nature Conservancy, PA Chapter, Ronald L. Ramsey, Senior Policy Advisor
-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Cynthia Carrow, Vice President”
Click Here for a copy of the letter. Click Here to tell your legislator to act.
Questions should be directed to Andy Loza, Executive Director, PA Land Trust
Association by calling 717-230-8560 or send email to: aloza@conserveland.org.
For more information, visit the Growing Greener Coalition website.
Related Stories:
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates Funding
Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
Growing Greener Coalition Issues Call To Action To Make New Investments In Restoring The
Environment, Oppose Backsliding
Growing Greener Coalition Opposes Using Community Environmental Project Funds For
Agency Operating Costs; Issues Call To Action
DCNR Good Natured Blog: Making Progress Toward A Goal Of Planting More Trees Along
Streams
Conservation District Leader From PA Presses Case For Strong Federal Conservation Funding In
DC
PA Receives $53.8 Million In 2019 Federal Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Funds,
Reclamation Fee Due To Expire
All Major PA Hunting, Angler, Wildlife Groups Oppose Using Environmental Fund Project
Money To Pay Agency Operating Expenses
Environmental Rights Amendment Challenge To Unconstitutional Use Of Oil & Gas Funds Now
Includes Recent Proposed Fund Transfers
4
PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The Golden
Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
WPCAMR Abandoned Mine Post: Growing Greener May Lose From Governor's Proposed
Budget
Eastern PA Coalition For Abandoned Mine Reclamation Opposes Transfer Of Environmental
Stewardship, Keystone Funds To Pay Agency Operating Costs
Bill Authorizing Fish & Boat Commission To Set Own Fees To Be Considered By House
Committee On March 25
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership: Call Your House Member To Support Bill To
Allow Fish & Boat Commission To Adopt Its Own Fees
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Urges Support For INCREASED Funding For
Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund
CBF-PA Sees 2019-20 State Budget As Key To Meeting Pennsylvania's Clean Water
Commitments
DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council Urges Gov. Wolf to Rebalance DEP’s Legal Mandates And
Fiscal Resources
Gov. Wolf Proposes To Shift $75.7 Million From Environmental Funds To Pay Operating Costs
Instead of Funding Community-Based Projects
Gov. Wolf Proposes A $4.5 Billion, 4-Year Restore Pennsylvania Community & Environmental
Infrastructure Investment Program
NewsClips:
As Levee Costs Grow In Williamsport, Next Stage Includes State Funding
Huntingdon County: Restore PA Aims To Avoid Local Disasters
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help York With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help Lancaster With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf Pushes Restore PA To Eliminate Lead From Philly School At A Cost Of $100 Million
Gov. Wolf Confident He Has Votes For Severance Tax, But Republicans Beg To Differ
Republicans, Gas Industry Oppose Severance Tax To Fund Wolf’s Restore PA Infrastructure
Plan
AP: Wolf Says $4.5B Restore PA Could Help Schools Cleanup Lead Paint
Sen. Yudichak: Growth Wll Fuel PA’s Future - Restore PA
DCNR Tours Mira Lloyd Dock Center To Discuss How Restore PA Could Address
Infrastructure Needs
Op-Ed: Pass A Natural Gas Severance Tax to Fund Infrastructure In PA - Gov. Wolf
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
Antrim Twp Might Use Reserve Funds On Stormwater Requirements
Bay Journal: Trump Administration Makes Another Bid To Slash Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Funds
Editorial: Funding For Lower Mon Project Arrives Just In Time
AP: Federal Black Lung Fund In Danger Of Drying Up
Editorial: Coal Miners Continue To Suffer With Black Lung
[Posted: March 20, 2019]
Growing Greener Coalition Issues Call To Action To Make New Investments In Restoring
The Environment, Oppose Backsliding
5
On March 22, the Growing Greener Coalition issued
a call to action to the public to urge members of the
Senate and House and Gov. Wolf to make new
investments in restoring the environment and
preventing flooding and not to back away from
funding commitments they have already made.
Please call your state Senator and Representative and
urge them to greatly boost the state’s investments in
protecting water, conserving land, and improving
communities (find your legislator here)--
-- Tell them to leave the Keystone Recreation, Park
and Conservation Fund and the Environmental
Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund untouched in
this year’s budget. Pennsylvania can’t afford to
backslide in its community and conservation investments. Learn more.
-- The Governor calls for substantial conservation investments in his Restore Pennsylvania
proposal (which addresses a variety of infrastructure projects). Ask your legislators to work with
the Administration to make these conservation investments.
Read the Growing Greener Coalition’s letter to members of the General Assembly and
Governor Wolf on this subject.
You can also post on social media by tagging your legislators and using the hashtag
#RestorePA. Here is a set of social media graphics highlighting the need for boosted investments
in protecting water, conserving land, and improving communities.
Click Here to learn more and take action.
Related Stories:
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates Funding
Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
Growing Greener Coalition Opposes Using Community Environmental Project Funds For
Agency Operating Costs; Issues Call To Action
Growing Greener Coalition Urges New Investment In Restoring The Environment, Preventing
Flooding, No Backsliding On Existing Commitments
DCNR Good Natured Blog: Making Progress Toward A Goal Of Planting More Trees Along
Streams
Conservation District Leader From PA Presses Case For Strong Federal Conservation Funding In
DC
All Major PA Hunting, Angler, Wildlife Groups Oppose Using Environmental Fund Project
Money To Pay Agency Operating Expenses
Environmental Rights Amendment Challenge To Unconstitutional Use Of Oil & Gas Funds Now
Includes Recent Proposed Fund Transfers
PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The Golden
Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
WPCAMR Abandoned Mine Post: Growing Greener May Lose From Governor's Proposed
Budget
Eastern PA Coalition For Abandoned Mine Reclamation Opposes Transfer Of Environmental
6
Stewardship, Keystone Funds To Pay Agency Operating Costs
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Urges Support For INCREASED Funding For
Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund
CBF-PA Sees 2019-20 State Budget As Key To Meeting Pennsylvania's Clean Water
Commitments
DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council Urges Gov. Wolf to Rebalance DEP’s Legal Mandates And
Fiscal Resources
Gov. Wolf Proposes To Shift $75.7 Million From Environmental Funds To Pay Operating Costs
Instead of Funding Community-Based Projects
Gov. Wolf Proposes A $4.5 Billion, 4-Year Restore Pennsylvania Community & Environmental
Infrastructure Investment Program
NewsClips:
As Levee Costs Grow In Williamsport, Next Stage Includes State Funding
Huntingdon County: Restore PA Aims To Avoid Local Disasters
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help York With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help Lancaster With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf Pushes Restore PA To Eliminate Lead From Philly School At A Cost Of $100 Million
Gov. Wolf Confident He Has Votes For Severance Tax, But Republicans Beg To Differ
Republicans, Gas Industry Oppose Severance Tax To Fund Wolf’s Restore PA Infrastructure
Plan
AP: Wolf Says $4.5B Restore PA Could Help Schools Cleanup Lead Paint
Sen. Yudichak: Growth Wll Fuel PA’s Future - Restore PA
DCNR Tours Mira Lloyd Dock Center To Discuss How Restore PA Could Address
Infrastructure Needs
Op-Ed: Pass A Natural Gas Severance Tax to Fund Infrastructure In PA - Gov. Wolf
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
Antrim Twp Might Use Reserve Funds On Stormwater Requirements
Bay Journal: Trump Administration Makes Another Bid To Slash Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Funds
Editorial: Funding For Lower Mon Project Arrives Just In Time
AP: Federal Black Lung Fund In Danger Of Drying Up
Editorial: Coal Miners Continue To Suffer With Black Lung
[Posted: March 22, 2019]
7
Delaware River Watershed if the Delaware River Basin Commission adopts a permanent ban on
fracking (sponsor summary). (Click Here for more background on compensating landowners
and a companion bill in the Senate-- Senate Bill 305. )
-- House Bill 828 (Fritz-R-Wayne) authorizes DEP to issue one permit for multiple gas wells on
a single pad instead of individual well permits, extends the term of well permits from 1 to 3 years
and allows well locations to vary within 50 feet of specific locations identified on the well permit
(sponsor summary). These reforms were included in a DEP white paper Gov. Wolf released in
January of 2018.
--House Bill 829 (Fritz-R- Wayne) prohibiting the Delaware River Basin Commission from
regulating onlot septic systems (sponsor summary).
The Committee held a hearing on issues involving House Bill 827 and 929 on March 20.
The meeting will be held in Room B-31 of the Main Capitol Building starting at 10:00.
Click Here to watch the meeting online.
Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental
Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-783-1707 or sending email to:
dmetcalf@pahousegop.com. Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be
contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.
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Rights If DRBC Adopts A Fracking Ban
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Surrounding Climate Change
March 27 DEP Meeting On Proposed Drilling Permits At U.S. Steel's Edgar Thomson Plant,
Allegheny County
Op-Ed: Will Our Dirt Roads Again Be Used As Dumping Sites For Oil & Gas Well Wastewater
PUC Pipeline Safety Investigation Underway Involving Possible Sunoco Gasoline Pipeline Leak
In Berks County On March 17
Dueling Press Conferences Pit Opponents Of Mariner East Pipeline Against Those Supporting
Pipeline Development
NewsClips:
PaEN: PA Projects Receive Over $1.7 Million In Federal Delaware River Watershed Restoration
Grants
25 Delaware River-Area Water Quality Projects Get $4.1M In Federal Funds
NFWF Accepting Applications For Delaware Watershed Restoration Grants
Recap Of March 13 Delaware River Basin Commission Meeting
March 22 Delaware RiverKeeper RiverWatch Video Report
[Posted: March 20, 2019]
8
The Committee will hear from Gregory Wrightstone from the Heartland Institute and
author of the newly published book Inconvenient Facts: The Science That Al Gore Doesn’t Want
You to Know.
The book’s contrarian position on climate reveals that, contrary to the “consensus
opinion,” the Earth and humanity are flourishing and goes on to challenge the predicted
apocalyptic forecasts of pending climate doom.
Wrightstone is a geologist who has been investigating the Earth’s processes for more than
35 years. He received a bachelor's in geology from Waynesburg University and a masters
degrees in geology from West Virginia University.
He has written and presented extensively on many aspects of geology including how
paleogeography and paleoclimate control geologic processes. His findings have allowed him to
speak at many venues around the world including Ireland, England, China and most recently
India.
The meeting will be held in Room G-50 Irvis Building starting at 8:30. Click Here to
watch the meeting online.
Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental
Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-783-1707 or sending email to:
dmetcalf@pahousegop.com. Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be
contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.
(Photo: Gregory Wrightstone.)
Related Stories:
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Adopts Fracking Ban, Well Pad Permitting March 26
Presenters Urge House Committee To Support bill Compensating Landowners For Drilling
Rights If DRBC Adopts A Fracking Ban
PJM: Reliability, Fuel Supply Strong In PJM During 2018-19 Winter
Community Solar Legislative Forum April 3 In Wilkes-Barre
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
Op-Ed: Science, Panic And Politics Of Climate Change
NewsClips:
Mennonite Church In Lancaster Constructs EV Charging Station
Lafayette Becomes First Lehigh Valley College To Pledge Carbon Neutrality
Penn Aims To Be Carbon Neutral By 2042
Editorial: Listen To, Support Students Speaking Out On Climate Change
AP: Report: Great Lakes Feeling Effects Of Rapid Climate Warming
Lessons Learned After Puerto Rican Hurricane Evacuees Came To Philly
Olson: Casey: Green New Deal Worthy Of Review
Olson: Cong. Wild Talks Green New Deal, Trump Investigations, More
U.S. Court Halts Drilling On Federal Land In Wyoming Over Climate Change
AP: EPA Argues For Shifting Focus From Climate Change To Water
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
9
By Chris Wood, President & CEO Of Trout Unlimited
PA Council of Trout Unlimited: “Climate change is a problem that we’re going to have to solve
together. It’s a sportsmen’s issue we’re going to have to solve if we want future generations to
have the same opportunities to fish for our native brook trout and wild trout.” The Council
recommended reading this article by Chris Wood--
Someone recently said to me, “Trout Unlimited should get out of political issues such as climate
change and focus instead on what it does best—fixing streams!”
Here is a secret… everything we do at Trout Unlimited helps our rivers, streams and
fisheries withstand the harmful effects of climate change.
When we protect the highest quality sources of cold and clean water; reconnect those
areas downstream; and restore streams we are helping to recover nature’s resilience to the more
intense floods, more frequent and damaging fires, and prolonged drought brought on by climate
change.
TU scientists and collaborators predict a 47 percent decline in total suitable habitat for
trout in the interior west by 2080 because of the changing climate.
Native cutthroat trout are estimated to lose 58 percent more habitat due to thermal stress
and negative interactions with non-native trout.
These predictions are affirmed by recent research published in the journal, Restoration
Ecology, that predicts brown trout could competitively displace brook trout from key thermal
refuge habitats.
Thus, it will be more difficult for brook trout to withstand increasing temperatures,
especially when they share their waters with non-native brown trout.
Salmon will not fare better.
For example, scientists from the Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station predict
that sockeye salmon returning to spawn will face a 5–16 percent increase in “thermal exposure.”
That means that while there will certainly be suitable habitat for migratory salmon in most rivers,
some reaches will prove lethally warm for these iconic fish.
Trout and salmon anglers should be the strongest advocates for our efforts to help salmon
and steelhead adapt to climate change.
That alone, however, is not enough.
Just as we learned in the 1990s that we had to move from the stream to the watershed
scale to recover trout and salmon, we must reduce carbon emissions to slow climate change.
10
For this reason, Trout Unlimited is supporting passage of common sense legislation such
as the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. The bill would put a fee on fossil fuels such
as coal, oil, and gas. The fee starts low and would grow over time.
This will drive down carbon pollution because energy companies, leading industries, and
American consumers will move toward cleaner, cheaper options.
The collected fees will not sit in Treasury. Every American taxpayer will receive a share
of the amount collected. Most important, it would yield a 40 percent reduction in carbon
emissions over the next 12 years.
Make no mistake, we will double down on making communities and landscapes more
resilient to the effects of climate change, and do so in a way that benefits wild and native
coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.
At the same time, we will work very hard with our many partners and members and
supporters to pass federal legislation that slows the causes of climate change.
A generation ago, acid rain causing sulfur dioxide emissions threatened the health of our
fisheries. Trout Unlimited volunteers, scientists and staff advocated for a market-based
legislative solution.
The result was the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. The legislation’s cap and trade
approach contributed to dramatic reductions for acid rain causing sulfur dioxide emissions.
Some were skeptical of cap and trade in 1990. Some will be skeptical of new legislation
to control carbon emissions now.
Just as with the amendments to the Clean Air Act in 1990, we are at the start of a long
legislative process—a process that we must begin and finish.
The time for band-aids is past. Nothing less than the future of trout and salmon; the future
of fishing—the future for our children is at stake.
11
Op-Ed: Science, Panic And Politics Of Climate Change
12
changes is daunting and therefore quite abstract for a lot of the public.
Models that evaluate how climate works can comprise hundreds of pages of code using
complex and difficult mathematical formulas. But models’ predictions are run against real data
over time; a number of these models, which predict greater and greater climate disruptions, have
been validated by actual data.
There are a number of individuals, including some scientists, who do not ascribe to the
findings noted above, but they constitute a small minority.
A number of studies published in reputable journals demonstrate that approximately 97
percent or so of climatologists support the findings in these reports, and their researches show it.
And these are an international group of scientists, not just located in the USA.
Regarding this gathering storm of dire consequences, we must ask what our current
Administration in Washington is doing.
The latest disregard for the studies and findings of a number of sciences, such as
climatology, etc. by the current Administration is to create an ad hoc Federal advisory council of
those who oppose the well-established link of carbon dioxide emissions causing climate change,
according to the Washington Post.
The Administration is spending taxpayer dollars to attempt to refute the well-established
science of climate change.
Instead of taking heed of government agencies’ risk assessments and the reports noted
above as a basis for making plans to ameliorate these risks, the Administration has rolled back
EPA programs and ignored international climate agreements, such the Paris Accord.
The voting public should not tolerate such a waste of taxpayers’ money and the displays
of willful ignorance.
It is a very provocative question to ask as to why the Administration and others believe a
small number of individuals but discount the findings of such a large majority of scientists.
When we vote in this country, the majority rules, but that is not really the point.
There are a number of possibilities as to why the great majority of scientists and their
works are ignored or even denigrated.
Some are economics—the power and profits of the fossil fuel industries, the economic
well-being and jobs these companies provide; some are philosophical—the largesse of the
federal government and its regulatory powers, the infringement of freedoms; some are rooted in
a distrust of science.
As much has been written about the economic and philosophical reasons for doubting
science, I shall only speak to science distrust briefly.
Before the Industrial Revolution, travel was by horse or by foot, medicine was by herbs
and poisons, water for drinking and bathing was often the same as for waste disposal, the list can
go on and on.
The scientific revolution started in the 1700s and continuing today has changed all of
this. Consider how medicine has changed.
Until about the 1930s, many bacterial infections were eventually lethal, often with
horrendous symptoms. Once science developed antibiotics, many of these infections disappear
after days of treatment. Science has been a boon to human civilization and life.
But one can’t cherry pick which sciences to choose and which to ignore as all of
them—biomedical sciences, chemistry, biology, and, yes, climatology all proceed by the same
processes and evaluations.
13
As has been said many times, would you go to an auto mechanic who has a new theory
about cancer? Or would you go to a surgeon specializing in cancer? I choose the expert
climatologists every time.
Dr. Richard Kaplan is an Adjunct Professor at Arcadia University in Glenside, PA, a volunteer
for PennEnvironment and a retired pharmaceutical environmental executive; from Fort
Washington, he can be contacted by email at rnmnk@aol.com.
Related Stories:
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House Environmental Committee Holds Info Meeting March 27 On Debunking Modern Myths
Surrounding Climate Change
Community Solar Legislative Forum April 3 In Wilkes-Barre
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
NewsClips:
Mennonite Church In Lancaster Constructs EV Charging Station
Lafayette Becomes First Lehigh Valley College To Pledge Carbon Neutrality
Penn Aims To Be Carbon Neutral By 2042
Editorial: Listen To, Support Students Speaking Out On Climate Change
AP: Report: Great Lakes Feeling Effects Of Rapid Climate Warming
Lessons Learned After Puerto Rican Hurricane Evacuees Came To Philly
Olson: Casey: Green New Deal Worthy Of Review
Olson: Cong. Wild Talks Green New Deal, Trump Investigations, More
U.S. Court Halts Drilling On Federal Land In Wyoming Over Climate Change
AP: EPA Argues For Shifting Focus From Climate Change To Water
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
14
of the SITES v2 Rating System, which builds on the prior SITES 2009 pilot rating system.
The CSL is one of the greenest projects in the world, developed as an education, research
and administrative building which was built over a previously documented brownfield.
Dedicated to restoring this site, it has successfully reintroduced 100 native plant species
to the surrounding area.
The CSL is net-zero energy and net-zero water, generating its own energy through
photovoltaic solar panels and a wind turbine, and capturing and treating all water onsite for
reuse.
The SITES rating system is based on the understanding that land is a crucial part of our
built environment and by fostering its resiliency, we elevate its economic, environmental and
social benefits.
SITES provides best practices and benchmarks projects against performance criteria,
enabling the market to be rewarded for their leadership in sustainability.
Used by landscape architects, engineers, architects, developers, policy makers and others,
SITES creates regenerative systems and fosters resiliency; ensures future resource supply and
mitigates climate change; transforms the market through design, development and maintenance
practices; and enhances human wellbeing and strengthens the community.
SITES-certified projects are better able to withstand and recover from floods, droughts,
wildfires and other catastrophic events. Projects can help reduce water and energy demand,
improve air quality and promote human health and wellbeing.
SITES was originally developed through a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort of the
American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the
University of Texas at Austin, and the United States Botanic Garden.
The rating system can be applied to development projects located on sites with or without
buildings and draws on the experience gained from a two-year pilot program involving more
than 100 projects.
Projects that have achieved certification include corporate headquarters, national and city
parks, academic campuses and streetscapes. For more information, visit the Sustainable SITES
Initiative website.
The Center for Sustainable Landscapes is open for the public to tour, free with the cost of
Phipps admission.
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Phipps
Conservatory and Botanical Gardens website.
Founded in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh is a globally
recognized green leader with a mission to inspire and educate all with the beauty and importance
of plants; to advance sustainability and promote human and environmental well-being through
action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse.
Encompassing 15 acres including a historic 14-room glasshouse, 23 distinct indoor and
outdoor gardens and industry-leading sustainable architecture and operations, Phipps attracts
nearly half a million visitors annually from around the world.
Related Stories:
Sustainable Pittsburgh Announces Winners Of Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge
Award-Winning Master Watershed Steward Projects Across Pennsylvania
Ted Evgeniadis, Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper, Recognized By York County Master
Watershed Stewards
15
Westmoreland Conservation District To Receive Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
DCNR Good Natured Pennsylvanians: Jodi Sulpizio, York County, Watershed Steward
NewsClips:
Lafayette Becomes First Lehigh Valley College To Pledge Carbon Neutrality
Lehigh Valley Leaders Discuss Efforts To Go Green
First Ever Eco-Innovation District Brings Sustainable Redevelopment To Uptown, West
Oakland
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
16
The winners of the Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge, in each of their divisions, are as
follows:
-- Micro Business: 3R Building Sustainability (A first time participant for the competition)
Small Business: Pashek + MTR (Pashek Associates, prior to becoming Pashek + MTR, won its
division in the 2014-2015 competition)
-- Medium Business: Tetra Tech (A first time participant for the competition)
-- Large Business: Highmark Health (Winner for a third consecutive competition)
-- Micro Nonprofit: Millvale Community Library (A come-from-behind winner to clinch the
top spot for a second consecutive competition)
-- Small Nonprofit: Conservation Consultants, Inc. (Winner for a second consecutive
competition)
-- Medium Nonprofit: Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (Also a People’s Choice
Nominee)
-- Large Nonprofit: Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh (Winner from 2014-15 competition)
-- Micro Municipality: Etna Borough (Past participant; mentored by long time participant
Allegheny County. Etna is also in the process of obtaining EcoDistrict Certification, a
complementary program.)
-- Small Municipality: Borough of Monaca (Winner from 2014-15 competition)
-- Medium Municipality: Moon Township (Three-time participant, first-time winner)
-- Large Municipality: Allegheny County (Participated in all five competitions and won each
year in its division) University Category: University of Pittsburgh (Participated in four
competitions and won its division in each year)
-- K-12 Schools: Environmental Charter School
K-12 Schools
Sustainable Pittsburgh also hosted an abbreviated, 18-week challenge for K-12 Schools,
designed specifically for teachers and students to easily participate in sustainability actions. This
is different from the K-12 Schools category for the 13-month competition listed above.
The winner of the K-12 School Classroom Challenge is Central Catholic High School.
“More than 300 unique organizations have participated in the Challenge since 2011,” said
Autumn Secrest, Sustainable Business Program Manager for Sustainable Pittsburgh. “Their
participation has shaped the program as much as the program has shaped their work. For every
Challenge, organizations bring innovative ideas and solutions that we later incorporate into the
program.
“This is why we say, ‘Every Action Makes a Difference’ – because even small ideas,
multiplied by hundreds of employees across multiple sectors, can result in great impact across
the region.”
Top Savers
Sustainable Pittsburgh also presented Top Energy Saver, Top Water Saver, and Top
Waste Saver Awards.
The Top Energy Saver Award is presented to the organization that achieved the highest
percentage of measured reduction in workspace energy consumption from this competition year
compared to the prior year, as measured using the US EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager.
Sustainable Pittsburgh presented the Borough of Etna with the Top Energy Saver Award.
Etna reduced energy usage by an impressive 25 percent over the course of the year.
Similarly, the Top Water Saver Award is presented to the organization that achieved
17
the highest percentage of measured reduction in workspace water consumption from this
competition year compared to the prior year, also measured using EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio
Manager.
Conservation Consultants, Inc. received the Top Water Saver Award, having reduced
water usage 31 percent.
Conservation Consultants, Inc. also earned the Top Waste Saver Award, reducing its
overall waste by a third and achieving a consistent diversion rate of 74 percent or more as
measured in Portfolio Manager.
A recent waste audit performed by the Pennsylvania Resources Council determined a 95
percent diversion rate.
Transportation Impact
Sustainable Pittsburgh announced Transportation Impact Saver: Pashek + MTR, which
reduced average weekly commuter emissions by 73.72 percent. They achieved this remarkable
reduction by leveraging a work-from-home policy.
People’s Choice
The inaugural People’s Choice Award recognizes one organization for its innovative or
inspiring sustainability solutions, initiatives, or actions. Each organization that participated in the
SP Challenge was eligible to cast a vote for their nominee of choice.
Of the four nominees — Allegheny County, Allegheny County Airport Authority,
Borough of Etna, and Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank — the Borough of Etna won
the People’s Choice Award with 46 percent of the votes.
All winners received special awards made from Rivanna Natural Designs, a certified B
Corp offering planet-friendly alternatives to traditional trophies and plaques.
The Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge is an initiative of Sustainable Pittsburgh’s
Champions for Sustainability business network. The Pittsburgh Business Times and
NEXTpittsburgh are Media Sponsors.
For more information on the program, visit the Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge website
or contact Autumn Secrest by sending email to: asecrest@sustainablepittsburgh.org.
Visit the Sustainable Pittsburgh website for more information on its programs, initiatives
and upcoming events.
NewsClips:
Lafayette Becomes First Lehigh Valley College To Pledge Carbon Neutrality
Lehigh Valley Leaders Discuss Efforts To Go Green
First Ever Eco-Innovation District Brings Sustainable Redevelopment To Uptown, West
Oakland
Related Stories:
Phipps' Center For Sustainable Landscapes In Pittsburgh First Project In World To Be Awarded
SITES Platinum Certification
Award-Winning Master Watershed Steward Projects Across Pennsylvania
Ted Evgeniadis, Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper, Recognized By York County Master
Watershed Stewards
Westmoreland Conservation District To Receive Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
DCNR Good Natured Pennsylvanians: Jodi Sulpizio, York County, Watershed Steward
18
[Posted: March 22, 2019]
19
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
DCNR Good Natured Pennsylvanians: Jodi Sulpizio, York County, Watershed Steward
[Posted: March 22, 2019]
20
filters, the system filters out bacteria and protozoa.
The Bucks County program won the Monitoring/Research award for their stream bank
erosion monitoring program.
Ed Hawkley, Susan Hothman, Phyllis McCabe, Scott Sinclair, Jim Walter partnered with
the Bucks County Conservation District to monitor stream bank erosion along 18 monitoring
sites on three streams: Poquessing Creek, Neshaminy Creek and Cooks Creek.
Prior to this study, no data was available on the rate of erosion of stream banks in Bucks
county. This data, collected by recording measurements on re-bar hammered into the banks, will
help municipalities target areas that require mitigation.
The Master Watershed Steward Program also recognized Carol Armstrong, the first
Master Watershed Steward in the state to reach 1,000 hours of volunteer service.
Carol participates in the Delaware/Chester County program and spends her volunteer
time installing rain gardens and native habitats, monitoring three EnviroDIY sites with Stroud
Water Research Center and their partners, supporting development of a stream monitoring
training program, providing various outreach to the public through presentations and festivals,
and much more.
Congratulations to all of these worthy awardees for their contributions to watershed
education across the state!!
For more information on watershed stewards, visit the Penn State Extension Master
Watershed Steward Program webpage.
(Reprinted from the March 21 Penn State Extension Watershed Winds newsletter.)
Related Stories:
Phipps' Center For Sustainable Landscapes In Pittsburgh First Project In World To Be Awarded
SITES Platinum Certification
Sustainable Pittsburgh Announces Winners Of Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge
Ted Evgeniadis, Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper, Recognized By York County Master
Watershed Stewards
Westmoreland Conservation District To Receive Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
DCNR Good Natured Pennsylvanians: Jodi Sulpizio, York County, Watershed Steward
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates Funding
Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
21
By working together with other conservation agencies and organizations, watershed associations
and municipalities, we can stretch limited conservation funds and leverage resources to increase
watershed restoration and awareness efforts.
Even though we are two very different agencies, our collaboration and partnership with
the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association in York County has been a great success.
The Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association is dedicated to the improvement and
preservation of the ecology and aesthetic qualities of the Lower Susquehanna and Juniata
watersheds.
The Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper works not only as an alliance builder, diplomat,
and educator, but also as an unrelenting defender and advocate of our right and the river’s right
to be healthy and prosperous.
The LSR utilizes education, chemical and biological monitoring, pollution patrols,
partnership building, public events, research and legal action to improve the health of the
Susquehanna’s waterways.
Looking back over 2018, the Master Watershed Stewards partnered with the Lower
Susquehanna Riverkeeper on several projects, including the Mayfly Festival, the Street 2 Creek
Storm Drain Art Project, the Youth and Family Fishing and Conservation Day, stream
monitoring, stream clean ups, restoration projects and more.
At the end of 2018, Master Watershed Stewards teamed up with the Lower Susquehanna
Riverkeeper Association and ALLARM (Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring) out of
Dickinson College to implement a larger water quality monitoring program in York County.
Findings through the monitoring program can help York County make more informed
watershed management decisions. We look forward to partnering on this endeavor in 2019 and
beyond.
We also plan to work together to expand the Street 2 Creek Project and offer another
Youth and Family Fishing and Conservation Day in the City of York.
It’s been a pleasure to work with Ted, and we look forward to a continued partnership.
Together, we can continue to protect our water resources quality in York County.
More information about the Master Watershed Steward Program can be found on the
York County Extension page.
For more information on watershed stewards, visit the Penn State Extension Master
Watershed Steward Program webpage.
(Photo: Ted Evgeniadis – Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper, Jodi Sulpizio - MWS Coordinator,
York County Extension, Donna Scherer – Penn State Extension Client Relations Manager, and
Doug Hoke - York County Commissioner.)
(Reprinted from the March 21 Penn State Extension Watershed Winds newsletter.)
Related Stories:
Phipps' Center For Sustainable Landscapes In Pittsburgh First Project In World To Be Awarded
SITES Platinum Certification
Sustainable Pittsburgh Announces Winners Of Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge
Award-Winning Master Watershed Steward Projects Across Pennsylvania
Westmoreland Conservation District To Receive Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
DCNR Good Natured Pennsylvanians: Jodi Sulpizio, York County, Watershed Steward
22
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates Funding
Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
DCNR Good Natured Pennsylvanians: Jodi Sulpizio, York County Watershed Steward
23
“Everyone plays a part, and everyone can make a difference,” says Jodi. “Any volunteer
or work experience you can acquire, the better,” she says.
Know of a good natured Pennsylvanian who is passionate about outdoor recreation and/or
conservation that we should feature? Contact DCNR by sending email to: ra-resource@pa.gov to
nominate someone.
For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit
DCNR’s website, Click Here to sign up for the Resource newsletter, Visit the Good Natured
DCNR Blog, Click Here for upcoming events, Click Here to hook up with DCNR on other
social media-- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.
(Reprinted from the March 20 DCNR Resource newsletter. Click Here to sign up for your own
copy.)
Related Stories:
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates Funding
Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
Phipps' Center For Sustainable Landscapes In Pittsburgh First Project In World To Be Awarded
SITES Platinum Certification
Sustainable Pittsburgh Announces Winners Of Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge
Award-Winning Master Watershed Steward Projects Across Pennsylvania
Ted Evgeniadis, Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper, Recognized By York County Master
Watershed Stewards
Westmoreland Conservation District To Receive Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates Funding
Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal
For Conservation
24
Livengood is a homeschooled student from near Ohiopyle and has been a Boy Scout
since 2013 in Troop #687 in Farmington and lives on a small family farm.
He has been a certified Conservation Ambassador by the PA Wildlife Leadership
Academy since 2015, attended the Penn State Conservation Leadership School in 2016 and
2017, is a member of the Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society and was appointed to the
Governor's Youth Advisory Council on Hunting, Fishing and Conservation.
He was also recognized for is work in and around Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County
by DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn.
4 Conservation Projects
To win the Medal, Livengood completed 4 major conservation projects. Here’s how he
describes them--
-- Project #1. Restoring the Bioswales in Ohiopyle, PA: Bioswales are street-side green
landscape elements that collect and purify stormwater runoff. There are 30 bioswales in the
Ohiopyle borough, comprising nearly 4,000 square feet of biofilter area. The Ohiopyle
Bioswales had not been properly maintained for ten years, which left them non-functioning. My
renovation project involved a total of 1,977 total man-hours, including 586 hours of my own
time. The monetary value of my project was approximately $25,000 dollars, which I completely
funded through material and monetary donations. I developed a detailed Maintenance Manual
and assisted the Borough with hiring a bioswale maintenance official, who is currently employed
with the funding I raised. I helped the Borough develop several ongoing fundraising ideas,
including a GoFundMe page, www.gf.me/u/katnks Click Here for more.
-- Project #2: Researching Raptors on Chestnut Ridge in southwestern PA: I discovered a
previously undocumented bird of prey migration flyway on Chestnut Ridge in the western
Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania. I founded the Summit Mountain Hawkwatch on this
flyway, https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=802 which is now the farthest west ridge
hawkwatch in Pennsylvania, with spring and fall migration to be conducted each year. Even
though the project ended last summer, I am still working to set up a long-term hawkwatch site
with consistent official counters. The project took 926 hours, 388 of which were my own. Click
Here for more.
-- Project #3: Saving Cranberry Glade Lake – A Research Assessment: I performed baseline
research on Cranberry Glade Lake in Somerset County, PA to assist the PA Fish & Boat
Commission with managing overgrown aquatic vegetation. I specifically considered the
feasibility and sustainability of introducing Triploid Grass Carp to control weeds. I led 571 hours
of research, 240 of which were my own, assessing depth and temperature profile, plant species
presence and prevalence, nitrate, nitrite, and phosphate levels, and more. Click Here for more.
-- Project #4: Restoring the Forest Understory: This project took place in the Ohiopyle State
Park Kentuck Campground. The forest understory in the Campground area had been seriously
depleted. I worked with the Park Manager and completed vegetation assessments of the native
plants in the surrounding areas and created an Understory Restoration Plan. I led 545 hours of
research on this project, 204 hours of which were my own. We also determined the causes of the
understory depletion (absence of tent pads, signage, or defined parking) and looked at ways to
mitigate these causes. The Ohiopyle State Park Manager will use my Understory Restoration
Plan in future years to rehabilitate the Campground area. Click Here for more.
Livengood will be presented with the Hornaday Silver Medal and the Eagle Scout Rank
at a Court of Honor Ceremony in the near future.
25
He can be contacted by sending email to: PeterE.Livengood@gmail.com.
(Photo: Livengood accepting the Conservation Award from DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams
Dunn.)
Related Stories:
DCNR Recognizes Boy Scout Peter Livengood With Conservation Award For Projects In And
Near Ohiopyle State Park
Restoring Blooming Bioswales For A Better Youghiogheny River In Ohiopyle Borough
Restoring The Understory At Ohiopyle State Park’s Kentuck Campground
Setting Up A Raptor Observation Area On Chestnut Ridge Near Uniontown
Saving Cranberry Glade Lake
Times-Tribune: Teen Girl Scout Earns Silver Award With Trail Project In Lackawanna County
Related Stories This Week:
Phipps' Center For Sustainable Landscapes In Pittsburgh First Project In World To Be Awarded
SITES Platinum Certification
Sustainable Pittsburgh Announces Winners Of Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge
Award-Winning Master Watershed Steward Projects Across Pennsylvania
Ted Evgeniadis, Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper, Recognized By York County Master
Watershed Stewards
Westmoreland Conservation District To Receive Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award
DCNR Good Natured Pennsylvanians: Jodi Sulpizio, York County, Watershed Steward
CBF-PA: Media Invited To Paddle Along As Students Explore Local PA Waterways
PA Green Colleges Hold Conference On Sustainable Development Goals And Higher Education
April 9 In State College
[Posted: March 18, 2019]
Op-Ed: Will Our Dirt Roads Again Be Used As Dumping Sites For Oil & Gas Well
Wastewater
26
The PaDEP [Department of Environmental Protection] initiated a surprise, but welcome
statewide ban on the road spreading of oil and gas wastewater about halfway through legal action
(Environmental Hearing Board 2017-051-B).
That allowed the Pennsylvania Legislature to step into the gap and introduce House Bill
2154 [Causer-R-Cameron] and Senate Bill 1088 [Hutchinson-R-Venango] to benefit the oil and
gas industry. These bill would have reinstated the use of Commonwealth dirt roads as dump
sites for oil and gas wastewater.
2018 passed without the PaDEP brining ban being lifted either legislatively or by
regulation. 2019 awaits a resolution.
Real scientific, legal, environmental and health questions complete against what has
become a monetarily convenient and shockingly short-sighted disposal give-away to the energy
production industry.
I have been called a “fear-monger” and believer in “fake” science for my opposition to
dirt road brining.
My township is all about hills and water. Expert reports prepared for my lawsuit showed
the guidelines the DEP uses to allow dirt road brine spreading are monumentally disconnected
from real-time hydrological and topographical field conditions in Farmington Township.
Hydrologically, it is impossible to avoid massive collateral contamination from road
spreading of brine. Topographically, percent-grade analysis maps proved neither the DEP nor
the township knew how steep township roads were.
Brine haulers have been required to obtain yearly plan approvals from the DEP in order
to road-spread brine fluids. One mandate, which is impossible to enforce, is that all wastwaters
come from shallower “conventional” hydrocarbon producing formations and not the deeper
“unconventional” shale layers.
Another unenforced mandate is the required submission of a very limited chemical
analysis on the brine.
My lawsuit compared the test results submitted by haulers authorized to spread in
Farmington Township to the known parameters of Marcellus Shale. The two were then graphed.
Farmington Township results labeled “conventional” dramatically exceeded results
coming from “unconventional” shale wastewater test samples.
Chlorides spread on the roads in my township routinely extended upwards of 73,000
mg/l. That figure is 317 times greater than the concentration the DEP states is toxic to aquatic
life. (“A Hydrologic Case Study of PA Brine Spreading Practice,” 2018 Hydroquest)
In 2018, Penn State noted salt concentrations in brine can be so high they require 1600
dilutions just to reach drinking water standards.
Dirt road residents are told oil and gas wastewater is beneficial to the dirt roads. We are
told if brine is spread on our roads, dust will be suppressed and the road will be stabilized.
A noted soil scientist took an in-depth and now published review of what happens to a
dirt road when it is brined.
Soil science refutes the claim that brine suppresses dust. The physical and chemical
properties of oil and gas wastewater cause the particles and layers of a dirt road to destabilize.
Widespread road degradation results.
Immediately after brining, the road’s travel surface becomes slippery and sloppy. Wet
weather makes brined roads nearly impassable. The roads fill with surface washing and
potholes.
27
Dry weather causes brined roads to develop a concrete-like surface veneer that friates
into choking clouds of toxically enriched fine particulate dust. In fact, “... it is very likely the
dust produced from just a single application of brine would exceed action levels or cleanup
standards set by the EPA or DEP…” (“Oil and Gas Well Brines For Dust Control- Part 1:
Ineffectiveness” Dr. Bryce Payne, ESJ 2018)
We have learned oil and gas wastewater is radioactive. Surface waters and stream
sediments below waste treatment plants designated competent to treat brine for disposal have
been found to be 650 times more radioactive than those above the facility. Some exceed the
radioactivity levels that required disposal at federally designated waste disposal sites. (2018,
Nicholas School of Environment, Duke University “Radioactivity Persists in Pennsylvania
Stream Sediments.”)
Research projects from Penn State give pause to dirt road disposal of oil and gas
wastewater. Penn State found brine carries significant radioactivity. They found oil and gas
wastewater readily migrates from the road surface it is applied to.
Their research documented long term bioaccumulation in aquatic life such as fresh water
mussels and water fleas. Penn State also raised the alarm that that exposure to oil and gas brine
could have a negative impact on human health.
Semantics, or word-play, has become the lifeblood of the official dog-chased-tail debate
over disposal of oil and gas wastewater on dirt roads.
In late summer of 2018, several roads in Northwest Pennsylvania appeared to be heavily
brined. That fact was confirmed by PaDEP.
In recent years, entrepreneurs have begun extracting and marketing brine fluids from
hydrocarbon wells no longer capable of oil and gas production.
Promotional claims state, “this brine does not contain any harmful chemicals or oil often
found in gas well brine…” (LS-25 Fact Sheet, Seneca Mineral Company)
Calling these brine fluids “naturally occurring” “...that is pumped from the ground to our
storage tanks and then delivered directly to our customers.” (LS-25 Fact Sheet, Seneca Mineral
Company)
Word-play has allowed these wastewaters to be re-labeled as a “product.” Designation as
a “product” allows these particular brines to escape PaDEP regulation and avoid being affected
by the 2018 statewide brine ban. (2019 Minutes DEP Citizens Advisory Council).
Traditional oil and gas producers are also hoping that deflection and semantics will allow
their wastewaters to change their physical and chemical nature. Product, co-product, co-product
definitions, co-product determinations, commodity, processed, similarity, stakeholder, benign
ancient sea water.
Northwest Pennsylvania is littered with hydrocarbon wells that are “watered out,” no
longer capable of fossil fuel production. “Under solid waste management regulation, if a waste
product mimics an intentionally produced product that does not otherwise present harm to the
environment, that waste product can be deemed a co-product and used in the same manner.”
(2019 DEP Citizens Advisory Council minutes).
This is a loophole and opportunity that oil and gas operators are evaluating. (2019 DEP
Citizens Advisory Council minutes).
Most ominously, it is stated in these same minutes, that “The Department has not noted
any environmental impact from the use of brine as a dust suppressant.”
On December 8, 2018, the oil and gas industry placed a full page ad in the Pittsburgh
28
Post Gazette. The ad was titled, “The Power Of Partners.”
Twenty-six energy companies formed a partnership in 2017 with the stated goal of
improving their environmental footprint. A year later there were 52 “partners” with names
recognizable to all Western Pennsylvanians.
In print, these companies committed to taking action to using “best practices” to
responsibly develop essential oil and gas resources. Implied was the oil and gas industry would
use their great ability to innovate to avoid great destruction.
I would say collectively to the above Energy Partners, the rest of the oil and gas industry,
politicians, township supervisors and the PaDEP: by allowing Pennsylvania’s dirt roads to
become a disposal location for oil and gas wastewater, you have dug a very deep hole.
That you continue to fight to do so is beyond comprehension. Great innovation should
bring with it great responsibility.
The oil and gas industry has the money, the power and this ability to enact positive
change. Disposing of oil and gas wastewater without compounding harm would be a terrific
place to start.
[Note: Scott Perry, DEP Deputy Secretary for Oil and Gas Management, told DEP’s
Citizens Advisory Council on January 22 DEP currently has no plans to develop a regulation or
permit to authorize the use of brine as a dust suppressant and have not issued any new
authorizations since the appeal to the Environmental Hearing Board case was dismissed after
DEP agreed to implement a ban on new authorizations. He said DEP has not noted any
environmental impact from the use of brine as a dust suppressant. He added there continues to be
significant public interest in those areas that have historically used brine for dust suppressant to
continue to use it. While there has no official action by DEP, discussions are ongoing with the
Crude Oil Development Advisory Council on the issue.
[However, Perry said brine from Seneca Mineral [in Erie] is still being used for de-icing
and dust suppression purposes because the brine the company produces from its wells is
considered a product-- LS 25-- under the beneficial use provisions of the state Solid Waste
Management Act. He said DEP does not require an application for the use but can request the
product determination materials and evaluate whether the material metts a product definition. He
added conventional well operators are evaluating that opportunity. From CAC January 22
meeting minutes.
[On March 21, DEP told the members of the Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board that
they plan to included updated requirements covering the spreading of brine on roads in the next
draft of the Chapter 78 oil and gas regulations on conventional drilling operations.]
(Photos: L- Brine in a roadside ditch which ran into a stream about 1,000 feet from where this
photo was taken, R- Old Slate Road was heavily brined the day before (Sept. 26, 2017), by Siri
Lawson.)
(Comments on this article can be sent to: PaEnviroDigest@gmail.com. )
Related Story:
Op-Ed: The Story Behind Stopping Conventional Oil & Gas Brine Spreading On Dirt Roads
Related Stories This Week:
March 27 DEP Meeting On Proposed Drilling Permits At U.S. Steel's Edgar Thomson Plant,
Allegheny County
PUC Pipeline Safety Investigation Underway Involving Possible Sunoco Gasoline Pipeline Leak
In Berks County On March 17
29
Dueling Press Conferences Pit Opponents Of Mariner East Pipeline Against Those Supporting
Pipeline Development
House Committee To Consider Bill To Compensate Landowners For Drilling Rights If DRBC
Adopts Fracking Ban, Well Pad Permitting March 26
Presenters Urge House Committee To Support Bill Compensating Landowners For Drilling
Rights If DRBC Adopts A Fracking Ban
[Posted: March 22, 2019]
The following bills of interest saw action last week in the House and Senate--
House
Farmland Preservation: House Bill 370 (Klunk-R-York) amending the Agricultural Area
Security Law to provide for the voluntary relinquishment of the right to construct a residence to
further reduce the value of the property (House Fiscal Note and summary) was reported from the
House Appropriations Committee and passed by the House. The bill now goes to the Senate for
action.
Tree Of Heaven: House Bill 404 (Lawrence-R-Chester) designating the tree of heaven,
preferred home for the spotted lanternfly (House Fiscal Note and summary) was reported from
the House Appropriations Committee and passed by the House. The bill now goes to the Senate
for action.
Removing Game Lands Purchase Cap: House Bill 752 (Turzai-R-Allegheny) removing the
purchase price cap on state game lands (House Fiscal Note and summary) was passed by the
House and now goes to the Senate for action.
Water System Valuation: House Bill 751 (Roae-R-Crawford) further providing for the
valuation of wastewater and water systems for ratemaking purposes, revising the definition of
service line (House Fiscal Note and summary) was passed by the House and now goes to the
Senate for action.
Flood Insurance: House Bill 328 (Warren-D- Bucks) establishing a Flood Insurance Premium
Assistance Task Force (sponsor summary) was amended and reported out of the House Insurance
Committee and Tabled.
Senate
Nominations: the nominations Of McDonnell At DEP, Dunn at DCNR were referred to the
Senate Environmental Committee and Redding At Agriculture to the Senate Agriculture
Committee for consideration.
Here are the Senate and House Calendars for the next voting session day and Committees
scheduling action on bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--
Bill Calendars
House (March 25): House Bill 247 (Oberlander-R-Clarion) to allow cross unit unconventional
drilling and authorizes voluntary pooling ; House Bill 374 (Everett-R- Lycoming) establishing
the Keystone Tree Fund to support tree planting programs by the Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources (sponsor summary) <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.
Senate (March 25): Senate Bill 147 (Laughlin-R-Erie) authorizing the Game Commission to
allow Sunday hunting. Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.
House: the Game and Fisheries Committee meets to consider House Bill 808 (Mehaffie-R-
Dauphin) authorizing the Fish and Boat Commission to set its own fees for 3 years (sponsor
summary); the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee holds 2 meetings, first to
consider House Bill 827 (Fritz-R-Wayne) which requiring compensation for oil and gas rights
owners in Delaware River Watershed if the Delaware River Basin Commission adopts a
permanent ban on fracking (sponsor summary). (Click Here for more background on
compensating landowners and a companion bill in the Senate-- Senate Bill 305. ); House Bill 828
(Fritz-R-Wayne) authorizes DEP to issue one permit for multiple gas wells on a single pad
instead of individual well permits, extends the term of well permits from 1 to 3 years and allows
well locations to vary within 50 feet of specific locations identified on the well permit (sponsor
summary); --House Bill 829 (Fritz-R- Wayne) prohibiting the Delaware River Basin
Commission from regulating onlot septic systems (sponsor summary) and an informational
meeting on “factually debunking some of the modern myths surrounding the ‘climate change’
discussion.” <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.
Check the PA Environmental Council Bill Tracker for the status and updates on pending state
legislation and regulations that affect environmental and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.
Session Schedule
Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--
Senate
March 25, 26, 27
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
March 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.
House Committee Reports Out Bill Creating Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task
Force
33
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help York With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help Lancaster With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Huntingdon County: Restore PA Aims To Avoid Local Disasters
NOAA Forecasters Say Midwest’s Flooding Could Preview Unprecedented Spring
Flooding - National
Nebraska Floods: 74 Cities, 65 Counties Declare State Of Emergency
Missouri River Floods Causing Many To Evacuate
Rescues, Evacuations As Floodwaters Breach Levees In Midwest
Lessons Learned After Puerto Rican Hurricane Evacuees Came To Philly
[Posted: March 18, 2019]
House Environmental Committee Reports Out Bill Allowing Cross Unit Drilling Under
Several Properties, Voluntary Pooling
34
Dueling Press Conferences Pit Opponents Of Mariner East Pipeline Against Those Supporting
Pipeline Development
[Posted: March 19, 2019]
PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The
Golden Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
35
operating pool, boating and other recreation opportunities and additional arrangements would
have to be looked in terms of their impact on long term maintenance costs.
Mowery said PPFF is recommending an investment of $100 million a year to address the
backlog in state parks and forest maintenance.
Mowery said she looked forward to discussing funding options with members of the
General Assembly since they are the experts on funding.
A copy of the The Legacy of Pennsylvania Parks and Forests: The Future is in Our Hands
report is available online.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the PA Parks &
Forests Foundation website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Foundation,
Like them on Facebook or Follow them on Twitter. Click Here to become a member of the
Foundation.
Click Here to watch a video of the hearing (when posted).
Rep. David Millard (R-Columbia) serves as Majority Chair of the Committee and can be
contacted by calling 717-783-1102 or send email to: dmillard@pahousegop.com. Rep. Mark
Longietti (D-Mercer) serves as Minority Chair of the Committee and can be contacted by calling
717-772-4035 or send email to: mlongiet@pahouse.net.
