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Weekly PA Environment Digest Newsletter
August 3, 2009
(8/3/2009)
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* Governor Asks House To Send Him Budget Bill, Conference Committee Suspends Meetings

With budget conferees making little progress, Gov. Rendell asked House Democrats to send Senate Bill 850, the Senate Republican budget bill, to his desk.

* Get Daily Updates On PA Environment Daily Blog, Twitter

* Submissions For Growing Greener Anniversary Grants Due August 20

* On the Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule

NOTE: Due to the unpredictable nature of the Senate and House Committee schedule, meetings will be scheduled and cancelled quickly. The Calendars and Committee schedules this week are only a snapshot in time. 

* On The Governor's Desk

This environmental bill was signed into law by the Governor this week-- 

* Senate/House Bills Moving

The following bills of interest saw movement this week-- 

* Senate Committee Reports H20 Program, Coal Refuse, State Park Events Bills
The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week reported out legislation on coal refuse disposal area siting, making changes to the H20 water infrastructure program and requiring DCNR to honor State Park event leases. The bills include:

* Bill Protecting Redevelopment Agencies From Environmental Liability Is Signed Into Law

* REAP Farm Conservation Tax Credit Applications Accepted Starting August 3
The State Conservation Commission will begin accepting applications for the next round of Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) farm conservation tax credits beginning August 3.

* Aquarius Spring! Awards Nine Mile Run Watershed Assn $50,000 Grant, Cleanup Events Set
Aquarius Spring! natural spring water is on a mission this summer to promote watershed conservation and encourage people to take action in their local communities. Next stop: Pittsburgh and a partnership with the Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, a non-profit organization devoted to the restoration and protection of the Nine Mile Run Watershed through citizen engagement, demonstration projects and advocacy.

* CBF Receives $800,000 Federal Conservation Innovation Grant For Bradford County

* Chester Conservation District Receives Non-Point Source Funding
The Chester County Conservation District will receive a total of $2,172,084 for agriculture and urban stormwater best management practices through the federal economic stimulus funding awarded by the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority.

* Improvements To Canoe Creek In Blair County Made By Wildlife Partners
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Transportation and the Wildlife for Everyone Endowment Foundation recently collaborated to develop and implement a stream restoration plan for Canoe Creek in Blair County.

* Western PA Conservancy Protects Ligonier Farmland And Loyalhanna Creek Watershed
A historic 179-acre farm in Ligonier Township, Westmoreland County has been permanently protected by Western PA Conservancy thorugh an agricultural easement.

* It's Natural: Conservation, Agronomy Work Together At Ag Progress Days August 18-20
Since they share a focus on programs related to crops, soils and natural resources, it only makes sense that Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service again join forces under the same tent at Penn State's Ag Progress Days, set for August 18-20.

* Coal Refuse Power Plants Restore Over 4,500 Acres, Award Winners Announced

* First West Branch Susquehanna River Mini-Symposium Attracts 50 On Tour

* Kettle Creek Watershed Association Habitat Project Set For August 17-25
The Kettle Creek Watershed Association is sponsoring a habitat workday at the Cross Fork childrens area from August 17 to 25 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or later each day.

* PA CleanWays Completes 13 County, Pittsburgh Illegal Dump Surveys

* Verizon Wireless Kicks Off Wireless Phone Recycling Drive In Pittsburgh
One out of every four American women will be a victim of domestic violence at some point during her life. Through its exclusive HopeLine program, Verizon Wireless will demonstrate its commitment to ending the epidemic of domestic violence by holding a one-month phone collection drive at three Pittsburgh-area Verizon Wireless Communications Stores.

* Wildlands Conservancy Seeking Nominations For Charlie H. Nehf, Sr. Leadership Award
The Wildlands Conservancy is seeking nominations for the Charles H. Nehf, Sr. Conservation Leadership Award to honor an individual who has made a life-long and an outstanding commitment to environmental education, preservation of wildlife habitats or land conservation efforts in the greater Lehigh Valley region.

