Pa Environment Digest Aug. 31, 2015

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PA Environment Digest

An Update On Environmental Issues In PAEdited By: David E. Hess, Crisci Associates

Winner 2009 PAEE Business Partner Of The Year Award

Harrisburg, Pa August 31, 2015

Penncrest High School Wins 2nd Place In International Envirothon Competition

A five-member team of high school students from

Penncrest High School in Media, Delaware County, earned

second-place honors early this month at the 2015

International NCF-Envirothon.A week-long North American natural resource

education competition, a program of the National

Conservation Foundation, working in partnership with

Smithfield Foods, local conservation districts, forestry

associations, educators and cooperating natural resources

agencies to organize and conduct competitions on the local,

regional, state and/or provincial level.

(Photo: Penncrest Team, from left: Abigail Pearse, Lucy Hall, Vy-Linh Gale, Justin

Rosenberg, and Daniel Rosenberger.)

The Envirothon is North America’s largest high school environmental education

competition. Over four thousand highs schools were involved in the 2015 program across NorthAmerica.

“The National Conservation Foundation congratulates not only the winning team, but all

the students who participated in this year’s competition,” said Steve Robinson, Chair of the NCF

Board of Trustees, “We are so proud of all of the students’ efforts and commitment to helping

preserve our natural resources.”

Each student on the top three teams will receive a cash award. The first place winners

receive $3,000 each; second place $2,000 each; and third place $1,000 each.

The NCF-Envirothon tests teams on their knowledge of soils and land use, aquatic

ecology, forestry, wildlife and a current issue (2015 Urban/Community Forests). Each team's

knowledge is tested under the supervision of foresters, soil scientists, wildlife specialists and

other natural resource professionals.Teamwork, problem-solving and presentation skills are evaluated as each team offers a

panel of judges an oral presentation with recommendations for solving the specific challenge that

is presented during the competition.

Envirothon competitions began in Pennsylvania through the efforts of county

conservation districts and grew into an international movement. Click Here for more

information on the Pennsylvania Envirothon.

Forests Ontario will host the North American Envirothon in Ontario in 2016. The dates

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will be July 24th - July 29th, 2016. For more information, visit the Forests Ontario website.

(Reprinted from DCNR’s August 26 Resource newsletter. Click Here to sign up for your own

copy (bottom of the page).)

DEP To Receive National Award For Lackawanna County Coal Refuse Fire Project

The Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of

Abandoned Mine Reclamation will receive the 2015

Excellence in Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation

Appalachian Regional Award from the U.S. Department of

Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and

Enforcement for its work on the Simpson Northeast Coal

Refuse Fire in Fell Township, Lackawanna County in 2014.

The award will be presented at the National

Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs Annual

Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico on September 28.(Photo: Top: Quenching and excavating fire area.

Bottom: After reclamation.)

This is the ninth year of the last ten that a

Pennsylvania project has won the Appalachian Regional or

National AML Reclamation Award. The project was

developed, designed, and supervised during construction by

the staff from BAMR’s Wilkes-Barre Office.

“This award is not only an honor, but a reflection of the time and energy expended by the

BAMR Wilkes-Barre staff and the contractor to design and construct the project,” said John

Stefanko, DEP Deputy Secretary of Active and Abandoned Mine Operations. “Work was

completed with long hours during one of the coldest winters in the region, which shows the

dedication of DEP staff and the contractor to make sure this environmental hazard was

eliminated.”

In early 2014, BAMR awarded a contract to Minichi Inc., Dupont PA, who excavated and

extinguished the coal refuse bank fire on abandoned mine lands 20 miles north of Scranton, PA.

The scope of the project was to eliminate an imminent public safety hazard by

extinguishing the fire, which was within one half-mile of the nearest home. Residents as far as 10

miles away complained of smoke and odor. The area is easily accessible via dirt roads and foot

trails.

There are many indications such as tire tracks, garbage, and even YouTube video that

people were trespassing in the area. Several brush fires in the proximity had been extinguished by the local volunteer fire company in the past couple years, and the fire may have been ignited

by ATV riders burning tires on the spoil bank.

The project involved obtaining environmental clearances, establishing a water supply,

establishing erosion and sedimentation (E&S) controls, excavating and quenching the burning

refuse.

Upon completion of the quenching of the fire, the disturbed areas were cleaned up,

re-graded, seeded, and the equipment demobilized. Shortly after excavation of the refuse pile

http://files.dep.state.pa.us/Mining/Abandoned%20Mine%20Reclamation/AbandonedMinePortalFiles/Accomplishments/OSM35_4294_101.1_Simpson_Northeast_ARP_Coal_Refuse_Bank_Fire.pdfhttp://files.dep.state.pa.us/Mining/Abandoned%20Mine%20Reclamation/AbandonedMinePortalFiles/Accomplishments/OSM35_4294_101.1_Simpson_Northeast_ARP_Coal_Refuse_Bank_Fire.pdfhttp://www.apps.dcnr.state.pa.us/news/resource/res2015/15-0826-williampennsf.aspxhttp://www.apps.dcnr.state.pa.us/news/resource/res2015/15-0826-eggen.aspxhttp://www.forestsontario.ca/


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commenced, it was apparent the fire was much larger than anyone anticipated.

Completed on May 28, 2014, it took nearly four months of continuous work to finally

extinguish the fire, at an ultimate cost of $2,213,477.80.

The fire was located within a large bank approximately 1,200 feet east of Jefferson Street

in Fell Township, about a quarter of a mile from the Lackawanna River.

The history of the site stretches back more than a century, starting when refuse had beendeposited from the Simpson Colliery and Northwest Coal Company Breaker, which had been

operated by several companies on the site between 1885 and 1964.

The majority of material came from deep mining, but some strip mining was performed

in the 1950s and early 1960s.

The award “recognizes an exemplary reclamation project that emphasizes the elimination

of dangerous health, safety, and environmental problems resulting from abandoned mine lands

within OSMRE’s Appalachian Region.”

“This project is a great example of the good work accomplished by Pennsylvania’s

abandoned mine land reclamation program. That work - reclaiming hazardous abandoned mines,

restoring lands and waters affected by legacy mining, and working with partners - helps our

communities by creating jobs, usable land, restored waters, and an environment free fromhazards,” says Stefanko.

To learn more on this project call the Northeast Regional Office at 570-826-2511 and for

more information on mine reclamation generally in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s Abandoned Mine

Reclamation webpage.

NewsClip:

DEP Receives Award For Fell Twp. Coal Fire Work

Related Story:

Work To Extinguish Mine Fire In Carbon County Continues To Progress

DCNR’s Dr. Donald Eggen Honored By U.S. Forest Service

Dr. Donald Eggen, forest health manager with DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry, was honored early

this month for leadership and accomplishments in forest health and aviation safety at the 2015

Gypsy Moth Program Managers Meeting, sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Health

Program.

In making the presentation at Starved Rock State Park, Oglesby, Ill., Robert Rabagli of

the USFS FHP, described Eggen as “a leader affecting positive change in forest health

monitoring, management and aviation safety for over three decades.

Working out of the bureau’s Harrisburg headquarters, Eggen oversees forest pest

management efforts across the state that address the gypsy moth, emerald ash borer, hemlock

wooly adelgid and many other forest pests.“He was a principal advocate in establishing and Chairing the Aerial Application Safety

Council; is regularly engaged with the Forest Health Monitoring and Aerial Survey Working

Groups; and frequently orchestrates key meetings and training for state a federal personnel,” said

Rabagli. “Don routinely emerges as a positive and well-respected expert, going far beyond the

duties of his position and settling for nothing less than excellence in forest health and aviation

safety.”

The federal forestry official noted Eggen’s “efforts have significantly influenced and

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measurably contributed toward an exceptional safety record not only for his state personnel, but

for FHP and partner organizations nationally.”

(Reprinted from DCNR’s August 26 Resource newsletter. Click Here to sign up for your own


Keep PA Beautiful: Nearly 130,000 Participated In 2015 Great American Cleanup of PA

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Thursday announced that

over 128,157 volunteers participated in the 2015 Keep

Pennsylvania Beautiful Great American Cleanup of PA

and collected 300,186 bags, or 6,003,720 pounds of

trash, cleaned 11,943 miles of roads, railroad tracks,

trails, waterways, and shorelines, and 6,422 acres of

park and/or wetlands and planted 13,050 trees, bulbs,

and plants in an effort to keep Pennsylvania beautiful.

As in years past, all 67 counties participated inthis annual community improvement event. A copy of

the 2015 Great American Cleanup of PA final report is

available online .

(Photo: From Little Beaver 4H Clubs cleanup in Lawrence County.)

This annual event is held in conjunction with Keep America Beautiful’s Great American

Cleanup and in partnership with support from the Department of Environmental Protection,

PennDOT, PA Waste Industries Association , the PA Food Merchants Association , Weis

Markets, Inc. , Wawa, Inc. , Sheetz , ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer .

Additional 2015 event supporters include: Steel Recycling Institute, Lancaster County

Solid Waste Management Authority , Giant Eagle Inc. , Giant Food Stores, Inc ., Republic

Services and Wegmans Food Markets

.

“We are so grateful to our volunteers and sponsors who helped make the Great American

Cleanup of PA successful again this year.” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania

Beautiful. “It is because of the volunteers on the ground coordinating and carrying out events in

their communities and countless partners and sponsors supporting their work, that make this such

a successful program year in and year out.”

The Great American Cleanup of PA is sponsored by Keep America Beautiful. The 2015

national sponsors were Lowe’s, Glad, Niagara, Dow, Altria and BNSF.

2016 Cleanup

The 2016 Great American Cleanup of PA will begin on March 1 and end on May 31.

During this period, events registered through the Great American Cleanup of PA

website willreceive free bags, gloves, and vests from PennDOT District offices, as supplies last.

Events can include litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, beautification projects, special

collections, and educational events.

As part of this event, the Department of Environmental Protection and the PA Waste

Industries Association will sponsor Let’s Pick It Up PA – Everyday from April 16 - May 9.

During the Pick It Up PA Days, registered events will be able to take the trash collected during

their cleanup to participating landfills for free or reduced disposal.

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Registration for the Great American Cleanup of 2016 will open in mid- January.

NewsClips:

Keystone Landfill Zoning Decision By Mid-October

No Conclusion Reached On Landfill As Source Of Gases

Finding Uses For Landfill Gas

Lancaster Waste Authority Buys Quarry As Water Supply Zippo To Pay $186K Federal Penalty For Waste Violations

Despite Cleanup, Lockheed Martin Site Still Contaminated

Related Story:

Keep PA Beautiful: International Coastal Cleanup Begins Sept. 1, Still Time To Participate

Conventional Drilling Advocates Again Talk Lawsuit Over DEP Drilling Regulations

Voting members of DEP’s Conventional Oil and Gas

Advisory Committee Thursday continued to raise objections

to the final draft of Chapter 78 drilling regulations presented

to the Committee for their review and said litigation would be pursued by conventional drillers challenging the legality

of the rulemaking.

The members stuck by comments they made in a

July 7 letter repeating industry claims DEP did not comply

with rulemaking standards in providing an extra comment

period and hearings on the draft final regulations known as an advanced notice of final

rulemaking.

The conventional drillers also said DEP did not comply with a 2014 state law-- Act 126--

requiring the agency to separate out regulations related to the conventional and unconventional

oil and gas drilling industry.

“For all of these reasons, the voting members of COGAC will not be able to support the

Department’s submission of the regulatory package to the [Environmental Quality Board] for

adoption as a final rule, regardless of revisions that DEP may or may not make before that

submission (emphasis added),” the letter said.

At the meeting Thursday, the voting members of the Committee did say they would

continue working on the latest draft of the regulations because DEP intends to enact them in

some form.

DEP has documented through hundreds of photographs

and in its most recent Oil and Gas

Annual Report how conventional oil and gas drillers have at least 3 times the violations of

unconventional (Marcellus Shale) drillers over the years.

The fact is DEP did separate its drilling regulations into those affecting conventionaldrillers-- Chapter 78-- and those covering unconventional drillers-- Chapter 78A-- as required by

the requirements of Act 126, plus held three public hearings.

It is ironic that conventional drillers are so concerned about the regulatory process, when

this provision requiring the separation of the regulations was slipped into the Fiscal Code bill in

2014 without public review or notice based on legislation that neither the House nor the Senate

ever voted on.

The conventional drilling industry has maintained since the original Oil and Gas Act was

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passed in 1984 that its actions have a “benign” impact on the environment. In fact in legislation

sponsored last year-- Senate Bill 1378 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson) and House Bill 2350 (Causer-R-

Cameron)-- they said exactly that.

It was interesting to see an article in the Tribune Review on August 23 attempting to

romanticize the lives of conventional oil well operators who proudly say they pump oil the same

way it was done in the 19th century and that state law and DEP regulations in effect since 1984requiring, among other things, safely plugging wells operators abandoned, would be too much

for them to bear.

This is the same romantic notion that has left Pennsylvania’s landscape littered with more

than 325,000 abandoned oil and gas wells, easy pathways to polluting groundwater, since the

first wells were drilled in the Commonwealth in 1859.

This myth is exactly that, a myth . The facts are--

1. Conventional wells cause water loss and contamination just like unconventional wells;

2. Conventional wells have more violations than unconventional wells;

3. Both kinds of wells use fracking;

4. Conventional wells are drilled through the same sensitive aquifers;

5. Conventional wells create a bigger footprint on the land; and6. Smaller companies with fewer resources to deal with problems drill conventional wells.

The next scheduled meeting of the Conventional Oil and Gas Advisory Committee is set

for October 29 starting at 10:00 in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg.

For more information, visit DEP’s Conventional Oil and Gas Advisory Committee

webpage.

NewsClips:

Regulators Expect Lawsuit Over Oil, Gas Drilling Rules

Low Prices, Tough Regs Threaten Independent Oil Producers

Groups To Sue EPA For Better Fracking Waste Regulation

Lawsuit Threatened Over EPA Oil & Gas Waste Disposal Law

Shale Drillers Fined For Methane Migration

Shale Drillers Settle 3 Cases Of Fouling Water Supplies

Related Stories:

DEP Assesses $374,000 In Penalties For Methane Gas Migration Violations

Ben Franklin Center Releases Study Of Drilling Wastewater Treatment & Disposal

Hearing On Waiving Drilling Setbacks By Hilcorp Energy Sept. 16 In Lawrence County

Webcast Live: Marcellus Advisory Committee Meets Sept. 2 On Drilling Regs

On Demand Video: Aug. 26 DEP Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force Meeting

DEP Accepting Comments On 2015 PA Climate Impacts Assessment Report

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting public comments on the 2015

Climate Change Impacts Assessment Update through November 4.

The Pennsylvania Climate Change Act (Act 70), enacted by the General Assembly in

2008, directed the Department of Environmental Protection to conduct a study of the potential

impacts of global climate change on Pennsylvania over the next century.

This report is the second update to the original report published in 2009.

The report was authored by Dr. James Shortle with assistance from a multidisciplinary

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team of colleagues at Penn State.

Overview

Pennsylvanians should prepare for dangerously high summer temperatures and more

severe storms, increased threat of certain diseases carried by insects, and drastic changes to

agriculture and water quality, according to a new report on the impact of climate change from

Penn State University.“The scientific data is clear: climate change is happening, and there will be impacts to

Pennsylvania,” said Dr. James Shortle, lead author of the report. “The effects of climate change

will be felt across all parts of Pennsylvania – agriculture, human health, water quality, energy,

even outdoor recreation will be affected.”

The 2015 Climate Impacts Assessment report found that Pennsylvania has warmed 1°C

(1.8°F) in the past 110 years, and will increase at an accelerated rate. By 2050, it is expected that

Pennsylvania will be 3°C (5.4°F) warmer than it was in the year 2000.

The report notes that by 2050, Philadelphia’s climate will be similar to current-day

Richmond, VA, and Pittsburgh will be similar to current-day Washington, DC or Baltimore, MD.

“This report shows that climate change is reality and it will get worse, and it will affect

key sectors of the economy, our health, and our quality of life,” said DEP Secretary JohnQuigley. “We must respond to this challenge, and do so in a way that strengthens Pennsylvania’s

economy and improves the environment we live in. The entire state will experience the effects,

and we must all take note of the consequences of our changing climate as detailed by Dr. Shortle

and his colleagues.”

Some key takeaways from the report include:

-- Climate change could worsen air quality: increasing pollen concentration, mold concentration,

and ground-level ozone, causing longer allergy seasons, aggravating asthma, and increasing

mortality among at-risk populations.

-- Vector-borne diseases like West Nile virus and Lyme disease could increase due to more

favorable conditions for mosquitoes and deer ticks.

-- Increased precipitation in many parts of the state could lead to higher flood risks and threaten

safe drinking water supplies.

-- Warmer temperatures will bring more favorable conditions for agricultural pests like weeds

and insects.

-- Severe storms – strengthened by warmer temperatures – could affect reliable electric service

and threaten current electric infrastructure.

-- Some changes will be positive: longer growing seasons and more tolerable temperatures for

crops not currently grown in Pennsylvania offer new opportunities for farmers.

“I thank Dr. Shortle and his colleagues for their diligent and comprehensive efforts to

provide the public and decision-makers with an understanding of the scientific and human

impact of our changing climate,” Gov. Tom Wolf said.How To Submit Comments

All comments, including comments submitted by electronic mail must include the

originator’s name and address. Commentators are encouraged to submit comments using the

Department’s online eComment tool.

Written comments should be submitted to Department of Environmental Protection,

Policy Office, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA

17105‑2063, or by email to: [email protected] .

mailto:[email protected]://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment


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Comments submitted by facsimile will not be accepted.

A copy of the full report can be found online.

NewsClips:

PA Climate Report Warns Of Hotter Summers, Destructive Storms

PA Warming To Bring Profound Changes Penn State Report Says

Penn State: Effects Of Climate Change To Accelerate In PA Climate Report: Hotter Summers, Worse Storms More Pollen

Climate Report: Hotter Temps In PA’s Future

PA Voters Support More Emission Limits On Coal Power Plants

Mayors Call For City Climate Action Amid Gridlock

Op-Ed: Clean Power Plan’s Trade-Offs, PEC’s Davitt Woodwell

Editorial: President Carbon: Hypocrisy’s Trip

Editorial: Climate Resilience? More Eco-Pablum

Editorial: PA Waterways Will Change With Climate

Related Stories:

New Poll: PA Voters Support More Emission Limits On Coal-Burning Power Plants

400 PA Academic Leaders Urge Gov. Wolf, Sen. Casey To Tackle Climate Change Special PA Environment Digest Coverage Of EPA Clean Power Plan Announcement

House GOP Fails In Override Of State Budget Veto; Adolph: The End Is NOT Near

House Republicans Tuesday failed in 14 attempts to override the veto of specific line items in

Gov. Wolf’s veto of the state budget bill-- House Bill 1192-- all by party-line votes of 115 to 83,

less than the two-thirds (136) needed to override the veto.

The Republicans control the House 119 members to 84, but they failed to get the 17

Democrats needed for the two-thirds override.

The failed overrides included these combinations of line items--

-- 274 social service line items;

-- Funding for 60 domestic violence programs;

-- $728 million in school food service state and federal funding for K-12 schools;

-- $355 million in student grants from the PA Higher Education Assistance Agency;

-- $9 million in state and federal funds for the Department of Agriculture for the farmers market

food coupon program;

-- $1.3 million for the Victims of Juvenile Offenders Program;

-- $18.9 million for the County Juvenile Probation Services Program;

-- $549.1 million for School District Pupil Transportation funding;

-- $8.5 million for the Safe Schools Initiative funding;

-- $1.2 billion: $457 million Individuals With Disabilities Education, $625 million localeducation Title I Programs, $130 million Teacher Improvement federal funding only;

-- $87.9 million Services To Nonpublic Schools funding;

-- $18.4 million State Food Bank Purchase Program funding in the Department of Agriculture’s

budget;

-- $26.75 million Textbooks, Instructional Materials, Equipment For Nonpublic Schools funding;

and

-- Community Based Health Care Subsidies, Cancer Screening Services, School District Health

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Services, Services for Children With Special Needs, Community Based Family Centers, Red

Cross Extended Care Program, Nurse Family Partnership and federal appropriation for Medical

Assistance and MCH Early Childhood Home Visiting Program [combining 7 motions].

House Majority Leader David Reed (R-Indiana) said the House had the opportunity to

provide money to social service and other groups in the 274 line items Democrats, Republicans

and Gov. Wolf already agreed to, out of 401 line items.Rep. Reed said lawmakers could get these groups funding by Friday if the vote was

successful, since the Republican Senate would have come back to session Wednesday to vote the

same overrides.

He also noted Republicans had agreed to another line item, not included in the veto

override-- $400 million more for basic education.

House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny) called the Republican effort a

political stunt that gave social service providers false hope of getting funding because the partial

budget override vote is unconstitutional.

“The Republican budget was wrong on June 30 and it’s wrong now,” said Rep. Dermody.

On the constitutional issue, Rep. Dermody pointed to an advisory legal opinion from the

Legislative Reference Bureau emailed to members during the debate saying the House had toconsider a veto in the same character as the Governor presented it, meaning the entire budget

veto can only be overridden.

Republicans said the opinion was just that, advisory, and noted the opinion said there has

not been an instance in the past where a partial veto override was even attempted.

The End Is NOT Near

In his last comments before the final vote was taken, Rep. Bill Adolph (R-Delaware),

Majority Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, told members, “The end is NOT near”

in terms of an overall budget agreement.

The House adjourned until September 21, unless sooner recalled. It's the same day the

Senate plans to return to Harrisburg.

House Democrats Ask Treasury For Payroll Loan

PennLive.com reported late Thursday House Democrats wrote to State Treasurer

Timothy Reese on August 13 asking for a loan in order to meet payroll and related costs having

exhausted its reserve funds as a result of the ongoing budget stalemate.

PennLive.com said House Democrats may not be able to meet its payroll for the 568

House staff members on September 15. The first check the 84 Democratic members of the

House would miss would be on October 1.

The State Treasurer has not yet responded to the request.

House Republicans said they have concerns about the legality of the request and would

attempt to block the request from the House Bipartisan Management Committee, since staff for

the Senate and House are specifically excluded from a law that required regulator stateemployees to be paid during a budget impasse.

PennLive.com said Senate Republican and Democratic Caucuses have enough reserve

funding left to operate through the end of September.

NewsClips:

GOP Considers Stop-Gap Budget, Wolf Is Not

Wolf, GOP Put Off Plans To Resume Budget Talks

Budget Impasse Now On Day 57, Does Anyone Care?

http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/08/level_of_concern_as_pa_enters.html#incart_riverhttp://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20150827_Wolf__GOP_put_off_plans_to_resume_budget_talks.htmlhttp://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/08/gop_lawmakers_consider_stop-ga.html#incart_2box_topmobilehttp://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/08/pa_house_democrats_ask_treasur.html#incart_river


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Poll: Voters Blame GOP, Not Wolf For Budget Stalemate

Editorial: Leaders In Both Parties Hurting PA

House Defeats GOP Bid To Override Parts Of Wolf Budget Veto

House GOP Veto Override Attempts Fall Short

Budget Stalemate Rhetoric Heats Up During Override Votes

Reed: I’m Not Sure Where We Go On Budget Wolf Tells GOP Not To Waste Time On Override Votes

John Baer: The PA Budget And The Games They Play

Poll: Voters Blame Legislature More Than Wolf For Stalemate

State Budget Stalemate Reaches Fork

Wolf: GOP Pension Offer A Little Confusing To Me

Reed Comments On Wolf’s Pension Offer Reaction

House Democrats Ask State Treasurer For Loan

F&M Poll: Voters Hold Legislature More Responsible For Budget Stalemate Than Wolf

A new poll released Thursday by Franklin and Marshall found 54 percent of registered voterssurveyed held the General Assembly responsible for the current budget stalemate, while 29

percent held Gov. Wolf responsible.

More voters trust Gov. Wolf to make budget decisions-- 42 percent-- than the General

Assembly-- 39 percent, although those numbers are closer than what you might expect given

who voters think is responsible for the stalemate.

The poll was taken before this week’s failed attempt by House Republicans to override

parts of Gov. Wolf’s budget veto.

Gov. Wolf’s own job performance rating remained mostly unchanged since June at 39

percent, 61 percent among Democrats. This is lower than the 45 percent found in the Quinnipiac

Poll earlier this week.

PEC Oct. 13 Environmental Policy Conference Features Key Decision Makers

The PA Environmental Council Environmental Policy Conference on October 13 in Harrisburg

will feature key decision makers on Pennsylvania’s foremost policy challenges in 2015 and

beyond.

John Walliser, PEC Vice President for Legal and Government Affairs, provided this

update on the Conference agenda on PEC’s Blog

Wednesday.

There are no shortage of environmental challenges facing Pennsylvania, and PEC’s

second annual Policy Conference will be covering issues of both national and statewide

importance.We’re fortunate this year to not only have John Quigley, Secretary of the Pennsylvania

Department of Environmental Protection, start the conference with a keynote.

We again will have at least a majority of the Chairs of the state Senate and House

Environmental Resources Committees discussing what they see as their priorities for the current

legislative session.

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair, Senate Environmental Resources &

Energy Committee, Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Minority Chair, of the Committee and

http://pecpa.org/pec-blog/http://pecpa.org/event/pecpolicyconference/http://pecpa.org/http://www.pacapitoldigestcrisci.blogspot.com/2015/08/new-poll-kane-resign-wolf-ok-toomey.htmlhttp://www.pacapitoldigestcrisci.blogspot.com/2015/08/new-poll-kane-resign-wolf-ok-toomey.htmlhttp://www.pacapitoldigestcrisci.blogspot.com/2015/08/house-gop-fails-in-partial-override-of.htmlhttp://www.fandm.edu/uploads/files/761140978937429246-franklin-marshall-college-poll-august-2015.pdfhttp://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/08/pa_house_democrats_ask_treasur.html#incart_riverhttp://www.theplsreporter.com/Home/TabId/56/ArtMID/472/ArticleID/876/VIDEO-The-governor-has-a-problem-accepting-yes-as-an-answer-says-Reed-after-latest-budget-meeting-.aspxhttp://www.theplsreporter.com/Home/TabId/56/ArtMID/472/ArticleID/877/Gov-Wolf-on-GOP-pension-offer-discussion-%E2%80%9CIt-was-just-a-little-confusing-to-me%E2%80%9D.aspxhttp://thetimes-tribune.com/news/budget-stalemate-reaches-fork-1.1931133http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2015/08/27/Poll-finds-more-Pennsylvanians-blame-Legislature-than-governor-for-budget-stalemate-wolf/stories/201508270187http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20150826_The_Pa__budget_and_the_games_they_play.htmlhttp://www.philly.com/philly/news/20150825_Wolf_tells_GOP_not_to_waste_negotiating_time_with_override_votes.htmlhttp://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/08/house_majority_leader_im_not_s.html#incart_riverhttp://www.theplsreporter.com/Home/TabId/56/ArtMID/472/ArticleID/875/As-partial-veto-override-attempt-looms-budget-stalemate-rhetoric-heats-up.aspxhttp://www.theplsreporter.com/Home/TabId/56/ArtMID/472/ArticleID/878/House-GOP-veto-override-attempts-fall-short.aspxhttp://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20150826_Pa__GOP_tries_to_override_only_part_of_Wolf_s_budget.htmlhttp://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2015/08/27/Compromise-already-Leaders-in-both-parties-are-hurting-Pennsylvania/stories/201508270073http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20150827_Poll__Voters_blame_GOP__not_Wolf_for_budget_stalemate.html


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Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware), Minority Chair, House Environmental Resources & Energy

Committee will be part of the panel discussion.

The White House’s recent announcement of an implementation framework for the Clean

Power Plan – which will drive a broad set of strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in

Pennsylvania and across the country – will have significant implications for our state’s energy

portfolio for decades to come.We will have representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

Pennsylvania DEP, and power generation sector discussing how Pennsylvania can advance

meaningful emissions reductions.

Watershed improvement also looms large for Pennsylvania, with the Susquehanna River

watershed – which comprises a majority of both Pennsylvania and the broader Chesapeake Bay

watershed – being the most challenging from a policy and budgetary standpoint. Pennsylvania is

already deemed deficient on a number of mandatory benchmarks for water quality improvement,

and has until 2017 to meet considerable goals.

The conference will include representatives from state and federal regulatory agencies, as

well as key stakeholders like agriculture and local government, to discuss needs and

opportunities for accomplishing this considerable task.And we’ll stay with water for our final panel, which will discuss how Pennsylvania

communities can address the challenges of stormwater management – particularly in light of

ongoing state requirements. The panel will feature Rep. Kate Harper as well as local stakeholders

who are on the front line of meeting this challenge.

While the topics are as challenging as they are imperative, we hope you will join us for a

full day of substantive discussion with the very people tasked with ensuring Pennsylvania’s

ongoing environmental improvement.

The Conference will be held at the Harrisburg Hilton from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Click Here to register for the Conference. Click Here for more information on the

agenda. Contact PEC at 412-481-9400 if you have any Conference questions.

Click Here

to sign up for a monthly update from PEC on its activities and programs.

Businesses Can Get A Tax Credit For Supporting Environmental Education Programs

Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program is a way for businesses to

enrich educational opportunities for students and earn tax credits by donating to an Educational

Improvement Organization.

Through EITC, eligible businesses can receive tax credits equal to 75 percent of their

contribution, up to $750,000 per taxable year. The tax credit may be increased to 90 percent of

the contribution if the business agrees to provide the same amount for two consecutive tax years.

The Pennsylvania Resources Council and the Stroud Water Research Center are twoPennsylvania nonprofit environmental groups that have been designated as Educational

Improvement Organizations under the EITC program for providing innovative educational

programs that enhance the public school curriculum.

The Pennsylvania Resources Council’s hands-on, interactive programs promote the

practical application of earth-friendly lifestyle choices and include topics such as recycling and

waste reduction, litter prevention, energy and resource conservation, watershed awareness,

stream ecology, and environmental health.

http://prc.org/educational-improvement-tax-credit/http://community.newpa.com/programs/educational-improvement-tax-credit-program-eitc/http://pecpa.org/email-signup/http://pecpa.org/event/pecpolicyconference/https://policyconf15.abilafundraisingonline.com/pepchttp://www2.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan


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All of PRC’s programs are designed to address Pennsylvania’s State Academic Standards

for “Environment and Ecology” and “Science and Technology” as well as many other relevant

standards across the curriculum.

By contributing to PRC through the EITC program, businesses can receive a tax credits

while making positive impact on both students and the environment.

For more information about making an EITC contribution to PRC, please contact MarioCimino at 610-353-1555 x221 or send email to: [email protected] .

The Stroud Water Research Center offers a variety of programs and workshops aimed at

helping students and teachers understand many of the science concepts in their schools’ curricula

by direct, concrete and academic exposure to their local streams and regional watersheds.

These programs are rooted in the most up-to-date research and are tied directly to

Pennsylvania’s Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology and Science and Technology.

For more information on EITC and Stroud, contact Kristine Lisi, Director of

Development, 610-268-2153, ext. 304 or send email to: [email protected] , or Tara Muenz,

Education Programs Manager, 610-268-2153, ext. 301 or send email to:

[email protected].

A list of approved educational improvement organizations is available online.Other environment-related organizations include: the Academy of Natural Sciences,

Brandywine Conservancy, Brandywine Valley Association , Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh ,

Environment Erie , Great Valley Nature Center , Grey Towers Heritage Association, Pennsylvania

Envirothon , Phipps Conservatory, Riverbend Environmental Education Center , The Outdoor

Classroom, The Outdoor School In Horsham and the Lehigh Gap Nature Center (Wildlife

Information Center, Inc.).

PA Environment Digest Google+ Circle, Blogs, Twitter Feeds

PA Environment Digest now has a Google+ Circle called Green Works In PA . Let us join your

Circle.

Google+ now combines all the news you now get through the PA Environment Digest,

Weekly, Blog, Twitter and Video sites into one resource.

You’ll receive as-it-happens postings on Pennsylvania environmental news, daily

NewsClips and links to the weekly Digest and videos.

Also take advantage of these related services from Crisci Associates --

PA Environment Digest Twitter Feed: On Twitter, sign up to receive instant updates from:

PAEnviroDigest.

PA Environment Daily Blog: provides daily environmental NewsClips and significant stories

and announcements on environmental topics in Pennsylvania of immediate value. Sign up and

receive as they are posted updates through your favorite RSS reader. You can also sign up for a

once daily email alerting you to new items posted on this blog. NEW! Add your constructive

comment to any blog posting.

PA Capitol Digest Daily Blog to get updates every day on Pennsylvania State Government,

http://www.crisciassociates.com/category/capitol-blog/http://www.crisciassociates.com/category/environment-blog/http://www.twitter.com/http://www.crisciassociates.com/https://plus.google.com/+DavidHessGreenWorksInPA/postshttp://www.lgnc.org/http://www.outdoorschoolinhorsham.org/http://www.theoutdoorclassroompa.org/http://www.theoutdoorclassroompa.org/http://www.riverbendeec.org/https://phipps.conservatory.org/http://www.envirothonpa.org/http://www.envirothonpa.org/http://www.greytowers.org/http://www.gvnc.org/http://www.environmenterie.org/http://www.carnegiemuseums.org/http://www.brandywinewatershed.org/http://www.brandywineconservancy.org/http://www.ansp.org/http://community.newpa.com/educational-improvement-organizations/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.stroudcenter.org/eitc/mailto:[email protected]


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including NewsClips, coverage of key press conferences and more. Sign up and receive as they

are posted updates through your favorite RSS reader. You can also sign up for a once daily

email alerting you to new items posted on this blog.

PA Capitol Digest Twitter Feed: Don't forget to sign up to receive the PA Capitol Digest

Twitter

feed to get instant updates on other news from in and around the Pennsylvania StateCapitol.

Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Gov’s Schedule/ Bills Introduced

Here are the Senate and House Calendars and Committee meetings showing bills of interest as

well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--

Bill Calendars

House (September 21): House Bill 48 (Godshall-R-Montgomery) setting standards for drinking

water well construction; Senate Bill 307

(Yudichak-D-Luzerne) providing for an independent

counsel for the Environmental Quality Board. Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (September 21): Senate Resolution 54 (Argall-R-Schuylkill) urging Congress to impose

tariffs on imported anthracite coal (sponsor summary); Senate Resolution 55 (Hutchinson-R-

Venango) a concurrent resolution establishing a Forestry Task Force associated with the Joint

Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee (sponsor summary ).

Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

House: the Consumer Affairs Committee holds 2 hearings: one on Act 129 requirement for

electric distribution companies to meet energy efficiency benchmarks and a second on House

Bill 1349 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) would allow any sized anaerobic digester to count toward

the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards ( sponsor summary ). Click Here for full House

Committee Schedule.

Senate: Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Pending In Key Committees

Here are links to key Standing Committees in the House and Senate and the bills pending ineach--

House

Appropriations

Education

Environmental Resources and Energy

Consumer Affairs

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=10&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=8&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=12&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=4&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/CO/SM/COSM.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/CO/HM/COHM.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=18363http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1349http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1349http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/SC/0/RC/CAL.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=17546http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=R&bn=55http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=16954http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=R&bn=54http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/HC/0/RC/SCHC.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0307http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=0048http://www.twitter.com/PaCapitolDigest


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Gaming Oversight

Human Services

Judiciary

Liquor Control

Transportation

Links for all other Standing House Committees

Senate

Appropriations

Environmental Resources and Energy

Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Community, Economic and Recreational Development

Education

Judiciary

Law and Justice

Public Health and Welfare

TransportationLinks for all other Standing Senate Committees

Bills Introduced

The following bills of interest were introduced this week--

Smart Septic: House Resolution 454 (Tallman-R-Adams) designating September 21-25 as

Septic Smart Week in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary ).

Science-Based Regulation Of Agriculture: Senate Resolution 95 (Vogel-R-Beaver) urging

federal and state regulatory agencies to use science-based data, rather than precautionary

principles, in regulating agriculture ( sponsor summary ).

Session Schedule

Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--

Senate (unless sooner recalled)

September 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30

October 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28

November 16, 17, 18December 7, 8, 9

House (unless sooner recalled)

September 21, 22, 28 (Non-Voting), 29, 30

October 5, 6, 7, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28

November 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 (Non-Voting)

December 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16

http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=17909http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=R&bn=0095http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=18783http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sind=0&body=H&type=R&bn=454http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/StandingCommittees.cfm?CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=19&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=33&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=29&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=39&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=23&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=31&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=7&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=9&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=3&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/StandingCommittees.cfm?CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/StandingCommittees.cfm?CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=38&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=28&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=24&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=56&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=54&CteeBody=H


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Governor’s Schedule

Gov. Tom Wolf's work calendar will be posted each Friday and his public schedule for the day

will be posted each morning. Click Here to view Gov. Wolf’s Weekly Calendar and Public

Appearances.

News From Around The State

Webcast Live: Sept. 2 Marcellus Drilling Advisory Committee Meets On Drilling Regs

The Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board is meeting on September 2 to consider the final draft

of DEP’s Chapter 78 drilling regulations covering unconventional (Marcellus) natural gas

drilling operations.

DEP has made arrangements to webcast the meeting live. Click Here to register for the

morning session and Click Here to register for the afternoon session.

The meeting itself will be held in Room 105 Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg

starting at 10:00.

NewsClips:





Related Stories:

Conventional Drilling Advocates Again Talk Lawsuit Over DEP Drilling Regulations


Hearing On Waiving Drilling Setbacks By Hilcorp Energy Sept. 16 In Lawrence County Ben Franklin Center Releases Study Of Drilling Wastewater Treatment & Disposal



If you missed the August 26 DEP Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force meeting this week, you can

catch up with an on demand video of the meeting available on the Task Force webpage.

The agenda included short progress reports from many of the individual workgroups,

presentations by Dan Devlin, Director of DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry on Natural Resource

Management of Pipeline Infrastructure, a two-part presentation by representatives of Chester

County on how the County is involved in addressing pipeline issues and a presentation by theSusquehanna County Conservation District on how districts are involved in regulating the

construction of pipelines.

All the presentations are available on the Task Force webpage.

The next meeting of the Task Force will be September 23 in the Susquehanna Conference

Rooms, DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg starting at 1:00.

For more information, visit the DEP Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force webpage.

