PA Director Of Outdoor Recreation Highlights Recreation Job Opportunities; 7 Regional Stakeholder Meetings Coming Up

The Pennsylvania Director of Outdoor Recreation recently held a webinar to discuss opportunities for the growing the Commonwealth’s outdoor recreation workforce and strengthening economic opportunities for Pennsylvania residents.

"A skilled and competitive workforce is the backbone of Pennsylvania’s $14 billion outdoor industry," Pennsylvania Director of Outdoor Recreation Nathan Reigner said. “We talked with 10 Pennsylvanians about how their highly diversified work transforms outdoor recreation into a powerful, and pleasant, force for community and economic development. Their work in our great outdoors creates one of the most valuable assets we have to retain our youth and attract new residents to Pennsylvania.”

The outdoor recreation sector supports 152,000 jobs in Pennsylvania and total compensation for outdoor recreation work ranks seventh among all states, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 

Reigner noted that Pennsylvania has room to grow workforce compensation, as the state’s rate of compensation growth ranks 38th among all states.

“Addressing workforce development in the outdoor recreation sector is an important part of our role in ensuring Pennsylvanians have good jobs and healthy recreational opportunities,” Mandy Book, Acting Department of Community and Economic Development Deputy Secretary of Business Financing and Workforce Development. “Developing Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation workforce is key to growing the sector and maximizing the immense potential to create new jobs and bolster wages for existing jobs in the field.”

Outdoor recreation workers making about 57 percent the wages of the average Pennsylvania worker, $44,623 in 2021, compared with $77,884 for all salaried jobs in the state. Many jobs in the sector are seasonal and require supplementary employment or unemployment compensation to make ends meet.

“Our employees are the lifeblood of the company and we rely on them to be a successful business,” said Ladora “Lori” Phillips, general manager of Ski Big Bear at Masthope Mountain and member of the Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association. “We are grateful to the Shapiro Administration for working to build up the outdoor recreation workforce and create a better path for its workers.”

Pennsylvania has the sixth largest outdoor recreation economy in the nation, supported by a combination of its exceptional recreational assets, an economy that is generally diverse in sources of revenue, active participation by Pennsylvania residents, and strong retail, manufacturing, and tourism sectors. Outdoor recreation adds nearly $14 billion to Pennsylvania’s economy. 

Nationally, outdoor recreation generates $862 billion in economic output, accounting for approximately 3 percent of all jobs in America.

“One major tenet in building Cameron County’s economic future is centered around the outdoors because it provides an opportunity to create new businesses, expand tourism, and enhance the health and wellness of locals,” Cameron County Marketing Director Josh Zucal said. “At the center of these new opportunities are the workers who will be stewards of the outdoors and the support businesses that draw people to our county.”

DCNR, DCED and other state agencies are developing an Office of Outdoor Recreation, which would be responsible for coordinating and synergizing among entities within and connected to state government to help align and support strategic initiatives, partnerships, policies, resources, and more. 

Workforce development is a key priority of the Shapiro Administration and in the plans of the Office of Outdoor Recreation.

The agencies have also created a Recreation Engagement Coalition (REC) that includes members from across Pennsylvania with local, regional and statewide influence and expertise in the outdoor recreation sector representing multiple disciplines.

Regional Stakeholder Meetings

Reigner noted that he is hosting statewide stakeholder meetings, which began March 29 at York College’s Center for Community Engagement in York County. 

The stakeholder meetings will conclude April 27 at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle State Park in Erie. 

Other stakeholder meetings include the following:

-- April 5 – John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, Philadelphia

-- April 6 – Nurture Nature Center, Easton

-- April 11 – Conewango Club, Warren

-- April 12 – Lycoming College, Williamsport

-- April 13 – Montage Mountain, Scranton

-- April 25 – Frick Environmental Center, Pittsburgh

-- April 26 – Discovery Center, Johnstown

Contact the Director of Outdoor Recreation for more information about the meetings.

