Saturday, June 30, 2012

Special July 2 PA Environment Digest Now Available

Special July 2 PA Environment Digest is now available.  Click Here to print this entire Digest.
The Renew Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in the Commonwealth, applauded the restoration of funding for two key programs in the 2012-13 state budget.
Andrew Heath, executive director of the Coalition, issued the following statement:
“The Coalition applauds the decision to restore funding for our parks, trails, open space, waterways and family farms and thanks our lawmakers for recognizing the importance of investing in recreation, conservation and preservation.
“Restoring funding for Keytone and farmland preservation programs will help support our local and regional economies and will protect the quality of life that makes Pennsylvania a great place to live, work and visit.
“Elimination of these programs would have threatened the very fabric of the Commonwealth and put a greater burden on our local communities.
“After working closely with members of leadership, the Coalition thanks the House, Senate and Corbett administration for making the right decision to fund Keystone and farmland preservation and looks forward to working together to identify long-term solutions to ensure these and other critical conservation programs are sustainable in the future.”
The Renew Growing Greener Coalition is the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in the Commonwealth. More than 244 organizations, groups and businesses have signed the Coalition’s statement of support, and nearly 150 government entities, including 37 counties, have passed resolutions calling for a dedicated source of funding for the Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Fund.

Senate, House Set To Take Final Legislative Actions Today

The Senate and House are expected to take final action on budget-related and other legislation today and then adjourn for the summer.  Here’s a quick summary of where the major budget bills stand--

General Fund Budget: Senate Bill 1466 (Corman-R-Centre) contains the FY 2012-13 General Fund budget.  The Senate and House Republicans (by and large) gave the bill final approval Friday-- a day early-- touting the spending plan as another no-tax, on-time budget.
House Democrats said the budget does not do enough to restore funding for education, address the state’s transportation infrastructure needs nor supports the Commonwealth’s neediest citizens, especially when the Independent Fiscal Office projects there will be an additional $400 million in state tax revenue for the coming year.

The overall spending of $27,656,381 is an increase of $470,728,000 over FY 2011-12 and over the $27.1 billion budget Gov. Corbett proposed in February.
Republicans generally highlighted these items from the budget--
-- The budget is below the FY 2008-09 spending level of $28.3 billion;
-- Higher Education funding restored to FY 2011-12 levels-- $246 million;
-- K-12 Education state funding is $100 million more than FY 11-12;
-- $84 million in county Human Services funding restored; and
-- Pays pension contributions in full.
Click Here for a House Republican summary of the budget.  Click Here for a House Democratic summary.  Click Here for a line by line budget spreadsheet.

Tax Code: House Bill 761 (Cutler-R-Lancaster) further exempting certain transfers from the realty transfer tax is waiting for a concurrence vote in the House.  A summary and Senate Fiscal Note are available.  This is the first Tax Code bill in five years and has 24 provisions.  Among the changes are--
-- Establishes a new Resource Manufacturing Tax Credit (Shell ethane plant) up to $66 million/year;
-- Increases Research and Development Tax Credit from $40 to $55 million;
-- Establishes a new $3 million Historic Preservation Incentive Tax Credit; and
-- Provides an additional exclusion from realty transfer tax for transfer of a family farm.

Fiscal Code: Senate Bill 1263 (Browne-R-Lehigh) amending the Fiscal Code to implement the budget agreement, including provisions which further provide for conventional oil and gas well blanket bonding requirements; Prohibiting DEP from issuing permits in the South Newark Basin until January 1, 2018 unless a study of the impact of drilling is done by DCNR; and directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, in consultation with PennVEST, is directed to conduct a study of how the state can meet nutrient reduction planning targets in any watershed implementation plan by December 30, 2012.  The bill is waiting for final action in the House and a concurrence vote in the Senate.

Welfare Code: House Bill 1261 (Quigley-R-Montgomery) further providing for eligibility for public assistance, providing for a county human services block grant pilot study, ends general public cash assistance, but not medical assistance.  A summary and Senate Fiscal Note are available.  The bill is waiting for a concurrence vote in the House.

Education Code: House Bill 1901 (Everett-R-Lycoming) amending the Education Code to implement the FY 2012-13 budget, provide for employee background checks and other changes.  A summary and Senate Fiscal Note are available.  The bill is waiting for a concurrence vote in the House.

