Here are 85 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.   Are You Telling Your Story?

The Senate and House are tentatively scheduled to return to session July 6 in hopes of finishing the FY 2022-23 state budget and pass what lots of people hope will be the Growing Greener III funding initiative!

On June 27, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn visited Shikellamy State Park in Northumberland County to observe work on the Adam T. Bower Memorial Dam, and to reiterate the need for investment in public lands infrastructure.

On July 2, Ramez Ziadeh took over as Acting Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, replacing Patrick McDonnell who held the post for the last six years.

By Ad Crable, Chesapeake Bay Journal

On June 30, Republicans on the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee voted to report out House Bill 2644 (Causer-R-Cameron) blocking any increase in conventional oil and gas well plugging bonds, exempting pre-1985 wells (which is most of them) from any bonding leaving taxpayers liable for $5.1 billion in cleanup costs.

On June 24, Rev. Dr. Jessica Moerman, Vice President for Science & Policy from the York County-based Evangelical Environmental Network presented testimony to the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis on the health impacts from natural gas infrastructure and low-producing oil and gas wells and the burdens these facilities impose on taxpayers.

The Department of Environmental Protection is inviting comments on a proposed change to the Title V Air Quality Permit for the United Refining Company refinery in Warren County to add an emission limit for sulfur dioxide.  (PA Bulletin, page 3700)

The PA Solar Center is inviting residents to sign the Energy Freedom For Pennsylvania Petition to let legislators know that it's finally time for Pennsylvania to diversify our energy market with more renewables that will stabilize electricity prices, protect us from volatile price swings of fossil fuels, and create a more reliable grid.

The Environmental Quality Board is scheduled to meet July 12 on a final regulation establishing a municipal waste rural transfer facility permit-by-rule and to hear a presentation on DEP’s permit fee report on the Chapter 102 Erosion and Sedimentation Program.

The latest update from DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Office includes info on the next round of Resource Enhancement and Protection Farm Conservation Tax Credit Program; sign ups for the Mifflin County Riparian Ranger Program, York County’s Better Farms, Cleaner Water Ag Field Day July 28  and much more!

Recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approval of a new restoration plan for the Pequea Creek Watershed clears the way for federal funding to put practices on the ground to reduce pollution from agriculture and urban development in Lancaster and Chester counties.

The latest newsletter from Butler County-based Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition includes articles on--

The Lancaster Clean Water Partners will begin accepting another round of Lancaster Clean Water Fund Grant applications for larger projects on July 26.  The deadline to apply is September 30.

By Patrick Monahan, Pittwire

By Marla Meyer Papernick, PA Environmental Council

On July 1, Pennsylvania Acting Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director Randy Padfield, reflecting on the impacts of Hurricane Agnes 50 years ago, urged property owners to prepare for hurricane season by considering flood insurance to protect their homes, businesses, and possessions.

On July 1, the GIANT Company and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful announced the 45 recipients of the 2022 Healing the Planet grant program.

The Three Rivers Waterkeeper is hosting two more 3 Rivers Watch summer training programs on July 9 and August 6 in the Pittsburgh area.

The Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling and the Westmoreland Conservation District’s West Nile virus Program will hold a Tire Recycling Event on July 9 from 8:30 a.m. to Noon at the new Westmoreland Cleanways Recycling Center, 355 Pleasant Unity Mutual Road in Greensburg.

In July, the Pennsylvania Resources Council will host two hard-to-recycle collection events in Allegheny County to enable area residents to conveniently dispose of numerous items not suitable for curbside recycling--

On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision invalidating the Clean Power Plan the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency repealed in June 2019 and that had never gone into effect.

On June 30, the York County-based Evangelical Environmental Network issued this statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision on regulating carbon pollution from power plants--

On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court released its decision on West Virginia V. EPA, a crucial case concerning the authority of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants under the Clean Air Act.

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for approximately $3 million in Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants for school districts, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and businesses in Pennsylvania that want to transition to cleaner fuel transportation.  (formal notice)

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for $5.46 million in funding for Electric Cargo Handling Grants under the Driving PA Forward Program.  (formal notice)

Penn State Extension has published a Pennsylvania Landowners Guide To Utility-Scale Leasing to inform landowners on terminology, background information, and considerations to make when approached to lease their land for utility-scale solar.

On June 27, Nextracker LLC, the global market leader in utility-scale solar trackers, and BCI Steel, a Pittsburgh-based steel fabricator, announced the reopening of the historic Bethlehem Steel manufacturing factory in nearby Leetsdale to produce solar tracker equipment for large-scale solar power plants.

On June 28, Pittsburgh-based Kraft Heinz Company announced a 12-year virtual power purchase agreement with Repsol, a global multi-energy company operating across more than 20 countries and based in Madrid, Spain.

By Ad Crable, Chesapeake Bay Journal

On June 29, Representatives from Settlers Hospitality and Woodloch properties gathered at the Delaware Highlands Conservancy’s Van Scott Nature Reserve in Beach Lake, Wayne County to celebrate ten years of success in the Green Lodging Partnership and nearly $500,000 raised for local conservation.

On June 30, the French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, in partnership with Charlestown Township, announced they have partnered with Frances Rodgers to protect another 7.5 acres in northern Chester County.

The July 1 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation.

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

The Department of Environmental Protection is expanding the Environmental Education Grant Program to increase the number of applicants and environmental education projects supported statewide.

By Diane Huskinson and Steve Kerlin, Ph.D., Stroud Center

The Western PA Conservancy is hosting a special Discover French Creek Webinar on August 10 starting at 11:30 a.m.

The Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center is accepting applications for their Conservation and Natural Resource Certificate Program. The program is set to begin August 29, 2022, and ends December 16, 2022.

PASA Sustainable Agriculture and its partners will host a July 16 Silvopasture Workshop on Trees For Your Animals & Land at the Baken Creek Farm in Landisburg, Perry County from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The latest newsletter from the Pike County Conservation District includes two timely articles on harmful algal blooms that release toxins into bodies of water.

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary has issued a call for presentation proposals for the 10th Biennial Delaware Estuary Science and Environmental Summit set for January 30 - February 1 at Harrah's Resort In Atlantic City.

The 15th Annual Coal Miner’s Heritage Festival will be held on Sunday, July 10 from 10:00 a.m.  to 5:00 p.m. on the grounds of the No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum in Lansford, Carbon County, PA. 

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

Articles and NewsClips about federal actions impacting Pennsylvania--

On June 29, the U.S. Department of Energy issued a Request For Information (RFI) to inform a $500 million program funded by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to place clean energy demonstration projects on current or former mine lands across America.

On June 28, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded $399,837 in funding to 16 student teams for their research and innovative solutions to address environmental and public health challenges as part of the agency’s People, Prosperity, and the Planet (P3) Program.

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