The Renew Growing Greener Coalition issued the following statement calling on the Governor and Legislature to celebrate Earth Day by committing to restore funding to protect Pennsylvania’s environment: 

Sen. Tim Solobay (D-Washington) capped off two days of meetings between key Harrisburg lawmakers and Washington County community leaders this week with a tour of Marcellus Shale drilling sites.

Following the well blowout this week in Bradford County, Democratic Bradford County Commissioner Mark Smith wrote a letter to Gov. Tom Corbett critical of how the Department of Environmental Protectoin is handling the regulation of Marcellus Shale gas wells.

The Friends of the Wissahickon have released a short documentary “Reclaiming Devil’s Pool,” produced by FOW member Jason Fifield of Slife Productions, documents FOW’s work at Devil’s Pool, part of the Sustainable Trails Initiative, a multi-stage commitment by FOW to help make the 50 miles of natural surface in the Wissahickon Valley Park an environmentally and socially sustainable system that works for all park users. 

The most common contaminants of private water supplies in Pennsylvania and the United States are bacteria. Faulty septic systems are major contributors to this type of contamination.

Tri-County Conewago Creek Association will sponsor the third annual Conewago Creek Earth Day Celebration on the banks of the creek at Aberdeen Mills, a historic mill and farmstead outside of Elizabethtown, on April 30 from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm.  

Celebrate Earth Day, Mother’s Day, and the start of spring with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation! We've got two great events to choose from, both of which are free for all CBF members and their family, friends, and co-workers!

The PA Environmental Council this week announced a new one-day option for its unique Pennsylvania Environmental Ride on June 26 which will challenge riders to travel from the Susquehanna to the Schuylkill River.

The ruckus heard across college campuses this spring was not just because of the NCAA collegiate basketball tournaments. It was also RecycleMania season at 630 colleges and universities.     Pennsylvania had 48 participating schools, the most of any state.

This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other recognition programs. NEW means new from last week.

Here's a selection of NewClips on environmental topics from around the state--

Here are NewsClips on topics related to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling---

Upcoming legislative meetings, conferences, workshops, plus links to other online calendars. Meetings are in Harrisburg unless otherwise noted.  NEW means new from last week.  Go to the online Calendar webpage.

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, Pennsylvania Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.