NewsClips:

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pipeline_infrastructure_task_force/22066/2015_meetings/2097721https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=lm1TqVt7NiEhttp://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pipeline_infrastructure_task_force/22066/2015_meetings/2097721http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/08/on-demand-video-aug-26-dep-pipeline.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/08/ben-franklin-center-releases-study-of.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/08/hearing-on-waiving-drilling-setbacks-by.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/08/dep-assesses-374000-in-penalties-for.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/08/conventional-drilling-advocates-again.htmlhttp://triblive.com/business/headlines/8975488-74/gas-cases-wellshttps://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2015/08/25/marcellus-shale-drillers-fined-for-methane-migration/http://triblive.com/business/headlines/8677694-74/oil-schrott-wells#axzz3jcYLaJAQhttp://triblive.com/business/headlines/8988285-74/committee-dep-ruleshttps://copa.webex.com/mw0401lsp13/mywebex/default.do?nomenu=true&siteurl=copa&service=6&rnd=0.1301151856503021&main_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcopa.webex.com%2Fec0701lsp13%2Feventcenter%2Fevent%2FeventAction.do%3FtheAction%3Ddetail%26confViewID%3D4181695873%26%26EMK%3D4832534b000000021b8d64ad3d8e7b176e8d3aa3d46cd22a70268d4f3e01e7209ec04788b91f7de0%26%26encryptTicket%3DSDJTSwAAAAKcMX3vMnYMkej3g4_Sf9YyL5cPCRpO49IzVHqgdQiIBQ2%26%26siteurl%3Dcopahttps://copa.webex.com/mw0401lsp13/mywebex/default.do?nomenu=true&siteurl=copa&service=6&rnd=0.43541774815643897&main_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcopa.webex.com%2Fec0701lsp13%2Feventcenter%2Fevent%2FeventAction.do%3FtheAction%3Ddetail%26confViewID%3D4181695362%26%26EMK%3D4832534b0000000275ac467fd226c21bf5146c571be8563b951fb45e2b188228a2a3319fa7c607bd%26%26encryptTicket%3DSDJTSwAAAAJ3WO5pjAtwPNQNPUgb83kBrZVxoDgrtOwuPuBEirTjtA2%26%26siteurl%3Dcopahttp://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/oil_and_gas_technical_advisory_board_(TAB)/18260http://www.governor.pa.gov/Schedule/Pages/schedule.aspx#.VNVGE0K4lBx


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Related Stories:

Conventional Drilling Advocates Again Talk Lawsuit Over DEP Drilling Regulations Ben Franklin Center Releases Study Of Drilling Wastewater Treatment & Disposal

Hearing On Waiving Drilling Setbacks By Hilcorp Energy Sept. 16 In Lawrence County

Webcast Live: Marcellus Advisory Committee Meets Sept. 2 On Drilling Regs


Lehigh Valley Watershed Conference Set For Oct. 13

The 6th Lehigh Valley Watershed Conference will be held on

October 13 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Northampton

County. The theme this year is Freshwater Ecology.

The Conference brings together professionals, citizens, watershedgroups, municipal officials, professors, students, and interested

citizens and presents up-to-date engaging and timely information

on a variety of water resource topics.

A special plenary session will feature invited guest speaker,

Dorothy Merritts of Franklin and Marshall College who will

discuss "Streams in Pennsylvania - a Historical View."

This year's conference also features two half-day workshops designed to give watershed

volunteers hands-on, practical information and a special landscape track with SA Certified

Arborist, PCH, PDH, Pesticide Credits and PA Landscape Architect CEUs available. Contact

Kathy Salisbury at 215-345-3283 or send email to: [email protected] for more information.

Click Here

to download the Conference agenda. Click Here to register and for more

information or contact the Conference organizers by sending email to:

[email protected] .

NewsClips:

Dauphin County Eligible For Chesapeake Bay Funding

Capital Region Water Moves Ahead With Reservoir Easement

Editorial: PA Waterways Will Change With Climate

Editorial: Water Diversion Plan Threatens Great Lakes

Federal Judge Blocks EPA Waters Of U.S. Rule

Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal

Click Here

to subscribe to the Chesapeake Bay Journal

Update: Penn State Extension, Stroud Riparian Buffer Workshop Sept. 24 Avondale

Penn State Extension and the Stroud Water Research Center will hold a Riparian Stream Buffer

Workshop on September 24 starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Stroud Center, 970 Spencer Road,

Avondale, Chester County.

Stream buffers provide the best value in reducing stormwater runoff and urban pollution,

http://www.stroudcenter.org/http://www.bayjournal.com/subscriptionhttp://www.bayjournal.com/http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/federal-judge-blocks-key-obama-administration-water-rule/2015/08/27/8c80d2ae-4d10-11e5-bfb9-9736d04fc8e4_story.htmlhttp://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2015/08/28/Hands-off-A-water-diversion-plan-threatens-the-Great-Lakes/stories/201508290019http://timesleader.com/opinion/editorials/378742/our-opinion-alligators-here-to-stay-no-but-pennsylvania-waterways-will-change-with-the-climatehttp://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/08/capital_region_water_moves_for.html#incart_riverhttp://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/08/dauphin_county_learns_it_is_el.html#incart_rivermailto:[email protected]://www.eventbrite.com/e/lehigh-valley-watershed-conference-registration-16189010767https://cdn.evbuc.com/eventlogos/145423064/2015lvwc2a-1.pdfmailto:[email protected]://www.fandm.edu/dmerritthttp://www.eventbrite.com/e/lehigh-valley-watershed-conference-registration-16189010767http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/08/dep-assesses-374000-in-penalties-for.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/08/webcast-live-marcellus-drilling.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/08/hearing-on-waiving-drilling-setbacks-by.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/08/ben-franklin-center-releases-study-of.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/08/conventional-drilling-advocates-again.htmlhttp://triblive.com/business/headlines/8975488-74/gas-cases-wellshttps://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2015/08/25/marcellus-shale-drillers-fined-for-methane-migration/http://triblive.com/business/headlines/8677694-74/oil-schrott-wells#axzz3jcYLaJAQhttp://triblive.com/business/headlines/8988285-74/committee-dep-rules


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thereby improving water quality and infiltration in a watershed.

Participants in the workshop will hear about how riparian buffers are the most crucial

factor in improving stream health from the Stroud Water Research Center's latest research.

The morning’s informative presentations preview a tour of the facilities 7 research

laboratories. The afternoon brings us outdoors to experience ongoing field research and the green

infrastructure features of the new LEED Platinum Certified Moorhead Environmental Complex

.The registration deadline is September 20. Click Here to register and for more

information.

Applications For Next Penn State Master Well Owner Course Due ASAP

The Penn State Master Well Owner Network will provide free, online training for the first 25

volunteers who submit an application and are accepted into the program. The registration

deadline for this course is September 18.

If you are interested in learning more about the proper management of private water

wells, springs and cisterns and you are willing to share what you learn with others, the Master

Well Owner Program may be for you.To be eligible for this program you must: 1) NOT be employed by any company that

provides paid services to private water supply owners (i.e. water testing companies, water

treatment companies, water well drillers, etc.) and 2) you must be willing to pass along basic

private water system management knowledge to other private water system owners.

Each accepted volunteer will receive six weekly emails with links to short reading

assignments and video presentations on private water system basics, water testing, water supply

protection, water treatment, water conservation, and how to educate others.

Course registrants can complete the course at their own pace from September 28 to

November 9. A computer with a high speed internet connection is recommended to view all of

the course materials and videos.

Pennsylvania is home to over one million private water wells and springs but it is one of

the few states that do not provide statewide regulations to protect these rural drinking water

supplies.

In 2004, Penn State Cooperative Extension and several partner agencies created the

Master Well Owner Network; trained volunteers who are dedicated to promoting the proper

construction, testing, and maintenance of private water wells, springs and cisterns throughout

Pennsylvania.

Since its inception, hundreds of MWON volunteers have provided education to nearly

37,000 private water supply owners throughout the state.

Volunteers who recently completed the online course in spring 2015 said: “Excellent

training- appreciated the book as well as the webinars to really emphasize the main points. Verywell organized, I'm excited to share this information with others. The presentations were very

informative--and very well done. Overall--I was impressed--well done!

