Here are 88 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.

Below are examples of going the WRONG WAY on environmental and energy issues from last week’s articles and NewsClips--

PA Environment Digest Put Links To The Best Environment & Energy Articles and NewsClips From Last Week Here By Topic.

Twenty-one school, business and community projects were honored with the 2023 Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence.

By Josh Raulerson, PA Environmental Council

On May 4, the Pennsylvania Solar Center honored 25 Allegheny County organizations with the prestigious Lodestar Award during their second annual Solar Soiree at the Energy Innovation Center.

On May 4, the Department of Transportation announced a team of students from Lenape Technical School in Ford City, Armstrong County, has been selected as the statewide winner for the 2022-2023 Innovations Challenge.

The following article by Greene County resident Tonya Yoders was posted on the Center for Coalfield Justice Blog on April 21, 2023 providing a timeline of the fracking incident and updates.

From April 29 to May 5, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 626  inspection entries that resulted in reporting 60 violations of environmental regulations-- 42 violations by the conventional oil and gas industry and 18 violations by the unconventional shale natural gas industry.

A citizen complaint and a report by Seneca Resources Co. LLC resulted in a May 3 DEP Oil and Gas inspection finding an estimated 63,000 gallon spill of wastewater on State Game Lands at the WT 2587 302H 5318 well site in Jones Township, Elk County.

On May 5, Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the filing of criminal charges against two men for falsifying paperwork and risking catastrophe while working on a natural gas pipeline project in Lawrence County.

On May 5, the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration proposed much-needed protections to improve oversight and reduce pollution from the nation’s network of natural gas pipelines today.

The following DEP notices were published in the May 6 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

On May 4, the Physicians For Social Responsibility PA, Environmental Health Project, Center for Coalfield Justice, FracTracker Alliance and the Mountain Watershed Association Youghiogheny Riverkeeper are inviting citizens to sign on to a petition asking the state Department of Health and the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health to provide the public with an update on the studies of the health impacts of oil and gas industrial facilities as soon as possible.

DEP’s latest Environmental Justice newsletter features an article about the new state Department of Health's new PA Environmental Public Health Tracking Program.

On April 25, Earthworks filed a formal environmental complaint with the Department of Environmental Protection with video evidence showing more air pollution violations by gas flares at the Shell Petrochemical Plant in Beaver County.

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet May 10 on legislation to narrow the grounds of appealing DEP actions, authorizing special “stream cleaning” permits and renaming DEP to the Department of Environmental Services.

The Senate Appropriations Committee and Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee are both scheduled to meet on May 8 to consider legislation to kill regulations by doing nothing, allow the waiver of any permitting requirement and add more cost and bureaucracy to the permitting and regulatory process.

On May 5, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced all Commonwealth agencies under the Governor’s jurisdiction have completed a comprehensive review of their licensing, certification, and permitting processes – a critical step in the Governor’s mission to make government work efficiently and effectively for Pennsylvania residents and businesses.

The Associated Press reports a Legislative Audit Advisory Commission annual audit of Senate and House legislative accounts found they had a surplus of $261 million in FY 2022, nearly tripling from $95 million over the last six years.

On May 3, the House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee, in a bipartisan 19 to 2 vote, reported out House Bill 1028 (Matzie-D-Beaver, Marshall-R-Beaver) that would set the first new state rail safety requirements in response to the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

The Allegheny County-based 3 Rivers Watch is a network of volunteers supported by the Three Rivers Waterkeeper who are active river users or river watchers, from individuals to groups, who have a vested interest in clean water.

On May 1, the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee was told the wholesale prices of electricity in the PJM regional electric grid are too low to support coal and natural gas power plants.

DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council is scheduled to meet May 9 to hear updates on a variety of issues, including federally-funded infrastructure projects, the Act 54 longwall coal mining impact report, carbon capture and Pennsylvania’s hydrogen hub proposal.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mid-Atlantic Region will convene a May 17 virtual summit of federal, state, Tribal, and local partners to showcase the collective work and innovative practices that are addressing 21st century environmental and public health challenges impacting the communities we serve.

The Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition's latest newsletter includes articles on rehabilitating the Barkley Road passive mine drainage treatment system helping to assure clean water for Lake Arthur in Moraine State Park in Butler County and a field trip for Grove City College students to the Enico Bridge passive treatment system.

The Pike County Conservation District now has funding available to farmers to install best management practices on their farm in Pike County-- and so is your county district.

A free field day in Lancaster County on Saturday, May 13, is an opportunity to learn about the Upper Conestoga River and a restoration plan to clean and protect it.

The Capital Resource Conservation and Development Area Council will host a June 9 Pasture Walk at the Stroup Family Bison Farm in Dauphin County from 10:00 a.m. to Noon.

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is seeking volunteers to join the Riparian Rangers Program, a volunteer project for Pennsylvania residents who want to ensure riparian forest buffers successfully take root.

On May 4, the PA Resources Council announced it recently launched a watershed education initiative in western Pennsylvania that has the potential to remove nearly 3 million gallons of water annually from the stormwater system.

On May 4, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it will receive public comments and host a May 17 in-person public hearing regarding a plan approval application for Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT III) requirements for Covanta Delaware Valley, LP, a waste to energy facility in the City of Chester, Delaware County.

On May 4, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it will host a public meeting on May 31 to answer questions from residents regarding the proposed Northeast Waste Transfer Station (NEWT) in Hazleton, Luzerne County. 

The Pennsylvania Resources Council will launch its 2023 Hard-To-Recycle Collection Events in Allegheny County by hosting an event at Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills, Frazer Township, on Saturday, June 3, from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 

The Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center, in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Protection, has launched a new online searchable database of Pennsylvania recycled materials markets outlets.

The PA Recycling Markets Center is hosting a June 8 Battery Recycling Markets Development Summit on June 8 at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem in Bethlehem, PA.

The PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Pennsylvania River Sojourn Grants. These grants are awarded on a competitive basis.

The PA Environmental Council’s In Case You Missed It In April features articles on--

Do you want to experience one of nature's most dazzling wonders, but you don't know the first thing about fireflies, lightning bugs, or camping in the forest? 

The May 5 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

The Chester County-based Stroud Water Research Center has a number of intern, seasonal technician and a restoration coordinator position open--

The York County Conservation District is seeking qualified candidates to fill several positions--

The Southwestern PA Commission Water Resource Center is seeking qualified candidates for a Water Resources Specialist position.

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

The May issue of PA Township News from the PA State Association of Township Supervisors features articles on a variety of environmental and energy issues of interest to local officials and the public--

How can farms help mitigate floods and protect communities downstream? (Hint: it starts in our soil!)

On May 3, the PA Council of Trout Unlimited announced nearly $18,000 has been awarded to educators across Pennsylvania through the PA Trout in the Classroom (TIC) Grant Program.

Temple University Harrisburg and Let’s Go Outdoors will offer free outdoor activities during our Big Adventure Day through our Healing Ourselves Outdoors Together (HOOT) Program.

Join the PA Resources Council in celebrating National Composting Week by taking part in a free statewide Backyard Composting webinar on Wednesday, May 10, at 6 p.m. 

On June 23, Compass Education will host an in-person workshop at the Revolution School in Philadelphia on building a culture of sustainability in the K-12 classroom.

The Physicians for Social Responsibility PA are hosting a May 10 Webinar on Imagine A More Natural PA - How We Use Methane Gas, What It's Doing To Us from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

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--

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 May 6 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.