Penn State Master Gardeners Of Cumberland County Host June 20 Summer Solstice At Adams Ricci Butterfly Garden

Celebrate the Summer Solstice with the Penn State Master Gardeners of Cumberland County on Thursday, June 20, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., outdoors at the Midway Pavilion and Adams Ricci Butterfly Garden at Adams Ricci Park in Enola.

Welcome summer, learn about the solstice and sun power, and explore the Adams Ricci Butterfly Garden!

Meet the butterflies, bees, and other pollinators visiting the garden. Learn about native plants as well as host and nectar plants for pollinators. 

Visit educational displays, participate in a scavenger hunt for youth, and talk with Penn State Master Gardeners to get answers to your gardening questions.

This event is free to the public and all are welcome. No pre-registration required. Gardeners of all ages and anyone interested in pollinators and pollinator gardening are encouraged to attend this event.

The Adams Ricci Park address is 100 E. Penn Drive, Enola, PA 17025. The Adams Ricci Butterfly Garden is located near the Midway Pavilion at the bottom of the hill. Parking is free. 

From the Magaro Road park entrance, drive past the tennis courts, bocce court, and down the hill to the Midway Pavilion on the left.

From the Center Street/East Penn Drive park entrance by the red railroad car, drive through the parking area to the stop sign, turn right, and continue through the parking area to the Midway Pavilion on the right at the bottom of the hill.

For more information, call the Penn State Extension office at 717-240-6500, email

CumberlandExt@psu.edu,  visit the website for the Penn State Master Gardeners of Cumberland County, or find us on Facebook.

Visit the Penn State Extension Master Gardener webpage to find out about special events happening in your county.

Related Articles:

-- Penn State Extension Hosts June 10 Webinar On Watershed-Friendly Native Planting  [PaEN]  

-- Pollinator Gardens: Help Encourage Ecological Diversity In Your Own Backyard  [PaEN]

[Posted: May 31, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

Penn State Extension Hosts June 10 Webinar On Watershed-Friendly Native Planting

On June 10, Penn State Extension will host a webinar on Watershed-Friendly Native Planting from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. 

Reducing stormwater runoff, minimizing water pollution, conserving water, and supporting wildlife and pollinators are essential components of creating healthy, watershed-friendly properties. 

These focus areas are central to the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Watershed-Friendly certification, developed in collaboration with the Nurture Nature Center. 

Native plants are integral to the certification criteria due to the numerous benefits they offer.

This webinar will share tips and information on successfully establishing native plants, with a particular emphasis on the plants featured in the Master Watershed Steward Watershed Friendly Plant Sale.

Who is this for?

-- Residential gardeners of all levels and interests

-- Anyone interested in watershed friendly best practices

-- Native plant enthusiasts

-- Anyone interested in Penn State Extension’s Watershed-Friendly Property Certification Program

What will you learn?

-- Site selection, preparation, and planting guidance for establishing native plant plugs

-- Ecosystem services and native plants as ecological hosts and partners

-- How native plants contribute to watershed health, by reducing runoff, conserving water, and supporting pollinators and other wildlife

-- How to qualify for Penn State Extension’s Watershed-Friendly Property Certification Program

Click Here to register for this free program or learn more.

Visit the Penn State Extension website to learn about many other educational opportunities.

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- DEP Chesapeake Bay Update: PA's Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan Receives National Recognition For Collaboration, Partnerships  [PaEN]

-- DEP Published An eNotice Saying The 2024 PA Integrated Water Quality Report Has Been Published As Final

-- Penn State Extension Watershed Winds Newsletter Highlights Student AgVenture Camp; Watershed Stewards Native Plant Kit; Pond Management; Rain Barrel Guy; Much More!  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Highlights Partnership Helping PA Communities Plant 2,500 Large Bare Root Trees; Woodland Health Practices Handbook; Chesapeake Stormwater Training  [PaEN]

-- Center For Watershed Protection Hosts 3-Part Stream Restoration Webinar Series Starting June 4  [PaEN]

-- USDA: Application Period Now Open For Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program Funding  [PaEN]

-- USDA Accepting Applications For Wetlands Mitigation Bank Projects

-- Penn State Extension: Woods & Wildlife News & Notes: May Forest Snapshot; Service Forester Assistance For Forestland Owners; Forest Education For Teachers, Youth Leaders  

NewsClips:

-- LancasterOnline: Conowingo Creek Restoration Serves As Model For Conservation  

-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners: 2023 Year-In-Review

-- Lancaster Farming: PA Dairies Get $25 Million Boost for Climate-Smart Practices; Penn State Seeking 100 Farms To Receive Assistance 

-- Beaver County Times - Brian Whipkey: Fall Cankerworms Drop From Leaves Onto Homes, Cars, People In Southwest PA

-- Horn Farm Center For Agricultural Education Hosts 3-Part, In-Person Workshops On Mycology [Fungi & Mushrooms] In York Starting June 8

-- WHYY: Philadelphia Mussel Hatchery Produces More Juveniles, Thanks To New Discoveries

-- Inquirer: Philly’s Nursery-Grown Mussels Are Crucial To Cleaning Rivers, Local Scientists Just Made A Major Breakthrough 

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation - B.J. Small: Marvelous Macros - Tiny Aquatic Creatures With An Important Message 

-- WTAJ/AP: Researchers Find Tiny Organism Has Power To Reduce Persistent Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Farm Fields 

-- PennLive: Wiconisco Creek Anglers Assn. Organized 30+ Volunteers For Stream Cleanup In Dauphin County 

-- The Daily Item: Susquehanna University Offering Watershed Studies Minor

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer, et al: Since 2020, 55 Million Square Feet Of Warehouse Space Have Reshaped Jobs, Traffic, Landscapes

-- Delaware RiverKeeper May 31 RiverWatch Video Report

-- US DOE, US Treasury, USDA Release Joint Policy Statement And Principles On Voluntary Carbon Credit Markets

[Posted: May 31, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

Center For Watershed Protection Hosts 3-Part Stream Restoration Webinar Series Starting June 4

The Maryland-based Center for Watershed Protection is hosting a free three-part stream restoration webinar series to be held June 4, 11, and 18. 

This series is targeted to state/local governments, academics, practitioners, and citizens with the goal of finding common ground on using stream restoration to meet water quality goals.

June 4 - The Evolution of Stream Restoration

Topics covered include--

-- History of land use change across the U.S. and stream impacts, including forest changes

-- Drivers of stream restoration

-- Stream restoration through the years

-- Stream restoration performance

-- Facilitated Discussion

Presenters include-- Dorothy Merritts, Franklin and Marshall College; Michael Adams, Stantec; Richard Starr, Ecosystem Planning and Restoration; Will Harman, Stream Mechanics; Art Parola, University of Louisville; Derek Booth, University of California Santa Barbara; and Barbara Doll, North Carolina State University.

June 11 - A Whole Watershed Approach

Topics covered include--

-- Studies of upland practices and their effect on the stream channel

-- Local Government Perspectives on the feasibility of upland BMP implementation to influence stream channel stability

-- Facilitated Discussion

Presenters include-- Sara Love, Maryland State Delegate; Tess Thompson, Virginia Tech; Lisa Fraley-McNeal, Deb Caraco, Bill Stack, Center for Watershed Protection; Byron Madigan, Carroll County, MD; and Erik Michelsen, Anne Arundel County, MD.

June 18 - Tools and Best Practices to Restoration Approach Selection

Topics covered include--

-- Stream Restoration Best Practices

-- Restoration Examples – good/bad stream restoration projects, alternative approaches, etc.

-- Stakeholder Education and Outreach

-- State agency updates? For example, permit requirements in MD now requiring functional assessments, what do the states consider successful stream restoration, etc.

Presenters include-- Lisa Fraley-McNeal, Bill Stack, Center for Watershed Protection; Benjamin Uhler, LandStudies, Inc.; Drew Altland, Straughan Environmental, Inc.; Adam Nabors, EQR/Maryland Stream Restoration Association; Dave Goerman, PA DEP; Jeff White, MDE; and Brock Reggi, VA DEQ.

Each 2-hour webinar will begin at 1:00 p.m.ET. 

Click Here to register or for more information.

For more information, please contact the Center for Watershed Protection’s Director of Membership and Training, Karen Titus at kmt@cwp.org, or Beth Uhler, Pennsylvania Director, at beu@cwp.org. 

Visit the Center for Watershed Protection website to learn more about other watershed-related educational opportunities.

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- DEP Chesapeake Bay Update: PA's Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan Receives National Recognition For Collaboration, Partnerships  [PaEN]

-- DEP Published An eNotice Saying The 2024 PA Integrated Water Quality Report Has Been Published As Final

-- Penn State Extension Watershed Winds Newsletter Highlights Student AgVenture Camp; Watershed Stewards Native Plant Kit; Pond Management; Rain Barrel Guy; Much More!  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Highlights Partnership Helping PA Communities Plant 2,500 Large Bare Root Trees; Woodland Health Practices Handbook; Chesapeake Stormwater Training  [PaEN]

-- USDA: Application Period Now Open For Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program Funding  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension: Woods & Wildlife News & Notes: May Forest Snapshot; Service Forester Assistance For Forestland Owners; Forest Education For Teachers, Youth Leaders  

NewsClips:

-- LancasterOnline: Conowingo Creek Restoration Serves As Model For Conservation  

-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners: 2023 Year-In-Review

-- Lancaster Farming: PA Dairies Get $25 Million Boost for Climate-Smart Practices; Penn State Seeking 100 Farms To Receive Assistance 

-- Beaver County Times - Brian Whipkey: Fall Cankerworms Drop From Leaves Onto Homes, Cars, People In Southwest PA

-- Horn Farm Center For Agricultural Education Hosts 3-Part, In-Person Workshops On Mycology [Fungi & Mushrooms] In York Starting June 8

-- WHYY: Philadelphia Mussel Hatchery Produces More Juveniles, Thanks To New Discoveries

-- Inquirer: Philly’s Nursery-Grown Mussels Are Crucial To Cleaning Rivers, Local Scientists Just Made A Major Breakthrough 

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation - B.J. Small: Marvelous Macros - Tiny Aquatic Creatures With An Important Message 

-- WTAJ/AP: Researchers Find Tiny Organism Has Power To Reduce Persistent Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Farm Fields 

-- PennLive: Wiconisco Creek Anglers Assn. Organized 30+ Volunteers For Stream Cleanup In Dauphin County 

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer, et al: Since 2020, 55 Million Square Feet Of Warehouse Space Have Reshaped Jobs, Traffic, Landscapes

-- Delaware RiverKeeper May 31 RiverWatch Video Report

-- US DOE, US Treasury, USDA Release Joint Policy Statement And Principles On Voluntary Carbon Credit Markets

[Posted: May 31, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 1

The following notices were published in the June 1 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

-- American Refining Group, Inc. - Bradford Refinery: DEP disapproved a Final Report on remediation of soil and groundwater because it did not demonstrate attainment with Site-Specific Standards at the facility located in Bradford Twp., McKean County.  (PA Bulletin, page 3089)   Read more here.

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

-- SWN Production Company, LLC - O’Dell Impoundment: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of oil contaminated by three releases of freshwater and production wastewater  to meet the Statewide Health Standard for the facility located in New Milford Twp., Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 3088)

-- SWN Production Company, LLC - Dimmig Shale Gas Pad: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with production wastewater, foamer and defoamer to meet the Statewide Health Standards at the facility located in Forkston Twp., Wyoming County. (PA Bulletin, page 3088)

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - J. Loffredo Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with production wastewater to meet the Statewide Health Standards for the pad located in Nicholson Twp., Wyoming County.  (PA Bulletin, page 3088)

-- American Refining Group, Inc. - Bradford Refinery: DEP disapproved a Final Report on remediation of soil and groundwater because it did not demonstrate attainment with Site-Specific Standards at the facility located in Bradford Twp., McKean County.  Contaminated included: Soil- Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl Benzene, Xylenes (total), Cumene (Isopropylbenzene), Methyl tert-Butyl Ether, Naphthalene, Trimethyl benzene, 1,2,4- (Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,4-), Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,5-, Fluorene, Phenanthrene, Anthracene, Pyrene, Chrysene, Benzo(a)anthracene, Benzo(b)fluoranthene, Benzo(a)- pyrene, Benzo(g,h,i)perylene;  Groundwater: Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl Benzene, Xylenes (total), Cumene (Isopropylbenzene), Methyl tert-Butyl Ether, Naphtha- lene, Trimethyl benzene, 1,2,4-(Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,4-), Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,5-, Phenanthrene, Pyrene, Chrysene for EU-6.  (PA Bulletin, page 3089)  Read more here.

2024 Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 135 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.

Air Quality Permits

-- UGI Texas Creek, LLC - Castle Compressor Station: DEP approved an Air Quality Permit for multiple sources of air pollution at the compressor station located in Canton Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 3091)

-- Calpine Mid-Merit LLC - Natural Gas-fired Power Plant: DEP approved modifications to two Air Quality Permits for a project to increase the rated output of the facility from 760 MW to 830 MW located in Peach Bottom Twp., York County.  (PA Bulletin, page 3091)

-- Texas Eastern Transmission, LP - FACILITY NOT LIST [eFACTS Search Finds Delmont Compressor Station]: DEP issued an Air Quality Plan Approval Extension for the facility located in Salem Twp., Westmoreland County.  (PA Bulletin, page 3092)  [Note: The facility is near the site of a pipeline explosion on April 29, 2016.]

-- Texas Eastern Transmission, LP - Compressor Station (?): DEP issued an Air Quality Plan Approval extension to allow more time for installation of air pollution sources at the facility located in Richhill Twp., Greene County.  (PA Bulletin, page 3092)

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- Blackhill Energy LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting Mill Creek in Springfield Twp., Bradford County.  (PA Bulletin, page 3095)

-- EQT ARO LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting Middle Branch Big Run (Exceptional Value) located in Beech Creek Twp., Clinton County.   (PA Bulletin, page 3095)

Individual Stormwater Permit

-- Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining & Marketing LLC - Bellwether District Innovation Campus: DEP invites comments on an Individual Stormwater Permit for the facility located at 3144 W. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia.  (PA Bulletin, page 3061)

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [5.24.24]*

-- Last Week - Permits: DEP issued 6 conventional and 9 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 87 conventional and 192 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 57 conventional and 140 unconventional

*Weekly Workload Report - 5.24.24

*DEP’s Weekly Oil & Gas Program Workload Report - Most Recent

DEP Issued These New Oil & Gas Permits *

*Click Here to find oil and gas well permits recently issued near you

Sign Up! DEP eNotice: The Only Way You’ll Know When Applications Come In To DEP

Did you know DEP can send you email notices when permit applications are submitted to DEP in your community?  

This is the only way you can get notified of when oil and gas-related permits are submitted to DEP.   

You’ll also get notice of new technical guidance documents and regulations.

Click Here to sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE today!

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 25 to 31 - Shale Wastewater Pipeline Spill; Drill Cuttings Violations; More Abandoned Conventional Wells  [PaEN] 

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 1 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 1 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

Related Articles This Week:

-- Week 10: Illegal Dumping Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Continues Unabated On Paved, Dirt Roads, Before It Rains, It Doesn’t Matter In Warren County  [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: PUC Judge Orders 7 Rhodes Estate Water Companies To Secure Counsel For Hearings On Their Future [More Fallout From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill In Venango County]  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Research Traced Radioactive Radium In Freshwater Mussels To Oil & Gas Wastewater  [PaEN] 

-- Protect PT Hosts 4 Virtual Workshops On How To Protect Yourself If You Live Near Shale Gas Facilities Starting June 11 [PaEN] 

-- Evangelical Environmental Network, Partners Host June 5 Webinar On Pipeline Methane Leaks - Causes, Impacts, Solutions  [PaEN]

-- Center For Coalfield Justice June 13 In-Person Program On Air Pollution Hazards From Oil & Gas Sites, South Franklin Township Park, Washington County

-- DEP Disapproves Final Cleanup Report On Dozens Of Chemicals At The American Refining Group Bradford Refinery In McKean County For Not Meeting Cleanup Standards [PaEN] 

-- Protect PT Lunch & Learn Online Program - Frac-Enomics, Is It Worth It? Now On Demand  [PaEN]  

-- Natural Resources Defense Council Releases Recommendations To US DOE On LNG Gas Export Facility Impact Analysis  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Extends Temporary Air Quality Permits For Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County; Shell Said It Will Submit Full Title V Air Permit Application By June 21 Deadline  [PaEN]   

-- 50+ Appalachian Groups Call On US DOE To Suspend ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub Project  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- The Energy Age Blog: Cecil Twp., Washington County Latest Township To Realize Current Gas Well Regulations Aren’t Enough To Protect People 

-- Farm & Dairy: Cecil Twp., Washington County To Add New Restrictions On Oil & Gas Drilling - Like Living With A Helicopter 100 Feet Over Your Head 24 hours A Day

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Working To Plug More Dangerous Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned By Conventional Well Owners - By Rep. Mandy Steele (D-Allegheny)

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Subsidiary Of PA Oil & Gas Waste Treatment Company Faces Mounting Pressure Over Radioactive Waste 

-- Inside Climate News: PA’s Fracking Wastewater Contains A ‘Shocking’ Amount Of The Critical Clean Energy Mineral Lithium 

--  WNEP: Coterra Energy Shale Gas Company Closing Facility In Susquehanna County, Laying Off 50+ Workers

-- PA Capital-Star/Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: PA Gas Producers CNX Wants In On The Hydrogen Revolution

-- The Allegheny Front/WV Public Broadcasting: Mountain Valley Gas Pipeline Completion Delayed Again Due To Incomplete Pipeline Water Testing  

-- Delaware Currents: Gibbstown, NJ LNG Gas, Wyalusing LNG Gas Projects Show A Flicker Of Life

-- Reuters: EU Approves Law To Hit Gas Imports With Methane Emissions Limits To Cut Leaks In Gas Infrastructure 

[Posted: May 31, 2024]  PA Environment Digest