Saint Francis University Renewable Energy Center Hosts Wind Turbine Class July 26-30

Learn how to design, install, troubleshoot and maintain a small wind power system by attending the Saint Francis University Renewable Energy Center Small Wind Turbine Installation Class at the Center in Loretto, Pa July 26-30.
The class is being taught by Solar Energy International which has provided hands-on renewable energy classes for 20 years. This is their only wind class on the east coast.
The class will cover some of the Small Wind Task Analysis as outlined by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners.
Participants in the workshop will learn to design and install small wind systems that range from 10 to 70 feet in diameter and produce up to 100 kWh/day in capacity. The workshop will cover system sizing, site analysis, installation and safety issues, and hardware specification. Learn about the different available small wind turbines, how they work, and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
The five day course will have four days of instruction and one day of tours. On the fifth day participants will see the renewable energy systems at Whispering Creek and the wind farms on the Allegheny Ridge.
Whispering Creek is a corporate retreat center that produces twice the energy it needs through energy efficiency, a geothermal heat pump, a vertical axis wind turbine, a solar array, and biodiesel. The Center is now working on a hydroelectric system.
Along the Allegheny Ridge are 75 wind turbines. Forester Michael Barton will discuss the environmental pros and cons of wind as an energy source.
For more information and to register, visit the Class webpage or direct questions to 814-472-2872 or send email to: renewable@francis.edu. Learn more about the Center and the services it offers by visiting the Renewable Energy Center website.

Drought Conditions Begin To Curtail Some Marcellus Shale Drilling Operations

Several of the counties now experiencing drought watch and warning conditions, in particular Bradford, Lycoming and Tioga, are areas where Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling uses millions of gallons of water to both drill and frack new wells.
So far, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, which issues permits for water withdrawals from specific streams for use in well drilling, reports 100 percent compliance with regulations which require drillers to stop withdrawing water from streams experiencing very low flow conditions known as Q7-10.
Q7-10 is the lowest average, consecutive 7-day flow that would occur with a frequency of one in ten years.
Up to 3.4 million gallons of water is used to drill and develop each Marcellus Shale well. An increasing amount of that water is now being recycled by the industry as water handling technology improves.
For current drought conditions, visit the USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center webpage.
NewsClips
SRBC Drilling Water Withdrawals Comply With Drought Restrictions
Driller's Water Withdrawals Within Limits

Thursday Ozone Action Day, NewsClips

Thursday Is An Ozone Action Day
Wait And See For State Workers On Possible Layoffs
USGS: 19 PA Counties In Drought Watch Conditions
Website All About Marcellus Shale Info
PPL Urges Consumers To Turn Up Their Thermostats
Urban Farms In Pittsburgh Are Flourishing
Major Milestone Reached Along Pittsburgh-D.C. Trail
Meet Erie's Colorful, Carnivorous Fliers
Cumberland County Has Most Confirmed Rabies Cases
Editorial: Maintain Vital Flows In The Delaware
PA Budget Shows Mixed Results
Middle Bucks Tech School May Install Solar Farm
17-Acre Solar Energy Farm Proposed In Limerick
Editorial: Mount Pocono Company Plays Role In Cleanup
Despite Dry Conditions, Lycoming Reservoirs Nearly Full
Theta Land Company Plays High Stakes Drilling
Philadelphia Companies Line Up To Reduce Energy Use
Clearfield Ethanol Plant Deal Violated

Nominations For Community Greening Award Due July 15

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is now accepting applications for the Community Greening Award which recognizes individuals, garden clubs, civic associations, churches, businesses, municipalities and community groups who have created and maintained public green spaces that enhance their communities.
The deadline to enter is July 15.
Judges will evaluate the sites in July and August based on plant variety, design, use of space, and horticultural practices. PHS will notify selected sites receiving the award in September. Sites that have been recognized in previous years may be evaluated for maintenance. All honorees are invited to an Awards Reception held in the fall.
For more information or to enter online, visit the Community Greening Award webpage or send email to: specialevents@pennhort.org or call 215-988-8897.

