Here are 75 new stories in the PA Environment Digest about individuals, groups, local governments, farmers, businesses, watershed groups and many more working all across Pennsylvania to restore and protect the environment and show others the beauty that surrounds us.

While PA Environment Digest’s priority is to highlight positive examples of environmental and energy leadership, 2022 is an election year which demands accountability to voters.

PA Environment Digest Is Putting The Best Links To Environment & Energy Articles and NewsClips Here.   Is Your Story Being Told? 

On April 12, the WeConservePA sent a letter to all Senate and House members and Gov. Wolf urging them to invest $500 million of the state's remaining federal American Rescue Plan funds in conservation projects saying-- there has never been a better time.

Two-thirds (66 percent) of Pennsylvanians agree state lawmakers should place a high priority on funding for state parks and forests, according to a recent state poll of likely voters.

On April 27, DCNR’s Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council will host Part 2 of its CNRAC Conversations on Economics and the Outdoors from 10:30 a.m. to Noon.

DEP’s  Oil & Gas Technical Advisory Board, which primarily discussed issues related to unconventional shale gas drilling, is scheduled to meet on April 25 and will have a lengthy agenda

DCED’s PA Grade Crude [Oil] Development Advisory Council, related to conventional oil and gas drilling, is scheduled to hold a meeting April 21 in State College. 

On April 12, the Department of Environmental Protection and others submitted comments to the Public Utility Commission recommending ways to strengthen its regulations covering the safety of natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines.

A new report from the Ohio River Valley Institute shows Diversified Energy, the nation’s largest owner of primarily oil and gas wells, does not have enough funds to plug its entire catalog of wells.

By Nick Keppler, Environmental Health News

On April 13, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it has reached two agreements with PLPT Logistics Products Terminals, LLC (PLPT), for violations of the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act and the Clean Streams Law.

“Hydrogen: The Future of Clean Energy?” will be the topic of an April 20 webinar being hosted by the Washington & Jefferson College Center for Energy Policy and Management as part of its Energy Lecture Series.

By Rep. Mike Puskaric (R-Allegheny) & Rep. Frank Burns (D-Cambria)

On April 12, the U.S. Energy Information Administration released its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook which projects solar and wind renewable energy’s share of electricity generation will keep rising and lead to a decline in natural gas generation.

The Department of Environmental Protection announced it will begin accepting applications for the next round of Growing Greener Plus and EPA Section 319 Watershed Grants on April 22.  The deadline for applications is June 24.

On April 13, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding was joined by conservation partners at Welsh Vista Farms in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County to highlight Wolf Administration investments facilitating on-farm and community conservation management.

The Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited (PATU) is pleased to announce that eleven grants totaling $90,000 have been awarded to conservation organizations across Pennsylvania through the Coldwater Heritage Partnership’s Coldwater Conservation Grant Program.

By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal

The Allegheny County Conservation District and the Allegheny County Agriculture Lands Preservation Board are proud to announce the preservation of the Dillner Family Farm in West Deer Township.

On April 14, the Department of Agriculture announced it protected 3,528 acres on 40 farms in 19 counties from future development, investing more than $9.7 million in state, and county dollars in preserving prime farmland for tomorrow.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has just opened voting for the Viewers' Choice Award as part of the 2022 Photo Contest.  The deadline for voting is April 22.

The Fish and Boat Commission is now accepting entries for its 2022 Photo Contest designed to help develop an appreciation of Pennsylvania’s fishing, boating and aquatic resources. Entries are due on December 31.

On April 15, the Department of Environmental Protection issued a request for assistance in the search for a portable nuclear gauge containing sealed sources of radioactive material that belongs to KAKS and Company LLC of Harleysville, PA.

The Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority along with the Centre Region Council of Governments are holding an awards luncheon April 14 to honor 28 of our area’s best green businesses, schools and organizations.

Need to get rid of tires or wheels from your car or light truck? The Independence Conservancy will hold affordable community tire collections in cooperation with the following municipalities this spring--

The Pennsylvania Resources Council-- a statewide environmental organization dedicated to reducing waste-- celebrates a milestone in 2022 as it launches the 20th season of hosting household chemical collection events: responsibly managing 6 million pounds of chemical products dropped off by residents of southwestern Pennsylvania.

On April 12, the Senate passed Senate Bill 284 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) by a bipartisan vote of 35 to 14 after adopting a gut-and-replace amendment that totally refocused the bill on setting decommissioning rules for utility-scale solar energy facilities.