Visit Explore PA Trails and Get Outdoors PA for recreation areas near you.

  For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s website, Visit the Good Natured DCNR Blog,  Click Here for upcoming events, Click Here to hook up with DCNR on other social media-- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

Related Articles:

-- DCNR: State Park Campgrounds, Overnight Lodging Open For 2023 Trout Season

-- DCNR Names Cody Miller New Park Manager For Chapman State Park

-- March 31 Take Five Fridays With Pam Now Available From PA Parks & Forests Foundation  [PaEN]

[March 31, 2023]  PA Environment Digest

PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - April 1

The following DEP notices were published in the April 1 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

-- Blackhill Energy, LLC - Kingsley E 6H Well Site: DEP received Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with drilling wastewater in Springfield Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 1854)

-- Range Resources-Appalachia, LLC - Cornwall Turkey Well Site: DEP approved Final Report on remediation of oil contaminated with drilling wastewater in Lewis Twp., Lycoming County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1855)

-- Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage, Inc. - State Line Compressor Station: DEP approved Final Report on remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated with ethylene glycol in Genesse Twp., Potter County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1855)

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - M.Abbott Well Pad: DEP approved Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with hydraulic oil in Bridgewater Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 1855)

Waste Permits

-- Range Resources-Appalachia, LLC: DEP invites comments on WMGR123 General Permit application for oil and gas waste processing facility at Leavitt Bruce Tank Pad in Buffalo Twp., Washington County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1828)

-- Environmental Energy Solutions, LLC: DEP invites comments on WMGR123 General Permit application for oil and gas waste processing facility in Franklin Twp., Greene County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1828)

-- SWN Production Company, LLC: DEP approved application for WMGR123 General Permit for oil and gas liquid waste processing facility in Herrick Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 1857)

-- Shawmut Grade Production Water Facility: DEP approved application for WMGR163 General Permit for temporary drilling production water storage tanks at facility in Sergeant Twp., McKean County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1857)

Air Quality Permits

-- Montour Steam Electric Station: DEP invites comments on Air Quality Plan Approval for utility boilers at the facility in Derry Twp., Montour County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1830)

-- Texas Eastern Transmission, LP - Delmont Compressor Station: DEP invites comments on Air Quality Plan Approval for turbines at the facility located in Salem Twp., Westmoreland County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1830)

-- EQT ARO, LLC - COP Tract 285 Compressor Station: DEP approved Air Quality Plan Approval for compressor station in Grugan Twp., Clinton County.   (PA Bulletin, page 1858)

-- EQT ARO, LLC - Vargo Compressor Station: DEP approved Air Quality Plan Approval for compressor station in Cascade Twp., Lycoming County.   (PA Bulletin, page 1858)

-- EQT ARO, LLC - Hunt & Fish Club Compressor Station: DEP approved Air Quality Plan Approval for compressor station in Cogan House Twp., Lycoming County.   (PA Bulletin, page 1858)

-- EQT ARO, LLC - Larry’s Creek Pad F Compressor Station: DEP approved Air Quality Plan Approval for compressor station in Mifflin Twp., Lycoming County.   (PA Bulletin, page 1858)

-- EQT ARO, LLC - Elbow Pad B Compressor Station: DEP approved Air Quality Plan Approval for compressor station in Cogan House Twp., Lycoming County.   (PA Bulletin, page 1859)

-- EQT ARO, LLC - COP Tract 231 Compressor Station: DEP approved Air Quality Plan Approval for compressor station in Snow Shoe Twp., Centre County.   (PA Bulletin, page 1859)

-- Greylock Production, LLC - Ansonville Compressor Station: DEP approved Air Quality Plan Approval for compressor station in Jordan Twp., Clearfield County. (PA Bulletin, page 1859)

-- UGI Texas Creek, LLC - Pierson 810 Compressor Station: DEP approved Air Quality Plan Approval for compressor station in Gaines Twp., Tioga County. (PA Bulletin, page 1859)

