House Concurrent Regulatory Review Resolution #1 to kill DEP’s final conventional (Chapter 78) and unconventional (Chapter 78a) drilling regulations remains on the House Calendar and could be voted on at any time when the House comes back to session starting May 16.

By Suzanne Almeida, Executive Director, League Of Women Voters Of PA

PA Council of Trout Unlimited is urging members of the public who care about clean water and the environment to contact their state House and state Senate member to support DEP’s Chapter 78 and 78a drilling regulations and vote against efforts to kill them.

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

The PA Growing Greener Coalition thanked members of the Senate for designating the month of May as Clean Water Counts Month by passing  Senate Resolution 359 (McIlhinney-R-Bucks, Alloway-R-Adams).

The Senate Monday unanimously approved Senate Resolution 352 designating the week of June 5 through June 11 Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week.  The resolution was sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and a member of the interstate Chesapeake Bay Commission.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA Tuesday applauded both chambers of the Pennsylvania legislature for unanimously approving resolutions designating the week of June 5-11 as Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week.

Karl Blankenship, Editor of the Chesapeake Bay Journal, recently did a comprehensive article examining the issues related to the Chesapeake Bay Program’s midpoint assessment and whether states are meeting their sediment and nutrient reduction targets.

In a briefing to the State Conservation Commission Tuesday, Department of Environmental Protection officials discussed details of the collaboration between DEP and county conservation districts to conduct farm inspections in the Chesapeake Bay watershed as part of the recently announced “Bay Reboot” strategy.

By William C. Baker, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA’s Pennsylvania Student Leadership Council will host its first Canoe Classic for local high school students, on May 15, from 1 to 4 p.m., at Susquehanna Outfitters in Wormleysburg, near Harrisburg.

The May 9 Chesapeake Bay Journal news is now available featuring articles on--

A study released in February by the Northeast-Midwest Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey found that, even after 8 years of intense shale gas development in the Susquehanna River Basin, current water quality monitoring is inadequate for detecting potential surface water or groundwater quality impacts of shale gas development activities in the basin.

"Save the River by Recycling and not Polluting the Air"  was the theme of a Department of Environmental Protection booth at Earth Day Celebration 2016 at RiverFront Park in Kingston, Luzerne County on April 22. 

Volunteers, including PA Environmental Council staff and DCNR Bureau of Forestry personnel kicked off a large tree-planting operation throughout Weiser State Forest [Columbia County] on April 30.

The results of a 26-month water quality study released Tuesday on the headwater streams of the Juniata River watershed in Western Blair County found no impacts from natural gas drilling and acceptable water quality.

3 Rivers Wet Weather and the North Area Environmental Council will host a Better Backyards for Healthy Streams Workshop on May 15 starting at 2:00 in the Ross Community Center, 1000 Ross Municipal Drive in Pittsburgh.

3 Rivers Wet Weather has scheduled a series of workshops on topics to help municipalities with wet weather planning and meeting their MS4 regulatory requirements for water quality.  The workshops are scheduled for--

Join the Chestnut Ridge Chapter of Trout Unlimited and its partners, Mountain Watershed Association and the Youghiogheny Riverkeeper, Ohiopyle State Park and the Fayette County Conservation District for the 2nd Youghiogheny River Symposium on June 24-25.

The May edition of The Catalyst newsletter is now available from the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition in Butler County featuring stories on--

On April 9, approximately 40 volunteers from the Little Lehigh Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Boy Scout Troop 131 and several community members completed Phase 1 of the chapter’s 2016 riparian buffer restoration project on Little Lehigh Creek.

Philadelphia Water Commissioner Debra A. McCarty joined students and members of the West Philadelphia Coalition for Neighborhood Schools at Henry C. Lea Elementary Tuesday to celebrate five years of Green City, Clean Waters.

By Katy Dunlap, Trout Unlimited Eastern Water Project Director

The Delaware River Basin Commission Monday announced a proposal to make several changes to its project review fee structure and to adjust its water supply charges annually for inflation.

The May 9 edition of the Watershed Winds newsletter is now available from Penn State Extension featuring articles on--

Since January 2015, the Department of Environmental Protection has embarked on a wide-ranging, Secretary-prioritized, internal modernization effort that will include improved business processes, a transition to new geolocation-based mobile solutions, paperless workflows, archive digitization, internal data-driven analytical research efforts, and greater data transparency.

The May 17 Environmental Quality Board meeting agenda includes another proposed regulation increasing fees, this one is for the laboratory accreditation program that would raise about $170,000 more per year.

DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council will hear a report at its May 17 meeting on the impact of DEP budget cuts on the Bureau of Laboratories operations which have a critical role to play in determining compliance with all air, water, waste, mining and other state environmental protection programs.

The Department of Environmental Protection Friday announced it will host a public meeting and hearing on revisions to an air quality plan approval for Lackawanna Energy Center, LLC on June 20 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Valley View High School, in Archbald

The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday announced airborne manganese concentrations in Glasgow Borough in Beaver County warrant further investigation. The results of a short-term (eight-month) monitoring project revealed manganese levels exceeding federal health-based long-term screening guidelines.

The Department of Environmental Protection published a notice in the May 14 PA Bulletin outlining a transition policy for enforcement of the July 1 deadline for selling heating oil that meets a 500 parts per million sulfur content standard (25 Pa. Code Section 123.22). 

