Pa Environment Digest Feb. 28, 2011

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PA Environment DigestAn Update On Environmental Issues In

PA

Edited By: David E. Hess, Crisci Associates

Winner 2009 PAEE Business Partner Of The Year Award

Harrisburg, Pa February 28, 2011

House Hearing On Severance Tax, Groups Urge Renewal Of Growing Greener

Witnesses testifying at a public hearing this week by Reps. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) and Tim

Briggs (D-Montgomery) said they support legislation that would tax Marcellus Shale natural gas

drilling to help minimize cuts in next year's budget, fund the Growing Greener program and

compensate municipalities impacted by drilling.

"A drilling tax needs to be part of the budget discussion this year because the

Commonwealth is facing a $4 billion deficit," said Rep. Vitali. "Pennsylvania is the only major

natural gas producing state in the nation that does not have a severance tax or fee in place. Its

time for Pennsylvanians to get some of the benefit."

"I will continue the push for a severance tax on natural gas extraction to ensure that

drillers who are profiting from our natural resources pay their fair share and do not to allow this

burden to fall on the backs of hardworking Pennsylvanians," said Rep. Briggs.

The hearing was held in King of Prussia by the House Democratic Policy Committee to

examine Rep. Vitali's legislation-- House Bill 33. It would impose a tax slightly less than one inWest Virginia -- about 6 percent of the market value of the gas. Rep. Vitali said this rate was

selected because it has proven effective and should not hinder the growth of Pennsylvanias

natural gas industry.

"The tax structure proposed does not pick winners and losers among drillers," said

Michael Wood, a Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center researcher who testified at the hearing.

"Setting the tax just under that in neighboring West Virginia eliminates an unnecessary incentive

to drill in one state or the other."

The tax would generate about $200 million in fiscal year 2011-12, increasing to nearly

$420 million by fiscal year 2015-16. The revenue would be shared equally by the states general

fund, environmental programs and local governments.

It would also provide funding for Pennsylvanias Growing Greener program, which isrunning out of money. The program has helped to preserve more than 75,000 acres of

Pennsylvania farmland and open space, restored 16,000 acres of abandoned mine land and

improved over 230 community parks in the past four years.

"The Environmental Stewardship Fund is being depleted at an alarming rate and if we do

not immediately identify ways to renew its funding, the incredible work Growing Greener has
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been able to accomplish will cease to exist," said Andrew Heath, executive director of the Renew

Growing Greener Coalition. (Click Here for full testimony)

"It is possible to save Growing Greener. First, as an emergency, short-term action, the

Administration must divert the Growing Greener II Bond debt service out of the Environmental

Stewardship Fund," said Heath. "When the Growing Greener II Bond was established in 2005,

the enabling legislation allowed for the Governor to take up to $60 million from theEnvironmental Stewardship Fund to pay the debt. This is robbing Peter to pay Paul. This is

making Growing Greener I pay for Growing Greener II.

"The estimated revenue coming in to the Environmental Stewardship Fund next year for

Growing Greener projects is $65-$70 million. The estimated debt expense is $45-$50 million.

This leaves $15-$20 million remaining for projects. It is scary to think that we will be going from

a level of funding in 2007-2008 of $200 million, to a level of funding as low as $15 million next

year. This will kill the Growing Greener program," said Heath.

Additional revenue sources will need to be identified in order to renew Growing

Greener; the diversion of the debt service is the first step in a longer process, said Heath. The

Coalition believes that drilling tax legislation in Pennsylvania must include a substantial

allocation to the Environmental Stewardship Fund, as House Bill 33 proposes. When we depleteour natural resources, we have a responsibility to future generations to reinvest in those natural

resources. Dedicating a significant portion of drilling tax revenue to the Environmental

Stewardship Fund and Growing Greener helps to ensure that drilling does not diminish our

shared environment.

Oliver Bass, Vice-President of Communications and Engagement forNatural Lands

Trust, also provided testimony, noting that Growing Greener has done more than just preserve

Pennsylvanias land, water and air and provide recreation opportunities to the states

communities, residents and visitors.

It has contributed billions of dollars to the states economy in jobs, taxes, tourism and

other revenue, said Bass. Renewing and expanding funding for Growing Greener is anessential investment in the states economic recovery and long-term prosperity.

Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director John Arway testified in support of the bill,

which would give the commission 1.4 percent of the tax revenue.

"We just do not have enough people or enough hours in a day to adequately keep up with

the volume of Marcellus gas well development projects," Arway said.

Also testifying were Olivia Thorne, president of the PA League of Women Voters; Lisa

Schaefer, government relations manager of the County Commissioners Association of

Pennsylvania. Officials from Range Resources and the Marcellus Shale Coalition were invited to

represent the drilling industry, but declined to attend.

A copy of testimony presented is available online.

NewsClips: Growing Greener Likely Will Be Casualty Of Budget CrisisMore Upbeat About Possibly Smaller State Deficit

2 Southeast GOP House Members Call For Tax On Natural Gas

Lawmakers Renew Push For Gas Drilling Tax

Lawmakers Hear Pros, Cons On Marcellus Shale Tax

Op-Ed: Pennsylvania Needs A Marcellus Drilling Tax

Editorial: Shale Tax Is A Fair Solution
http://renewgrowinggreener.org/http://renewgrowinggreener.org/http://goo.gl/OFTRIhttp://www.natlands.org/http://www.natlands.org/http://www.pahouse.com/policycommittee/http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Story/02-21-2011-commissioners-greenerhttp://www.timesleader.com/news/More_upbeat_about_possibly_smaller_deficit_02-20-2011.htmlhttp://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times/courier_times_news_details/article/28/2011/february/23/2-in-gop-call-for-tax-on-gas-drilling.htmlhttp://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/20110224_Pennsylvania_lawmakers_renew_push_for_gas-drilling_tax.htmlhttp://timesherald.com/articles/2011/02/23/news/doc4d65c197b6cec894905959.txthttp://www.publicopiniononline.com/ci_17457794?source=most_emailedhttp://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/116551283.htmlhttp://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/116551283.htmlhttp://www.publicopiniononline.com/ci_17457794?source=most_emailedhttp://timesherald.com/articles/2011/02/23/news/doc4d65c197b6cec894905959.txthttp://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/20110224_Pennsylvania_lawmakers_renew_push_for_gas-drilling_tax.htmlhttp://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times/courier_times_news_details/article/28/2011/february/23/2-in-gop-call-for-tax-on-gas-drilling.htmlhttp://www.timesleader.com/news/More_upbeat_about_possibly_smaller_deficit_02-20-2011.htmlhttp://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Story/02-21-2011-commissioners-greenerhttp://www.pahouse.com/policycommittee/http://www.natlands.org/http://www.natlands.org/http://goo.gl/OFTRIhttp://renewgrowinggreener.org/http://renewgrowinggreener.org/


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Senate Committee To Hold Confirmation Hearing For Secretary Of DEP March 2

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider the nomination

of Acting Secretary Michael Krancer for Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection on

March 2.

