Gov. Tom Corbett Monday said he agrees with 94 of the 96 recommendations made by his Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission and will be recommending legislation authorizing counties to adopt a drilling fee whose revenue would be split between the state (25 percent) and local governments (75 percent) to offset costs imposed by natural gas development.

Paul King, President of the PA Environmental Council, released this statement in response to Gov. Corbett's announcement of Marcellus Shale initiatives:

With the announcement of Gov. Corbett's proposals this week to set tougher environmental standards for Marcellus Shale drilling operations and a county-adopted well drilling fee, the debate is now fully joined with all sides saying they want final legislation on the Governor's desk by the time the House and Senate adjourns on December 14.

The 2011 Ohio River Watershed Celebration was held on September 22 attracting nearly 1,000 attendees who toured the region’s three rivers and discussed past, present and future goals and successes in protecting and improving Western Pennsylvania’s Ohio River watershed.

The PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers reported another year of successful River Sojourns is in the bag. As news from all of the sponsoring organizations filters into POWR headquarters, the scale of these river trips comes into focus.

Clean Politics, Clean Streams is a legislative autobiography which tells the story of Franklin L. Kury’s election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and later the Senate, against the senior Republican in the House and an entrenched patronage organization.

By James M. Seif, Former Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of an opportunity to bid on a stream channel improvement project in Columbia County.

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

The DEP Board of Coal Mine Safety published notice of final regulations updating underground coal mine safety regulations.

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