Federal Court Grants Trump Request To Suspend Action On EPA Clean Power Plan Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Friday granted a Trump Administration request to put on hold a legal challenge to EPA’s Clean Power Climate Plan by industry and a group of states, rules President Trump is moving to undo.

The Court put the litigation in abeyance for at least 60 days.

Ozone Standard

This action is similar to the action taken by the same Court on April 11 to delay oral arguments in a lawsuit brought against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2015 ozone pollution standard.

The Trump Administration asked for the delay in that case as well to give the EPA more time to determine whether the rule needs to be changed or eliminated. The standard, finalized under the Obama Administration, lowered the allowable concentration of ozone from 75 parts per billion to 70 parts per billion

NewsClips:

Federal Court Suspends Action On EPA Clean Power Plan Case

Reuters: Court Grants Trump Request To Suspend Action On Clean Power Plan Case
Thousands To March Saturday In Philly Against Climate Change
Climate Change Research At Penn Might Take A Nosedive

Op-Ed: Global Climate Change Demands A Local Response

Op-Ed: Carbon Tax Won’t Stop Climate Change

Bloomberg To World Leaders: Ignore Trump On Climate

4 Republicans Sign Letter Urging Trump To Stay In Climate Deal

Editorial: Trump Taking Bad Advice On Climate Change Threat

Apply Now For ARIPPA Mine Reclamation Mini-Grants

The Anthracite Region Independent Power Producers’ Association is again partnering with the Eastern and Western PA Coalitions for Abandoned Mine Reclamation to offer Mini-Grants totalling $5,000 for local watershed reclamation projects.

The deadline for applications is July 7.

Grants of a maximum of $2,500 will be awarded to at least one eligible environmental organization or Conservation District in the Anthracite Region and one eligible environmental organization or Conservation District in the Bituminous Region.

Smaller grants are encouraged. Grant proposals should be for on-the-ground mine reclamation or mine drainage treatment projects with a completion date between July 2017 and June 2018.

Click Here for more information and the application.

(Photo: Earth Conservancy 2015 ARIPPA Mini-Grant for the Askam Borehole AMD Treatment System in Luzerne County.)

DEP Aggregate Advisory Board Committee To Discuss Sinkhole Issues Paper May 5

The Regulatory, Legislative and Technical Committee of DEP’s Aggregate Advisory Board will discuss a background policy paper DEP staff prepared entitled Resolving Sinkhole Issues: A State Government Perspective at its meeting on May 5. (formal notice)

Although the policy paper was prepared in 2005, it was based on a series of major sinkhole occurrences DEP investigated from 1997 to 2005 related to sinkhole formation as a result of groundwater withdrawal, urbanization and stormwater handling.

The meeting will be held in the 14th Floor Conference Room of the Rachel Carson Building starting at 10:00.  To join the meeting by conference phone, call 1-650-479-3208, Meeting Number: 640 749 002, Password: EarthEnviroEd$50.

For more information, visit DEP’s Aggregate Advisory Board webpage or contact Daniel Snowden by calling 717-783-8846 or send email to: dsnowden@pa.gov.

For information on sinkholes in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s Sinkholes In PA webpage which includes an interactive sinkhole map, reports and records on sinkholes and more.

(Map: Carbonate Bedrock areas prone to sinkholes, DCNR Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey.)

Get Outdoors Poconos: May 20 Hike To Lacawac Lake, Wayne County

The Brodhead Creek Watershed Association will host another in a series of Get Outdoors Poconos hikes on May 20 to Lake Lacawac in Wayne County.

On the journey to the 52-acre lake, guided by Carol Hillestad,hikers will enjoy an easy, well-marked, wide and mostly level trail. Wildlife sightings may include nesting ospreys, hooded mergansers, turtles and beavers.

Flora includes wildflowers such as trout lilies, columbine, elderberry and Quaker ladies – as well as rock tripe, reindeer moss and many other varieties of lichen.

After Lake Lacawac comes another reward for hikers – a spur in the trail leads to a lichen-covered rock ledge and a bench with a view of Lake Wallenpaupack, a sheer drop of 250 feet below.

Hikers should meet at the Lacawac Sanctuary parking lot in Lake Ariel at 10:00 a.m.

The hike is free, but registration is required.  The hike is also limited in size.  To register Call 570-839-1120 or 570-629-2727 or send email to: info@brodheadwatershed.org.

For information on this and other hikes in this series, visit the Get Outdoors Poconos webpage.  For more information on programs, initiatives and other upcoming events, visit the Brodhead Creek Watershed Association website.

ClearWater Conservancy: Volunteer Turnout For Watershed Cleanup Breaks Records

ClearWater Conservancy celebrated Earth Day on April 22 alongside 552 community volunteers at its 21st annual Watershed Cleanup Day. This one day event is aimed at combating littering and illegal dumping in our local watersheds.

The 2017 cleanup brought out our greatest number of event participants to date to keep Centre County and Central Pennsylvania beautiful.  

Thanks to the hard work of these volunteers, ClearWater Conservancy, in partnership with Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority, was able to properly dispose of over 38.1 tons of trash, or 76,200 pounds, from 59 sites at roadsides, parks, streams, and sinkholes.

This total included over 48,900 pounds of assorted trash, over 17,240 pounds of scrap metal, and over 10,120 pounds of tires which numbered 550.

This year’s tonnage brings the project total to over 6.16 million pounds of waste removed from local streams, roadways, sinkholes, and illegal 1997.

“It always amazes me that we the few, can do so much, in such a short time,” said Rod Fye, Cleanup Day committee member and Enforcement Officer at CCRRA.  “If many others would change their attitude about littering our roads and improperly disposing of their trash; we could accomplish so much more!  It should be our goal to take care of our Mother Earth, we really only have one.”

Led by ClearWater Conservancy and in partnership with Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority and the local MS4 [stormwater management] partners, Watershed Cleanup Day is supported by local contractors, heavy equipment operators, businesses, and Centre County municipalities.

For more information on programs, initiatives and other upcoming events, visit the ClearWater Conservancy website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Conservancy.

Help Wanted: Brandywine Conservancy Associate Director For Land Stewardship

The Brandywine Conservancy is seeking qualified candidates to fill an Associate Director for Land Stewardship.  The deadline for applications is May 31.

The Associate Director reports to the Director of the Brandywine Conservancy and leads and manages the administration, monitoring and enforcement of Brandywine conservation and preservation easements, the stewardship and management of preserves and other fee-simple land, including its subsidiary, Penguin Court, Inc.  

Click Here for a detail position description.  Send cover letter, resume and salary requirements to Connie Scholz at: cscholz@brandywine.org.  Click Here to review other job and internship positions available with the Conservancy.

Philadelphia Schools Green Initiatives Focus On Improved Outdoor Spaces For Students

School officials presented a summary of more than a decade of investment in schoolyard improvements across The School District of Philadelphia on Thursday, culminating in almost 100 completed and new projects under the Office of Capital Programs.

Members of the School Reform Commission voted to approve donations from both the Philadelphia Eagles-- $100,000-- and Philadelphia Mural Arts Advocates to revamp the playground at Lewis Elkin Elementary School.

The new outdoor space will include a new playground, outdoor classroom, exterior murals and mosaic tile tables, and a synthetic turf field.

“The improvements across our District reflect our dedication to providing healthy and safe school environments conducive to teaching and learning,” said Dr. William R. Hite, Superintendent of The School District of Philadelphia. “We want to create more green spaces where children can play, in an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective manner, and incorporate outdoor space as learning space wherever possible.”

The District’s Director of Capital Programs, Danielle Floyd, gave a presentation during the SRC meeting about progress on various projects at schools around the city.

“Since 2004, we have invested $8.75 million in new and potential greening and constructed play spaces at school campuses across the District,” said Floyd. “That translates to 67 projects completed with our partners and partner organizations, including 22 campus parks, 21 stormwater improvements and 24 playgrounds. We also have almost 30 additional projects in design, or under construction. Our mission has been a great school close to where children live, and these projects provide greats spaces for our students to play as well.”

While the District’s Office of Capital Programs and relationships with the Eagles, and other public-private partnerships, have led to the increase in available greenspaces, there is another important contributing factor.

Through direct District capital investment, and in alignment with the Philadelphia Water Department’s Green City, Clean Waters Plan, the focus has been on stormwater management and de-paving, primarily in campus parks.

In conjunction with the District’s dedication to increased community involvement, the District has worked with local “Friends of” and HSA organizations to design and revitalize school playgrounds.

“There’s been such an upswing in local interest in these initiatives, the District has added a full-time landscape architect to serve as the point person for these projects, and created an online fundraising and grant guide and annual forum to help communities help each other reach their greening goals,” Floyd added.

For more information on green initiatives at Philadelphia Schools, visit the GreenFutures Sustainability Plan webpage.

Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation

The latest Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation.  (Photo: Chapman State Park, Warren County.)

DEP Published 46 Pages Of Permit Actions In The April 29 PA Bulletin

DEP published 46 pages of public notices related to proposed and final permit and approval/ disapproval actions in the April 29 PA Bulletin - pages 2451 to 2497.