A NextEra Energy Inc. subsidiary pleaded guilty to violating the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and was sentenced to pay millions in penalties over eagles killed by its wind energy operations, the U.S. Justice Department announced April 5.  Read more here.

On April 14, the Department of Environmental Protection announced $2.1 million in Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants to municipalities and businesses for 99 electric vehicles and more clean fuel transportation projects to improve air quality in their communities. 

On April 11, the departments of Transportation and Environmental Protection wrote a joint letter to the Public Utility Commission supporting a rulemaking petition from ChargEVC-PA requesting the Commission to issue a Policy Statement on electric utility rate design for electric vehicle charging in PA.

Representatives of the Department of Environmental Protection visited Dries Orchards in Northumberland County to tour their apple packing and storage facility and learn how a recent LED lighting upgrade, funded in part by a DEP Agricultural Energy Efficiency Rebate, has benefited their operation.

On April 15, Gov. Tom Wolf released the Pennsylvania GreenGov Council 2021 Annual Report, marking further progress in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s work to promote sustainability and environmentally-friendly policies.

The Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh has been awarded LEED Silver Certification LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for its building renovation.

Bucknell University Center for Sustainability and the Environment will host its 9th Annual Sustainability Symposium April 22-23 as an in-person event at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Union County.

PA Interfaith Power & Light will kick off its 2022 Bike/Hike - Journey Towards A Cleaner Future on May 1.  This special event has been re-imagined as a biking and hiking tour of Pennsylvania's trails.

The Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) is planning a 40-mile walk on April 18 to 22 that follows the money upstream from destructive industries in Chester to the Malvern headquarters of Vanguard, one of the largest global investors in companies causing climate change.

Bring your friends and family to Delaware Valley Ramps in Equinunk, Wayne County to celebrate the arrival of spring by harvesting your own bounty of ramps while supporting the programs of SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Education and Development Support)!

On April 12, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn joined former Gov. Tom Ridge to announce plans to enhance the visitor experience at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center within Presque Isle State Park in Erie.

On April 11, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn visited Clinton County to announce that $1.2 million in new grant funding will help development of an ATV connector trail.

By Chris Mendel, Executive Director, Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust

The April 15 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation.

On April 14, The Brandywine Conservancy announced new leadership changes with the promotions of Stephanie Armpriester and Grant DeCosta, both previously Acting Co-Directors of the organization.

On April 11, the Game Commission announced the creation of a new Chronic Wasting Disease Management Area and the expansion of two existing DMAs.

Were you watching?  On April 16, the first peregrine falcon egg hatched at the nest on the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg!  There are four more eggs to go.

Opportunities to learn more about environmental and energy issues affecting Pennsylvania for students and adults--

On April 9, Penn State Environmental Resource Management (ERM) students, along with Program Coordinator Rob Shannon, traveled to the northeast Pennsylvania anthracite region to tour abandoned mine drainage sites and mine reclamation projects with ERM alumnus Bobby Hughes, Executive Director of Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation. 

Learn about our natural world and support conservation in your community by becoming a PA Master Naturalist volunteer.

The Penn State Technical Assistance Program is hosting an April 21 webinar starting at 11:00 a.m. on Understanding Your Utility Bills And How It Can Save You Money.

Pennsylvania Sea Grant is excited to offer three paid summer internship positions.  These positions are for undergraduate students seeking to build on their field of study through hands-on, project-oriented work in the areas of communications, outreach, and education.

The Wildlife Leadership Academy is seeking interested adults to be mentors for wildlife/fisheries focused summer field schools. 

The information you need to follow legislation in the House and Senate- starting with articles and NewsClips from last week--

On April 11, House Republicans passed a series of “dog whistle” bills that add even more bureaucracy to DEP permits reviews and pretend to increase natural gas production in Pennsylvania.

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, is circulating a co-sponsor memo asking his colleagues to sponsor the Pennsylvania Geologic Storage of Carbon Dioxide Act.

Articles and NewsClips about federal actions impacting Pennsylvania--

Click Here for a list of public participation opportunities and a calendar of events.

Click Here for grants, awards, recognition programs and contest deadlines.

Highlights of the environmental and energy notices in the latest PA Bulletin-- 

Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to: PaEnviroDigest@gmail.com.

The PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference will be held in-person and virtually June 22-23 at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center in State College.  This year's theme-- New Opportunities On The Horizon!  Registration Open!    Read more here.

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the PA Organization for Watersheds & Rivers, PA Outdoor Writers Association, PA Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.