The Chesapeake Bay Commission will hear a midpoint assessment of the progress states are making toward meeting their 2017 Chesapeake Bay cleanup milestones at its next meeting on September 10-11 in Alexandria, Virginia.

By Harry Campbell, PA Executive Director, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The Department of Environmental Protection Thursday announced 14 listening sessions and a 2-month comment period on the federal Clean Power Plan to hear from Pennsylvanians about the plan to cut carbon pollution.

The Department of Environmental Protection posted a new fact sheet on carbon emissions in Pennsylvania highlighting the fact that Pennsylvania is achieving emissions reductions through regulatory requirements and holistic decision making efforts, and those efforts have resulted in considerable emissions reductions in recent years.

On September 15 DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council will hear an update from DCNR on the improvements it plans to the PA Natural Diversity Inventory Environmental Review Tool.

Gov. Wolf tried a new tactic this week-- smaller meetings with fewer key players, but the results were the same-- no progress on the budget.

By Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks) and Steve Stroman

PA Environment Digest now has a Google+ Circle called Green Works In PA.  Let us join your Circle.

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 House Consumer Affairs Committee Tuesday held a hearing on the Act 129 Energy Efficiency Program requiring electric utilities to decrease their peak and overall electric demand.

The House Consumer Affairs Committee Wednesday held a hearing on House Bill 1349 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) the sponsor said would remove the limits imposed by the Public Utility Commission on the size and benefit of manure digesters generating electricity on farms (sponsor summary).

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA announced Friday it supports House Bill 1349 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) which would eliminate limits on how much energy can be generated and sold from the anaerobic processing of animal waste.

The next Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee Environmental Issues Forum will be held on September 21 featuring a presentation on the Growing Greener Coalition’s Finding The Green! project funding guide.

The Department of Environmental Protection Monday approved a Sanitary Sewer Overflow  Abatement Plan for the City of Johnstown, to relieve the overload conditions that are the main cause of sanitary sewer overflows in heavy rains.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is conducting its quarterly business meeting September 10 at 9:00 a.m., DoubleTree by Hilton Binghamton, Grand Riverside Room, 225 Water St., Binghamton, N.Y. 13901. The meeting is open to the public.

Joel Loch, a four-generation dairy farmer in Weisenberg Township, Lehigh County, Tuesday was recognized for receiving a 2015 Clean Water Farm award from the PA Association of Conservation Districts in July.

The 11th Annual Grassland Evaluation Student Contest will take place at Penn State’ Ag Progress Days Site near State College on October 1 and it’s not too late to register your student teams.  Entries are due September 22.

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s Runoff Busters team is looking for homeowners / renters in the Yellow Breeches Watershed in Adams, Cumberland and York counties who want to help protect the Bay by welcoming their team and landscape professional into their yards.

PA Trout Unlimited and the Aquatic Resource Monitoring of Dickinson College are offering Coldwater Conservation Corps training September 12 in Emporium, Forest County.

The Northcentral PA Conservancy and the Tioga County Conservation District invites landowners to a two-day series of Work Days on September 16-17 at the Canoe Camp Creek near the Wal-Mart at Mansfield, PA.

DEP’s Bureau of Safe Drinking Water recently completed its annual Lead Ban Surveillance Program to educate the plumbing supply industry about the requirements of the Lead Ban Act.

Brodhead Watershed Association will honor two Monroe County organizations for “Growing Green” at its annual Membership Celebration, to be held 6 to 9 p.m. October 2, at Northampton Community College in Tannersville, PA.

The 3rd Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum will be held October 5-6 at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE.

If you’re interested in following Delaware River Watershed restoration issues, subscribe to the Delaware River Watershed Weekly, a weekly online compilation of stories, news articles and posted geared toward Delaware River water, wildlife and recreation issues.  The site is organized by the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed.

The PA Association of Floodplain Managers will hold its annual meeting in Harrisburg on September 16-17 which will feature DEP Secretary John Quigley as the keynote speaker.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is encouraging colleges and universities in Pennsylvania to participate in the RecycleMania competition sponsored by Keep America Beautiful, The Alcoa Foundation and the Coca-Cola Company.

The Roaring Run Watershed Association and Kiski Watershed Association are looking for volunteers for their Kiski River cleanup event on September 26-27 at the Avonmore Bridge on Route 156 in Westmoreland County as part of the 2015 International Coastal Cleanup.

Volunteers wanted for the Clinton County CleanScapes Bald Eagle Creek Cleanup on September 12 in Bald Eagle Township, Clinton County as part of the Keep PA Beautiful International Coastal Cleanup.

Allegheny Cleanways and the PA Resources Council are partnering to host the 1st Annual Pittsburgh Wild & Scenic Film Festival on October 29.

