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Weekly PA Environment Digest Newsletter
Crisci Associates, Oct. 7, 2013
(10/7/2013)
CLICK HERE To Print Entire Digest
* DEP Citizens Advisory Council Oct. 15 Meeting Features Endangered Species Panel

On October 15 DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council will hear from a panel of agency, industry and environmental speakers who will discuss how threatened and endangered species are considered in environmental permit reviews and how pending legislation-- House Bill 1576 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) and Senate Bill 1047 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson)-- will fundamentally change this process.

* Analysis: Have You Thought About How State Government Spends Your Money?

We live in a political environment today that rewards cutting government budgets at all levels, reducing the size of government, managing public dollars more efficiently and effectively and relying more on competition to reduce the strain on taxpayers.

* Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Bills Introduced

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

* Senate/House Bills Moving

The following bills of interest saw action this week in the House and Senate--

* Bill To Clarify Royalty Minimums Introduced In House

Legislation that seeks to protect the interests of landowners with royalty agreements has been introduced in the state House, according to four members of the House of Representatives who are spearheading the measure.

* House Environmental Committee OKs Recycling, Green Technology Bills

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Wednesday reported out legislation urging DEP to review its recycling program and make recommendations for improvements and establish a state program to evaluate green technologies.  The bills include--

* Budget & Finance Committee Releases Performance Audit Of Fish & Boat Commission

On Wednesday the Joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee released a performance audit of the Fish and Boat Commission recommending the Commission continue its efforts to streamline its strategic plan to focus on core functions and review its organizational structure.

* CBF: Nearly 20,000 Miles Of PA Streams Polluted

The Pennsylvania Office of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation this week put out the second in a series of fact sheets on water quality issues facing Pennsylvania saying nearly 20,000 miles of rivers and streams in the state are polluted and do not meet water quality standards.

* Susquehanna River Basin Commission To Hold First Water Science Forum Oct. 7-8

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission will hold the 2013 Susquehanna Water Science Forum – From Science to Sustainable Water Resources Management on October 7 and 8 at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg in Camp Hill, across the Susquehanna River from Harrisburg.

* Source Water Protection In The Delaware Webinar Oct. 24

The Delaware River Basin Source Water Collaborative is hosting a free webinar highlighting examples of source water protection funding in the Delaware River Basin on October 24 at 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

* Dauphin County Conservation District To Host Watershed Association Summit Oct. 26

On October 26 the Dauphin County Conservation District will hold a Watershed Association Summit to bring together those working toward improving the health of waterways in Dauphin County. 

* Independence Conservancy Seeks Input On Watershed Conservation Plan, E-Newsletter

Independence Conservancy is seeking input to the Raccoon Creek Watershed Conservation Plan in Beaver County through an innovative News & Notes e-newsletter and an online citizen survey.

* iConservePA.org Video: Lancaster Green Efforts Capture Stormwater

A new video by iConservePA.org tells how the City of Lancaster is using greening efforts to capture millions of gallons of stormwater runoff that would otherwise overwhelm its sewer system.   Click Here to watch the video.

* Open House, Meeting On Providing Water To Lancaster Community Oct. 17

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold an open house and public meeting on October 17, to present and discuss plans to install a public water system in the Village of Intercourse, Leacock Township, Lancaster County.

* Keep PA Beautiful, Partners Support Recycling At Work Website

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful along with supporting partners like Keep America Beautiful have launched a new Recycling At Work website to reinforce its national Recycling at Work initiative.

* Centre County Prescription Drug Take Back Oct. 26

A Drug Take Back Program sponsored by the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control, and will be held on October 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at several locations in Centre County--

* Corbett’s Request For Federal Aid Granted For Storm Damage

Gov. Tom Corbett announced Wednesday the President of the United States has approved his request for a federal disaster declaration for those Pennsylvanians severely impacted by storms and flooding from June 26 to July 11.

* Report: Coal Production To Drop 25%, Gas Production To Increase 800% By 2017

A new 164-page report released this week by DEP shows coal production will drop by 25 percent and natural gas production will increase nearly 800 percent by 2017 (using 2000 as a base year) causing a significant shift in the mix of fuels used in Pennsylvania to produce electricity and for other uses.

* Corbett Administration Recognized With National Energy Efficiency Award

On behalf of Gov. Tom Corbett, the Department of Environmental Protection will accept the Alliance to Save Energy’s Andromeda Star of Energy Efficiency Award for its Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP).

* PPL: Discover What Powers Your Life, National Energy Awareness Month

The United States is one cool country. And it should be. We use more energy for air conditioning than any other country in the world.

* FirstEnergy Issues Request For Solar Energy Credits In Pennsylvania

FirstEnergy Corp. Wednesday announced a Request for Proposal will be issued to purchase 13,500 Solar Photovoltaic Alternative Energy Certificates (SPAECs) annually over a 10-year period on behalf of FirstEnergy's Pennsylvania Utilities – Metropolitan Edison Company, Pennsylvania Electric Company, and Pennsylvania Power Company.

