Tuesday NewsClips

PA Fracking Water Being Disposed In Ohio
Pro-Drilling Group Develops Middle School Curriculum
Op-Ed: Drilling Study Merits Review, Not Preconceptions
Editorial: Congress Considers Muddying Clean Water Act
Business Recycles, Reuses Electronic Devices
Editorial: Nuclear Plans Must Adjust For Population Growth
Conewago Landowners Invited To Forestry Workshop July 28
Assessing Flood Damage In Plymouth
Community Foundations For Alleghenies Sees Big Picture
State Helps Novice Campers
Naming Rights, Fund Raising For Allegheny County Parks
Multi-Use Trail From Clarks Summit To Dalton Moves Forward
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Monday NewsClips

Liquor Stores Vouchers Drilling Fees To Top Fall Agenda
Natural Gas Industry Spent $3.5 Million On Lobbying In 2010
Alternative Energy Sources Energize Businesses
State Conservation Officer For More Than 40 Years
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Sunday NewsClips

Shale Tax Comes Up Dry For Third Year
Kings And Queens Of Shale: Who Is Benefitting From Marcellus Shale?
Shale Business Has Small Impact for Many
Hiking The Marcellus Trail
Intriguing Possibility For PA's Excess Shale Gas
EPA Starts Visits To Franklin County Farms
Barletta Supports Water Regulation Bill
Pittston Area Residents Keep Health Issue Alive
Monaca Becomes A Model Of Sustainability
Keystone State Park To Host Farmers Market
Luzerne Miners: A Lost Innocence
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Saturday NewsClips

Corbett Succeeds On Fiscal Priorities
Shale Impact Fee Push Sputters Out
Pennsylvania Surplus At $785 Millon
PA Ends Fiscal Year With Higher-Than-Expected Tax Revenues
Editorial: No Drilling Tax? Just Give Us Free Natural Gas
Editorial: Budget Is Hollow Victory
Editorial: Budget Insult On Time
No Fish Story: Driller, Hatchery Deal
Bill May Improve Response Time At Drilling Sites
Throop Seeks Ban On Marcellus Waste As Landfill Cover
New York Eyes Tighter Rules On Fracking
New Jersey Lawmakers Pass Ban On Fracking
Analysis: U.S. Shale Gas Sector Girds For Next Battle- Pipelines
Two PA Proposals Picked For Chesapeake Bay Funding
Educating Lake Wallenpaupack Users Of Invasive Species Threat
Natural Lands Trust Working To Preserve York County's Farms
Car Charging Stations Due Soon In Pittsburgh
State OKs Permit For Natural Gas Power Plant
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest

July 4 PA Environment Digest Now Available

July 4 PA Environment Digest now available. Click Here to print this Digest.

New State Budget Continues Severe Rendell Cuts To Environmental Protection

The Senate and House gave final approval and Gov. Corbett signed the FY 2011-12 General Fund budget bill-- House Bill 1485 (Adolph-R-Delaware)-- this week spending $27.1 billion, a 4.1 percent reduction in spending from the FY 2010-11 funding levels and without any tax increases.
On the Marcellus Shale drilling impact fee issue, bipartisan efforts in the House and Senate fell apart after Gov. Corbett specifically threatened to veto any impact fee bill sent to his desk before the Governor's Marcellus Shale Commission submits its report July 22.
There are no provisions for re-funding the Growing Greener Program which became all but bankrupt this year. Just $6 million in Growing Greener funds will be available for the next round of grants, down from its peak of $50.1 million in 2001.
The only bright spots in the budget were the Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Farm Conservation Tax Credit Program which was restored to its full $10 million in funding and a transfer of $15 million from the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority to the H2O Water Infrastructure Program administered by the Commonwealth Financing Authority included in the Fiscal Code bill. The transfer does not represent a net gain in funding.
For those keeping track, a total of $1.5 billion has been diverted or cut from environmental programs to help balance the state budget or to fund programs that could not get funding on their own over the last nine years. Click Here for more...

Air Quality Action Day Declared For 4 Regions In PA July 2

The Department of Environmental Protection and its regional Air Quality Partners have forecast an air quality action day for Saturday, July 2, in the Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Southeast and Lehigh 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 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 taking the following steps: Ride the bus or carpool to work; Wash dishes and clothes only with full loads; and Save energy by turning off unused lights in your home.

These forecasts are provided in conjunction with the DEP and its regional Air Quality Partnerships.

Next Round Of Growing Greener Watershed, Mine Reclamation Grants Now Being Accepted

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for the next round of Growing Greener watershed restoration, Section 319 and local mine reclamation grants. A total of $10 million will be available for all three types of grants.

The deadline for applications is August 26.

Only about $6 million in Growing Greener funds will be available for this round of grants. At its peak, over $50 million in Growing Greener grants were made available in this program alone. $3 million is available for Section 319 grants and about $1 million for local mine reclamation grants.

There are no provisions in the newly adopted state budget for re-funding the Growing Greener Program which became all but bankrupt this year.

The Department will invest its limited Growing Greener funding in projects that will ultimately protect and/or restore this Commonwealth's watersheds from impairment due to nonpoint source pollution.

Examples of special priority areas include: projects located in ''priority'' watersheds that reduce the source of impairment; ''priority'' type activities that lead to water quality restoration or protection; and projects that support the installation of agricultural Best Management Practices to achieve compliance with existing agricultural water quality requirements.

Examples of eligible projects could include reducing nonpoint source pollution in watersheds where streams are impaired; integrating stormwater management into watershed management and water conservation strategies; and projects that will help reduce Total Maximum Daily Load pollutants.

Through the same application process, applicants can also apply for funding through the Department's Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act Grant Program and Section 319 Nonpoint Source Grant Program.

SMCRA grants are available to municipalities, municipal authorities and nonprofit organizations for projects meeting SMCRA grant requirements. Section 319 grants focus on funding similar projects to Growing Greener but with special emphasis within targeted watersheds.

Information on how to apply for the grants will be posted on DEP's Growing Greener webpage. (formal notice)

PA Center For Environmental Education Summer Update

The regular EE Connections monthly newsletter of the PA Center for Environmental Education will return to publication in August.

In the meantime, keep up-to-date with environmental news by going to the PCEE news webpage and the EE Events webpage.

Here is just one of the many upcoming teacher workshops available in Pennsylvania: Stroud Center's Leaf Pack Network Teacher Workshop, August 3 & 4 in Chambersburg. The $15 cost includes a Leaf Pack kit ($180 value), some meals and Act 48 credit; register by July 15.

The new state budget zeroes out the appropriation for PCEE.

Friday NewsClips

Corbett's First Budget Signed On Time
State Budget Cuts May Affect Drilling Regulations
EPA Fracking Study To Target Northeast PA
Penn States' Shale Fracking Fluid Recipe
Penn State Profs Aid Well Fracking
NY Governor Will Seek To Lift Ban On Hydraulic Fracturing
NY Aiming To Lift Fracking Moratorium
Op-Ed: Hike In House Demand Critical Issue In Shale Area
Editorial: High Natural Gas Estimates Should Be Proven
FedEx Employees Roll Up Sleeves For New Moon Rain Garden
Cong. Meehan Discusses Delaware River Water Quality Bill
Scientists Favor Dividing Great Lakes, Mississippi
Greene County Consol Miner Charged With Falsifing Reports
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest