The PA Environmental Council has been active over the last 6 years seeking to toughen Pennsylvania’s laws and regulations on the oil and natural gas drilling industry.  With DEP’s Chapter 78 (conventional) and 78A (unconventional) regulations coming up for a critical vote February 3, PEC posted this statement on its blog marking this important milestone--

Standing near the site of a future trail linking the nationally acclaimed Great Allegheny Passage with the Borough of Homestead, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Thursday announced an investment of $28 million for 176 projects across Pennsylvania that will create new recreational opportunities, conserve natural resources and help revitalize local communities.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the January 30 PA Bulletin saying the next update to the Pennsylvania Climate Change Action Plan is now available for public review.  Comments are due March 30.

The Public Utility Commission published notice in the January 30 PA Bulletin that 2015 Act 13 drilling impact fees will drop by $5,000 per horizontal well, except for wells 3 years old.

The Independent Fiscal Office released its economic outlook and state revenue forecast on Wednesday adding more bad news to the state’s budget situation.  State revenues under the current structure will increase only 3.3 percent a year from FY 2015-16 to FY 2020-21, while expenditures will increase by 4.5 percent annually.

The snow might have shorted the legislative week in Harrisburg, but the state’s longest running dramas-- the budget impasse and what to do with indicted Attorney General Kathleen Kane-- still generated lots of heat.

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 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--

A new Franklin & Marshall Poll released Thursday found Gov. Wolf is just as popular as Gov. Corbett was-- 33 percent to 31 percent; Kane is leading the Democratic contest for Attorney General; Joe Sestak is leading the Democratic race for the state’s U.S. Senate seat; and Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are leading in the presidential race.

The PA Farm Bureau is urging farmers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to fill out a new survey that measures conservation practices implemented by farmers to improve water quality. 

The January 26 edition of Chesapeake Bay Journal News is now available featuring articles on--

By Harry Campbell, Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA

Agricultural producers have access to many on-farm and laboratory tests to understand the fertility, condition and even biological activity rates within their soil. Yet it is still difficult to envision the microscopic life that makes agricultural production possible.

The Open Space Institute is now accepting applications for Capital Grants from the Delaware River Watershed Protection Fund. Applications are due March 18.

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary needs your help locating streams with mussels, as well as those with no mussels at all.

The Department of Environmental Protection Monday responded to the release of an estimated 4,200 gallons of heating oil located at 2400 Market Street in Philadelphia. DEP Emergency Response is on location to assess the situation and assist in mitigation of impact.

The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday awarded Leeward Construction, Inc. of Honesdale a $1.5-million contract for a flood control project along a portion of the Lackawanna River in the borough of Duryea, Luzerne County.

The Delaware River Basin Commission will hold a hearing on February 10 and a business meeting on March 16 at Washington Crossing Historic Park Visitor Center, 1112 River Road, Washington Crossing, PA. (formal notice & agenda)

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, its local affiliates and partners, held cleanup events in 2015 resulting in removing over 7.5 million pounds of trash, 1.9 million pounds of electronics waste, over 53,000 tires and involved over 590,500 volunteers.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, the PA Waste Industries Association, and the Department of Environmental Protection are again sponsoring the 2016 Great American Cleanup of PA Video Contest.  The deadline for entries is June 3.

On February 19 at 1:00 p.m., Commonwealth Computer Recycling will hold Western Pennsylvania’s first e-waste and asset management conference focused on the education sector. Held at the firm’s corporate headquarters in Greensburg, Westmoreland County.

The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday said it reached agreements with five subsidiaries of Mars, Pennsylvania based Vogel Holdings, Inc. to resolve civil penalties and a permit appeal. 

PECO customers have saved more than half a billion dollars in energy, incentives and rebates with PECO Smart Ideas. Based on total energy savings, PECO Smart Ideas is the most successful suite of utility run energy efficiency programs in Pennsylvania.

The Public Utility Commission Thursday approved several actions to allow for faster replacement of Philadelphia Gas Works’ (PGW’s) at-risk pipelines.  The Commission voted 5-0 to:

The Department of Transportation late Monday issued a driver hours of service exemption to facilitate the delivery of heating oil and propane affected by the recent winter storm. 

Record-setting temperatures over the past century and a half are extremely unlikely to have occurred without human-caused climate change, but the odds of that happening are not quite as low as previously reported, according to an international team of meteorologists.

The Department of Environmental Protection and its regional air quality partnerships have forecast an Air Quality Action Day for Sunday January 31 in 8 Eastern PA counties: Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Northampton and York Counties. Visit Here for all the details.

PennFuture Thursday filed a notice of its intent to file a citizen suit against U.S. Steel, the Allegheny County Health Department, Department of Environmental Protection, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over continuing air pollution violations at the Clairton Coke Works.

DEP Secretary John Quigley Wednesday released a video report to employees of DEP summarizing the agency’s 2015 accomplishments.  Click Here to watch the video.  Click Here for a copy of DEP’s 2015 Accomplishments Report.

The PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers Friday announced it is now accepting applications for 2016 Pennsylvania River Sojourns Grants. Applications are due February 26.

Part of the 2016 PA Association of Environmental Educators Conference March 14 - 16 will include an EE (Environmental Education) Capacity Workshop designed to promote diversity in educators (both formal and non-formal) and audiences to broaden environmental education opportunities in Pennsylvania.

The January edition of the EE Resources newsletter is now available from the PA Association of Environmental Educators featuring articles on--

The Wildlands Conservancy in Emmaus, Lehigh County highlighted its lineup of educational programs for individuals of all ages in February at its Pool Wildlife Sanctuary and other locations.  Click Here for all the details.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Tuesday joined Seven Springs Mountain Resort Chairman Robert Nutting and Bureau of State Parks officials in a celebratory groundbreaking marking progress on major renovations under way at Laurel Mountain Ski Resort, Laurel Mountain State Park, near Ligonier, Westmoreland County.

The Brodhead Creek Watershed Association is hosting another in its series of Get Outdoors Poconos hikes on February 27 at the Zimmer Wildlife Sanctuary in Barrett Township, Monroe County.

The January edition of the eConnections newsletter form the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership is now available featuring articles on--

The Mid-Atlantic Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species (MAP) is offering a limited Grants Competition to encourage interested groups and individuals to submit proposals for possible funding.  Submissions are due March 25.

The January/February Currents newsletter from the Fish and Boat Commission is now available featuring stories on--

The Williams Pipeline Company recently donated $2,400 to the Game Commission to be used for camera-aided enforcement to protect bat caves from intrusions. The funds will go toward adding six new cameras in two new sites.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation President William C. Baker announced Tuesday CBF’s Board of Trustees has elected Harry T. Lester as its new Chairman. Mr. Lester, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, is President of the Slover Library Foundation and the retired President of Eastern Virginia Medical School.

The Stroud Water Research Center in Chester County is searching for an individual to help coordinate a two-year, multi-disciplinary effort to engage the public in watershed/stream restoration and preservation science.

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--

No new regulations were published this week.  Pennsylvania Bulletin - January 30, 2016

CLICK HERE to Print The Entire PA Environment Digest.

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.  Sponsor: 2016 Keystone Coldwater Conference, State College, Feb. 26-27.