The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for the 2017 Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence.

Following a meeting Wednesday of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force, the Department of Environmental Protection announced no changes in county drought declarations, despite recent precipitation.

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced Friday federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations located in Pennsylvania as a result of the drought that began on November 15, 2016.

Gov. Tom Wolf Friday announced the federal government has granted his request for federal disaster assistance to reimburse state agencies, county and municipal governments and other eligible private nonprofits for costs associated with significant flash flooding in Bradford, Centre, Lycoming and Sullivan counties on Oct. 21, 2016.

At midnight November 30, the 2015-16 legislative session formally ended and all legislation not on the Governor’s desk for action died; most will be reintroduced next year.

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 Department of Revenue Thursday reported Pennsylvania collected $2 billion in General Fund revenue in November, which was $79.5 million, or 3.8 percent, less than anticipated.

The City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority released its comprehensive draft City-Wide Green First Plan for public comment. The plan outlines how Pittsburgh intends to use innovative, cost-effective, and green infrastructure approaches to manage stormwater.

The Western PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Restoration is advising nonprofit groups, landowners and individuals who have or are planning to develop mine reclamation or mine drainage treatment projects to be sure they are registered under Pennsylvania’s Environmental Good Samaritan Act.

FirstEnergy Corp. Tuesday announced its Bruce Mansfield coal-fired power plant in Shippingport, Beaver County will ship coal combustion residuals (CCRs) for reclamation of a site owned by the Marshall County Coal Company in Moundsville, W.Va.

In a follow-up study to a report released in December 2015, the Department of Environmental Protection Thursday confirmed there is no radiation concern for Tenmile Creek in Greene County near the Clyde Mine Water Treatment Facility.

Written by Diane Huskinson, County Lines Magazine, October 2016 via Stroud Water Research Center

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is now accepting proposals for the Watershed Mini Grant Program, which provides assistance to the region’s grassroots watershed groups in Western Pennsylvania.  Applications are due December 30.

The PA Organization For Watersheds and Rivers, DEP and other partners will host the 2017 PA Statewide Watershed Conference on March 5-6 at the Ramada Inn in State College.

When considering a Christmas tree this holiday season, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in Pennsylvania urges you to “get real,” and help the environment and the local economy.

Register now for the PA Association For Sustainable Agriculture 2017 Farming For The Future Conference in State College February 1-4.   The theme of the Conference is Hope, Farm, Heal.

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

The November 28 Watershed Winds newsletter is now available from Penn State Extension featuring articles on-

DEP’s Storage Tank Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on December 6 to discuss changes to technical guidance setting closure requirements for aboveground and underground storage tanks as well as proposed changes to Chapter 245 - General Provisions implementing the Storage Tank Program.

Workers and volunteers removed dozens of discarded tires and nearly 16 tons of other waste from five illegal dumpsites in northeastern Pennsylvania this fall, under PEC’s Community Illegal Dumpsite Cleanup Event Program.

Agricultural businesses and pesticide applicators in 15 counties can dispose of unwanted pesticides safely and easily in 2017 through the Department of Agriculture’s CHEMSWEEP Program.

This Holiday season, Recyclebank, the incentives and behavior change platform focused on waste, wants to gift you these 10 tips that will surely help you green your Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Festivus, anything!

The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday announced it is accepting public comments on options for remediating the former Keystone Metals building site in the Borough of Cheswick, Allegheny County until January 30.

The Department of Environmental Protection and Lockheed Martin Corporation have entered into a proposed settlement to reimburse the state for $500,000 in costs associated with the cleanup of the Quehanna Wild Area Nuclear Site in Clearfield County and DEP is seeking public comments on the settlement.  (formal notice)

The PA Association of Environmental Educators has extended the deadline for accepting presentation and workshop proposals for its 2017 Conference to be held at the McKeever Environmental Learning Center, Sandy Lake, Mercer County, March 13-14.  Proposals are now due December 16.

Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, will host the 3rd Annual GreenAllies Conference on February 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is scheduled to hold its quarterly business meeting December 8 starting at 9 a.m., at Loews Annapolis Hotel, Point Lookout Room in Powerhouse Building, 126 West Street, Annapolis, Md. 21401. The meeting is open to the public.

The 17-member PA Grade Crude Development Advisory Council was created by Act 52 on June 23 to, among other duties, advise the Department of Environmental Protection in the restart of its process to update regulations covering conventional drilling operations. 

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the December 3 PA Bulletin inviting public comments on its proposed Section 401 Water Quality Certification for the 34 mile, 20-inch Columbia Gas Tri-County Pipeline Replacement Project in Allegheny, Greene and Washington counties.  (PA Bulletin page 7590)

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the December 3 PA Bulletin approving water obstruction and encroachment permits for the proposed 7 mile, 36-inch Tennessee Gas Triad Expansion “300-3 Loop” Pipeline Project in Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin page 7582).

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the December 3 PA Bulletin giving conditional Section 401 Water Quality Certification for three hydropower projects at locks and dams on the Monongahela River in Greene and Washington counties.  (PA Bulletin page 7592-7597)

Exelon Generation and ComEd Wednesday announced they have reached an agreement with Illinois Gov. Rauner on an amendment to the Future Energy Jobs Bill-- Illinois Senate Bill 2814-- to keep Exelon’s Clinton and Quad Cities Nuclear Power Plants operating.

The SunShot Prize: Solar in Your Community Challenge is a prize competition that aims to expand solar electricity access to all Americans, especially underserved segments such as low- and moderate-income (LMI) households state, local, and tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations.

City of Philadelphia Office of Sustainability in partnership with the Philadelphia Energy Authority released a Request for Information (RFI) regarding project structures that would make renewable energy development projects feasible for the City.

Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) will host a webinar from noon to 1:15 p.m. December 7 on Moving The Clean Economy Forward In The Keystone State that will let participants know how you and your business or organization can help grow Pennsylvania’s clean jobs economy.

The November edition of In Case You Missed It from the PA Environmental Council featuring articles on--

The League of American Bicyclists has recognized Penn State's University Park campus with a silver Bicycle Friendly University award, moving up from bronze last year.

In the spring of 2017, Pennsylvania Master Naturalist is partnering with the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy in Montgomery County to prepare citizens to become volunteer leaders in their communities through natural resource conservation education, citizen science, and stewardship.

The Central PA Conservancy was recently awarded a grant to help private forest landowners in the South Mountain Landscape Area-- Cumberland, Franklin and northern York counties-- on how to plan for future succession, look at conservation options and strategies and prevent conversion to development uses.

The Central PA Conservancy recently finalized a conservation easement on 500 acres in Perry County just west of Landisburg to help protect the Kittatinny Ridge.

Possibility Place Playground in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, was built in 2006 by community members as a place where children of all physical abilities could come together to play.

The Brodhead Creek Watershed Association and the Pohoqualine Fish Association will host a rare hike through the McMichael Creek Preserve on December 18 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in Monroe County.

Voting is now open for the NRG Retail Charitable Foundation’s NRG Gives competition to award 3 charities $115,000 in grant funds-- first place receives $100,000, second place $10,000, and third place $5,000.  Click Here to vote now and often through December 9.

The Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Wednesday announced the winners of its 2016 Photo Contest in 5 different categories--

The Lehigh Valley’s Wildlands Conservancy Wednesday highlighted education and other special programs scheduled in December, including--

Gail Farmer has joined the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association as Executive Director beginning on November 14.  She was chosen after a regional search and selection process.

The Wildlife for Everyone Foundation Thursday announced Jerry Regan will serve as the new President starting December 1.

Keep PA Beautiful is seeking qualified candidates for an Enforcement Support Program Coordinator to oversee KPB’s efforts to support local enforcement of litter laws through the surveillance camera program and other initiatives outlined at the Illegal Dump Free PA website.

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 Governor’s Office published notice in the December 3 PA Bulletin of the Proclamation of Disaster Emergency covering flooding in Bradford, Centre, Lycoming and Sullivan counties on October 21-24, 2016.

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