The Public Utility Commission late Wednesday issued an Emergency Order regarding Sunoco Pipeline L.P., also known as Energy Transfer Partners, to suspend operations of the Mariner East 1 Pipeline and require additional testing and analysis on that line, in response to safety concerns regarding the integrity of that pipeline.

Sen. Andy Dinniman (D-Chester) Monday said officials and inspectors from the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration visited Lisa Drive in West Whiteland Township, Chester County where three sinkholes have opened up on a residential block apparently due to construction of Sunoco’s Mariner East II Pipeline.

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold three public hearings on the proposed Shell Ethane Pipeline in Allegheny, Beaver and Washington counties. 

The Department of Environmental Protection is inviting comments on the proposed Section 401 Water Quality Certification for an Equitrans natural gas pipeline project under I-79 in South Fayette Township Allegheny County.  (March 10 PA Bulletin page 1474)

The eighth class of Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame honorees recognized by the Appalachian Trail Museum Society will be inducted on May 4 during the annual Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Banquet at the Allenberry Resort in Boiling Springs, Cumberland County.

You can make a real difference in people’s lives and the environment.  Vote Now! for Pittsburgh-based non-profit Landforce that helps organizations restore and maintain land and green assets by providing professionally skilled people who can assist in those projects.

The PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee is scheduled to meet March 16 to continue its effort to develop Pennsylvania’s Phase 3 Watershed Plan for meeting Chesapeake Bay cleanup obligations.

Here are the Senate and House Calendars for the next voting session day and Committees scheduling action on bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--

The House State Government Committee is scheduled to meet on March 13 to consider bills taking permit reviews from DEP and other state agencies, creating an Office of the Repealer and authorizing the repeal any regulation by a House/Senate resolution.

The House Transportation Committee is scheduled to meet on March 12 to consider House Bill 1446 (Quinn-R-Bucks) encouraging infrastructure for electric and natural gas fueled vehicles (sponsor summary).

The House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee is scheduled to meet on March 12 to consider House Bill 1412 (Barrar-R-Delaware) proposing a regulatory framework to encourage energy storage and microgrids to improve electric grid resiliency during disaster emergencies and other circumstances (sponsor summary).

By Robert Hughes, Eastern PA Coalition For Abandoned Mine Reclamation

Gov. Tom Wolf Thursday announced he has requested the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) declare disasters in Fayette County and Uniontown for those businesses and homes that suffered significant wind, flood, and in some cases, mudslide damage from a tornado and storms that impacted the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania between February 15 and 17, 2018.

By Shawn Rummel, Trout Unlimited’s PA Coldwater Habitat Restoration Program

The Department of Environmental Protection Thursday announced the Jeansville Mine Fire in Banks Township, Carbon County, is close to being fully extinguished.

The Philadelphia Water Department and Land Health Institute are now accepting applications for the Cobbs Creek Watershed Stewardship Program from high school students interested in the environment and to support them as they become the change-makers, ecologists, scientists, urban planners, and leaders of tomorrow.

The 2017 Annual Report from the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary is now available featuring articles on--

PennFuture will host a listening session in the Lehigh Valley on March 12, gathering regional watershed groups, volunteers, and organizations to discuss the critical environmental and water quality issues in line with each organization’s mission.

The Schuylkill Action Network will be hosting the Schuylkill River Recreation Summit on March 16 to get feedback on recreation in the River.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation will be accepting entries for the 2018 Save The Bay Photo Contest from March 12 to April 6.

By: Melanie Williams, Community Relations Coordinator, Northwest Regional Office

Agricultural producers wanting to enhance current conservation efforts are encouraged to renew their NRCS-PA Conservation Stewardship Program contract.

The Department of Environmental Protection invites comments on two proposed technical guidance documents to implement Act 26 related to considering alternative onlot septic systems in Act 537 sewage planning. (formal notice)

Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell Friday commended Steelton officials in Dauphin County for recently completed upgrades and improvements at the borough Water Authority’s filtration plant. The changes are helping meet safe drinking water standards.

Alexander Grattan, a student at Keystone Oaks High School in Pittsburgh, won the High School category of the One Earth Film Festival in Chicago with his film, “Lead In Water,” about lead contaminated water in Pittsburgh.

The PA Resources Council Tuesday released its 2018 schedule of Drug Take-Back, Hard-To- Recycle, Household Chemicals and Reuse Fest Events In Allegheny and other counties in Western Pennsylvania.

