DEP Secretary John Quigley was very direct in telling the Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday that his agency does not have enough staff to meet the needs of any of its programs because of persistent and continuous budget cuts over the last decade.

The following is the text of DEP Secretary John Quigley’s written testimony submitted to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees which outlines DEP’s accomplishments in the first year of the Wolf Administration, efficiencies the agency is implementing and DEP’s budget needs for FY 2016-17--

The PA Environmental Council and Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA wrote to members of the Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday to raise concerns about the risk of losing control of key environmental regulatory programs to the federal government and courts because of the cuts in funding and staff at the Department of Environmental Protection over the past decade.

The Governor’s Office published its semiannual Regulatory Agenda showing regulation changes in process and being developed in the coming year in the February 27 PA Bulletin starting on page 1119.  The Agenda provides an agency-by-agency listing of regulations.

Appearing before the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday, Public Utility Commission Chair Gladys Brown said the PUC’s FY 2016-17 budget request includes the hiring of two additional rail safety inspectors and two additional pipeline inspectors, but not an increase in overall PUC complement.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday to answer questions about the Governor’s proposed FY 2016-17 budget request for more than two and one-half hours.

The following is the text of DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn submitted to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees outlining DCNR’s accomplishments in the first year of the Wolf Administration, efficiencies the agency is implementing and DCNR’s budget needs for FY 2016-17--

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 House Environmental Resources and Energy and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committees will hold an informational meeting on the Wolf Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Reboot Strategy on February 29.

The Joint House-Senate Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee will hold its next Environmental Issues Forum on March 14 on DCNR’s Heritage Areas Program.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee will hold an information meeting on March 15 on House Bill 1391 (Everett-R-Lycoming) providing for a guaranteed minimum royalty on oil and gas leases (sponsor summary).

The Joint House-Senate Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing March 21 on the collapse of Pennsylvania’s Electronic Waste Recycling Program created by the Covered Device Recycling Act.

The House Democratic Policy Committee will conduct a public hearing at March 21 in Harrisburg to discuss if Pennsylvania should incentivize natural gas. The issue will be examined from a climate change, economic, and health perspective.

The Game and Fish and Boat Commissions presented their annual reports to the House Game and Fisheries Committee on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Click Here for the Game Commission’s 2015 Report.  Click Here for the Fish and Boat Commission’s 2015 Report.

The PA Chamber of Business and Industry, Ohio Chamber of Commerce and Texas Association of Business Wednesday filed a joint amicus brief with 166 chambers of commerce and business groups from 40 states in support of a lawsuit by states and industry to overturn EPA’s so-called “Clean Power Plan.”

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting public comments on the update to the Pennsylvania Climate Change Action Plan.  Comments are due March 30. (January 30 formal notice)

The federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program is developing a comprehensive strategy for increasing diversity in its leadership, decision-making, in implementation of conservation and restoration activities and is creating meaningful opportunities to recruit and engage diverse stakeholders in the Bay Program efforts.

There are several surveys currently underway and coming soon that will help USDA and partners assess the benefits of voluntary conservation and identify conservation needs throughout Pennsylvania and in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The February 23 Chesapeake Bay Journal News is now available featuring articles on--

The Berks County Conservation District will hold Manure Management Workshops on March 19 and April 6 and 8.

Landowners, municipal officials, watershed organizations, farmers and contractors are encouraged to attend a March 29 workshop at the Elk County Visitor Center in Benezette to learn the latest on stream protection, best management practices and forest buffers.

The Department of Environmental Protection Monday announced it has granted approval to the Coudersport Borough Authority to begin using two drinking water wells that had been out of service since September due to a surfactant spill at a JKLM Energy well pad in Sweden Township, Potter County.

Gannett Fleming of Camp Hill, Cumberland County, has earned a National Recognition Award for exemplary engineering achievement in the American Council of Engineering Companies’ 49th annual Engineering Excellence Awards for the City of Lebanon Authority’s Wastewater Treatment Plant.

At a reception held on Thursday at its western headquarters building in Pittsburgh, the PA Resources Council presented its inaugural “Zero Waste” awards to eight environmental leaders in recognition of their commitment to adopting sustainable environmental practices and minimizing the amount of solid waste sent to area landfills.

Working in partnership with the PA Resources Council, Allegheny County was able to triple its waste diversion at the Allegheny County Office Building during a one-year period.