“I thought the webinar format was suitable for my situation. The time allowed to

complete the course was just the right amount. Any longer and participants may lose interest.

Any shorter and they may feel rushed. Thanks to all who helped put this course together. I was

astounded by the amount of information shared and wish every well owner would be educated

about their responsibilities.”

http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/mwon/volunteer/how-does-online-training-workhttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/mwonhttp://www.cvent.com/events/riparian-buffer-workshop/event-summary-0189053f434f452d9292271471a67a63.aspxhttp://www.stroudcenter.org/mec/


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Volunteers who successfully complete the training course and pass a short exam will

receive a free copy of the 80-page publication - A Guide to Private Water Systems in

Pennsylvania, a coupon good for a 10 percent discount on water testing through the Penn State

water testing lab, and access to various MWON educational materials.

In return, MWON volunteers are asked to pass along what they have learned to other

private water supply owners and submit an annual report of their educational accomplishments.To learn more and complete an application, visit the Master Well Owner Network

Training webpage.

NewsClips:

Capital Region Water Moves Ahead With Reservoir Easement

Derry Authority Seeks Permit To Kill Geese At Reservoir

(Written By: Bryan Swistock, Water Resources Specialist, Renewable Natural Resources, Penn

State Extension, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management and reprinted from the

August 24 Watershed Winds newsletter from Penn State Extension.)

Feature: York Students Immerse Themselves In B-WET Stream Program

By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal

The fifth graders stood atop the high bank of Willis Run,

barely 10 feet wide, as it poured out of Kiwanis Lake —

actually a large concrete-lined pond in the middle of

York, PA.

A storm drainpipe stuck out of an adjacent bridge

abutment, waiting for the next rainfall to add to the

stream’s flow.

The fact that Willis Run was far from pristine hardly

mattered to the students from nearby Ferguson

Elementary School, who chanted their most pressing

question:

“Are we going to get into the water?”

“We are!” replied Toby Liss, of Audubon Pennsylvania.

“Yay!” the excited students yelled back.

Liss doled out some last-minute instructions about how to look for stream insects and

crayfish, including the proper technique for turning over rocks, as the students grabbed their nets.

Then it was down the bank and into the stream, the payoff for lessons over the previous

months about streams and their natural systems.The Ferguson Elementary students illustrate a goal set in the new Chesapeake Bay

Watershed Agreement that called for each student in the region to graduate “with the knowledge

and skills to act responsibly to protect and restore their local watershed.”

To help meet that goal of developing environmental literacy, the agreement calls for each

student to have a “meaningful watershed educational experience” at least once each in

elementary, middle and high school, if funding is available.

That’s an increase from the previous agreement, which called for only a single outdoor

http://www.chesapeakebay.net/chesapeakebaywatershedagreement/pagehttp://www.chesapeakebay.net/chesapeakebaywatershedagreement/pagehttp://www.bayjournal.com/article/york_pa_students_immerse_themselves_in_bwet_stream_programhttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/news?utm_campaign=Watershed+Winds+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=newsletter_view_onlinehttp://triblive.com/news/westmoreland/8955726-74/geese-authority-lakehttp://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/08/capital_region_water_moves_for.html#incart_riverhttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/mwon/volunteer/how-does-online-training-workhttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/mwon/volunteer/how-does-online-training-workhttp://extension.psu.edu/publications/agrs-111/viewhttp://extension.psu.edu/publications/agrs-111/view


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experience.

Multiple exposures are “what the research shows is really important,” said Shannon

Sprague, environmental literacy manager with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office. “Building upon it through their education tenure is

very important. Those one-time experiences are not as indicative in changing stewardship

behavior as multiple experiences.”Still, that’s a challenge. The Bay Program’s new management strategy written to achieve

the goal acknowledges the difficulty of the task, as education priorities are set by about 600

different school districts across the watershed. And environmental education can mesh with

priorities set by recent national educational reform efforts, it is not a required element.

Further, funding is an ongoing issue. The largest single source of funding has been

NOAA’s Bay Watershed Education and Training, or BWET, program. That program typically

receives about $2.5 million a year to support programs across the entire watershed, but its

funding has always been tenuous.

“We are creating model programs,” Sprague said. “We are not going to be able to fund

everything.”

Audubon Pennsylvania

has been developing one of those models with the Carlisle andYork school districts for several years, taking about 1,000 students into the field annually with

the support of BWET and others.

Amy Weidensaul, director of Community Conservation & Education with Audubon

Pennsylvania, said the schools were chosen based on support both from individual teachers, who

are expected to incorporate the themes into their teaching, as well as from school and district

administrators. Audubon doesn’t want to put effort into building a program for the district only

to have it “fizzle out” after a year or so, she said.

In addition, Audubon is working to build a volunteer corps to help with the program and

field trip to help keep program costs low.

The trip into the field — and stream — was the culmination of a program that began

months earlier, as Audubon staffers made multiple visits during the school year, with lessons

about water quality, habitats and ecosystems.

Using Google Maps and Google Earth, students learned about watersheds, and how

nearby Willis Run connected downstream to Codorus Creek, which drains into the Susquehanna

River which, in turn, empties into the Chesapeake Bay.

They taught the students how to use binoculars and nets, how to test water quality, and

how the types of stream dwellers they find can indicate the health of the stream. The students

learn how actions on the land affect water quality, and how things like stream buffers can

mitigate some impacts.

On the visit to Kiwanis Lake and Willis Run, they got hands-on experience about how

they can make a difference in restoration by removing nonnative plant species.And they learned how to assess the suitability of the surrounding park land as bird

habitat. Kiwanis Lake has the added attraction of hosting the nesting populations of two bird

species listed as endangered in the state — black-crowned night herons and great egrets — even

though it is in the middle of a city.

“We use it as a chance to build neighborhood pride that these birds have chosen this

neighborhood to raise their young,” Weidensaul said.

But for many, the chance to wade in the stream — net in hand — appeared to be the high

http://pa.audubon.org/http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/BWET/


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point of the day.

“Here’s a frog!”

“Look at the size of this crayfish!”

It was an eye-opening experience — and one that could put them on a lifetime path of

stewardship.

“Many of the kids ask if they can come back on their own,” Weidensaul said. “In York,they had never been in a stream. They never even thought of that as a potential area to explore or

play on their own.

“As they leave, many of them say, ‘I am going to come back with my parents

tomorrow.’ ”

(Reprinted from the August 24 Chesapeake Bay Journal . Click Here to sign up for your own


Allegheny Front: How Small Towns Are Claiming Their Riverfronts

The Allegheny Front radio program this week featured Lindsay Baxter from the PAEnvironmental Council talking about the group’s River Town Program.

In recent years, cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Cleveland have won a lot of praise

for reviving their waterfronts with bike trails and parks. But many smaller towns, some along

those same rivers, are struggling to find their footing after key businesses—and later,

residents—left town.

PEC’s River Town Program helps riverfront communities rediscover the value of their

rivers as economic and community assets and is helping transform small riverfront communities

in Pennsylvania.

Click Here to listen to the program or read more about it. For more information, visit

PEC’s River Town Program webpage.

NewsClips:

Balancing Flood Protection And Fun In PA’s River Towns

Rebirth On The Monongahela River

Improved Access No. 1 Goal Of Monongahela River Town Program

Lots Of Red Tape For Building Waterfront Projects In PA

Historic Waterfront Development That Transformed Pittsburgh: Point State Park

Mapping Pennsylvania’s Urban Waterfronts

DEP Invites Comments On Thompson Run TMDL In Allegheny County

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the August 29 PA Bulletininviting comments on a proposed, revised Total Maximum Daily Load Plan for Thompson Run

in Allegheny County. (formal notice Aug. 29 PA Bulletin page 5449 )

Comments are due September 28. A copy of the TMDL is available on DEP’s TMDL

webpage .