Friday, June 29, 2012

DEP Forecasts Air Quality Action Days For June 30, July 1 In 5 PA Regions

The Department of Environmental Protection and its regional air quality partnerships have forecast a code Orange air quality action day for ozone for Saturday, June 30, and Sunday, July 1, in the Lehigh Valley, Pittsburgh, Liberty-Clairton, Philadelphia, and Susquehanna Valley regions.
           On air quality action days, young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.
           The Lehigh Valley region is Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties.
           The Pittsburgh region is Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties. The Liberty-Clairton region – located within southeastern Allegheny County – is the municipalities of Clairton, Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln and Port Vue.
           The Philadelphia region is Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
           The Susquehanna Valley region is Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties.
           The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's standardized air quality index uses colors to report daily air quality. Green signifies good; yellow means moderate; orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive people; and red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.
           Ground-level ozone, a key component of smog, forms during warm weather when pollution from vehicles, industry, households and power plants "bakes" in the hot sun, making it hard for some people to breathe.
           To help keep the air healthy, residents and businesses are encouraged to voluntarily limit certain pollution-producing activities by: Combine errands and reduce trips; Riding the bus or carpooling to work; and Saving energy by turning off unused lights in your home.
           These forecasts are provided in conjunction with the Air Quality Partnership of the Delaware Valley, the Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership, the Lehigh Valley/Berks Air Quality Partnership and the Susquehanna Valley Air Quality Partnership. 
           For more information, visit DEP's Air Quality Partnership webpage.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Stroud Seminar Series investigates Laws Protecting Fresh Water

Are environmental laws protecting our streams and rivers?  Entomologist John K. Jackson, Ph.D., of Stroud Water Research Center will explore that question on the evening of  July 18.
His lecture is the second in the monthly Stroud Seminar Series, hosted by the Center, and designed to address global, national, and local issues related to water.
Also on display on July 18th is an art exhibit by Vicki Vinton titled “Drill What Lies Beneath, an Artist’s Interpretation of the Marcellus Shale Gas Extraction Process.” This is the last public viewing of the entire collection.
All lectures are free and open to the public, are appropriate for ages 12 and older, and will be held in the Stroud Meetinghouse. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. for tours and the art exhibit; lectures start promptly at 7 p.m. A wine and cheese reception will precede the lecture.
More upcoming lectures include:
-- August 29: “How emerging tools and approaches enable scientists to confront major environmental challenges that threaten our world.” Led by the Center’s Organic Geochemist Anthony K. Aufdenkampe, Ph.D.;
-- September 19: “Connecting with nature in a Digital Age.” Led by Patricia Zaradic, Ph.D., director of the Red Rock Institute;
-- October 24: “The science behind your livable landscape.” Led by the Center’s Biogeochemist Louis A. Kaplan, Ph.D.;
-- November 7: “Why do we need wetlands, and does the Clean Water Act protect them?” Led by the Center’s Assistant Director, Vice President, and Research Scientist Dave B. Arscott, Ph.D..

Sponsors include Wells Fargo Bank and Northern Trust.
For more information, visit the Stroud Water Research Center events webpage.

House Passes General Fund Budget, Senate Action Expected

The House voted 120 to 81 to approve Senate Bill 1466 (Corman-R-Centre), the FY 2012-13 General Fund budget which contains overall spending of $27,656,381, an increase of $470,728,000 over FY 2011-12.  The Senate is expected to concur in the budget bill Friday (updated).
The House-passed budget restores cuts to environmental programs proposed by Gov. Corbett-- $38 million for the Keystone Recreation, Parks and Conservation Fund, $20 million for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program and $6 million for the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Fund.
Other highlights include:
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
-- $2.5 million less overall than FY 2011-12, most personnel line items, same as Governor’s request
Department of Environmental Protection
-- $11.8 million less overall than FY 2011-12 ($6.6 million in personnel line items) more than Governor’s proposed cuts of $10.5 million
-- Sewage Facilities Planning and Enforcement Grants zeroed out
-- $29,000 less for County Conservation Districts
Department of Agriculture
-- $3.5 million less overall than FY 2011-12, restoration of funding cuts proposed by Governor
-- $245,000 cut to General Government Operations
-- $10,000 less transferred to County Conservation Districts than FY 2011-12
-- $27,000 less transferred to Nutrient Management Fund
-- No transfer from the Race Horse Development Fund
Commonwealth Financing Authority
-- $3.5 million more totalling $85.5 million
State System of Higher Education
-- PA Center for Environmental Education - zeroed out again ($368,000)
-- McKeever Environmental Center - zeroed out again ($213,000)

Click Here for a House Republican summary of the budget.  Click Here for a House Democratic summary.  Click Here for a line by line budget spreadsheet.

