On August 14, the Northeast PA Environmental Partners announced the winners of their 2019 environmental awards who will be honored at a special dinner on October 24 at the Woodlands Inn and Resort in Wilkes-Barre.

On August 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joined the American Dairy Association North East in presenting an Environmental Stewardship Award to farmer Dave Graybill, who operates Red Sunset Farms in Mifflintown, Juniata County.

On August 16, DEP presented Pennsylvania’s final draft Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan to the PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan Steering Committee.

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the federal MS4 Stormwater Water Pollution Reduction Program September 11 in Greencastle, Franklin County.

On August 15, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it is now accepting applications for grants to prepare farm conservation plans in the 43 counties included in the Pennsylvania portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership has issued a call for landowners to volunteer their property to be part of this fall's effort to plant 15,000 trees.

On August 5, Gov. Tom Wolf issued a proclamation recognizing the week of August 24 to 31 as Local Waterways Appreciation Week in Pennsylvania.

On August 12, the PA Environmental Defense Foundation appealed a July 29 Commonwealth Court ruling the Foundation said ignore a 2017 opinion of the PA Supreme Court saying revenue from natural gas drilling on State Forest had to be held in trust under the Environmental Rights Amendment to the Constitution and only used for conservation purposes.

On May 9, 2019, nearly two dozen people descended on the Pine Creek Watershed in parts of Clinton, Lycoming, Potter and Tioga counties for the purpose of cataloging the impacts of the unconventional oil and gas industry and related infrastructure on the landscape. 

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is scheduled to hold its next business meeting on September 6 in Big Flats, New York. One of the items on the agenda is approval of a proposed settlement agreement with Sunoco over Mariner East 2 Pipeline SRBC water regulation violations. (formal notice)

The Department of Environmental Protection is inviting public comments on its proposal to issue an erosion and sedimentation control permit for the PennEast Natural Gas Pipeline route (PA Bulletin page 4599).

The House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on August 21 in Harrisburg on legislation-- House Bill 1568-- sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester) establishing a new Pipeline Safety and Communication Board.

On August 15, the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group released a new report documenting how decades of poor enforcement of air quality rules by the Allegheny County Health Department, which is responsible for enforcing state and federal clean air laws in Allegheny County, enabled industrial facilities to pollute the region’s air.

On August 16, the Department of Environmental Protection announced mosquitoes in Ferguson Township, Centre County and Washington Township, Dauphin County have tested positive for West Nile Virus bringing the total this season to 27.

What got me interested in putting in a pollinator garden?  An October 2018 Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee hearing.

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-- 

On August 15, Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced he sent a letter to U.S. Congressional leadership urging them to support federal legislation to regulate PFAS chemicals that are harming Pennsylvanians’ health and environment.

On August 13, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Librandi’s Plating of Middletown, Dauphin County has agreed to settle federal Clean Water Act violations involving the discharge of pollutants to a collection system for a municipal wastewater treatment facility.

By David Stoner, Manager & Tammy Piper, Watershed Specialist, Franklin County Conservation District

Veterans and everyday heroes, their families, and the public can enjoy a day of paddling and fishing, food, and live music at the fifth annual “Veterans on the Susquehanna” outing at Wrightsville, York County, on August 24.

Several state agencies, including the Department of Corrections, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Protection, are partnering in planting riparian buffers to help mitigate water pollution in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professionals Program will host a Riparian Buffers For Landscape Professionals Workshop on September 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Paradise Township, York County.

The Union County Conservation District is accepting applications for the position of Regional Chesapeake Bay Engineer, serving the Middle Susquehanna Valley-- Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Luzerne, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Synder and Union counties.

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting public comments on proposed changes in the draft NPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated With Construction Activities (PAG-02).  (formal notice)

The Brodhead Watershed Association will hold its 30th Annual Members & Friends Celebration, a popular annual gathering of local environment-minded people, September 13 at Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort in Shawnee-on-Delaware, Monroe County.

The newly-renamed Delaware River Festival joining Delaware River celebrations at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia and Wiggins Park in Camden will be held on September 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for 2020 Coastal Zone Grants.  The deadline for applications is October 15.  (formal notice)

By Virginia Cain, Community Relations Coordinator, DEP Southeast Regional Office

The Department of Agriculture begins a series of webinars on how Pennsylvania farmers and ranchers can manage risk from weather extremes and other risks through crop insurance.

By Jeff Moyer, Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful offers the Litter Free School Zone Program to public and private schools in Pennsylvania as a way to encourage students and staff to stop litter in its tracks, ensuring that it does not find its way to the neighboring streets, parks and storm drains where it would become even more harmful to the environment and community.

The South Mountain Partnership Speakers Series will hold its first program on September 12 on Fighting Illegal Dumping and Vandalism in a Forest Setting in the Caledonia State Park Office Conference Room, 101 Pine Grove Road in Fayetteville, Franklin County starting at 6:30 p.m.

Greenfest Philly, the largest environmental festival in the Philadelphia area, will be held on September 8 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Bainbridge Green, between 3rd and 5th Streets, in Philadelphia.

On August 16, Duquesne Light launched a new online EV Guide it hopes will make selecting the right electric vehicle (EV) easier for customers of varying lifestyles.

On August 15, Natural Lands announced it has transferred 2 tracts of land totaling 59 acres to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for public use in Nockamixon State Park in Bucks County and the William Penn State Forest in Berks County.

The August 16 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

Kutztown-based Rodale Institute is seeking a motivated digital communications specialist to lead its social media, website, and email marketing strategy and execution to a regional, national and international audience.

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 76 page PA Environment Digest.

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 proud to be a sponsor of the 8th Lehigh Valley Watershed Conference on October 15 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem.

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