Related Stories:
Pennsylvanians Urged To Help Preserve The Legacy Of PA’s State Parks & Forests
Growing Greener Coalition Issues Call To Action To Make New Investments In Restoring The
Environment, Oppose Backsliding
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates Funding
Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
PA Parks & Forests Foundation Forthcoming Report: Conserving The Legacy: The Future Is In
Our Hands
Growing Greener Coalition Opposes Using Community Environmental Project Funds For
Agency Operating Costs; Issues Call To Action
Related Stories This Week:
DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Meets March 27 To Discuss
Update To PA Outdoor Recreation Plan
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
William Penn Foundation Announced Creative Communities Grant Awards Totaling $2.6
Million
Joint Conservation Committee Meeting Highlights Initiatives To Boost Bicycle Tourism Along
PA Route 6
Pike County Outdoors Guide For Sportsmen, Outdoor Enthusiasts Now Available
PA Environmental Council Welcomes Trails Program Manager Brett Hollern
Susquehanna National Heritage Area Officially Designated By Congress
March 20 Resource Newsletter Now Available From DCNR
NewsClips:
As Levee Costs Grow In Williamsport, Next Stage Includes State Funding
Huntingdon County: Restore PA Aims To Avoid Local Disasters
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help York With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help Lancaster With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
36
Wolf Pushes Restore PA To Eliminate Lead From Philly School At A Cost Of $100 Million
Gov. Wolf Confident He Has Votes For Severance Tax, But Republicans Beg To Differ
Republicans, Gas Industry Oppose Severance Tax To Fund Wolf’s Restore PA Infrastructure
Plan
AP: Wolf Says $4.5B Restore PA Could Help Schools Cleanup Lead Paint
Sen. Yudichak: Growth Wll Fuel PA’s Future - Restore PA
DCNR Tours Mira Lloyd Dock Center To Discuss How Restore PA Could Address
Infrastructure Needs
Op-Ed: Pass A Natural Gas Severance Tax to Fund Infrastructure In PA - Gov. Wolf
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
Antrim Twp Might Use Reserve Funds On Stormwater Requirements
Bay Journal: Trump Administration Makes Another Bid To Slash Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Funds
Editorial: Funding For Lower Mon Project Arrives Just In Time
AP: Federal Black Lung Fund In Danger Of Drying Up
Editorial: Coal Miners Continue To Suffer With Black Lung
[Posted: March 19, 2019]
37
Wolf Administration.
Nestor said legal action has been taken against DRBC on its moratorium on drilling
adopted in 2010, but that process has been very slow.
He said if DRBC is denying property owners from exercising their property rights, they
should pay for those rights and said he supported House Bill 827.
He said he is also concerned DRBC will use its authority to regulate all types of land use
in the watershed, not just drilling for natural gas.
Ned Lang, PA Septage Management Association, said DRBC has exceeded its authority
on the proposed fracking ban, overriding the Department of Environmental Protection and
Pennsylvania law.
Lang said he is concerned DRBC will use its authority to regulate onlot septic systems
and related services like land application of biosolids and supports House Bill 829 (Fritz-R-
Wayne) prohibiting the Delaware River Basin Commission from regulating onlot septic systems
(sponsor summary).
He said DEP and Pennsylvania already has laws and regulations covering onlot septic
systems.
Written comments on these issues were also provided to the Committee by Wayne
Campbell, President, State Grange.
Click Here to watch a video of the hearing (when posted).
Next Meeting
The Committee has scheduled a meeting for March 26 to consider House Bill 827 and
829 mentioned at this meeting as well as House Bill 828 (Fritz-R-Wayne) authorizes DEP to
issue one permit for multiple gas wells on a single pad instead of individual well permits,
extends the term of well permits from 1 to 3 years and allows well locations to vary within 50
feet of specific locations identified on the well permit (sponsor summary). These reforms were
included in a DEP white paper Gov. Wolf released in January of 2018.
The meeting will be held in Room B-31 of the Main Capitol Building starting at 10:00.
Click Here to watch the meeting online.
Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental
Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-783-1707 or sending email to:
dmetcalf@pahousegop.com. Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be
contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.
Related Stories:
House Committee To Consider Bill To Compensate Landowners For Drilling Rights If DRBC
Adopts Fracking Ban, Well Pad Permitting March 26
House Environmental Committee Holds Info Meeting March 27 On Debunking Modern Myths
Surrounding Climate Change
March 27 DEP Meeting On Proposed Drilling Permits At U.S. Steel's Edgar Thomson Plant,
Allegheny County
Op-Ed: Will Our Dirt Roads Again Be Used As Dumping Sites For Oil & Gas Well Wastewater
PUC Pipeline Safety Investigation Underway Involving Possible Sunoco Gasoline Pipeline Leak
In Berks County On March 17
Dueling Press Conferences Pit Opponents Of Mariner East Pipeline Against Those Supporting
Pipeline Development
[Posted: March 20, 2019]
38
Joint Conservation Committee Meeting Highlights Initiatives To Boost Bicycle Tourism
Along PA Route 6
39
Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Meets March 27 To Discuss
Update To PA Outdoor Recreation Plan
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
William Penn Foundation Announced Creative Communities Grant Awards Totaling $2.6
Million
Pike County Outdoors Guide For Sportsmen, Outdoor Enthusiasts Now Available
PA Environmental Council Welcomes Trails Program Manager Brett Hollern
Susquehanna National Heritage Area Officially Designated By Congress
March 20 Resource Newsletter Now Available From DCNR
March 22 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation
NewsClips:
DCNR Tours Mira Lloyd Dock Center To Discuss How Restore PA Could Address
Infrastructure Needs
Warmer Weather Brings More Ticks, Lyme Disease Diagnosis
PA Keeping An Eye On Ticks With Statewide Collection Survey
Op-Ed: Philly’s Demand For Public Spaces Requires Creative Funding Solutions
DCNR Accepting Sealed Bids To Operate Presque Isle’s Concession
Luzerne Committee Narrows Proposed Natural Gas Rec Funding Awards
Northwestern Recreation Fields Damage Prompts Cash Reward In Lehigh Valley
Skate Park Coming Back In Luzerne
Frye: Camping When Campfires Are Prohibited
[Posted: March 20, 2019]
Bill Authorizing Fish & Boat Commission To Set Own Fees To Be Considered By House
Committee On March 25
40
the Act 13 Impact Fee,” Schaeffer explained. “We are also receiving the full amount of taxes
paid on motorboat fuel thanks to the Act 89 Transportation Bill.
“On the expenditure side, we have reduced full-time and seasonal staff positions. The
Commission has also deferred investments in $18 million of prioritized equipment, vehicles, and
maintenance needs for its hatcheries, public facilities, and other operations.”
Last October the 4 Chairs of the Senate and House Game and Fisheries Committees
promised to seek additional funding for the Commission in 2019.
The meeting will be held in Room 205 of the Ryan Building starting at 9:30. Click Here
to watch the meeting online.
Rep. Keith Gillespie (R-York) serves as Majority Chair of the House Game and Fisheries
Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-705-7167 or send email to:
kgillesp@pahousegop.com. Rep. William Kortz (D-Allegheny) serves as Minority Chair and
can be contacted by calling 717-780-4783 or send email to: bkortz@pahouse.net.
Related Stories:
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership: Call Your House Member To Support Bill To
Allow Fish & Boat Commission To Adopt Its Own Fees
Penn State Brook Trout Researchers Featured In New Expedition Chesapeake Film
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
NewsClips:
Schneck: Flattened Frogs, Toads, Salamanders: Love & Death On PA Roadways
Ad Crable, Outdoor, Environmental Writer For LancasterOnline.com Is Retiring
Times Leader Layoffs Decimate Sports Department - Tom Venesky, Paul Sokoloski
Op-Ed: Rolling Back Portions Of Federal Clean Water Act Is A Bad Idea
[Posted: March 20, 2019]
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership: Call Your House Member To Support Bill
To Allow Fish & Boat Commission To Adopt Its Own Fees
41
Bill Authorizing Fish & Boat Commission To Set Own Fees To Be Considered By House
Committee On March 25
Penn State Brook Trout Researchers Featured In New Expedition Chesapeake Film
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
NewsClips:
Schneck: Flattened Frogs, Toads, Salamanders: Love & Death On PA Roadways
Ad Crable, Outdoor, Environmental Writer For LancasterOnline.com Is Retiring
Times Leader Layoffs Decimate Sports Department - Tom Venesky, Paul Sokoloski
Op-Ed: Rolling Back Portions Of Federal Clean Water Act Is A Bad Idea
[Posted: March 22, 2019]
The Feds
Conservation District Leader From PA Presses Case For Strong Federal Conservation
Funding In DC
42
On March 13, conservation district officials from across the
nation descended upon the nation’s capital as part of the National
Association of Conservation District’s 2019 Spring Fly-In,
including Kelly Stagen, PA Association of Conservation Districts
Secretary and North East Region Director and Pike County
Conservation District board member.
More than 150 district representatives from over 30 states took to
Capitol Hill to educate their federal representatives about and
advocate for voluntary, locally-led conservation.
Stagen rallied on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for voluntary
conservation along with other locally-elected conservation district
officials and conservation leaders from around the country.
“Meeting with Pennsylvania’s leaders on Capitol Hill was a great opportunity to stress
the importance of conservation district work in our local communities,” said Stagen. It’s
important to keep the conversation going about issues facing our natural resources to ensure
enough clean water and healthy soil for future generations.”
At this year’s fly-in, district officials communicated the value of:
-- Farm bill conservation programs. Because the farm bill is the federal government’s primary
tool for setting agriculture and food policy in the United States, NACD has carefully developed
nine farm bill principles to promote in and out of farm bill negotiations now and until the next
farm bill is passed.
Several of NACD’s farm bill principles advocate for locally-led and incentive-based
conservation on working and urban lands, another calls for streamlined land-use and reporting
regulations.
-- Strong conservation funding. Every year through the appropriations process, federal funding
is allotted to specific conservation programs housed under USDA, the Interior Department, and
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). NACD believes these funds are critical to helping
Americans voluntarily enhance soil and water quality at the local level across the country.
-- Conservation technical assistance. Conservation technical assistance – like conservation
planning and monitoring – helps landowners become better stewards of their natural resources.
Without it, many landowners and land managers wouldn’t have the capacity to implement
conservation practices at all.
For more information about the work of Pennsylvania’s 66 conservation districts, visit
the PA Association of Conservation Districts website. You can also follow PACD on Facebook.
(Photo: Adam Tarr, Legislative Assistant for PA Senator Bob Casey with Kelly Stagen, PACD
Secretary.)
Related Stories:
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates Funding
Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
Senate Agriculture Committee Holds Hearing On Redding As Secretary Of Agriculture April 9
[Posted: March 19, 2019]
PA Receives $53.8 Million In 2019 Federal Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Funds,
Reclamation Fee Due To Expire
43
On March 19, the federal Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement announced Pennsylvania
will receive $53,846,935 in Abandoned Mine Land
Reclamation funding.
This amount is down slightly from 2018 when
Pennsylvania received $55.6 million.
Pennsylvania, which has one-third of the abandoned
mine sites in the nation, received the second largest
amount of funding behind Wyoming with $87.8 million.
In addition, for each of the last 2 years, Pennsylvania has
received a total of $55 million in additional funding from a pilot program to reclaim abandoned
mines in areas that have economic development potential-- $30 million in 2016 and $25 million
in 2017. A third year grant request for this pilot program totalling $25 million is pending.
Click Here for the full OMRE funding announcement.
AML Fee Expires
The per ton fee on coal mined in the United States that supports the federal Abandoned
Mine Land Reclamation Program is due to expire in September 2021.
John Stefanko, DEP Deputy Secretary for Active and Abandoned Mine Operations, told
the Citizens Advisory Council last July that reauthorization of the fee is critical to the continued
success of Pennsylvania’s Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program.
Pennsylvania has nearly 250,000 acres of abandoned mine sites yet to reclaim causing
over 5,500 miles of streams to be impaired.
Since DEP’s Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program began in earnest in the mid-1960s,
more than 76,391 acres of abandoned mines have been reclaimed at a cost of $661 million.
Stefanko said Pennsylvania is cooperating with Wyoming and other states to push for
reauthorization of the fee before it expires, but so far Congress has taken no action.
RECLAIM Initiative
Congress has also been considering making the pilot program to reclaim abandoned mine
sites with economic development potential permanent as part of the RECLAIM initiative to
provide $258 million over 5 years from the Abandoned Mine Land Fund to support state
reclamation efforts.
Pennsylvania, the Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, the
Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds and many other groups have supported this effort, but
so far Congress has not acted.
Good Samaritan Program
Also pending in Congress is legislation to create a Good Samaritan Program designed to
encourage reclamation of abandoned mines by operators, watershed groups and others not
connected to the abandoned mine site.
Pennsylvania has had a Good Samaritan Program since 1999 that has resulted in 79 acid
mine drainage treatment projects in 20 counties all at no cost to taxpayers.
Pennsylvania and many other groups have testified in support of this program, but so far
Congress has failed to act.
Visit DEP’s Active and Abandoned Mine Operations webpage for more information on
these programs.
44
(Photo: Ehrenfeld mine reclamation project in Cambria County reclaimed through the federal
pilot Abandoned Mine Lands Economic Revitalization Program.)
Related Stories:
Growing Greener Coalition Issues Call To Action To Make New Investments In Restoring The
Environment, Oppose Backsliding
Growing Greener Coalition Urges New Investment In Restoring The Environment, Preventing
Flooding, No Backsliding On Existing Commitments
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates Funding
Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The Golden
Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
NewsClips:
As Levee Costs Grow In Williamsport, Next Stage Includes State Funding
Huntingdon County: Restore PA Aims To Avoid Local Disasters
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help York With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help Lancaster With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf Pushes Restore PA To Eliminate Lead From Philly School At A Cost Of $100 Million
Gov. Wolf Confident He Has Votes For Severance Tax, But Republicans Beg To Differ
Republicans, Gas Industry Oppose Severance Tax To Fund Wolf’s Restore PA Infrastructure
Plan
[Posted: March 20, 2019]
PA Projects Receive Over $1.7 Million In Federal Delaware River Watershed Restoration
Grants
45
Delaware Riverkeeper Network, $88,506
-- Stormwater management and trail restoration in Wissahickon Valley Park, Friends of the
Wissahickon, $125,000
-- Fish Passage Improvements and Stream Restoration in Bushkill Creek, Wildlands
Conservancy, Inc., $183,001
-- Implementing Green Stormwater Infrastructure at Drexel Gardens Park, Pennsylvania
Resources Council, $202,340
-- Aquatic Habitat Restoration at Aquetong Spring Park, Solebury Township, $250,000
-- Unassessed Waters Initiative-IV, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, $50,000
-- Expanding Stream Restoration in the Red Clay Creek, Brandywine Red Clay Alliance,
$249,556
-- Wissahickon Headwaters Riparian Restoration, Wissahickon Valley Watershed
Association, $249,970
Several multi-state grants were also awarded that will benefit Pennsylvania, including--
-- Enhancing Aquatic Connectivity and Flood Resilience at Road Stream Crossings, Trout
Unlimited, Inc., $55,021
-- Reducing Microplastics in the Delaware Estuary, Delaware River Basin Commission,
$60,454
-- Planning and Implementation of a Living Shoreline at Bartram's Garden, Partnership for
the Delaware Estuary, Inc., $125,000
-- Enhancing Forest Habitat in the Northern Delaware River Watershed, Wildlife
Management Institute, $249,917
Click Here for a list of all grants awarded.
Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund grants were awarded to organizations to address
key issues facing the watershed, such as conserving and restoring fish and wildlife habitat,
improving and maintaining water quality, sustaining and enhancing water management and
reducing flood damage, and improving recreational opportunities and public access.
A large pool of worthy projects was submitted for consideration, signifying the need for
continued robust federal funding for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program.
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Coalition
for the Delaware River Watershed website.
Related Stories:
NFWF Accepting Applications For Delaware Watershed Restoration Grants
House Committee To Consider Bill To Compensate Landowners For Drilling Rights If DRBC
Adopts Fracking Ban, Well Pad Permitting March 26
Presenters Urge House Committee To Support Bill Compensating Landowners For Drilling
Rights If DRBC Adopts A Fracking Ban
NewsClips:
25 Delaware River-Area Water Quality Projects Get $4.1M In Federal Funds
Recap Of March 13 Delaware River Basin Commission Meeting
March 22 Delaware RiverKeeper RiverWatch Video Report
[Posted: March 22, 2019]
46
The Susquehanna Heritage Area in Lancaster and York counties received official designation as
a National Heritage Area with the passage and signing of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation,
Management, and Recreation Act this month.
The designation will:
-- Boost visibility and visitation to the region’s historical sites and recreational areas along the
Susquehanna River;
-- Provide more National Park Service support; and
-- Promote the Susquehanna’s significance to the nation’s history.
The Susquehanna River’s role as corridor of culture and commerce will be a major focus
of the National Heritage Area.
Funding received from the federal government would allow for interpretive signs at
historic sites, renovations of historic properties, the creation of maps or websites, and to run
programs, such as boat tours to further enhance the area.
To learn more, visit the Susquehanna National Heritage Area website.
For more information on heritage areas in other parts of Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s PA
Heritage Areas Program webpage.
(Reprinted from the March 20 DCNR Resource newsletter. Click Here to sign up for your own
copy.)
Related Story:
President Signs Bill To Permanently Reauthorize Federal Land & Water Conservation Fund
Related Stories This Week:
PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The Golden
Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Meets March 27 To Discuss
Update To PA Outdoor Recreation Plan
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
William Penn Foundation Announced Creative Communities Grant Awards Totaling $2.6
Million
Joint Conservation Committee Meeting Highlights Initiatives To Boost Bicycle Tourism Along
PA Route 6
Pike County Outdoors Guide For Sportsmen, Outdoor Enthusiasts Now Available
PA Environmental Council Welcomes Trails Program Manager Brett Hollern
March 20 Resource Newsletter Now Available From DCNR
NewsClips:
DCNR Tours Mira Lloyd Dock Center To Discuss How Restore PA Could Address
Infrastructure Needs
Warmer Weather Brings More Ticks, Lyme Disease Diagnosis
PA Keeping An Eye On Ticks With Statewide Collection Survey
Op-Ed: Philly’s Demand For Public Spaces Requires Creative Funding Solutions
DCNR Accepting Sealed Bids To Operate Presque Isle’s Concession
Luzerne Committee Narrows Proposed Natural Gas Rec Funding Awards
Northwestern Recreation Fields Damage Prompts Cash Reward In Lehigh Valley
Skate Park Coming Back In Luzerne
47
Frye: Camping When Campfires Are Prohibited
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
DCNR Good Natured Blog: Making Progress Toward A Goal Of Planting More Trees
Along Streams
49
The process introduces plants directly in the places that need it most -- the stream banks.
Stem cuttings are taken from trees before the buds break out in the spring. They are then
inserted directly into stream banks where they establish a root network and help prevent soil loss.
Secretary Dunn this week helped harvest Elderberry and Silky Dogwood from a property
near Lewisburg.
DCNR is partnering with Susquehanna University, Chesapeake Conservancy, and the
Merrill W. Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy to collect approximately 8,000 live stakes
across Union, Centre, and Snyder counties over a total of four volunteer days.
These free cuttings will be distributed to nine project partners, and embedded into 2.5
miles of stream banks for forest restoration projects later this year.
There is one more volunteer opportunity to assist with collecting livestakes on March 24.
Penn State Extension provides additional information about livestaking for stream
restoration at a March 30 workshop in Lancaster.
Buffer Grants
DCNR is now accepting applications for its Community Conservation Partnership
Program Grants which includes stream buffers. Click Here for more.
Resources
For resources to help with planning, funding and installing riparian buffers, visit DCNR’s
Forest Buffers Along Waterways webpage.
To get involved in tree planting events near you, visit the Keystone 10 Million Trees
Partnership website.
Visit the Penn State Extension Riparian Buffer webpage and Center for Private Forests
Riparian Buffers for Private Lands webpage to learn more about riparian stream buffers.
Related Stories:
PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The Golden
Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates Funding
Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
Chesapeake Conservancy Seeking Volunteers To Identify, Collect Livestakes In Centre,
Northumberland March 19, 24
Livestaking For Minor Streambank Repairs Workshop March 30 In Lancaster County
March 22 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation
Fort Indiantown Gap Begins Spring 2019 Prescribed Burn Season In Lebanon County
NewsClips:
DCNR Secretary Highlights Riparian Buffer Effort In Union County
Livestaking: Utilize Cuttings From Willows, Dogwoods To Improve Streams
Warmer Weather Brings More Ticks, Lyme Disease Diagnosis
PA Keeping An Eye On Ticks With Statewide Collection Survey
Spotted Lanternfly Spreads To Dauphin County
Nanticoke’s Oldest Tree Coming Down
PECO Tree Clearing Riles Residents In Bucks
PaEN: March 20 Resource Newsletter Now Available From DCNR
Forests - Wildfires
California National Guard To Leave Border To Help Stop Wildfires
AP: California To Waive Environmental Rules For Fire Season Prep
50
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
51
Bay Journal: Exelon, Maryland Spar Over Who Is Responsible For Nutrients Passing Over
Conowingo Dam
Penn State Brook Trout Researchers Featured In New Expedition Chesapeake Film
PA Green Colleges Hold Conference On Sustainable Development Goals And Higher Education
April 9 In State College
Wildlands Conservancy Highlights Educational Programs, Activities Coming Up In April
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
NewsClips:
Op-Ed: Article Misrepresents PA Farm Bureau’s Role In Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Innovative Green Stormwater Project Improves Water Infrastructure in Pittsburgh
Stormwater Fee Headaches Persist In Luzerne County
You Didn’t Pay Your Stormwater Fee In Luzerne? What Now?
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Accepting Submissions For Photo Contest
Bay Journal: Trump Administration Makes Another Bid To Slash Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Funds
Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal
[Posted: March 18, 2019]
Penn State Brook Trout Researchers Featured In New Expedition Chesapeake Film
52
in the College of Agricultural Sciences who have been studying brook trout in the Keystone
State's picturesque Loyalsock Creek Watershed. Shanerburg Run is a scenic and productive
tributary of the "'Sock" in Sullivan County.
Wagner, adjunct professor of fisheries ecology, has been studying the ecology of eastern
brook trout for more than a decade.
White, a member of Wagner's research group and a doctoral student in Penn State’s
Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, is researching the behavioral and molecular
ecology of brook trout to assist with the management and conservation of this iconic species.
Because brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis — “fish of the fountains”) require cool, clean
water to survive, they are considered an indicator of health in streams and watersheds they
inhabit, according to Wagner.
Although historically widespread in areas with cold water and suitable habitat conditions,
brook trout are now a species of concern throughout much of their native range in the eastern
United States.
"Most populations have been extirpated, greatly reduced or isolated to small headwater
streams largely as a result of land-use change, including historical deforestation and
contemporary land-use change, acid deposition, and competition with non-native species," he
said.
White noted that brook trout are an important part of the region's natural heritage;
however, brook trout populations in the Chesapeake Bay watershed have fallen significantly over
the past 150 years, which has motivated efforts aimed at restoring and sustaining naturally
reproducing brook trout populations.
Attempts to restore and maintain brook trout populations, she explained, are one piece of
a broader goal held by many state and federal agencies within the Chesapeake Bay watershed: to
restore, enhance, and protect the land, water, and variety of fish and wildlife that utilize those
habitats, and to increase public benefits such as water quality and recreational uses.
“It’s really important to highlight this species as a way to illustrate that the health of the
bay quite literally starts here, in the headwaters," she said. "Maintaining and restoring
high-quality habitat in these small streams — where brook trout can thrive — has great
implications for the health of the entire watershed, including the estuary.”
The film crew followed Wagner and White to Shanerburg Run, where they have been
monitoring the movement and status of brook trout for the last four years. The crew captured
video of the scientists collecting and measuring brook trout and discussing the major threats to
brook trout conservation.
They then plunged the camera below the water’s surface to show fish swimming, feeding
and interacting in the currents.
Capturing high-quality video for an IMAX film in the middle of the forest was no easy
feat, with much of the day spent hauling heavy equipment to the streamside and adjusting for
correct camera angles and lighting.
But, as White explained, the efforts are important for advancing public awareness about
stream conservation.
“Sometimes it’s hard for people to get excited about fish conservation because these
organisms aren’t immediately obvious to the naked eye — you can drive right past a population
of brook trout and never know it," she said.
"But fish have remarkable behaviors and live in some of the most complex habitats. This
53
film really helps emerge viewers into the underwater world and brings a new perspective to
challenges with conservation of aquatic resources in general, and in the Chesapeake Bay
watershed in particular.”
(Reprinted from Penn State News.)
Related Stories:
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates Funding
Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
Showing Added: Expedition Chesapeake iMax Film Premieres March 20 At The Whitaker
Center For Science & The Arts In Harrisburg
CBF-PA: Media Invited To Paddle Along As Students Explore Local PA Waterways
Conservation District Leader From PA Presses Case For Strong Federal Conservation Funding In
DC
Bay Journal: Exelon, Maryland Spar Over Who Is Responsible For Nutrients Passing Over
Conowingo Dam
NewsClips:
Op-Ed: Article Misrepresents PA Farm Bureau’s Role In Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Innovative Green Stormwater Project Improves Water Infrastructure in Pittsburgh
Stormwater Fee Headaches Persist In Luzerne County
You Didn’t Pay Your Stormwater Fee In Luzerne? What Now?
