Scrapbook Photo 03/25/24 - 93 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/3729bhvv
Weekly PA Environment Digest Newsletter
Crisci Associates, Sept. 15, 2014
(9/15/2014)
* Senate, House Return For 11 Voting Days Before November Election

Monday the Senate and House return to voting session and begin one of the shortest Fall sessions in recent years.  Only 11 voting days are scheduled between now and the November 4 election, 50 days away. 

* Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Wyoming County Commissioners Support Clean Water!

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA applauds the Wyoming County Commissioners for adopting a Clean Water Counts resolution, calling on state officials to make clean water a top priority for the Keystone State. 

* PEC Policy Conference Features Senate, House Environmental Committee Chairs Sept. 17

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council will be hosting an Environmental Policy Conference on September 16th and 17th in Harrisburg that will feature, among other panelists, all four Chairs of the Senate and House Environmental Resources and Energy Committees.

* 2014 Ohio River Watershed Celebration Sept. 18 At North Park, Allegheny County

The 2014 Ohio River Watershed Celebration will be held on September 18 at North Park, Allegheny County.  This year’s theme is-- Connected Through Our Streams, The Pine Creek Experience.

* Add Us To Your Google+ Circle

PA Environment Digest now has a Google+ Circle called Green Works In PA.  Just go to your Google+ page and search for DHess@CrisciAssociates.com, the email for the Digest Editor David Hess,  and let us join your Circle.

* 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--

* House Committee To Consider Bill Removing Stream Buffer Protection Sept. 15

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to hold a meeting on September 15 to consider legislation to remove the stream buffer requirements in special protection watersheds, creating an Aggregate Advisory Board within DEP and to study the impact of wind turbines on forested areas.  The bills include--

* House Hearing On EPA Proposal To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sept. 16

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan September 16 in Room 60 East Wing starting at 9:00 a.m.  Tentatively scheduled to testify are--

* Brodhead Watershed Association Celebrating 25 Years In Monroe County

From a small donated office in Paradise Township, the Brodhead Watershed Association touches the lives of people throughout much of Monroe County.

* Westmoreland Conservation District Presents Conservation Awards

The Westmoreland Conservation District Wednesday presented two awards for outstanding conservation service and inducted a former District director posthumously into its Hall of Honor.

* $3 Million In Small Water Sewer Program Grants Announced By CFA

The Commonwealth Financing Agency Tuesday announced the award of $3 million in Small Water and Sewer Program grants to 30 projects across the state.  Click Here for a list of grants awarded.

* Save The Date: Delaware River Watershed Forum Oct. 21-22

The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed will hold its 2nd annual Delaware River Watershed Forum October 21-22 at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem in Bethlehem, Pa.

* DEP Reminds Citizens Sept. 9 Is Protect Your Groundwater Day

The Department of Environmental Protection encourages the public to protect public health and the environment by honoring “Protect Your Groundwater Day” September 9.

* EPA Fines Amerikohl Mining $140,000 For Violations At 22 Mining Sites

In a consent agreement announced Wednesday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Amerikohl Mining, Inc., has settled Clean Water Act violations at 22 of its Pennsylvania mining operations, including four active and 18 inactive mines in western Pennsylvania.

* Corbett Opens New Natural Gas Fueling Station In Philadelphia

Gov. Tom Corbett Tuesday joined officials from VNG Co. to announce the opening of a new compressed natural gas (CNG) public fueling station in Philadelphia to support the widespread use of natural gas vehicles in the region.

* Delaware Riverkeeper Asks DRBC To Review PennEast Pipeline Project

The Delaware River Basin Commission received a petition from the Delaware Riverkeeper Network urging it to take jurisdiction over the proposed PennEast pipeline project.

* Penn State: Residual Fracking Water Not A Risk To Groundwater

Hydraulic fracturing -- fracking or hydrofracturing -- raises many concerns about potential environmental impacts, especially water contamination. Currently, data show that the majority of water injected into wells stays underground, triggering fears that it might find its way into groundwater.

* Opinion: PEC And The Center For Sustainable Shale Development

By Davitt Woodwell, President and CEO

* PUC Approves UGI Natural Gas Long-Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan

The Public Utility Commission Thursday approved the long-term infrastructure improvement plans and plans to implement distribution system improvement charges (DSIC) for UGI Penn Natural Gas Inc. and UGI Central Penn Gas Inc.

* PA Recycling Markets Center Launches Electronics Recycling Association Of PA

At the fifth Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center, Inc. E-Scrap Recycling Markets Development Summit, a steering committee, in recognition of the need for a common voice in the Pennsylvania electronics scrap processing industry, announced the launch of the Electronics Recycling Association of Pennsylvania.

* PA Resources Council Sponsors Composting Workshops In Western PA

The PA Resources Council will hold a series of four composting and vermicomposting workshops in Western PA over the next few months.  The workshops are scheduled for—

* Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Affiliates Hold Tire Collections

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful local affiliates of Keep Cambria County Beautiful, Keep Huntingdon County Beautiful, Keep Juniata County Beautiful, PA CleanWays of Mifflin County, and Keep Perry County Beautiful are gearing up to hold their annual fall tire collections.

* September e-PRC Newsletter Available From PA Resources Council

The September issue of the e-PRC newsletter is now available from the PA Resources Council featuring articles on--

* PUC Seeks Comments On Energy Efficiency Assessment Manual

The Public Utility Commission Thursday sought comments on proposed updates to the Technical Reference Manual, which is used to assess energy savings attributable to energy efficiency and demand response measures for the implementation of the state’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act and the energy efficiency and conservation provisions of Act 129 of 2008.

* PPL’s Pilot Time-Of-Use Electric Service Approved By PUC

The Public Utility Commission Thursday approved a pilot time-of-use (TOU) program proposed by PPL Electric Utilities which will replace the current TOU rates.

* Pittsburgh Green Building Alliance Emerald Evening Awards Dinner Sept. 25

The Green Building Alliance in Pittsburgh invites you to the Emerald Evening 2014: Legacy & Luminary Awards at the Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland on September 25. 

* Hershey Company Again Named To Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes

The Hershey Company Thursday announced it has been selected to both the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America Index.

* DEP Listening Session On EPA Clean Power Greenhouse Gas Reduction Rule Sept. 25

The Department of Environmental Protection is sponsoring a listening session September 25 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

* Park(ing) Day Philadelphia Returns For Another Year Of Pop-Up Parks Sept. 19

On September 19, the international event known as Park(ing) Day will be celebrated in Philadelphia for the seventh consecutive year.

* McMichael Creek Sojourn In Monroe County Sept. 20

The Brodhead Watershed Association invites kayakers to a full day’s adventure of paddling on the McMichael Creek amid Stroud Township’s Greenway in Stroudsburg on September 20.

* DCNR Fall Foliage Reports Begin September 23

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will begin its fall foliage reports on September 23 along with fall foliage maps available online to help you with your fall travel plans.

* Game Commission To Host Game Lands Tours In September, October

Those looking to gain perspective into Pennsylvania’s wildlife, habitat and hunting heritage will have several opportunities in the coming weeks to take one or more tours being offered by the Game Commission.

* Hawk Mountain Sanctuary To Host Native Plant Sale Sept. 13-14

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County will host its annual Autumn Native Plant Sale September 13 and 14 outside the Sanctuary Visitor Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and featuring a wide selection of native trees, grasses, vines, shrubs and flowering plants.

* PA Audubon: Pennsylvania Bird Species Threatened By Climate Change

Global warming threatens the survival of nearly half the bird species in the continental United States and Canada, including many of Pennsylvania’s birds, warn National Audubon Society scientists in a groundbreaking new study released Tuesday. 

* PA Receiving Federal Dollars To Plan Forest Management, Conservation For Bats

Gov. Tom Corbett Tuesday announced Pennsylvania will receive an additional $675,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the federal Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund to support conservation planning for bats on 3.8 million acres of public lands in Pennsylvania.

* PA Farm Bureau Opposes Adding Common Bat To Endangered Species List

Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau Federation warned against adding a common bat species to the Endangered Species Act list. 

* BioBlitz 2014 In Duff Park Murrysville Sept 26-27

Duquesne University’s Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Science will hold its 2014 BioBlitz at Duff Park in Murrysville on September 26-27.

* We Remember - September 11, 2001 - DEP Responds To A National Tragedy

We all remember where we were and what we were doing on September 11, 2001, but the employees of the Department of Environmental Protection remember better than most because they played a key role in the responding to the Somerset County crash site of Flight 93.

* 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. NEW means new from last week.  Go to the online Calendar webpage for updates.

* 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

No new regulations were published this week.  Pennsylvania Bulletin - September 13, 2014

* 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.

* CLICK HERE To Print Entire PA Environment Digest

CLICK HERE to Print The Entire PA Environment Digest.

* 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.

Previous PA Environment Digests