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Weekly PA Environment Digest Newsletter
Sept. 10, 2012
(9/10/2012)
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* Keep PA Beautiful Great PA Cleanup: 141,264 Volunteers, 6.7 Million Pounds Of Trash

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful announced Wednesday 141,264 volunteers collected over 6.7 million pounds of trash at 4,421 cleanup events during the 2012 Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Great American Cleanup of PA.

* Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Bills Introduced

Here are the Senate and House Calendars and Committee meetings showing bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--

* Rep. George: Federal Mine Reclamation Funds In Jeopardy

Rep. Camille George (D-Clearfield), Minority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Tuesday said that a bill passed by Congress has threatened about $178 million in federal funds used for mine reclamation projects around the Commonwealth.

* House Bill Would Make DEP Secretary Elected Position

Rep. Jesse White (D-Washington) announced the introduction of two bills-- House Bill 2606 and House Bill 2607-- which would amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to change the Department of Environmental Protection’s appointed secretary position to a commissioner post elected by Pennsylvanians.

* House GOP Policy Committee Holds Hearing On Coal Issues

The House Republican Policy Committee, Chaired by Rep. Dave Reed (R-Indiana) Friday held a hearing in Latrobe where a bipartisan group of state legislators heard from representatives of Pennsylvania's coal industry about the positive impacts the sector has on the Commonwealth's economy and potential roadblocks preventing additional job creation.

* DEP Awards $650,000 For Reclamation Work In Cooks Run Clinton County

The Department of Environmental Protection has awarded $652,161 to reclaim an abandoned mine site in East Keating Township, Clinton County. Last mined in 1976 by Fran Contracting Inc., the site is part of the Cooks Run watershed, which stretches into Cameron County.

* Westmoreland District Honors Farm Conservation Efforts

This year, Westmoreland Conservation District’s awards banquet returns on September 13, featuring a bountiful local foods buffet made from products that have been grown, raised, or produced right here in Westmoreland County. 

* Registration Now Open For Oct. 9 Lehigh Valley Watershed Conference

The 5th annual Lehigh Valley Watershed Conference will be held on October 9 at the Steps Building at Lehigh University in Bethlehem starting with registration at 7:30 a.m.

* 2012 State Of The Delaware Estuary Report Released

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary released its "State of the Estuary Report" Thursday, just feet from the Christina River in Wilmington.

* Lancaster Clean Water 101 Seminar Set For Sept. 13

The Lancaster County Clean Water Consortium will hold the first seminar in a three-part series called “What’s Clean Water and How Do We Get It Back?” on September 13 from 9 a.m. to noon.

* Penn State Master Well Owner Training Available

The Penn State Master Well Owner Network has released its schedule of training opportunities for new MWON volunteers for the next year.

* PA American Water: Tap Water vs. Bottled Water

Pennsylvania American Water Thursday announced the launch of a social media campaign inviting consumers to post photos of themselves using reusable water bottles, and the company will send each entrant a free water bottle. The campaign runs through October 15.

* Delaware River Contaminants Of Emerging Concern Webinar Sept. 25

The Delaware River Basin Source Water Collaborative is hosting a free webinar in recognition of the Drug Enforcement Administration's National Drug Take-Back Day on September 25 starting at 10:00 a.m.

* PA Water Works Assn. Hosting The Great Lakes Summit Oct. 16-18

The PA Section of the American Water Works Association is hosting the Great Lakes Summit in Erie on October 16 to 18.  The PA AWWA is also issuing a call for presentations for the Summit.

* Friends of the Wissahickon Photo Contest Entries Due October 1

Photographers have only three more weeks to submit their photos of Wissahickon Valley Park to the Friends of the Wissahickon Photo Contest, sponsored by The Cedars House. Winners of the contest will be selected by the public through online voting.

* EPA Opens Registration For Campus RainWorks Design Challenge

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has opened registration for student teams from colleges and universities across the country to participate in its new design competition, the Campus RainWorks Challenge, through which teams will compete to develop innovative approaches to stormwater management.

* PA Assn Of Floodplain Managers’ Annual Conference Oct. 23-24

The annual Conference of the PA Association of Floodplain Managers will be held October 23-24 at the Ramada Inn in Wilkes-Barre.  Click Here for more information and the agenda.

* Hike The Wissahickon This Fall With FOW Trail Ambassadors

The Friends of the Wissahickon are leading free hikes in Wissahickon Valley Park in September, led by FOW Trail Ambassadors.  The hikes include--

* Who Works The Rivers Environmental Ed Student Workshop Oct. 23

RiverQuest presents an interactive full-group session, adapted from the National Energy Education Development project’s Energy and Our Rivers curriculum called Who Works the Rivers On October 23 in Pittsburgh for students in Grades 11 and 12.

* Vote Now To Help Nature Abounds Receive Grant From Chase Community Giving

Nature Abounds, a Clearfield-based non-profit working to bring people together for a healthy planet, is competing with charities nationwide for grants ranging from $10,000 to $250,000 from the Chase Community Giving program.

* Western PA Conservancy: Get Involved As A School Tender!

Volunteers are needed to weed and water trees and plants in the school gardens, outdoor classrooms and natural play spaces at more than 50 Pittsburgh public schools that have been enhanced through Western PA Conservancy’s School Grounds Greening Project.

* ClearWater Conservancy To Host Wild And Scenic Film Festival Sept. 20

The ClearWater Conservancy will bring the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival to State College for the fourth time this fall. Hosted by presenting sponsor Appalachian Outdoors and benefitting ClearWater Conservancy, the festival will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 at the State Theatre in State College.

