Pa Environment Digest June 11, 2018

Issue #728 Crisci Associates, Harrisburg, PA June 11, 2018
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House Passes Bill Weakening Standards For Conventional Oil & Gas Drilling, Senate
Committee Considers Tuesday
The House Tuesday voted 111 to 84 to pass House Bill 2154

(Causer-R- Cameron), the Conventional Oil and Gas Act,
which weakens environmental protection standards for
conventional oil and gas drilling and turns back the clock 34
years to the original 1984 Oil and Gas Act.
The vote was overwhelmingly party-line with
Republicans supporting. Click Here to see how your House
members voted.
[Note: The bill is scheduled to be taken up by the
Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee on June 12. Click Here for more.]
The Governor’s Secretary of Legislative Affairs William C. Danowski, