PA Trout Unlimited Chapters, PennFuture and other groups have issued a call to action for Pennsylvanians to oppose Senate Bill 619 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) which makes fundamental changes to the definition of water pollution.

The County Commissioners Association of PA and the Professional Recyclers of PA wrote a joint letter to the Senate and House urging members to oppose taking $10 million out of the Recycling Fund used to support local recycling programs and redirecting the money to pay the day-to-day operating expenses of the Department of Environmental Protection.

On June 17, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful sent an open letter to members of the Senate, House and to Gov. Wolf urging them not to use Recycling Fund and other money set aside to support community-based environmental programs and cleanups to pay every day operating expenses for DEP and DCNR.

On June 14, the PA Municipal Authorities Association wrote to members of the Senate, House and Gov. Wolf opposing the use of the Recycling Fund to pay the every day operating expenses of the Department of Environmental Protection.

On June 19, the Joint Legislative Budget & Finance Committee released a performance evaluation of DEP’s Chapter 102 (Erosion and Sedimentation) and 105 (Dam Safety and Encroachment) Permit Programs requested by Senate Resolution 226 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne).

On June 20, Ramez Ziadeh, P.E., DEP Executive Deputy for Programs, told DEP’s Agricultural Advisory Board the new draft PAG-01 General Permit for erosion and sedimentation control for projects under 5 acres will be available about July 10 to begin the public review process.

On June 17, with 15 minutes notice, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held a meeting where Republicans voted to send a letter to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission urging them to disapprove a proposed EQB regulation increasing permit review fees for DEP’s Air Quality Program.

On June 21, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency posted its evaluation of Pennsylvania draft Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan saying it comes up 36 percent short in achieving its nitrogen reduction goal.

The Department of Environmental Protection will be accepting applications for EPA Section 319 Watershed Restoration and Planning Grants starting June 24.  The deadline for applications is August 9.  (formal notice)

On June 19 the House Environmental Resources and Energy and Local Government Committees held a hearing on the local impacts of MS4 Stormwater Pollution Reduction Requirements.

On June 18, John Stefanko, DEP Deputy Secretary for Active and Abandoned Mine Operations, told the Citizens Advisory Council federal mine reclamation funds are the sole source of funding Pennsylvania has to address the over $3.9 billion high-priority abandoned mine reclamation problems remaining in the state. And, the federal fee supporting the program is due to expire in 2021.

The PA Council of Trout Unlimited recently wrote to all members of Pennsylvania's Congressional Delegation urging them to reauthorize the federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fee and Program.  The text of the letter follows--

On June 19, Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) asked their colleagues in the House and Senate to co-sponsor resolutions urging Congress to reauthorize the federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program and the fees supporting it.

On June 19, the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee amended and reported out Senate Bill 258 (Dinniman-D-Chester, Killion-R-Delaware), a bipartisan initiative to improve emergency response to pipeline incidents (sponsor summary) and Senate Bill 284 (Killion-R- Delaware, Dinniman-D-Chester) require pipeline companies to provide current emergency response plans to PUC (sponsor summary).

On June 18, the Department of Environmental Protection told the Environmental Quality Board it expects to present the Board with a consultant’s evaluation of the cost and benefits of the  climate cap-and-trade petition early next year.

On June 19, hundreds of Pennsylvanians from Erie to Philadelphia and everywhere in between converged on the Capitol Building in Harrisburg for the state’s largest annual citizen environmental lobby day.

On June 18, the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance, Green Building Alliance, Sustainable Business Network and E2-Enviro Entrepreneurs released their 2019 annual report on clean energy jobs in Pennsylvania which topped 90,000 jobs for the first time in 2018.

On June 17, a new report commissioned by Community Energy, Inc. finds transitioning 10 percent of Pennsylvania’s electric generation to solar would decrease the state’s wholesale electric costs by $619 million annually, while costing less than half that amount to make the transition, and would lower wholesale electric prices across the multi-state utility power grid, PJM Interconnection, by $3 billion annually.

On June 20, Philadelphia City Council passed legislation introduced by Councilwoman Reynolds Brown (At-Large) to establish a Solar Rebate Program for Philadelphia commercial and residential properties.

On June 19, the Department of Health officials reminded Pennsylvanians that ticks and mosquitoes can transmit dangerous diseases in their bites and encouraged residents to learn the proper ways to protect against them when outside this summer.

On June 21, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it will conduct a mosquito control operation to decrease populations of mosquitoes and reduce the risk of West Nile virus transmission on Monday, June 24 in Scottdale Borough and East Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County.

By Constance Schmotzer, Penn State Extension

By Ad Crable, Chesapeake Bay Journal

By now, we know that pollinators are important for our food sources… but what about the role native pollinators play in native plant communities?

