The Associated Press reported Friday Gov. Wolf sent a memo to each agency Secretary under his jurisdiction saying he was locking state agency staff levels at what they were on December 2.

As a result of the legal challenge to DEP’s Chapter 78a Shale gas drilling regulations brought by the Marcellus Shale Coalition and court action following the initial filing, DEP cannot enforce the part of the regulations requiring operators to plug and monitor those wells they do not own or operate, including abandoned and orphan wells where they want to drill.

The Department of Environmental Protection Friday announced it has placed four more counties in drought warning status following a meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force.

The Department of Environmental Protection Monday took the first steps in what it expects to be a 2-year process to update Pennsylvania’s State Water Plan adopted in 2009.

Many Pennsylvania farmers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed have voluntarily implemented, at their own expense, practices aimed at improving water quality, according to newly released survey research conducted by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Harry Campbell, Executive Director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in Pennsylvania, issued this statement Friday on the findings of a survey documenting voluntary water pollution reduction efforts by farmers in the Commonwealth’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed--

The Department of Environmental Protection recently posted its schedule for developing the Phase III Watershed Implementation Plans over the next two years.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Thursday announced an investment of $45 million in 261 projects across Pennsylvania that will create new recreational opportunities, conserve natural resources and help revitalize local communities.

The PA Growing Greener Coalition Thursday applauded the state for awarding $45 million in grants to support conservation and recreation projects across the Commonwealth.

Department of Environmental Protection Acting Secretary Patrick McDonnell Tuesday announced the following accomplishments by the agency in 2016.

To say 2016 was a challenging year for the budget and environmental initiatives is very much an understatement, but there may be some unexpected opportunities in 2017.

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 Joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee Thursday approved a motion to authorize a new study of the financial impact and effectiveness of state grants, in particular state grants for solar and wind energy projects were mentioned during the discussion.

On December 1 members of the Senate and House began circulating co-sponsor memos to their colleague announcing bills they plan to introduce and re-introduce in the new session.  Here’s a list of just a few of the 514 co-sponsor memos distributed so far related to environmental and energy issues--

This is the formal statement of the Trump Transition Team released Wednesday naming Rick Perry as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy--

This is the formal statement the Trump Transition Team released Thursday announcing the intent to nominate Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke As Secretary of the Interior

The Department of Environmental Protection published the schedule of advisory committee and board meetings in 2017 in the December 17 PA Bulletin, page 7896.  The schedule also includes the name of the DEP staff contact for each group.

By Madeline Urbish, Coalition For The Delaware River Watershed

Streams across Monroe County are cleaner and healthier thanks to countless volunteers with Brodhead Chapter Trout Unlimited. In the past fiscal year-- from October 2015 through September 2016-- volunteers contributed more than 1,600 hours of service to the mission of this national conservation.

The Delaware River Basin Commission Wednesday approved several changes to its project review fee structure, including an annual, indexed inflation adjustment for most fees and water supply charges.

B.R. Kreider & Son, Inc., an excavating, paving and site management company based in Manheim, Lancaster County, recently received two awards from the Associated Builders & Contractors Keystone Chapter organization for the Logan Park – Rife Run Floodplain Restoration Project in Manheim.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency December 8 announced it has awarded $900,000 to the Department of Environmental Protection for protecting wetlands and aquatic resources under its Wetland Program Development Grants Program.

The PA Ground Water Association will hold its Annual Conference January 26-27 at the Harrisburg/Hershey Holiday Inn in Grantville, near Harrisburg.

In 2011, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and the Washington County Court System Furlough Into Service Program formed a partnership with the goal of cleaning up as many illegal dumpsites as possible in the county.

The Department of Environmental Protection is urging local governments with recycling programs to take advantage of free help through its Recycling Technical Assistance Program to make their programs self-sustaining.

York County-based Penn Waste has made a real commitment to promoting recycling to the public and its commercial customers through billboards, videos and a Recycle More PA website.

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a hearing on the proposed expansion of the Chrin Landfill in Williams Township, Northampton County on January 17. (formal notice, PA Bulletin page 7890)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be accepting applications for Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup Grants until December 20.

The Department of Environmental Protection will be accepting public comments on both the Department’s intent to issue a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit amendment as well as its intent to authorize a modification to the existing Air Plan Approval for the Shell Chemical Ethane Plant at 300 Frankfort Road in Monaca, Beaver County until December 16.

The Department of Environmental Protection published a notice in the December 17 PA Bulletin announcing it has approved the final Water Quality Certification for the Rover - Burgettstown Lateral Pipeline Project in Smith and Hanover townships, Washington County (page 7892).

The Department of Environmental Protection published a notice in the December 17 PA Bulletin announcing it has approved the proposed Water Quality Certification for the proposed Columbia Pipeline Group Leach Xpress Pipeline Project in Richhill township, Greene County (page 7892).

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now taking public comments on how to do an Environmental Impact Statement on a request by 9 oil and gas companies to develop a Habitat Conservation Plan for bats covering any and all their potential development activities in three states over the next 50 years. (formal notice)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Tuesday released its scientific report on the impacts from hydraulic fracturing activities on drinking water resources, which provides states and others the scientific foundation to better protect drinking water resources in areas where hydraulic fracturing is occurring or being considered.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the December 17 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a proposed Water Quality Certification for a 5-megawatt hydroelectric power project at the Point Marion Lock and Dam on the Monongahela River in Fayette County (page 7893).

PJM Interconnection, which manages the high-voltage power grid for 61 million consumers in 13 states and Washington, D.C., expects to have sufficient resources to meet forecasted demand for electricity this winter.

Global not-for-profit CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) recognized Exelon with high scores for disclosures in the three areas CDP measures – climate change, water use management and sustainable supply chain efforts.

The Philadelphia Energy Authority Wednesday released the Philadelphia Energy Campaign Progress Report, detailing findings from a six-month initial planning period and outlining the path toward creating 10,000 jobs from local investment in energy efficiency and clean energy.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Wednesday joined Department of Labor & Industry Secretary Kathy Manderino and Student Conservation Association representatives in announcing expansion of the highly successful PA Outdoor Corps to work in state parks and state forests across the state.

The calendar may say winter still is eight days away, but Pennsylvania's state forest and park systems again are rolling out the welcome mat for visitors intent on enjoying cold-weather outdoor fun, according to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The Natural Lands Trust in Bucks County recently announced it has selected Ethan Kauffman as Director of Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden, the 42-acre Villanova property in Philadelphia the nonprofit acquired in April 2016 from the estate of the late John and Chara Haas.

DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council is seeking qualified candidates to fill the position of Executive Director.  The deadline for applications is January 20.

Keep PA Beautiful is seeking qualified candidates for an Enforcement Support Program Coordinator to oversee KPB’s efforts to support local enforcement of litter laws through the surveillance camera program and other initiatives outlined at the Illegal Dump Free PA website.

The 3 Rivers Wet Weather, a nonprofit group in Allegheny County dedicated to improving regional water quality by helping municipalities achieve a long-term regional solution to stormwater management and sewer overflows, is seeking qualified candidate to fill a Program Coordinator position.

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary is seeking qualified individuals to fill a Science Monitoring Fellow to assist with field, lab and office tasks associated with diverse science and monitoring programs, such as in wetland assessments, living shorelines, and other.

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, however, the Department of Environmental Protection published its 2017 schedule of advisory committee and board meeting in the December 17 PA Bulletin, page 7896.

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