* Study Confirms Marcellus Shale Development Will Have $14.17 Billion Impact In 2010

* CNX Gas Leases 40,000 Acres With Marcellus Shale Potential In PA, West Virginia

* Chesapeake Energy Now Largest Marcellus Shale Leaseholder With 1.45 Million Acres
Chesapeake Energy increased its leasehold ownereship of Marcellus Shale natural gas reserves by 150,000 acres during the second quarter of 2009 giving the company of total of 1.45 million acres in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York.

* SRBC Hearing August 4 On Proposed Natural Gas Drilling Regulation Changes
The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is holding a public hearing to take comments on proposed regulatory revisions to streamline the use of SRBC-approved water for natural gas drilling in the Marcellus and other shale formations.

* New Law Supports Safe Use of Fire For Land Management
Pennsylvanians who care about our parks, forests and wildlife areas have cause to celebrate the recent passage of a new law that will encourage the continued use of well-regulated, controlled burning as an effective habitat and land-management tool in Pennsylvania, according to The Nature Conservancy.

* Agriculture's Work Continues To Eradicate Giant Hogweed

* PA Parks & Forests Foundation Summer Newsletter Now Online
The Pa Parks and Forests Foundation this week published its Summer 2009 newsletter highlighting staycation oppportunities in the Commonwealth, creative fund raising opportunities to support State Parks and Forests and profiles of the 2009 PPFF Award winners.

* Estemerwalt Log Homes Saves Over 1,000,000 Gallons in Fuel Oil
Estemerwalt Log Homes has announced they have saved over one million gallons of fuel oil-- 1,138,800 to be exact-- since the installation of their sawdust burning dry kiln system in 1996.

* American Water Works Assn. Sponsors WaterFest V On September 17
The PA Section of the American Water Works Association will sponsor Waterfest V, its annual summer education and exhibit program at the Harrisburg Bureau of Water, 100 Pine Dr., Harrisburg.

* Water Trails Workshop Hosted By PA Environmental Council September 15
On September 15 the Pennsylvania Environmental Council will host a all day workshop on water trails at the Centennial Barn at Fort Hunter Park in Harrisburg.

* Western PA Conservancy Announces Photo Contest

* DCNR To Begin Collecting Seismic Data During Second Week Of August
To comply with a 2008 law that directed the state to investigate the viability of storing carbon dioxide underground, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will begin collecting seismic data in Indiana and Westmoreland counties during the second week of August.

* Attorney General Urges Consumers To Shop Carefully For Energy Efficient Products, Services
Attorney General Tom Corbett this week urged Pennsylvania consumers to shop carefully when considering products or services advertised as being “energy efficient,” and to thoroughly review claims about financial savings or tax benefits related to certain purchases or home improvements.

* DEP Opportunities To Bid On Projects In Mercer, Montgomery Counties
The Department of Environmental Protection published notices of opportunities to bid on a dam removal project in Montgomery County and an abandoned mine land reclamation project in Mercer County.

* Spotlight - Quecreek Mine Rescue Remembered On 7th Anniversary
The Quecreek Mine Rescue Foundation last Saturday held the seventh anniversary celebration of the rescue of nine miners from the Quecreek Mine in Somerset County.
* Feature - Hope For Avondale Mine Disaster Site Through Community Revitalization
By Kyra Norton, EPCAMR Environmental Education Intern
* Grants & Awards

This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for grants and financial assistance as well as nominations for awards and other recognition programs.  NEW means from last week— 

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

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

* Regulations
The Environmental Quality Board  published notice accepting a rulemaking petition for study reclassifying Dwarfskill Creek, Pike County.
* Technical Guidance & Permits
Fish and Boat Commission  published notice of changes to the Class A Wild Trout Waters List for Baldwin Run, Tioga County.
* Calendar Of Events

Upcoming conferences, meetings, workshops, plus links to other online calendars.  Meetings are in Harrisburg unless otherwise noted. NEW indicates new from last week.   Go To: PA Environment Digest Calendar Page

* Stories Invited

Send your stories about environmental issues, programs and positive actions to PA Environment Digest - DHess@CrisciAssociates.com. 

* PA Environment Digest Family Of Websites

* Supporting Member PA Outdoor Writers Assn./PA Trout Unlimited
PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, Pennsylvania Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.

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