Gov. Shapiro Signs Bill Requiring PennDOT To Plant Native Plants Along State Highways Into Law

On July 1, Gov. Shapiro signed into law House Bill 797 (B.Miller-R-Lancaster) requiring the state Department of Transportation to plant native vegetation along state highways as Act 37.

"Through the years non-native plants have been introduced throughout the state with some of them becoming noxious and invasive resulting in substantial disruption to the state’s ecosystem," said Rep. B. Miller when he introduced the bill.  

"Plants that are native to Pennsylvania are naturally part of the state eco-system and their use throughout the Commonwealth helps to maintain the environmental balance that has been developed over many years.  

"These native plants, when planted along highways, will thrive because those plants are better adapted to local conditions.  

"Further, native vegetation is also more likely to support wildlife, while discouraging invasive plant species. 

"This legislation will require PennDOT to develop a list of native vegetation species that can be used in roadside work that is done throughout the state.  The use of specific species in a given area will be based on the recommendations of the PA Department of Agriculture’s Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Committee," said Rep. Miller.

Click Here for a House Summary and Fiscal Note on the legislation.

This legislation was first introduced in 2018 by former Rep. John Quigley (R-Montgomery) as House Bill 2131.

Visit PennDOT’s Adopt and Beautify webpage for information on native plants, pollinator plantings along state highways and PennDOT’s Pollinator Habitat Plan.

(Photo: TribLive.com)

Resource Links:

-- Pollinator Gardens: Help Encourage Ecological Diversity In Your Own Backyard  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Watershed Friendly Certification Program Expands To Large And Small Properties, Apartments  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Master Gardeners Certification As Pollinator Friendly Garden

-- Penn State Extension Is Celebrating Pollinator Week June 17-21!   [PaEN]

-- Pollinator Vehicle License Plate Now Available From PennDOT To Support Pollinator Habitat Fund  [PaEN]

-- Agriculture Secretary, Sen. Comitta Visit Chester County’s Jenkins Arboretum, Highlighting Bill To Protect Pollinators, Boost Agriculture  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week: 

-- Gov. Shapiro Signs Bill Requiring PennDOT To Plant Native Plants Along State Highways Into Law  [PaEN]

-- Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Native Plants And Insects Getting Legislative Attention - By Nate Reagle, Certified Pollinator Steward  [PaEN]

-- Westmoreland Pollinator Partners, Penguin Court Invite Entries To 4th Annual Pennsylvania Pollinator Photo Challenge  [PaEN]

-- PA iMapInvasives 2024 Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt Set For August; July 30 Webinar Training Available  [PaEN]

-- Discover How To Identify, Track Invasive Species Using iMapInvasives In Aug. 9 Penn State Extension Webinar  [PaEN] 

NewsClip:

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Applauds New PA Law Requiring Native Vegetation Along State Highways

[Posted: July 3, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

Forest Park Water Treatment Plant Recognized With Area-Wide Optimization Program Award For Drinking Water For 17th Year In A Row

The Forest Park Water Treatment Plant, a water treatment facility jointly owned and operated by North Penn Water Authority and North Wales Water Authority serving Bucks and Montgomery counties, is thrilled to announce its achievement of the prestigious Area-Wide Optimization Program (AWOP) Award for the 17th year in a row. 

The AWOP Award recognizes exemplary efforts by water treatment plants in delivering safe and high-quality drinking water to the communities they serve. 

Through rigorous monitoring, optimization of treatment processes, and proactive management strategies, FPWTP has demonstrated exceptional performance in maintaining drinking water quality that surpasses regulatory requirements. 

By participating in AWOP, FPWTP has not only ensured compliance but has also implemented best practices to enhance operational efficiency and reduce the risk of waterborne contaminants.

The prestigious AWOP Award is presented by the Department of Environmental Protection and recognizes outstanding efforts toward optimizing water treatment performance.  

AWOP is a national optimization effort among 22 states, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators. 

The Award will be presented to FPWTP at the Water Works Operators' Association of Pennsylvania Annual Conference in September.

“As a water utility, our number one job is providing safe, reliable and affordable water to our customers,” said Tony Bellitto Jr. PE, executive director, North Penn Water Authority. “We are proud of the work that our experienced operators perform at Forest Park Water. This honor is a testament to the hard work that goes into producing award-winning water.”

