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Dueling Green Plans Greet Rendell Budget
Both the Senate and House moved legislation out of committee this week to address several key parts of the Growing Greener II environmental spending initiative Gov. Rendell proposed in last year’s budget (see separate article in this Digest).
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Growing Greener II Again Highlight of Governor’s Environmental Budget
Gov. Rendell this week proposed a $23.8 billion General Fund budget that included a two percent Corporate Net Income Tax decrease, $101 million in new spending for higher education, and the Growing Greener II environmental spending initiative he asked the General Assembly to pass last year.
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Alternatives to Rendell’s Growing Greener II Plan Move in Senate, House
The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week reported out Senate Bill 149 (MJ.White- R-Venango) to provide $34 million a year in funding for the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund. The bill was put in position for final Senate passage the week of February 14.
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House Game & Fisheries Committee Hears Fish & Boat Annual Report
Dr. Douglas Austen, Executive Director of the Fish & Boat Commission, gave a presentation to the House Game and Fisheries Committee this week on the Commission’s activities in 2004.
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Action on Other Environmental Bills
Other bills on the Wild Resource Conservation Fund, stormwater and open space also moved this week.
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Ask EMAP for Free, Confidential Small Business Environmental Assistance
Small businesses looking for help in complying with environmental requirements or to save money by cutting waste, water and energy use, now have a new partner—the Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP) run by Pennsylvania’s Small Business Development Centers
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Grants Still Available to Help Cut Waste, Energy Costs of Small Businesses
$500,000 is available to small businesses to help them conduct an assessment of how they can reduce their waste disposal, water and energy costs. Grants from $5,000 up to $15,000 are available.
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Solid Waste Management Assistance Funds Available from EPA Region III
Region III of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is soliciting pre-proposals for grants or cooperative agreements that address solid waste generation and management issues at the local, state, regional and/or national levels.
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EPA Small Business Green Technology Innovation Grant Apps Due in May
Each year, EPA makes monetary awards through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program to small, high-tech firms to develop and commercialize cutting-edge environmental technologies. The current solicitation closes on May 25.
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Statewide Scientific and Research Projects Informational Meeting Feb. 23
The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a meeting February 23 in Harrisburg to get public input on its intent to develop scientific research and development proposals related to the priority activities established in the Growing Greener Watershed, Source Water and Flood Protection Grant Application Package.
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Comments Invited on Little Juniata River TMDL
The Department of Environmental Protection is inviting comments on a proposed Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) for the Little Juniata Watershed in Blair County. Comments are due March 7.
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Schuylkill Senior Environment Corps Hosts Macroinvertebrate Training
The Senior Environment Corps of Schuylkill County will be hosting a session on “Macroinvertebrate Study- Indentification”, on April 2, registration deadline March 15.
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Online Training Available
No-Cost Internet-Based Environmental Training Available
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Renewed Hope for 2005 Falcon Nesting Season in Harrisburg
From DEP’s Falconwire this week: Of all the scenarios that could have played out at the Rachel Carson State Office Building peregrine falcon nest site in Harrisburg, the most hopeful has apparently happened.
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First Mid-Atlantic Highlands Biodiversity Conference in Johnstown
The first ever regional conference on biodiversity, Mid-Atlantic Highlands Biodiversity: Making the Connection in Your Community, will be held June 16-18 at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in southwestern Pennsylvania.
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Workshop on Natural Diversity Inventory Searches Feb. 23
An evening workshop on web-based searches of the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory will be held February 23 in Corapolis, Allegheny County.
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Fifth Goddard Forum - Putting the Market to Work for Conservation – April 5
The Fifth Goddard Forum on April 5 in Harrisburg will feature a discussion of traditional and nontraditional market-based mechanisms for achieving environmental improvement.
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February Edition - Environmental Education & Higher Ed News Now Available
The Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education has just published the February issue of “EE and Higher Education” featuring articles on an upcoming meeting of EE educators in Penn State, National Environmental Education Week, the World Wildlife Fund Smart Consumers Initiative, new EE grants available and much more.
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National Environmental Education Week – April 10-16
National Environmental Education Week is a full week of educational preparation for Earth Day and will involve some 400,000 educators and 15 million students. Educators can participate by conducting environmental education programming during the Week.
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Westmoreland Looking for Smart Growth Award Nominees
The Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County is looking to recognize smart growth developments, plans, and individuals/groups who have distinguished themselves by achieving the smart growth cause at its third annual dinner in May.
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100 Most Sustainable Global Companies Named
The World Economic Forum released its list of the 100 most sustainable global companies. On the list were: BP, GlaxoSmithKline, Pepsico, and Reed Elsevier PLC.
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Natural Heroes Public Television Series Wins 26th Annual Telly Award
The Natural Heroes television series produced by GreenTreks Network, Inc. and California public television station KRCB-TV, won a Telly Award in the category of nature and wildlife film or video.
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Quick Clips
NewsClips on a variety of environmental topics: Carbon Credits, Walkable Communities, Recycling Pays, Wind Power OK’d, Corn to Fuel
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Feature: The New Math of Energy Production: Cows + Manure = Gas + Electricity
6,800 dairy cows in Blair and Bedford counties could soon be producing 2.5 megawatts of electricity a day, enough to power over 1,700 homes.
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Opinion: Averting the Coming Chesapeake Bay Crisis: The Forgotten Role of the Private Sector By Mark Gutshall
The bad news is that we’re heading for an ecological catastrophe in the greater Chesapeake Bay watershed. The good news is that if the public and private sectors work together, we might just be able to fix this one.
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Watershed NewsClips
NewsClips from around the state on watershed issues.
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Regulations
The Environmental Quality published its final Triennial Review of Water Quality Regulations and the Independent Regulatory Review Commission commented on hazardous waste regulations.
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Technical Guidance & Permits
The Department of Environmental Protection published its final Water Quality Toxics Management Strategy and notice of other guidance document changes.
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Calendar of Events
Upcoming meetings, conferences, workshops, plus links to other calendars
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Contributions Invited
Send your stories about environmental issues, programs and positive actions to PA Environment Digest - DHess@crisciassociates.com or go to www.PaEnvironmentDigest.com .
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04/15/24 - 66 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/msuwtctm