PennFuture and Stay Positive Clairton are hosting an Air Quality Expo May 15 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Community Economic Development Corporation Center located at 282 St. Clair Avenue in Clairton, Allegheny County.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Thursday finalized clean air standards limiting emissions of methane from new and heavily modified sources in the oil and gas industry.

Methane emissions, the main component of natural gas and a highly potent greenhouse gas — and their consequences for Pennsylvania in the natural gas age is the topic of April’s “Environmental Focus” now available online.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the May 14 PA Bulletin proposing to issue federal Clean Water Act certification for the PennEast Pipeline running through Bucks, Carbon and Luzerne counties (PA Bulletin, page 2450).   DEP is accepting public comments on the proposed certification until June 13.

Two members of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Oil and Gas program joined other executives from Pennsylvania’s Department of State and the U.S. Department of Commerce at a sustainable energy development workshop in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on May 4-6.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Wednesday congratulated the Pennsylvania winners of the 2016 RecycleMania competition-- Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia was the Grand Champion with a recycling rate of 48.9 percent and the Per Capita Classic winner was Bucknell University in Lewisburg who recycled 26.5 pounds per capita.

Register now for the  Professional Recyclers of PA 26th Annual Recycling and Organics Conference to place July 27– 29 at the Best Western Premier in Harrisburg.

The Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority is currently selling State College Borough compost at its facility located at 253 Transfer Road in Bellefonte.

Gov. Tom Wolf Thursday announced his administration’s plan to bolster surveillance, mitigation, and response efforts for Zika virus to better protect all residents in the Commonwealth.

Covanta Energy’s recent comments on DEP’s draft Climate Action Plan Update highlighted the need for the Plan to recognize the benefits of energy-from-waste facilities in reducing climate-changing emissions from the disposal of waste as countries around the world have done.

DEP’s Climate Change Advisory Committee will review the final version of the update to DEP’s Climate Action Plan at its meeting on May 17.

The League Of Women Voters of PA will host the THRIVE: Sustainable Energy, Jobs & Economic Development Symposium on May 19 at the Energy Innovation Center in Pittsburgh.

The Green Building Alliance in Pittsburgh is one of 5 winners of the 2016 Dominion, PA Environmental Council Western PA Environmental Awards. 

The Pennsylvania Treasury, in partnership with leading national clean energy finance company Renew Financial and the Energy Programs Consortium Thursday announced the relaunch of the award-winning Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (KeystoneHELP)

Penn State will lead a University Coalition for Fossil Energy Research (UCFER) that will advance basic and applied research for clean energy in support of the U.S. Department of Energy mission.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Thursday announced the selection of 18 grantees for approximately $3.5 million in Brownfields Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants.

The May 12 edition of DEP News is now available from the Department of Environmental Protection featuring articles on--

The Goddard Leadership Legacy Institute is accepting applications for its summer residential program for students ages 13 to 15 through June 10.

The Kettle Creek Watershed Association 3-day Project Healing Water Fly Fishing event on May 6-8 for disabled veterans was a success.

Businesses, organizations, elected officials, the National Park Service and community leaders participating recently participated in the Scenic, Wild Delaware River Geotourism initiative and introduced America’s newest and most compelling travel destination: the “Scenic, Wild Delaware River.”

The Kinzua Bridge State Park Sky Walk in McKean County has been named one of the 10 most beautiful sky walks in the world by The Culture Trip website which showcases the best art, culture, food and travel for every country in the world.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Friday posted a new Open Data webpage that allows access to all of its published Geographic Information System data-- over 130 datasets related to state parks, state forests, geology, recreational opportunities and more.

The May 13 edition of the Resource newsletter is now available from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources featuring articles on--

Conservation and the Arts is a major focus of the Grey Towers Heritage Association Summer 2016 Lecture Series at Grey Towers National Historic Site, Milford, Pike County.

Come see the historic gardens at Grey Towers National Historic Site, Gov. Gifford Pinchot’s former residence, in Milford, Pike County, in its late spring glory on June 4 at 10 a.m.

Sen. Rich Alloway II (R-Adams) is encouraging local anglers to provide feedback on issues pertaining to the Fish and Boat Commission through the use of a new online public comment webpage.

The Spring 2016 newsletter from the PA Council of Trout Unlimited is now available featuring stories on--

Tali MacArthur has been named Program Director for the Coldwater Heritage Partnership and PA Council of Trout Unlimited with over 10 years’ experience in the environmental conservation and management field.

The Department of Environmental Protection Saturday announced the appointment of Kim Snyder as Environmental Program Manager for the Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation’s Wilkes-Barre Office.

Trout Unlimited is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Policy Director for the Mid-Atlantic Region to lead efforts to protect coldwater habitats under pressure from energy production and transmission activities based in Harrisburg or the Delaware River Watershed.  Responsibilities include--

The Manada Conservancy in Dauphin County is seeking qualified candidates to fill a part-time Program Coordinator position to assist with the planning and implementation of upcoming events and programs. 

The Western PA Conservancy is seeking college students to fill a Watershed Conservation Intern in the Conservancy’s Watershed Conservation Program Office in Ridgway, Elk County.  Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.  Click Here for all the details.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the May 14 PA Bulletin of an opportunity to bid on a mine reclamation project in Westmoreland County.

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 - May 14, 2016

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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.