-- Energy Transfer [Pipeline] Marketing & Terminals, LP: DEP approved Air Quality Plan Approval for volatile organic liquid storage tank under GP2 in Spring Twp., Berks County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1859)

-- Waste Management of Fairless, LLC: Methane Gas Flare: DEP approved Air Quality Plan Approval revisions for flare at Fairless Landfill in Falls Twp., Bucks County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1860)

-- Hill Top Energy [Generation] Center, LLC: DEP approves extension of Air Quality Plan Approval for natural gas power plant in Cumberland Twp., Greene County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1860)

-- Laurel Mountain Midstream Operating, LLC - Brown Compressor Station: DEP approved extension of Air Quality Plan Approval for the facility located in Greene Twp., Greene County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1861)

-- MarkWest Liberty Bluestone LLC - Bluestone Natural Gas Processing Plant: DEP approved administrative amendment to Title V Air Quality Permit to change the responsible official named at the facility located in Jackson Twp., Butler County. (PA Bulletin, page 1861)

-- MarkWest Liberty Bluestone LLC - Trillith Compressor Station: DEP approved administrative amendment to Title V Air Quality Permit to change the responsible official named at the facility located in Jackson Twp., Butler County. (PA Bulletin, page 1861)

-- Texas Eastern Transmission, LP - Bernville Natural Gas Transmission Station: DEP approved administrative amendment to Title V Air Quality Permit to incorporate requirements of Air Quality Plan Approval for the facility in North Heidelberg Twp., Berks County. (PA Bulletin, page 1862)

Chapter 105 Encroachment Permits

-- NFG Midstream Wellsboro, LLC:  DEP invites comments on Chapter 105 permit for 8- and 12-inch natural gas pipelines and 16-inch water pipeline with multiple stream and wetland crossings in Delmar and Shippen Townships, Tioga County. (PA Bulletin, page 1839)

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- National Fuel Gas Supply Corp - Line Z20 Pipeline Modernization Project: DEP approved a Chapter 102 permit for a project to replace 11.55 miles of natural gas pipeline in Potter County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1867)

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC: DEP approved Chapter 102 permit for a facility affecting Sugar Run in Terry Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 1864)

-- Snyder Brothers, Inc.: DEP approved Chapter 102 permit for a facility affecting North Fork Pine Creek (High Quality) in Boggs Twp., Armstrong County. (PA Bulletin, page 1864)

-- EQM Gathering OPCO, LLC: DEP approved Chapter 102 permit for a natural gas pipeline facility affecting Coon Run, Fall Run, PA Fork Fish Creek, Harts Run, Knob Run and Wheeling-Buffalo Creek in Aleppo and Springhill Townships, Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 1864)

-- Superior Appalachian Pipeline, LLC: DEP approved Chapter 102 permit for a natural gas pipeline facility affecting Little Deer Creek and Long Run in Frazier and Indiana Townships, Allegheny County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1864)

Water Quality Stormwater Permits

-- The Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled a May 3 hearing on a proposed NPDES Water Quality Stormwater Discharge Permit for a proposed Rutter's convenience store in Smithfield Township, Huntingdon County next to the Old Crow Mitigation Wetland.  (PA Bulletin, page 1867)   Read more here.

Susquehanna River Basin Commission Water Project Permits

-- The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published two notices in the April 1 PA Bulletin--

     -- Notice of actions taken during the March 16, 2023 Commission meeting

     -- Notice of projects approved in March for consumptive uses of water

     -- Read more here.

PUC Pipeline Regulation

-- The Public Utility Commission published notice in the April 1 PA Bulletin it has denied a request by conventional oil and gas drillers to reconsider regulation of Class One natural gas and oil gathering pipelines.  Read more here.

