Here are 119 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.

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

On September 25, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement honored Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation during the National Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs conference in Chicago.

On September 26, the Asbury Wood Environmental Education Center in Erie recognized the work of its volunteers who play a vital role in helping them achieve their goals of conserving the land, connecting people to nature and inspiring environmental stewardship.

The Department of Environmental Protection has updated the times for the public hearings in Erie and Philadelphia to accept comments on the Interim Final Environmental Justice Policy that will now guide DEP’s permit application reviews and outreach efforts in environmental justice areas throughout the Commonwealth.

On September 30, Gov. Shapiro released the consensus recommendations by the Climate and Energy Work Group of organized labor, energy industry, consumer and environmental stakeholders to discuss Pennsylvania’s energy future, including the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

On September 29, the House/Senate Legislative Climate Caucus announced a schedule of events for  Climate Week in Pennsylvania - October 1-7.

From September 23 to 29, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 632 inspection entries.

The Environmental Health Project based in Southwest PA published a fact sheet on how the Department of Environmental Protection is issuing permits for shale gas infrastructure facilities without considering the impact of how those sources of pollution will impact local communities when added to the existing pollution in the area.

The Department of Environmental Protection is scheduled to hold a public hearing on October 31 on a proposed Title V Air Quality Permit for the Eastern Gas Transmission South Oakford Natural Gas Compressor Station located in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County.  (Sept. 30, 2023 PA Bulletin, page 6076)

The following DEP notices were published in the September 30 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

On September 27, Bryn Hammarstrom, from the Pine Creek Headwaters Protection Group, expressed concerns with locating a Seneca Resources shale gas well pad on State Forest Land to accommodate taking natural gas from private land in Tioga County.

By Ken Knox, Gettysburg Times

By  Russell Zerbo, Clean Air Council

On September 27, the PJM Interconnection Board of Managers directed PJM to file a number of enhancements to the PJM capacity market with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, following an accelerated stakeholder process and advisory vote from PJM members seeking reforms in support of resource adequacy and grid reliability as a result of Winter Storm Elliot.

On September 29, the PJM Interconnection and 80 other settling parties filed a settlement package to comprehensively resolve 15 separate Federal Energy Regulatory Commission complaints regarding extraordinary non-performance charges resulting from Winter Storm Elliott on Dec. 23 and Dec. 24, 2022.

On September 25, the Public Utility Commission announced pipeline and electric safety engineers from the Safety Division of the PUC are continuing their investigation into a weekend incident in Yeadon, Delaware County involving reports of a natural gas pipeline leak, a house explosion and fire that damaged several homes and resulted in the evacuation of more than 100 nearby residents.

The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to meet on October 3 to House Bill 1466 (Bizzarro-D- Erie) that would help prevent powerful interests from filing SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) lawsuits to silence citizen critics and chill free speech.

Agriculture has always held immense importance in Pennsylvania's communities. As the backbone of the state's heritage, farming contributes to Pennsylvania’s cultural fabric and drives the economy.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing October 2 on House Bill 1275 to protect riparian stream buffers.

The PA Council of Trout Unlimited will again host the biennial Keystone Coldwater Conference in collaboration with the PA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society February 23-24 the Ramada Inn Conference Center in State College.

The Pennsylvania Forestry Association will hold its Annual Symposium and Awards Program on November 4 at the Toftrees in State College.

Join the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences on November 15 at 1:00 p.m. for College Connections, a monthly webinar series moderated by Interim Dean Laszlo Kulcsar to give you a unique, inside perspective of the programs, people, and partnerships of the Penn State College of Ag Sciences.

On September 26, the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied Gov. Shapiro’s request for a Federal Disaster Declaration for the flooding that occurred on July 9, 2023 in Berks County.

Do not miss the opportunity to win up to $500 in the Pennsylvania Resources Council’s 2023 Gene Capaldi Lens on Litter Photo Contest.   The deadline for submissions is October 31.

In October, the Pennsylvania Resources Council will host its final household chemical collection event of the season, providing area residents with one more opportunity to safely and cost effectively dispose of common chemicals such as cleaners, paints, stains and varnishes, batteries, electronic cigarettes, motor oil and pesticides. 

The Pennsylvania Resources Council and Delaware County will host an electronics recycling collection event on October 17 to provide residents of Delaware County with a convenient and cost-effective method of responsibly disposing of televisions, computers and other electronic equipment.

The PA Recycling Markets Center will host the 2024 PA ReMaDE Conference on January 18-19 at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem in Bethlehem, PA.

The Balfurd Linen & Uniform company in Blair County provides linen and uniform rental service to restaurant, health care, facility management and manufacturing professionals.

On September 25, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced the department was awarded $1 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management to provide locally-tailored technical assistance and enhanced stakeholder engagement around carbon management technologies.

On September 28, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources issued its first Weekly Fall Foliage Report showing the first glimmers of autumn are upon us.

On September 28, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced the agency’s participation in a statewide initiative for annual Walk in Penn’s Woods events Sunday, October 1.

On September 21, The Conservation Fund and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry announced the 436-acre expansion of Pinchot State Forest following final transfer of the land to DCNR.

On September 27, the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation announced River Missal will join the Foundation as a Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps AmeriCorps member & Trail Training and Workday Coordinator.

The September 29 Take Five Friday With Pam is now available from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

The PA Conservation Heritage Project recently added a biography of John Arway, former Executive Director of the Fish and Boat Commission, to their collection of stories about Pennsylvania’s conservation leaders.

The editorial first appeared in the Republican Herald on September 22, 2023-- 

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

Join the CEOs for Sustainability executive network as they host their annual C-Suite Summit on November 15 at the Energy Innovation Center in Pittsburgh.

Have you been thinking about going Solar? Did you know that the incentives are higher than they've ever been?

Khaleah Jackson arrived at Penn State three years ago as a shy, quiet student. Once on campus, she found a new club — Minorities in Earth and Mineral Sciences (MEMS) — that helped her come out of her shell socially and in developing her professional skill set, she said.

Join the Delaware Highlands Conservancy and Heather Houskeeper, the Botanical Hiker, for a Women and Their Woods Plant Identification Workshop on Saturday, October 14 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Prompton State Park in Wayne County, PA.

This fall and holiday season, Carnegie Museum of Natural History presents Life in One Cubic Foot.

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 September 30 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.