“Forest Park Water provides water to more than 200,000 people in our region, making excellent water quality a paramount goal,” said Robert C. Bender, executive director of North Wales Water Authority. “Year after year, we strive to improve our treatment process to ensure we are providing the safest, most reliable water possible.”

Forest Park Water Treatment Plant (FPWTP) is a state of the art water treatment facility that combines conventional treatment processes with advanced techniques, which include ozone disinfection and membrane filtration. 

Membrane filtration is a leading-edge technology capable of consistently producing very high quality water and ensures the plant can safely meet the more stringent federal and state water quality regulations that will be required in the near future. 

This combination of traditional and innovative water treatment allows FPWTP to produce the safest, highest quality water possible.

Visit the North Penn Water Authority and North Wales Water Authority websites for more information on their operations.

Related Article:

-- Spotlight PA To Host July 18 Panel Discussion On How Unreliable Small Private Water Systems Affect Quality Of Life In PA  [PaEN] 

[Posted: July 3, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

Help Wanted: Berks Nature - Nature Preschool Assistant Teacher

 Berks Nature is seeking qualified candidates to fill the position of Nature Preschool Assistant Teacher.

The individual in this position will facilitate immersive play- and nature-based, culturally responsive, and place-based curriculum that reflects the needs of the children (cognitive, social, emotional and physical development), the standards for early childhood education, and the mission of Berks Nature. 

The ideal candidate will have experience teaching in a progressive preschool as well as experience in, and a passion for, using nature as a context for learning.

We are hiring both part-time (up to 37 hours a week) or full-time positions, working Monday through Friday (with occasional evenings and weekends as needed).

Compensation will be $15.75 - $18.75 per hour depending on experience.

Click Here for the full job description and instructions on how to apply.

For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and how you can get involved, visit the Berks Nature website.  Follow them on Facebook and Twitter.  Also follow the Berks Nature Ambassadors Facebook page.

Since 1974, Berks Nature has been involved in land preservation, water protection, trail management, community gardens, education programs, State of the Environment, Eco-Camp and our valued partnerships that help connect people to nature and maintain the natural beauty of Berks County.

[Posted: July 3, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Native Plants And Insects Getting Legislative Attention

By Nate Reagle, Certified Pollinator Steward

Great news!  There are multiple bills addressing plant and insect conservation in Pennsylvania! 

It is easy to get confused when thinking about what they all mean and how they interact. 

It is important to understand that native insects depend on native plants, while non-native pollinators will also benefit from native flowers. 

Threats to non-native or managed pollinators such as pesticide exposure or diseases also tend to threaten native pollinators. 

Finally, remember that managed pollinators are agricultural commodities while native pollinators are part of the natural ecosystem, although native pollinators benefit Pennsylvania agriculture as well. 

Act 37, formerly House Bill 797 sponsored by Rep. Brett Miller, pertains to native vegetation along PennDOT roads. Simply put, the bill directs PennDOT to prioritize native plants along roadside ROW corridors. 

PennDOT has already been working toward this goal in collaboration with DCNR and other partners. 

Act 37 however, codifies the efforts to make them more permanent. The result will be more habitat for pollinator dispersal and migration across the state. 

When thinking about all the PennDOT roads, this is a significant amount of future habitat. 

Representative Pielli’s House Bill 2470  is like Act 37 in that it prioritizes native plants, however the scope is different. While Act 37 focuses on roadside ROW corridors, House Bill 2470 focuses on state facilities. 

Think of all the state office buildings surrounded by lawns lacking pollinator habitat as opportunities to provide native vegetation for native pollinators and other insects. 

This bill also directs DCNR to make their planting and seeding guidance available to other state agencies interested in providing native habitat at their facilities. 

Senator Comitta’s Plant and Pollinator Protection Act (Senate Bill 1198) addresses commercial plant merchants and managed pollinators to protect the agricultural pollinator commodity. 

The Department of Agriculture oversees the implementation of this legislation.  

Representative Pielli’s Wild Resource Conservation Act amendment (House Bill 2471) closes a huge gap in biodiversity conservation in Pennsylvania by addressing taxa that are not currently assigned to a Commonwealth agency. 

The bill assigns native terrestrial invertebrates to DCNR, allowing the department to designate native invertebrates as threatened or endangered, critical for conservation efforts. 

Having a responsible agency would also give a voice to invertebrate conservation and enable better interagency cooperation. House Bill 2471 is the single most impactful bill regarding native insect conservation. 

Act 37 and House Bill 2470 both prioritize native vegetation, but at different locations. This is critical for proactive native pollinator and other insect conservation. 

The Plant and Pollinator Protection Act covers managed pollinators and plants that are sold or distributed in Pennsylvania with an emphasis on agriculture. 

These bills work together to improve pollinator and native insect conservation along our roads, at state buildings, and in the agricultural realm.   

(Photos: Winners of Pollinators Photo Challenge sponsored by the Brandywine Conservancy and the Westmoreland Pollinator Partners.)

Nate Reagle is an independent insect biodiversity and conservation advocate as well as a Certified Pollinator Steward issued by the Pollinator Partnership.

Resource Links:

-- Pollinator Gardens: Help Encourage Ecological Diversity In Your Own Backyard  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Watershed Friendly Certification Program Expands To Large And Small Properties, Apartments  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Master Gardeners Certification As Pollinator Friendly Garden

-- Penn State Extension Is Celebrating Pollinator Week June 17-21!   [PaEN]

-- Pollinator Vehicle License Plate Now Available From PennDOT To Support Pollinator Habitat Fund  [PaEN]

-- Agriculture Secretary, Sen. Comitta Visit Chester County’s Jenkins Arboretum, Highlighting Bill To Protect Pollinators, Boost Agriculture  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week: 

-- Gov. Shapiro Signs Bill Requiring PennDOT To Plant Native Plants Along State Highways Into Law  [PaEN]

-- Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Native Plants And Insects Getting Legislative Attention - By Nate Reagle, Certified Pollinator Steward  [PaEN]

-- Westmoreland Pollinator Partners, Penguin Court Invite Entries To 4th Annual Pennsylvania Pollinator Photo Challenge  [PaEN]

-- PA iMapInvasives 2024 Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt Set For August; July 30 Webinar Training Available  [PaEN]

-- Discover How To Identify, Track Invasive Species Using iMapInvasives In Aug. 9 Penn State Extension Webinar  [PaEN]

NewsClip:

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Applauds New PA Law Requiring Native Vegetation Along State Highways

[Posted: July 3, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

Westmoreland Pollinator Partners, Penguin Court Invite Entries To 4th Annual Pennsylvania Pollinator Photo Challenge

The Westmoreland Pollinator Partners and the Brandywine Conservancy’s Penguin Court are hosting the 4th annual Pennsylvania Pollinator Photo Challenge.  Entries are due August 3. 

Youth 17 and younger and adult photographers 18 and over may submit three images of a pollinator found and photographed outdoors in Pennsylvania, such as bees, beetles, butterflies, flies, hummingbirds, moths or wasps in any of their life stages.

New this year is a special category for moths, in any of their life stages.

For all the details, visit the Pennsylvania Pollinator Photo Challenge webpage.

Resource Links:

-- Pollinator Gardens: Help Encourage Ecological Diversity In Your Own Backyard  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Watershed Friendly Certification Program Expands To Large And Small Properties, Apartments  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Master Gardeners Certification As Pollinator Friendly Garden

-- Penn State Extension Is Celebrating Pollinator Week June 17-21!   [PaEN]

-- Pollinator Vehicle License Plate Now Available From PennDOT To Support Pollinator Habitat Fund  [PaEN]

-- Agriculture Secretary, Sen. Comitta Visit Chester County’s Jenkins Arboretum, Highlighting Bill To Protect Pollinators, Boost Agriculture  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week: 

-- Gov. Shapiro Signs Bill Requiring PennDOT To Plant Native Plants Along State Highways Into Law  [PaEN]

-- Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Native Plants And Insects Getting Legislative Attention - By Nate Reagle, Certified Pollinator Steward  [PaEN]

-- Westmoreland Pollinator Partners, Penguin Court Invite Entries To 4th Annual Pennsylvania Pollinator Photo Challenge  [PaEN]

-- PA iMapInvasives 2024 Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt Set For August; July 30 Webinar Training Available  [PaEN]

-- Discover How To Identify, Track Invasive Species Using iMapInvasives In Aug. 9 Penn State Extension Webinar  [PaEN]

NewsClip:

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Applauds New PA Law Requiring Native Vegetation Along State Highways

[Posted: July 3, 2024]  PA Environment Digest