The Senate and House gave final approval and Gov. Corbett signed the FY 2011-12 General Fund budget bill-- House Bill 1485 (Adolph-R-Delaware)-- this week spending $27.1 billion, a 4.1 percent reduction in spending from the FY 2010-11 funding levels and without any tax increases.

Now in its third year, efforts to adopt a Marcellus Shale fee or severance tax lost another round this week as bipartisan initiatives in both the House and Senate fell apart after Gov. Corbett specifically threatened to veto any Marcellus Shale natural gas impact fee bill sent to his desk before the Governor's Marcellus Shale Commission submits its report on July 22.

A total of $1.5 billion has been diverted or cut from environmental programs to help balance the state budget or to fund programs that could not get funding on their own over the last nine years.

The Senate this week passed Senate Bill 995 (Baker-R-Luzerne) designed to maximize wellsite safety and improve community protections.

Calling the bill's passage "a significant victory for communities across Pennsylvania," Sen. Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) this week announced his legislation-- Senate Bill 151-- to give local communities a share of air pollution fines to be used for environmental projects has been sent to the Governor.

Senate Bill 302, sponsored by Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, received final legislative approval and is now with the Governor for his action.

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for the next round of Growing Greener watershed restoration, Section 319 and local mine reclamation grants.  A total of about $10 million will be available for all three types of grants.

The Friends of the Wissahickon are making substantial progress on the Wissahickon Stormwater Mitigation and Sediment Reduction Project, a two-year project in partnership with the Natural Resources staff of Fairmount Park, which will reduce sediment, improve water quality, protect drinking water sources, and restore critical wildlife habitat.

The Governor's Marcellus Shale Commission Public Health, Safety and Environmental Protection Work Group meeting set for July 5 will now start at 2:00 in Room 105 Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg.

Improving local water quality and the Chesapeake Bay starts with feeding cows. The amount of nitrogen and phosphorus that goes in the front end of the cow directly impacts how much comes out the back end.

The Chester County Board of Commissioners this week announced the video submitted by West Chester East High School students Christina Betz and Jeff Cindric who won the County High School Recycling Video Contest was posted online.  Click Here to watch the video.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful announced their new program, Fresh Paint Days Pennsylvania, and is currently accepting applications.  Applications must be received by July 31.

The Governor's Office published notice of its semi-annual Regulatory Agenda showing the status of major regulatory proposals and proposals in development, including the departments of Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. (PA Bulletin page 3614)

America’s symbol of freedom and strength, the bald eagle, has surpassed a milestone of 200 active nests this year in the Commonwealth, according to the Game Commission.

The iConservePA.org conservation education website is now featuring a new episode of The Barkleavies, a family of trees with issues.  This episode "Hot Flashes" features information on how climate change is affecting the environment.   Click Here to watch this and other Barkleavies programs.

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

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.