House and Senate members, joined environmental groups and local government representatives this week in calling on the General Assembly and the Governor to support the adoption of a severance tax on natural gas production from Marcellus Shale that supports environmental programs and local governments.

The StormwaterPA website now has available a new video case study on a riparian buffer restoration project in the Bullfrog Creek Watershed in Montgomery County.

Andy McAllister, Watershed Coordinator with the Western Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, not only does a great job working with watershed groups in Western Pennsylvania, he has also developed a second skill-- film making.

Senate Bill 297 (Yaw-R-Bradford), which would change the requirements for reporting gas well data to the Department of Environmental Protection, was unanimously approved by the Senate this week.

House Bill 1609 (Freeman-D-Northampton) to promote traditional neighborhood development as an alternative to sprawl was unanimously voted out of the House Local Government Committee this week.

The Capital Resource Conservation and Development Area Council, Inc. has been awarded a grant to assist eligible landowners with “prescribed grazing systems” within the Lower Juniata and other impaired watersheds in the southcentral Pennsylvania portion of the Chesapeake Bay.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Chesapeake Bay Program, announced 24 grants through the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund, including several in Pennsylvania.

The Department of Environmental Protection has awarded $75,000 to the River Alert and Information Network, or RAIN, to develop a water quality monitoring network and source water protection program on the Monongahela River.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA will provide $1.3 million for floodplain easements in Pennsylvania through through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

With a ceremonial “first cast” by local and state officials, the Fish and Boat Commission and Pennsylvania American Water this week marked the reopening of the Oneida and Thorn Run Reservoirs in Butler County for shoreline fishing.

The PA Infrastructure and Investment Authority this week added a new cutoff date for applications for water, wastewater and stormwater projects for their October meeting. The revised schedule is

The Department of Environmental Protection has received a plan to establish a Mercury Thermostat Collection and Recycling Program from the Thermostat Recycling Corporation of Arlington, VA and is now accepting comments on the plan. The plan is required by the Mercury-Free Thermostat Act.

As several regions of the state experience hot and humid temperatures this week, the Energy Association of Pennsylvania, the Electric Power Generation Association, and PJM Interconnection advised the Public Utility Commission they are expecting normal demands for electricity during the summer months while maintaining enough power for emergencies.

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for Nitrogen Tire Inflation System Grants under the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program.

Commuter Services of Pennsylvania and regional transit agencies will participate in a variety of activities on June 18, “Dump the Pump” Day, an annual event promoting transit use and reduced gasoline consumption.

Pennsylvania's State Park system is one of four finalists for the 2009 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, Acting Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary John Quigley said this week.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Acting Secretary John Quigley announced today that six State Parks across Pennsylvania have been selected to host a day-long series of special events as part of a nationwide Get Outdoors Day celebration on Saturday, June 13.

Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff said prime farmland in 19 counties will continue to be viable for agriculture production thanks to action this week by the Agricultural Preservation Board to protect an additional 4,225 acres on 47 farms.

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council is hosting its 39th annual dinner in Philadelphia featuring keynote speaker Robert Sussman, Senior Policy Advisor for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Joseph Powers, Executive Deputy Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection and number two manager in the agency, will retire on June 19.

John T. Hines has been appointed Deputy Secretary for Water Management at the Department of Environmental Protection, succeeding Cathy Myers who now serves as Special Assistant to the Secretary of DEP for Pennsylvani's Recovery.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of two project bid opportunities, one for a gas mitigation project in Allegheny County and an abandoned mine reclamation project in Clarion County.

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

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

Environmental Quality Board meets June 16 to consider proposed changes to erosion and sedimentation control regulations, lead and copper drinking water standards, final bluff recession and setback requirements in Erie and several rulemaking petitions. The EQB also published a correction to a Chapter 93 stream reclassification list (PA Bulletin page 2949)

The Department of Environmental Protection published changes to this of individuals and companies certified for Radon-Related Activities (PA Bulletin page 3002)