Friday NewsClips

Corbett: PA's Natural Gas Infrastructure Needs A Boost
Corbett Drilling Fee Projections Questioned
Corbett's Impact Fee May Not Generate Money Until 2013
Concerns Aired Over Marcellus Shale Effects (Video)
Marcellus Training, Certification Bill Introduced In Senate
In Dunkard Creek Fish Kill Mystery, EPA Scientist Points To Drilling
Former DEP Official: State Lacks Air Enforcement, New Drilling Rules
Southwest Plans Two New Gas Wells Pads In Benton
Driller's Challenge Of South Fayette Ordinance Postponed
Driller Sues Cecil Twp Over Zoning
Columbus Twp. Repeals Drilling Ordinance Subject Of Lawsuit
Gas Industry Drops Lawsuit Against Warren County Community
Pipeline Environmental Review Moving Along In NE PA
Philadelphia Council Pass Resolution To Sue DRBC Over Drilling
Consol Natural Gas Division Increases Production By 13 Percent
Drilling Permit Fees Restored To WV Marcellus Measure
Editorial: Keystone XL Pipeline Deserves Closer Scrutiny
September Wettest On Record For Pennsylvania
Editorial: Sprawl Comes With A Cost
Urban Forest Center Proposed On Polluted Land In Lancaster
Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Honors Local Efforts
Irene Is Costliest Storm In PECO Recent History
Evergreen School Opens In Hamilton, PA
Sustainability More Than Buzzword On College Campuses
GPIC Awards $1.3 Million In Energy Grants To Philly-Area Projects
Ernst Conservation Seeds Embraces Biomass
Allegheny Trail Plan Gets State's OK
Meadville Farmers Market Faced With Major Tasks
Op-Ed: Ways To Handle Close Encounter With A Wild Bear
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Thursday NewsClips

Coalition Fees Growing Greener Could Run Out Of Money
Corbett Drilling Fee Proposal Wouldn't Generate Much Money Yet
Clearfield Commissioners Comment On Drilling Impact Fee
DEP Secretary, House Dem Pen Dueling Inquirer Letters
Williams Ready To Begin Work On Pipeline Project
DEP Chief: Troubled Pipeline Crossing Now Ship Shape
GasExpo Keeps Wyoming County Conversation Going
Wyoming County Targeting Watershed Protection
South Fayette Hearing On Drilling Rules Postponed
South Fayette Drilling Law Hits Roadblock
Fire Contained At Washington County Natural Gas Facility
DEP Invites Comments On Natural Gas Air Aggregation Policy
DEP Updates Natural Gas Air Pollution Aggregation Guidelines
PennDOT Partnering With Gas Companies On Roads
For PA Firm, Gas Drilling Creates Growth
Gas Drilling Boom Brings New Life To Steel Industry
Santorum Talks Up Pennsylvania As Gas Capital
Op-Ed: Voters Should Take Initiative On Shale Drilling
EPA, DEP Lawsuit Against Power Plant Dismissed
Corbett, Other GOP Governors Want EPA Emissions Proposals Withdrawn
Branching Out Along The Brandywine
Perkasie Seeking Volunteers On Saturday
Eaton Twp Residents Air Flooding Concerns
Anger Over Flood Runs Deep In Duryea
Power Companies Discuss Response To Historic Flooding
Solar Farm Contract Reviewed By Stroudsburg School Officials
Riverside School Board To Seek Grant For Solar Panels
Williamsport Couple Win Forestry Management Award
Learn About The Mission Of DCNR (Video)
Beware Of Deer In Your Headlights
Editorial: Have Deer Learned To Cross The Road?
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest

Fall In PA: A Trillion Or So Trees Are Waiting To Say Hello

Every Fall, Pennsylvania puts on an unrivaled blaze of glory along its highways, country roads and small towns. The autumn canopy reveals the candy yellows and rich oranges from poplar, hickory, sycamore and birch trees.

The deeper reds and purples shine atop Pennsylvania's red maple, sumac and black gum species. And with the touch of autumn's wand, the rich and vibrant burnt sienna scenery appears as far as the eye can see.

Yeah, Fall is Bigger Here in Pennsylvania, with unforgettable color excursions in every region. Check out Leaf Peepers Roadtrips for 3-day itinerary suggestions that show off our colors. The only trick to PA's autumn wonderland is going at the perfect time of the season, so check back for weekly Fall Foliage Reports.

It's also the harvest season in Keystone Country, when PA produce is ripe for the pickin'. And that means farm-fresh apples from country markets, prize animals at county fairs and causal strolls through pumpkin patches. Enjoy!

Visit the Fall In PA webpage for more ideas.

PPL Seeks Applications For Energy, Environmental Education Grants

PPL Corporation is once again offering grants to teachers to help their students learn more about energy, the environment and resource conservation. The deadline for applications is November 11.

