By a vote of 16 to 9, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week reported out House Bill 2235 (Vitali-D-Delaware) which would impose a five year moratorium on leasing State Forest land for natural gas drilling.

The PA Environmental Defense Foundation this week gave Gov. Rendell notice it intents to file a lawsuit challenging the leasing State Forest land for Marcellus Shale drilling to help balance the state budget.

By a vote of 107 to 89, the House this week passed the state's General Fund budget bill-- House Bill 2279 (D.Evans-Philadelphia)-- locking in the 26 percent cut to the Department of Environmental Protection and the 18 percent cut to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for another year.
            In addition, amendments were withdrawn by Rep. David Levdansky (D-Allegheny) and Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) that would have either reduced the need to lease more State Forest land for natural gas drilling or imposed a temporary moratorium on drilling.  Rep. Vitali said offering the amendments to the General Fund budget bill was "not the right time" to consider this issue.

A report issued this week by the Joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee confirms virtually all of the $625 million in Growing Greener II bond funds have already been committed to projects, significantly reducing project funding for abandoned mine reclamation, watershed restoration, farmland preservation, recreation and other projects for the future.

Did you know you can search nearly 6 years of back issues of the PA Environment Digest on dozens of topics, by county and on any key word you choose. Just click on the search page.

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 bill was signed into law by the Gov. Rendell this week--

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

In response to a request by Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources provided the Committee with background memos it sent to Gov. Rendell and Budget Secretary Mary Soderberg expressing concerns about leasing additional State Forest land for drilling dating back to March 2009.

Consol Energy makes its second major Marcellus Shale natural gas-related purchase in as many weeks, this time buying the 16.7 percent of CNX Gas Corp it does not already own for $964 million..
           Last week Consol paid $3.4 billion in cash for Dominion's Marcellus Shale reserves.
            NewsClips: Consol Energy To Pay $964 Million For CNX Shares

The PA Association of Conservation Districts and the departments of Agriculture and Environmental Protection will sponsor a one-day Nutrient Trading in Pennsylvania Conference and webinar on April 16 starting at 10:00.

Plain sect farmers in watersheds draining to the Susquehanna River in Lancaster and Chester counties can now take advantage of a special bonus program for installing forested stream buffers to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff.

If the whole village joins together, it just might work.

Agricultural run-off is widely recognized as the largest contributor to nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. That’s the bad news.

Trail Ambassadors from the Friends of the Wissahickon in Montgomery County are offering free nature walks in Wissahickon Valley Park this spring. These volunteers share their knowledge of the Wissahickon with park users and report any problems they see to Fairmount Park Rangers.

PA American Water said this week it is now "tweeting" company news and updates for customers and others at Twitter.com/paamwater. 

This year we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, the nationwide teach-in that kick-started many of the major environmental programs we have today. In this section each week the PA Environment Digest will highlight upcoming Earth Day events.  Submit your events for this page to:  DHess@CrisciAssociates.com.

The Christian Recovery Aftercare Ministry is starting to plan a cleanup event in Uptown Harrisburg. This is the second year of the cleanup by the Ministry which helps aid ex-offenders with housing and jobs as they reenter society.

A female Peregrine falcon hatched at the Rachel Carson State Office Building two years ago has been spotted at a nest in Wilmington, Del. and may be responsible for killing the resident female and taking over the nest.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of an opportunity to bid on a mine reclamation project in Jefferson County.

Roger J. Hornberger, former Department of Environmental Protection District Mining Manager in Pottsville, passed away on March 19.

By Michael Klimkos

This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other recognition programs. NEW means new from last week.

The Environmental Quality Board published notice accepting a rulemaking petition proposing to make a change to requirements protecting water supplies from the impacts of drilling. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published notice executing oil and gas lease on State Forest land in Potter County.

Upcoming legislative meetings, conferences, workshops, plus links to other online calendars. Meetings are in Harrisburg unless otherwise noted.  NEW means new from last week.  Go to the online Calendar webpage.

Send your stories, photos and 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.