PA Environment Digest Blog: August 2023

Thursday, August 31, 2023

DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets Sept. 12 On Environmental Justice Policy; DEP Customer Service Initiatives; Risks With Carbon Capture, Sequestration

DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council is scheduled to meet on September 12 to discuss the agency’s new Interim Final Environmental Justice Policy, DEP’s Customer Service Initiatives, and hear a presentation on the risks associated with carbon capture and sequestration.

Environmental Justice Policy

Justin Dula, Director of DEP’s Office of Environmental Justice will provide an overview of the new Interim Final Environmental Justice Policy.

On August 29, the Shapiro Administration announced it will adopt an updated Environmental Justice (EJ) Policy, which expands environmental safeguards throughout the Commonwealth, a milestone in updating a 20-year-old policy the Department of Environmental Protection has used to guide protections for communities most vulnerable to environmental challenges. Read more here.

Environmental justice areas make up 20 percent of the entire Commonwealth.

DEP will be implementing an interim Final Environmental Justice Policy on September 16, 2023 when it is expected to be formally published in the PA Bulletin. Publication will start a public comment period expected to end on October 29.

Click Here for more details of the policy from PA Environment Digest.

Customer Service Initiatives

Rosetta Carrington-Lue, DEP’s Chief Customer Service Office, will provide an update on DEP’s Customer Service Initiatives as a follow up to a presentation to Council in June.

Some of the main elements of the Initiative which views permit applicants, the public and other stakeholders as “customers” are--

-- Create a Uniform Standard of Excellence & Expectation for All Stakeholder Interactions

-- Identify Key KPI’s [Key Performance Indicators] Related to Customer/User Experience & Track with Center of Excellence

-- Provide Professional Customer Service Training for ALL Employees Who Interact with Stakeholders (Coaching On-Going)

-- Establish Customer Service Survey Tool with 3rd Party Independent Review that Provides Customer Satisfaction Score.

-- Enforce New Customer Service Cultural Values Around Customer Experience with Existing Human Resources & Reviews

-- Launch Strategic Communication & Marketing Campaign to Raise Awareness of Civil Service and User Experience Related Offerings for Stakeholders

Click Here for DEP’s New Customer Service Strategy

Carbon Capture

Scott Quillinan, Director of Research, University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, will give a presentation to Council on the risks associated with carbon capture and sequestration.

This presentation is a followup to one in May by Kristen Carter, Assistant State Geologist from DCNR to the Council. Read more here.

Public Comment Period

Individuals interested in providing public comments during the public comment period of the meeting must sign up prior to the start of the meeting by contacting Max Schultz at maxschultz@pa.gov.

Join The Meeting

The meeting will be held in Room 105 Rachel Carson Building starting at 12:30 p.m. Visit the Council’s webpage for options on joining the meeting remotely via Microsoft Teams and by telephone

For more information and available handouts and presentations, visit the DEP Citizens Advisory Council webpage. Questions should be directed to Max Schultz at maxschultz@pa.gov or Glenda Davidson at gldavidson@pa.gov or 717-783-4759.

-- New DEP Interim Final Environmental Justice Policy, Definition Of Environmental Justice Areas Effective Sept. 16; Public Comments Accepted Thru Oct. 29 [PaEN]

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Give Teeth To DEP Environmental Justice Policy [PaEN]

-- 150+ Residents Of Chester Opposed To An LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Proposed In Their Community Let Their Feelings Be Known To The House Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force [PaEN]

-- DEP Oil & Gas Advisory Board Meets Sept. 5 On Proposed Permit Fee Changes; Well Plugging Financial Assurances To Prevent Abandonments; Environmental Justice Policy; Injection Well Primacy [PaEN]

-- DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Hosts 2-Part Online Discussion Of Storing Carbon Below Ground-- Sept. 21; And Above Ground-- Oct. 17 [PaEN]

-- DCNR Discusses Carbon Capture, Utilization, Storage Efforts, Announces $6 Million Investment In New Carbon Capture Research Facility [PaEN]

[Posted: August 31, 2023] PA Environment Digest

Slippery Rock Watershed Passive Mine Drainage Treatment Systems Receive Rehab In Butler County

The following article first appeared in the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition’s Catalyst newsletter--

Some of the earliest passive treatment systems installed by the SRWC and its partnering organizations were constructed on Pennsylvania State Game Lands #95.

Due to its location in Butler County and close proximity to the Greater Pittsburgh area, this is a heavily used Game Land property. In addition, the North Country Trail travels by or through six of these treatment systems.

The SRWC [Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition] has 10 passive systems that not only are collectively neutralizing 400,000 pounds of acidity per year and removing nearly 200,000 pounds of metals per year, but they range in age from 21 to 28 years old! Some rehabilitation was in order!

The SR114B and SR114D passive systems, located in the Slippery Rock Creek Watershed, were constructed in 1995 and are now 28 years old.

Both systems have required very little maintenance during this time and are utilized as prime examples of the benefits of Anoxic Limestone Drain (ALD) technology when used for the proper water quality.

System B was experiencing problems as flow rates from the ALD had significantly decreased over the years, an indication of plugging, compromised piping, or other issues and needed to be replaced.

The System D system ALD was still producing net-alkaline water after 23 years; however, the area where it is located was dramatically sunken, indicating significant limestone dissolution.

Construction began this spring. Because it was uncertain as to when it would cease to function, a conceptual design was developed where, for the B system, the ALD was replaced and increased to 500 tons of limestone.

Sludge from the settling pond was removed and the pond was expanded.

For the D system rehabilitation, the ALD was also replaced and increased to 1,500 tons of limestone. Increasing the limestone in both ALDs is expected to increase the alkalinity production which will benefit Slippery Rock Creek.

Iron and organic matter from all of the settling ponds and wetland were removed and placed in a sludge pond that was constructed next to the system as part of the rehab and improvements.

This rehabilitation was made possible through a PA DEP Growing Greener grant and funding from the US Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program (WCAP) and the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.

With these much-needed improvements, we look forward to monitoring the systems for success in treating degraded water impacted by abandoned mine drainage.

Click Here to read the entire newsletter. Click Here to sign up to sign up for your own copy.

For more information on programs, projects, upcoming events and how you can get involved, visit the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition website. Follow them on Facebook. Click Here to sign up to sign up for regular updates.

The Butler County-based Coalition was established in 1994 to restore land, water and wildlife resources in the Slippery Rock Watershed.

-- 2023 Celebrate The Bloom! At Jennings Environmental Education Center A Rainy Success In Butler County [PaEN]

NewsClips - Watersheds:

-- AP: Municipalities Say An Adverse Ruling On A Case Now Before PA Supreme Court On Stormwater Fees Could Drain Them Financially

-- Bay Journal - Karl Blankenship: Hershey, EPA Hope New Pollution Control Partnership On Dairy Farms Will Be Sweet Success

-- Warren Times: Habitat Improvement Projects Continue By Partners In Brokenstraw Watershed

-- Citizens Voice: Freeland Stormwater Project In Luzerne County Largest Infrastructure Investment In 2 Decades

-- ABC27 New: Dover Twp., York County Receives $5.8 Million Federal Grant For Floodplain Restoration Project

-- Reading Eagle: $260,000 In Grants Awarded To 4 Schuylkill River Watershed Improvement Projects In Berks County

-- Schuylkill River Greenways Hosts Sept. 8 Bus Tour Of Stream Restoration Projects

-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners Host In-Person Municipal Stormwater Forum Sept. 25, Clipper Magazine Stadium, Lancaster. 7:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

-- Potter Leader: Upper Allegheny Watershed Assn. To Hold Calendar Photo Contest

-- Lehigh Valley’s Wildlands Conservancy: Bushkill Creek Restoration; First Graders Wild About Learning; Be Part Of The Stream Team!; Much More

2023 Celebrate The Bloom! At Jennings Environmental Education Center A Rainy Success In Butler County

The following article first appeared in the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition’s Catalyst newsletter.

The Jennings Environmental Education Center in Butler county is home to the state's only native prairie ecosystem and many unique native prairie plants, including the Blazing Star.

At total of 225 native plant species were identified in this 20-acre prairie habitat

The Blazing Star, which can grow up to four feet high, and features spectacular purple flower blooms on its stalk from top to bottom.

The end of July into early August marks the peak bloom time of this spectacular purple prairie flower and many other flowers.

The forecast was ominous – significant rain that could be accompanied by high winds, hail, and lightning.

Planning for Celebrate the Bloom! begins many months before the event and the potential for rain is always considered and emergency continency plans are developed – however, it never seems to “get real” until that forecast is staring you in the face a week before the event and decisions that affect people’s health and safety must be made.

It is said that adversity generates innovation …. being forced to look critically at an issue and determine if the most efficient, safe, and enjoyable approach to that situation is being considered and implemented.

This continually keeps projects and events fresh and relevant.

For example, Celebrate the Bloom! occurs in late July and features guided walks on the open, treeless prairie habitat.

Excessive heat was becoming more of an issue – to address it, in 2022 the festival implemented cooling stations - misting fans, water, hand fans and umbrellas are now strategically located throughout the festival.

With storms looming for Celebrate the Bloom! 2023, the planning team once again needed to look creatively at an issue.

Emergency plans were dusted off, critically examined, and shared. Solutions for keeping vendors relatively safe and dry were proposed – such as allowing vendors to operate out of their cars.

This required a significant change to the festival layout, but ultimately ended up working quite well by freeing up valuable parking spaces and reducing set up and tear down chaos.

Innovation was generated!

The rains came. A few vendors and musical acts canceled.

Festival set up was delayed for an hour and was ultimately quite soggy, but thankfully, there were no dangerous conditions. The rains let up by 10:00 a.m. and by early afternoon the sun came out and people came to see the prairie, listen to music, and visit the vendors.

With more rain predicted in the afternoon, the attendance ended up being about half of what was normally expected, but those that came had a thoroughly enjoyable experience and the prairie flowers did not disappoint.

The day featured: a morning bird walk with the Bartramian Audubon Society; Eastern Massasauga walk with Western Pennsylvania Conservancy; State Parks Resource Management Initiative with PA DCNR Resource Management Division, Wildflower Identification and Prairie Pollinators with Jennings educators; Prairie management with Jennings goats (and manager).

PA Forest District 8 brought and demonstrated their brush truck and other fire equipment.

Fresh baked goods from Anna’s and Cookies by Rene, and fresh salads from Georgetown Eats were enjoyed by many. A variety of vendors, including Kellar Farms Nursery, had beautiful plants for sale and live music added to the festive atmosphere throughout the day.

Despite the forecast and regular rain, Celebrate the Bloom! 2023 turned out to be quite successful. Many people stepped up to help and we appreciate the vendors and visitors that stuck with us!

At Jennings we are continually touched by the interest our community has in celebrating our unique habitats.

Celebrate the Bloom! 2024 will only benefit from the challenges faced in 2023 and will be better than ever!