By Kristi Allen, PA Plant Conservation Network Program Coordinator

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

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 Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet June 25 to consider--

On June 21, Sen. Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) introduced Senate Bill 790 to regulate conventional oil and gas wells using different environmental standards from regulation of unconventional (shale) gas wells.

The June newsletter of the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee is now available featuring articles on--

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service PA is accepting applications to help producers improve water and air quality, build healthier soil, and achieve other environmental benefits from Pennsylvania farmers and landowners in Centre, Clinton and Lycoming Counties.

Through a cooperative agreement, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA and National Association of Conservation Districts, have made available $9 million in technical assistance grants to six Pennsylvania conservation districts to help implement federal Farm Bill Programs.

On June 17, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA announced it has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association, a nonprofit organization whose members include the Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance and the Pennsylvania 4R Alliance.

The EPA Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will host a June 26 webinar on Private Sector Financing Solutions For Nutrient Reductions from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

On June 18, the Organic Farmers Association, a national policy association committed to providing a strong and unified voice for domestic certified organic farmers, recently announced their 2019 policy platform.

The federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is now offering grants for acid mine drainage treatment through the Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program to not-for-profit 501(c)3 entities as determined by the Internal Revenue Service.

The Rodale Institute will host an Organic Field Day July 19 at their research facility at 611 Siegfriedale Road in Kutztown, Berks County from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

By Laura England, PA Environmental Council Program Manager

A partnership led by the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy and state agencies, county conservation districts, nonprofit organizations, and willing landowners have joined forces to tackle the challenge of bringing Turtle Creek Watershed in Union County back to health while maintaining a working agricultural landscape.

By Jodi Sulpizio, Penn State Extension

By Andy Yencha, Penn State Extension

By Jennifer R. Fetter, Penn State Extension

On June 21, the PA Environmental Council posted this response to concerns about water quality standards recently adopted for the Ohio River by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission and an editorial published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette--

The June issue of The Catalyst newsletter is now available from the Butler County-based Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition featuring articles on--

By Maggie Jelliff, Natural Resources Conservation Service

A team of Penn State faculty, students and local high schoolers took first place at the 2019 EnvironMentors National Science Fair held last week in Washington, D.C.

By: Deborah Klenotic, Deputy DEP Communications Director

Keep PA Beautiful invites you to vote for the winners of the 2019 Great American Cleanup of PA Video Contest on Facebook now through June 26 at 3:00 p.m.

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for Driving PA Forward Electric Cargo Handling Grants.  The deadline for applications is July 19.  (formal notice)

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebates.  The deadline for applications is December 31. (formal notice)

On June  20, the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc. announced three updates to its flagship program, the Wilds Cooperative of Pennsylvania: a new website was launched, the membership program was expanded to include new organization types, and the program no longer requires annual membership dues.

Registration is now open for the PA Greenways and Trails Summit presented by the PA Land Trust Association and its partners on September 22-24 at the Shippensburg University Conference Center.

The French Creek Valley Conservancy recently completed the installation of a new boat launch along French Creek on Wadsworth Avenue in Meadville.

The Land Conservancy of Adams County recently partnered with Phil and Barb Wolf to preserve their 142-acre farm just a short distance from the Gettysburg National Battlefield Park boundary.

On June 14 at their Leadership Summit in Milwaukee, the members of the Conference of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers announced broadened membership to a powerful instrument that can help investigations of violators of aquatic invasive species laws.

The organizers of the 3rd Annual Pennsylvania Sportsmen's Forum have issued a call for presentation proposals.  The Forum will be held September 20-21 at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lebanon County.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County is dedicating an entire day-- July 20-- to bring awareness to misunderstood friends of the night: bats.  It will consist of three separate events throughout the day full of bat education and activities.

On June 21, Natural Lands in Delaware County announced it has named Kelly Herrenkohl as its new Vice President of Communications and Engagement.

Delaware County-based Brandywine Conservancy is seeking qualified candidates to fill an Operations Manager Position.

Crawford County-based Ernst Conservation Seeds, whose mission is to make available key native and naturalized species of plants for restoration, reclamation, conservation, wildlife and pollinator habitat enhancement, renewable biomass energy and beautification, is seeking qualified candidates to fill an inside sales/customer service representative.

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

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 highlights of actions taken by agencies on environmental regulations, technical guidance and permits.

CLICK HERE to View or Print the entire PA Environment Digest. This Digest is 115 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 proud to be a sponsor of the 2019 PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation and National Abandoned Mine Lands Program Conference to be held in Pittsburgh on September 8-11.

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, Pennsylvania Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.