USGS: 19 PA Counties In Drought Watch Conditions

The USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center today reported 19 counties are now in a drought watch condition, according to the Palmer Drought Severity Index.
The counties include: Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Cambria, Columbia, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union and Wyoming.
There are three levels of drought conditions declared by the Department of Environmental Protection using the Palmer Index--
Drought Watch: A period to alert government agencies, public water suppliers, water users and the public regarding the onset of conditions indicating the potential for future drought-related problems. The focus during this stage is on increased monitoring, awareness and preparation for response if conditions worsen.
During a drought watch, a request is made for voluntary water conserva- tion to reduce water uses by 5 period in the affected areas. Because of varying conditions, individual water suppliers or municipalities are allowed to request more stringent conservation actions, with the coordination of the state.
Drought Warning: During a drought warning, preparations for a coordinated response to imminent drought conditions and potential water supply shortages are intensified. Also, requests for voluntary water conservation measures are made with the goal of reducing overall water uses by 15 percent in the affected areas.
Drought Emergency: The drought emergency stage is a concentrated management phase of operations to utilize all available resources to respond to actual emergency conditions, to avoid depletion of water sources, to assure at least minimum water supplies to protect public health and safety, to support essential and high priority water uses, and to avoid unnecessary economic dislocations.
It is possible during this phase to impose mandatory restrictions on nonessential water uses, if deemed necessary and if ordered by the governor of Pennsylvania.
There are three counties which show groundwater levels at the drought emergency level: Schuylkill, Sullivan and Wyoming. There are seven counties with groundwater levels at the drought warning level: Bradford, Fayette, Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike, Somerset and Susquehanna.
According to the USGS, there are six counties which show surface water levels at the drought warning level: Bradford, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Montour and Northumberland.
Drought-related fact sheets, regulations, water conservation tips and guidelines are available at the DEP Drought Publications webpage.
For current drought conditions, visit the USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center webpage.

Wednesday- Ozone Action Day, NewsClips

Wednesday Is An Ozone Action Day
Rendell Reaffirms Marcellus Shale Tax Commitment
Rendell Talks Severance Tax In Towanda
Marcellus Coalition: Gas Severance Tax Must Not Discourage Drilling
Groups Seek National Recognition For Lower Delaware River
Voluntary Water Restrictions In Place In Ambler
Phosphate Ban In Dishwasher Detergent Goes Into Effect
Sewak Well-Versed In Many Aspects Facing Humankind SCRIP Meeting
Parents Want Green Charter School In Allentown
PPL Hit With New Air Quality Regs
Tire-Fired Energy Plant Plan Draws Fire
Group Hopes Advancements Will Improve Mine Safety
Op-Ed: Our Future Is Green Jobs
South Mountain Series Turns Focus On Appalachian Trail
Montgomery County Website Shares Energy Saving Tips
Lack Of Rain: Water Supplies Are Safe For Now In SE
Fish Ladder On Schuylkill River Hopes To Bring Shad Back
Business Opportunity Fueled By Water, Not Gas
Pipeline Proximity Alarms Susquehanna County Residents
SRBC Says Bowman Creek Water Withdrawals No Problem
Top 10 Wyoming County Natural Gas Lease Holders
Op-Ed: Tough Lessons To Be Learned From Gulf In Shale Drilling
Drought Declared In Montour, Snyder, Northumberland, Columbia
Northcentral Legislators Take Dim View Of Gas Tax
Rendell Pleads For Gas Tax In Towanda Stop
Carbondale Railyard May Also Treat Water For Gas Industry
Sen. Baker Takes Middle Ground On Drilling Moratorium
Dallas Twp. Considering Pipeline On Its Property
Livestock Owners Must Manage Manure
Bradford Commissioner Says Common Sense Should Prevail In Natural Gas Play
Danville Sewer Plant Upgrade $11 Million Cheaper Than Expected
Editorial: Penn State Handles Climategate Case Appropriately
Survey Finds 112 Dumpsites In Clearfield County
Eyes On Drilling Will Protect Us

