Susquehanna River Basin Commission Now Accepting Applications For Consumptive Use Mitigation Grants; Nov. 20 Webinar

On October 31, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission announced it is now accepting applications for $6 million in Consumptive Use Mitigation Grants to improve the drought resiliency of the river basin.  The deadline for application is January 31.

Consumptive use refers to water that is used but not returned to the basin. The SRBC is seeking projects focused on reducing or offsetting CU and improving the sustainability of both streamflows and groundwater during critical low flow periods including--

-- Water storage and release projects (e.g., impoundments, inactive quarries, and underground mine pools);

-- Projects that modify operations to increase drought resilience or improve environmental flows (e.g., reservoir conservation releases, aquifer storage and recovery, and coordinated use of surface water and groundwater);

-- Demand modification projects (e.g., projects that achieve water conservation, reuse, and/or recycling); and

-- Environmental and water quality improvement projects (e.g., groundwater recharge, restoring wetlands/streams/floodplains, improving stormwater management, and treating abandoned mine drainage).

Since its launch in 2021, the grant program has awarded nearly $21 million to 64 projects. Grantee activity has been both innovative and successful, from cooling tower evaporation capture for reuse to satellite leak detection technology. 

The grant program has also funded tried and true water resources projects from water conservation training and technical assistance programs to stormwater and floodplain best management practices.

A minimum 20% cash match of the requested funds is required. These grant dollars are non-federal and non-state so leveraging opportunities, especially if used as a match, are outstanding.

Awardees will be announced next April. 

Nov. 20 Webinar

SRBC will host an informational webinar on November 20 to provide an overview of the grant program, demonstrate the online grant application, and answer questions. 

Click Here to register for the webinar.

Visit the SRBC Consumptive Use Mitigation Grants webpage for all the details on applying for the grant.

For more information on programs, training opportunities and upcoming events, visit the Susquehanna River Basin Commission website.  Click Here to sign up for SRBC’s newsletter.   Follow SRBC on Twitter, visit them on YouTube.

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- Environmental Quality Board To Consider Proposed Spill Notification Regulation; Blasting; NOx & VOC Corrections Nov. 12  [PaEN]  

-- PUC Approves Emergency Order Appointing Aqua Pennsylvania Temporary Operator For 6 Rhodes Estate Water Companies As Fallout Continues From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill In Venango County  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Ag Council Recognizes Cong. GT Thompson, Chair of the US House Agriculture Committee; Members Of The PA In The Balance Farm Conservation Initiative Team; Student Jessica Herr  [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: As 2025 Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Deadline Looms, Officials Propose Next Phase  [PaEN]

-- CBF: New Chesapeake Bay Assessment Reveals Concerns, New Restoration Data Tool Offers Hope  [PaEN] 

-- Dirty Work: Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Adding 130,000 New Trees During Fall Planting Season In Pennsylvania  [PaEN]

-- Coldwater Heritage Partnership Now Accepting Applications For Conservation Grants; Natural Gas Pipeline Mitigation Projects  [PaEN]

-- Shapiro Administration Launches New Discover State Grants Website To Streamline Access To Government Funding Opportunities  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Now Accepting Applications For Consumptive Use Mitigation Grants; Nov. 20 Webinar  [PaEN]

-- USGS Releases New Video: Susquehanna River Story - What Does The Science Say About Water Quality?  [PaEN]

-- Registration Now Open For PASA 2025 Sustainable Agriculture Conference Feb. 5-7 In Lancaster  [PaEN] 

-- PA Forestry Assn. 138th Annual Symposium - What Makes A Healthy Forest;  Awards Program Nov. 16 In State College  [PaEN] 

-- PA Assn. Of Environmental Educators Now Accepting Nominations For Annual PAEE Awards, Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences Awards  [PaEN] 

-- Help Wanted: Foundation For Pennsylvania Watersheds -  Grants Program Administrator  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- The Allegheny Front: PA Receives Another Round Of Record-Level Federal Funding For Abandoned Coal Mine Cleanups

-- Chesapeake Bay Program: Chesapeake Bay Shows Slight Water Quality Improvement In 2020-22 Assessment Period

-- Williamsport Sun: State Of The Susquehanna River - A Closer Look At Our River

-- ABC27: Dover Township, York County Issues Mandatory Nonessential Water Use Restrictions 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Ad Crable: Workforce Shortage Slows Progress On Stream Buffers In Pennsylvania

-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners Blog: Cocalico Creek Watershed Association’s Collaborative Path To Restoration