The September edition of the e-PRC newsletter is now available from the PA Resources Council featuring articles on--

The nationally recognized PA Recycling Professional Certification Program has developed its program to provide all interested parties with a cost-effective method to become nationally certified as a Recycling Professional.

The PA Resources Council will host 9 backyard composting workshops in Allegheny County to teach participants how to turn kitchen scraps, leaves, garden and yard debris into homemade compost.

The National Black Chamber of Commerce, the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Wednesday welcomed Pennsylvania community and business leaders to a public symposium discussing the potential employment and economic impacts of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposed ground-level ozone rule.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a hearing on its proposed methane emissions reduction rule for oil and gas operations on September 29 at the William S. Moorhead Federal building, 1000 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh.

On September 15 the Environmental Quality Board will consider regulations related to explosives, radioactive materials and coal remining requirements, including--

The September 3 edition of DEP News is now available from the Department of Environmental Protection featuring articles on--

The Public Utility Commission Thursday approved the petition of UGI Utilities Inc. - Gas Division (UGI Gas), UGI Penn Natural Gas Inc. (UGI PNG), UGI Central Penn Gas Inc. (UGI CPG) and UGI Utilities Inc. - Electric Division (UGI Electric) (collectively, UGI) to eliminate enrollment limits on Customer Assistance Programs in their Universal Service and Energy Conservation Plan.

The Public Utility Commission Thursday approved PECO Energy Company’s plan to implement a distribution system improvement charge (DSIC) for its gas operations.

The Public Utility Commission Thursday approved the Smart Meter Technology Procurement and Installation Plan submitted by PPL Electric Utilities Corporation.

The PA Environmental Council just published its In Case You Missed It for August, featuring stories on--

10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania has extended its deadline for nominations for the 2015 Commonwealth Awards Program until September 28.

The PA Chapter of the American Planning Association will hold its 2015 Annual Conference in Pittsburgh October 18-20.

The PA Highlands Coalition will host a webinar on September 25 starting at 10:30 a.m. on Creative Solutions for Land Conservation in Pennsylvania featuring Stephanie Armpriester of Lancaster Farmland Trust and Brian Harris, Township Manager for Bushkill Township.

Pennsylvanians can use free tools available from the ReadyPA app to take simple steps to make sure they’re ready for any type of incident. September is National Preparedness Month, a nationwide month-long effort to encourage households, businesses, and communities to prepare and plan for emergencies.

The Department of Environmental Protection and West Nile Programs across the state announced mosquito spray dates in the coming week.  They include--

DEP Secretary John Quigley joined other state and local officials on September 2 to celebrate the Schuylkill River Trail being named USA TODAY’s Best Urban Trail.

The Brodhead Watershed Association invites you to put aside the long, hot summer for a refreshing autumn exploration of the beautiful, wild headwaters of McMichaels Creek in Monroe County.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy Wednesday announced it is completing planning for the expected increase of section and thru-hikers that may be inspired by the upcoming film, A Walk in the Woods.

Friends of the Wissahickon is hosting a Valley Talk on September 24 with nationally-renowned naturalist and writer Scott Weidensaul, who will give a talk about migratory birds and the importance of preserving their habitat in the Delaware Valley.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the PA Park and Recreation Society are inviting Pennsylvanians to find some healthy fun at a park or recreation program close to them through a new website, brand and outreach effort.

Sen. Lisa M. Boscola (D-Lehigh) has introduced Senate Bill 979 to increase the state fine as penalty for killing a bald or golden eagle.

Quit your job.  Pack up all your worldly possessions and ship them off to Hawaii. Make a home for yourself there.  And then, and only then, will you be able to purchase a resident hunting license that costs less than Pennsylvania's.

Environmental attorney Alexandra Chiaruttini has been named Chief Counsel at the Department of Environmental Protection, according to the Stock and Leader website.   She replaces Richard Morrison who was named Chief Counsel in March following the departure of Dennis Whitaker.  Her official first day will be October 13.

On August 27, Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) appointed James Welty, Vice President of Government Affairs for the Marcellus Shale Coalition to DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council.  His term expires in January 2017.

Robert P. Ging, Jr., an environmental attorney, passed away in Pittsburgh on August 31.  Going, an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting and fishing, moved to Confluence, PA to live out his dream of being a modern day mountain man.

This section lists House and Senate Committee meetings, DEP and other public hearings and meetings and other interesting environmental events.

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 are NewsClips from around the state on all environmental topics, including General Environment, Budget, Marcellus Shale, Watershed Protection and much more--

On September 15 the Environmental Quality Board will consider regulations related to explosives, radioactive materials and coal remining requirements, including--

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