PA Environment Digest Blog

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

EQB To Consider Medical Waste, Land Reclamation Guarantees, Chloride Toxicity July 15

On July 15 the Environmental Quality Board is scheduled to consider proposed land reclamation guarantee and final medical waste regulations and hear a science update on chloride and sulfate toxicity testing in surface waters.

The meeting will be held in Room 105 Rachel Carson Building starting at 9:00.

For more information and copies of handouts and presentations, visit the Environmental Quality Board webpage.

DEP, Police Search For Missing Nuclear Gauge In Pittsburgh

The Department of Environmental Protection and police in Pittsburgh and Mount Lebanon Tuesday said they are searching for a missing portable gauge containing sealed sources of radioactive material.

“It is critical for anyone who has information about the lost nuclear gauge to contact the Pennsylvania DEP, State Police or other local law enforcement agency immediately,” DEP Bureau of Radiation Protection Director David Allard said. “As long as the device is not tampered with or damaged, it presents no hazard to public safety.”

The gauge belongs to Solar Testing of Pennsylvania and the company is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the recovery of the gauge. It was last used by the company on June 27, in the Mount Lebanon area. DEP investigators are inspecting the facility where it is usually stored and interviewing management and employees.

The nuclear density gauge is a Troxler Model 3411B, serial number 5434. The gauge is yellow in color and about the size of a shoe box, with an electronic keypad and a metal rod extending from the top surface. The Troxler gauge contains approximately 9 millicuries of cesium-137 and 44 millicuries of americium-241.

Solar Testing is licensed by DEP to possess and use the gauge.

Anyone who should find the gauge should leave it alone and report its location to DEP during regular business hours at 412-442-4000; or contact the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency off-hours at 717-651-2001.

If the gauge appears to be damaged and it appears to be an emergency, dial 911. A trained individual will be sent to recover the gauge.

Fiscal Code Bill Passed By Senate After A Tie Vote

The Senate Tuesday passed the Fiscal Code bill-- House Bill 278 (Baker-R-Tioga)-- that follows to implement provisions in the General Fund budget. But this year, the bill includes creation of new programs, some which have never passed either the Senate or House, provides for transfers from special funds and makes other changes.

The announcement of the final Senate vote on the bill was interrupted on the Senate Floor because it resulted in a 25-25 tie. Only after Sen. Scott Wagner (R-York) changed his vote from no to yes was the 26-24 final vote announced.

Very late on Monday the Senate Appropriations Committee made 66 pages of additions to House Bill 278 (Baker-R-Tioga) that gave Senate members little time to absorb the volume of changes included in the bill.

Here’s a quick summary of some of the major provisions--

Major Programs Included--

— Requires DEP to use funds to promulgate separate conventional and unconventional oil and gas regulations-- Senate Bill 1378 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson), House Bill 2350 (Causer-R-Cameron) were never considered by the full Senate, House)

— Creating new Rural Regional College-- Senate Bill 1000 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson) which passed the Senate, House Bill 1701 (Causer-R-Cameron) which did not pass the House.

— Reduction in Small Games of Chance license fee from $2,000 to $500

— Education funding distribution to local school districts

— Escheats: Reduce years, Treasury Enforcement, Bankers modernization

— $10 increase in judicial surcharge

— City Revitalization and Improvement Zone Update: 3 Zones and 1 pilot in 2014, 2 Zones and 1 pilot in 2015

Transfer of Funds--

— Transfer $20 million from State Forest Timber leases

— Transfers $95 million from DCNR Oil and Gas Fund for additional “non-impact” gas leasing

— Transfers $8,672,845 from the Alternative Energy Investment Act

— Suspend transfer to Rainy Day Fund

— Horsemen transfers from Governor’s budget $17.6 million

— Transfers $225,000,000 of tobacco venture assets to PSERS

— Transfers $8,000,000 in excess law enforcement grants from Gaming Board to General Fund

— Transfers $5,676,000 from Gaming Capital money to General Fund for Pittsburgh Penguins

Other Changes--

— Establish H20 account to hold gaming money and Act 13

— Distributed tobacco payment to program

— Civil Service reforms authorize operational contracts

— Appropriates funds from DGS to caucus operations

— Includes caucus earmarks of funds

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council Monday expressed its opposition to including fundamentally changing the regulation of oil and gas operations in the Fiscal Code bill moving on parallel to the General Fund budget bill when the language was never been considered by either the full House or Senate. Click Here for more information.

Click Here for the most recent version of House Bill 278.

The bill now goes to the House for a concurrence vote.

DEP Citizens Advisory Council: Endangered Species Review, Non-Impact Drilling July 15

The agenda for the July 15 DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting will feature presentations on DCNR’s new endangered species permit review tool and Gov. Corbett’s Executive Order authorizing non-impact drilling on State Park and Forest Land.

DEP Chief Counsel Dennis Whitaker will also provide Council and update on DEP’s review of the PA Supreme Court ruling in December that declared parts of the Act 13 drilling law unconstitutional.

The meeting will be in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg starting at 10:00.

The next meeting of the Council will be on September 16.

For more information, visit the DEP Citizens Advisory Council webpage.

Convergence At The Confluence Of 3 Rivers August 11 In Pittsburgh

The 3rd annual Convergence at the Confluence Conference will be held in Pittsburgh August 11 at Duquesne University’s Power Center in downtown Pittsburgh.

The Conference Confluence is focused on water quality monitoring in the Upper Ohio River Basin. The event will feature presentations from water quality experts involved with the program, hands-on workshops, and plenty of networking opportunities.

The conference is intended for watershed groups and citizens participating and interesting in water quality monitoring in the Upper Ohio River Basin.

The deadline for registrations is July 27.

For more information and to register, visit the Convergence at the Confluence Conference webpage.

Water Resources Education Network Water Policy News Now Available

A special double issue of the PA League of Women Voters Water Resources Education Network Water Policy News is now available and features a story about how Biglerville is tackling threats to clean water in Adams County. Click Here to read a copy.

PA Parks And Forests Foundation Summer Newsletter Now Available

The summer edition of Penn’s Stewards, the PA Parks and Forests Foundation newsletter is now available and features an article on how to plan your next family reunion in a State Park. Click Here to read this issue.

American Chestnut Foundation Spring Mined Land Reforestation Plantings

The spring of 2014 was another busy season for The American Chestnut Foundation as we continued our partnership with the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative and Green Forests Work.

This partnership's current focus is reforestation of mine lands throughout Appalachia and together, we have planted trees on reclaimed mines in Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

An important part of these reforestation projects is to engage community members in the process of planting trees.

To this end, 34 planting events were held for nearly 2,000 participants who helped to reforest 361 acres in 8 states, and most of these plantings had a chestnut component. The volunteer planting events educate landowners, students, and the public about the need for better reforestation of mined lands, benefits of native species and of reforestation, American chestnut restoration, and how to properly plant trees.

Volunteers were instructed on the proper techniques to plant bareroot seedlings and how to direct-seed, protect, and record locations of chestnuts for our progeny testing, which ensured that volunteers left knowing their hard work would be successful.

Click Here to read more from The American Chestnut Foundation latest newsletter.

For more information on how you can become involved in the restoration of the American Chestnut in Pennsylvania, visit the TACF- Pennsylvania Chapter website.