-- TribLive: Nature Focus Of Artwork Featured In Loyalhanna Watershed Association’s 40th Annual Auction 

-- MCall Guest Essay: Delaware River Basin Commission Should Help Fight Climate Change - By Tracy Carluccio, Delaware RiverKeeper Network

[Posted: October 31, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

Environmental Groups File Notice Of Intent To Sue The Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County For Air Pollution Violations: Similar Action In 2023 Resulted In $10 Million Settlement

On October 23, 2024, the Clean Air Council and the Environment Integrity Project filed a notice of intent to sue the Shell Petrochemical Plant in Beaver County for emitting particulate matter (PM 2.5) and nitrogen oxides in violation of the federal Clean Air Act, the state Air Pollution Control Act and the plant's permit.

"As of the date of this letter, neither EPA nor DEP have commenced a civil action in federal or state court, nor has DEP initiated litigation before the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board" to require Shell Chemical to comply with air pollution regulations and its permit.

The notice of intent gives EPA and DEP 60 days to take some action before the groups file their action in federal court.

The groups said they will ask for "appropriate injunctive relief and civil penalties and to require a beneficial environmental project" in the areas directly impacted by the air pollution emissions.

Click Here for a copy of the letter.

Not The First Action

On February 2, 2023 and February 17, 2024, these same groups filed two notices of intent to sue the Shell Petrochemical Plant, again over air pollution violations.  On May 11, 2024, they filed the lawsuit in federal court.

On May 24, 2023, DEP signed a consent order with the Shell Petrochemical Plant that included $5 million in penalties and a $5 million community benefit project.  Read more here.

Visit DEP’s Shell Petrochemical Facility webpage for more information on DEP actions related to the Shell plant.

Resource Links:

-- DEP Extends Air Quality Permits For Temporary Operation Of Shell Petrochemical Plant; No Schedule Posted Yet For Considering Full Title V Air Quality Permit  [PaEN]

-- No Decision Posted Yet From DEP On Whether Flare Gas Chemical Makeup, Volume At Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County Is Confidential Business Information  [PaEN] 

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Oct. 26 to Nov. 1 - No Attempt To Contain, Cleanup Injection Well Spill; Gas Storage Area Well Release; More Abandoned Conventional Wells  [PaEN] 

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - November 2 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Invites Comments On New Air Pollution Permit For Revolution Natural Gas Cryogenic Processing Plant In Washington County; Plant Suffered Major Explosion, Fire In 2022  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 82 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In November 2 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]  

Related Articles - Gas:

-- DEP Discovers Wastewater Release At Bear Lake Properties Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Warren County During Routine Inspection  [PaEN]

-- Bradford Era:  7-Part Series Details Concerns Residents Of Cyclone, McKean County Have With Catalyst Energy Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well [PaEN]

-- PUC Approves Emergency Order Appointing Aqua Pennsylvania Temporary Operator For 6 Rhodes Estate Water Companies As Fallout Continues From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill In Venango County  [PaEN]

-- Joint Meeting Of DEP Citizens Advisory Council, Environmental Justice Advisory Board Nov. 12 On Oil & Gas Methane Emissions Reductions; Hydrogen Hubs  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Quality Board To Consider Proposed Spill Notification Regulation; Blasting; NOx & VOC Corrections Nov. 12  [PaEN]  

-- Low-Flow Water Conditions Trigger Big Jump In Susquehanna River Basin Water Withdrawal Restrictions, Most Shale Gas-related  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Groups File Notice Of Intent To Sue The Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County For Air Pollution Violations: Similar Action In 2023 Resulted In $10 Million Settlement  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro, Joins 4 Other Governors To Call On PJM To Reform Its Electric Generating Capacity Auction Rules To Prevent Billions Of Dollars In 'Unnecessary’ Costs To Their Residents, Businesses  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: As Fracking Turns 20 In Pennsylvania, Towns Consider New Regulations For Distance Between Homes And Well Pads [Cecil Twp., Washington County]  [PDF of Article]

-- The Derrick - Randy Bartley: Priority To Plug Old Conventional Oil, Gas Wells Deepens For DEP  [PDF of Article]

-- The Derrick - Randy Bartley: Plugging A Problem Abandoned Conventional Gas Well  [PDF of Article]

-- Institute For Energy Economics & Financial Analysis: Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County 'Unlikely To Meet Financial Targets'

-- Inquirer: Electric Bills Are Rising In PA, NJ; Governors Want PJM To Help Cut Costs 

-- National Fuel Gas Increases Natural Gas Costs 3.7% On Nov. 1

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drill Rigs Increase One To 13 From Last Week, Still Down From 21 On Aug. 23

-- S&P Global: US Natural Gas Producer Coterra Signs LNG Gas Supply Deals With Vitol, UK’s Centrica Linked To LNG Prices

-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Post Biggest Weekly Decline Since January

-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Drop As Goldman Warns Of Bearish Risks

[Posted: October 31, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

USGS Releases New Video: Susquehanna River Story - What Does The Science Say About Water Quality?