564 Marcellus Shale Gas Wells Drilled In PA So Far This Year

The Department of Environmental Protection today reported there have been 564 Marcellus Shale natural gas wells drilled so far this year in Pennsylvania and a total of 1,172 permits issued for new wells.
The numbers were announced as part of the bill signing ceremony held by Gov. Rendell for the Fiscal Code bill-- Senate Bill 1042 (Browne-R-Lehigh) part of the FY 2010-11 budget, which includes a provision committing the General Assembly to enact a severance tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas production.
"The rich natural gas deposits in the Marcellus Shale represent a tremendous opportunity in the form of new jobs and economic stimulus to mostly rural communities across the commonwealth," said Gov. Rendell. "Today, there are 1,300 more jobs in Bradford County in mining and other parts of the economy than there were a year ago.
"We have a responsibility to ensure that the economic benefits are balanced with the need to protect the local environment and the residents of communities where the work is being done.
"Along with the economic boom, the burgeoning natural gas industry is also creating a lot of new responsibilities and concerns that carry enormous costs for local communities," said Gov. Rendell.
"The local and county governments where this drilling is taking place do not have the financial resources they need to address these concerns. That's why it is absolutely essential that the severance tax we enact pay these host municipalities their fair share. The drilling activity is going on now, so we need to start working on this tax now so there's no delay in getting them the financial resources they need."
To date this year, 1,164 natural gas wells have been drilled in Pennsylvania. Of that total, 564 have been drilled to access gas deposits in the Marcellus Shale, with 143 of those wells being drilled in Bradford County—the most of any county in the state this year.
The Department of Environmental Protection has also issued nearly 2,900 drilling permits this year, of which 1,172 were for Marcellus development. By comparison, 1,984 Marcellus permits were issued in all of 2009.
For more on the FY 2010-11 budget, visit www.PaEnvironmentDigest.com.

Governor's Office Confirms 2010-11 Budget Erases 16 Years of General Fund Support For Environmental Programs

At the signing of the 2010-11 budget today, the Governor's Office confirmed the General Fund appropriations for the departments of Environmental Protection and Conservation and Natural Resources have erased 16 years of General Fund support for those agencies.
In a document released at the bill signing for the General Fund, the Governor's Office said the General Fund appropriations for DEP was most like the 1994-95 level of appropriations, for DCNR it was the 1995-96 appropriation and for the Department of Agriculture it was the 1998-99 level.

Tuesday - Budget, Ozone Action Day, NewsClips

Tuesday Ozone Action Day
Rendell To Sign Budget 7 Days Late At Elementary School
Gas Tax, Budget On Agenda In Rendell's Towanda Visit
Many Questions Remain On Proposed Marcellus Shale Production Tax
Budget Cuts To Black Fly, West Nile Spraying
Scranton Native Figures In Marcellus Gas Line Utility Push
Conewago Stream Team Makes Splash
PA CleanWays Survey Finds 317 Illegal Dumps In York, Lebanon Counties
Solar-Powered Trash Bins Help Keep Reading Streets Clean
PECO Dealing With Power Outages From Heat
Audubon: Turn Backyard Into Discovery Zone For Kids
Upper Moreland Twp. Could Be One For The Birds
Tiny Toad Will Pose No Problems In Forks
Beavers, Foxes, Bears OK In The Suburbs
Editorial: Penn State Scientist Cleared In Climategate
Editorial: More Than 1.5 Million Wells Drilled
Results Of Luzerne Natural Gas Test Wells Awaited
Editorial: No Concessions On Gas Severance Tax
Drilling IN Shadow Of Coal Country
Battling For Gas, Riches In Wyoming County
Editorial: More Reasons Emerge For Gas Drilling Moratorium
The Un-Sexiest Green Energy Improvements