The hearing will be held in the Senate Majority Caucus Room starting at 9:30.Gov. Corbett has not yet nominated an individual to serve as Secretary of the Department

of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Traditionally, each nominee must meet or offer to meet with each of the Senators before a

vote can be taken on his or her nomination. There are also a variety of financial interest and

other forms which must be filed with the Senate. Filling these forms is typically what leads to

some delay in the referral of nominations.

Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango) serves as Majority Chair of the Committee and Sen.

John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) serves as Majority Chair.

Corbett Administration Puts $364.3 Million In Budgetary Reserve

In a January 28 letterreleased this week by Budget Secretary Charles Zogby, the Corbett

Administration announced it has put an additional $364.3 million in budgetary reserve. The

letter was to the Chairs of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees.

The $364.3 million would come from a $337.8 million cut in Basic Education Funding,

$25.7 million cut in several programs in the Department of Community and Economic

Development and $669,000 from the DEP Safe Water line item for legislative projects.

The letter explained the reduction in the Basic Education Funding appropriation would be

offset by federal Education Jobs Fund monies that have not yet been appropriated by the General

Assembly. The federal government made these funds available to states in August 2010 to be

awarded to school districts during the 2010-11 school year.The General Assembly will have to act to appropriate the additional federal funds,

Secretary Zogby said.

The letter notes, "no school district will receive less funding than was originally included

in the enacted budget signed by Gov. Rendell on July 6, 2010, including restoring $50 million in

funding that was placed in budgetary reserve in August 2010."

Secretary Zogby said the other monies put in budgetary reserve were for discretionary

grants and have not yet been expended.

In the letter the Budget Office projects a deficit of over $4 billion for fiscal year 2011-12

based on current projections.

A copy of the letterand answers to frequently asked questions on the letter are available

online.

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Senate/House Agenda/Session 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--

Session Schedule

Here is the Senate and House schedule--

Senate

February 28

March 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 (Budget Hearings Weeks of 14th, 21th & 28th)

April 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 26, 27

May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 23, 24

June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30

House

February 28

March 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9, (Budget Hearings Weeks of 14th, 21th & 28th)

April 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, (25 NV), 26, and 27May 2, 3, 4, 9. 10, 11, 23, 24, and 25

June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, and 30

Bill Calendars
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House (February 28): House Bill 144 (Pickett-R-Bradford) further providing for corrective

language regarding when roll-back taxes are due when an oil or gas well is drilled on enrolled

land. Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (February 28): Senate Bill 151 (Pileggi-R-Delaware) providing for the sharing of Air

Pollution Control Act fines and penalties; Senate Bill 303 (MJ White-R-Venango) furtherproviding for reports under the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act. Click Here for full Senate Bill

Calendar.

Committees

House: the Local Government Committee meets to considerHouse Bill 295 (Freeman-D-

Lehigh) amending the Main Street Act related to grant duration; the Agriculture and Rural

Affairs Committee meets ton considerHouse Bill 807 (Sonney-R-Erie) adding additional

measures to enforce the biodiesel mandate; the Consumer Affairs Committee meets to hear

presentations from the water and wastewater industries and will also meet to considerHouse Bill

344 (Baker-R-Tioga) giving the Public Utility Commission additional authority to regulatepipeline safety; the Game and Fisheries Committee holds an informational meeting on the Fish

and Boat Commission annual report; the Transportation Committee meets to considerHouse

Bill 3 (Geist-R-Blair) relating to public-private partnerships in transportation projects. Click

Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate: the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider the

nomination of Acting Secretary Michael Krancer for Secretary, Department of Environmental

Protection; the Appropriations Committee meets to considerSenate Bill 265 (MJ White-R-

Venango) amending the Coal and Gas Resource Coordination Act to further provide for drilling

through coal reserves, Senate Bill 325 (Baker-R-Luzerne) authorizing the PUC to havejurisdiction over certain pipelines. Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Other: the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee holds

an Environmental Issues Forum presentation by David Sheridan, Green Building Association of

Central Pennsylvania.

Bills Introduced

The following bills of interest were introduced this week--

Counsel To EQB: Senate Bill 618 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) requiring the appointment of anindependent counsel to the Environmental Quality Board.

Textbook Recycling: Senate Bill 624 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) requiring the recycling of text

books in primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher learning.

Septic Permit Exemption: Senate Bill 664 (Kasunic-D-Somerset) expanding the exemption

from septic system permits.
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SEPTA Natural Gas Conversions: Senate Resolution 38 (Corman-R-Centre) directing the

Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study of converting the SEPTA bus

system to natural gas.

Gas Well Spacing: House Bill 768 (Conklin-D-Centre) further providing for gas well spacing.

Water Supply Protection: House Bill 781 (Hanna-D-Centre) amending the Oil and Gas Act

requiring further protection of water supplies from oil and gas wells.

Biodiesel Compliance: House Bill 807 (Sonney-R-Erie) further providing for the enforcement

of biodiesel mandates. (Note: The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee is due to

consider this bill on March 1.)

Federal Review Of NPDES Permits: House Resolution 87 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) calling on the

Region III office of the U.S. Environmental Protection to cease the unlawful review of NPDES

water quality permits.

News From The Capitol

Sen. Mary Jo White Applauds Corbett's Repeal Of Rendell State Lands Drilling Permit

Policy

Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango), Majority Chair of the Senate

Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, applauded Gov. Corbett

for repealing the policy of imposing additional restrictions on oil and gas

drilling on State Park and Forest Land as part of the Department ofEnvironmental Protection's standard well-permitting process.

"The Governor took the appropriate action in repealing the policy,"

said Sen. White. "As I outlined in my letter to Gov. Rendell last

November, the policy was irresponsible, and could potentially cost

Pennsylvania taxpayers tens of millions of dollars from the impairment of

existing contracts."

Sen. White added by repealing the policy, Gov. Corbett properly upheld a legal precedent

set in the case ofBelden & Blake Corporation v. DCNR, where the courts prohibited the

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources from imposing surface use agreements and

drilling conditions on permit applicants who owned the subsurface mineral rights underlying

state park land."DEP has done a good job of working to ensure that natural gas is developed responsibly,

and DCNR has negotiated and executed lease agreements which contain meaningful added

protections for publicly-owned lands," said Sen. White. "However, if there is justification for

general conditions on natural gas production on all state lands, these should be adopted by statute

or regulation, and must adhere to settled case law."
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2011&sind=0&body=S&type=R&BN=0038http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2011&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=768http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2011&sind=0&body=H&type=B&BN=0781http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2011&sind=0&body=H&type=B&BN=0807http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2011&sind=0&body=H&type=R&BN=0087http://www.senatormjwhite.com/environmental.htmhttp://www.senatormjwhite.com/environmental.htmhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=17235http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=17235http://www.senatormjwhite.com/environmental.htmhttp://www.senatormjwhite.com/environmental.htmhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2011&sind=0&body=H&type=R&BN=0087http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2011&sind=0&body=H&type=B&BN=0807http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2011&sind=0&body=H&type=B&BN=0781http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2011&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=768http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2011&sind=0&body=S&type=R&BN=0038


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Matt Ehrhart, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Office of the Chesapeake Bay

Foundation expressed concern about the impact of drilling on state lands where the

Commonwealth does not own the mineral rights.

"Given the concerns and unknowns that remain about the impacts of Marcellus

production, it makes no sense to remove any protections we have in place for drilling on land

that belongs to the people of the Commonwealth," said Ehrhart. "Even on land where themineral rights are not owned by the commonwealth we should take every precaution to protect

the citizens' use of and value in our state forests and parks.

"The cumulative impacts of drilling pads, access roads, pipelines, and associated impacts

on our streams and wildlife are significant and only partially understood. The Commonwealth

should not minimize our ability to protect these resources on our public natural areas," said

Ehrhart.

NewsClips: Corbett Repeals Drilling Policy

Forest Drilling Issue Sensitive For Corbett

PA Loosens Rule On Gas Drilling

Corbett Scales Back Policy For Drilling On Public Land

Corbett Administration Pulls Policy On Drilling On State LandPA Governor Scales Back Drilling Policy On Public Land

Gas Drilling In PA State Parks Draws Fire

Group Files Intent To Use Corbett Administration Over Drilling

Blog: Corbett Administration Clears Path For Shale Drillers

Blog: Former DCNR Boss Blasts Shift In Drilling Policy

Column: PA Politicians Aren't Protecting Environment

Editorial: Corbett- Acres Of Drilling

Editorial: Imagine Well Pad At Ohiopyle State Park

House Committee Holds Hearing On Pipeline Safety Bill

The House Consumer Affairs Committee this week held a hearing on legislation-- House Bill

344 (Baker-R-Tioga)-- which would give the Public Utility Commission additional authority to

regulate natural gas pipeline safety.

The PUC and Pennsylvania gas industry representatives voiced their support for the

legislation, saying it is essential to protect the safety of Pennsylvania citizens.

Rep. Bob Godshall (R-Montgomery), Majority Chair of the Committee, said the

legislation is timely in light of the amount of pipeline development under way and being

planned. He said safety is the bottom line.

"There are very few federal inspectors," said Rep. Godshall. "It's not that the gathering

lines are not inspected, but they are inspected when the inspectors can get there. With all thewells that are being drilled in Pennsylvania and all the development that we have with the

Marcellus Shale, it's vitally important that these lines are inspected on a regular basis by our state

people who know what they are doing -- using the same guidelines that have been established by

the federal government."

Under the plan, Rep. Godshall said the PUC would follow federal guidelines and

coordinate with the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
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Safety Administration to perform the inspections. The cost of the inspections would be covered

by a federal grant to the PUC and through registration fees.

Testimony is available online for: James Cawley, outgoing Chair of the PUC, Louis

D'Amico, President PA Independent Oil and Gas Association, Rolf Hanson, Associated

Petroleum Industries of PA, David Callahan, Marcellus Shale Coalition, Edward Mann, State

Fire Commissioner, John Leary, Gas Superintendant, Borough of Chambersburg and DouglasPipeline Company.

Rep. Godshall announced the Committee will consider House Bill 344 on March 1.

Rep. Joseph Preston (D-Allegheny) serves as Minority Chair of the Committee.

NewsClips: Experts Address Gas Pipeline Issues

Pipeline Safety Bills Gaining Steam In Harrisburg

Environmental Synopsis Features Presentation On Maurice K. Goddard

The February issue of the Environmental Synopsis published by the Joint

Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee

features an article on Maurice K. Goddard, former long-time Secretary ofthe Department of Environmental Resources.

Other articles include: offshore wind development, grey water

systems, Greenhouse Gas Credits, mine safety and more.

Rep. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango) serves as Chair of the

Committee.

News From Around The State

DEP Continues To Investigate Drilling Tank Fire In Washington County

The Department of Environmental Protection continues to investigate the cause of a February 23

tank fire at a natural gas drilling site on the Joseph Powers Farm in Independence Township,

Washington County.

Chesapeake Energy workers were flow-testing at the active well site, which includes

separating wet gas constituents and transferring water from tanks to trucks, when the fire started

at 6:15 p.m. The incident was contained to the tank area and did not affect the sites three wells.

DEP's Oil and Gas and Environmental Emergency Response personnel responded to the

fire and remained on-site until all emergency response units left the scene.

On February 24, a team from DEPs Bureaus of Investigation and Oil and Gas visited the

site to probe the cause of the fire and whether it impacted the environment. Based on the initialfindings, there is no evidence that surface runoff from the tanks extended beyond the well sites

permitted boundaries. Further review confirmed that there are no nearby streams or wetlands that

would have been directly impacted.

Investigators will continue to conduct interviews as part of the probe, after which staff

will advise acting DEP Secretary Michael Krancer of the findings.

NewsClips: Vapors Blamed In Avella Marcellus Shale Gas Drilling Site Fire
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Opinion

Scary Scenario For State ForestsBy Rep. Camille "Bud" George

Rep. Camille Bud George (D-Clearfield) this week said Pennsylvaniasstate forestlands public and private -- are under siege at a time when they

need more protections.

The Marcellus Shale drilling boom requires a commensurate

uptick in safeguards to protect our natural resources and state treasures,

said Rep. George, Minority Chair of the House Environmental Resources

and Energy Committee. Instead, we are witnessing a catering to the

natural gas industry and a rollback of needed protections.

Rep. George said that state Department of Conservation and

Natural Resources reviews on potential impacts of gas wells proposed for state forests and parks

are no longer required.We need to maximize not scuttle our abilities to protect the lands owned by the

citizens of Pennsylvania, Rep. George said. Gov. Corbett has promised to end the moratorium

on drilling on state land even though almost 725,000 acres already are leased and the rollback

of this needed brake on drilling is a step backward.

Rep. George also questioned the timing of the review reversal, noting that Governor

Corbett has yet to name a new DCNR Secretary.

To reverse this policy when the agencys top post has not been filled seems imprudent at

best, especially when the previous DCNR secretary warns of gaping holes in state agencies

abilities to provide added protections for these valued lands.

Rep. George said Pennsylvania produced 446 million gallons of Marcellus Shale drilling

waste, including more than 291 million gallons of hydraulic fracturing fluid, in the last sixmonths of 2010.

We need to be addressing those impacts how they affect our communities,

infrastructure and natural resources if natural gas is going to benefit the Commonwealth, Rep.

George said. I am re-doubling my efforts for a responsible and fair severance tax on gas

extraction, as well as implementation of my Land and Water Protection Act legislation.

The soon-to-be-unveiled measures would provide money to local governments,

environmental programs, jobs programs and infrastructure, as well as increased oversight during

the drilling process and increased distances between gas wells and water supplies.

Rep. George said that amid the reports of undue influence on lawmakers by gas drillers

campaign contributions and trips to the Super Bowl are proposals seemingly designed to short-

circuit Pennsylvanias oversight of gas drilling.

A proposal in the state Senate would stop the state Department of Environmental

Protection from requiring a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for storm

water discharges linked to activity by the oil and gas industry, Rep. George said. The industry

would get a pass on the permit unless the activity contributes to a violation of water quality

standards.


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What sense does it make to require a permit only after damage to water quality is

confirmed? Rep. George said.

A proposal in the state House would turn control over gas-lease revenues collected by

state agencies to an independent agency, which would decide what percentage of funds would

be returned to agencies like DCNR.

Under this proposal, the DCNR would be converted into a cash cow and seeminglyforced to promote increased drilling to provide funding for the agency, Rep. George said. The

DCNR would be forced to cannibalize its mission to ensure its existence.

All in all, 2011 is not starting well for the protection of Commonwealth resources or

taxpayers.

Rep. Bud George represents the 74th Legislative District in Clearfield County and he can be

contacted through his website.

Audubon/Toyota Alliance Seeks Applications For Conservation Leadership/Project Grants

TogetherGreen, a conservation alliance between the NationalAudubon Society and Toyota, is now accepting applications for its

2011 class of Fellows and Innovation Grants. Applications are

due May 2.

Through TogetherGreen Conservation Fellowships, 40

promising individuals will be chosen for their demonstrated leadership, as well as leadership

potential, skills, and commitment to engaging people of diverse backgrounds in conservation

action.

Fellows receive a $10,000 grant to conduct a conservation action project in their

community, as well as specialized training and support to help shape and implement their

projects. They also become part of a dynamic alumni network of conservation professionals fromacross the country.

TogetherGreen Innovation Grants annually provide essential funding that enables

Audubon groups and their partners to inspire, equip, and support activities that engage new and

diverse audiences in conservation action and create healthier communities.

A minimum of 40 projects will receive funding, totaling more than $1 million dollars of

supportwith grants ranging from $5,000-$80,000. Grants will be reviewed by an expert

advisory panel, and the average grant awarded will be around $25,000.

Through TogetherGreen Fellowships and Innovation Grants, we have an opportunity to

create a vibrant network of conservation entrepreneurs, said David Yarnold, National Audubon

Society President. Audubon and Toyota care about empowering people and creating

conservation results in communities across the country. We look forward to selecting anotherstellar group of people and projects that will engage thousands of Americans in local

conservation action.

Since the programs inception in 2008, more than 135,000 individuals have participated

in community-based TogetherGreen projects in 49 states and more than 150 cities around the

country. More than 130 environmental projects have received Innovation Grants totaling more

than $3.5 million, which was then matched 100 percent.
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The inaugural class of 40 TogetherGreen Fellows recruited more than 3,400 individuals

who spent 37,000 hours on conservation activities.

Candidates for the TogetherGreen Fellows program must have at least six years

experience in some aspect of the environment, a passion for conservation, the desire to learn and

grow, and an interest and ability to reach diverse and previously underrepresented audiences.

Innovation Grants funding will be awarded to groups in Audubons national network,including state programs, Centers, and local Chapters working in partnership with one or more

external organizations. Recipients will be chosen for innovative ideas that achieve conservation

results focused on habitat, water, and energy. Applicants will also need to demonstrate how their

project will reach new and diverse communities and directly engage people in conservation

action.

Selection of the TogetherGreen Fellows and Grants will be made upon the

recommendation of a national advisory board of conservation leaders, with expertise in

education, evaluation, diversity, conservation biology, and other disciplines.

To apply for a 2011 TogetherGreen Fellowship, visit the TogetherGreen Fellows

webpage. The site includes application guidelines, selection criteria, eligibility, benefits, and an

online application. If you require additional information, contact Eddie Gonzalez by sendingemail to: [email protected] or call 202-861-2242, x3065.

To apply for a 2011 TogetherGreen Innovation Grant, visit the TogetherGreen Grants

webpage. The site includes application guidelines, selection criteria, benefits, and an online

application. Interested organizations not affiliated with Audubon should contact Florence Miller

by sending email to: [email protected] or call 802-505-0839 to learn about partnership

possibilities.

Fellows and Grant applicants will be notified in July 2011 and August 2011 respectively.

ClearWater Conservancy Awarded DEP Grant To Improve Spring Creek Headwaters

ClearWater Conservancy has been awarded a Department of Environmental Protection Growing

Greener Grant for $37,778 to improve water quality in the headwaters of Spring Creek by

reconstructing a section of Sharer Road in Harris Township susceptible to washing out during

high water.

The road is owned by Harris Township and intersects Spring Creek between the Nittany

and Oelberman farms. Construction work will take place this summer.

The issue is that when the creek rises during heavy rains, it overruns the road, which is

not paved, but gravel, and washes that gravel and sediment from the road into Spring Creek. That

affects the water quality in a narrow and fragile part of the headwaters and we would like to stop

that, said Katie Ombalski, conservation biologist at ClearWater Conservancy.

The section of road that intersects the creek has been redesigned by the Center for Dirtand Gravel Road Studies at Penn State University to withstand high water without washing out

or adding sediment to the creek.

The new road will have designed-in flow relief that the average traveler will probably

never notice, but will make the road more durable and more environmentally sound, said Tim

Ziegler, field operations specialist at the Center.

A new system of pipes will carry the stream under the road during normal conditions.

During floods, the road itself is designed to act as a spillway. A subtle low spot in the center will
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draw high water gently over a 50-foot section of reinforced road, allowing the water to pass

without backing up into the surrounding fields or destroying the road, Ziegler said.

Additional measures will disconnect several roadside drainage ditches, including one

from nearby Route 322, which currently dump straight into Spring Creek, and redirect that water

to nearby low areas where it can slowly percolate into the ground, Ziegler said.

Riparian buffers plantings will be installed upstream and downstream of Sharer Roadthrough cooperation with the adjoining Oelbermann and Nittany farms to further protect the

waterway.

In addition to the Center for Dirt and Gravel Roads, the Oelberman and Nittany farms,

and Harris Township, a host of partners will contribute to the project: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service provided site surveys, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and Nittany Farm will

aid in establishing the riparian buffers, Harris Township will provide heavy equipment and

operators and WHM, Inc. will provide additional survey and permitting services.

A portion of a previously awarded $150,000 Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grant

administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide additional funding for the

project. Additional grant funding will be applied for through the Dirt and Gravel Road Program.

DEP Invites Comments On Special Protection Status Of 11 Streams

The Department of Environmental Protectionpublished notice inviting comments on the Special

Protection and water quality status of 11 streams in counties. They include:

-- Sinnemahoning Creek: Cameron, Clearfield, Cllinton, Elk, McKean, Potter counties;

-- Pine Creek: Lycoming, Tioga, Potter, Clinton counties;

-- Laurel Run: Union County;

-- Marsh Creek: Centre County;

-- Wyalusing Creek: Bradford, Susquehanna counties;

-- Starrucca Creek: Susquehanna, Wayne counties;-- Otter Creek: York County;

-- Pine Creek: Schuylkill County:

-- Mahannon Creek: Schuylkill County;

-- Clarion River: Elk, Jefferson, Clearfield, McKean counties; and

-- Tidioute Creek: Warren County.

Persons with technical data concerning the water quality, instream habitat or biological

condition of these stream sections are encouraged to make it available to the Department for

consideration in the assessment. These assessments may lead to recommendations to the

Environmental Quality Board for redesignation.

For more information, see the formal notice.

Presenters, Volunteers Needed for 2011 Pennsylvania Children's Water Festival

The Water Systems Council, in conjunction with the PA Ground Water Association, Department

of Environmental Protection, Gettysburg College, and various local environmental organizations

are holding the 2011 Pennsylvania Children's Water Festival on May 24 at Gettysburg College.

Each year the Water Systems Council, a national non-profit group that focuses on

individual water wells and ground water protection, holds a Childrens Water Festival in a
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different state to educate students about the importance of their water resources. The festival is

offered at no cost to the participating schools and this will mark the first time the festival was

held in Pennsylvania.

At the festival, nearly 1,700 fourth and fifth grade students from Adams County and

nearby Hanover in York County, along with their teachers, will explore the History of Water in

Pennsylvania through various interactive and dynamic activities in both classroom and outdoorsettings.

Topics that will be covered include drinking water, ground water, watersheds, surface

water, water quality and water conservation. Activities will be led by water and natural resource

experts from local, state, and national organizations

Presenters and volunteers are still needed for the festival. Presenters can use their own

material/activity or can present already-prepared festival activities. Volunteers are especially

needed to assist with registration, serve as class guides and help with other logistical issues.

The deadline to sign up is March 15.

For more information or copies of volunteer forms, please contact Margaret Martens,

Public Education Coordinator for WSC, at 202-625-4387 or send email to:

[email protected].

Trail Ambassadors Host Walks In The Wissahickon In March

The Friends of the Wissahickon are offering free nature walks in

Wissahickon Valley Park in Montgomery County this March led

by FOW Trail Ambassadors.

(Photo: FOW Trail Ambassador Kimberly Quinn leading a

hike along Forbidden Drive in the Wissahickon.)

Unless otherwise specified, Trail Ambassador hikes use

rocky, rugged trails that may be wet and slippery. Please wearsturdy shoes or boots with socks.

Long pants are recommended for protection against occasional poison ivy and possible

ticks. Bring water and a snack if desired. Children over seven are welcome if accompanied by a

responsible adult. Walks are cancelled in heavy rain or icy conditions.

Registration is not required, but is recommended so that you can be informed of weather

or other emergency cancellations.

To register, please contact Heather Davis Jones by sending email to: [email protected]

or calling 215-247-0417. Visit the Friends of the Wissahickon website for updated information.

DEP Gives Aqua PA Clean Bill Of Health On New Emlenton Water System

Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc. announced this week it has satisfied the requirements of the Department

of Environmental Protection consent order agreement for its Emlenton water system 17 months

before the final completion date of July 1, 2012, following two years and $4.5 million of capital

investments in the system.

We are very happy to see that all of the work we have completed for the Emlenton water

system has resulted in the termination of the COA, said Aqua Pennsylvania President Karl

Kyriss. From getting the nine-month-old boil order lifted just three weeks after purchase to
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managing the design and construction of a new water treatment plant, we have worked diligently

and invested a lot of money in the Emlenton water system so these customers can get the water

quality and reliability they deserve. The termination of the COA was the icing on the cake.

Specific improvements Aqua has made to the Emlenton water system over the two years

it has owned the system include $2.8 million for construction of a new 288,000-gallon per day

water treatment plant; $925,000 to replace 11,400 feet of old water main; and $392,000 ofimprovements to the existing finished water reservoir, including the installation of a dome roof.

Aqua entered the COA as a commitment to the DEP that the problems it inherited from

the Emlenton Water Company on December 31, 2008, would be resolved on or before July 1,

2012. Emlenton had been under a boil advisory for nine months. Immediately upon purchasing

the system, Aqua scrambled to make temporary improvements to lift the boil order in 23 days.

Early termination of the COA stands as final testament to Aquas aggressive actions and

commitment to providing quality water and reliable service for the customers of Emlenton who

had suffered enough, said Kyriss.

The Emlenton water system serves approximately 1,200 people in portions of Emlenton

Borough and Richland Township, Venango County in western Pennsylvania.

Many historic small towns across Pennsylvania are experiencing an economicresurgence due to Marcellus Shale exploration, Kyriss said. Having a modern infrastructure,

especially a dependable public water supply, is critical for communities such as Emlenton to take

advantage of opportunities for growth and development.

PA Section-American Water Works Association Conference April 19-21

The PA Section American Water Works Association will hold its 63rd Annual Conference in

Hershey on April 19-21. Conference schedule and registration information is available at the

PA-AWWA website.

Special March 5 Events At Beaver County High Hazard Dams, Trout Season Begins In

April

Anglers visiting Upper and Lower Hereford Manor Lakes in Beaver County can enjoy a special

Opening Day on March 5, and fish for stocked trout one last time before the lakes are drawn

down in spring in anticipation of breaching the dams.

Regulartrout season opens April 2 in the Southeast and April 16 in the remainder of the

state.

We know how important these lakes are to the anglers in western Pennsylvania, so we

wanted to give families one last Opening Day before the lakes are closed, said John Arway,

executive director of the Fish and Boat Commission. Our plan is to stock the lakes with trout inlate morning or early afternoon on March 5, giving anglers a good weekend of fishing.

Mr. Arway emphasized that the stocking will depend on the weather. If the lakes are still

frozen on March 5, the PFBC will stock them once the ice melts. If the lakes can be stocked on

March 5, the creel limit and minimum size limit for trout will be 5 fish per day and 7 inches,

respectively.
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Last November 1, the PFBC lifted all seasons, sizes and creel limits in preparation of the

complete drawdown of the lakes and breaching of the dams. These regulations remain in place

with the exception of the trout creel and size limits.

Removing all harvest restrictions provides additional recreational opportunities for

anglers and can help reduce the number of fish that could potentially be stranded when the water

level drops.Once the draining of the lakes begins, which is expected to be in late April or early May,

all public access to the lakes will be prohibited. At that time, the PFBC will attempt to salvage as

many game fish as possible from the lakes and relocate them to other waters in the area. The

dates of the fish salvage will be announced once they are set.

The Hereford Manor Lakes are popular fishing and boating impoundments located in

Franklin Township, Beaver County. The dams were constructed prior to 1958 in conjunction

with strip mining operations and were acquired by the PFBC in 1973.

The Department of Environmental Protections Division of Dam Safety has declared both

dams as high hazard, structurally deficient structures which must be rebuilt. Breaching the

dams is the first phase of the project and is expected to be completed by November.

ClearWater Conservancy Adds Water Resources, Outreach Coordinators

The ClearWater Conservancy recently hired new Water Resources and Outreach Coordinators.

Nick Schipanski is the new Water Resources Coordinator at ClearWater Conservancy. A

water resources professional for 14 years, Nicks primary role is to oversee the Water Resource

Monitoring Project, a cooperative effort between ClearWater and the Spring Creek Watershed

Association to observe and record water levels and quality in the Spring Creek watershed.

Nick will maintain the Projects 27 stream, spring and ground water monitoring stations

in the Spring Creek Watershed and conduct quarterly water sampling. In addition, he will work

with volunteers, including the Pennsylvania Senior Environmental Corps. Another of his dutiesis to plan ClearWaters annual Watershed Cleanup Day, to be held this year on April 23.

Nick was born in California and grew up in Washington State. He holds an M.S. in

Environmental Health from the University of Washington and a B.S. in Biology from

Washington State University.

He and his wife, Meagan, have one daughter and live in State College. He enjoys skiing

and biking in his spare time.

Chris Hennessey has joined ClearWater Conservancy as Outreach and Volunteer

Coordinator. ]A 16-year-veteran of newspapers and public relations, Chris is initially tasked with

spreading the word about ClearWaters many initiatives and events through the media and

through the production of ClearWaters newsletter and electronic media channels. Once

comfortable in that role, he will take on volunteer coordination as well.Chris lives in State College with his wife, Tina, and their two children. He holds a B.A. in

Journalism from Temple University.

He enjoys hunting, fishing, hiking and camping. In addition, he serves on the board of the

Spring Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited and teaches news writing at Penn State.

Coca-Cola, Heinz Announce Expanded Use Of PlantBottle Packaging
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The Coca-Cola Company and Pittsburgh-based H.J. Heinz Company

this week announced a strategic partnership that enables Heinz to

produce its ketchup bottles using Coca-Cola's breakthrough PlantBottle

packaging.

The PET plastic bottles are made partially from plants and have

a lower reliance on non-renewable resources compared with traditionalPET plastic bottles.

The partnership is an industry-first, and one that both companies hope others will follow

to transform how food is packaged around the world.

PlantBottle packaging looks, feels and functions just like traditional PET plastic, and

remains fully recyclable. The only difference is that up to 30 percent of the material is made

from plants.

The plant material is produced through an innovative process that turns natural sugars

found in plants into a key component for PET plastic. Currently, PlantBottle is made using

sugarcane ethanol from Brazil, the only source widely recognized by thought leaders globally for

its unique environmental and social performance.

PlantBottle is revolutionizing plastic, and our partnership with Heinz is paving the wayfor industry-wide collaboration, said Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola

Company. This partnership is a great example of how businesses are working together to

advance smart technologies that make a difference to our consumers and the planet we all share.

Heinzs adoption of the PlantBottle technology will be the biggest change to its iconic

ketchup bottles since they first introduced plastic in 1983.

The partnership of Coca-Cola and Heinz is a model of collaboration in the food and

beverage industry that will make a sustainable difference for the planet, said Heinz Chairman,

President and CEO William R. Johnson. Heinz Ketchup is going to convert to PlantBottle

globally, beginning with our best-selling 20-ounce variety of Heinz Ketchup, which will reach

consumers this summer.Heinz will launch PlantBottle in all 20-ounce ketchup bottles in June with talking

labels asking, GUESS WHAT MY BOTTLE IS MADE OF? Packaging will be identified by

a special logo and on-pack messages.

Switching to PlantBottle is another important step in Heinzs global sustainability

initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, solid waste, water consumption and energy usage

at least 20 percent by 2015.

Coca-Cola first launched PlantBottle in 2009 on brands that include Coke, Sprite, Fresca,

iLOHAS, Sokenbicha and DASANI water. By using PlantBottle packaging across multiple

brands, the Company is able to significantly reduce their dependence on non-renewable

resources.

An initial life-cycle analysis conducted by Imperial College London showed that the useof PlantBottle packaging provides a 12-19 percent reduction in carbon impact. In 2010 alone, the

use of this breakthrough packaging eliminated the equivalent of almost 30,000 metric tons of

carbon dioxide, or approximately 60,000 barrels of oil.

Currently, PlantBottle can be found in nine markets including Canada, Mexico, Chile,

Brazil, Japan, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and the United States. The Coca-Cola Company plans

to expand to over a dozen new markets in 2011.
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The iconic status of both brands will greatly raise awareness about the benefits of

PlantBottle packaging. Heinz will introduce 120 million PlantBottle packages in 2011 and The

Coca-Cola Company will use more than 5 billion during the same time.

Together, the companies will significantly reduce potential carbon emissions while

adding more renewable materials to the recycling stream. In time, plastic Heinz Ketchup bottles

globally will be made from PlantBottle packaging and by 2020, Coca-Colas goal is to transitionall of its plastic packaging to PlantBottle packaging.

NewsClips: Heinz Partners With Coca-Cola To Use PlantBottle

Heinz To Use Coke's Greener Plant-Based Bottle

State's Recycling Industry Grows To 53,000 Jobs, $2.2 Billion In Payroll

eLoop Expanding E-Waste Centers, Recycling Services Across PA

DEP Releases New Database Of Available PA Brownfield Properties, Invites Additions

The Department of Environmental Protection and its partners this week launched

www.PaSitesSearch.com, a new online database of brownfield sites now available in

Pennsylvania for development, and invited property owners and local groups to make additionsto the listings.

The website will be the primary tool to showcase Pennsylvania brownfield sites to the

expected 6,000 attendees expected at the national Brownfields 2011 Conference in Philadelphia

on April 3-5.

Property owners are encouraged to submit information on their own brownfield sites

through www.pasitesearch.com. Team PA will be available for support and technical assistance.

When submitting information, it is important that all data points requested are included

including specifications, utility information, and high-quality photographs.

The state departments of Environmental Protection and Community and Economic

Development have partnered with the Pennsylvania Economic Development Association and theTeam Pennsylvania Foundation to produce the www.PaSitesSearch.com website.

For more information about how to make sure your properties are included in the

inventory, visit Team Pennsylvania's website.

Gov. Corbett Appoints Robert F. Powelson As Public Utility Commission Chair

Gov. Tom Corbett this week appointed Robert F. Powelson of Chester

County to serve as chairman of the Public Utility Commission, or PUC.

Powelson has served as a PUC commissioner since June 2008.

Commissioner James H. Cawley had served as Chair since August

of 2008.As a commissioner, Robert Powelson has provided an active voice

for Pennsylvania ratepayers on issues such as nuclear power production,

competitive markets, renewable investment, broadband deployment,

infrastructure development and other critical concerns, Gov. Corbett said.

I am confident consumers and businesses will continue to be well-served

by the PUC under Powelsons leadership.
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Powelson was first nominated by former Governor Rendell to a one-year term on the

PUC and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on June 30, 2008. He was renominated for a

five-year term on Feb. 12, 2009, and was again unanimously confirmed on April 22, 2009. His

term expires on April 1, 2014.

Powelson was recently appointed as co-vice chair of the National Association of

Regulatory Utility Commissioners, or NARUC, Committee on Water. In addition, he has beenappointed to represent that committee on NARUCs Task Force on Climate Policy. He is also a

member of the NARUC Committee on Critical Infrastructure and a member of the NARUC

Subcommittee on Nuclear Issues-Waste Disposal.

Powelson previously served as the president of the Chester County Chamber of Business

& Industry, where he also held other job titles and helped to develop the countys economic

development strategy. In 2005, he was selected by the Eisenhower Presidential Fellows to be a

U.S. fellow in Singapore and Australia.

From 1990-91, Powelson served as a staff assistant to U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon.

Powelson earned a Bachelor of Administration degree from St. Josephs University and a

Master of Governmental Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania with a

concentration in public finance.A Delaware County native, Powelson and his wife, Lauren, and their two sons live in

Kennett Square.

Blue Mountain School District EPA Energy Star Leader

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week recognized 74 leading Energy

Starorganizations for their achievements in energy efficiency across their entire building

portfolios in 2010, 50 of which were recognized as first time Energy Star Leaders, including the

Blue Mountain School District in Schuylkill County.

Thousands of buildings across the country are saving energy while reducing harmful airpollutants and protecting the health of Americans with the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agencys Energy Star program.

Through their commitment to superior energy management, these organizations together

have prevented the equivalent of more than 460,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually and

saved more than $100 million a year.

Blue Mountain School District, which educates approximately 3,000 students in

Orwigsburg, Pa, worked with Energy Education, Inc. to implement a people-driven energy

management program in 2005. This has led to a significant increase in energy efficiency and has

instilled a responsible energy use ethic throughout the district's five schools.

Blue Mountain School District has earned Energy Star Leaders recognition for improving

its energy efficiency by 40 percent. The district has been previously recognized for achieving a30 percent improvement and has also earned Leaders Top Performer recognition for achieving an

average energy performance score of 88 across its entire portfolio of buildings.

Blue Mountain School District has also earned the Energy Star label for superior energy

performance for all five of its buildings. Since its baseline year of 2004, Blue Mountain School

District has realized more than $1.5 million dollars in avoided energy costs.

This year alone the district has preventing more than 1,500 metric tons of CO2 from

entering the atmosphere, which is equivalent to the planting of more than 400 acres of trees.
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Staff, faculty, and students in the district have implemented hundreds of improvements in

energy consumption habits, such as turning off lights and computers when not in use and

shutting classroom doors. Electronic monitoring of all systems ensures optimal performance.

The district's energy efficiency efforts have been led by the schools energy educators or

managers with ongoing on-site training and oversight from Energy Education's engineers and

specialists.To be an Energy Star Leader, an organization must meet one of two energy efficiency

improvement milestones. The first milestone requires a 10 percent improvement in energy

performance across the entire building portfolio, and subsequent recognition is given for each 10

percent improvement thereafter.

The second milestone, known as top performer, requires the buildings in an

organizations portfolio, on average, to perform in the top 25 percent of similar buildings

nationwide.

Two organizations have taken Energy Star Leaders to new heights, becoming the first to

improve energy efficiency across their building portfolios by 40 and 50 percent. These

organizations are Blue Mountain School District in Pennsylvania and DeKalk County Central

Unified School District in Indiana, respectively.The complete list of Energy Star Leaders includes more than 150 school districts,

commercial real estate companies, healthcare systems, supermarket operators, hotel managers,

and government organizations. These organizations represent more than 6,790 buildings

covering nearly 540 million square feet across 36 states and the District of Columbia.

For more information, visit the EPA Energy Star Leaders webpage.

Harrisburg University Hosts BioEnergy Innovative Technologies Summit March 15

On March 15 Harrisburg University will host a BioEnergy Summit: Innovative Technologies for

an Energized Future!The goal of the conference is to explore commercialization of technologies and processes

used to produce bioenergy from a variety of biomass resources.

Keynote speaker will be Dr. William Goldner of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

National Institute of Food and Agriculture will give an overview of the strategic thinking and

programs USDA NIFA and other USDA agencies are using to address the sustainable production

of biofuels, biopower, and biobased products.

Roundtable discussions will examine the business opportunities that can be cultivated,

why sustainable energy solutions are as good for business as they are for the environment, and

the importance of obtaining financial support to the commercialization process.

For more information and to register, visit the BioEnergy Summit webpage.

Saint Francis Renewable Energy Center To Provide Wind Evaluations For Landowners
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The Saint Francis University Renewable Energy Centerwas

recently awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture

and Community Foundation for the Alleghenies to provide reports

on wind resources for Pennsylvanian landowners.

The lift on the electricity cap has left farmers and rural

small businesses with rapid increases in electricity costs. Windturbines in areas with good resources will help to reduce that cost, increase revenue streams, and

lower overhead.

Identification of a sites wind resource is critical in determining feasibility of a potential

wind project. The REC will use their systems and data to prepare wind resource assessment

reports for your specific site with detailed information.

Those with sufficient wind resources will be provided with information on choosing

reputable wind installers. Those without the sufficient wind resource will be advised on other

possible renewable energy sources to utilize.

Due to the grant this service will be free to landowners throughout Pennsylvania. More

information and applications for the program is available online or by sending email to

[email protected] Saint Francis University Renewable Energy Center, Cambria County, is honored to

receive this national USDA award and continued support from the Community Foundation for

the Alleghenies. The support maintains our Community Wind Power Project that assists the

economic development of our area in an environmentally sustainable way.

Penn State: Mimicking Photosynthesis Path To Solar Derived Hydrogen Fuel

Inexpensive hydrogen for automotive or jet fuel may be possible by mimicking photosynthesis,

according to a Penn State materials chemist, but a number of problems need to be solved first.

"We are focused on the hardest way to make fuel," said Thomas Mallouk, Evan PughProfessor of Materials Chemistry and Physics. "We are creating an artificial system that mimics

photosynthesis, but it will be practical only when it is as cheap as gasoline or jet fuel."

Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen can be done in a variety of ways, but most are

heavily energy intensive. The resultant hydrogen, which can be used to fuel vehicles or

converted into a variety of hydrocarbons, inevitably costs more than existing fossil-based fuels.

While some researchers have used solar cells to make electricity or use concentrated solar

heat to split water, Mallouk's process uses the energy in blue light directly. So far, it is much less

efficient than other solar energy conversion technologies.

