Monday Will Be An Ozone Action Day
State Budget Called Incomplete
Fiscal Code Bill Allows Environmental Permit Extensions
$1.3 Billion Diverted, Cut From Environmental Program Over 8 Years
Marcellus Shale Dispute Bubbling Up In NE PA
Results Of Luzerne Natural Gas Test Wells Awaited
When Floods, Ebb, Frustration Remains
Volunteers, Tools Needed For Redbank Valley Trails Assn.
Extension Planned For Midstate Rail-Trail
Column: Women In The Outdoors Coordinator A First
Monday, July 5, 2010
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Sunday NewsClips
Lawmakers Approve Fiscal Bills, Head Home Signing Tuesday
Editorial: Don't Horse-Trade For State Severance Tax
Gas Drilling Companies Eye More Land In Wyoming County
As Marcellus Shale Grows, Tech Schools Step Up To Train Workers
Clearfield Gas Well Training Likely To Be Held Statewide
Volunteers Needed To Cleanup Conodoguinet Creek
New Chesapeake Bay Allocations Makes It Tougher On PA To Meet Limits
Future Of Susquehanna River Fishery On Tap For Program
Family Feud Illustrates Complexity Of Electric Deregulation
Crowds Roam Regal Fritillary Butterfly Habitat
Battle Of Bowman's Hill
Bald Eagles Are Soaring In State Once Again
Appalachian Trail Museum Prepares For Second Phase
Editorial: Don't Horse-Trade For State Severance Tax
Gas Drilling Companies Eye More Land In Wyoming County
As Marcellus Shale Grows, Tech Schools Step Up To Train Workers
Clearfield Gas Well Training Likely To Be Held Statewide
Volunteers Needed To Cleanup Conodoguinet Creek
New Chesapeake Bay Allocations Makes It Tougher On PA To Meet Limits
Future Of Susquehanna River Fishery On Tap For Program
Family Feud Illustrates Complexity Of Electric Deregulation
Crowds Roam Regal Fritillary Butterfly Habitat
Battle Of Bowman's Hill
Bald Eagles Are Soaring In State Once Again
Appalachian Trail Museum Prepares For Second Phase
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Updated July 5 PA Environment Digest Now Available
With final action today on budget-related bills by the General Assembly, a revised July 5 PA Environment Digest has been posted online at: www.PaEnvironmentDigest.com. Click here to print this Digest.
Saturday NewsClips
The House is due back in session at 9:00 a.m. and the Senate at 10:00 a.m. today and are expected to wrap up work on the Fiscal Code-- Senate Bill 1042 (Browne-R-Lehigh)-- in the House and RCAP Capital Budget bills-- House Bill 2290 (D.Evans-D-Philadelphia) and House Bill 2289 (D.Evans)-- in the Senate . They are expected to finish work by about noon Saturday. The Governor is expected to sign the budget bills on Tuesday.
NewsClips
Budget Dispute Resolved
Fiscal Code Bill Allows Permit Extensions
DEP Increasing Permit Fees By $24.7 Million To Offset Budget Cuts
Onorato Opposes Natural Gas Drilling Moratorium
SRBC Drilling Water Withdrawals Comply With Drought Restrictions
Drillers Stopped From Taking Water
More Fun Events At Wilkes-Barre Riverfest
Mayflies, Thick Elsewhere, Have Yet To Emerge In Erie
Mosquito Spraying In Armstrong, Beaver
Former Game Commission Director Glenn Bowers Passes
NewsClips
Budget Dispute Resolved
Fiscal Code Bill Allows Permit Extensions
DEP Increasing Permit Fees By $24.7 Million To Offset Budget Cuts
Onorato Opposes Natural Gas Drilling Moratorium
SRBC Drilling Water Withdrawals Comply With Drought Restrictions
Drillers Stopped From Taking Water
More Fun Events At Wilkes-Barre Riverfest
Mayflies, Thick Elsewhere, Have Yet To Emerge In Erie
Mosquito Spraying In Armstrong, Beaver
Former Game Commission Director Glenn Bowers Passes
Friday, July 2, 2010
July 5 PA Environment Digest Now Available
July 5 PA Environment Digest now available. Click here to print this Digest.New Budget Erases 16 Years Of General Fund Support For Environmental Programs
More than 16 years of General Fund support for environmental protection, State Park and State Forest programs was erased by the new $28 billion General Fund budget agreed to by the Senate, House and Gov. Rendell this week. In fact, the General Fund appropriation to the Department of Environmental Protection was below 1994 levels.
The FY 2010-11 General Fund appropriations to the DEP were cut $71.9 million below FY 2008-09 levels and $30.9 million below 08-09 levels for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
During the last eight years of the Rendell Administration, DEP's General Fund budget has been cut by 40.9 percent, DCNR by 23.7 percent and the Department of Agriculture by 35.2 percent. Click here to read more…
Friday NewsClips
State Budget May Be Unraveling
Budget Unsigned In Spat On Fiscal Office
State Workers Resigned To Layoffs
Rendell: We Have Contingency For Federal Dollars
Editorial: On Time, But Not Much More
Editorial: It Meets Deadline But Not Our Needs
Editorial: Faux Budget, Hey Harrisburg Your Work's Not Done
Environmental Advocate Troubled By Cuts At DEP, DCNR
Cattle May Have Drunk Drilling Wastewater
Onorato Wants Drilling To Go On, But With Care
Column: New Developments On Marcellus Shale Drilling Raise More Concerns
Hundreds Turn Out In Support Of Clean Air, Water Bills In Pittsburgh
EPA Issues Pollutant Limits For Chesapeake Bay
Consumers Save Money, Water With EPA’s WaterSense Program
Penn State Global Warming Scientist Cleared Of Misconduct
Penn State Panel Clears Global Warming Scholar
Penn State Scientist Mann Cleared Of Research Misconduct
Editorial: Environmental Issues, Let's Present Right Ideas To Kids
More Toward Alternative Energy Sparks Businesses, Jobs
PUC Sets Hearing On FirstEnergy-Allegheny Energy Merger
Hunters Encouraged To Join Deer Management Program
Editorial: Questions For WPC On Clear Cutting
PA Oil And Gas Regs Changing
Partnering For Public Land In Pike County
Editorial: Successful Lake Wallenpaupack Cleanup
Vandals Target Damascus Marcellus Shale Well
Berks Lab Charged With Falsifying Water Tests
Gas Companies Advised Not To Use Creeks In Wyoming County
No-Till Planter Should Be Available In Fall In Lycoming
Budget Unsigned In Spat On Fiscal Office
State Workers Resigned To Layoffs
Rendell: We Have Contingency For Federal Dollars
Editorial: On Time, But Not Much More
Editorial: It Meets Deadline But Not Our Needs
Editorial: Faux Budget, Hey Harrisburg Your Work's Not Done
Environmental Advocate Troubled By Cuts At DEP, DCNR
Cattle May Have Drunk Drilling Wastewater
Onorato Wants Drilling To Go On, But With Care
Column: New Developments On Marcellus Shale Drilling Raise More Concerns
Hundreds Turn Out In Support Of Clean Air, Water Bills In Pittsburgh
EPA Issues Pollutant Limits For Chesapeake Bay
Consumers Save Money, Water With EPA’s WaterSense Program
Penn State Global Warming Scientist Cleared Of Misconduct
Penn State Panel Clears Global Warming Scholar
Penn State Scientist Mann Cleared Of Research Misconduct
Editorial: Environmental Issues, Let's Present Right Ideas To Kids
More Toward Alternative Energy Sparks Businesses, Jobs
PUC Sets Hearing On FirstEnergy-Allegheny Energy Merger
Hunters Encouraged To Join Deer Management Program
Editorial: Questions For WPC On Clear Cutting
PA Oil And Gas Regs Changing
Partnering For Public Land In Pike County
Editorial: Successful Lake Wallenpaupack Cleanup
Vandals Target Damascus Marcellus Shale Well
Berks Lab Charged With Falsifying Water Tests
Gas Companies Advised Not To Use Creeks In Wyoming County
No-Till Planter Should Be Available In Fall In Lycoming
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Cattle In Tioga County Quarantined After Contact With Natural Gas Drilling Wastewater
The Department of Agriculture said today it has quarantined cattle from a Tioga County farm after a number of cows came into contact with drilling wastewater from a nearby natural gas operation.
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said uncertainty over the quantity of wastewater the cattle may have consumed warranted the quarantine in order to protect the public from eating potentially contaminated beef.
"Cattle are drawn to the taste of salty water," said Secretary Redding. "Drilling wastewater has high salinity levels, but it also contains dangerous chemicals and metals. We took this precaution in order to protect the public from consuming any of this potentially contaminated product should it be marketed for human consumption."