Aug. 24 Watershed Winds Newsletter Now Available From Penn State Extension

http://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/TMDL/http://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/TMDL/http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol45/45-35/45-35.pdfhttps://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/89300025eee34260d10664c395a3ce35/pennsylvania-urban-waterfronts/index.htmlhttp://crossroads.newsworks.org/index.php/keystone-crossroads/item/84815-the-waterfront-development-that-started-it-all-in-pittsburgh-point-state-park?linktype=featured_articlepagehttp://crossroads.newsworks.org/index.php/keystone-crossroads/item/85082http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourmonvalley/yourmonvalleymore/5864991-74/river-program-mccollom#axzz3k0yZFK00http://www.keystoneedge.com/features/monrivervalley043015.aspxhttp://crossroads.newsworks.org/index.php/keystone-crossroads/item/85283http://pecpa.org/program/the-river-town-program/http://www.alleghenyfront.org/story/how-small-towns-are-reclaiming-their-riverfrontshttp://pecpa.org/program/the-river-town-program/http://pecpa.org/http://pecpa.org/http://www.alleghenyfront.org/http://www.bayjournal.com/subscriptionhttp://www.bayjournal.com/


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The August 24 edition of the Watershed Winds newsletter is now available from Penn State

Extension featuring stories on--

-- Joint Conservation Committee Release Green Paper On Fluoridation

-- Applications Now Being Accepted For Penn State Master Well Owner Course

-- Master Well Owner Volunteers At Ag Progress Days

-- DEP Funding For Stormwater Projects In Chesapeake Bay Watershed -- Penn State Extension Assists At Allegheny River Cleanup

-- Toxic Blue-Green Algae Increasing Threat To Drinking, Recreational Waters

-- Penn State Extension Water Team At Ag Progress Days

-- Climate Changes Means More Driving, Less Angling For Trout Fishermen

-- Click Here to sign up for your own copy.

Keep PA Beautiful: International Coastal Cleanup Begins Sept. 1, Still Time To Participate

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful invites Pennsylvania

residents to coordinate a cleanup as part of the Ocean

Conservancy’s 2015 International Coastal Cleanup heldfrom September 1 through October 31.

The International Coastal Cleanup is the largest volunteer

effort aimed at improving the health of the ocean, bringing

out hundreds of thousands of volunteers from around the

world to remove millions of pounds of plastics and debris

from beaches, lakes and waterways. This event has grown to include participation by all 50

states and U.S. territories and 90 countries with the number growing each year.

Keep PA Beautiful coordinates this effort in Pennsylvania.

“In 2014, 12,809 volunteers from 50 counties canvassed their communities to remove

646,210 pounds of trash and debris from Pennsylvania’s waterways and coastal regions during

the International Coastal Cleanup event,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep PA Beautiful.

“Our goal is to have participation from all 67 counties for this global effort.”

Any cleanup site is eligible since we all live in a watershed and all waterways flow into

our coastal waters. International Coastal Cleanup Day will be held on September 19, however,

ICC events can be held from September 1 through October 31.

Gloves and bags are available for registered events while supplies last.

If you are interested in coordinating an ICC cleanup or volunteering at a cleanup, please

contact Michelle Dunn at 1-877-772-3673 Ext. 113 or send email to:

[email protected]

.

For more information, visit KPB's

2015 International Coastal Cleanup

webpage.

NewsClips:Keystone Landfill Zoning Decision By Mid-October

No Conclusion Reached On Landfill As Source Of Gases

Finding Uses For Landfill Gas

Lancaster Waste Authority Buys Quarry As Water Supply

Zippo To Pay $186K Federal Penalty For Waste Violations

Despite Cleanup, Lockheed Martin Site Still Contaminated

Related Story:

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/despite-cleanup-efforts-part-of-lockheed-martin-site-still-contaminated-1.1932032http://www.goerie.com/zippo-to-pay-186000-for-alleged-hazardous-waste-violationshttp://lancasteronline.com/news/local/historic-quarry-and-scuba-center-near-bainbridge-bought-by-waste/article_a1c866c0-4b64-11e5-bdf9-c3fbedf1110c.htmlhttp://powersource.post-gazette.com/powersource/policy-powersource/2015/08/25/Finding-uses-for-garbage-gas/stories/201508250009http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/no-conclusion-reached-on-landfill-as-harmful-gases-source-1.1931134http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/keystone-landfill-zoning-decision-coming-by-mid-october-1.1933732http://www.keeppabeautiful.org/CleanIt/IntlCoastalCleanup.aspxhttp://www.keeppabeautiful.org/CleanIt/IntlCoastalCleanup.aspxmailto:[email protected]://www.keeppabeautiful.org/CleanIt/IntlCoastalCleanup.aspxhttp://www.keeppabeautiful.org/http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/news/subscribehttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/news/2015/for-trout-fishermen-climate-change-will-mean-more-driving-time-less-anglinghttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/news/2015/penn-state-extension-water-team-at-ag-progress-dayshttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/news/2015/toxic-blue-green-algae-pose-increasing-threat-to-nations-drinking-recreational-waterhttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/news/2015/penn-state-extension-assists-at-allegheny-river-clean-uphttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/news/2015/dep-offers-funding-for-projects-to-improve-local-water-quality-by-reducing-stormwater-runoff-in-chesapeake-bay-watershedhttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/news/2015/penn-state-extension-master-well-owner-volunteers-at-ag-progress-dayshttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/news/2015/applications-being-accepted-for-next-penn-state-master-well-owner-coursehttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/news/2015/joint-legislative-conservation-committee-releases-green-paper-on-fluoridation-of-public-drinking-water-systemshttp://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/news?utm_campaign=Watershed+Winds+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=newsletter_view_online


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Keep PA Beautiful: Nearly 130,000 Participated In 2015 Great American Cleanup Of PA

Work To Extinguish Mine Fire In Carbon County Continues To Progress

The Department of Environmental Protection said Tuesday it is continuing drilling work to map

the limits of the Jeansville mine fire in Banks Township, Carbon County.“DEP’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation is continuing to monitor the progress of

efforts to extinguish this mine fire,” said John Stefanko, deputy secretary for Office of Active

and Abandoned Mine Operations. “We are working with the contractor to complete the

exploratory drilling work as fast as is safely possible.”

Minichi Inc., of Dupont, Luzerne County has drilled 38 of the proposed 51 holes. Drilling

activity is expected to finish by the end of August, but could be extended if additional drilling is

needed to accurately define the limits of the fire.

The mine fire is burning beneath approximately 29 acres of mine land owned by Pagnotti

Enterprises, of Wilkes-Barre. Hazleton Shaft Corporation is actively mining a portion of the

property and is extinguishing parts of the mine fire burning within the permitted area.

“DEP staff have been monitoring the air near the fire with sophisticated equipment, bothdaytime and overnight for the presence of hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, and carbon

dioxide,” said Mike Bedrin, director of DEP’s Northeast Regional Office. “We are confident

there are no dangerous gases that could impact the health and safety of nearby residents.”

To date, DEP’s Bureau of Air Quality has completed 25 air monitoring sessions at eight

different areas within a 1 to 1½ mile radius of the fire. Monitoring results have not shown any

danger to human health.

In July, the department added the eighth site, an area along Route 93 in the village of

Coxeville, at the request of Banks Township Supervisors on behalf of residents in that

community. Air monitoring will continue, and additional monitoring sites will be added if

necessary.

Residents with a concern regarding the fire can call DEP’s Northeast Regional Office at

570-830-3057.

Related Story:

DEP To Receive National Award For Lackawanna County Coal Refuse Fire Project

New Poll: PA Voters Support More Emission Limits On Coal-Burning Power Plants

In the coal-rich Keystone State, voters support 67 – 28 percent federal requirements that owners

of coal-burning power plants reduce pollution, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll

released Monday.

Republicans oppose the proposed limits 51 – 45 percent, but every other party, gender orage group supports them by wide margins.

Voters say 72 – 24 percent these efforts are needed to clea

Documents

Pa Environment Digest Aug. 31, 2015