The Citizens Advisory Council to the Department of Environmental Protection is asking the public for ideas on how to improve public participation in developing environmental regulations and policies, according to John Walliser, Council Chair.

Susquehanna River Basin Commission Chairman Dr. Robert Summers Thursday announced that Executive Director Paul Swartz is retiring this November.

Here are the Senate and House Calendars and Committee meetings showing bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Bradford), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, and Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) Tuesday unveiled legislation designed to make natural gas service available to more Pennsylvanians.

Rep. Robert Freeman (D-Northampton) has introduced House Bill 1052 to give municipalities greater flexibility to target recreation fees to benefit all of the residents of the community.

Harry Campbell, Pennsylvania Executive Director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation issued this statement following the release of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s comprehensive survey of the overall health of America’s waterways.

The PA Infrastructure Investment Authority and the Department of Environmental Protection, along with financial information services company Markit, held on March 20 the first “forward” auction in 2013 for the sale and purchase of nutrient credits in Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The April 5-6 Pennsylvania Watersheds Advocate, Communicate, Transform Conference registration fees have been reduced and the deadline to  sign up has been extended through Monday, April 1. 

Penn State Extension is sponsoring a Stormwater Management With Green Infrastructure Workshop on April 11 at the Montgomery County Farm & Home Center, Collegeville starting at 8:45 a.m.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Antietam Watershed Association and Washington Township invite you to get your hands dirty by helping us plant 800 seedlings at Antietam Meadows, a community park located in Waynesboro, Pa on April 13 starting at 9:00 a.m.

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and its partners are seeking volunteers for a series of eight waterways cleanup projects in and around Harrisburg.  

PennDOT is seeking volunteers for this year’s Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania effort that runs through May 31.

The Chester County Conservation District and the Red Clay Valley Association coordinated a Spring cleanup all Red Clay stream on March 23 which resulted in collecting 21 bags of aluminum cans and 120 bags of trash collected by a dozen volunteers.

Last year, participants in the Schuylkill Scrub organized over 2,000 volunteers at more than 90 sites across the Schuylkill Valley — a six-fold increase over 2011.  This spring, leaders at the Schuylkill Action Network hope to increase participation even more.

Pennsylvania American Water officials Thursday welcomed state and municipal government officials and business leaders to the Rock Run Water Treatment Plant in Chester County to mark the completion of major plant improvements.

The Department of Environmental Protection has awarded $174,048 to the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority to offset some of the costs to replace its fleet of 14 heavy-duty, diesel-powered trucks with 14 new trucks that will be powered by compressed natural gas (CNG).

The Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership, Inc.’s Clean Mower Exchange rebate program begins Monday, April 1 and Southwest Pennsylvania residents can exchange gasoline-powered lawn equipment for a rebate toward the purchase of electric or battery-powered equipment at 15 participating True Value stores in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, and Westmoreland Counties.

Homeowners in Southeastern Pennsylvania now have more incentive for increasing their home's energy efficiency and lowering their utility bills.

Under its E-Power brand, PPL Electric Utilities will offer a portfolio of 13 energy efficiency and conservation programs over the next three years as part of an ongoing effort to help its customers reduce their electric usage.

FirstEnergy will sponsor a webinar on May 8 on Get Green For Going Green: Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives, both starting at Noon.

On April 4 the Washington & Jefferson College Center for Energy Policy and Management in Washington, Pa will hold its 2013 Energy Summit with the theme, “U.S. Energy Security: How Do We Get There?”

The Department of Environmental Protection Wednesday announced it is awarding nearly $2.2 million in West Nile Virus Control program grants to 26 counties, which are slated to begin surveillance activities in early April.

The Foundation for Sustainable Forests and the Forest Guild are hosting the Loving the Land Through Working Forests Conference on May 17-18 at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa.

The PA Wilds Planning Team invites you to attend the 6th Annual Pennsylvania Wilds Spring Briefing on May 2 at the  Red Fern Conference & Banquet Center, 421 Old Kersey Road, Kersey, Pa.

Become part of the “growing” TreeVitalize initiative, an effort led by Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to increase tree cover and the many benefits that trees offer us in Pennsylvania’s communities by taking part in the Tree Tender experience.

By Sandy Long

The female Peregrine falcon on the Rachel Carson Building have laid four eggs, which is their typical clutch of eggs during the breeding season.  Click Here to watch live video online.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Richard Allan Thursday invited military families with children to take advantage of free activities in state parks and forests during April, “The Month of the Military Child.’’

The Western PA Conservancy Spring eConserve newsletter is now available online

The Fish and Boat Commission’s “Fishing’s Fun Sweepstakes” continues to be a great way for everyone to have a chance at winning fishing trips with expert anglers across the state and fish for all types of fish species.

At 3:53 a.m., March 28, 1979, the cascading failures of valves, pumps, gauges and reactor operators combined to produce the worst accident in the U.S. commercial nuclear power industry.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission, an interstate water resources management agency, seeks an Executive Director.

The Grey Towers National Historic Site, Milford, PA, ancestral home of conservationist and Pennsylvania Gov. Gifford Pinchot, has from 1 to 5 student intern positions to serve 12-week internships from May-October.

The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, a leading environmental education provider for the Philadelphia region, seeks a passionate and energetic naturalist/educator to engage school children in meaningful and innovative learning experiences in nature.  Click Here for details on available positions.

This section gives you a continuously updated thumbnail sketch of issues to be considered in upcoming advisory committee meetings where the agendas have been released.

This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other recognition programs.  NEW means new from last week.

Here's a selection of NewClips on environmental topics from around the state--

Here are NewsClips on topics related to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling---

Here are NewsClips on watershed topics from around the state--

No new regulations were published this week.  Pennsylvania Bulletin - March 30, 2013

Upcoming legislative meetings, conferences, workshops, plus links to other online calendars.  Meetings are in Harrisburg unless otherwise noted.  NEW means new from last week.  Go to the online Calendar webpage.

Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to:  DHess@CrisciAssociates.com.

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, Pennsylvania Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.