Friday, August 5, 2016

August 8 PA Environment Digest Now Available

The Aug. 8 PA Environment Digest is now available.  Here are just a few of the headlines--

On Monday DEP issued its 2015 Annual Report on the Oil and Gas Regulatory Program which once again shows the number of violations by conventional oil and gas well drillers far exceeds the number of violations by unconventional (Marcellus and Utica Shale) drillers.
The report also shows a dramatic decrease in the number of new well permits issued by DEP (which affects revenue DEP needs to support its program), a decrease in the number of new wells drilled (which affects the revenue collected under the Act 13 drilling impact fees), and another increase in natural gas production.

Harry Campbell, Pennsylvania Executive Director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, issued this statement following the Department of Environmental Protection’s release of its draft Integrated Water Quality Report, which does not include a recommendation that the Lower Susquehanna River be declared an impaired waterway as it relates to the struggles of its smallmouth bass population.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission Monday released a new report, Cumulative Water Use and Availability Study for the Susquehanna River Basin, which shows about 9 percent of the watersheds in the basin, almost all in Pennsylvania, show a potential for water use limitations and warrant further limitation.

The Foundation For PA Watersheds Wednesday called on Pennsylvanians to contact their member of Congress and urge them to support federal legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives to increase funding for mine reclamation projects that will lead to economic development in coal communities suffering the impacts of the recent downturn in the mining industry.
The legislation has been introduced by Kentucky Congressman Hal Rogers as HR 4456, the Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities by Leveraging Local Activities and Investing More Act of 2016 or the RECLAIM Act of 2016.

The Foundation for PA Watersheds is accepting notices of intent to file a grant application, the first step in its grant making process, until August 15, with grant applications due September 19.

DEP Declares Drought Warning In Potter, Drought Watch For 34 PA Counties
The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday issued a drought watch declaration for 34 Pennsylvania counties and a drought warning declaration for Potter County following a meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force where members evaluated recent data that indicate conditions for water supplies are continuing to deteriorate.

The Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority is proud to announce four students from Park Forest Elementary School Zero Waste Team in State College Area School District will be headed to the White House August 16 to receive the President's Environmental Youth Award.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Tuesday announced registration is now open for Keep America Beautiful’s K-12 Recycle Bowl Competition designed to invigorate student participation in recycling.  KPB encourages educators in Pennsylvania to get their students involved in this national competition.  Last year 12 schools were part of the competition in Pennsylvania.

The PA Environmental Council Thursday announced it has received a $20,000 grant from the West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund to complete feasibility assessments for three potential hydropower projects in Western Pennsylvania state parks.

For the second time in a week, volunteer firefighters from Pennsylvania have answered the call to battle wildfires raging in two Western states, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced Friday.

The Grey Towers mansion in Milford, Pike County, is open for free, self-guided tours on August 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in honor of Gifford Pinchot’s 151st birthday.

To read the Digest, visit: www.PaEnvironmentDigest.com.  Click Here to print the entire Digest.

PA Environment Digest is edited by David E. Hess, former Secretary Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and is published as a service of Crisci Associates.


Additional Tools--
Click Here to sign up to receive the Digest directly by email.
Click Here for a Calendar of Upcoming Events.
Click Here to search back issues of the Digest.
PA Environment Digest Twitter Feed: Update on PA environmental issues.
PA Environment Daily Blog: Update on PA environmental issues.
Green Works In PA Google+ Circle: Update on PA environmental issues.
Questions?: Send email to David Hess at: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com

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