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Weekly PA Environment Digest Newsletter
Crisci Associates, Dec. 10, 2012
(12/10/2012)
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* State Likely To End Fiscal Year With $478 Million Surplus

Budget Secretary Charles Zogby said in his mid-year budget update Wednesday the state is likely to end the FY 2012-13 fiscal year with a $478 million budget surplus, revised upward from an earlier $293 million estimate.

* Corbett’s Transportation Funding Plan Could Raise Wholesale Tax On Gasoline, Diesel

In several news reports over the past week, Gov. Corbett and other Administration officials have hinted that raising the wholesale tax on gasoline and diesel fuel by uncapping the Oil Company Franchise Tax could be a key part of their transportation funding proposal raising as much as $2.7 billion annually.

* Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule

The General Assembly adjourned its two-year session sine die on November 30.  The Senate and House formally reorganizes and starts its new session on January 1.

* Western PA Conservancy Plants Trees In Riparian Zones

The Western PA Conservancy’s Watershed Conservation Program has initiated an effort to plant thousands of trees and woody plants along streams in an effort to improve and protect water quality and wildlife habitat.

* Penn State: Can Public Drinking Water Coalitions Make A Difference?

Rural Public Water Supplies face many problems and it has been my experience that solutions are always better, the more people you involve in their creation.

* Water Test Result Interpretation Workshop Dec. 11 In Towanda

The Penn State Extension is hosting a December 11 workshop in Towanda, Bradford County on Water Test Result Interpretation.

* PA’s 97th Farm Show Offers New Attractions, Time-Honored Favorites

Agriculture Secretary George Greig invites Pennsylvanians to celebrate agriculture during the 97th Pennsylvania Farm Show, set for January 5-12 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.

* DEP/EPA Dec. 12 Meeting On Proposed Underground Injection Wells In Warren County

The Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will host a public meeting on December 12, to discuss proposals for two Underground Injection Control Class II disposal wells in Columbus Township near Bear Lake in Warren County.

* Delaware River Basin Commission Rejects Petition To Regulate Pipelines

In response to a request for a hearing submitted on August 9 and a petition submitted on September 12 by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network and signed on to by 52 environmental, civic, community and faith organizations, the Delaware River Basin Commission Wednesday officially rejected the request that it exercise its existing authority over pipelines.

* DEP Publishes Proposed Tennessee Gas Pipeline Permits For Comment

The Department of Environmental Protection published a notice inviting comments on a Tennessee Gas Pipeline project in Pike County which will involve 58 wetland and 31 stream crossings (PA Bulletin page 7476).

* Marcellus Industry Releases Recommended Motor Vehicle Safety Practices

The Marcellus Shale Coalition Tuesday released a Recommended Practices focused on Motor Vehicle Safety.

* DEP, Waste Management Come To Terms On Butler County Landfill Issues

The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday signed a consent order and agreement with Waste Management Disposal Services of Pennsylvania Inc. that requires the company to pay a $290,000 civil penalty and correct numerous violations at its Northwest Sanitary Landfill in Clay Township, Butler County.

* New Regulations Requiring Defibrillators In Mines Will Save Lives

The Department of Environmental Protection announced Thursday underground coal mines will soon be required to install automated external defibrillators on the surface near the mine entry and underground in each working mine section.

* PJM OKs Nearly $1 Billion In Electric Power Line Improvements

The PJM Board has approved nearly $1 billion in additional electric transmission upgrades to maintain reliability power supplies for the 60 million people in PJM's region of 13 states and the District of Columbia.

* Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Partners Plant 15,000 Trees

TreeVitalize Pittsburgh, under the management of the Western PA Conservancy, is more than three-fourths of the way toward its goal of planting 20,000 trees by the end of 2013.

* County Natural Heritage Inventories Focus On Lehigh and Northampton Counties

The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program launched County Natural Heritage Inventories in 1989 with Lancaster County as the first county to be inventoried. The intent was to provide important ecological information to county and local planners and to the PNHP Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory (PNDI) database.

* DEP Extends Deadline For Comments On PNDI Policy Revision To Dec. 31

The Department of Environmental Protection has extended the deadline for commenting on proposed changes the policy for using the PA Natural Diversity Inventory during permit reviews. (formal notice)

* iConservePA.org: Get Real Christmas Tree Advice From A State Forester

What makes the best Christmas tree is often in the eyes of the beholder, but you can improve your chances of success after watching Department of Conservation and Natural Resources forester Ed Dix give you some expert advice in this online video from iConservePa.org.

* Study Shows Pennsylvania Water Trails Support Local Economies, Jobs

Visitors to four Pennsylvania water trails during the summer of 2012 generated almost three- quarters of a million dollars in economic activity and supported 11 full-time jobs.

* Kinzua Sky Walk Recognized With National Best Project Award

DCNR and Herbert, Rowland & Grubic recently announced the Kinzua Sky Walk project, a tourist attraction and civil engineering landmark located in McKean County, is being recognized with Engineering News-Record’s prestigious Mid-Atlantic’s Best Project award in the small projects under $10 million category.

* Feature: DCNR Making A Pronounced Mark In GIS Technology

There’s a clear-cut reason why DCNR played such a prominent role in last month’s Central Pennsylvania GIS Day event at Harrisburg Area Community College. It’s the same reason the department’s GIS director was picked to keynote the 7th Annual Northwest Pa. GIS Conference one month earlier.

* Heritage Conservancy: Story Of Aldie Mansion Now Available

The Story of Aldie is now available for purchase on Heritage Conservancy’s website. The book is also available for purchase at Aldie Mansion, 85 Old Dublin Pike, Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Proceeds from book sales go towards the upkeep and ongoing renovation of the mansion.

* DCNR Offers Holiday Gift Ideas To Show Your Support For State Parks, Forests

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has several holiday gift-giving ideas that are perfect for those who want to protect Pennsylvania’s natural resources and enjoy state parks and forests.

* 2013 Wild Resource Conservation Program Calendar Now Available

The Wild Resource Conservation Program now has available its 2013 calendar for downloading.  This year’s calendar features wildflowers found in Pennsylvania.  Click Here to download.

* Game Commission Urges Participation In Audubon Christmas Bird Count

Game Commission officials are urging wildlife enthusiasts to join the tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the United States in the Audubon Society’s 114th Annual Christmas Bird Count, which will take place December 14 through January 5.

* 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

The DEP Board of Coal Mine Safety published final regulations requiring defibrillators in underground coal mines.

* 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/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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