Thursday NewsClips

Framework For $27.656 Billion Budget Reached
Corbett Agrees To Restore Budget
PA Has A Deal On Budget
Corbett, Lawmakers Reach Deal On $1.65 Billion Shell Tax Break
Support For Shell Tax Break In Monaca, Questions On Job Claims
Corbett Launches Public Defense Of Shell Tax Credit
Corbett Lines Up Shell Tax Credit Crew
Shell’s $3.2 Billion Plant Estimated To Create 17,000 Jobs
Philadelphia Gets EPA Green Power Designation
Philadelphia Leads In Green Power
Auto Emissions Exemption Bill Advances In Senate
Work On PPL’s Suquehanna-Roseland Power Line To Begin
DCNR Unveils Forestry Demonstration Trail In Dauphin County
Philadelphia Park, Trail Opens Schuylkill River Access
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClips

Air Quality Action Day June 21 In 3 PA Regions

The Department of Environmental Protection and its regional air quality partnerships have forecast a code Orange air quality action day for ozone for Thursday, June 20, in the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia, and Susquehanna Valley regions.
           On air quality action days, young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.
           The Lehigh Valley region is Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties. The Philadelphia region is Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. The Susquehanna Valley region is Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties.
           The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s standardized air quality index uses colors to report daily air quality. Green signifies good; yellow means moderate; orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive people; and red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.
           Ground-level ozone, a key component of smog, forms during warm weather when pollution from vehicles, industry, households and power plants “bakes” in the hot sun, making it hard for some people to breathe.
           To help keep the air healthy, residents and businesses are encouraged to voluntarily limit certain pollution-producing activities by doing the following: Refuel cars and trucks after dusk; Wash dishes and clothes only with full loads; and Carpool, combine errands and reduce trips.
           These forecasts are provided in conjunction with the Air Quality Partnership of the Delaware Valley, the Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership, the Lehigh Valley/Berks Air Quality Partnership and the Susquehanna Valley Air Quality Partnership. 
           For more information, visit DEP's Air Quality Partnership webpage.

Framework For $27.65 Billion Budget Reached

John Micek, Allentown Morning Call, reported tonight Gov. Tom Corbett and legislative Republicans said Wednesday that they’d arrived at a “framework” for a $27.656 billion state budget for 2012-13 that adds money to some state programs that had originally been targeted for cuts.
           The spending plan’s bottom line is a  roughly $500 million increase from the $27.14 billion budget that Corbett presented to lawmakers in February.  Click Here for full story.

DEP Names Marcus Kohl Northcentral Regional Director

Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Krancer Wednesday announced Marcus Kohl, director of DEP’s Office of Program Integration, has been named regional director of the agency’s Northcentral office effective July 2.

“Marcus has been tested under fire on some of the most critical and complex projects we have had since I have been here,” Krancer said. “He has proven his mettle as a facilitator and he has produced results. He has earned respect both inside and outside DEP, and I know that he will be a stellar leader for our Northcentral regional office.”

Kohl joined DEP in 2002 as an environmental advocate for the Southcentral regional office, serving as a liaison between the regulated community, citizens and the agency to ensure the public interest was at the forefront in regional permitting decisions.

In 2006, he joined the Office of Water Management and assisted with coordinating the drafting and enforcement of regulations protecting the state’s water resources. Kohl served in that capacity until 2011, when he joined the Office of Programs, where he led efforts to improve consistency during oil and gas inspections for the three DEP regional offices tasked with overseeing the industry. The Office of Program Integration works to ensure regulatory consistency and uniformity across the state.

Kohl earned a bachelor’s degree in speech and communication from Millersville University.

The director of DEP’s Northcentral regional office is based in Williamsport and manages the Waste Management, Air Quality, Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields, Clean Water, Safe Drinking Water, Waterways and Wetlands and Emergency Response programs for Bradford, Centre, Clearfield, Cameron, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga and Union counties.

DEP Names Lynn Langer Southcentral Regional Director

Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Krancer Wednesday announced Lynn Langer has been named regional director of the agency’s Southcentral office as of July 2. Langer has served since 2004 as the region’s assistant director.

“Lynn has demonstrated throughout her career that she is a problem solver and that she knows this region thoroughly,” Krancer said. “Her work with a multitude of stakeholders over the years on a variety of matters, paired with her technical experience and people skills, make her uniquely qualified for this position. I am very excited to have her at the helm of our South-central regional office.”

Langer joined what was then called the Department of Environmental Resources in 1983. Her career has involved working to prevent pollution from mining activities as a biologist; drafting regulation and technical guidance as a policy specialist; assisting in launching the first round of Growing Greener grants; working on developing the state’s first nutrient management regulations; and chairing a workgroup of state, local and federal stakeholders to develop one of the state’s water protection programs. In her nearly 28 years in public service, Langer has also served as chief of DEP’s watershed protection section.

Langer earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental biology from Juniata College and a master’s degree in biology from Bucknell University.

The director of DEP’s Southcentral regional office is based in Harrisburg and manages the Waste Management, Air Quality, Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields, Clean Water, Safe Drinking Water, Waterways and Wetlands, Radiation Protection and Emergency Response programs for Adams, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Perry, and York counties.

Wednesday NewsClips

Another Round Of Budget Talks Inconclusive
Shell Tax Credit Breaks Designed To Be Offset
Chesapeake Roadwork Projects In Bradford, Susquehanna, Sullivan
Geologist: Data Lacking Linking Drilling Wastewater To Quakes
Op-Ed: Make PA More Energy Efficient
Op-Ed: 40 Years After Agnes, Flood Management Remains An Issue
Speedwell Lake Sediment Control Gets New Push
EPA Essential Smart Growth Fixes For Rural Planning
Phillies to Host Electric Vehicle Tour
Op-Ed: Someone Is Getting Zapped By Electric Deregulation
Editorial: Philly Parks Need Funds To Avoid Shabbiness
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClips

DEP Forecasts Air Quality Action Day On June 20 In 5 Regions

The Department of Environmental Protection and its regional air quality partnerships have forecast a code Orange air quality action day for ozone for Wednesday, June 20, in the Lehigh Valley, Pittsburgh, Liberty-Clairton, Philadelphia, and Susquehanna Valley regions.
           On air quality action days, young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.
           The Lehigh Valley region is Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties.
           The Pittsburgh region is Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties. 
           The Liberty-Clairton region – located within southeastern Allegheny County – is the municipalities of Clairton, Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln and Port Vue.
           The Philadelphia region is Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
           The Susquehanna Valley region is Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties.
           The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s standardized air quality index uses colors to report daily air quality. Green signifies good; yellow means moderate; orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive people; and red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.
           Ground-level ozone, a key component of smog, forms during warm weather when pollution from vehicles, industry, households and power plants “bakes” in the hot sun, making it hard for some people to breathe.
           To help keep the air healthy, residents and businesses are encouraged to voluntarily limit certain pollution-producing activities by: Riding the bus or carpooling to work; Washing dishes and clothes only with full loads; and Saving energy by turning off unused lights in your home.
          These forecasts are provided in conjunction with the Air Quality Partnership of the Delaware Valley, the Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership, the Lehigh Valley/Berks Air Quality Partnership and the Susquehanna Valley Air Quality Partnership. 
           For more information, visit DEP's Air Quality Partnership webpage.

Ralph W. Abele Historical Marker To Be Unveiled July 17

Ralph W. Abele, the late Executive Director of the PA Fish and Boat Commission, will be honored with a State Historic Marker from the PA Historical and Museum Commission on July 17 at 2:00 p.m. at the Commission headquarters building at 1601 Elmerton Ave. in Harrisburg.
The unveiling of the marker is sponsored by PHMC, the Commission and the Ralph W. Abele Conservation Scholarship Fund.
Throughout his life, Ralph Abele led, inspired, encouraged, motivated, supported and commanded the fight to save our natural environment.  He believed strong in the right of everyone to “clean air, pure water and the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and aesthetic values of the environment.”
As an uncommon leader of the Commonwealth and a champion for living creatures, his motto was “Do Your Duty And Fear No One!”
For more information on his life and accomplishments, visit the Ralph W. Abele webpage.

Tuesday NewsClips

Shell Tax Credit Essential Part Of Budget For Corbett
Op-Ed: Shell Tax Breaks Would Pay Off For PA
New Database Will Reveal Levels Of Contaminants In Wells
Corbett Asks For Automatic Tax Withholding From Royalty Payments
Ohio Governor’s Office Won’t Say If They Are Wooing Shell
Valerus Puts Emphasis On Shale Gas Safety
Innovative Philadelphia Program Cleans Up Stormwater
Rolling On The Monongahela River
Casey Seeks Aid For State To Combat Rock Snot
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClips