The Senate and House finished up voting on legislation for the year Wednesday leaving lots of unfinished business on environmental issues on the table.  All bills not on the Governor’s Desk will have to start over in January.

Gov. Tom Corbett Monday announced the Marcellus drilling law enacted in February (Act 13) has generated more than $204.2 million through the new impact fee.  He was joined by Sen. Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) a primary author of the bill in the Senate

The Public Utility Commission’s choice to suspend Marcellus Shale impact fee payments to townships challenging the state’s drilling law not only amounts to political extortion, but is more importantly a clear violation of the law, according to Rep. Jesse White (D-Allegheny).

Sen. Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) this week introduced Senate Bill 1616 establishing a Marcellus Shale Health Advisory Panel.

In response to questions about a recent personnel change at the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which has raised concerns among environmentalists about drilling in state-owned forests and parks, Capitolwire reported Gov. Corbett as saying at a press conference Monday--

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Richard Allan Friday announced he is appointing a 38-year veteran of the state park system to lead the Bureau of State Parks.

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

The following bills were given final approval by the Senate and House and are now on the Governor's desk for action--

The following bills of interest saw action this week in the House and Senate--

Senate Bill 1532 (Vogel-R-Beaver) which would exempt vehicles never registered in the state or any other jurisdiction for ten years from the date of registration and hybrid and natural gas fueled vehicles from the vehicle emissions inspection program passed the Senate this week.

The Senate has unanimously approved Senate Bill 1346 (Kasunic-D-Somerset) would encourage the use of mine water for Marcellus shale well development.

Rep. Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster), prime sponsor of  House Bill 2224 which would change the procedures for the sale of local parkland issued this statement on the legislation.  (The legislation died in the Senate after the General Assembly adjourned for the year.)   Rep. Cutler said--

The House Game and Fisheries Committee held a hearing Monday on expanding the protection of certain species of bats.

The October issue of the Environmental Synopsis newsletter is now available from the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee.

It was bound to happen one of these years!  After 10 riverboat cruises, this one finally had something no previous event ever did—rain!  But the damp weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the hundreds of enthusiastic participants at the Ohio River Watershed Celebration on September 27th! 

The Stroud Water Research Center presented John Briscoe, Ph.D., with the Stroud Award for Freshwater Excellence at The Water's Edge, the Center’s annual gala at Longwood Gardens in the suburbs of Philadelphia on October 18.

By Matt Ehrhart, PA Director, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The 10th Annual Lancaster/Lebanon County Watershed Forum will be held on October 27 from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the Acorn Farms Reception and Conference Center in Mount Joy, Lancaster County.

On Friday, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council submitted formal comments to the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority raising fundamental questions about its plan to reduce combined sewer overflows in the Pittsburgh Region and the federal consent decree it is based on.

The League of Women Voters Water Resources Education Network will hold a Drinking Water Protection Workshop at the Brockway Volunteer Hose Company, 751 Taylor Way, Brockway, Jefferson County, on November 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The PA Infrastructure Investment Authority and the Department of Environmental Protection announced Tuesday they will host a November 7 auction for the sale and purchase of nutrient credits in the Susquehanna and Potomac watersheds.

The Fish and Boat Commission is inviting anglers and the general public to an informational meeting on October 30, at Big Spring High School in Cumberland County to learn more about the agency’s habitat and fisheries management plan for Big Spring Creek.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation will host a Community Action Training Workshop on October 27 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Wildwood Park in Harrisburg.

In celebration of National Drinking Water Week, Penn State Extension and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection along with numerous other sponsors invite you to submit abstracts for the 2013 Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium at Penn State University in University Park, PA.

The Delaware Estuary Science & Environmental Summit will be held from January 27-30 in Cape May, NJ.  This year’s theme is “Weathering Change-Shifting Environments, Shifting Policies, Shifting Needs.”

Photographers have just two weeks to enter the Schuylkill Shots Competition, the theme of which is Pennsylvania’s Schuylkill River.  The Schuylkill Action Network’s call for entries ends October 30; top prize: a $300 gift card.

The PA Resources Council is sponsoring a Rain Barrel Workshop from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on October 30 at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library near Pittsburgh.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday Atlas Resources LLC will pay an $84,506 penalty to settle alleged air and hazardous chemical violations at its natural gas production facility in Avella, Washington County, Pa. 

Tuesday, the Marcellus Shale Coalition published its Recommended Practices for Responding to Stray Gas Incidents, the fourth in a series of such guidance documents.

Over the last week, Scott Detrow of WITF’s StateImpact project has done a series of articles and radio reports on Pennsylvania’s estimated 200,000 abandoned conventional oil and gas wells and the problems they cause, particular for the new unconventional Marcellus Shale deep wells.  Follow these links to the reports--

The Wilkes University Institute for Energy and Environmental Research of Northeastern PA will host a presentation by Dr. Simona Perry on the Community and Environmental Health Implications of Shale Gas Development on November 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Stark Learning Center in Wilkes-Barre.

The PA Recycling Markets Center, Inc. has awarded metro-Philadelphia-based eForce Compliance with the inaugural William M. Heenan Markets Development Award for its innovation and commitment to developing new market opportunities for recycled-content materials in Pennsylvania.

The PA Resources Council will present its annual environmental leadership awards at a special dinner event on November 15 at the Radisson at Valley Forge starting at 5:30 with a wine and beer tasting.

The Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority has released a report that documents the philosophy and actions behind its involvement in community sustainability for Lancaster County.

A program of automaker Lexus and children's publishing company Scholastic, the Lexus Eco Challenge is an educational program and contest designed to inspire and empower middle and high school students in the United States to learn about the environment and take action to improve it.

The Department of Environmental Protection, in partnership with the Engineers Society of Western Pennsylvania, invites stakeholders, community leaders and industry professionals to a statewide brownfields conference from October 29 to 31, at the Monroeville Convention Center in Monroeville, Allegheny County.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday it is seeking applicants for a total of $1.5 million in Environmental Justice Small Grants to be awarded in 2013.  Applications are due January 7.

If you’re a PPL Electric Utilities customer who also wears the hat of farmer, rancher, or other agricultural occupation, you can harvest energy savings no matter the season.

The Department of Public Welfare is encouraging Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program  recipients to apply online this year for assistance in paying home heating bills, a new process that will make the application process faster and will save taxpayer dollars.

Erie-area sportsman Robert Hetz has been named the recipient of the Fish and Boat Commission’s Ralph W. Abele Conservation Heritage Award for 2012.

A Wild Resource Conservation Program video was recently honored with an Emmy award by the regional chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

The Gallows Run Watershed Association, Heritage Conservancy, Nockamixon Open Space Committee and Palisades School District partner for the 4th Annual Art for Conservation Benefit in Kintnersville, PA,

Please join us for the inaugural Pennsylvania Botany Symposium at the Powdermill Nature Reserve in Rector, PA in Westmoreland County on November 9-10.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published a request for bids for several projects in Tiadaghton State Forest in Lycoming County.

The PA Council of Trout Unlimited is seeking a Program Coordinator to help further PATU’s mission, which is to conserve, protect, restore and sustain Pennsylvania’s coldwater streams.

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

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---

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

No new regulations were published this week.  Pennsylvania Bulletin - October 20, 2012

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.

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.

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