The Department of Environmental Protection and local officials Tuesday celebrated the arrival of ten buses fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG) at River Valley Transit, which purchased the buses in part using funding from DEP’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program.

The Association for Royalty Owners Pennsylvania Chapter will be holding their annual conference March 21-23 at the Ramada Conference Center in State College.

DEP's Finding PA's Solar Future Stakeholder Group Thursday offered comments on a draft plan they help  developed over the past year to increase in-state solar-generated electricity to 10 percent by 2030.

The Department of Environmental Protection is scheduled to hold a hearing April 9 on a proposed amendment to the state’s Air Quality Plan to eliminate the low-RVP summer gasoline requirement in the Pittsburgh Region.  (formal notice)

The Clean Air Council Monday sent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt a notice of the Council’s intent to sue the EPA for its unreasonable delay in responding to a petition by the Council on deficiencies in the Allegheny County Health Department’s Title V operating permit program. 

The Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge team will hold a Clean Air: Managing Contaminants In Indoor Spaces, Mitigating Impacts Of Air Pollution Workshop on March 15.

Homeowners in eight townships in central Pennsylvania will receive letters in March from the Department of Environmental Protection and American Lung Association-PA, notifying them of high radon levels in their vicinity and providing a coupon for a free radon test.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice Wednesday announced a final consent decree with S.H. Bell Co. requiring the business to monitor and take measures to reduce manganese emissions from its 92-acre raw products storage and material handling facility that spans the Pennsylvania-Ohio border in Ohioville, Beaver County, PA and East Liverpool, Ohio.

The Department of Environmental Protection Monday announced it will collect a $600,000 penalty from Eurofins, QC, for violations related to falsified and mishandled discharge water tests and results at their lab in Southampton, Bucks County.

Sustainable Pittsburgh will host a webinar on March 14 on Building (Or Rebuilding) Communities And Including Every Generation from 1:00 to 2:15 p.m.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Thursday announced grants totaling $425,700 to three recipients in Pennsylvania for all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trails, equipment and related facilities.

White-water boating enthusiasts once again will converge on Bucks County’s Tohickon Creek March 17-18, when the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources releases water from Lake Nockamixon in Nockamixon State Park into Tohickon Creek.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Monday reminded local governments and recreation and conservation organizations that grant applications now are being accepted through DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program.

By: Greg Czarnecki, Climate Change & Research Coordinator, DCNR

The March 7 edition of the Resource newsletter is now available from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources featuring articles on--

The Central Pennsylvania Conservancy Friday announced it has purchased the historic watercress farm at the bend on South Spring Garden Street just before its intersection with Bonnybrook Road in South Middleton Township, Cumberland County.

PennFuture said Thursday it strongly opposes the General Assembly’s attempt to remove Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director John Arway over the agency’s efforts to cut costs after elected officials failed to pass a reasonable process in how fishing-license fees are set, disregarding that the commission operates without any financial support from the general fund.

The Brodhead Chapter of Trout Unlimited will honor John Arway, Executive Director of the Fish and Boat Commission, with a Lifetime Achievement Award at its Annual Banquet on March 23 at Ridgecrest at the Stroudsmoor Country Inn in Stroudsburg, Monroe County.

Voting is now open for the People’s Choice Award in the Delaware Highlands Conservancy Photo Contest.  Vote for your favorite before March 15.

By Roy D. Nagle, Director Of Environmental Health & Safety, Juniata College

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the March 10 PA Bulletin of an opportunity to bid on abandoned mine reclamation projects in Carbon and Luzerne counties and Cambria County.

The Delaware River Basin Commission Tuesday announced Namsoo S. Suk, Ph.D. has been named as Director of Science and Water Quality Management. 

The Lacawac Sanctuary Environmental Education Center in Wayne County is seeking qualified candidates to fill multiple summer camp counselor positions for this year. The deadline for applications is March 15.  Click Here for all the details.

The PA Association Of Conservation Districts is seeking qualified candidates to fill two positions: Program Manager and Leadership Development Program Coordinator.

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 in the March 10 PA Bulletin of a correction to proposed amendments to Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Program regulations.

CLICK HERE to Print The Entire PA Environment Digest.  This Digest is 78 pages long.

Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to:  PaEnviroDigest@gmail.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.