The Growing Greener Watershed Restoration Program will be ten years old in December and to help celebrate 10 groups have come together to invite watershed groups to share their success stories on a special www.GrowingGreener.com website. As an incentive, a $250 grant will be given to the watershed group with the best article and photo or video each month through December.

By Bob B. Adams, Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association

Gov. Rendell this week recognized fifteen Pennsylvania businesses and organizations adopting environmentally-friendly practices and technologies and are working to revitalize communities, reduce pollution, and educate the public on the benefits of being good stewards of the state’s natural resources.

Paul Marchetti, PA Infrastructure Investment Authority, this week announced PennVEST has waived the reequirement for DEP permits to be in-hand by the May 18 deadline for federal Green Project Reserve stimulus funding applications.

With its 10th annual State of the Bay report continuing to show no significant progress, Chesapeake Bay Foundation President William C. Baker this week challenged the federal Environmental Protection Agency to use its regulatory authority to take aggressive new action to reduce pollution.

For more than 30 years, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's environmental education programs have been a cornerstone of CBF's efforts to improve water quality and the Bay's health.

The Academy of Natural Sciences this week previewed a new watershed restoration assessment tool called SWIM - Streamlined Watershed Integrated Model-- during a hearing by the House Republican Policy Committee.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week held a hearing on wastewater issues surrounding drilling in Marcellus Shale for natural gas.

The Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee will hold an Environmental Issues Forum on May 4 on the topic of Pennsylvania's Heritage Areas. Guest speakers will include--

The Department of Environmental Protection this week announced new discharge standards for industrial wastewater high in total dissolved solids, or TDS, will take effect by January 2011. The standards primarily impact wastewater from Marcellus Shale drilling operations.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission this week initiated enforcement action against Ohio-based Belden & Blake Corporation, a natural gas drilling company, for using water without approval from SRBC to hydraulically facture the Marcellus shale formation in Smithfield Township, Bradford County.

The Lehigh Gap Nature Center is seeking help from volunteers to plant native plants in their grassland restoration area on the Kittatinny Ridge near Palmerton. Planting will occur from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on April 25 and 26 and again on May 2, with LGNC providing tools and lunch for the volunteers.

The PA Chapter of the National Association of Water Companies will hold its annual meeting on May 5. On the agenda is a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the PA Safe Drink Water Act and presenting the annual Chapter Award.

The Fish and Boat Commission will present an update on the Lake Erie fishery at a public meeting on April 23, from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the H.O. Hirt Auditorium in Erie.

Pennsylvania farmers working to transition their conventional operations to certified organic farms may be eligible for grants through the Path to Organic Program to offset the costs of making the change, said Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff this week.

The Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania want all of Blair County to join in the countdown to Earth Day 2009. April 22nd is Earth Day, a perfect time to help your family, your coworkers and your friends to “Recycle More!”

Harrisburg Area Community College is sponsoring a special lecture entitled, The Color Green: Environmentally Conscious In Your Home and Your Community, on April 22 in Room 113 in Blocker Hall at its Harrisburg Campus starting at 7:00.

PA CleanWays this week announced the winners of the 2009 Litter Hawk Youth Award Program.

As part of PA Cleanways Great American Clean Up, the Allegheny Land Trust, in cooperation with Lincoln Boro and the Mon-Yough Trail Council, is inviting the public to help collect trash on ALT’s Dead Man’s Hollow Conservation Area from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on April 25.

You can still volunteer to join one of the more than twenty organizations in Northeastern Pennsylvania that have planned events for the Great NE PA Clean-Up!

On April 18 volunteers from Duquesne University and Uptown Partners as well as representatives from American Eagle, Pennsylvania Resources Council and the City of Pittsburgh will be on hand to oversee and plant native and biofuel producing plants, such as grasses and sunflowers, on the site to complete the Blight To Beautiful Project.

Acting Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger will present the keynote luncheon speech at the inaugural PA ReMaDe Expo 2009 to be held April 27-28 in Harrisburg.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week announced it is now accepting applications under the 2009 Recovery Act‘s National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program for projects that significantly reduce diesel emissions, maximize job creation/preservation and economic recovery through a variety of diesel emission reduction strategies.

Commonwealth Financing Authority this week approved guidelines for how businesses, economic development organizations and political subdivisions can apply for a share of a new $80 million program for solar energy.

The Commonwealth Financing Authority this week approved guidelines to provide $25 million in grants and loans to families and businesses constructing or renovating buildings that meet high performance green building standards.

Allegheny Power, the electricity delivery unit of Allegheny Energy, Inc. announced this week the Public Utility Commission approved the results of Allegheny’s first auction to purchase power for residential customers for 2011 and beyond.

PennFuture's annual clean energy conference will be held on June 4 with the theme, "Stimulating PA's 21st Century Energy Economy," at the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel, Camp Hill, Pa.

The Department of Environmental Protection published a notice this week requesting comments on a draft Pennsylvania Climate Impacts Assessment required by the PA Climate Change Act of last year.

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission completed a new study to measure the Philadelphia region’s greenhouse gas emissions – its carbon footprint. The report, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, is the first step in developing a plan to reduce energy use and the emission of gases that contribute to global climate change.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week announced federal stimulus funding will be used to speed the cleanup two federal Superfund sites in Pennsylvania.

In an effort to protect wildlife habitat, Game Commission officials this week announced they have scheduled gypsy moth spraying for 22,113 acres of its more than 1.4 million-acre State Game Lands system.

The Audubon At Home Program this week published a scheduled of native plant sales throughout the state to encourage property owners to use native plants in their landscaping projects this Spring.

Audubon Pennsylvania's Spring 2009 newsletter is now available online and features stories about the global warming threat, the TogetherGreen Program, grassland habitat management and much more.

Over 160 people gathered in the impressive marble rotunda of Founders Hall at the Milton Hershey School on April 1 for The Sustainable Landscapes Conference.

By Douglas E. Hill,County Commissioners Association of PA

Here’s a selection of NewsClips on environmental topics from around the state--

Read a sampling of NewsClips on watershed topics from around Pennsylvania.

The Department of Environmental Protection published a list of available emission reduction credits  (PA Bulletin page 2044),changes in registration for radon contractors (PA Bulletin page 2054) and published notice of these final and interim final guidance document changes--