Senate Republicans Post FY 2012-13 General Fund Budget Spreadsheet

Senate Republicans this afternoon released an FY 2012-13 General Fund budget spreadsheet (updated) showing major funding line items and their funding levels.

Overall spending $27,656,381 an increase of $470,728,000 over FY 2011-12.

The plan looks more like the Senate-passed budget and less like the Governor’s request in the areas expected: higher education funding, basic education funding, etc.  Here are some highlights--

Department of Education
-- $212.1 million for Community Colleges, same as last year
-- $47.8 million for Community College Capital Fund, $1.5 million increase
-- $1.2 million for Regional Community Colleges Services, $500,000 increase
Department of Transportation
-- $5.7 million for Rail Freight Assistance, same as FY 2011-12
Department of Public Welfare
-- $274,000 less for Legal Services than FY 2011-12
Judiciary
-- $9.3 million increase overall, most for county courts
-- $285,000 cut for Supreme Court
General Assembly
-- $200,000 cut for Senate
-- $800,000 cut for House
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
-- $2.5 million less overall than FY 2011-12, most personnel line items, same as Governor’s request
Department of Environmental Protection
-- $11.8 million less overall than FY 2011-12, $6.6 million in personnel line items, more than Governor’s proposed cuts of $10.5 million
-- Sewage Facilities Planning and Enforcement Grants zeroed out
-- $29,000 less for County Conservation Districts
Department of Agriculture
-- $3.5 million less overall than FY 2011-12, restoration of funding cuts proposed by Governor
-- $245,000 cut to General Government Operations
-- $10,000 less transferred to County Conservation Districts than FY 2011-12
-- $27,000 less transferred to Nutrient Management Fund
-- No transfer from the Race Horse Development Fund
Commonwealth Financing Authority
-- $3.5 million more totalling $85.5 million

Click Here for a copy of the spreadsheet (updated).

Tuesday NewsClips

Corbett, Republican Leaders Meet On Budget Issues
DEP Chief Tells NRDC To Redo Their Math On Drilling
Consol Invests In Epiphany’s Water Treatment Technology
Consol Puts $500K On Fracking Fix
Column: Working Hard For Conestoga Watershed
Editorial: Powerless To The People
Delaware County Refinery Works Going Back To Work
Gasoline Prices Likely To Keep Falling
Tropical Storm Agnes Swamped PA 40 Years Ago
Bank Barns Focus Of July 19 South Mountain Lecture
Hawk Mountain Seeks Farmers’ Aid To Spot Raptors
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClips

DEP Starts Dialogue With NRDC On Fracking Report

In advance of a panel discussion on hydraulic fracturing regulations, Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Krancer Monday outlined in a letter to the Natural Resources Defense Council some perspectives that the organization missed in its May 2012 report, "In Fracking's Wake: New Rules are Needed to Protect Our Health and Environment from Contaminated Wastewater."

Krancer will take part in the June 26, panel in Hershey with a senior NRDC attorney.

"NRDC's math is way off in terms of how much wastewater is being recycled by the shale gas industry, and the report does not accurately characterize the extent to which the regulations we have in place in this state are ensuring drilling proceeds safely and responsibly," Krancer wrote in the letter. "As we move forward, it is crucial that debate on proper policy and regulation rest on a solid foundation of facts."

The panel discussion about the regulation of hydraulic fracturing in the mid-Atlantic region is part of the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities Commissioners' June meeting. Krancer's 10:15 a.m. appearance will be alongside Kate Sinding, a senior NRDC attorney.

In the letter, Krancer noted that, contrary to the report, brine from shale formations is not being used in road spreading in Pennsylvania. Brine is salty water that flows back to the surface after gas wells are brought into production.

"The report also fails to consider several important measures that DEP has put into place, the upshot of which is that recycling of wastewater has greatly increased across the state," Krancer said, first mentioning the "dramatic sea change" in shale gas wastewater disposal practices that happened as a direct result of the April 2011 call on industry by DEP and Governor Corbett to cease delivering wastewater to treatment facilities not equipped to fully treat the wastewater that were "grandfathered" from the 2010 total dissolved solids regulations.

For the first six months of 2011, 1.977 million gallons of shale gas wastewater were reported to have been sent to "grandfathered" facilities while, for the second half of 2011, according to data reported by operators, that total was only 17,136 gallons, a 99-percent reduction.

Krancer went on to explain in the letter that DEP has implemented a revised general permit to provide regulatory clarity and encourage the use of treatments at zero-liquid-discharge facilities, which remove contaminants from the wastewater so it can be re-used again in drilling operations.

Krancer also described the numerous measures in place to ensure the safe handling, transportation, storage and disposal of fluids associated with natural gas development.

"I am aware of the NRDC's longstanding opposition to natural gas extraction by hydraulic fracturing," Krancer wrote. "I do hope that NRDC's constitutional adversity to natural gas as a fuel will not prevent open-minded discussion and fair fact finding."

A copy of the letter is available online.

DEP Starts Webinar Series For Families June 27 On Summertime Advisories

The Department of Environmental Protection announced today that it will launch a series of free quarterly webinars, called DEP@Home, on Wednesday, June 27, at 7 p.m.

The series will run in the evenings, in order to teach families how to make their homes safer and more energy-efficient.

“Environmental protection starts at home,” DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. “Providing these webinars is an important step in educating Pennsylvanians about how to make that principle a reality.”

The first webinar, “Summertime Advisories,” will last no longer than an hour and will include a question-and-answer session with DEP experts. Participants will learn about black fly spraying, West Nile virus, Ozone Action Days and fish consumption advisories.

Future topics will focus on--

-- August - Water Well-ness: Learn about construction and care for private water wells and septic systems.
-- October - Watts Up?: Learn some simple energy conservation tips to prepare for the change of the seasons.
-- January - The Reality of Radon: Learn about testing for and mitigating radon.
Click Here to register for the June 27 event.  The call-in toll-free number is:  1-877-668-4493 and the access code is: 647 116 448

Monday NewsClips

Insiders Predict Corbett Will Deliver On-Time Budget
Editorial: State Budget Shell Game
Allegheny County Readies New Air Quality Code
Stability Sought In Nuke Dump Cleanup
Health Officials Urging Action On West Nile
Local Companies Drill Into Gas Industry
EPA Considers Pipeline Across Brandywine Creek
Amid Shale Drilling Changes, Law Firms Stay Busy
Electricity Choice Helping PA Customers Save
Repair Work On Luzerne Levees On Horizon
Pocono Conservation Funding Up For Grabs
Longest U.S. Trail Seeks Link To Appalachian Trail
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClips

Sunday NewsClips

Wyoming Valley RiverFest Shows Impact Of Healthy Environment
Shale: Collaborative Tool For Water Quality Data
Op-Ed: Stick To Fracking Science, Not The Politics
Brodhead Watershed Assn Lab To Check Water
W-B, Scranton Banded Together To Help In Flood Recovery
Recovering From Hurricane Agnes’ Fury 40 Years Ago
Marcellus Shale Business Expo Attracts Thousands
Editorial: Illegal Dumping Back In Harrisburg Area
As Temperatures Rise, PECO Electric Rates Falling
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClips

Saturday NewsClips

Shell Works To Bring Shale Well Methane Under Control
NiSource Sees 70 Mile Pipeline Beginning In August
Aither Chemicals Building Ethane Plant In WV
DEP CAC Comments On DEP Longwall Mining Impact Report
Wildlands Conservancy Recognizes 2012 Friends Of Lehigh
Hurricane Agnes Released Its Wrath 40 Years Ago
Delta Closes On Deal For Philly Refinery
Hazleton Oil Accused Of Dumping Hazardous Materials
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClips

June 25 PA Environment Digest Now Available

June 25 PA Environment Digest now available.  Click Here to print this entire Digest.

Republicans Agree On A General Fund Spend Number, Now The Hard Part

Senate and House Republicans and Gov. Corbett Wednesday announced an agreement on a General Fund spend number-- $27.656 billion, taking the first major step toward resolving their differences over largest portion of the state budget.
This spending cap is about $500 million more than the Governor’s request and almost identical to what Senate and House Republicans have been advocating.
In return, the Governor received a commitment from the Leaders to adopt the $1.65 billion tax credit initiative he proposed to attract the Shell ethane plant to Beaver County.
There is no word yet on whether the Keystone Fund will be restored to the Senate’s level of $19 million or the House proposal of full restoration of all $38 million.  There is also no word yet on whether other environmental funding will be restored.
In addition, there is also apparent agreement on at least some funding increases over the Governor’s budget request--
-- $245 million for higher education restorations;
-- $100 million for K-12 accountability block grant programs;
-- $82 million for county welfare programs, restoring half the funds that were removed; and
-- $25 million for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit.

Friday NewsClips

The House is in non-voting session today and Saturday, but not Sunday as originally scheduled.  The Senate and House will return to voting session on Monday, June 25.
State Budget Agreement Launches Other Negotiations
Any PA Budget Deal Remains Under Wraps
Corbett’s Tax Breaks For Shell Raises Questions About Jobs
Editorial: Corbett’s Shell Tax Break Good Deal For State
DEP Investigating Potential Shell Methane Migration
Methane Migration Probed In Tioga County At Shell Well
Well Control Teams On Scene At Shell Well Site
Chesapeake Pays $1.6 Million To Bradford Families
Western PA Energy Boom Not Visibly Stifled
Shale: Williamsport Hotels Are Still Booked Solid
PUC OKs Trainer Pipeline Transfer To Ease Sale To Delta
NJ OKs Bill Banning Waste From Fracking
Foundation For PA Watersheds Vying For National Award
Susquehanna Smallmouth Bass In Trouble
Smart Air Conditioners Will Be Cycled By Utilities
Energy Reports Required For Large Philly Buildings
Center Helps East Liberty Cut Energy Usage
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClips