Here are 52 new stories in the PA Environment Digest about individuals, groups, local governments, farmers, businesses, watershed groups and many more working all across Pennsylvania to restore and protect the environment and show others the beauty that surrounds us.

While PA Environment Digest’s priority is to highlight positive examples of environmental and energy leadership, 2022 is an election year which demands accountability to voters.

PA Environment Digest Is Putting The Best Links To Environment & Energy Articles and NewsClips Here.   Is Your Story Being Told?

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has banned the use of oil and gas wastewater for any purpose on its over 6,500 miles of roads in State Forests-- a majority of which are dirt and gravel roads-- and on State Park roads.

On January 25, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn and Janet Sweeney of the PA Organization for Waterways and Rivers (POWR) announced French Creek in northwestern Pennsylvania had been selected as the state’s 2022 River of the Year.

On January 24, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee heard unanimous support for legislation  allocating at least $250 million from federal American Rescue Plan funding to a new state Clean Water Fund and establishing the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program to fund on-farm conservation projects to improve water quality in the Commonwealth.

On January 25, the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee heard from several witnesses from Central Pennsylvania reporting that State Government has refused to pay stormwater management fees designed to help the Commonwealth  meet Chesapeake Bay cleanup obligations and for other areas of the state.

By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal

On January 25, U.S. Environmental Protection 3 Adam Ortiz reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to meeting the 2025 goals of the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint at Tuesday night’s Maryland Environmental Legislative Summit.

On January 26, the Department of Environmental Protection announced seven projects aimed at cleaning up waters in the state’s northwest region have been selected to collectively receive more than $1.7 million in funding through DEP’s Growing Greener Plus Program.

On January 25, Department of Environmental Protection Northcentral Region Acting Director Jared Dressler joined Columbia County Conservation District and Town of Bloomsburg leaders to announce $245,000 in Growing Greener grant funding to improve water quality in the Kinney Run Watershed and view project sites. 

The PA Resources Council has been awarded a $244,475 Growing Greener Grant from DEP to support watershed restoration and protection projects in southeastern Pennsylvania.

On January 26, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it awarded the Borough of Jim Thorpe a $200,000 Growing Greener Grant for design work on the Silk Mill Run Creek restoration project in Carbon County.

The Commonwealth Financing Authority will be accepting applications for grants funded by Act 13 drilling impact fees for watershed restoration, abandoned mine drainage abatement, baseline water quality data, orphaned or abandoned well plugging, sewage facilities, flood mitigation programs and recreation starting February 1 through May 31.

The PA Association of Conservation Districts’ Highlights of Conservation District Activities in 2021 report is now available.

By Erin Frederick, Master Watershed Steward Coordinator

By Erin Frederick, Master Watershed Steward Coordinator

By Jennifer R. Fetter, Extension Water Resources Educator

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the January 29 PA Bulletin it has received a proposal under the Environmental Good Samaritan Act to plug an oil and gas well abandoned by a conventional driller in Murrysville Borough, Westmoreland County. (PA Bulletin, page 754).

On January 24, U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Haaland announced the investment of $25 million in abandoned mine reclamation to promote economic development and community revitalization in Pennsylvania.

On January 28, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission announced the award of a $1.5 million contract to design an abandoned mine drainage treatment plant project to help cleanup the Tioga River from Blossburg to Mansfield in Tioga County.

On January 27, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful announced registration is now open for the 2022 Pick Up Pennsylvania, a community improvement initiative to be held from March 1 through May 31.

On January 24, the Department of Environmental Protection’s Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program will begin conducting further environmental investigation at the former Erie Coke, Inc. property in Erie.

On January 26, Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin announced the approval of $3.2 million for three new Pipeline Investment Program (PIPE) projects through the Commonwealth Financing Authority that will improve natural gas distribution infrastructure in Indiana and Washington counties. 

By Elena Weissmann, Vote Solar & Annie Regan, ReImagine Appalachia - PennFuture

By Kathy Cook, PA League of Women Voters, Environmental Policy Director

On January 26, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn highlighted the agency‘s 2022 priorities at the first Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council meeting of the year.