Friday, June 29 Air Quality Action Day In 5 PA Regions

The Department of Environmental Protection and its regional air quality partnerships have forecast a code Orange air quality action day for ozone for Friday, June 29, in the Lehigh Valley, Pittsburgh, Liberty-Clairton, Philadelphia, and Susquehanna Valley regions.
           On air quality action days, young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.
           The Lehigh Valley region is Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties.
           The Pittsburgh region is Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties. 
           The Liberty-Clairton region – located within southeastern Allegheny County – is the municipalities of Clairton, Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln and Port Vue.
           The Philadelphia region is Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
           The Susquehanna Valley region is Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties.
           The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s standardized air quality index uses colors to report daily air quality. Green signifies good; yellow means moderate; orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive people; and red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.
           Ground-level ozone, a key component of smog, forms during warm weather when pollution from vehicles, industry, households and power plants “bakes” in the hot sun, making it hard for some people to breathe.
           To help keep the air healthy, residents and businesses are encouraged to voluntarily limit certain pollution-producing activities by: Riding the bus or carpooling to work; Limit engine idling; and Saving energy by turning off unused lights in your home.
           These forecasts are provided in conjunction with the Air Quality Partnership of the Delaware Valley, the Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership, the Lehigh Valley/Berks Air Quality Partnership and the Susquehanna Valley Air Quality Partnership.
           For more information, visit the PA Air Quality Partnership webpage.

SRBC Suspends 37 Drilling Water Withdrawals Due To Low Streamflow Conditions

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission Thursday announced 37 separate water withdrawals approved by SRBC are suspended due to localized streamflow levels dropping throughout the Susquehanna basin.  
The suspended withdrawals are operated by 22 companies in Bradford, Luzerne, Lycoming, Potter, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming counties in Pennsylvania and one county in New York.  Click Here for a list of suspended water withdrawals.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Senate Republicans Post FY 2012-13 General Fund Budget Spreadsheet

Senate Republicans this afternoon released an FY 2012-13 General Fund budget spreadsheet (updated) showing major funding line items and their funding levels.
Overall spending $27,656,381 an increase of $470,728,000 over FY 2011-12.
The plan looks more like the Senate-passed budget and less like the Governor’s request in the areas expected: higher education funding, basic education funding, etc.  Here are some highlights--
Department of Education
-- $212.1 million for Community Colleges, same as last year
-- $47.8 million for Community College Capital Fund, $1.5 million increase
-- $1.2 million for Regional Community Colleges Services, $500,000 increase
Department of Transportation
-- $5.7 million for Rail Freight Assistance, same as FY 2011-12
Department of Public Welfare
-- $274,000 less for Legal Services than FY 2011-12
Judiciary
-- $9.3 million increase overall, most for county courts
-- $285,000 cut for Supreme Court
General Assembly
-- $200,000 cut for Senate
-- $800,000 cut for House
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
-- $2.5 million less overall than FY 2011-12, most personnel line items, same as Governor’s request
Department of Environmental Protection
-- $11.8 million less overall than FY 2011-12, $6.6 million in personnel line items, more than Governor’s proposed cuts of $10.5 million
-- Sewage Facilities Planning and Enforcement Grants zeroed out
-- $29,000 less for County Conservation Districts
Department of Agriculture
-- $3.5 million less overall than FY 2011-12, restoration of funding cuts proposed by Governor
-- $245,000 cut to General Government Operations
-- $10,000 less transferred to County Conservation Districts than FY 2011-12
-- $27,000 less transferred to Nutrient Management Fund
-- No transfer from the Race Horse Development Fund
Commonwealth Financing Authority
-- $3.5 million more totalling $85.5 million

Click Here for a copy of the spreadsheet (updated).