Through the competitive “Empowering Educators” grants, teachers can receive up to $2,000 for educational projects that focus on energy issues like renewable energy demonstrations, energy conservation and the greening of schools.

The program focuses on science, technology, engineering and math projects to encourage action in schools in Pennsylvania and New Jersey near company facilities.

“The students who will benefit from these grants are the homeowners and the business leaders of tomorrow. Having a good energy knowledge foundation will allow these students to help their communities thrive,” said Meg Welker, PPL’s manager of Education and Public Outreach.

If you have a project in mind or need more information about PPL’s grants program, please contact Alana Roberts, community affairs specialist, by sending email to: aroberts@pplweb.com or call 570-542-2886.

Grant awards will be announced December 5. For more information, and for grant application forms, visit the PPL Empowering Educators webpage.

DEP Announces Comment Period On Natural Gas Air Aggregation Policy

Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Krancer Wednesday announced DEP has submitted technical guidance for single source determinations for oil and gas operations, also known as “air aggregation” determinations, to the Pennsylvania Bulletin for public comment.

The public comment period will close November 21.

This guidance deals with the process of determining whether two or more stationary air emissions sources should be aggregated together and treated as a “single source” when it comes to air permitting programs.

“Natural gas holds great promise as a clean-burning fuel that could greatly reduce air emissions associated with electricity production and transportation,” Krancer said. “It has been recognized that the use of natural gas can have very beneficial impacts on air quality.”

This guidance, which is subject to public review and comment, involves three sets of regulations: the federal Prevention of Significant Deterioration regulations, which the state incorporates and implements in their entirety; the Pennsylvania nonattainment New Source Review regulations; and the Title V permitting program.

“This takes a practical, common-sense and legally required approach to air aggregation issues,” Krancer said. “DEP’s state Air Quality program already regulates this industry.”

New sources, including some natural gas processing operations, are required by state law to meet stringent air emissions control requirements, which prevent, reduce or control emissions with the use of the best available control techniques or equipment, Krancer said.

Krancer said that the program also regulates air emissions in the oil and gas industry via plan approvals along with both general and operating permits.

The test for determining whether or not to aggregate comes out of federal case law from 1979 and the federal regulations stemming from that case, along with the commonwealth’s regulations, which mirror the federal regulations.

The law states that to be aggregated, the different sources must belong to the same industrial grouping, must be located on one or more contiguous or adjacent properties and must be under the control of the same person. All three of these conditions must be met if the sources are going to be aggregated.

“Over time, there was a tendency by some regulators to morph the meaning of ‘contiguous’ or ‘adjacent’ properties to mean only that operations on the properties be ‘interdependent,’” Krancer said. “This view has been expressed in various federal Environmental Protection Agency recommendation letters or policy statements in recent years after the court case on this topic in 1979 and after the EPA’s adoption of the regulations on this topic in 1980. That interpretation is not supported by the court decision, the EPA or state regulations.”

DEP’s technical guidance relies on the plain meaning of the words in the regulations and the plain meaning of the words “contiguous or adjacent,” which mean the distance or spatial relationship between locations.

A similar approach was recently affirmed by the West Virginia Air Quality Board whose analysis focused on the proximity of the properties. In addition, other natural gas-producing states, including Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, use a quarter-mile rule of thumb, meaning that sources located a quarter mile apart are considered contiguous or adjacent.

“Every case remains, as it always has, unique, with its own facts and circumstances,” Krancer said. “The single source determination test will continue to be applied on a case-by-case basis, depending on the facts of each particular case.”

DEP’s Air Quality permitting staff will begin implementing the technical guidance in permitting decisions on an interim basis immediately, while public comments are being received and considered.

A copy of the proposed guidance is available online. The policy will be reviewed by DEP's Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee at their October 20 meeting.

StateImpact PA: Revenue By County Under Corbett Drilling Fee Proposal

One estimate of fee income by county was generated this week by StateImpact Pennsylvania assuming each of the counties adopted the highest, first-year fee of $40,000 per well based on Department of Environmental Protection well information.

Help Wanted: GreenSpace Alliance Seeks Executive Director

The GreenSpace Alliance seeks candidates for the position of Executive Director to promote and advocate for the preservation and enhancement of recreational, natural and agricultural opens spaces to preserve the quality of life in the 5-county Southeast Region of Pennsylvania. Applications are due October 28 and should be sent to the attention of Paul King, President, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, 1315 Walnut St., Suite 532, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Click Here for the full announcement.

Point State Park In Pittsburgh Hosts Wild Resource Festival October 15

With its expansive backdrop of three major Pennsylvania rivers and abundant historic resources boasting National Historic Landmark distinction, Point State Park in Pittsburgh will host the Wild Resource Festival’s annual salute to nature from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on October 15.

The 36-acre park is situated where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet to form the Ohio River.

