Gov. Tom Wolf Tuesday proposed a $32.7 billion General Fund budget along with $2.7 billion (Republicans say $3.6 billion) in personal income, Sales, tobacco, Bank Shares, and  insurance premium tax increases. 

Davitt Woodwell, President and CEO of the PA Environmental Council, and Harry Campbell, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Office of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, issued the following statement in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget address Tuesday:

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA believes that Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed $32.7 billion budget for 2016-17 lacks the resources to implement Pennsylvania’s new, improved clean water strategy. Unless the Commonwealth invests more in clean water, Pennsylvania will not meet its clean water commitments.

In a 5 to 4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday issued an order putting a hold EPA’s Clean Power Climate Plan until challenges to the regulation can be heard by the Federal Appeals Court.  Court arguments are set to begin June 2.

State officials Thursday said citizens should monitor weekend forecasts in anticipation of the coldest weather of the season so far. Cold temperatures combined with strong winds will create wind chills at or below zero on Friday and Saturday nights.

With frigid temperatures and strong winds forecast for much of Pennsylvania throughout the weekend, the Public Utility Commission Friday reminded consumers to review conservation and safe heating tips.

PA Environment Digest now has a Google+ Circle called Green Works In PA. Let us join your Circle.

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

The following bills were given final approval by the Senate and House and are now on the Governor's desk for action--

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

The Senate Wednesday voted to send House Bill 941 (Regan-R-Cumberland) to the Governor that includes a provision allowing DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council to independently hire its own Executive Director.

Citing the growing concern both nationwide and in Pennsylvania about the dangers of hidden lead poisoning, Rep. Angel Cruz (D-Philadelphia) said Thursday she will introduce a package of legislation aimed at increasing lead testing in several main areas.

The Penn State Agriculture and Environment Center, DEP and other partners are hosting Pennsylvania In The Balance on March 1-3 in Hershey to bring together leaders in the agriculture and environmental community to identify innovative solutions to meeting Pennsylvania’s commitments to cleaning up its portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

A Chesapeake Bay Foundation assessment of how President Obama’s proposed budget will affect the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint has found both good news and bad news.

The Department of Environmental Protection is seeking a professional/technical contractor to assist in developing improvements to its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Program.

Work has begun on an abandoned mine reclamation project on State Game Lands 100 in Snowshoe Township, Centre County that has been seeping harmful acid drainage into waterways on and downstream of the game lands

Dr. Bill Strosnider, an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at Saint Francis University (Cambria County), has been working to correct acid mine drainage problems in Bolivia since 2006 when he as a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma.

LancasterOnline reported Saturday farmers are invited to the Conewago and Chiques Creek Watersheds Winter Meeting on February 25 at Acorn Farms, 3141 Mount Joy Road, Mount Joy, Lancaster County starting at 8:30 a.m.

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is offering a series of online videos as part of its Runoff Busters Program to help homeowners find ways to reduce stormwater either by management installations or by adopting habits that reduce stormwater runoff.

The February 6 edition of Chesapeake Bay Journal News is now available from the Chesapeake Bay Journal featuring stories on--

The January and February edition of The Catalyst newsletter are available from the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition in Butler County featuring articles on--

The February issue of the UpStream newsletter is now available from the Stroud Water Research Center in Chester County featuring articles on--

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice it has finalized the assessment and listing methodology for determining if the water quality of streams and rivers is impaired in the forthcoming 2016 PA Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report.

The Philadelphia Water Department and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary are now accepting entries into the 2016 Green City, Clean Waters Student Art Contest.  The deadline for entries is February 26.

The Green Schools-Blue Waters Program will host a webinar on March 15 taking on the topic of Teaching Kids About Stormwater from 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Love is in the air in Harrisburg as the city’s famous pair of peregrine falcons have returned to their nest on the 15th floor ledge of the Rachel Carson State Office Building just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Sustainable Energy Fund Wednesday announced it will offer 150 scholarships totaling $150,000 to cover the cost of students and educators planning to attend Energypath 2016.   June 30 is the deadline for applications.

The February 9 edition of the EE Resources newsletter from the PA Association of Environmental Educators featuring articles on--

An analysis of public water systems in Pennsylvania cities with high lead exposure rates shows  drinking water is not the source of the lead.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful received the 2015 Keep America Beautiful President’s Circle Award recognition at Keep America Beautiful’s recent National Conference in Orlando, Florida.

With the help of 450 volunteers in four Northeast counties, the PA Environmental Council and its partners were able to clean up nearly 50 tons of trash and over 3,645 tires at illegal dumpsites in Pike, Potter, Susquehanna and Wayne counties in 2015.

The PA Resources Council will kick off a new Films For A Better Planet & Discussion Series on March 12 in Pittsburgh with the showing of “Divide In Concord: The Bottled Water Ban Battle” followed by a panel discussion of local experts

Thursday the Department of Environmental Protection announced it is postponing the February 24 hearing it had scheduled Tuesday on the Chrin Landfill’s permit application to expand its existing facility in Williams Township, Northampton County.  DEP is working to reschedule this meeting to a later date.