* PUC: Questions Remain About Closure Of FirstEnergy Power Plants

As part of her testimony before the House Consumer Affairs Committee, Public Utility Commissioner Pamela A. Witmer Thursday highlighted that many questions are left unanswered by FirstEnergy on its decision to close the Hatfield’s Ferry and Mitchell power plants in western Pennsylvania.

* Sustainable Communities Collaborative Will Bring Green Town-Gown Initiatives

The Sustainable Communities Collaborative announces a partnership with the State College Borough that will engage students at University Park with the community in a pilot program that links community-based sustainability projects with existing courses across the University.

* Stroud Scientist To Advise Army Corps On Climate-Based, Water-Sustainability Project

Pennsylvania-based Stroud Water Research Center welcomes Melinda Daniels, Ph.D., its newest associate research scientist, who is already making a name for herself and her work at the Center.

* EPA Listening Session On Reducing Carbon Pollution Oct. 18 Philadelphia

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold 11 public listening sessions across the country, including one in Philadelphia, to solicit ideas and input from the public and stakeholders about the best Clean Air Act approaches to reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants.

* EPA Region 3 Healthy Schools-Healthy Children Conference Oct. 17

Region 3 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic is sponsoring a Healthy Schools-Healthy Children Conference on October 17 in Philadelphia.

* DCNR Participates In Pinchot Institute 50th Anniversary Celebration

Standing on the same spot as President John F. Kennedy 50 years prior, DCNR Acting Secretary Ellen Ferretti was among the keynote speakers Sept. 20 at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Pinchot Institute at Grey Towers National Historic Site in Monroe County, the ancestral home of Gifford Pinchot, two-term Pennsylvania governor and the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service.

* Additional State Forest Roads Opening For Hunting Seasons

Hunters heading into Pennsylvania’s state-owned woodlands this season will find additional roads open in 18 of the 20 state forest districts, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced Monday.

* Volunteers Needed For TreeVitalize Tree Planting Oct. 5 In Lehigh Valley

Volunteers are needed to help with the planting of 600 along the Jordan Creek in the Trexler Nature Preserve in Allentown on October 5, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

* 2013 Partners In Community Forestry National Conference Nov. 4-7 In Pittsburgh

The 2013 Partners in Community Forestry National Conference organized by the Arbor Day Foundation will be held in Pittsburgh November 4 to 7.  Click Here for all the details and related special events.

* National, State Outdoor Writers Groups Honor DCNR's Terry Brady

A newspaper column focusing on the value of fishing in helping businesses rebound from hardship in the wake of Hurricane Sandy earned national writing honors for DCNR Deputy Press Secretary Terry Brady.

* Western PA Conservancy October Newsletter Now Available

The October issue of Water, Land, Life monthly newsletter is now available from the Western PA Conservancy.  This month’s issue features WPC watersheds listed on the state registry, our shared legacy: Dr. Eugene Myers and 2014 Fallingwater Calendars.

* Fish & Boat Commission Expands Youth Fishing Day, Takes Other Actions At Meeting

At its quarterly business meeting held Tuesday at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, the Fish and Boat Commission unveiled plans to expand its popular Mentored Youth Fishing Day Program across the state in 2014.

* Game Commission's Calvin DuBrock Receives National Recognition

Calvin W. DuBrock, who heads up the Game Commission’s Bureau of Wildlife Management, has been named the recipient of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Special Recognition Award for 2013.

* Opportunity To Bid On DEP Well Plugging Project In Allegheny County

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of an opportunity to bid on an abandoned well plugging project in Allegheny County.

* Help Wanted: Delaware River Basin Commission Executive Director

The Delaware River Basin Commission is seeking candidates for its Executive Director position, following the announcement last month of the retirement of Carol Collier in 2014. The deadline for applications is November 1.

* Help Wanted: Game Commission Executive Director

The Game Commission has advertised the soon-to-be-vacant Executive Director position, and those interested in the job have 30 days to apply.  The deadline for applications is October 31.

* Help Wanted: DEP Citizens Advisory Council Seeks Executive Director

DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council has initiated a search for a new Executive Director.  The deadline for submitting resumes and a letter of interest is October 9.  Marjorie Hughes has announced her retirement as Executive Director of the DEP Citizens Advisory Council effective in January 2014.

* Help Wanted: Performance Systems Development Energy Efficiency Staff

Performance Systems Development, an energy efficiency consultant, is seeking to fill two positions: Senior Sales and Business Development Executive and a Sales and Business Development Manager.

* Your 2 Cents: Issues On Advisory Committee Agendas

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

* Grants & Awards

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

* Budget/Quick NewsClips

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

* Marcellus Shale NewsClips

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

* Flooding/Watershed NewsClips

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

* Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits

The DEP Board of Coal Mine Safety formally proposed regulation changes for comment involving high-voltage continuous mining machines.

* Calendar Of Events

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.

* Stories Invited

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.

* Supporting Member PA Outdoor Writers Assn./PA Trout Unlimited

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

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