* Weis Markets Joins Farm Aid 2012 On September 22

Weis Markets announced it will be a sponsor of Farm Aid 2012, a concert dedicated to American family farmers featuring music performed by America’s premier artists, including Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews.

* iConservePA Video: Invasion Force, Invasive Species

DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry Botanist Carrie Gilbert describes how invasive species can be destructive to local ecosystems and how to control them in this iConservePA video.  Click Here to watch the video.  Learn more about how to protect and restore your environment by going to iConservePA.org.

* PRC Sets E-Waste, Paper Shredding Event In Pittsburgh Sept. 29

The PA Resources Council and its partners will hold an electronics waste and paper shredding collection event in Pittsburgh Mills on September 29.  Click Here for details.

* Lake Erie Cleanup Seeks Volunteers To Collect Trash On Sept. 15

The Department of Environmental Protection invites the public to improve the Lake Erie watershed by participating in the PA-Lake Erie International Coastal Cleanup on September 15, from 9 a.m. to noon.

* State Electronics Challenge Managing IT Equipment Webinar Sept. 27

The State Electronics Challenge will hold a webinar on September 27 starting at 3:00 p.m. on how Pennsylvania organizations can reduce their environmental footprint, including climate impact, saving energy, and conserving natural resources, through improved management of office equipment; including computers, monitors, copiers, printers, and multifunction devices.

* PA Resident Honored For Encouraging EPA To Recycle Electronics

Daniel Gallo, a resident of Brookhaven, Jefferson County, is one of only 10 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employees nationwide honored for helping federal agencies protect the environment by making smarter purchases and use of electronics products.

* Save The Date: PA Resources Council Annual Awards Dinner Nov. 15

The PA Resources Council will hold its annual awards dinner on November 15 at the Radisson at Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia.  Sponsorship information is now available. Check the PRC website for more information in the near future.

* Chatham University Named To Princeton Review Green Honor Roll

Chatham University was recently honored by The Princeton Review by being named to the exclusive 2013 Green Honor Roll, the only Pennsylvania college or university named.

* Energy In The Alleghenies Conference At Duquesne Sept. 24-25

Air and Waste Management Association's Allegheny Mountain Section and Duquesne University are sponsoring the Energy in the Alleghenies Conference at the Duquesne University Power Center in Pittsburgh on September 24-25.

* West Penn Power Sponsors Another Round Of Energy Efficiency Seminars

West Penn Power has scheduled four more energy efficiency seminars for business and industrial customers to learn more about incentives for reducing energy use.  The seminars will be held--

* DEP Announces Upcoming Natural Gas Vehicle Seminars

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold the first of several Natural Gas Vehicle seminars on September 14, in Camp Hill, Cumberland County, to help municipal and commercial fleet owners make informed decisions about converting their fleets to compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas.

* Game Commission Sets Tours Of State Game Lands

As part of the Game Commission’s efforts to highlight its ongoing habitat improvement initiatives, the public is invited to take part in upcoming tours of several State Game Lands between September 22 and October 14.  All tours are free.

* Western PA Conservancy Protects Land Along Cussewago Creek In Crawford County

The Western PA Conservancy this week acquired a significant property in the French Creek watershed. The more than 283-acre tract in Hayfield Township, Crawford County has 5,650 feet of frontage along Cussewago Creek, a major tributary of French Creek.

* New PHMC Mobile Site Connects Smartphone Users To Historic Sites

The PA Historical and Museum Commission's new mobile website can help connect smartphone users to the state's rich history, according to Sen. Richard Alloway II (R-Franklin).

* Opportunity To Bid On A DEP Well Plugging Project In Butler County

The Department of Environmental Protection published a notice inviting bids on a well plugging project in Butler County.

* Western PA Conservancy Appoints New Associate VP Of Watershed Conservation

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has named Jenifer Christman as Associate Vice President for Watershed Conservation.

* Steven C. Beckman Nominated To Environmental Hearing Board

Gov. Tom Corbett Wednesday nominated Steven C. Beckman to the five-member Environmental Hearing Board which hears the first-line appeals of actions by the Department of Environmental Protection.

* Penn State College Of Agricultural Sciences Career Day Oct. 16

The Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences will hold a Career Day on October 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center at University Park.  Click Here to register.

* Feature: 5 Myths About The Marcellus And Natural Gas Industry

By Timothy Puko, Tribune-Review, September 2, 2012

* Feature: We Remember - September 11, 2001 - DEP Responds To A National Tragedy

We all remember where we were and what we were doing on September 11, 2001, but the employees of the Department of Environmental Protection remember better than most because they played a key role in the responding to the Somerset County crash site of Flight 93.

* Your 2 Cents: Issues On Advisory Committee Agendas

This section gives you a continuously updated thumbnail sketch of issues to be considered in upcoming advisory committee meetings where the agendas have been released

* Grants & Awards

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

* Budget/Quick Clips

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

* Marcellus Shale NewsClips

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

* Flooding/Watershed NewsClips

Here are NewsClips on watershed topics from around the state--

* Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits

No new regulations were published this week.  Pennsylvania Bulletin - September 8, 2012

* Calendar Of Events

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.

* Stories Invited

Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to:  DHess@CrisciAssociates.com.

* Supporting Member PA Outdoor Writers Assn./PA Trout Unlimited

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

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