The US Geological Survey’s Pennsylvania Water Science Center released a new video on what the science says about water quality in the Susquehanna River.

The wide and majestic Susquehanna River is one of the oldest rivers in the world.  Despite its beauty, the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay downstream has been facing the detrimental effects of excess nutrients.  

This new YouTube video provides a unique synthesis of the story of nutrient water quality in the Susquehanna watershed.  

With few exceptions, trends in stream nutrient loads at long-term monitoring sites have been improving, but a considerable percent of the short-term monitoring sites show degrading trends.  

Resource managers have varying control over the intricate blend of factors that affect nutrient delivery to the river such as physical factors (geology, climate, and hydrology), source inputs (atmospheric and land use) and legacy storage of nutrients (dams and groundwater) that remain a challenge toward meeting water quality goals.

Click Here to watch the 22-minute video.

Visit the USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center webpage to learn more about water in Pennsylvania.

How Clean Is Your Stream?

The draft 2024 report has an interactive report viewer that allows you to zoom in to your own address to see if the streams near you are impaired and why.

Click Here to check out your streams.  Click Here for a tutorial on using the viewer.

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- Environmental Quality Board To Consider Proposed Spill Notification Regulation; Blasting; NOx & VOC Corrections Nov. 12  [PaEN]  

-- PUC Approves Emergency Order Appointing Aqua Pennsylvania Temporary Operator For 6 Rhodes Estate Water Companies As Fallout Continues From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill In Venango County  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Ag Council Recognizes Cong. GT Thompson, Chair of the US House Agriculture Committee; Members Of The PA In The Balance Farm Conservation Initiative Team; Student Jessica Herr  [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: As 2025 Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Deadline Looms, Officials Propose Next Phase  [PaEN]

-- CBF: New Chesapeake Bay Assessment Reveals Concerns, New Restoration Data Tool Offers Hope  [PaEN] 

-- Dirty Work: Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Adding 130,000 New Trees During Fall Planting Season In Pennsylvania  [PaEN]

-- Coldwater Heritage Partnership Now Accepting Applications For Conservation Grants; Natural Gas Pipeline Mitigation Projects  [PaEN]

-- Shapiro Administration Launches New Discover State Grants Website To Streamline Access To Government Funding Opportunities  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Now Accepting Applications For Consumptive Use Mitigation Grants; Nov. 20 Webinar  [PaEN]

-- USGS Releases New Video: Susquehanna River Story - What Does The Science Say About Water Quality?  [PaEN]

-- Registration Now Open For PASA 2025 Sustainable Agriculture Conference Feb. 5-7 In Lancaster  [PaEN] 

-- PA Forestry Assn. 138th Annual Symposium - What Makes A Healthy Forest;  Awards Program Nov. 16 In State College  [PaEN] 

-- PA Assn. Of Environmental Educators Now Accepting Nominations For Annual PAEE Awards, Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences Awards  [PaEN] 

-- Help Wanted: Foundation For Pennsylvania Watersheds -  Grants Program Administrator  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- The Allegheny Front: PA Receives Another Round Of Record-Level Federal Funding For Abandoned Coal Mine Cleanups

-- Chesapeake Bay Program: Chesapeake Bay Shows Slight Water Quality Improvement In 2020-22 Assessment Period

-- Williamsport Sun: State Of The Susquehanna River - A Closer Look At Our River

-- ABC27: Dover Township, York County Issues Mandatory Nonessential Water Use Restrictions 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Ad Crable: Workforce Shortage Slows Progress On Stream Buffers In Pennsylvania

-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners Blog: Cocalico Creek Watershed Association’s Collaborative Path To Restoration

-- TribLive: Nature Focus Of Artwork Featured In Loyalhanna Watershed Association’s 40th Annual Auction 

-- MCall Guest Essay: Delaware River Basin Commission Should Help Fight Climate Change - By Tracy Carluccio, Delaware RiverKeeper Network

[Posted: October 31, 2024]  PA Environment Digest