With only 15 voting days scheduled between now and the June 30 deadline for a new state budget, the real work of getting agreement on budget items between the Senate, House and Gov. Corbett begins in earnest.

Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) this week brought together advocates for Pennsylvania’s environment and open space initiatives for a town hall meeting at Penllyn Woods to discuss the future of funding for the state’s environmental programs.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) this week announced he would be introducing a "reasonable and competitive" tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas production to fund a new program to give property tax relief to senior citizens.

The Renew Growing Greener Coalition applauded the Indiana County Board of Commissioners this week for passing a resolution calling for the renewal of Growing Greener, the state’s primary source of funding to help local communities preserve open space and farmland, protect water quality, provide parks and recreation, and clean up abandoned mines. 

The PA Environmental Council is seeking a firm to design and construct a Shaler Rain Garden Demonstration project in Glenshaw, Allegheny County.  Click Here for a copy of the RFP.  Proposals are due July 7.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy held a public meeting in May to present their draft watershed conservation plan for the Lower Mahoning Creek in Armstrong, Indiana and Jefferson County communities.

The Friends of the Wissahickon are organizing Volunteer Work Days in Wissahickon Valley Park on June 11 and 18 on the white trail near Kitchen’s Lane. This is a trail re-route project, part of the Sustainable Trails Initiative.

Hundreds of creative, colorful posters were received from school students throughout southwestern PA for "Let's Clear the Air," a poster contest with an emphasis on public awareness and education about air quality and alternative transportation.

iConservePA.org's new episode in the Coolidge Family low carbon lifestyle series features Sam Coolidges doing what he does best, being passionate about saving energy, planting smartly and living locally.   Click Here for the latest video.

Odwalla’s Plant a Tree campaign is back, and Pennsylvania needs your help to get free trees for Pennsylvania's State Parks.

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.