The June 30 PA Environment Digest is now available. Click Here to print entire Digest.
House-Passed GOP Budget Relies On Additional State Park, Forest Drilling For Funding
The House Wednesday passed, by a partisan vote of 110-93, a Republican-written General Fund budget in House Bill 2328 (Adolph-R-Delaware) that relies on $75 million in revenue from additional natural gas leasing in State Parks and Forests and $15 million in deferred funding for the farm conservation and historic preservation tax credits to remain in balance.
The bill is now in the Senate as budget discussions continue between the Senate, House and the Governor’s Office.
The Senate and House declared June 28 a non-voting day, but are scheduled to return to voting session and 4:00 and 5:00 on Sunday, June 29. Midnight June 30 is the deadline to have the state budget in place.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA Calls For Restoration Of Farm Conservation Tax Credit
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Pennsylvania Executive Director, Harry Campbell, issued the following statement Wednesday in response to proposed budget cuts to vital tax credit programs that benefit Pennsylvania farmers and clean water efforts throughout the Commonwealth.
Of particular concern is the proposed two-year suspension of Pennsylvania’s Resource Enhancement and Protection Program (REAP) farm conservation tax credit program included in House Bill 2188 (Cutler-R-Lancaster) passed by the House Tuesday.
Growing Greener Coalition Issues Environmental Funding Plan If Severance Tax Adopted
The PA Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in the Commonwealth, Friday made its case for why environmental funding must be contained in any severance tax package passed by the legislature.
EPA: Pennsylvania Falls Short In Meeting 2013 Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Milestones
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported Thursday Pennsylvania exceeded its 2013 Chesapeake Bay cleanup milestone for phosphorus by 242,000 pounds, but fell short in meeting the nitrogen goal by 2 million pounds and sediment reduction milestone by nearly 116 million pounds.
PEC Asks Sen. Scarnati, Rep. Causer To Respond To Concerns On Conventional Well Bills
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council Friday asked Sen. Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) and Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron) to respond to several significant concerns about Senate Bill 1378 and House Bill 2350 that would regulate conventional oil and gas wells differently than unconventional (Marcellus Shale) wells.
PEC said it was concerned about statements made by both members at the Senate and House Environmental Committees this week that the bills were meant to take conventional wells out of the basic law-- Act 13-- regulating oil and gas well activities leaving open the question of what kinds of environmental standards would apply to conventional wells.
Franklin Kury To Receive Ralph Abele Conservation Heritage Award July 14
The Fish and Boat Commission Thursday announced it will present the Ralph W. Abele Conservation Heritage Award to former Senator Franklin Kury to recognize his lasting conservation impact as the author and champion of Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, also known as the Environmental Rights Amendment.