Monday, June 25, 2012

DEP Starts Dialogue With NRDC On Fracking Report

In advance of a panel discussion on hydraulic fracturing regulations, Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Krancer Monday outlined in a letter to the Natural Resources Defense Council some perspectives that the organization missed in its May 2012 report, "In Fracking's Wake: New Rules are Needed to Protect Our Health and Environment from Contaminated Wastewater."
Krancer will take part in the June 26, panel in Hershey with a senior NRDC attorney.
"NRDC's math is way off in terms of how much wastewater is being recycled by the shale gas industry, and the report does not accurately characterize the extent to which the regulations we have in place in this state are ensuring drilling proceeds safely and responsibly," Krancer wrote in the letter. "As we move forward, it is crucial that debate on proper policy and regulation rest on a solid foundation of facts."
The panel discussion about the regulation of hydraulic fracturing in the mid-Atlantic region is part of the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities Commissioners' June meeting. Krancer's 10:15 a.m. appearance will be alongside Kate Sinding, a senior NRDC attorney.
In the letter, Krancer noted that, contrary to the report, brine from shale formations is not being used in road spreading in Pennsylvania. Brine is salty water that flows back to the surface after gas wells are brought into production.
"The report also fails to consider several important measures that DEP has put into place, the upshot of which is that recycling of wastewater has greatly increased across the state," Krancer said, first mentioning the "dramatic sea change" in shale gas wastewater disposal practices that happened as a direct result of the April 2011 call on industry by DEP and Governor Corbett to cease delivering wastewater to treatment facilities not equipped to fully treat the wastewater that were "grandfathered" from the 2010 total dissolved solids regulations.
For the first six months of 2011, 1.977 million gallons of shale gas wastewater were reported to have been sent to "grandfathered" facilities while, for the second half of 2011, according to data reported by operators, that total was only 17,136 gallons, a 99-percent reduction.
Krancer went on to explain in the letter that DEP has implemented a revised general permit to provide regulatory clarity and encourage the use of treatments at zero-liquid-discharge facilities, which remove contaminants from the wastewater so it can be re-used again in drilling operations.
Krancer also described the numerous measures in place to ensure the safe handling, transportation, storage and disposal of fluids associated with natural gas development.
"I am aware of the NRDC's longstanding opposition to natural gas extraction by hydraulic fracturing," Krancer wrote. "I do hope that NRDC's constitutional adversity to natural gas as a fuel will not prevent open-minded discussion and fair fact finding."
A copy of the letter is available online.

DEP Starts Webinar Series For Families June 27 On Summertime Advisories

The Department of Environmental Protection announced today that it will launch a series of free quarterly webinars, called DEP@Home, on Wednesday, June 27, at 7 p.m.
The series will run in the evenings, in order to teach families how to make their homes safer and more energy-efficient.
“Environmental protection starts at home,” DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. “Providing these webinars is an important step in educating Pennsylvanians about how to make that principle a reality.”
The first webinar, “Summertime Advisories,” will last no longer than an hour and will include a question-and-answer session with DEP experts. Participants will learn about black fly spraying, West Nile virus, Ozone Action Days and fish consumption advisories.
Future topics will focus on--
-- August - Water Well-ness: Learn about construction and care for private water wells and septic systems.
-- October - Watts Up?: Learn some simple energy conservation tips to prepare for the change of the seasons.
-- January - The Reality of Radon: Learn about testing for and mitigating radon.
Click Here to register for the June 27 event.  The call-in toll-free number is:  1-877-668-4493 and the access code is: 647 116 448

Friday, June 22, 2012

June 25 PA Environment Digest Now Available

June 25 PA Environment Digest now available.  Click Here to print this entire Digest.

Republicans Agree On A General Fund Spend Number, Now The Hard Part

Senate and House Republicans and Gov. Corbett Wednesday announced an agreement on a General Fund spend number-- $27.656 billion, taking the first major step toward resolving their differences over largest portion of the state budget.
This spending cap is about $500 million more than the Governor’s request and almost identical to what Senate and House Republicans have been advocating.
In return, the Governor received a commitment from the Leaders to adopt the $1.65 billion tax credit initiative he proposed to attract the Shell ethane plant to Beaver County.
There is no word yet on whether the Keystone Fund will be restored to the Senate’s level of $19 million or the House proposal of full restoration of all $38 million.  There is also no word yet on whether other environmental funding will be restored.
In addition, there is also apparent agreement on at least some funding increases over the Governor’s budget request--
-- $245 million for higher education restorations;
-- $100 million for K-12 accountability block grant programs;
-- $82 million for county welfare programs, restoring half the funds that were removed; and
-- $25 million for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit.