Saturday NewsClips

House Approves Bill, Budget Deal Is Off
House Passes New Verson Of State Budget
Dems' Plan Would Tax Natural Gas, Tobacco, Not Arts Tickets
Solar Roof Panels Fulfill His Dreams
Levin Furniture May Spend $20,000 To Recycle E-Waste
Tunnel Adds Key Link To Great Allegheny Passage Trail
Major Steps Announced To Finishing Bicycle Trail
Jacobs Creek Flood Control Project Offers Protection, Recreation
Letter: Offset Environmental Costs

Oct. 5 PA Environment Digest Now Available

The House just passed a natural gas production severance tax as part of an omnibus tax bill House Democrats want to be part of the budget. Senate Republicans have said there were too many changes to the tax package and it violates the deal they made and are likely to strip out any changes, including the several tax when they return on Monday.
Read more in the October 5 PA Environment Digest. Click here to print this week's Digest.

Conservation Corps Grant Applications Now Being Accepted

Applications are now being accepted for PA Conservation Corps Program grants for conservation, recreation, historic preservation, graffiti removal and repair of vandalism from the Department of Labor and Industry. Applications for political subdivisions and nonprofit organizations in Philadelphia are due January 8. Click here for formal notice.

Environmental Education Grant Applications Now Being Accepted

Applications for the 2010 Environmental Education Grants Program are now available from the Department of Environmental Protection. Applications are due December 18. Click here for formal notice.

DEP Accepting Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for grants under the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program. The deadline for applications is November 6. Click here for formal notice.

Friday NewsClips

House Dems Take New Direction In Budget Talks
Budget Deal In Danger
Environmentalists Fight Natural Gas Leasing In State Forests
Cabot Gas, State At Odds On Spill
Hearing Planned On Gas Drilling Wastewater Plant
Friends Of Dunkard Creek Seek EPA Takeover On Fish Kill
Geisinger Diagnosis: Good And Green
Dollar Energy Fund Begins Offering Grants To Cover Utilities
Greenfest Features Solar-Powered Vehicles
Dam Fixes On Ohio River May Get $37 Million In Aid
Penn State Commons Composting Lacks Student Cooperation
Gas Transmission Line Proposed For Bradford, Sullivan
Editorial: Lawmakers Endangering State Parks, Public Land
EPA Sues Scranton Sewer Authority
DEP Hosts Hearings On Frac Water Disposal
Natural Gas Leads Susquehanna Economic Outlook
Use Of Gas Drilling Revenues Up For Debate
Montco To Spend More For Wind Energy
Letter: Green Wall Novel Approach To Saving Energy
Dropped Off Old Tires To Roll Into Luzerne County
Trash Piles In Lake Twp. Bringing Action By DEP
Lehigh Valley Watershed Conference Set For Next Friday
Weird Waste Day In Mt. Airy, A Recycling Bonanza

House Committee Moves Natural Gas Severance Tax Bill

The House Rules Committee this evening amended House Bill 1531 (George-D-Clearfield) to make it the omnibus tax bill to go along with the budget deal, however, it includes significant changes to the deal negotiated by the 3 Caucuses and Gov. Rendell.
The amendment includes a natural gas production severance tax, a tax on smokeless tobacco and cigars as well as a significantly higher tax on table games than had been discussed in the Senate.
It also deletes the tax on tickets to arts performances and the levy on small games of chance that were part of the original 3 Caucus-Gov. Rendell budget deal.
The natural gas severance tax portion of the bill would impose a 5 percent tax on the gross value of natural gas at the wellhead plus 4.7 cents per thousand cubic feet of gas produced.
Starting in January 2012, the revenue from the new tax would be distributed as follows--
-- 60 percent to the General Fund;
-- 3 percent to DPW for low-income energy assistance;
-- 15 percent to the Environmental Stewardship Fund;
-- 4 percent to the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund;
-- 5 percent to the Liquid Fuels Tax Fund;
-- 4.5 percent to municipalities where natural gas is taxed;
-- 4.5 percent to counties where natural gas is taxed;
-- 2 percent to Game Commission; and
-- 2 percent to Fish and Boat Commission.
The tax would be effective in 90 days.
Based on the comments from Senate Republicans late today, this would seem to implode the budget process.

Senate Committee Moves Recycling Fee Extension

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee late Wednesday amended House Bill 1768 (Wansacz-D-Lackawanna) to extend the $2/ton Recycling Fee from 2012 to 2020 and a change that transfers $1.25 million annually from the Recycling Fund to a new Used Tire Pile Remediation Account to cleanup tire piles.
The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration.

Thursday NewsClips

11th Hour Gas Pains Cloud State Budget Deal
Details Of Gas Drilling Revenues And Budget Debated
House Democrats Concerned About Votes To Pass Budget Deal
Editorial: Thank Bud George For Maybe Saving Arts & Culture
Senate Panel Expands Scope Of Landfill Bill
Heating Prices Cooling Off In Western PA
Allentown Forum Offers Energy Efficiency Tips October 17
Green Jobs Will Grow In Western PA, But Not For All
Federal Climate Bill Gets A Cool Reaction From PA Senators
Fishing License Sales Hit Five Year High
Conservancy Acquires 2,400 Acres In Clearfield County
Opposition To Drilling Wastewater Facility
Group Wants Responsible Marcellus Shale Development
Chesapeake Gas Lease Checks Change Hundreds Of Lives
Editorial: Natural Gas Severance Tax Would Help Protect Resources
Letter: State Lands Must Not Pass Into Hands Of Drillers
Natural Gas Drilling At Forefront Of Budget Debate