The House Tuesday evening voted 123 to 77 to defeat House Bill 2013 (Ellis-R-Butler) which would have opened Pennsylvania’s State Parks to private development.

Marci Mowery, President of the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, and Davitt Woodwell, President of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, issued this statement after the House of Representatives voted on House Bill 2013 (Ellis-R-Butler) which would have opened Pennsylvania’s State Parks to private development.

Attempts by some House Republicans to dictate, without any involvement of the public, what kinds of recreational experiences should be in Pennsylvania’s State Parks in House Bill 2013 (Ellis-R-Butler) and House Bill 2188 (Christiana-R-Beaver) raises the question of what DO our State Parks actually need?

The Senate Tuesday unanimously adopted Senate Resolution 404 offered by Sen. Rob Teplitz (D-Dauphin) recognizing the invaluable contributions the 29 National Parks and Pennsylvania’s award-winning State Park system make to Pennsylvania’s communities and in the lives of our citizens.

The Senate and House went home Friday for the July 4th weekend without agreeing on a revenue package to finance the General Fund budget they passed earlier this week.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced Friday the Commonwealth Financing Authority approved $16.8 million in funding to support 118 abandoned mine drainage abatement; sewage treatment; greenways, trails and recreation; baseline water quality data; watershed restoration; and flood control projects.

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--

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Monday reported out House Bill 1391 (Everett-R-Lycoming) requiring the payment of minimum royalties to the owners of oil and gas mineral rights.  The bill was then referred to the House Rules Committee.

Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny), Majority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Monday announced his intent, via a co-sponsor memo to colleagues, to introduce legislation to regulate conventional oil and gas well drilling differently than unconventional (Marcellus, Utica Shale) drilling operations.

Rep. Michael Hanna (D-Centre) has introduced House Bill 2223 which would increase the existing per ton municipal waste disposal fee and expand it to include construction and demolition waste and residual waste disposed of in a commercial landfill to support the Environmental Stewardship Fund and the Growing Greener Programs.

The June edition of the Environmental Synopsis newsletter is now available from the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee featuring articles on--

The Department of Environmental Protection updated its Non-Regulatory Agenda that lists the technical guidance being developed by the agency.  (formal notice)

After a unanimous decision in January to continue talks about the Wissahickon Clean Water Partnership, municipalities in the Wissahickon Watershed in Montgomery County, and Philadelphia County, must now adopt an Intergovernmental Agreement ordinance to officially move forward.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Chesapeake Bay Trust announced $803,489 in grants to be awarded to 17 organizations through the “Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns” Grant Initiative (G3). 

By: Harry Campbell, PA Office Director, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The June 28 Chesapeake Bay Journal News is now available featuring articles on--

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University June update on the Delaware Watershed Initiative is now available featuring articles on--

The June edition of the UpStream newsletter is now available from the Stroud Water Research Center in Chester County featuring articles on--

The Manada Conservancy will host a Swatara Creek Water Quality Assessment Program for students in grades 6 to 8 on August 16 at 3:00 at Camp Catherine, 1275 Swatara Road, Hershey, Dauphin County.

The Department of Environmental Protection and the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority will hold a hearing July 19 on its FY 2016 plan for using federal funds to finance drinking water, wastewater treatment, nonpoint source and pollution abatement projects. (formal notice)

The Environmental Quality Board published proposed changes to Chapters 218 and 240 regulations related to Radiological Health and Radon Certification Fees for public comment in the July 2 PA Bulletin.

The Schuylkill Action Network has partnered with Bradley Maule of Philadelphia to pinpoint the Schuylkill River’s most littered banks. This comes about three weeks after Maule’s 112-mile journey down the river, from Schuylkill Haven to Philadelphia.

On Tuesday, the School District of Philadelphia celebrated the release of GreenFutures, the District’s first ever sustainability plan.

The Department of Environmental Protection will host a public hearing on July 18 to take testimony regarding Keystone Sanitary Landfill’s permit application to expand its facility located in Dunmore and Throop Boroughs in Lackawanna County. (formal notice, July 2 PA Bulletin, page 3561)

The winner of the Keep PA Beautiful 2016 Great American Cleanup Of PA Video Contest is the Lake Frederick Homeowners Association from Millerstown, Perry County.

Citizens Coal Council, whose members include residents living near a coal refuse disposal site in LaBelle, Luzerne Township, and Matt Canestrale Contracting, owner of the site, have agreed to a one-year stay in their lawsuit in return for treatment of some of the polluted water, a one-year moratorium on more coal ash being accepted at the site, and continued controls to prevent dust from blowing from the site.

There will be an Old Anthracite Coal Miner’s Film Night July 8 starting at 8:00 p.m. at the Valley View Park, 524 Gap Street, Valley View, Schuylkill County.

The Department of Human Services Thursday announced extra financial help will be provided to vulnerable Pennsylvanians who received assistance from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, during the 2015-2016 heating season.

The Public Utility Commission Thursday approved the modified long-term infrastructure improvement plans for Peoples Natural Gas, UGI Utilities Inc. - Gas, UGI Penn Natural Gas Inc. and Central Penn Gas Inc.

The Public Utility Commission Thursday approved plans submitted by five natural gas distribution companies (NGDCs) enabling them to more easily share customer account numbers with natural gas suppliers (NGSs) in public venues, like shopping malls and community events, when account numbers are not available from interested customers or from the Eligible Customer List (ECL). 

The Public Utility Commission Thursday adopted a Final Order detailing standards for a secure system that will allow authorized third-parties to access consumer Smart Meter data, in order to assist consumers in identifying ways to save money or energy while also ensuring consumer privacy and the confidentiality of customer information.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the July 2 PA Bulletin inviting comments on its intent to issue a Section 401 Clean Water Act certification for a hydroelectric project on Allegheny Lock and Dam #2 in the Allegheny River near Pittsburgh.  (formal notice, page 3561)

The PA Small Business Development Centers have honored ten staff members and four Centers for their commitment and contributions to small business during their 2016 annual network meeting held in York, Pennsylvania last week.  Among those honored were--

Pennsylvania’s first probable human case of West Nile Virus infection in 2016 has been detected in an Indiana County woman.

The Department of Health Wednesday announced the launch of the Commonwealth’s new Zika Virus Prevention and Awareness Campaign.

The Western PA Conservancy Tuesday announced applications are now available for Spring 2017 Tree Plantings from TreeVitalize Pittsburgh.  Applications are due September 16.

The PA Forest Heritage Association reported in its quarterly newsletter this week damage from the 616 wildfires so far in 2016 totaled over $3.4 million and burned 11,291 acres, nearly triple the acreage of last year.  Nine residences were destroyed, along with 18 other structures.

“Goods from the Woods” is the focus of the 12th Annual Festival of Wood at Gifford Pinchott’s Grey Towers National Historic Site in Milford, Pike County on August 6 - 7. 

A musical performance, plein air painting and a lecture about one of America’s most iconic landscape painters who had strong ties to the Tri-State area are being offered in July at Gifford Pinchot’s Grey Towers National Historic Site, Milford, Pike County, as part of the U.S. Forest Service Conservation and the Arts program.

Nominations are being accepted for the Central PA Business Journal 2016 Forty Under 40 Awards.   The deadline for nominations is July 12.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the July 2 PA Bulletin of an opportunity to bid on a mine reclamation project in Luzerne County.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published a notice in the July 2 PA Bulletin seeking to retain an engineering and constructions management firm.  Proposals are due July 30.

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. 

The Environmental Quality Board published proposed changes to Chapters 218 and 240 regulations related to Radiological Health and Radon Certification Fees for public comment in the July 2 PA Bulletin.  Comments are due August 30.

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.