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Accepting Submissions For Photo Contest
Bay Journal: Trump Administration Makes Another Bid To Slash Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Funds
Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal
[Posted: March 20, 2019]
Bay Journal: Exelon, Maryland Spar Over Who Is Responsible For Nutrients Passing Over
Conowingo Dam
54
meeting of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a body of state lawmakers and other officials that
advise general assemblies in the Bay region.
The dam looms as a major obstacle for Bay cleanup efforts, largely because the 14-mile
reservoir it creates has reached its capacity to trap sediment from upstream sources that flows
down the river.
As a result, the nutrients associated with that sediment now flow into the Chesapeake,
where they can spur algae blooms and contribute to other water quality woes.
The state-federal Bay Program partnership has estimated that additional annual
reductions of 6 million pounds of nitrogen and 260,000 pounds of phosphorus are needed to
offset the impact of the dam’s lost trapping capacity.
That would be roughly an additional 5 percent reduction for a river where upstream
nutrient control efforts in Pennsylvania are already far behind schedule.
The U.S. Environmental Protection agency in February began requesting applications
from entities interested in developing a plan to tackle the problem.
Exelon is seeking a new operating license from the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission to continue generating power from Conowingo, one of five hydroelectric facilities
along the lower Susquehanna.
But as part of the licensing process, Maryland has to issue a certification that the
operation of the dam will maintain water quality standards.
Maryland issued that certification April 27, but imposed numerous conditions that it said
were needed to mitigate water-quality impacts from the dam.
Along with a requirement that Exelon fund pollution control practices to offset increased
nutrient levels — which could cost the company up to $172 million a year — it called for new
efforts that would keep debris from flowing downstream, manage river flows to protect nearby
habitats, and make fish passage improvements beyond what the utility had already agreed to.
Exelon responded a month later by filing suit in state and federal courts charging that the
state was placing an “unfair burden” on the utility by imposing a financial requirement that it
contended was “orders of magnitude” more than the dam was worth.
Its suit in state court was later dismissed, but the federal litigation is still pending.
In his presentation to the commission, Mike Pedone, a senior policy adviser with the
Maryland Department of the Environment, said the state was simply fulfilling its responsibility
under the law when it issued a certification requiring that Exelon take actions to ensure its
operations would protect water quality in the area.
Pedone said the dam caused a host of impacts that have “fundamentally altered” both the
river and the Bay.
He argued that, in addition to impacting Bay water quality from nutrient and sediment
pollution, it has blocked migratory fish such as shad, herring and eels; altered river flow in a way
that harms downstream habitats; and promoted growth of algae blooms that could impact
drinking water supplies.
The state’s water quality certification, Pedone said, fulfills its obligation to outline the
actions required to offset those impacts and ensure that water quality standards would be met.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” Pedone said, noting that Exelon is seeking a
46-year license. “That means the next time that it comes up for renewal, everybody in this room
will be retired or dead. So what we do today, or don’t do today, is going to have some very
long-term consequences.”
55
He disputed the utility’s stance that it could not afford to fix the problems. The dam had
operated for 90 years generating profits for its various owners during that time, but Pedone
contended they had only reinvested a “small portion” of that money to mitigate environmental
impacts.
“Is the water quality certification going to bankrupt Conowingo?” he asked. “I don’t
think so.”
Pedone also questioned Exelon’s contention that the certification would cost the utility
more than the dam is worth, noting that Conowingo is intricately tied to two nearby facilities that
it also owns.
Both the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station and the Muddy Run Pumped Storage
Station require water from the dam’s reservoir to operate, and both are more profitable than
Conowingo, he said.
“So,” Pedone added, “I would suggest the viability of Conowingo depends not solely on
its profitability, but the profitability of all three of these facilitates taken together.”
In her presentation, Kathleen Barron, Exelon’s senior vice president for government and
regulatory affairs and public policy, argued that the state had gone beyond its authority with its
requirements for Conowingo, which she said was also the state’s largest producer of renewable
electricity.
Under the law, she said, a dam owner is responsible for discharges “added by the
operator” but not for pollution that originates upstream, as is the case with the nutrients and
sediment at Conowingo.
“The law just simply does not require the dam sitting in the middle of the river to be the
one that is required to reduce those pollutants, given that it is not the entity that is putting the
pollutants into the water,” she said.
Similarly, she said, Exelon cannot remove “all visible debris” from the river as it passes
through the dam, as the state has requested. While it removes accumulated trash weekly, she said
refuse cannot be safely collected during periods of extreme flows, like those that frequently took
place last year.
Barron said that, by trapping sediment and nutrients, the dam has benefitted the Bay by
preventing pollution from flowing downstream for most of its existence. And, she contended, it
still helps in that regard.
Although its reservoir is essentially full, it continues to trap some portion of nutrients for
a short period of time, allowing them to degrade and making them less harmful when washed
downstream.
Barron said the utility had already committed more than $300 million toward future
environmental projects during the life of the new license, much of it related to resolving fish
passage issues at the dam.
But, she said, meeting Maryland’s requirements in the water quality certification could
cost $15 billion.
“I can tell you the dam is not worth $15 billion,” she said. “The other facilities up there
are not worth $15 billion.”
Both sides indicated they would welcome negotiations to resolve the issues. But by late
February, a spokeswoman for Exelon said no talks had taken place.
Meanwhile, the EPA in February requested applications from entities interested in
developing a plan to offset the increase in nitrogen and phosphorus pollution making its way past
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the dam’s reservoir.
That entity would be in charge of overseeing the creation of a watershed implementation
plan — similar to those being developed by states to meet their Bay nutrient reduction
obligations — that would identify needed actions to reduce or offset the increased pollution.
The entity would also develop a strategy for funding the cleanup actions, identify new
sources of revenue and potentially develop new public-private partnerships to get the job done.
“This has the opportunity to actually spur some innovation, create some innovative
financing, maybe bring more money to solve this challenging problem,” said Matt Rowe,
assistant director of the MDE’s Water and Science Administration and a member of the Bay
Program committee working on the Conowingo issue.
The EPA’s request does not mention Exelon, but Maryland officials have said they
anticipate any settlement with the utility would help fund implementation of the plan.
Meanwhile, in the [Maryland] state General Assembly, a group of lawmakers introduced
legislation in February that would require Exelon to pay for at least 25 percent of the cost
associated with the Conowingo watershed implementation plan.
(Reprinted from the Chesapeake Bay Journal.)
Related Stories:
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates Funding
Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
Conservation District Leader From PA Presses Case For Strong Federal Conservation Funding In
DC
Penn State Brook Trout Researchers Featured In New Expedition Chesapeake Film
CBF-PA: Media Invited To Paddle Along As Students Explore Local PA Waterways
EPA Accepting Grant Applications For Help To Develop Plan To Offset Lack Of Sediment
Trapping Capacity At Conowingo Dam
One Court Rejects Exelon’s Challenge To Maryland’s Conowingo Dam Cleanup Requirements
Op-Ed: Don't Blame The Conowingo Dam For Chesapeake Bay Pollution
NewsClips:
Op-Ed: Article Misrepresents PA Farm Bureau’s Role In Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Innovative Green Stormwater Project Improves Water Infrastructure in Pittsburgh
Stormwater Fee Headaches Persist In Luzerne County
You Didn’t Pay Your Stormwater Fee In Luzerne? What Now?
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Accepting Submissions For Photo Contest
Bay Journal: Trump Administration Makes Another Bid To Slash Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Funds
Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal
[Posted: March 18, 2019]
57
The Delaware River Program will award matching grants of $50,000 to $500,000 each to
conserve and restore waters and habitats on public and private land that contribute to the overall
health of the Delaware River watershed—as well as benefit the quality of life and economic
vitality of the communities in the Delaware River watershed.
Approximately $6 million in grant funding is available. Major funding for the Delaware
River Program is provided by the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service and the William Penn Foundation.
NFWF will award grants through 2 distinct grant opportunities--
-- DWCF Conservation Action Grants will be awarded to nonprofit organizations; federal,
state, interstate and local governments; Indian tribes; and educational institutions to implement
on-the-ground restoration and conservation projects that achieve the goals of the Delaware River
Basin Restoration Partnership and Program Framework: sustain and enhance fish and wildlife
habitat; improve and maintain water quality for fish, wildlife and people; sustain and enhance
water management to benefit fish and wildlife; and improve outdoor recreational opportunities.
To address these goals, projects, which may be located anywhere within the Delaware River
watershed.
-- DRRF Targeted Implementation and Cornerstone Grants will be awarded to nonprofit
organizations, local governments and educational institutions to implement on-the-ground
restoration activities to improve water quality in one or more of seven Delaware River
Watershed Initiative (DRWI) restoration or hybrid “Clusters,” including: the Poconos and
Kittatinny, Kirkwood-Cohansey, New Jersey Highlands, Middle Schuylkill, Schuylkill
Highlands, Brandywine-Christina, and Upstream Suburban Philadelphia Clusters.
Click Here for all the details.
Related Stories:
PA Projects Receive Over $1.7 Million In Federal Delaware River Watershed Restoration Grants
House Committee To Consider Bill To Compensate Landowners For Drilling Rights If DRBC
Adopts Fracking Ban, Well Pad Permitting March 26
Presenters Urge House Committee To Support Bill Compensating Landowners For Drilling
Rights If DRBC Adopts A Fracking Ban
NewsClips:
25 Delaware River-Area Water Quality Projects Get $4.1M In Federal Funds
Recap Of March 13 Delaware River Basin Commission Meeting
March 22 Delaware RiverKeeper RiverWatch Video Report
[Posted: March 18, 2019]
Penn State Water Insights Seminar March 26: Seeking Opportunities To Reduce The
Impact Of Flood Events
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Flood Events.
Middletown, Dauphin County receives piped stormwater runoff from more than 5
jurisdictions and passes it through to the river.
On July 23, 2017, a microburst storm dropped 4.7 inches of rainfall on the watershed in 2
hours, resulting in substantial flash flooding.
Two capstone classes have identified opportunities for temporary storage in the system.
In several locations, the piping system and detention pond capacities may not be not fully used
and could be optimized to attenuate flood peaks.
However, historical information indicates the area contains several streams that have
been buried and soils data indicates that the soils have limited water holding capacity, both of
which are likely to increase runoff and reduce available storage capacity.
This presentation highlights why a complete watershed analysis is needed to address
flooding issues, especially in older urban areas where the systems are old, leaky, and may
contain forgotten streams.
The Seminar will held from Noon to 1:00 in Room 312 of the Ag and Bio Engineering
Building on Penn State’s main campus in State College and is available online via Zoom.
For more information on past Seminars, visit the Water Insights Seminars webpage.
Related Stories:
House Committee Reports Out Bill Creating Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force
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Twp.. Supervisors, Farmers Discuss Flooding Issues With DEP
Flooding Closes Central PA Roads, Swamps Yards After Heavy Rain
Updates To Flood Insurance Policy Could Cost Homeowners More
Mansfield Council, DEP To Collaborate On Flooding Issue In Borough
As Levee Costs Grow In Williamsport, Next Stage Includes State Funding
Williamsport Authority Reorganizes To Tackle Costs Of Levee Recertification
Grafius Run Flood Damage At $5 Million In Lycoming County
Editorial: Recertifying Levee In Williamsport: Runaway Costs, Hazy Payment Plan
Luzerne County Involvement In Wyoming Valley Levee System Debated
Luzerne Flood Authority Hres Solicitor, Debates Ties To Luzerne County
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
Antrim Twp Might Use Reserve Funds On Stormwater Requirements
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help York With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help Lancaster With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Huntingdon County: Restore PA Aims To Avoid Local Disasters
NOAA Forecasters Say Midwest’s Flooding Could Preview Unprecedented Spring
Flooding - National
Nebraska Floods: 74 Cities, 65 Counties Declare State Of Emergency
Missouri River Floods Causing Many To Evacuate
Rescues, Evacuations As Floodwaters Breach Levees In Midwest
Lessons Learned After Puerto Rican Hurricane Evacuees Came To Philly
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
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If you are a pond owner, early spring is a good time to take a walk around your pond and check
to see if any maintenance is needed.
If you don’t inspect your pond regularly and make any necessary repairs promptly, more
costly or even irreparable damage may occur.
In doing your inspections and observations, there are several areas to which you should
pay attention:
-- Water Quality – Pond assessment should include routine testing of the pond water quality.
Water tests are helpful to document existing problems and to monitor for important changes in
water quality as well as aid in herbicide selection if needed.
-- Aquatic Plants – Properly identifying any nuisance plants are important, especially if any
control measures are needed early in the season. Detailed information on plant ID and control is
available in the Pond Management section of the Water Resources website.
-- Dam and Banks – The dam and any exposed banks should be checked to ensure that they
have complete grass cover and no erosion. Grass, weeds, brush, and small trees should be
occasionally cut from the dam and banks. Keep large, established trees in place.
-- Overflow Pipe – It is especially important to inspect the overflow pipe and remove debris in
or near the pipe as they may result in water breaching the dam or continually flowing through
any existing auxiliary spillway.
-- Pond Access – Be sure that any roads to the pond are maintained to allow access for safety
vehicles. This is especially important if a dry hydrant exists to allow access for fire trucks.
-- Check for Signs of Leaks – The pond water level should be routinely observed to monitor for
early signs of leakage. Most ponds lose some water to underground seepage and evaporation.
Water loss greater than these few inches, may be attributed to a significant leak that might be
visible as a wet area outside the pond.
-- Pond Sediment – Depending on the source of water, ponds may fill up over time with
sediment. As sediment fills in the pond, growth of aquatic plants and algae will generally
increase, due to increased sunlight penetrating the shallower water. If sedimentation is
noticeable, steps should be taken to reduce sediment entering the pond.
-- Safety Equipment – Ponds, like any body of water, attract both invited and uninvited people.
As part of your pond inspection, consider safety features (warning signs) and equipment (life
buoys) to protect visitors. Mark the swimming area and post safety rules for all permitted water
uses.
Penn State Extension also has an online course available on Pond Management For Rural,
Farm Pond Owners.
More information on pond inspections can be found in the article at Pond Assessment and
Inspection on Penn State’s Water Resources website.
(Reprinted from the March 21 Penn State Extension Watershed Winds newsletter.)
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
PA Rural Water Assn. Will Hold Annual Conference March 26-29 In State College,
Including Seminar On Zebra Mussels, Algal Blooms
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Hotel and Conference Center in State College.
Join PRWA and your water and wastewater utility colleagues throughout Pennsylvania at
the largest utility conference in Pennsylvania.
One of the programs will be a seminar by environmental chemist Dr. David Hammond,
Senior Scientist with Earth Science Laboratories Inc., will address two problems that plague
water treatment plants: zebra mussels and harmful algal blooms (HABs).
As a Great Lakes State, Pennsylvania lies at the epicenter of these issues. Zebra mussels
were first introduced into Lake Erie in 1988. Large and potentially dangerous cyanobacteria
blooms began appearing annually in Lake Erie in the mid-2000s.
Smaller lakes that provide drinking water to rural communities are vulnerable to the same
problems, says Hammond. “Rural water treatment plants sometimes lack the resources to tackle
zebra mussels and cyanobacteria blooms at once. Fortunately, there is a single, cost-effective and
environmentally-friendly solution. An advanced liquid copper formulation can control zebra
mussels and cyanobacteria with minimal impact on fish. This is important for communities that
use their lakes for drinking water and recreation.”
Hammond supervised a recent project to eradicate quagga mussels from the historic
Billmeyer Quarry in Lancaster County. Quagga mussels are cousins of zebra mussels and equally
invasive. Billmeyer Quarry is the largest and deepest lake from which invasive mussels have
ever been eradicated.
Hammond will present recent data from this project at the Conference on March 26.
Click Here for more information on the Conference program.
Learn more about the invasive mussel species by visiting the PA Sea Grant PA Zebra and
Quagga Mussel Monitoring Network webpage.
NewsClips:
Editorial: Philly State Proposals Will Keep Lead From Robbing Children’s Potential
Pittsburgh Water Authority Working To Better Document Water Main Replacements
Penn State Extension: Why Conserve Water In A Water Rich State?
New Jersey Implements Nation’s Toughest PFAS Standard
AP: Army Bill To Release Public Records On PFAS Testing At Installations $290,400
Access To Clean Water A Problem In The U.S. Affecting Minority, Rural Groups Most
[Posted: March 18, 2019]
The Environmental Quality Board published notice in the March 23 PA Bulletin of proposed
changes to Class A Stream Redesignations in 19 counties. (PA Bulletin, page 1367)
The counties include Berks, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clearfield, Columbia,
Crawford, Elk, Erie, Indiana, Lackawanna, McKean, Potter, Schuylkill, Somerset, Susquehanna,
Tioga and Wayne.
The Board will hold a hearing on the proposed changes April 26 at DEP’s Southcentral
Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Avenue in Harrisburg starting at 1:00.
Persons wishing to present testimony at a hearing are requested to contact the
Environmental Quality Board, P.O. Box 8477, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8477 or call 717-787- 4526
at least 1 week in advance of the hearing to reserve a time to present testimony.
61
A Bulletin, page 1367)
Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for all the details. (P
[Posted: March 22, 2019]
62
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
NewsClips:
Lafayette Becomes First Lehigh Valley College To Pledge Carbon Neutrality
Lehigh Valley Leaders Discuss Efforts To Go Green
First Ever Eco-Innovation District Brings Sustainable Redevelopment To Uptown, West
Oakland
[Posted: March 19, 2019]
63
participating.
Adopt-A-Highway
PennDOT's Adopt-A-Highway Program contributed 25,927 volunteers, who cleaned up
nearly 25 percent of the collected litter on 10,076 miles of cleaned-up roadway.
Through PennDOT's AAH program, volunteers collect litter on a 2-mile section of state
highway at least twice a year. The program currently has over 4,700 participating groups, more
than 91,800 volunteers, and 10,244 miles of adopted state-maintained roadways.
PennDOT has created a comprehensive webpage that includes all volunteer opportunities
available, from the Great American Cleanup of Pa and Adopt-A-Highway to Safety Training,
Litter Brigades and more.
Pollinator Plantings
In addition to the department’s clean-up activities, PennDOT is participating in a
multi-agency initiative to promote plantings that will benefit Pennsylvania’s pollinators and
native species. Volunteers can assist by applying to adopt pollinator habitats.
More information on the department’s new Pollinator Habitat Plan can be found under
PennDOT’s Adopt and Beautify webpage.
The Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania is sponsored each year by PennDOT, DEP,
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, and other partners.
Video Contest
And don’t forget to enter the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Video Contest featuring your
Great American Cleanup Of PA event. Click Here for all the details.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep
Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to become a member. Click Here to sign up for
regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on
Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.
Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up
communities and keep them clean and KPB’s Electronics Waste website.
Related Stories:
Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Stream Cleanup Set For April 6 In Montgomery County
PA Resources Council, Partners Hold Reuse Fest As Part Of FutureFest April 20 In Allegheny
County
NewsClips:
PennDOT, DEP Asking For Volunteers For Great American Cleanup Event
Spring Cleanup Of Yard Waste In Williamsport In A Few Weeks
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Grant Could End Illegal Dumping At Williamsport Waste Collection Site
[Posted: March 19, 2019]
64
over 1,200 volunteers working together to remove trash, tires and other debris from over 80
different streamside sites throughout the watershed.
Want to get involved in this record breaking event? There are still a few spots available,
but they won’t last long! Sign up now at the Conservancy’s website.
Busy on the day of the Clean-up?...there’s still time to donate to the cause! There are a
variety of sponsorship levels available for corporate groups as well as individuals. Check out our
website to donate today!
Thank you to all of our corporate sponsors who have already donated: SEI, Aqua
Pennsylvania, Sustainable Waste Solutions, American Canoe Association, PCWIC, Marshall
Geo-Science, Global Advanced Metals, Faith Bible Fellowship Church, Greater Philadelphia
YMCA, Phoenixville Federal Bank and Trust, Isabelle’s Kitchen, Jobsite Products, Harleysville
Savings Bank, QNB Bank, Little’s John Deere of Zieglersville, and Asher’s Chocolate.
Click Here for all the details.
For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming education events and activities,
visit the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy website.
Related Stories:
Pennsylvania Seeks Volunteers For Statewide Spring Cleanup, Beautification Effort
PA Resources Council, Partners Hold Reuse Fest As Part Of FutureFest April 20 In Allegheny
County
NewsClips:
PennDOT, DEP Asking For Volunteers For Great American Cleanup Event
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[Posted: March 21, 2019]
The PA Resources Council and its partners will hold the Reuse
Fest on April 20 at Buhl Park in Pittsburgh from 10:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m.
Reuse Fest will be held in partnership with Communitopia as
part of FutureFest 2019.
Reuse Fest
ReuseFest is a one-day drop off event open to the general public
that diverts materials from local landfills to reuse by Pittsburgh
nonprofits.
PRC collaborates with a number of local nonprofits to provide
the public with the opportunity to easily donate items that otherwise may have ended up in the
trash.
ReuseFest helped to connect these usable materials with great local non-profit
organizations who found ways to give this material a second life, while benefiting those in need.
Individuals can drop off items for reuse including medical equipment, usable building
materials, clothing, furniture, pet supplies, bikes and more.
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PRC’s 8th annual ReuseFest supports local nonprofits including Brother’s Brother,
Construction Junction, Dress for Success, Free Ride, Free Store Wilkinsburg, Global Links,
Goodwill, Grow Pittsburgh, Humane Animal Rescue, Off the Floor, Pittsburgh Center for
Creative Reuse, Propel Northside Community Wellness Center and The Education Partnership.
Click Here for more information.
FutureFest 2019
FutureFest 2019 is a future-focused, fresh take on Earth Day. Visitors will get a glimpse
of the world of tomorrow through art, demonstrations, performance, science, food, hands-on
activities, and fun for all ages.
A large, public festival, it’s the result of collaboration between many stakeholder
organizations, working across different sectors, with the same goal of celebrating our successes
and helping visitors imagine Pittsburgh’s achievable, sustainable future.
For more information, visit the FutureFest 2019 webpage.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the PA Resources
Council website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates, follow PRC on Twitter or Like them
on Facebook. Click Here for PRC’s Events Calendar. Click Here to support their work.
Related Stories:
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Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Stream Cleanup Set For April 6 In Montgomery County
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Council Pop Up Glass Recycling
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Grant Could End Illegal Dumping At Williamsport Waste Collection Site
E-Media Recycling To Alternative Between Mercer, Lawrence Counties
Could PA Be Next State To Ban Foam Takeout Containers?
Op-Ed: Recycling Is Dying, So What’s Next For Our Trash?
PennDOT, DEP Asking For Volunteers For Great American Cleanup Event
Spring Cleanup Of Yard Waste In Williamsport In A Few Weeks
Got A TV, Washing Machine, Refrigerator To Throw Away? How To Do It Legally In Philly
Grant Could End Illegal Dumping At Williamsport Waste Collection Site
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
May 14 DEP Hearing On Proposed RACT II Air Quality Plan For Specialty Tires Plant,
Indiana County
The Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed
RACT II Air Quality Plan for the Speciality Tires Plant in Indiana for May 14. (PA Bulletin,
page 1420)
The hearing will be held at DEP’s Southwest Regional office, 400 Waterfront Drive in
Pittsburgh from 9:00 to 9:30. To register to speak at a hearing, or to inquire if a hearing will be
held, contact Thomas Joseph at 412-442- 4336.
The last day to pre-register to speak at the hearing will be April 23, 2019. If the
Department does not receive any pre-registered speakers by this date, the hearing will be
canceled. Click Here to check the status of the hearing.
66
Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for all the details. (PA Bulletin, page 1420)
Related Story:
Hearing May 14 On Proposed DEP RACT II Air Quality Plan For Texas Eastern Compressor
Plant In Cambria County
NewsClips:
Pittsburgh To Enforce Seven Year Old Clean Construction Law For First Time
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[Posted: March 22, 2019]
Hearing May 14 On Proposed DEP RACT II Air Quality Plan For Texas Eastern
Compressor Plant In Cambria County
The Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed
RACT II Air Quality Plan for the Texas Eastern Compressor Plant in Cambria County for May
14. (PA Bulletin, page 1421)
The hearing will be held at DEP’s Southwest Regional office, 400 Waterfront Drive in
Pittsburgh from 9:30 to 10:00. To register to speak at a hearing, or to inquire if a hearing will be
held, contact Thomas Joseph at 412-442- 4336.
The last day to pre-register to speak at the hearing will be April 23, 2019. If the
Department does not receive any pre-registered speakers by this date, the hearing will be
canceled. Click Here to check the status of the hearing.
Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for all the details. (PA Bulletin, page 1421)
Related Story:
May 14 DEP Hearing On Proposed RACT II Air Quality Plan For Specialty Tires Plant, Indiana
County
NewsClips:
Pittsburgh To Enforce Seven Year Old Clean Construction Law For First Time
Elcon Hazardous Waste Facility Opponents Propose Clean Air Ordinance In Bucks
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[Posted: March 22, 2019]
March 27 DEP Meeting On Proposed Drilling Permits At U.S. Steel's Edgar Thomson
Plant, Allegheny County
On March 21, Department of Environmental Protection announced it will hold a public meeting
March 27 to present information and answer questions on the applications for permits for natural
gas drilling on U.S. Steel Corporation’s Edgar Thomson Plant.
The meeting will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Braddock Volunteer Fire
Department #2 Social Hall located at 845 Talbot Avenue, Braddock, PA 15104. Doors will open
at 5:30 p.m. and pre-registration is not required.
DEP has invited representatives from Merrion Oil & Gas, U.S. Steel, and the Allegheny
County Health Department. ACHD oversees air quality permitting and enforcement in Allegheny
County.
The meeting coincides with a 30-day open public comment period on Merrion Oil &
67
Gas’s application for an Erosion and Sediment Control Permit (ESP070218-001).
Interested individuals can submit comments to DEP’s Southwest District Office: Oil and
Gas Program Manager, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 attention: Brian Bailey, P.E.
Responses should include the name, address, and telephone number of the person submitting the
comments; identification of the permit application number (ESP070218-001), and concise
statements regarding the relevance of the information or objections to issuance of the permit.
DEP is also reviewing Merrion’s application for a Utility Line Stream Crossing
(GP05020718002) and Well Drilling and Operation permits (003-22563).
Applications and supporting documents under consideration by DEP are available for
review on DEP’s website under the Merrion Oil & Gas webpage, or by scheduling a file review
by contacting DEP’s Southwest Regional Office at 412-442-4203.
Individuals in need of an accommodation in order to participate in the meeting, as
provided for in the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, should contact the Pennsylvania
AT&T Relay Service at 1-800-654-5984 (TDD) to discuss how DEP may accommodate your
needs.
Questions should be directed to Lauren Fraley, DEP Southwest Regional Office, by
calling 412-442-4203 or send email to: lfraley@pa.gov.
Related Stories:
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In Berks County On March 17
Dueling Press Conferences Pit Opponents Of Mariner East Pipeline Against Those Supporting
Pipeline Development
House Environmental Committee Reports Out Bill Allowing Cross Unit Drilling Under Several
Properties, Voluntary Pooling
House Committee To Consider Bill To Compensate Landowners For Drilling Rights If DRBC
Adopts Fracking Ban, Well Pad Permitting March 26
Presenters Urge House Committee To Support Bill Compensating Landowners For Drilling
Rights If DRBC Adopts A Fracking Ban
NewsClips:
Gov. Wolf Confident He Has Votes For Severance Tax, But Republicans Beg To Differ
Republicans, Gas Industry Oppose Severance Tax To Fund Wolf’s Restore PA Infrastructure
Plan
Man Dies At Lawrence County Gas/Oil Well Site
Legere: Court Keeps Alive Attorney General’s Case Over Landowner Gas Royalty Payments
A Fracking-Driven Industrial Boom Renews Pollution Concerns In Pittsburgh
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
PUC Pipeline Safety Investigation Underway Involving Possible Sunoco Gasoline Pipeline
Leak In Berks County On March 17
In response to reports of a possible gasoline pipeline leak in Berks County on March 17, a safety
investigation is underway involving the Bureau of Investigation & Enforcement (I&E) – the
independent investigation and enforcement bureau of the Public Utility Commission.
On March 17, investigators from I&E’s Pipeline Safety Division responded to reports of
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a possible pipeline leak and strong gasoline odor near 409 Mountain Home Road in South
Heidelberg Township, Berks County. The incident site is approximately 6 miles west of the City
of Reading.
In addition to safety engineers from the Pipeline Safety Division, the initial report also
resulted in response by local fire departments, municipal emergency management officials, the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Sunoco Pipeline.
The pipeline – identified as Sunoco line No. 12001 – is a 14-inch steel line used to
transport petroleum products from Sunoco’s Montello terminal, near Reading, to
Northumberland and other points in northern Pennsylvania and New York state.
During the early morning of March 17th, the pipeline was being used to transport
gasoline.
As part of the initial response and investigation, test holes and a trench were excavated
near the reported leak site by Sunoco crews, to identify the source of the strong gasoline odor.
The investigation is ongoing, and the site continues to be monitored by the Pipeline
Safety Division while further testing is conducted by Sunoco.
Groundwater monitoring wells located around the incident site were also tested this
weekend and continue to be monitored.
Reporting Pipeline Safety Incidents
The Pipeline Safety Division encourages residents and businesses located near pipelines
to understand how to recognize and report unusual incidents involving those lines – including the
sounds, smells and sights of possible leaks.
Pipeline operators are required to regularly provide safety and awareness information to
property owners along their routes, along with emergency contact information.
If you suspect a leak, call 9-1-1 or local emergency responders and the pipeline operator
from a safe location.
Related Stories:
March 27 DEP Meeting On Proposed Drilling Permits At U.S. Steel's Edgar Thomson Plant,
Allegheny County
Op-Ed: Will Our Dirt Roads Again Be Used As Dumping Sites For Oil & Gas Well Wastewater
Dueling Press Conferences Pit Opponents Of Mariner East Pipeline Against Those Supporting
Pipeline Development
House Committee To Consider Bill To Compensate Landowners For Drilling Rights If DRBC
Adopts Fracking Ban, Well Pad Permitting March 26
Presenters Urge House Committee To Support Bill Compensating Landowners For Drilling
Rights If DRBC Adopts A Fracking Ban
NewsClips:
Crews Investigate Possible Gasoline Leak From Sunoco Pipeline Near Reading
Phillips: Higher Operating Pressure In Mariner East 2x Pipeline Prompts New Safety Concerns
PA’s New Pipeline Caucus Wants Stronger Regulation Of Mariner East Pipelines
Legislators Press Forward On Pipeline Safety Concerns
Sen. Muth To Introduce Pipeline Safety, Public Awareness Standards Bills
Lawmakers Call For Expanded Natural Gas Pipeline Network
Legislators, Leaders In Business, Labor, Industry Stand In Solidarity For Pipeline Infrastructure
Development
Federal Appeals Court Issues Stay Halting PennEast Pipeline Project
69
U.S. Appeals Court Grants Motion For Stay On PennEast Pipeline
Court Stay Allows PennEast Pipeline To Continue Environmental Surveys
Turnout Low For Session On Proposed Pipeline Compressor Station In Luzerne
Pipeline Construction Firm Offers Unique Venue For Local Artists In Luzerne County
Forbes: PA Homeowners Take Fight Against Gas Pipeline Land Grab To U.S. Supreme Court
Report: Plant Bailout Back On Tap As DOE’s Perry, Coal Interests Derail FERC Nomination
FERC Chief Of Staff Pugliese Steps Down
[Posted: March 18, 2019]
Dueling Press Conferences Pit Opponents Of Mariner East Pipeline Against Those
Supporting Pipeline Development
70
property from harm.”
Rebecca Britton, a school director from Uwchlan Township, Chester County said,
“Pennsylvanians have traveled from across the entire state to come here today and demand that
our rights to health and safety are upheld by our state government and agencies. We are here
today to demand a permanent and complete shutdown of Mariner East.”
Added Ellen Gerhart of Huntingdon County, “We call upon the legislature to take swift
action to protect the constitutional rights of all Pennsylvanians to private property. And we call
upon Governor Wolf and the Public Utility Commission to permanently halt the Mariner East
pipeline project, which has caused so much suffering for so many Pennsylvanians.”
The group said every day that the Governor allows any part of Mariner East to stay in
operation without the credible emergency plan required by existing regulations is another day
that Pennsylvania communities are subjected to unacceptable risk of catastrophe.
Pipeline Proponents
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers joined leaders in business, labor and industry to
highlight the economic and public safety benefits of pipeline infrastructure development.
Senate Gas and Oil Caucus co-Chair Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-Washington) emphasized
the importance of the oil and natural gas industry to the state’s economy. The industries have a
nearly $44.5 billion economic impact in Pennsylvania, supporting nearly 322,600 jobs and
generating nearly $23 billion in wages.
“By a wide margin, pipelines are the safest and most efficient means of transporting gas
and oil products to consumers,” Sen. Bartolotta said. “The demand for these resources is growing
every day. It is essential that we support the safe, responsible development of pipeline
infrastructure so our Commonwealth can reap the considerable economic benefits of these
critical industries in the form of more jobs and lower energy costs to consumers.”
Rep. Eric Nelson (R-Westmoreland) pointed out that pipelines also lead to a healthier
environment due to lower carbon emissions than transportation by rail or truck. Senate Gas and
Oil Caucus co-Chair John Blake (D-Lackawanna) and Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) also
offered remarks in support of the responsible development of pipelines due to the economic and
environmental benefits.
Steamfitters Local 420 Business Manager Jim Snell highlighted the knowledge and
experience of the state’s construction workers, allowing them to complete projects safely with
minimal impact on the environment. Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce Director of
Government Affairs Kevin Sunday touted the importance of the multi-billion dollar investments
generated by the industry.
Sen. Bartolotta emphasized the economic impact of the continued development of
pipelines in the future and said that the greatest threat to the industry is not a lack of resources or
workforce, but politicians who do not understand or appreciate the impact of the gas and oil
industries in the lives of Pennsylvanians.
“Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned to be a national leader in the gas and oil industries
for decades into the future, particularly based on our rich deposits of natural gas in the Marcellus
Shale region, coupled with our skilled workforce,” Sen. Bartolotta said. “What happens over the
next several months and years will determine whether we will be a leader in these industries for a
generation. The future of these industries hinges on our willingness to support pipeline projects
that show the greatest promise in terms of economic development and public safety.”
(Photo: Pipeline opponents’ rally.)
71
Related Stories:
March 27 DEP Meeting On Proposed Drilling Permits At U.S. Steel's Edgar Thomson Plant,
Allegheny County
Op-Ed: Will Our Dirt Roads Again Be Used As Dumping Sites For Oil & Gas Well Wastewater
PUC Pipeline Safety Investigation Underway Involving Possible Sunoco Gasoline Pipeline Leak
In Berks County On March 17
House Committee To Consider Bill To Compensate Landowners For Drilling Rights If DRBC
Adopts Fracking Ban, Well Pad Permitting March 26
Presenters Urge House Committee To Support Bill Compensating Landowners For Drilling
Rights If DRBC Adopts A Fracking Ban
NewsClips:
PA’s New Pipeline Caucus Wants Stronger Regulation Of Mariner East Pipelines
Legislators Press Forward On Pipeline Safety Concerns
Sen. Muth To Introduce Pipeline Safety, Public Awareness Standards Bills
Lawmakers Call For Expanded Natural Gas Pipeline Network
Legislators, Leaders In Business, Labor, Industry Stand In Solidarity For Pipeline Infrastructure
Development
Crews Investigate Possible Gasoline Leak From Sunoco Pipeline Near Reading
Phillips: Higher Operating Pressure In Mariner East 2x Pipeline Prompts New Safety Concerns
Federal Appeals Court Issues Stay Halting PennEast Pipeline Project
U.S. Appeals Court Grants Motion For Stay On PennEast Pipeline
Court Stay Allows PennEast Pipeline To Continue Environmental Surveys
Turnout Low For Session On Proposed Pipeline Compressor Station In Luzerne
Pipeline Construction Firm Offers Unique Venue For Local Artists In Luzerne County
Forbes: PA Homeowners Take Fight Against Gas Pipeline Land Grab To U.S. Supreme Court
Report: Plant Bailout Back On Tap As DOE’s Perry, Coal Interests Derail FERC Nomination
FERC Chief Of Staff Pugliese Steps Down
[Posted: March 19, 2019]
On March 18, the PJM electrical grid came through the 2018–2019 winter reliably in the face of
extreme temperatures and high electricity demand.
The 2018–2019 winter provided insights into grid operation, market trends and the
security of fuel supplies for the 13 states and District of Columbia that make up PJM’s service
area. PJM saw the following:
-- Electricity was supplied by a diverse set of resources, including natural gas, coal, nuclear and
renewables.
-- Generator performance continued to improve, with forced outages down from previous cold
weather
periods.
-- A break in a major natural gas pipeline occurred during winter peak operations, but did not
pose a significant impact to generation.
-- Pricing in PJM’s reserve market during stressed conditions showed that valuable energy
reserves, while adequate during these periods, were not appropriately compensated in the market,
72
which supports the movement for price reforms.
-- Wind generation in PJM reached its all-time peak of 7,808 MW on Jan. 9.
During the short but intense cold snap that impacted PJM’s footprint between Jan. 28–31,
forced outages were slightly higher than normal winter operations, which is typical for extreme
cold periods. But overall generator performance was good, and continued to show marked
improvement over the polar vortex winter of 2013–2014.
During the 2013-2014 winter, PJM faced forced generation outages of up to 22 percent.
Last winter (2017–2018), the extended cold snap produced forced outages of just 12 percent.
And during the recent cold weather of Jan. 30 and Jan. 31, PJM saw outages down to 8.6 percent
and 10.6 percent, respectively.
The output of the diverse generation fleet was similar to that of the 2018 cold snap, with a
significant increase in the percentage of natural gas, and a decrease in the percentage of
coal-fired generation.
More information is available in PJM’s Cold Weather Operations Summary.
Related Stories:
Community Solar Legislative Forum April 3 In Wilkes-Barre
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
Op-Ed: Science, Panic And Politics Of Climate Change
House Environmental Committee Holds Info Meeting March 27 On Debunking Modern Myths
Surrounding Climate Change
[Posted: March 18, 2019]
73
Energy Committee
-- Matt Tripoli, Director of Project Development, Conti Solar
-- Dr. Ken Klemow, Professor and Chair of Biology, Certified Senior Ecologist, Wilkes
University
-- Liz Robinson, Executive Director, Philadelphia Solar Energy Association
Questions about this event can be directed to Steve Stroman, 717-350-0437 or send email
to: stevestroman@hotmail.com.
Click Here for more information on Community Solar Projects.
For more information on plans to expand solar energy in Pennsylvania, visit the PA Solar
Future Plan.
Related Stories:
PJM: Reliability, Fuel Supply Strong In PJM During 2018-19 Winter
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
Op-Ed: Science, Panic And Politics Of Climate Change
House Environmental Committee Holds Info Meeting March 27 On Debunking Modern Myths
Surrounding Climate Change
NewsClips:
Lafayette Becomes First Lehigh Valley College To Pledge Carbon Neutrality
Penn Aims To Be Carbon Neutral By 2042
Olson: Casey: Green New Deal Worthy Of Review
Olson: Cong. Wild Talks Green New Deal, Trump Investigations, More
Trump Mocking Wind Power: When The Wind Doesn’t Blow, Just Turn Off the TV
[Posted: March 20, 2019]
74
[Posted: March 20, 2019]
The Energy Co-op’s Alexandra Kroger Appointed Philadelphia WRISE Chapter President
75
Co-op Executive Director Ronald Fisher. “Alexandra is an integral and valued member of our
team, and we congratulate her on her appointment.”.
The Energy Co-op was founded in 1979, the Energy Co-op, based in Philadelphia, Pa. is
leading the energy evolution by helping members buy energy as sustainably and affordably as
possible.
The organization has been addressing Pennsylvania’s energy challenges for over 40 years
and offers renewable electricity, renewable natural gas and affordable home heating oil.
Related Stories:
Greater Philadelphia Society Of Women Environmental Professionals Accepting Applications
For Scholarships
Capital Chapter Society Of Women Environmental Professionals Annual Conference April 25
[Posted: March 22, 2019]
DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Meets March 27 To Discuss
Update To PA Outdoor Recreation Plan
76
Dividend Act
PA Environmental Council Welcomes Trails Program Manager Brett Hollern
Susquehanna National Heritage Area Officially Designated By Congress
March 20 Resource Newsletter Now Available From DCNR
March 22 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation
NewsClips:
DCNR Tours Mira Lloyd Dock Center To Discuss How Restore PA Could Address
Infrastructure Needs
DCNR: Prince Gallitzin State Park, Cambria County, Needs $3.5 Million Of Infrastructure Work
DCNR Secretary Tours Potential Trail Site In Pittsburgh To Promote Restore PA
Delaware Canal State Park Needs $90 Million Worth Of Improvements
Editorial: State Parks Report Sounds Alarm
Warmer Weather Brings More Ticks, Lyme Disease Diagnosis
PA Keeping An Eye On Ticks With Statewide Collection Survey
Op-Ed: Philly’s Demand For Public Spaces Requires Creative Funding Solutions
DCNR Accepting Sealed Bids To Operate Presque Isle’s Concession
Luzerne Committee Narrows Proposed Natural Gas Rec Funding Awards
Northwestern Recreation Fields Damage Prompts Cash Reward In Lehigh Valley
Skate Park Coming Back In Luzerne
Frye: Camping When Campfires Are Prohibited
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
William Penn Foundation Announced Creative Communities Grant Awards Totaling $2.6
Million
77
Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Meets March 27 To Discuss
Update To PA Outdoor Recreation Plan
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
Joint Conservation Committee Meeting Highlights Initiatives To Boost Bicycle Tourism Along
PA Route 6
Pike County Outdoors Guide For Sportsmen, Outdoor Enthusiasts Now Available
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
PA Environmental Council Welcomes Trails Program Manager Brett Hollern
Susquehanna National Heritage Area Officially Designated By Congress
March 20 Resource Newsletter Now Available From DCNR
NewsClips:
DCNR Tours Mira Lloyd Dock Center To Discuss How Restore PA Could Address
Infrastructure Needs
DCNR: Prince Gallitzin State Park, Cambria County, Needs $3.5 Million Of Infrastructure Work
DCNR Secretary Tours Potential Trail Site In Pittsburgh To Promote Restore PA
Delaware Canal State Park Needs $90 Million Worth Of Improvements
Editorial: State Parks Report Sounds Alarm
Warmer Weather Brings More Ticks, Lyme Disease Diagnosis
PA Keeping An Eye On Ticks With Statewide Collection Survey
Op-Ed: Philly’s Demand For Public Spaces Requires Creative Funding Solutions
DCNR Accepting Sealed Bids To Operate Presque Isle’s Concession
Luzerne Committee Narrows Proposed Natural Gas Rec Funding Awards
Northwestern Recreation Fields Damage Prompts Cash Reward In Lehigh Valley
Skate Park Coming Back In Luzerne
Frye: Camping When Campfires Are Prohibited
[Posted: March 18, 2019]
Pike County Outdoors Guide For Sportsmen, Outdoor Enthusiasts Now Available
78
County Office of Community Planning, the Pike County Conservation district, and through
Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau welcome centers, regional nature centers, and local outdoor
outfitters.
A downloadable version of the guide will also be available at PikePa.org.
The printed guide was created by the Pike County Office of Community Planning with
the help of the following partners: Pike County Board of Commissioners, USDI National Park
Service, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Game Commission, Fish & Boat
Commission, Pike County Conservation District, and Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
“No other resource combines all of our local public lands into one comprehensive
publication,” says Pike County Assistant Planning Director Jessica Yoder. “We hope all outdoor
enthusiasts use this helpful guide to get outside and enjoy all of the recreational opportunities
that Pike County has to offer.”
Funding for the project was provided by the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.
Pike Outdoors App
In September of 2018, all of the great features of the printed guide became available in a
digital Pike Outdoors app for iPhone or Android. The public can access the app at PikePa.org or
through Google Play and the Apple App Store.
For more information, contact the Pike County Office of Community Planning by
sending email to: planning@pikepa.org or calling 570-296-3500.
Related Stories:
PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The Golden
Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Meets March 27 To Discuss
Update To PA Outdoor Recreation Plan
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
William Penn Foundation Announced Creative Communities Grant Awards Totaling $2.6
Million
Joint Conservation Committee Meeting Highlights Initiatives To Boost Bicycle Tourism Along
PA Route 6
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
PA Environmental Council Welcomes Trails Program Manager Brett Hollern
Susquehanna National Heritage Area Officially Designated By Congress
March 20 Resource Newsletter Now Available From DCNR
NewsClips:
DCNR Tours Mira Lloyd Dock Center To Discuss How Restore PA Could Address
Infrastructure Needs
DCNR: Prince Gallitzin State Park, Cambria County, Needs $3.5 Million Of Infrastructure Work
DCNR Secretary Tours Potential Trail Site In Pittsburgh To Promote Restore PA
Delaware Canal State Park Needs $90 Million Worth Of Improvements
Editorial: State Parks Report Sounds Alarm
Warmer Weather Brings More Ticks, Lyme Disease Diagnosis
PA Keeping An Eye On Ticks With Statewide Collection Survey
Op-Ed: Philly’s Demand For Public Spaces Requires Creative Funding Solutions
79
DCNR Accepting Sealed Bids To Operate Presque Isle’s Concession
Luzerne Committee Narrows Proposed Natural Gas Rec Funding Awards
Northwestern Recreation Fields Damage Prompts Cash Reward In Lehigh Valley
Skate Park Coming Back In Luzerne
Frye: Camping When Campfires Are Prohibited
[Posted: March 20, 2019]
Fort Indiantown Gap Begins Spring 2019 Prescribed Burn Season In Lebanon County
80
prescribed burn season to reduce the risk of wildfires at Fort Indiantown Gap, Lebanon County.
The burns will be conducted on approximately 4,500 acres, as conditions permit, March
18 through May 3 between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Local residents may notice smoke originating
from or in the vicinity of the installation while burns are being conducted.
A prescribed burn is a commonly used forestry management technique that reduces the
amount of combustible material naturally existing in the wilderness. It is performed only when
conditions such as humidity, wind and temperature are ideal for managing fires.
Prescribed burns are not conducted unless all required conditions are met.
Fort Indiantown Gap, headquarters to the DMVA and Pennsylvania National Guard,
offers more than 17,000 acres and 140 training areas and facilities for year-round training.
It balances one of the region’s most ecologically diverse areas with a military mission
that annually supports 19,000 Pennsylvania National Guard personnel and more than 130,000
other states’ Guard, military, law enforcement, and civilian personnel each year.
It is the only live-fire, maneuver military training facility in Pennsylvania. It is the busiest
Army National Guard training center in the nation.
For more information visit the Fort Indiantown Gap website, or follow on Facebook.
Individuals may also call the installation’s community information line at 717-861-2007 to hear
a recorded message with dates and times of community activities and training events.
For more information on the use of prescribed fire, visit DCNR’s Prescribed Fire
webpage, the PA Prescribed Fire Council website, read the Game Commission’s Better Hunting
With Prescribed Burning backgrounder and visit The Nature Conservancy’s Fire Management In
Pennsylvania webpage.
Learn more about wildfire risks and prevention methods, by visiting DCNR’s Wildfire
webpage.
Related Stories:
DCNR: Pennsylvanians Urged To Exercise Caution To Prevent Wildfires
DCNR Now Accepting Applications For Volunteer Fire Company Wildfire Fighting Grants
Related Stories This Week:
PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The Golden
Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
DCNR Good Natured Blog: Making Progress Toward A Goal Of Planting More Trees Along
Streams
March 20 Resource Newsletter Now Available From DCNR
March 22 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation
NewsClips:
DCNR Secretary Highlights Riparian Buffer Effort In Union County
Livestaking: Utilize Cuttings From Willows, Dogwoods To Improve Streams
Warmer Weather Brings More Ticks, Lyme Disease Diagnosis
PA Keeping An Eye On Ticks With Statewide Collection Survey
Spotted Lanternfly Spreads To Dauphin County
Nanticoke’s Oldest Tree Coming Down
PECO Tree Clearing Riles Residents In Bucks
[Posted: March 18, 2019]
DCNR Good Natured Blog: Native Plant Conservation Gets Renewed Focus In PA,
81
Meeting April 26
82
in your community!
Help Shape the Future for Native Plants
The Pennsylvania Plant Conservation Network will hold its first public meeting in
conjunction with the 2019 Rare Plant Forum.
Plant conservation stakeholders, concerned citizens, and other plant enthusiasts are
encouraged to attend this free meeting for a collaborative discussion about the goals of the
PPCN.
The meeting will be held April 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Shaver’s Creek
Environmental Center, 3400 Discovery Road in Petersburg, Huntingdon County.
If you would like to attend the PPCN meeting, please register online.
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can get involved in plant
conservation efforts in Pennsylvania, contact the PPCN program coordinator, Kristi Allen by
sending email to: krallen@pa.gov.
(Photo: PPCN members preparing to plant Goodyera tesselata grown from native seed at a state
forest wild plant sanctuary.)