The key to direct conversion is electrons. Like the dyes that naturally occur in plants,

inorganic dyes absorb sunlight and the energy kicks out an electron. Left on its own, the electron

would recombine creating heat, but if the electrons can be channeled -- molecule to molecule --far enough away from where they originate, the electrons can reach the catalyst and split the

hydrogen from the oxygen in water.

"Currently, we are getting only 2 to 3 percent yield of hydrogen," Mallouk told attendees

today (Feb. 19) at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of

Science. "For systems like this to be useful, we will need to get closer to 100 percent," he added.
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But recombination of electrons is not the only problem with the process. The oxygen-

evolving end of the system is a chemical wrecking ball and this means the lifetime of the system

is currently limited to a few hours.

"The oxygen side of the cell is making a strong oxidizing agent and the molecules near

can be oxidized," said Mallouk. "Natural photosynthesis has the same problem, but it has a self-

repair mechanism that periodically replaces the oxygen-evolving complex and the proteinmolecules around it."

So far, the researchers do not have a fix for the oxidation, so their catalysts and other

molecules used in the cell structure eventually degrade, limiting the life of the solar fuel cell.

Currently, the researchers are using only blue light, but would like to use the entire

visible spectrum from the sun. They are also using expensive components a titanium oxide

electrode, a platinum dark electrode and iridium oxide catalyst. Substitutions for these are

necessary, and other researchers are working on solutions.

A Massachusetts Institute of Technology group is investigating cobalt and nickel

catalysts, and at Yale University and Princeton University they are investigating manganese.

"Cobalt and nickel don't work as well as iridium, but they aren't bad," said Mallouk. "The

cobalt work is spreading to other institutions as well."While the designed structure of the fuel cell directs many of the electrons to the catalyst,

most of them still recombine, giving over their energy to heat rather than chemical bond

breaking. The manganese catalysts in photosystem II -- the photosynthesis system by which

plants, algae and photosynthetic bacteria evolve oxygen -- are just as slow as ours, said Mallouk.

Photosystem II works efficiently by using an electron mediator molecule to make sure

there is always an electron available for the dye molecule once it passes its current electron to the

next molecule in the chain.

"We could slow down major recombination in the artificial system in the same way," said

Mallouk. "Electron transfer from the mediator to the dye would effectively outrun the

recombination reaction."Currently the system uses only one photon at a time, but a two-photon system, while

more complicated, would be more effective in using the full spectrum of sunlight.

Mallouk's main goal now is to track all the energy pathways in his cell to understand the

kinetics. Once he knows this, he can model the cells and adjust portions to decrease energy loss

and increase efficiency.

For more information, Dr. Mallouk may be reached at 814-863-9637 or by sending email

to: [email protected].

PUC Updates Manual To Assess Energy Savings From Efficiency Measures

The Public Utility Commission this week approved an updated Technical Reference Manual,which is used to assess energy savings attributable to energy efficiency and demand response

measures for the implementation of the states Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act and

the energy efficiency and conservation provisions ofAct 129 of 2008.

The Commission voted 4-1 to approve the updated TRM, which sets the standards used

to measure and verify applicable demand side management and energy efficiency measures used

by the states electric distribution companies.
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Initially established in March 2005, the TRM is updated annually in order to keep pace

and remain relevant and useful as experience and technology related to energy efficiency

increases. In addition, energy efficiency, load management and demand side management

measures have become more prevalent and necessary, as evidenced by the enactment of Act 129

of 2008.

AEPS specifically required the Commission to develop standards for tracking andverifying savings from energy efficiency, load management and demand-side management

measures.

Generally, AEPS requires that a certain percentage of all electric energy sold to retail

customers be derived from alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, hydropower,

geothermal, biomass, and demand side management resources. The law applies to both EDCs

and electric generation suppliers, which must demonstrate their compliance on an annual basis.

Act 129 expanded the PUCs oversight responsibilities and imposed new energy

efficiency and conservation requirements on EDCs with at least 100,000 customers, with the

overall goal of reducing energy consumption and demand.

The Commission is implementing the Act in phases that address EDC and default service

provider responsibilities; smart meter technology; time-of-use rates; real-time pricing plans;default service procurement; market misconduct; alternative energy sources; and cost recovery.

For more information, visit the PUC's Act 129 webpage.

Penn State: DOE Grant Joins Climate Modeling With Local, Regional Data

Local and regional researchers collect large amounts of high quality data on climate change and

its effects, but the researchers that create the economic and climate models do not always have

access to this information.

Now, thanks to a $2 million grant from the Department of Energy, the on-the-ground

information will get to the modelers through the Penn State Institutes of Energy and theEnvironment.

The DOE-funded project, led by Karen Fisher-Vanden, associate professor of

environmental and resource economics, seeks to bring empirical analysts and modelers together

to improve the empirical underpinnings of models used in climate change policy analysis. Fisher-

Vanden will create an integrated assessment modeling research program for interdisciplinary

collaboration.

"Our goal is to devise a way to bring these two communities together, recognizing that

the reason why we lack model-relevant empirical work is because this type of work has not been

rewarded historically in the journal publication world, especially in the area of climate change

impacts and adaptation," said Fisher-Vanden. "The purpose of this research is to identify and

exploit synergies between empirical and modeling analyses in five key areas by bringing appliedempirical researchers in the natural and social sciences together with modelers through joint

research and workshops that foster communication and cross-fertilization of ideas between the

two groups."

The five major scientific challenges the program will address are science and technology,

impacts and adaptation, regional scale integrated assessment modeling, key intersecting energy-

relevant systems and uncertainty.
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It is important to understand and communicate the uncertainties in the model predictions

for climate change and its impacts, according to Chris Forest, associate professor of

meteorology.

"These uncertainties must be grounded in observational data and be incorporated into the

models," he said. "This project puts us on the right path for bringing these broad complex issues

together."Klaus Keller, associate professor of geoscience, will focus on improving the

representation of potential climate threshold responses. This includes abrupt changes in the

ocean circulation or ice sheets and the associated impacts in integrated assessment models.

Patrick Reed, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Thorsten

Wagener, associate professor of civil engineering, will apply state-of-the-art sensitivity analysis

to understand sources and implications of uncertainty in integrated assessment models. Their

diagnostic analysis will bring a new level of insight into the working of these complex models.

Jim Shortle, Distinguished Professor of agricultural and environmental economics, will

focus on improving the regional representation of climate impacts and adaptation in integrated

assessment models.

The three-year grant is administered by the Penn State Institutes of Energy and theEnvironment and is part of a larger $6 million grant administered through Stanford University

that will establish an integrated assessment modeling research community focused on model

development, inter-comparisons and diagnostic testing, and multi-model ensemble-like analyses.

In addition to Stanford and Penn State, the grant includes researchers from Boston

University, University of California-Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Purdue Un

Documents

Pa Environment Digest Feb. 28, 2011