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [3.24.23]*

-- Last Week - Permits: DEP issued 1 conventional and 22 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 12 conventional and 228 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 32 conventional and 115 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Inspections: 3,416 conventional and 6,309 unconventional

-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 1,012 conventional and 386 unconventional

*DEP’s Weekly Oil & Gas Program Workload Report

DEP Issued These New Oil & Gas Permits *

*Click Here to find oil and gas well permits recently issued near you

Sign Up! DEP eNotice: The Only Way You’ll Know When Applications Come In To DEP

Did you know DEP can send you email notices when permit applications are submitted to DEP in your community?  

This is the only way you can get notified of when oil and gas-related permits are submitted to DEP.   

You’ll also get notice of new technical guidance documents and regulations.

Click Here to sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE today!

PA Oil & Gas Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 25 to 31; More Violations At Equitrans Gas Storage Area; Spring Walk Yields Hissing Gas Well On State Game Lands  [PaEN] 

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - April 1  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posts 55 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 1 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

PA Oil & Gas Compliance Reports

-- Feature: 60 Years Of Fracking, 20 Years Of Shale Gas: Pennsylvania’s Oil & Gas Industrial Infrastructure Is Hiding In Plain Sight [PaEN]

-- Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners Failed To File Annual Production/Waste Generation Reports For 61,655 Wells; Attorney General Continues Investigation Of Road Dumping Wastewater  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issued 754 Notices Of Violation For Defective Oil & Gas Well Casing, Cementing, The Fundamental Protection Needed To Prevent Gas Migration, Groundwater & Air Contamination, Explosions  [PaEN]

-- DEP Report Finds: Conventional Oil & Gas Drillers Routinely Abandon Wells; Fail To Report How Millions Of Gallons Of Waste Is Disposed; And Non-Compliance Is An ‘Acceptable Norm’  [PaEN]

-- DEP 2021 Oil & Gas Program Annual Report Shows Conventional Oil & Gas Operators Received A Record 610 Notices Of Violation For Abandoning Wells Without Plugging Them  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industry Has Record Year: Cost, Criminal Convictions Up; $3.1 Million In Penalties Collected; Record Number Of Violations Issued; Major Compliance Issues Uncovered; Evidence Of Health Impacts Mounts  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: As Shell Shuts Down New Beaver County Petrochemical Plant For Repairs, And Burns Off Natural Gas In Flares, Company Says It Hasn’t Exceeded Air Emission Limits 

-- Shell Petrochemical Plant Beaver County: Bad And Dangerous Start; Shell Shut Down Part Of Plant For Repairs, Beings Full Natural Gas, Flammable Gases Flaring Operations For Unknown Period

-- Beaver County Times: Expect ‘Continuous’ Flaring- Burning Off Natural Gas, Flammable Gases At Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County

-- AP: Probe Of Reading Chocolate Factory Explosion Centers On Natural Gas Pipeline 

-- Guest Essay: Protect This Place - Fracking Threatens The Allegheny Plateau And Its Biodiversity - By Lisa C. Leib, Pittsburgh 

-- Marcellus Drilling News/Argus Media: Wild Swings In Natural Gas Price ‘Here To Stay For Foreseeable Future’

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Consultant Suggests Drillers Fight Low Natural Gas Prices By Choking Wells 50% [To Reduce Supply]

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Acting DEP Secretary Disappoints By Spouting Enviro Justice Nonsense

Related Articles This Week:

-- PUC Denies Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Petition To Reconsider Regulation Of Class One Natural Gas Gathering Pipelines [PaEN]

-- Guest Essay: A Conservative Argument For Clean Energy -- Follow The Market, Fossil Fuels Are No Bargain - By Dave Jenkins,  Conservatives For Responsible Stewardship    [PaEN]

-- Washington & Jefferson College Hosts April 5 Webinar On Justice40 - Bringing Energy Transition Benefits To Disadvantaged Communities  [PaEN] 

-- PUC Urges Consumers To Contact Utilities About Payment Of Past-Due Or High Bills As Winter Moratorium Ends March 31 

-- PUC Concludes 2022 Pottstown Explosion Investigation Finding No Evidence Natural Gas Service Contributed To Deadly Event

[Posted: March 31, 2023]  PA Environment Digest