Native Plant Resources
There are lots of resources available to help property owners landscape with native
plants, and now is the best time to start planning for Spring projects. Here are just of a few of
the resources available--
-- DCNR Landscaping With Native Plants
-- Game Commission: Common Beneficial Plants Found In Wildlife Habitat
-- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Native Plants For Wildlife Habitat And Conservation
Landscaping
-- Chesapeake Bay Sustainable Landscape Professional Directory
-- Brandywine Conservancy: Forested Riparian Buffer Planting Guide
-- Audubon PA: Bird Habitat Recognition Program
-- National Audubon: Native Plants Database
-- Xerces Society For Invertebrate Conservation
-- Gardening For Butterflies: Penn State Extension
-- Planting For Pollinators: Penn State Extension
-- Center For Pollinator Research, Penn State
-- Pennsylvania Pollinator Protection Plan - Learn Why Pollinators Are At Risk In PA
-- Ernst Seeds - Pollinator Habitat Restoration
-- Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
You can also check with land trusts, watershed groups, PA Audubon and Trout Unlimited
Chapters, county conservation districts or other groups near you to see how they can help.
Related Stories:
Manada Conservancy Offers Native Plant Landscape Design Service In Dauphin County
[Recommended]
Senate Hearing: Non-Native, Invasive Plant Species And Preserving Pollinators
DCNR: New Wild Plant Regulations Now In Place In PA; What You Can Do To Help Native
Plants, Pollinators
Feature: Recognizing The Value Of Native Plants For Pollinators - Dr. Doug Tallamy
Agriculture, Penn State Release PA Pollinator Protection Plan Recommendations
Pollinator Population Is Going Down In PA Due To Pesticides, Parasites And Pathogens
83
Sen. Yudichak, Cong. Barletta, Author Caroline Jones Celebrate The Launch Of We Saved The
Bees And The Butterflies Children's Book
PA Rural Water Assn. Will Hold Annual Conference March 26-29 In State College, Including
Seminar On Zebra Mussels, Algal Blooms
NewsClips:
Spotted Lanternfly Spreads To Dauphin County
Editorial: U.S. Must Ensure Protections For Imperiled Wildlife
[Posted: March 18, 2019]
84
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
PA Environmental Council Welcomes Trails Program Manager Brett Hollern
Susquehanna National Heritage Area Officially Designated By Congress
NewsClips:
DCNR Tours Mira Lloyd Dock Center To Discuss How Restore PA Could Address
Infrastructure Needs
DCNR: Prince Gallitzin State Park, Cambria County, Needs $3.5 Million Of Infrastructure Work
DCNR Secretary Tours Potential Trail Site In Pittsburgh To Promote Restore PA
Delaware Canal State Park Needs $90 Million Worth Of Improvements
Editorial: State Parks Report Sounds Alarm
Warmer Weather Brings More Ticks, Lyme Disease Diagnosis
PA Keeping An Eye On Ticks With Statewide Collection Survey
Op-Ed: Philly’s Demand For Public Spaces Requires Creative Funding Solutions
DCNR Accepting Sealed Bids To Operate Presque Isle’s Concession
Luzerne Committee Narrows Proposed Natural Gas Rec Funding Awards
Northwestern Recreation Fields Damage Prompts Cash Reward In Lehigh Valley
Skate Park Coming Back In Luzerne
Frye: Camping When Campfires Are Prohibited
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
85
harvest,” said Christopher Rosenberry, Game Commission Deer and Elk Section supervisor.
“Although the rest of the firearms season’s daily harvests were similar to or above last year’s,
they did not make up for the low opening day harvest.”
Click Here for the full announcement.
For more information on deer in Pennsylvania, visit the Game Commission’s
White-Tailed Deer webpage.
Related Stories:
Wildlife Honors Students Get Hands-On Experience In Pennsylvania’s Elk Range
Peregrine Falcon Nests: Pittsburgh - 4 Eggs, Harrisburg- 2 Eggs; Egg Watch On For PPL
Building In Allentown
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Kicks Off Spring Migration Season With Raptorthon March 30
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
NewsClips:
Dietz: Game Commission Has Support In Its Battle Against Chronic Wasting Disease
Dietz: Game Commission Receives Credible Support In Its Battle Against Chronic Wasting
Disease
Game Commission To Decide Hot-Button Issues In April
Crable: Deer Kill In PA Highest In 4 Years, Buck Kill Down 10 Percent
Hunters In Pennsylvania Have Killed 17,492,302 Deer Since 1915
Carr: Raccoon In Monroeville Tested Positive For Rabies, 6th Case This Year In Allegheny
County
[Posted: March 19, 2019]
86
first full week of November, and we’ve been testing for pregnancy, and it’s been suspiciously
low. Around 55 to 60 percent,” Banfield explained, noting that the pregnancy rates in November
would ideally be at around 90 percent. “So, we are collecting blood samples now, later in the
season, to see if pregnancy increased. Basically, we want to see that if you give the animals more
time to breed, will pregnancy go up.”
While this research is still in its very early stages, Banfield said seeing pregnancy rates
increase into the spring is not actually a positive finding.
He said late season pregnancy among female elk means an increased mortality rate for
their calves and hopes that most cows will be pregnant earlier in the season. Ultimately, through
this research, they hope to understand why that isn’t happening.
“It’s going to depend on what we find here, what our next step is. When you have either
low pregnancy or late pregnancy, it obviously influences the population. So, we are trying to
deduce what’s going on here so we can hopefully correct it in the future,” Banfield said. “You
want the animals to be bred in as short of a window as possible. Early on in late September is the
prime period. The reason is that the rut [breeding season] is rough on both genders, especially
bulls that can lose up to 20 percent of their body weight.
"Also, nature has evolved this way so that the calves that are born during the end of May,
beginning of June, which is the prime time for vegetation, and that’s a good time," added
Banfield. "Food is plentiful, and they can gain weight fast. If they’re born late, they don’t have as
much time to gain that weight and have lower chances of survival going into the fall, so we don’t
want late pregnancy. We want the population to grow; more importantly we want the natural
process to work as it should, but right now it appears that it’s not.”
While these early steps of this research will hopefully reveal why these late pregnancies
are happening, Corondi added that it is a confusing setback for the population of a species that
otherwise is poised for great survival and reproductive success in the Commonwealth. She said,
“It’s high quality forage we have here, so there’s plenty of food, a great bull to cow ratio,
and no natural predators. These animals really have very few stressors, so the pregnancy rates
should be higher.”
The process by which samples are collected for this research is challenging, adding
another layer of difficulty for these wildlife professionals. They are specifically targeting female
elk, three-and-a-half years of age and older.
They must first locate a group of animals, visually identify an individual they hope to
collect samples from, then close in, getting into range for a clean shot with an air powered gun
that fires darts that deliver the immobilizing chemicals that sedate the elk long enough for
samples to be collected.
The safe range to ensure a chance at a clean shot with that device is about 40 yards. Just
immobilizing the animal alone can take a great deal of know-how and woodsmanship.
“We collected blood samples during our hunting season for elk, which happens in the
first full week of November, and we’ve been testing for pregnancy, and it’s been suspiciously
low. Around 55 to 60 percent,” said Elk biologist Jeremy Banfield.
It was this process that Penn State DuBois honors students in the Wildlife Technology
program had the opportunity to participate in, an opportunity not open to any other members of
the public or community outside of PGC staff.
Currently studying to work in the field of wildlife conservation, this exclusive experience
gave the students the chance for a real-world look at some of the work they could look forward
87
to completing when they enter their careers.
Freshman Wildlife Technology honors student Samantha Carns, of Clearfield, said, “It
was amazing. I one hundred percent want to do it again. I have never been that close to an elk
and it was so cool.”
Banfield and Corondi led the group of students from Winslow Hill near Benezette in Elk
County, out into the heart of Pennsylvania’s Elk Range at sunrise. They quickly came upon a
group of elk and identified a cow that fit their profile for testing.
After Banfield made the shot with the dart gun, the group waited about 10 minutes before
tracking the animal.
They were assisted by radio telemetry that homes in on a signal put out by the dart, and
used the device to help locate the elk, which was able to run a couple of hundred yards before
she would succumb to the immobilization drugs.
Once located, Banfield and Corondi quickly got to work collecting blood, as well as other
data from the cow. Banfield said, “While we have her down, we check heart rate, breathing, and
temperature, to assure the health of the animal. We age her by examining her teeth. The blood
sample is what we’re after, but while we have her there, we take the chance to assure the overall
health of the elk.”
Following the collection of samples and data, reversal drugs are injected into the elk to
counteract the immobilization drugs that tranquilized her. All animals studied are monitored until
they’re awake and able to regain their feet. In this case, the cow elk was awake and able return to
the herd within four minutes after recovery drugs were administered.
Penn State DuBois students helped the PGC staff throughout this process and in
collecting data, including blood samples and vital signs, taking the opportunity for more
real-world lessons that will give them experience as they go into their future careers.
Carns said, “This helped me realize what wildlife biologists actually do, and it just
opened up my eyes.”
Garrett Orcutt, a freshman wildlife technology student from Rockton, Pennsylvania, said,
“It was definitely one of the most awesome opportunities I’ve ever had the pleasure of being a
part of. It was great of Jeremy for letting us be a part of this.”
Getting to be in such close contact to wildlife, as well as the hands-on work that
conservationists do every day, was and invaluable learning experience for these aspiring
professionals.
“Being that close to such a large mammal that is such a big part of Pennsylvania’s
heritage really narrows it down that I want to do something in my career with big game animals,”
Orcutt said.
Instructor Keely Roen said the type of inspiration and real-world experience Orcutt is
thankful for is exactly why she seeks out these opportunities for her students.
She said, “This gives students the chance to interact with professionals in natural
resources, and to be part of an experience that they may very well relive five or 10 years from
now in their careers. There’s no way to replicate that in the classroom. You have to really see it
to understand what goes into something like this. If you don’t see it in person, you really don’t
truly understand it.”
Roen said the students participating in this experience will use what they’ve learned to
help their classmates take their education one step further, as well.
She said, “These honors students will do a presentation on their experience for other
88
students in the Wildlife Technology program when we learn about chemically immobilizing deer
in the fall semester, so they’ll be able to share what they’ve learned and note the differences they
see between deer and elk.”
According to Banfield, the elk herd in Pennsylvania was extirpated due to overhunting in
the late 1800s.
Beginning in 1913, efforts to bring the species back to the Keystone State began with
importing animals from other states. Between 1913 and 1926, 177 elk were introduced into
Pennsylvania. That number initially grew to between 400 and 500 animals.
Official yearly counts of the species began in 1971, and eventually a hunting season for
elk in Pennsylvania was open in 2001 when it was determined the population increased to a
sustainable number that could be managed by hunting.
Though the current pregnancy rate is alarming, importation of elk as was done in the past
is no longer an option due to the outbreak of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). An affliction
plaguing deer and elk alike, CWD originated in the west and has already found its way into
Pennsylvania.
There is no cure for the disease, which attacks the nervous system of the animals, and it is
always terminal to those that contract it.
To prevent the spread of the disease, conservationists have determined that deer and elk
should not be relocated. Though it is a threat to deer and elk species populations, no evidence has
been discovered that it is harmful to humans.
Additionally, Banfield’s opinion as the state elk biologist is that it can be mitigated to the
point of sustaining wildlife species.
He said, “Our elk will inevitably get it. When that’s going to occur is always difficult to
predict. But when it happens, we have no reason to expect it will wipe out the elk population.
There will be a presence of the disease that we’ll have to respond to; it’s a serious thing and
we’ll keep it on the forefront. But it won’t wipe out our herd.”
Currently Pennsylvania boasts an elk population of approximately 1,000 animals.
Banfield said members of the public should be reminded that feeding elk is illegal, and in
CWD areas of the state, feeding of deer is prohibited, as well. Refraining from feeding wildlife
will help in stopping the spread of diseases like CWD.
For more information on elk in Pennsylvania, visit the Game Commission’s Elk Viewing
Destinations webpage.
(Reprinted from Penn State News. )
Related Stories:
Game Commission: 2018-19 Deer Harvest At 374,690 Largest Since 2004-05
Peregrine Falcon Nests: Pittsburgh - 4 Eggs, Harrisburg- 2 Eggs; Egg Watch On For PPL
Building In Allentown
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Kicks Off Spring Migration Season With Raptorthon March 30
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
NewsClips:
Dietz: Game Commission Has Support In Its Battle Against Chronic Wasting Disease
Dietz: Game Commission Receives Credible Support In Its Battle Against Chronic Wasting
89
Disease
Game Commission To Decide Hot-Button Issues In April
Crable: Deer Kill In PA Highest In 4 Years, Buck Kill Down 10 Percent
Hunters In Pennsylvania Have Killed 17,492,302 Deer Since 1915
Carr: Raccoon In Monroeville Tested Positive For Rabies, 6th Case This Year In Allegheny
County
[Posted: March 20, 2019]
Peregrine Falcon Nests: Pittsburgh - 4 Eggs, Harrisburg- 3 Eggs; Egg Watch On For PPL
Building In Allentown
90
to the public."
Click Here for a live video feed of the Allentown nesting box.
For more information on peregrine falcon restoration, visit the Game Commission’s
Peregrine Falcon webpage.
(Photo: Harrisburg falcon nest.)
Related Stories:
Game Commission: 2018-19 Deer Harvest At 374,690 Largest Since 2004-05
Wildlife Honors Students Get Hands-On Experience In Pennsylvania’s Elk Range
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Kicks Off Spring Migration Season With Raptorthon March 30
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
NewsClips:
Nesting Pair Of Eagles Returns To Presque Isle State Park
Editorial: Bald Eagles Settle Into Nest On Presque Isle
Middle Creek Snow Geese Season Is Over, How Many Stopped By?
Kennett Township Becomes Audubon Bird Town
Trout Stocking, Birding Events To Soon Be Underway In Centre County
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Kicks Off Spring Migration Season With Raptorthon March
30
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official migration count location. The team will tally any passing raptors from 1 to 4 p.m. and
will help identify and inform for any joining visitors.
Those who wish to support Hawk Mountain can join in the fun throughout the day and/or
make a donation online.
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Hawk
Mountain Sanctuary website or call 610-756-6961. Click Here to sign up for regular updates
from the Sanctuary, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, visit them on Flickr and visit
their YouTube Channel. Click Here to support Hawk Mountain.
Related Stories:
Game Commission: 2018-19 Deer Harvest At 374,690 Largest Since 2004-05
Wildlife Honors Students Get Hands-On Experience In Pennsylvania’s Elk Range
Peregrine Falcon Nests: Pittsburgh - 4 Eggs, Harrisburg- 2 Eggs; Egg Watch On For PPL
Building In Allentown
Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation & Carbon
Dividend Act
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
NewsClips:
Nesting Pair Of Eagles Returns To Presque Isle State Park
Editorial: Bald Eagles Settle Into Nest On Presque Isle
Middle Creek Snow Geese Season Is Over, How Many Stopped By?
Kennett Township Becomes Audubon Bird Town
Trout Stocking, Birding Events To Soon Be Underway In Centre County
[Posted: March 19, 2019]
92
Penn State University. He came to Somerset County in 1997 as a planner before assuming the
role of Trail and Greenways Coordinator, serving ATA and the County under DCNR’s Circuit
Rider Program.
“Having worked with PEC throughout my career, I’m thrilled to join the team and bring
my experience and knowledge of trails to help others achieve their trail building goals,” Hollern
said.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the PA
Environmental Council website, visit the PEC Blog, PEC Bill/Regulation Tracker, 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.
Related Stories:
PaEN: PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The
Golden Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Meets March 27 To Discuss
Update To PA Outdoor Recreation Plan
Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal For
Conservation
William Penn Foundation Announced Creative Communities Grant Awards Totaling $2.6
Million
Joint Conservation Committee Meeting Highlights Initiatives To Boost Bicycle Tourism Along
PA Route 6
Pike County Outdoors Guide For Sportsmen, Outdoor Enthusiasts Now Available
Susquehanna National Heritage Area Officially Designated By Congress
March 20 Resource Newsletter Now Available From DCNR
NewsClips:
DCNR Tours Mira Lloyd Dock Center To Discuss How Restore PA Could Address
Infrastructure Needs
DCNR: Prince Gallitzin State Park, Cambria County, Needs $3.5 Million Of Infrastructure Work
DCNR Secretary Tours Potential Trail Site In Pittsburgh To Promote Restore PA
Delaware Canal State Park Needs $90 Million Worth Of Improvements
Editorial: State Parks Report Sounds Alarm
Warmer Weather Brings More Ticks, Lyme Disease Diagnosis
PA Keeping An Eye On Ticks With Statewide Collection Survey
Op-Ed: Philly’s Demand For Public Spaces Requires Creative Funding Solutions
DCNR Accepting Sealed Bids To Operate Presque Isle’s Concession
Luzerne Committee Narrows Proposed Natural Gas Rec Funding Awards
Northwestern Recreation Fields Damage Prompts Cash Reward In Lehigh Valley
Skate Park Coming Back In Luzerne
Frye: Camping When Campfires Are Prohibited
[Posted: March 21, 2019]
Here are NewsClips from around the state on all environmental topics, including General
Environment, Budget, Marcellus Shale, Watershed Protection and much more.
93
The latest environmental NewsClips and news is available at the PA Environment Digest Daily
Blog and Twitter Feed.
94
Editorial: U.S. Must Ensure Protections For Imperiled Wildlife
Budget
PaEN: Growing Greener Coalition Issues Call To Action To Make New Investments In
Restoring The Environment, Oppose Backsliding
PaEN: PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates
Funding Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
PaEN: Growing Greener Coalition Urges New Investment In Restoring The Environment,
Preventing Flooding, No Backsliding On Existing Commitments
PaEN: PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The
Golden Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
As Levee Costs Grow In Williamsport, Next Stage Includes State Funding
Huntingdon County: Restore PA Aims To Avoid Local Disasters
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help York With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help Lancaster With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf Pushes Restore PA To Eliminate Lead From Philly School At A Cost Of $100 Million
Gov. Wolf Confident He Has Votes For Severance Tax, But Republicans Beg To Differ
Republicans, Gas Industry Oppose Severance Tax To Fund Wolf’s Restore PA Infrastructure
Plan
AP: Wolf Says $4.5B Restore PA Could Help Schools Cleanup Lead Paint
Sen. Yudichak: Growth Wll Fuel PA’s Future - Restore PA
DCNR Tours Mira Lloyd Dock Center To Discuss How Restore PA Could Address
Infrastructure Needs
Op-Ed: Pass A Natural Gas Severance Tax to Fund Infrastructure In PA - Gov. Wolf
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
Antrim Twp Might Use Reserve Funds On Stormwater Requirements
Bay Journal: Trump Administration Makes Another Bid To Slash Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Funds
PaEN: Bill Authorizing Fish & Boat Commission To Set Own Fees To Be Considered By House
Committee On March 25
PaEN: Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership: Call Your House Member To Support Bill
To Allow Fish & Boat Commission To Adopt Its Own Fees
PaEN: PA Receives $53.8 Million In 2019 Federal Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Funds,
Reclamation Fee Due To Expire
PaEN: Conservation District Leader From PA Presses Case For Strong Federal Conservation
Funding In DC
Editorial: Funding For Lower Mon Project Arrives Just In Time
AP: Federal Black Lung Fund In Danger Of Drying Up
Editorial: Coal Miners Continue To Suffer With Black Lung
Chesapeake Bay
PaEN: PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates
Funding Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
PaEN: Bay Journal: Exelon, Maryland Spar Over Who Is Responsible For Nutrients Passing
Over Conowingo Dam
Op-Ed: Article Misrepresents PA Farm Bureau’s Role In Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Innovative Green Stormwater Project Improves Water Infrastructure in Pittsburgh
95
Stormwater Fee Headaches Persist In Luzerne County
You Didn’t Pay Your Stormwater Fee In Luzerne? What Now?
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
PaEN: Penn State Brook Trout Researchers Featured In New Expedition Chesapeake Film
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Accepting Submissions For Photo Contest
Bay Journal: Trump Administration Makes Another Bid To Slash Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Funds
PaEN: Conservation District Leader From PA Presses Case For Strong Federal Conservation
Funding In DC
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
Citizen Action
PaEN: Award-Winning Master Watershed Steward Projects Across Pennsylvania
PaEN: Ted Evgeniadis, Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper, Recognized By York County Master
Watershed Stewards
PaEN: DCNR Good Natured Pennsylvanians: Jodi Sulpizio, York County, Watershed Steward
PaEN: Pennsylvania Seeks Volunteers For Statewide Spring Cleanup, Beautification Effort
Pennsylvania Seeks Volunteers For Spring Cleanup
Livestaking: Utilize Cuttings From Willows, Dogwoods To Improve Streams
PaEN: Community Solar Legislative Forum April 3 In Wilkes-Barre
PaEN: EQB Invites Comments On Changes To Class A Stream Redesignations, April 26
Hearing Set
Climate
PaEN: House Environmental Committee Holds Info Meeting March 27 On Debunking Modern
Myths Surrounding Climate Change
Mennonite Church In Lancaster Constructs EV Charging Station
Lafayette Becomes First Lehigh Valley College To Pledge Carbon Neutrality
Penn Aims To Be Carbon Neutral By 2042
Editorial: Listen To, Support Students Speaking Out On Climate Change
AP: Report: Great Lakes Feeling Effects Of Rapid Climate Warming
PaEN: Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation &
Carbon Dividend Act
PaEN: Op-Ed: Science, Panic And Politics Of Climate Change
Lessons Learned After Puerto Rican Hurricane Evacuees Came To Philly
Olson: Casey: Green New Deal Worthy Of Review
Olson: Cong. Wild Talks Green New Deal, Trump Investigations, More
U.S. Court Halts Drilling On Federal Land In Wyoming Over Climate Change
AP: EPA Argues For Shifting Focus From Climate Change To Water
Coal Mining
Op-Ed: Don’t Roll Back Federal Mercury Standard
AP: Federal Black Lung Fund In Danger Of Drying Up
Editorial: Coal Miners Continue To Suffer With Black Lung
96
Intra-Agency Effort Underway To Plan The Future Of PHMC’s Eckley Miners’ Village
Delaware River
PaEN: PA Projects Receive Over $1.7 Million In Federal Delaware River Watershed Restoration
Grants
25 Delaware River-Area Water Quality Projects Get $4.1M In Federal Funds
PaEN: NFWF Accepting Applications For Delaware Watershed Restoration Grants
Recap Of March 13 Delaware River Basin Commission Meeting
March 22 Delaware RiverKeeper RiverWatch Video Report
Drinking Water
PaEN: PA Rural Water Assn. Will Hold Annual Conference March 26-29 In State College,
Including Seminar On Zebra Mussels, Algal Blooms
Editorial: Philly State Proposals Will Keep Lead From Robbing Children’s Potential
Pittsburgh Water Authority Working To Better Document Water Main Replacements
Penn State Extension: Why Conserve Water In A Water Rich State?
New Jersey Implements Nation’s Toughest PFAS Standard
AP: Army Bill To Release Public Records On PFAS Testing At Installations $290,400
Access To Clean Water A Problem In The U.S. Affecting Minority, Rural Groups Most
Economic Development
A Fracking-Driven Industrial Boom Renews Pollution Concerns In Pittsburgh
Education
PaEN: Fayette County Boy Scout Peter Livengood Awarded William T. Hornaday Silver Medal
For Conservation
PaEN: Greater Philadelphia Society Of Women Environmental Professionals Accepting
Applications For Scholarships
PaEN: Wildlife Honors Students Get Hands-On Experience In Pennsylvania’s Elk Range
PaEN: Penn State Brook Trout Researchers Featured In New Expedition Chesapeake Film
Lafayette Becomes First Lehigh Valley College To Pledge Carbon Neutrality
Penn Aims To Be Carbon Neutral By 2042
Editorial: Listen To, Support Students Speaking Out On Climate Change
PaEN: Wildlands Conservancy Highlights Educational Programs, Activities Coming Up In April
Schneck: Rare Spring-Equinox, Super, Full Moon Shines Tonight
Energy
Thompson: Save Three Mile Island? What A Difference 40 Years Makes
Thompson: Can PA’s Energy Market Survive Without Three Mile Island?
McKelvey: What Happens To Three Mile Island’s Nuclear Waste If Plant Closes?
A Three Mile Island Evacuation Today? It Would Be A Crawl
I-83 Ill-Equipped For Three Mile Island-Level Evacuation
If Three Mile Island Shuts Down, Counties Could Lose Grant Money In Evacuation Zone
Three Mile Island’s Towers Remain A Constant Reminder Of 1979 Disaster
Berks Lawmakers React To Bill Seeking To Save Nuclear Power In PA
Ohio, Pennsylvania Consider Nuclear Plant Bailouts
AP-Levy: Debate Over Nuclear Power Hits Home In Rural Pennsylvania
House Leaders Moving Cautiously On Nuclear Power Rescue Bill
Lancaster Weighs In: Should We Close Three Mile Island?
Op-Ed: PA’s Nuclear Industry Does Not Deserve Another Bailout
97
Editorial: Time’s Up For Corporate Welfare, Exelon
Report: Cost Of Closing Beaver County Nuclear Assets Will Top $900 Million
Mennonite Church In Lancaster Constructs EV Charging Station
PaEN: Community Solar Legislative Forum April 3 In Wilkes-Barre
PaEN: Reliability, Fuel Supply Strong In PJM Electrical Grid During 2018-19 Winter
Lafayette Becomes First Lehigh Valley College To Pledge Carbon Neutrality
Lehigh Valley Leaders Discuss Efforts To Go Green
Litvak: Who’s Afraid Of FirstEnergy Solutions’ Restructuring Plan? Every Agency That’s Seen
It
Column: We Deserve Assurances Door-To-Door Electricity Sellers Aren’t Rapists
PECO Tree Clearing Riles Residents In Bucks
Power Restored To 1,000 In Plum After Transformer Fire
PaEN: The Energy Co-op’s Alexandra Kroger Appointed Philadelphia WRISE Chapter President
Maykuth: Are Tiny Nuclear Reactors The Path To A Carbon-Free Future?
Olson: Casey: Green New Deal Worthy Of Review
Report: Plant Bailout Back On Tap As DOE’s Perry, Coal Interests Derail FERC Nomination
Environmental Heritage
Remembering The Three Mile Island Accident: Concern, Confusion, Chaos
Robert Swift: Three Mile Island - March 29 & 30, 1979
Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident: The Ultimate Out-Of-Body Experience
Chaos At Three Mile Island
Eshelman: 1979 Three Mile Island Accident Came At A Time Of Personal Terror
The Three Mile Island Accident, Enduring Questions Of Ties To Cancer And Deaths
Op-Ed: Three Mile Island Was Gov. Thornburgh’s Defining Moment, And His Legacy
Three Mile Island Accident In Living Color: A Look Into The National Archives
Go To Three Mile Island And Camp There: Reporter Gets Careers Lessons From Nuclear
Accident
It’s Been 40 Years Since Three Mile Island Accident
TMI Podcast: Behind The Scenes, Three Mile Island As It Happened
Journalists, Locals Gather to Remember Three Mile Island Accident
How Three Mile Island, Nuclear Industry Influenced Pop Culture
Penn-Anthracite SME’s Presentation On Anthracite Coal Heritage
Intra-Agency Effort Underway To Plan The Future Of PHMC’s Eckley Miners’ Village
Farming
Spotted Lanternfly Spreads To Dauphin County
Op-Ed: Article Misrepresents PA Farm Bureau’s Role In Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
PaEN: DCNR Good Natured Blog: Making Progress Toward A Goal Of Planting More Trees
Along Streams
DCNR Secretary Highlights Riparian Buffer Effort In Union County
Rodale Institute: Farm Conservation Practices Watershed Impact Trial
Should PA Invest Money In Organic Agriculture? Some Lawmakers Aren’t So Sure
PaEN: Penn State Extension: Spring’s A Good Time To Do Pond Inspections
Urban Farming In Philadelphia To Get Growing With A Plan That Includes Hundreds Of Vacant
Lots
Backyard Farmers Support Philadelphia Bill To Legalize Undercover Chicken Coops
98
PaEN: Conservation District Leader From PA Presses Case For Strong Federal Conservation
Funding In DC
Flooding
Twp.. Supervisors, Farmers Discuss Flooding Issues With DEP
Flooding Closes Central PA Roads, Swamps Yards After Heavy Rain
PaEN: House Committee Reports Out Bill Creating Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task
Force
Updates To Flood Insurance Policy Could Cost Homeowners More
Mansfield Council, DEP To Collaborate On Flooding Issue In Borough
As Levee Costs Grow In Williamsport, Next Stage Includes State Funding
Williamsport Authority Reorganizes To Tackle Costs Of Levee Recertification
Grafius Run Flood Damage At $5 Million In Lycoming County
Editorial: Recertifying Levee In Williamsport: Runaway Costs, Hazy Payment Plan
Luzerne County Involvement In Wyoming Valley Levee System Debated
Luzerne Flood Authority Hres Solicitor, Debates Ties To Luzerne County
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
Antrim Twp Might Use Reserve Funds On Stormwater Requirements
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help York With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help Lancaster With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Huntingdon County: Restore PA Aims To Avoid Local Disasters
PaEN: Penn State Water Insights Seminar March 26: Seeking Opportunities To Reduce The
Impact Of Flood Events
NOAA Forecasters Say Midwest’s Flooding Could Preview Unprecedented Spring
Flooding - National
Nebraska Floods: 74 Cities, 65 Counties Declare State Of Emergency
Missouri River Floods Causing Many To Evacuate
Rescues, Evacuations As Floodwaters Breach Levees In Midwest
Lessons Learned After Puerto Rican Hurricane Evacuees Came To Philly
Forests
PaEN: PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The
Golden Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
PaEN: DCNR Good Natured Blog: Making Progress Toward A Goal Of Planting More Trees
Along Streams
DCNR Secretary Highlights Riparian Buffer Effort In Union County
Livestaking: Utilize Cuttings From Willows, Dogwoods To Improve Streams
PaEN: March 22 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation
PaEN: Fort Indiantown Gap Begins Spring 2019 Prescribed Burn Season In Lebanon County
Warmer Weather Brings More Ticks, Lyme Disease Diagnosis
PA Keeping An Eye On Ticks With Statewide Collection Survey
Spotted Lanternfly Spreads To Dauphin County
Nanticoke’s Oldest Tree Coming Down
PECO Tree Clearing Riles Residents In Bucks
PaEN: March 20 Resource Newsletter Now Available From DCNR
Forests - Wildfires
California National Guard To Leave Border To Help Stop Wildfires
99
AP: California To Waive Environmental Rules For Fire Season Prep
Grants & Funding
PaEN: NFWF Accepting Applications For Delaware Watershed Restoration Grants
Green Infrastructure
PaEN: PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates
Funding Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
PaEN: DCNR Good Natured Blog: Making Progress Toward A Goal Of Planting More Trees
Along Streams
DCNR Secretary Highlights Riparian Buffer Effort In Union County
Livestaking: Utilize Cuttings From Willows, Dogwoods To Improve Streams
Innovative Green Stormwater Project Improves Water Infrastructure in Pittsburgh
Stormwater Fee Headaches Persist In Luzerne County
You Didn’t Pay Your Stormwater Fee In Luzerne? What Now?
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
Antrim Twp Might Use Reserve Funds On Stormwater Requirements
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help York With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help Lancaster With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Hazardous Substances
Wolf Pushes Restore PA To Eliminate Lead From Philly School At A Cost Of $100 Million
Editorial: Philly State Proposals Will Keep Lead From Robbing Children’s Potential
New Jersey Implements Nation’s Toughest PFAS Standard
AP: Army Bill To Release Public Records On PFAS Testing At Installations $290,400
PaEN: Op-Ed: Will Our Dirt Roads Again Be Used As Dumping Sites For Oil & Gas Well
Wastewater?
Hazardous Waste
Elcon Hazardous Waste Facility Opponents Propose Clean Air Ordinance In Bucks
Lake Erie
AP: Report: Great Lakes Feeling Effects Of Rapid Climate Warming
Land Conservation
U.S. Court Halts Drilling On Federal Land In Wyoming Over Climate Change
Land Use
Op-Ed: Philadelphia’s Next Challenge: Keeping It Affordable To Live There - Richard Florida
Littering/Illegal Dumping
PaEN: Pennsylvania Seeks Volunteers For Statewide Spring Cleanup, Beautification Effort
Pennsylvania Seeks Volunteers For Spring Cleanup
PennDOT, DEP Asking For Volunteers For Great American Cleanup Event
PaEN: Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Stream Cleanup Set For April 6 In Montgomery
County
Spring Cleanup Of Yard Waste In Williamsport In A Few Weeks
Got A TV, Washing Machine, Refrigerator To Throw Away? How To Do It Legally In Philly
Grant Could End Illegal Dumping At Williamsport Waste Collection Site
Mine Reclamation
PaEN: PA Receives $53.8 Million In 2019 Federal Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Funds,
Reclamation Fee Due To Expire
Oil & Gas
100
PaEN: House Committee To Consider Bill To Compensate Landowners For Drilling Rights If
DRBC Adopts Fracking Ban, Well Pad Permitting March 26
PaEN: Presenters Urge House Committee To Support Bill Compensating Landowners For
Drilling Rights If DRBC Adopts A Fracking Ban
PaEN: House Environmental Committee Reports Out Bill Allowing Cross Unit Drilling Under
Several Properties
PaEN: Op-Ed: Will Our Dirt Roads Again Be Used As Dumping Sites For Oil & Gas Well
Wastewater?
Gov. Wolf Confident He Has Votes For Severance Tax, But Republicans Beg To Differ
Republicans, Gas Industry Oppose Severance Tax To Fund Wolf’s Restore PA Infrastructure
Plan
Man Dies At Lawrence County Gas/Oil Well Site
Legere: Court Keeps Alive Attorney General’s Case Over Landowner Gas Royalty Payments
PaEN: March 27 DEP Meeting On Proposed Drilling Permits At U.S. Steel's Edgar Thomson
Plant, Allegheny County
Litvak: EQT Says Employees Took Data To Aid Rice In Proxy Battle
Litvak: Rice Names 9 Directors They Hope Will Reshape EQT Drilling
A Fracking-Driven Industrial Boom Renews Pollution Concerns In Pittsburgh
PUC Hosts Smart Hearings To Gather Public Input On Proposed $71 Million. UGI Natural Gas
Rate Increase
Worley & Obetz Fuel Squabble Settled For $225,000
GasBuddy: Madness At The Pumps As Gasoline Prices Race Higher
Gasoline Prices Continue Climb As Refinery Issues Raise Concerns
Struggling South Philadelphia Refinery Suffers Exodus Of Senior Executives
U.S. Court Halts Drilling On Federal Land In Wyoming Over Climate Change
Pipelines
PaEN: PUC Pipeline Safety Investigation Underway Involving Possible Sunoco Gasoline
Pipeline Leak In Berks County On March 17
Crews Investigate Possible Gasoline Leak From Sunoco Pipeline Near Reading
Phillips: Higher Operating Pressure In Mariner East 2x Pipeline Prompts New Safety Concerns
PaEN: Dueling Press Conferences Pit Opponents Of Mariner East Pipeline Against Those
Supporting Pipeline Development
PA’s New Pipeline Caucus Wants Stronger Regulation Of Mariner East Pipelines
Legislators Press Forward On Pipeline Safety Concerns
Sen. Muth To Introduce Pipeline Safety, Public Awareness Standards Bills
Lawmakers Call For Expanded Natural Gas Pipeline Network
Legislators, Leaders In Business, Labor, Industry Stand In Solidarity For Pipeline Infrastructure
Development
Federal Appeals Court Issues Stay Halting PennEast Pipeline Project
U.S. Appeals Court Grants Motion For Stay On PennEast Pipeline
Court Stay Allows PennEast Pipeline To Continue Environmental Surveys
Turnout Low For Session On Proposed Pipeline Compressor Station In Luzerne
Pipeline Construction Firm Offers Unique Venue For Local Artists In Luzerne County
Forbes: PA Homeowners Take Fight Against Gas Pipeline Land Grab To U.S. Supreme Court
Report: Plant Bailout Back On Tap As DOE’s Perry, Coal Interests Derail FERC Nomination
101
FERC Chief Of Staff Pugliese Steps Down
Permitting
PaEN: DEP Posts 60 Pages Of Permit Notices In March 23 PA Bulletin
Personnel
PaEN: The Energy Co-op’s Alexandra Kroger Appointed Philadelphia WRISE Chapter President
PaEN: Greater Philadelphia Society Of Women Environmental Professionals Accepting
Applications For Scholarships
PaEN: Capital Chapter Society Of Women Environmental Professionals Annual Conference
April 25
PAEN: PA Environmental Council Welcomes Trails Program Manager Brett Hollern
Ad Crable, Outdoor, Environmental Writer For LancasterOnline.com Is Retiring
Times Leader Layoffs Decimate Sports Department - Tom Venesky, Paul Sokoloski
Radiation Protection
Thompson: Save Three Mile Island? What A Difference 40 Years Makes
Thompson: Can PA’s Energy Market Survive Without Three Mile Island?
McKelvey: What Happens To Three Mile Island’s Nuclear Waste If Plant Closes?
A Three Mile Island Evacuation Today? It Would Be A Crawl
I-83 Ill-Equipped For Three Mile Island-Level Evacuation
If Three Mile Island Shuts Down, Counties Could Lose Grant Money In Evacuation Zone
Three Mile Island’s Towers Remain A Constant Reminder Of 1979 Disaster
Berks Lawmakers React To Bill Seeking To Save Nuclear Power In PA
Ohio, Pennsylvania Consider Nuclear Plant Bailouts
AP-Levy: Debate Over Nuclear Power Hits Home In Rural Pennsylvania
House Leaders Moving Cautiously On Nuclear Power Rescue Bill
Lancaster Weighs In: Should We Close Three Mile Island?
Op-Ed: PA’s Nuclear Industry Does Not Deserve Another Bailout
Editorial: Time’s Up For Corporate Welfare, Exelon
Report: Cost Of Closing Beaver County Nuclear Assets Will Top $900 Million
Maykuth: Are Tiny Nuclear Reactors The Path To A Carbon-Free Future?
PaEN: Reliability, Fuel Supply Strong In PJM Electrical Grid During 2018-19 Winter
Report: Plant Bailout Back On Tap As DOE’s Perry, Coal Interests Derail FERC Nomination
Recreation
PaEN: PA Parks & Forests Foundation Tells House Committee: State Parks & Forests Are The
Golden Egg, But We’re Starving The Goose
PaEN: DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Meets March 27 To Discuss
Update To PA Outdoor Recreation Plan
DCNR Tours Mira Lloyd Dock Center To Discuss How Restore PA Could Address
Infrastructure Needs
PaEN: March 22 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation
Warmer Weather Brings More Ticks, Lyme Disease Diagnosis
PA Keeping An Eye On Ticks With Statewide Collection Survey
PaEN: William Penn Foundation Announced Creative Communities Grant Awards Totaling $2.6
Million
Op-Ed: Philly’s Demand For Public Spaces Requires Creative Funding Solutions
PaEN: Joint Conservation Committee Meeting Highlights Initiatives To Boost Bicycle Tourism
102
Along PA Route 6
PaEN: Susquehanna National Heritage Area Officially Designated By Congress
PaEN: Pike County Outdoors Guide For Sportsmen, Outdoor Enthusiasts Now Available
DCNR Accepting Sealed Bids To Operate Presque Isle’s Concession
Luzerne Committee Narrows Proposed Natural Gas Rec Funding Awards
Northwestern Recreation Fields Damage Prompts Cash Reward In Lehigh Valley
Skate Park Coming Back In Luzerne
Frye: Camping When Campfires Are Prohibited
PAEN: PA Environmental Council Welcomes Trails Program Manager Brett Hollern
PaEN: March 20 Resource Newsletter Now Available From DCNR
Recycling/Waste
Allegheny Front: Curbside Glass Recycling May Become A Thing Of The Past - PA Resources
Council Pop Up Glass Recycling
PaEN: PA Resources Council, Partners Hold Reuse Fest As Part Of FutureFest April 20 In
Allegheny County
Got A TV, Washing Machine, Refrigerator To Throw Away? How To Do It Legally In Philly
Grant Could End Illegal Dumping At Williamsport Waste Collection Site
E-Media Recycling To Alternative Between Mercer, Lawrence Counties
Could PA Be Next State To Ban Foam Takeout Containers?
Op-Ed: Recycling Is Dying, So What’s Next For Our Trash?
Regulations
PaEN: Updated Agency-By-Agency Regulatory Agenda Published By Governor’s Office
Renewable Energy
Lafayette Becomes First Lehigh Valley College To Pledge Carbon Neutrality
Penn Aims To Be Carbon Neutral By 2042
PaEN: Community Solar Legislative Forum April 3 In Wilkes-Barre
Olson: Casey: Green New Deal Worthy Of Review
Olson: Cong. Wild Talks Green New Deal, Trump Investigations, More
Trump Mocking Wind Power: When The Wind Doesn’t Blow, Just Turn Off the TV
Stormwater
PaEN: PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates
Funding Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
PaEN: Westmoreland Conservation District To Receive Governor’s Environmental Excellence
Award
PaEN: DCNR Good Natured Blog: Making Progress Toward A Goal Of Planting More Trees
Along Streams
DCNR Secretary Highlights Riparian Buffer Effort In Union County
Livestaking: Utilize Cuttings From Willows, Dogwoods To Improve Streams
Innovative Green Stormwater Project Improves Water Infrastructure in Pittsburgh
Stormwater Fee Headaches Persist In Luzerne County
You Didn’t Pay Your Stormwater Fee In Luzerne? What Now?
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
Antrim Twp Might Use Reserve Funds On Stormwater Requirements
Rodale Institute: Farm Conservation Practices Watershed Impact Trial
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help York With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
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Wolf: Restore PA Will Help Lancaster With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Sustainability
PaEN: Sustainable Pittsburgh Announces Winners Of Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge
PaEN: Phipps' Center For Sustainable Landscapes In Pittsburgh First Project In World To Be
Awarded SITES Platinum Certification
PaEN: PA Green Colleges Hold Conference On Sustainable Development Goals And Higher
Education April 9 In State College
Lafayette Becomes First Lehigh Valley College To Pledge Carbon Neutrality
Lehigh Valley Leaders Discuss Efforts To Go Green
First Ever Eco-Innovation District Brings Sustainable Redevelopment To Uptown, West
Oakland
Wastewater Facilities
PaEN: PA Rural Water Assn. Will Hold Annual Conference March 26-29 In State College,
Including Seminar On Zebra Mussels, Algal Blooms
Amended Lawsuit Challenging Scranton Sewer Sale Gets Hearing
Watershed Protection
PaEN: PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee Workgroup Estimates
Funding Gap Of $1.467 Billion Over Next 6 Years
PaEN: Westmoreland Conservation District To Receive Governor’s Environmental Excellence
Award
PaEN: Award-Winning Master Watershed Steward Projects Across Pennsylvania
PaEN: Ted Evgeniadis, Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper, Recognized By York County Master
Watershed Stewards
PaEN: DCNR Good Natured Pennsylvanians: Jodi Sulpizio, York County, Watershed Steward
PaEN: Bay Journal: Exelon, Maryland Spar Over Who Is Responsible For Nutrients Passing
Over Conowingo Dam
Bay Journal: Trump Administration Makes Another Bid To Slash Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Funds
PaEN: PA Receives $53.8 Million In 2019 Federal Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Funds,
Reclamation Fee Due To Expire
PaEN: Conservation District Leader From PA Presses Case For Strong Federal Conservation
Funding In DC
Twp.. Supervisors, Farmers Discuss Flooding Issues With DEP
Stormwater Fee Headaches Persist In Luzerne County
You Didn’t Pay Your Stormwater Fee In Luzerne? What Now?
Franklin County Municipalities Want Public Input On Stormwater Fees
Antrim Twp Might Use Reserve Funds On Stormwater Requirements
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help York With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
Wolf: Restore PA Will Help Lancaster With Flooding, Green Infrastructure
PaEN: DCNR Good Natured Blog: Making Progress Toward A Goal Of Planting More Trees
Along Streams
DCNR Secretary Highlights Riparian Buffer Effort In Union County
Rodale Institute: Farm Conservation Practices Watershed Impact Trial
PaEN: PA Projects Receive Over $1.7 Million In Federal Delaware River Watershed Restoration
Grants
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25 Delaware River-Area Water Quality Projects Get $4.1M In Federal Funds
PaEN: Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Stream Cleanup Set For April 6 In Montgomery
County
PaEN: NFWF Accepting Applications For Delaware Watershed Restoration Grants
March 22 Delaware RiverKeeper RiverWatch Video Report
AP: Report: Great Lakes Feeling Effects Of Rapid Climate Warming
PaEN: EQB Invites Comments On Changes To Class A Stream Redesignations, April 26
Hearing Set
AP: EPA Argues For Shifting Focus From Climate Change To Water
Editorial: Funding For Lower Mon Project Arrives Just In Time
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
PaEN: Bill Authorizing Fish & Boat Commission To Set Own Fees To Be Considered By House
Committee On March 25
PaEN: Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership: Call Your House Member To Support Bill
To Allow Fish & Boat Commission To Adopt Its Own Fees
Dietz: Game Commission Has Support In Its Battle Against Chronic Wasting Disease
Dietz: Game Commission Receives Credible Support In Its Battle Against Chronic Wasting
Disease
Game Commission To Decide Hot-Button Issues In April
PaEN: Op-Ed: Trout Unlimited Supports Common Sense Federal Energy Innovation &
Carbon Dividend Act
PaEN: Game Commission: 2018-19 Deer Harvest At 374,690 Largest Since 2004-05
Crable: Deer Kill In PA Highest In 4 Years, Buck Kill Down 10 Percent
Hunters In Pennsylvania Have Killed 17,492,302 Deer Since 1915
Carr: Raccoon In Monroeville Tested Positive For Rabies, 6th Case This Year In Allegheny
County
AP: Venesky: Outdoors: Murky Waters For Pennsylvania’s Mallard Duck Numbers
PaEN: Peregrine Falcon Nests: Pittsburgh - 4 Eggs, Harrisburg- 2 Eggs; Egg Watch On For PPL
Building In Allentown
Nesting Pair Of Eagles Returns To Presque Isle State Park
Editorial: Bald Eagles Settle Into Nest On Presque Isle
PaEN: Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Kicks Off Spring Migration Season With Raptorthon March
30
Middle Creek Snow Geese Season Is Over, How Many Stopped By?
Kennett Township Becomes Audubon Bird Town
Trout Stocking, Birding Events To Soon Be Underway In Centre County
Fort Indiantown Gap Begins Spring 2019 Prescribed Burn Season
PaEN: Wildlife Honors Students Get Hands-On Experience In Pennsylvania’s Elk Range
PaEN: Penn State Brook Trout Researchers Featured In New Expedition Chesapeake Film
Frye: Tips On Releasing Fish So they Survive To Breed, Fight Again
Schneck: Flattened Frogs, Toads, Salamanders: Love & Death On PA Roadways
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Op-Ed: Rolling Back Portions Of Federal Clean Water Act Is A Bad Idea
Editorial: U.S. Must Ensure Protections For Imperiled Wildlife
Ad Crable, Outdoor, Environmental Writer For LancasterOnline.com Is Retiring
Times Leader Layoffs Decimate Sports Department - Tom Venesky, Paul Sokoloski
West Nile/Zika Virus
Warmer Weather Brings More Ticks, Lyme Disease Diagnosis
PA Keeping An Eye On Ticks With Statewide Collection Survey
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
meetings in the Dec. 10 PA Bulletin, page 7708.
March 23-- South Mountain Partnership Speakers Series: Adams County Barn Survey Volunteer
Training. Apple Museum in Biglerville. 8:30.
March 23-- Jacobs Creek Watershed Association Tired Of Tires Collection Campaign,
Westmoreland County. Scottdale Borough, 10 Mount Pleasant Road, Scottdale. 9:00 to Noon.
March 23-- Pocono Environmental Ed Center Angling & Hunting For Conservation Program.
At the Center, 538 Emery Road in Dingmans Ferry, Pike County.10:00 to 2:15.
March 25-- Botstiber Institute For Wildlife Fertility Control Pennsylvania Deer Conflict
Management Seminar. Dixon University Center, Administration Building, Conference Room
B/C, 2986 North Second Street, Harrisburg. 5:30 to 8:00
March 25-26-- Green Building Alliance Certified Passive House Tradesperson Training -
Module II. Pittsburgh.
March 25-- NEW. House Game and Fisheries Committee meets to consider House Bill 808
(Mehaffie-R-Dauphin) authorizing the Fish and Boat Commission to set its own fees for 3 years
(sponsor summary). Room 205 Ryan Building. 9:30. Click Here to watch the meeting online.
Click Here for more on the agenda.
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March 26-- NEW. House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee holds a meeting to
consider House Bill 827 (Fritz-R-Wayne) which requiring compensation for oil and gas rights
owners in Delaware River Watershed if the Delaware River Basin Commission adopts a
permanent ban on fracking (sponsor summary). (Click Here for more background on
compensating landowners and a companion bill in the Senate-- Senate Bill 305.); House Bill 828
(Fritz-R-Wayne) authorizes DEP to issue one permit for multiple gas wells on a single pad
instead of individual well permits, extends the term of well permits from 1 to 3 years and allows
well locations to vary within 50 feet of specific locations identified on the well permit (sponsor
summary); --House Bill 829 (Fritz-R- Wayne) prohibiting the Delaware River Basin
Commission from regulating onlot septic systems (sponsor summary). Room B-31 Main Capitol
Building. 10:00. Click Here to watch the meeting online. Click Here for more on the agenda.
March 26-- NEW. Penn State Environment & Natural Resources Institute Water Insights
Seminar: Seeking Opportunities to Reduce the Impact Of Flood Events In Urban Areas. Room
312 of the Ag and Bio Engineering Building, Penn State’s main campus in State College and is
available online via Zoom. Noo to 1:00.
March 26-- Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly Public Meeting. Lewisburg, Union County.
March 26-29-- NEW. PA Rural Water Association Annual Conference. Penn Stater Hotel and
Conference Center, State College.
March 27-- NEW. House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee holds an
informational meeting on “factually debunking some of the modern myths surrounding the
‘climate change’ discussion.” Room G-50 Irvis Building. 8:30. Click Here to watch the meeting
online. Click Here for more on the agenda.