Secretary Redding said 28 head of cattle were included in the quarantine, including 16 cows, four heifers and eight calves. Those cattle were out to pasture in late April and early May when a drilling wastewater holding pond on the farm of Don and Carol Johnson leaked, sending the contaminated water into an adjacent field where it created a pool. The Johnsons had noticed some seepage from the pond for as long as two months prior to the leak.
The holding pond was collecting flowback water from the hydraulic fracturing process on a well being drilled by East Resources Inc.
Grass was killed in a roughly 30- x 40-foot area where the wastewater had pooled. Although no cows were seen drinking the wastewater, tracks were found throughout the pool. The wet area extended about 200-300 feet into the pasture.
The cattle had potential access to the pool for a minimum of three days until the gas company placed a snow fence around the pool to restrict access.
Subsequent tests of the wastewater found that it contained chloride, iron, sulfate, barium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium, strontium and calcium.
Secretary Redding said the main element of concern is the heavy metal strontium, which can be toxic to humans, especially in growing children. The metal takes a long time to pass through an animal's system because it is preferentially deposited in bone and released in the body at varying rates, dependent on age, growth status and other factors. Live animal testing was not possible because tissue sampling is required.
The Secretary also added that the quarantine will follow the recommended guidelines from the Food Animal Residue Avoidance and Depletion Program, as follows: Adult animals: hold from food chain for 6 months; Calves exposed in utero: hold from food chain for 8 months; and Growing calves: hold from food chain for 2 years.
In response to the leak, the Department of Environmental Protection issued a notice of violation to East Resources Inc. and required further sampling and site remediation. DEP is evaluating the final cleanup report and is continuing its investigation of operations at the drilling site, as well as the circumstances surrounding the leaking holding pond.
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said uncertainty over the quantity of wastewater the cattle may have consumed warranted the quarantine in order to protect the public from eating potentially contaminated beef.
"Cattle are drawn to the taste of salty water," said Secretary Redding. "Drilling wastewater has high salinity levels, but it also contains dangerous chemicals and metals. We took this precaution in order to protect the public from consuming any of this potentially contaminated product should it be marketed for human consumption."
Secretary Redding said 28 head of cattle were included in the quarantine, including 16 cows, four heifers and eight calves. Those cattle were out to pasture in late April and early May when a drilling wastewater holding pond on the farm of Don and Carol Johnson leaked, sending the contaminated water into an adjacent field where it created a pool. The Johnsons had noticed some seepage from the pond for as long as two months prior to the leak.
The holding pond was collecting flowback water from the hydraulic fracturing process on a well being drilled by East Resources Inc.
Grass was killed in a roughly 30- x 40-foot area where the wastewater had pooled. Although no cows were seen drinking the wastewater, tracks were found throughout the pool. The wet area extended about 200-300 feet into the pasture.
The cattle had potential access to the pool for a minimum of three days until the gas company placed a snow fence around the pool to restrict access.
Subsequent tests of the wastewater found that it contained chloride, iron, sulfate, barium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium, strontium and calcium.
Secretary Redding said the main element of concern is the heavy metal strontium, which can be toxic to humans, especially in growing children. The metal takes a long time to pass through an animal's system because it is preferentially deposited in bone and released in the body at varying rates, dependent on age, growth status and other factors. Live animal testing was not possible because tissue sampling is required.
The Secretary also added that the quarantine will follow the recommended guidelines from the Food Animal Residue Avoidance and Depletion Program, as follows: Adult animals: hold from food chain for 6 months; Calves exposed in utero: hold from food chain for 8 months; and Growing calves: hold from food chain for 2 years.
In response to the leak, the Department of Environmental Protection issued a notice of violation to East Resources Inc. and required further sampling and site remediation. DEP is evaluating the final cleanup report and is continuing its investigation of operations at the drilling site, as well as the circumstances surrounding the leaking holding pond.
PEC Accepting Applications For 40 Under 40 Environmental Award Nominations
In celebration of its 40th Anniversary, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, will recognize 40 Pennsylvanians under the age of 40 who are working to protect the environment. Nominations are due July 26.
Environmental professionals and volunteers who are helping to solve Pennsylvania’s environmental challenges through leadership, innovation and collaboration are encouraged to apply.
Nominees must be Pennsylvania residents and self-nominations are allowed. Qualified nominees will be asked to submit additional information.
Selected “40 under 40” winners will be announced in late August and recognized at PEC’s 40th Anniversary Celebration in Harrisburg in September. Additionally, winners will receive a complimentary one-year membership to PEC, and an award certificate.