As the recycling and solid waste industry grows and evolves, it's more important than ever to grab opportunities that offer the most convenient and economical means to advance your career and ensure your company's success.

The February issue of Connecting Professional Recyclers newsletter is now available from the Professional Recyclers of PA featuring articles on--

The Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Wednesday rejected Sunoco Pipeline L.P.’s attempts to throw out a lawsuit challenging Sunoco’s Mariner East pipeline projects. The Court ruled that plaintiffs Clean Air Council and two impacted landowners have standing to bring the case and the Court has jurisdiction to hear it.

The PA Technical Assistance Program will host a webinar on February 18 on the topic of Food Industry Pollution Prevention and Lean Manufacturing starting at noon.

Join the Pittsburgh Business Times and Green Building Alliance on March 8 for the Building Sustainable Businesses Through Performance, Place and Culture Workshop to gain insight from successful local business leaders on their approaches to maximizing the triple bottom line.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a report in January that offers new tools for small cities and towns to adopt a smart growth economic development strategies.

The Public Utility Commission Thursday adopted a joint motion modifying a settlement agreement and seeking comments on proposed penalties against Pennsylvania Gas & Electric (PaG&E) for deceptive actions following the “Polar Vortex” in the winter of 2013-14.

The Public Utility Commission Thursday adopted revised regulations of the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act of 2004, clarifying certain issues related to net metering, interconnection and compliance provisions.

The PA Sustainable Energy Board, in conjunction with the Public Utility Commission, Thursday  held its annual meeting in Harrisburg to update Commonwealth agencies and other interested groups on activities of the regional Sustainable Energy Funds.

Philadelphia City Council President Darrell L. Clarke Monday announced a private-public sustainable energy initiative that he said would save taxpayers millions of dollars and create more than 10,000 jobs.

The Pittsburgh Climate & Urban Systems Partnership is now accepting proposals for grants of from $1,000 to $2,000 to support educational and collaborative projects to reduce the impacts of climate change in Pittsburgh.  Proposals are due March 11.

When carbon dioxide is stored underground in a process known as geological sequestration, it can find multiple escape pathways due to chemical reactions between carbon dioxide, water, rocks and cement from abandoned wells, according to Penn State researchers.

The PA Bar Association Environmental Law Forum will be held at the Hilton in Harrisburg on April 6-7 featuring keynote speaker DEP Secretary John Quigley.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is now accepting applications for its 2016 round of Community Conservation Partnership Grants.  The deadline for applications is April 13.  (formal notice)

The PA Environmental Council’s work in building the Circuit trail network just received a huge boost!

A 168-acre property in the Borough of Franklin Park, Allegheny County in the Big Sewickley Creek watershed and located near a popular community park, is now permanently protected with the help of a loan to the Allegheny Land Trust from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s Colcom Revolving Fund for Land Trusts.

One hundred acres of forested land in Warren County’s Caldwell Creek Watershed will be forever protected by the Foundation for Sustainable Forests thanks to a gift from Margaret Lay-Dopyera.

The Western PA Conservancy will hold a workshop March 2 to help those interested in filling out an application for TreeVitalize Pittsburgh tree planting grants.

The PA Parks and Forests Foundation Monday announced it is displaying the winning photographs from its 2015 Through the Seasons photo contest in the East Wing Rotunda of the State Capital until February 26.

The February/March edition of Nature Pennsylvania newsletter is now available from The Nature Conservancy-PA featuring articles on--

John W. Carroll, a partner in the Harrisburg office of Pepper Hamilton LLP, will be honored with the 2016 PA Bar Association Environmental and Energy Law Section Award during the section's Environmental Law Forum on April 6.

The Allegheny Land Trust is seeking candidates to fill a paid Chartiers Creek Watershed Intern position based in Allegheny County.   The deadline for applications is April 1.  Click Here for all the details.

Penn State Extension is seeking a qualified individual to fill an educator position to coordinate the Master Gardener Program in Luzerne and Wyoming Counties and the Master Watershed Steward Program in Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming Counties. Review of applications will begin February 19 and continues until a suitable candidate is identified.  Click Here for more details.  (Thanks POWR for the heads up!)

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of an opportunity to bid on a mine reclamation project in Cambria County in the February 13 PA Bulletin.

This section lists House and Senate Committee meetings, DEP and other public hearings and meetings and other interesting environmental events.

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 are NewsClips from around the state on all environmental topics, including General Environment, Budget, Marcellus Shale, Watershed Protection and much more--

No new regulations were published this week.  Pennsylvania Bulletin - February 13, 2016

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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.  Sponsor: 2016 Keystone Coldwater Conference, State College, Feb. 26-27.