March 27-- NEW. Joint Legislative Budget & Finance Committee meets to release performance
audit of the Fish and Boat Commission. Room 8E-A East Wing. 9:00.
March 27-- NEW. DEP Public Meeting On Proposed Drilling Permits At U.S. Steel’s Edgar
Thomson Plant, Allegheny County. Braddock Volunteer Fire Department #2 Social Hall, 845
Talbot Avenue, Braddock. 6:00 to 8:00.
March 27-- DCNR Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council meeting. Room 105
Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. Contact: Gretchen Leslie, 717-772-9084, gleslie@pa.gov.
(formal notice)
March 27-- Penn State Harrisburg 40th Anniversary Of Three Mile Island Accident Program.
Multiple events during the day.
March 27-- Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly Public Meeting. Macungie, Lehigh County.
March 27-28-- Advanced Watershed Educator Workshops For Non-Formal Educators. Jennings
Environmental Education Center, 2951 Prospect Road, Slippery Rock, Butler County. Click
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Here to register.
March 28-- DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 9:30. Contact: Diane Wilson, 717-787-3730, diawilson@pa.gov.
March 28-- DEP Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board Reclamation Committee meeting.
14th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Daniel Snowden,
717-783-8846 or send email to: dsnowden@pa.gov. (formal notice)
March 28-- Pike County Conservation District. Ways To Help Your Lake Stay Healthy.
Dingman Township Fire Hall, 680 Log Tavern Road, Milford. 9:00 to 11:00.
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.
March 29-- Keystone Elk Country Alliance Student Environmental Career Day & Job Fair. Elk
Country Visitor Center, 134 Homestead Drive, Benezette, Elk County. 10:00 to 2:00
March 30-- PA Resources Council Pop-Up Glass Recycling Event. Edgeworth Borough,
Allegheny County. 9:00 to 2:00.
March 30-- Penn State Extension Livestaking For Minor Streambank Repairs Workshop.
Southeast Agricultural Research & Extension Center, 1446 Auction Road, Manheim, Lancaster
County. 9:00 to 11:30.
March 30-- NEW. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Spring Migration Season Kick Off Raptorthon.
April 1-- Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly Public Meeting. Phoenixville, Chester
County.
April 2-- Penn State Extension Spring Gardening Workshop. Northampton Community Fowler
Family Center, 511 E. 3rd Street, Bethlehem. 6:30 to 8:30.
April 2-- PennVEST Information Session On Water Quality, Green Infrastructure Funding
Programs. Cambria County.
April 2-- Registration Open. PRPS Parks & Green Infrastructure - Managing Water For Multiple
Community Benefits Workshop. Penn Stater Conference Center, State College. 8:30 to 3:00.
April 3-- PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Planning Steering Committee
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meeting. 2nd Floor Auditorium, Rachel Carson Building. 9:00 to Noon. Click Here to join the
meeting via Skype. Participants may also need to call in +1 (267) 332-8737. CONFERENCE
ID: 75588007.
April 3-- DEP State Board for Certification Of Water And Wastewater Systems Operator
meeting. 10th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building 10:00. Contact: Edgar
Chescattie, 717-772-2814, echescattie@pa.gov.
April 3-- NEW. Community Solar Legislative Forum. Arnaud C. Marts Center, Room 214 at
Wilkes University, 292 S. Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre. 7:00.
April 4-6-- Registration Open. Mid-Atlantic Greenways & Trails Summit. Philadelphia.
April 5-- Wildlife For Everyone We Love Wild Things & Wild Places Gala. Nittany Lion Inn,
State College.
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 6-- NEW. Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Stream Cleanup In Montgomery County.
9:00 to Noon.
April 6-- PA Resources Council Pop-Up Glass Recycling Event. South Fayette Twp., Allegheny
County. 9:00 to 2:00.
April 6-- PA Resources Council Backyard Composting Workshop. Point Breeze, Allegheny
County. 10:30 to Noon.
April 7-9-- CMU Mascaro Center For Sustainable Innovation. 2019 Engineering Sustainability
Conference. David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh.
April 8-- PennVEST Information Session On Water Quality, Green Infrastructure Funding
Programs. Westmoreland County.
April 9-- NEW. Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee holds a hearing to consider the
re-confirmation of Russell Redding as Secretary of Agriculture. Room 461 Main Capitol.
12:30.
April 9-- DEP Environmental Justice Advisory Board meeting. 16th Floor Delaware Room,
Rachel Carson Building. 8:30. DEP Contact: Allison Acevedo, 484-250-5942. (f ormal notice)
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April 9-- DEP Mine Families First Response & Communications Advisory Council meeting.
DEP New Stanton Office, 131 Broadview Road, New Stanton. 10:00. Contact: Peggy
Scheloske, 724-404-3143, mscheloske@pa.gov.
April 9-- Penn State Extension Spring Gardening Workshop. Northampton Community Fowler
Family Center, 511 E. 3rd Street, Bethlehem. 6:30 to 8:30.
April 9-- PennVEST Information Session On Water Quality, Green Infrastructure Funding
Programs. Crawford County.
April 9-- Capital RC&D, NRCS-PA Farming & Conservation Opportunities For Hispanic,
African American, Other Underserved Farmers. Pine Forge Academy, 361 Pine Forge Road in
Pine Forge, Berks County. 9:00 to 3:00.
April 9-- NEW. PA Environmental Resources Consortium - PA Green Colleges - Conference On
Sustainable Development And Higher Education. HUB Center on Penn State's University Park
campus.
April 10-- PA Resources Council Watershed Awareness/Rain Barrel Workshop. Point Breeze,
Allegheny County. 6:30 to 8:00.
April 11- DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 9:15. DEP Contact: Kirit Dalal, 717-772-3436 or send email to: kdalal@pa.gov.
April 11-- PennVEST Information Session On Water Quality, Green Infrastructure Funding
Programs. Lehigh County.
April 13-- PA Resources Council Pop-Up Glass Recycling Event. Dormont Borough, Allegheny
County. 9:00 to 2:00.
April 13-- PA Resources Council Backyard Composting Workshop. O’Hara Township,
Allegheny County. 10:30 to Noon.
April 13-- Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly Public Meeting. Springfield, Delaware
County.
April 16-- Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00.
Contact: Laura Edinger, 717-772-3277, ledinger@pa.gov.
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April 16-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.
Contact: Keith Calador, Executive Director, 717-787-8171 or send email to: ksalador@pa.gov.
April 16-- EQB Hearing On Proposed Fine Particulate Matter Regulations. DEP Southcentral
Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg. 1:00.
April 16- South Mountain Partnership Speakers Series: Charcoal Hearths, Collier Huts And
Haul Roads. Dickinson College in the Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, Carlisle, Cumberland
County. 7:00.
April 16-- PA Environmental Council Dinner Recognizing Winners Of Governor’s Awards For
Environmental Excellence. Hilton Harrisburg. 5:00. PA Environment Digest is a proud sponsor
lick Here for a list of 2019 winners.
of this special event. C
April 16-18-- PA American Water Works Association Annual Conference. Hershey Lodge and
Convention Center.
April 16-18-- Conodoguinet Creek Watershed Association Tree Wrapping. Shillelagh Farm,
6623 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County. 9:00 to Noon.
April 17- DEP Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee meeting. 12th Floor
Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. Contact: Nancy Herb, 717-783-9269,
nherb@pa.gov. (f ormal notice)
April 17-- EQB Hearing On Proposed Fine Particulate Matter Regulations. DEP Southwest
Regional office, 400 Waterfront Dr., Pittsburgh. 1:00.
April 17-- Penn State Extension Land Use Webinar Series. Making The Most Of Historical And
Heritage Assets. Noon to 1:15.
April 17-- PA Resources Council Watershed Awareness/Rain Barrel Workshop. Phipps Garden
Center, Allegheny County. 7:00 to 8:30.
April 18-- EQB Hearing On Proposed Fine Particulate Matter Regulations. DEP Southeast
Regional Office, 2 East Main St., Norristown. 1:00.
April 18-- Penn State PA Technical Assistance Program Benefits Of Energy Management
Systems Webinar. Noon to 1:00.
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.
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April 20-- NEW. PA Resources Council Resue Fest As Part Of FutureFest. Pittsburgh. 10:00 to
3:00.
April 20-- Clean Air Council Run For Clean Air. Philadelphia.
April 20-- PA Resources Council Watershed Awareness/Rain Barrel Workshop. Construction
Junction, Point Breeze, Allegheny County. 10:30 to Noon.
April 20-- PA Environmental Council, DCNR Tree Planting Weiser State Forest, Columbia
County. 9:00 to 1:00.
April 20-- Audubon Society of Western PA Earth Day Of Service To The Planet At 3 Locations.
Butler, Allegheny counties.
April 22-- PennVEST Information Session On Water Quality, Green Infrastructure Funding
Programs. Dauphin County.
April 23-- DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building 10:00. Contact: Lindsay Byron, 717-772-8951, lbyron@pa.gov.
April 23- PA Chamber Of Business & Industry 2019 Environmental Conference & Trade Show.
Hershey.
April 24-- PA Resources Council Watershed Awareness/Rain Barrel Workshop. Sewickley
Public Library, Allegheny County. 7:00 to 8:30.
April 25-- DEP Agricultural Advisory Board meeting. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909
Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg. 9:30. DEP Contact: Jay Braund 717-772-5636 or jbraund@pa.gov.
(formal notice)
April 25-- DEP Mining And Reclamation Advisory Board meeting. 14th Floor Conference
Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. Contact: Daniel Snowden, 717-783-8846 or send email
to: dsnowden@pa.gov.
April 25-- NEW. Capital Chapter Society of Women Environmental Professionals Annual
Conference. Central Penn College, 600 College Hill Road in Summerdale, Cumberland County.
8:00 to 4:00.
April 26-- NEW. Environmental Quality Board Hearing On Changes To Class A Stream
Redesignations. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg. 1:00.
April 26-- Berks Conservation District Forested Riparian Buffer Showcase. Berks County 4-H
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Center, 1206 County Welfare Road, Leesport. Noon.
April 26-- Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly Public Meeting. Lords Valley, Pike County.
April 26-- NEW. PA Plant Conservation Network 2019 Rare Plant Forum. Shaver’s Creek
Environmental Center, 3400 Discovery Road in Petersburg, Huntingdon County. 10:00 to 2:30.
April 26-27-- Bucknell University 7th Annual Sustainability Symposium. Bucknell University,
Lewisburg, Union County.
April 27-- PA Resources Council Pop-Up Glass Recycling Event. Avalon & Bellevue Boroughs,
Allegheny County. 9:00 to 2:00.
April 27-- Conodoguinet Creek Watershed Association Riparian Buffer Planting. East
Pennsboro Township's Ridley Park, 1625 Matthew Drive, Camp Hill, Cumberland County. 9:00
April 29-- PennVEST Information Session On Water Quality, Green Infrastructure Funding
Programs. Lackawanna County.
April 29 to May 2-- Registration Open. Center for Watershed Protection. 2019 National
Watershed and Stormwater Conference. South Carolina.
April 30-- PennVEST Information Session On Water Quality, Green Infrastructure Funding
Programs. Bedford County.
May 1-- DEP Laboratory Accreditation Advisory Committee meeting. Bureau of Laboratories,
Room 206, 2575 Interstate Drive, Harrisburg. 9:00. Contact: Aaren Alger, 717-346-8212 or send
email to: aaalger@pa.gov.
May 1-- DEP Aggregate Advisory Board meeting. Room 105, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.
Contact: Daniel Snowden, 717-783-8846 or send email to: dsnowden@pa.gov.
May 1-- PA Resources Council Watershed Awareness/Rain Barrel Workshop. Green Tree
Municipal Building, Allegheny County. 7:00 to 8:30.
May 4-- PA Environmental Council, DCNR Moshannon State Forest Tree Planting, Clearfield
County.
May 4-- Manada Conservancy Native Plant Sale. Hummelstown Boro Park, Poplar Avenue and
Water Street in Hummelstown, Dauphin County.
May 4-- PA Environmental Council, DCNR Tree Planting at Moshannon State Forest, Clearfield
County. 9:00 to 2:00.
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May 7-- Southwestern PA Commission’s Water Resource Center Stormwater Workshop. Moon
Twp. Municipal Building, Moon Township, Allegheny County. 9:00 to Noon. Click Here to
register.
May 8-- South Mountain Partnership Speakers Series: Pollinators And Their Habitat. Messiah
College, Boyer Hall Room 131, Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County. 6:00.
May 8-- PA Parks & Forests Foundation Annual Awards Celebration. Susquehanna Club, New
Cumberland, Cumberland County. 5:00. Click Here for sponsor information. PA Environment
Digest is a proud sponsor of this special event.
May 8-- Southwestern PA Commission’s Water Resource Center Stormwater Workshop. Peters
Twp. Municipal Building, McMurray, Washington County. 9:00 to Noon. Click Here to
register.
May 8-10-- PA Assn. Of Environmental Professionals. 2019 Annual Conference - Growth
Through Collaboration. State College.
May 10-- PA Environmental Council, DCNR 2019 PA Mountain Bike Summit. Raystown Lake
Visitors Center, Huntingdon County. 10:00 to 4:00.
May 11-- PA Resources Council Pop-Up Glass Recycling Event. Upper St. Clair Twp,
Allegheny County. 9:00 to 2:00.
May 11-- PA Resources Council Watershed Awareness/Rain Barrel Workshop. O’Hara
Township, Allegheny County. 10:30 to Noon.
May 14-- DEP Environmental Justice Advisory Board meeting. 16th Floor Delaware Room,
Rachel Carson Building. 8:30. DEP Contact: Allison Acevedo, 484-250-5942.
May 14-- NEW. DEP Hearing On Proposed RACT II Air Quality Plan For Specialty Tires Plant,
Indiana County. DEP’s Southwest Regional Office, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh. 9:00 to
9:30.
May 14-- NEW. DEP Hearing On Proposed RACT II Air Quality Plan For Texas Eastern
Compressor Plant, Cambria County. DEP’s Southwest Regional Office, 400 Waterfront Drive,
Pittsburgh. 9:30 to 10:00.
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-- Penn State PA Technical Assistance Program Basics Of Building Re-Tuning Energy
Efficiency Webinar. Noon to 1:00.
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May 16-- PennVEST Information Session On Water Quality, Green Infrastructure Funding
Programs. Luzerne County.
May 16-- PA Resources Council Watershed Awareness/Rain Barrel Workshop. Mt. Lebanon
Library, Allegheny County. 7:00 to 8:30.
May 16-18-- Registration Open. PA Land Trust Association. Land Conservation Conference.
Monroe County.
May 18-- Registration Open. Environmental Advisory Council Network Conference. Held in
conjunction with the PA Land Conservation Conference in Monroe County.
May 18-- PA Resources Council Backyard Composting Workshop. Ross Township, Allegheny
County. 4:00 to 5:30.
May 21-- PA Resources Council Backyard Composting Workshop. Mt. Lebanon Library,
Allegheny County. 7:00 to 8:30.
May 22-- Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00.
Contact: Laura Edinger, 717-772-3277, ledinger@pa.gov. (formal notice)
May 22-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.
Contact: Keith Calador, Executive Director, 717-787-8171 or send email to: ksalador@pa.gov.
May 22-- DEP State Board For Certification Of Sewage Enforcement Officers meeting. 11th
Floor Conference Room B, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. Contact: Amy Forney,
717-772-2186, aforney@pa.gov.
May 22-- PA Resources Council Healthy Body & Healthy Home Workshop. Sewickley Public
Library, Allegheny County. 7:00 to 8:30.
May 23-- DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 9:30. Contact: Diane Wilson, 717-787-3730, diawilson@pa.gov.
June 1-- PA Resources Council Pop-Up Glass Recycling Event. Kilbuck Township, Allegheny
County. 9:00 to 2:00.
June 3-7-- Registration Open. American Society of Mining & Reclamation Annual Meeting.
Montana.
June 4-- DEP Storage Tank Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building.
10:00. Contact: Kris Shiffer, 717-772-5809, kshiffer@pa.gov.
June 4-- DEP Board Of Coal Mine Safety meeting. DEP Cambria Office, 286 Industrial Park
Road, Ebensburg. 10:00. Contact; Peggy Scheloske, 724-404-3143, mscheloske@pa.gov.
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June 4-- PA Resources Council Watershed Awareness/Rain Barrel Workshop. North Park Rose
Barn, Allegheny County. 6:30 to 8:00.
June 6-- DEP Solid Waste Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building.
10:00. Contact: Laura Henry, 717-772-5713, lahenry@pa.gov. (formal notice)
June 6- PA Resources Council Watershed Awareness/Rain Barrel Workshop. Phipps Garden
Center, Allegheny County. 7:00 to 8:30.
June 8-- PA Resources Council Pop-Up Glass Recycling Event. Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny
County. 9:00 to 2:00.
June 11-- South Mountain Partnership Speakers Series: Appreciating The PA Local Craft Brew
Industry. Appalachian Brewing Company in Shippensburg. 6:30.
June 11-- PA Resources Council Backyard Composting Workshop. North Park Rose Barn,
Allegheny County. 6:30 to 8:00.
June 12-- DEP Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 9:00. Contact: Michael Maddigan, 717-772-3609, mmaddigan@pa.gov.
June 13-- DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 9:15. Contact: Kirit Dalal, 717-772-3436 or send email to: kdalal@pa.gov.
June 13-- PA Resources Council Backyard Composting Workshop. Phipps Garden Center,
Allegheny County. 7:00 to 8:30.
June 13-- Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly Public Meeting. Exton, Chester County.
June 16-21-- Cumberland Valley TU Rivers Conservation & Fly-Fishing Youth Camp. Messiah
College, Grantham, Cumberland County.
June 17-21-- Registration Open. Group Against Smog And Pollution Air Adventures Summer
Youth Camp. Pittsburgh.
June 18-- Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00.
Contact: Laura Edinger, 717-772-3277, ledinger@pa.gov. (formal notice)
June 18-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.
Contact: Keith Calador, Executive Director, 717-787-8171 or send email to: ksalador@pa.gov.
June 19-- DEP Coastal Zone Advisory Committee meeting. 10th Floor Conference Room,
Rachel Carson Building. 9:30. Contact: Stacey Box, 717-772-5622 or sbox@pa.gov.
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June 20-- DEP Agricultural Advisory Board meeting. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909
Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg. 9:30. DEP Contact: Jay Braund 717-772-5636 or jbraund@pa.gov.
June 20-- 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.
June 23-29-- Registration Open. Keystone/TU Teens Conservation Camp. Keystone College,
Lackawanna County.
July 8-12-- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Youth Appalachian Adventure Camp. Hawk Mountain
Sanctuary, Berks County.
July 18-- Penn State PA Technical Assistance Program Funding & Incentives To Implement
Energy Efficiency Projects Webinar. Noon to 1:00.
June 20-- Pike County Conservation District. Homeowner Tips To Protect Clean Water.
Dingman Township Fire Hall, 680 Log Tavern Road, Milford. 9:00 to 11:00.
July 24-26-- Registration Open. Professional Recyclers Of PA Annual Recycling & Organics
Conference. Harrisburg.
June 25-- DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building 10:00. Contact: Lindsay Byron, 717-772-8951, lbyron@pa.gov.
August 12-16-- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Youth Appalachian Adventure Camp. Hawk
Mountain Sanctuary, Berks County.
August 15-- Penn State PA Technical Assistance Program Building Re-Tuning For Energy
Efficiency In Downtown Buildings Webinar. Noon to 1:00.
August 22-25-- PA Association Of Hazardous Materials Technicians Annual Hazmat Training
and Education Conference. Seven Springs, Somerset County.
September 4-5-- PA Waste Industries Assn/Solid Waste Assn-Keystone Chapter Joint
Conference. Harrisburg Hilton.
September 8-11-- Registration Open. 2019 PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation and National
Abandoned Mine Lands Program Conference. Pittsburgh. PA Environment Digest is a proud
sponsor of this event.
September 11-- DEP Sewage Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:30. Contact: Janice Vollero, 717-772-5157, jvollero@pa.gov. (f ormal notice)
September 12-- South Mountain Partnership Speakers Series: Methods Of Combating Illegal
Dumping And Vandalism In A Forest Setting. Caledonia State Park in Fayetteville, Franklin
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County. 6:30.
September 19-- Penn State PA Technical Assistance Program Alternative Energy Projects For
Agriculture-Related Businesses Webinar. Noon to 1:00.
September 19-- Pike County Conservation District. Properly Maintaining Your On-Lot Septic
System. Dingman Township Fire Hall, 680 Log Tavern Road, Milford. 9:00 to 11:00.
October 3-- Penn State PA Technical Assistance Program Economy, Energy And Environment
For Food-Related Industries Webinar. Noon to 1:00.
This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other
recognition programs. NEW means new from last week.
March 29-- PA Environmental Professionals Karl Mason, Walter Lyon Awards
March 29-- PA American Water Environmental Grants
March 29-- Schuylkill River Network Student Street Art Contest
March 31-- DEP Level 2 Electric Charging Station Rebates (First-Come)
March 31-- DEP Municipal, Hazardous Waste Host Municipality Inspector Grants
April 1-- DEP Farm Conservation Planning Reimbursement In 43 Counties
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April 5-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Save The Bay Photo Contest
April 10-- DCNR Community Conservation Partnership, Recreation, Buffer Grants
April 10-- Appalachian Regional Commission Coal Regions Workforce Grants
April 11-- NEW. NFWF Delaware Watershed Conservation Action Grants
April 11-- NEW. NFWF Delaware Watershed Implementation & Cornerstone Grants
April 12-- PA American Water Protect Our Watersheds Student Art Contest
April 18-- Schuylkill River Restoration Fund Land Transaction Grants
April 19-- NRCS-PA Wetlands, Farmland Easement Programs
April 20-- PPL Future Environmental Leaders Scholarship
April 30-- Schuylkill Highlands Landscape Mini-Grants
May 2-- DCNR Volunteer Fire Company Wildfire Fighting Grants
May 3-- Pike Conservation District Environmental Ed Grant
May 10-- DEP Class 8 Truck/Transit Bus Clean Vehicle Grants
May 14-- NFWF Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants
May 14-- NFWF Chesapeake Bay Innovative Nutrient & Sediment Reduction Grants
May 15-- Delaware River Basin Commission Spring Photo Contest
May 15-- NEW. Philadelphia Society Of Women Environmental Professionals Scholarships
May 17-- CFA Alternative & Clean Energy Funding
May 17-- CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal and Wind Funding
May 17-- CFA Solar Energy Funding
May 17-- CFA High Performance Building Funding
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Watershed Restoration Grants
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Abandoned Mine Drainage Abatement and Treatment Grants
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Orphan or Abandoned Well Plugging Grants
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Baseline Water Quality Data Grants
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Sewage Facilities Grants
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Flood Mitigation Grants
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Greenways, Trails And Recreation Grants
July 1-- PA Wilds Center Champion Of PA Wilds Awards
July 15-- DEP Grants/Rebates Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
July 19-- CFA Alternative & Clean Energy Funding
July 19-- CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal and Wind Funding
July 19-- CFA Solar Energy Funding
July 19-- CFA High Performance Building Funding
August 15-- Leopold Farm Conservation Award
September 30-- DEP Recycling Performance Grants
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 4-- PA Parks & Forests Foundation Photo Contest
September 23-- DEP Class 8 Truck/Transit Bus Clean Vehicle Grants
December 1-- Western PA Trail Volunteer Fund Grants
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-- 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 -----------------------
The Environmental Quality Board published notice in the March 23 PA Bulletin of proposed
changes to Class A Stream Redesignations in Berks, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre,
Clearfield, Columbia, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Indiana, Lackawanna, McKean, Potter, Schuylkill,
Somerset, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wayne counties. A public hearing is scheduled for April 26
A Bulletin, page 1367)
in Harrisburg (P
The Game Commission published notice in the March 23 PA Bulletin of final threatened and
endangered species listing for the Peregrine Falcon, Piping Plover, Red Knot, Northern
long-eared bat, Little brown bat and Tri-colored bat.
The Public Utility Commission published notice in the March 23 PA Bulletin of supplemental
information submissions and filing timeline on the staff Report on Home Energy Affordability
for Low-Income Customers in Pennsylvania and a second notice on the same report.
Permits ------------
Note: The Department of Environmental Protection published 60 pages of public notices related
to proposed and final permit and approval/ disapproval actions in the March 23 PA Bulletin -
pages 1400 to 1460.
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
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regulations? All through its eNotice system. Click Here to sign up.
CLICK HERE to View or Print the entire PA Environment Digest. This Digest is 122 pages
long.
Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or
programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to: PaEnviroDigest@gmail.com.
Did you know you can search back issues of PA Environment Digest since May 28, 2004 on
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dozens of topics, by county and on any keyword you choose? Just click on the search page.
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you to new items posted on this blog.
PA Environment Digest is proud to be a sponsor of the 2019 PA Parks & Forests Foundation
Annual Awards Celebration on May 8 in New Cumberland, Cumberland County.
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PA Environment Digest is proud to be a sponsor of the 2019 PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation
and National Abandoned Mine Lands Program Conference to be held in Pittsburgh on September
8-11.
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