The 53-acre Zeigafuse property located in Upper Mount Bethel, Northampton County has been in the family since 1812-- nearly 210 years. The farm features cultivated fields, forested wetlands, and critical wildlife habitat for rare and endangered species.

The Buehner Farm, located in Bedminster Township, is a 41.9-acre farm almost entirely comprised of prime farmland and farmland of statewide importance, has been permanently preserved by Heritage Conservancy along with its partners, Bedminster Township and the Bucks County Agricultural Land Preservation Program.

On January 28, the Allegheny Land Trust announced it has received a $69,400 grant from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources  Community Conservation Partnerships Grants Program toward two community conservation projects in Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood, and successfully closed on the Healcrest Project.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in December awarded a $313,000 grant to the Allegheny Land Trust toward the acquisition of approximately 53 acres located on Sandy Hill Road in Middlesex Township, Butler County for open space and passive recreation.

Do you know of an individual, organization, community, or businesses that in the last year has helped to grow and sustainably develop the outdoor recreation economy and nature tourism in the PA Wilds?

Entries are now being accepted for the Parks & Forests Thru The Seasons Photo Contest by the PA Parks and Forests Foundation with the theme-- Clean Water & Forested Ecosystems.  The deadline for entries is September 30.

The January 28 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation.

By Andrew Bechdel, STEP AmeriCorps Susquehanna Greenway & Trails Assistant

Conservation organizations pursuing bird habitat protection or restoration projects are invited to apply to the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology for funding raised by the 2nd Annual Breeding Bird Blitz for Conservation on June 17-20.

The Berks County Conservation District is seeking qualified applicants to fill multiple positions, including Agricultural Resource Conservationist, Urban Agriculture Resource Conservationist and Urban Program Assistant.

Opportunities to learn more about environmental and energy issues affecting Pennsylvania for students and adults--

By Andy Yenta, Extension Renewable Natural Resources Educator

The Wildlife for Everyone Foundation is now accepting applications for four $750 scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students in Pennsylvania.  The deadline to apply is February 11.

By Alexandra McLaughlin, Penn State News

Learn about our natural world and support conservation in your community by becoming a PA Master Naturalist volunteer.

The Department of Environmental Protection announced the three winners of the 2021 Radon Student Poster Contest.  The winners include--

The PA Resources Council and Southwest PA Air Quality Partnership invites students in Southwestern Pennsylvania to participate in the 12th annual Let’s Clear the Air Poster Challenge.

The Blair County Conservation District and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources are hosting a Riparian Buffer webinar series every Wednesday in February starting at 1:00 p.m.

The York County Conservation District is hosting a free Writing Your Own Manure Management Plan Workshop on March 4 at the York County at Pleasant Valley Road Building, 2401 Pleasant Valley Road, York from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

With major support from Toyota Motor North America, the National Environmental Education Foundation is now accepting applications for $200,000 in grant funding to support shovel-ready pollinator habitat enhancement projects on America’s public lands.

The PA Resources Council will host two online environmental education webinars in February to teach residents the importance and process of backyard composting.

While we are busy continuing to live with the Pandemic, we risk losing sight of all the innovation occurring in reuse and recycling.

Keep PA Beautiful has issued a request for proposal to update anti-litter education materials to support Pennsylvania's first-ever Litter Action Plan.  Proposals are due February 15.

The information you need to follow legislation in the House and Senate- starting with articles and NewsClips from last week-- 

On January 25, the Republicans on the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee voted to report out legislation to redefine water pollution and prohibit the state from owning clean energy credits. 

At the request of the natural gas industry, House Republicans passed House Bill 1947 (O’Neal-R- Washington) by a vote of 118 to 83 which preempts the ability of local governments to require the use of all-electric energy in buildings within their communities to reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions.

Articles and NewsClips about federal actions impacting Pennsylvania--

Click Here for a list of public participation opportunities and a calendar of events.

Click Here for grants, awards, recognition programs and contest deadlines.

Highlights of the environmental and energy notices in the latest PA Bulletin--

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 proud sponsor of the 2022 Joint Meeting of the Keystone Coldwater Conference and PA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society on February 25-26, 2022, at the Ramada Conference Center in State College.  Registration Open!

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the PA Organization for Watersheds & Rivers, PA Outdoor Writers Association, PA Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.