The Professional Recyclers Of PA announced Monday there is an opportunity open to apply for a Recycling Partnership Grant from The Recycling Partnership.   Applications are due April 15.

The departments of Transportation and Environmental Protection are seeking volunteers for this year’s Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania that begins March 1 and runs through May 31.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is now accepting entries for its annual Great American Cleanup of PA Video Contest.  The deadline for entries is June 3.

The Schuylkill Action Network leads the Schuylkill Scrub to connect people with litter cleanups, and to foster new ones. Events span the entire Schuylkill River Valley from March 1 to May 31.

Friday, the staff of the nonprofit Professional Recyclers of PA notified friends, colleagues and partner organizations that Monday, February 29 will be the final day of their employment by PROP.

The Professional Recyclers Of PA announced Monday applications are now being accepted by the EPA Environmental Education Grants Program. Applications are due April 8.

The February 22 EE Resources newsletter from the PA Association of Environmental Educators is now available featuring articles on--

The Outdoor Classroom in Pittsburgh has a variety of Act 48 Environmental Education Workshops available for teachers in the coming months.  Here’s a sampling--

The Game Commission once again is helping students learn about the vital role trees play in the environment through the Seedlings for Schools Program that provides tree seedlings to classrooms so students can plant them as part of projects to improve wildlife habitat.

The Department of Environmental Protection Thursday announced it has scheduled a public meeting on March 21 to answer questions regarding Chrin Landfill’s permit application to expand its existing facility in Williams Township, Northampton County.

The Department of Environmental Protection Thursday announced it will host a public hearing on March 3 regarding the prompt interim response cleanup actions taken by DEP at the former Quality Service Cleaners site in Oxford Borough, Chester County.

On Thursday the Department of Environmental Protection said it was notified on February 23 that recycle scrap contaminated with radioactive material was shipped from a PSC Metals, Inc. facility in Beaver Falls, PA, to two facilities in Ohio.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Thursday announced the availability of $26 million in grant funding to establish clean diesel projects aimed at reducing emissions from the nation's existing fleet of diesel engines.

The Public Utility Commission Thursday approved a joint motion proposing a Policy Statement related to combined heat and power (CHP) technology and increasing development among Pennsylvania’s regulated electric and natural gas distribution companies.

Tracing its roots to a collection of companies that once generated power to illuminate downtown streetlights and operate electric passenger railways, West Penn Power, a FirstEnergy Corp. subsidiary, marks its 100th anniversary on March 1.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday requested President Barack Obama to declare a major disaster in Pennsylvania, in order to provide financial reimbursement to municipalities in 31 counties for costs associated with the historic snowstorm that impacted the state January 22-23.

The Delaware Highlands Conservancy Monday announced the federal Forest Legacy Program has allocated funding for the purposes of protecting private forestlands.

Penn State Extension and DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry are offering Tree Tenders training designed to increase tree canopy cover in communities.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams-Dunn Wednesday extended an invitation to residents of Clearfield County and beyond to visit the almost 600-acre tract that became the latest addition to Moshannon State Forest following official county action late last year.

The PA Environmental Council continues its work to strengthen communities through their connections to rivers and riverfronts. In this ongoing effort, PEC is happy to partner again with Millvale, Etna, and Blawnox as part of the Allegheny River Town Program.

The quarterly Northeast Pennsylvania Trail Forum was hosted by the PA Environmental Council and held February 12 at the Bear Creek Reserve, just southwest of Wilkes-Barre.

The Friends of Fort Washington State Park in Montgomery County is seeking volunteers to help with mulching around recently planted trees, trash cleanup, raking leaves and other Springtime projects on April 2.

The Lehigh Valley-based Wildlands Conservancy has a rich variety of programs coming up in March including: Maple Sugaring & Pancake, Wild Sci Girls, Wild Eggs (Not Your Average Egg Hunt) and You & Me: Hop, Hop, Hooray!  Click Here for an overview of March events.  Click Here for a complete list of programs for all ages.

Pablo Santonya, a Hawk Mountain Sanctuary from Spain, recently posted a short video of his experience in Pennsylvania.  Click Here to watch the video.  Every once in a while, it’s nice to see the rich diversity of Pennsylvania’s environment through someone else’s eyes.

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.

The Environmental Quality Board published notice of proposed changes to regulations on handling and use of explosives in the February 27 PA Bulletin (page 996).  Comments are due March 28.

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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.

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