“This is Point’s day to shine after being selected to offer a Wild Resource Conservation Program festival,” said Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Richard Allan. “Recently enriched with a variety of major renovation projects, and boasting annual visitation figures that surpass 2.6 million, this Allegheny County landmark is a natural choice for this event.”

Festival visitors will enjoy a variety of hands-on, educational displays and exhibits, nature walks, fishing and other group activities, entertainment and refreshments. Festival activities are offered without charge, and registration is not required.

“Education is the watchword, but there will be an emphasis on fun, as park visitors are invited to sample a broad spectrum of the outdoors world around them,” said Allan. “The festival is designed to provide children, families and wildlife enthusiasts of all ages a chance to talk to the state’s leading scientists and get a front-row seat to view Pennsylvania’s non-game animals and plants.”

DCNR’s Wild Resource Conservation Program has organized six past festivals at other state parks. They are: Bald Eagle State Park, Centre County, 2005; French Creek State Park, Berks County, 2006 and 2007; Moraine State Park, Butler County, 2007; and Presque Isle State Park, Erie County, 2008 and 2010.

“We are very proud of the many prominent naturalists, botanists, biologists and other speakers who will be introducing park visitors to our wealth of outdoors riches,” said Wild Resource Conservation Program Executive Director Greg Czarnecki. “We’ll be offering demonstrations and activities unique to Point State Park that are geared to the entire family.”

Many of the festival speakers have been involved in Wild Resource Conservation Program-supported projects in recent years, studying mammals, inventorying plants and banding birds.

“The festival will provide children, families, and wildlife enthusiasts with a chance to talk to the state’s leading scientists and get a front-row seat to view our state’s animals and plants,” Czarnecki said. “Visitors also can see and talk to living history re-enactors demonstrating how natural resources were harvested and used at the Point during the 18th century.”

Visitors are invited to bring “mystery insects” for identification; join guided walks to identify trees and other vegetation; try fishing in the nearby rivers, with bait and tackle provided, and without license requirements; imitate biologists tracking wildlife via radio telemetry; make “fish print” T-shirts; and enjoy face painting.

Also featured will be electro-fishing and other demonstrations by the Fish and Boat Commission; live animals displays, including owls, fish, rattlesnakes, and endangered species; and demonstrated techniques used by scientists to capture animals for research and conservation.

Educational programs also will be offered throughout the day by the Game Commission, Pittsburgh Zoo, Fort Pitt Museum, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, River Quest, and many conservation groups and universities.

A full list of festival activities and exhibitors is available online.

Located at the tip of Pittsburgh’s “Golden Triangle,” Point State Park commemorates and preserves the strategic and historic heritage of the area during the French and Indian War (1754 - 1763).

The park is home to the Fort Pitt Block House, which was built in 1764 and is the only surviving remains of Fort Pitt -- the most extensive British fortification in the American colonies. The Fort Pitt Museum is built on the site of the Monongahela Bastion, one of the five bastions of Fort Pitt.

The festival will showcase major renovations at the park that include widespread building, electrical and landscaping enhancements; increased outdoor seating capacity; a private café opening; and renovations to the Monongahela and Allegheny wharf areas. Scheduled next is renovation of the park’s iconic fountain, with kickoff expected late this fall.

Housed within DCNR’s Office of Conservation Science, the WRCP conserves Pennsylvania’s non-game wildlife and native wild plants through research, restoration projects and public education. It has reintroduced river otters to Pennsylvania’s waterways and ospreys to its skies, while awarding grants to projects studying and protecting plants, birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and other species.

Visit DCNR's Point State Park webpage for more information.

Wednesday NewsClips

Editorial: Gas Impact Fee Well Short Of Fair
Mapping Corbett's Drilling Impact Fee
Editorial: Pledge To Take No Political Pledges
Regulators Rush To Collect NE Water Samples Ahead Of Drilling Rules
Marcellus Shale Hunt Decreases Natural Gas Costs
North Fayette Looks To Regulate Seismic Testing
Greene Twp To Consider New Oil, Gas Regulations
Latest Marcellus Production Data Shows Concentration Of Activity
EPP Starts On Marcellus-Utica Ethane Pipeline
UGI Starts Gathering Pipeline Operations In Susquehanna County
Sellersville Backs Continuation Of Growing Greener Grants
Lebanon-Lancaster Conservation Districts Hold Water Forum Oct. 29
Consol Seeks To Move Dunkard Creek Lawsuit To Federal Court
YWCA Roof Getting Greener In Pittsburgh
Photos: Changing Seasons On The Susquehanna
Recycling Hub In Old Lancaster City Station
PPL Choses Pocono Power Line Route
Another Path To Home Solar Energy
Energy Standards Forces Power Companies To Buy Alternative Energy
Owls Venture Into Wild
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