Friday, March 25, 2016

March 28 PA Environment Digest Now Available

The March 28 PA Environment Digest is now available.  Here are just a few of the headlines--

While some are breathing a sigh of relief, the FY 2015-16 budget represents the 13th year in a row funding and staff for environmental programs has been cut, diverted or simply held in place, which really amounts to yet another cut.

Gov. Tom Wolf Monday announced that 17 organizations involved in 14 projects from across the Commonwealth will receive the prestigious Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.

In recognition of Women’s History Month, PennFuture, in conjunction with the National Wildlife Federation, Wednesday presented its 2016 Celebrating Women in Conservation Award to Sister Pat Lupo of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie for her dedication and achievements in the environmental field.

The Joint House-Senate Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee heard testimony Monday saying the collapse of the state’s Electronics Waste Recycling Program resulted from the fact that the amount of material actually collected by local recycling programs is many times more than the amount of waste electronics manufacturers are required to pay for under the 2010 Covered Device Recycling Law.  This problem is particularly acute in the case of old tube-style CRT televisions and monitors.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Monday provided testimony to the Joint House-Senate Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee at a public hearing concerning the Covered Device Recycling Act (Act 108 of 2010), urging members to take action to ensure that every resident in the state has access to convenient and affordable trash disposal and recycling.

Pennsylvania farmers who want to implement best management practices (BMPs) or purchase on-farm conservation equipment are encouraged to apply for remaining 2015-16 Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Program tax credits.  The deadline for applications is April 22 (Earth Day).

Big Spring Run stream and floodplain restoration efforts in Lancaster County were highlighted in the Winter issue of Franklin & Marshall’s Winter Magazine.
The efforts involve using a new paradigm for ecosystem restoration pioneered with the help of Dorothy Merritts and Robert Walter from Franklin & Marshall’s Hackman Physical Science Laboratories.

The PA Environmental Council Tuesday provided a video update on its projects and initiatives to protect and restore water resources in Pennsylvania.

There is still time to do a little Spring cleaning along roads, streams and in parks all over Pennsylvania by volunteering a few hours to do a cleanup or beautification project as part of the Great American Cleanup of PA.
Organize your own cleanup or join one happening in your area by going to the Great American Cleanup of PA.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Monday announced the department and its partners today are launching PA Conservation Explorer to assist businesses, local governments and citizens with conservation planning, and improve the process for environmental reviews for threatened and endangered species that are required during permitting for construction and other activities.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is now accepting applications from volunteer fire companies for grants to help battle wildfires.  Applications are due May 19.

To read the Digest, visit: www.PaEnvironmentDigest.com.  Click Here to print the entire Digest.

PA Environment Digest is edited by David E. Hess, former Secretary Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and is published as a service of Crisci Associates.


Additional Tools--
Click Here to sign up to receive the Digest directly by email.
Click Here for a Calendar of Upcoming Events.
Click Here to search back issues of the Digest.
PA Environment Digest Twitter Feed: Update on PA environmental issues.
PA Environment Daily Blog: Update on PA environmental issues.
Green Works In PA Google+ Circle: Update on PA environmental issues.
Questions?: Send email to David Hess at: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com

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