“Pennsylvania has a history of environmental leaders – from activist Rachel Carson to trail builder Linda McKenna-Boxx to urban greening legend Jane Pepper – who have helped Pennsylvania become a national model of environmental conservation,” said Don Welsh, President and CEO of PEC.
“PEC is eager to celebrate the next generation of individuals who will continue this legacy and shape Pennsylvania’s future landscape with their innovative ideas and actions.”
For more information about PEC’s 40th anniversary celebration, visit the 40 Under 40 Awards webpage.
Environmental professionals and volunteers who are helping to solve Pennsylvania’s environmental challenges through leadership, innovation and collaboration are encouraged to apply.
Nominees must be Pennsylvania residents and self-nominations are allowed. Qualified nominees will be asked to submit additional information.
Selected “40 under 40” winners will be announced in late August and recognized at PEC’s 40th Anniversary Celebration in Harrisburg in September. Additionally, winners will receive a complimentary one-year membership to PEC, and an award certificate.
“Pennsylvania has a history of environmental leaders – from activist Rachel Carson to trail builder Linda McKenna-Boxx to urban greening legend Jane Pepper – who have helped Pennsylvania become a national model of environmental conservation,” said Don Welsh, President and CEO of PEC.
“PEC is eager to celebrate the next generation of individuals who will continue this legacy and shape Pennsylvania’s future landscape with their innovative ideas and actions.”
For more information about PEC’s 40th anniversary celebration, visit the 40 Under 40 Awards webpage.
Thursday NewsClips
While the General Fund budget bill was approved late Wednesday, there are still related budget bills the Senate and House must take action on, including on a Fiscal Code bill that includes a proposed $17.1 million transfer from the Keystone, Parks and Recreation Fund and a $2.7 million transfer from the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Siting Fund.
Budget Needs Only Rendell's OK
Group Criticizes DEP Budget Cut
Drilling Hits Luzerne County Next Week
Wayne Landowners Hire Lawyer To Fight Gas Drilling Moratorium
Cranberry Working On Ordinance To Controll Marcellus Drilling
Website Tracks Marcellus Shale Drillers
DEP Shale Chemical List At Odds Over Inclusion Of Aboveground Substances
DEP Website Updates Lists Of Chemicals Used In Natural Gas Drilling
DEP Releases New List Of Frak Chemicals
Citations Against Marcellus Drillers Have Doubled This Year
Ban On Drilling In PA Puts Leases In Jeopardy
Marcellus Drilling Crews Straining Tight Housing Market
Federal Bill To Restore Chesapeake Bay Advances In U.S. Senate
Street To Stream Program Uses Fishing To Help Youngsters
Scranton State Building Receives Conservation Award, Workers Protest
Public Being Recruited For Statewide Bat Tally
Editorial: Austerity Budgets Cut Public Programs
Generation Rate Decrease, Distribution Rate Hike For Wellsboro
Elk Lake Gets First Gas Royalty Check
Fuming Over Natural Gas In Wayne
Bradford County Expects Millions In Energy Savings
Natural Gas Companies Will Stay In PA Awhile
PSU Unaffected By Natural Gas Tax
PSU To Announce Climategate Findings
Budget Needs Only Rendell's OK
Group Criticizes DEP Budget Cut
Drilling Hits Luzerne County Next Week
Wayne Landowners Hire Lawyer To Fight Gas Drilling Moratorium
Cranberry Working On Ordinance To Controll Marcellus Drilling
Website Tracks Marcellus Shale Drillers
DEP Shale Chemical List At Odds Over Inclusion Of Aboveground Substances
DEP Website Updates Lists Of Chemicals Used In Natural Gas Drilling
DEP Releases New List Of Frak Chemicals
Citations Against Marcellus Drillers Have Doubled This Year
Ban On Drilling In PA Puts Leases In Jeopardy
Marcellus Drilling Crews Straining Tight Housing Market
Federal Bill To Restore Chesapeake Bay Advances In U.S. Senate
Street To Stream Program Uses Fishing To Help Youngsters
Scranton State Building Receives Conservation Award, Workers Protest
Public Being Recruited For Statewide Bat Tally
Editorial: Austerity Budgets Cut Public Programs
Generation Rate Decrease, Distribution Rate Hike For Wellsboro
Elk Lake Gets First Gas Royalty Check
Fuming Over Natural Gas In Wayne
Bradford County Expects Millions In Energy Savings
Natural Gas Companies Will Stay In PA Awhile
PSU Unaffected By Natural Gas Tax
PSU To Announce Climategate Findings
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