Among the most biologically diverse watersheds in Pennsylvania, and a federally designated National Wild and Scenic Recreation River, the Allegheny River in western Pennsylvania has been voted the 2017 Pennsylvania River of the Year.

By Timothy B. Wheeler, Chesapeake Bay Journal

In a special year-end review edition of the Resource newsletter Thursday, DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said her second year as Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources was “exciting, rewarding, challenging.”

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful will begin accepting cleanup event registrations for the 2017 Great American Cleanup of PA on January 15.  The event runs from March 1 through May 31.

Gov. Wolf said Tuesday in a radio interview he will use his February 7 budget address to unveil his plan to reimagine state government to consolidate agencies and functions and make the cuts needed to address an estimated $2.2 billion deficit.

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 Appropriations Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee Friday released their schedule of hearings on Gov. Wolf’s FY 2017-8 budget proposal.

We are now 22 days away from Gov. Tom Wolf’s February 7 budget address where he will tell us how he plans to deal with an estimated $2.2 billion structural deficit in the current and next fiscal year.

The PA Organization For Watersheds and Rivers, DEP and other partners are now accepting registrations for the 2017 PA Statewide Watershed Conference on March 5-6 at the Ramada Inn in State College.

PA American Water Tuesday announced applications are now being accepted for the company's 2017 Environmental Grant Program.  The deadline for applications is March 27 and recipients will be notified by April 19.

The Department of Environmental Protection Monday announced it has completed routine surveillance of hardware stores and other retail facilities in 13 counties to verify that leaded solder is not being sold for plumbing purposes.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Thursday announced approximately $4 million in funding to Drexel and Purdue universities to research water quality issues related to low flow conditions of drinking water in premise plumbing systems.

The PA Section of the American Water Works Association early bird registration for its 2017 Annual Conference ends on January 25.

The 20th Annual Schuylkill River Watershed Congress will be held on March 11 at the Pottstown campus of the Montgomery County Community College from 7:30 to 3:15.

The nonprofit Center for Watershed Protection Wednesday highlighted three of its success stories working in Pennsylvania to restore and protect watersheds.

The Headwaters Charitable Trust, a Clearfield County-based nonprofit group that promotes a green economy through jobs, restoration and partnerships, is encouraging residents to volunteer for community work during the Martin Luther King Day of Service January 16.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the January 14 PA Bulletin inviting public comments on a proposed revision to the West Branch Schuylkill River TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) Plan (page 267).

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is scheduled to hold a hearing on proposed water withdrawal requests on February 2 starting at 2:30 in Harrisburg.  (formal notice)

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the January 14 PA Bulletin it has approved the Section 401 Water Quality Certification for a proposed 17 megawatt hydroelectric project for Allegheny Lock and Dam #2 in Allegheny County (page 264).

Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller Tuesday urged federal regulators to amend their proposed regulations governing federally-backed loans for homes in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) to direct mortgage lenders to also accept residential flood policies written by what are called surplus lines insurers.

The Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, based in Ashley, Luzerne County,  is taking part in the PA Trout in the Classroom Program.

The Cumberland Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited is holding the 22nd annual Rivers Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp June 18-23, 2017, at Messiah College, Grantham, Cumberland County. The camp begins on a Sunday and ends the following Friday.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation educators Tom Parke and Emily Thorpe took advantage of an unseasonably warm winter day in Pennsylvania, to wash life vests, check canoes for needed repairs, and reflect on the Susquehanna Watershed Environmental Education Program's (SWEEP) 26th year of connecting students with their local waterways.

The Delaware Highlands Conservancy is now accepting applications from eligible high school seniors for the Delaware Highlands Conservancy/Yeaman Scholarship and the Vanessa Van Gorder Memorial Scholarship, both in the amount of $1,000.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is encouraging colleges and universities in Pennsylvania to participate in the RecycleMania competition.  The deadline to register is February 3.

Dickinson College in Carlisle, Cumberland County ranked No. 4 in Overall Top Performers in the most recent Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).

Shippensburg University Tuesday announced it recently received a $58,000 rebate as part of Pennsylvania Act 129 of 2008.

The Frick Environmental Center in Pittsburgh is competing with 44 other buildings around the United States for 2016 Building Of The Year by American-Architects.

Sustainable Pittsburgh is hosting a January 26 workshop on Leading the Cultural Shift For Sustainable Business Practices at the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh, 305 Wood Street in Pittsburgh from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

The January edition of The PA Environmentalist is now available from the PA Environmental Council entitled, “Deep Decarbonization And The Global Race To Halt Climate Change.”

PennAg Industries Association and Sunoco Logistics launched a biosecurity training and education module to raise awareness on the basics of farm safety and etiquette for the energy industry and beyond.

The PA Land Trust Association and its partners are now accepting registrations for the 2017 PA Land Conservation Conference in Lancaster May 4-6.

TreeVitalize Pittsburgh is now accepting applications for community tree plantings in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County for fall plantings.  Applications are due March 17.

While it might be winter, landowners can begin making plans to help wildlife this spring – and beyond – by planting tree and shrub seedlings offered by the Game Commission’s Howard Nursery.

The PA Environmental Council, Keep PA Beautiful and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources are partnering to hold an Earth Day Tree Planting on April 21-22 in Pinchot State Forest on Avondale Hill Road, Plymouth Township in Luzerne County.

The PA Parks and Forests Foundation announced Monday it was awarded a grant from New Belgium Brewing Company, Fort Collins, Colorado, for restoration and education of vernal pool ecosystems, specifically of the Fuzzy Trail, Michaux State Forest.

By: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson, Chesapeake Bay Program

The Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences and the Center for Private Forests will host the 2017 Forest Landowners Conference on March 24-25 at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona.

The Natural Lands Trust based in Delaware County has preserved and transferred 80 acres of high-quality forest in Robeson Township, Berks County, to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Gov. Tom Wolf and PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards Tuesday announced fifty-one bike, pedestrian and other alternative transportation improvement projects across the state.

Widener University Commonwealth Law School will host a presentation on February 8 by Alan Spears, Cultural Resources Director of the National Parks Conservation Association on African American history in our National Parks.

The Hawk Mountain Sanctuary education team Monday launched its new Distance Education programs, which are offered free of charge for any participating class or group.

The National Wildlife Federation is now accepting entries for its 46th Annual Photo Contest.  The deadline for entries is March 20.

Gifford Pinchot’s Grey Towers Heritage Association, the nonprofit organization that supports public and community programs at Grey Towers National Historic Site, Milford, Pike County, is seeking new members for its volunteer Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors of the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership  Tuesday announced Gail R. Kulp, CAE has been named the new Executive Director, effective January 9.

The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art in Delaware County is seeking an experienced conservation professional for its Land Conservation Program to provide land conservation planning services to private landowners with emphasis on conservation easements and land acquisitions.  Resumes are due by January 23.

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 14, 2017

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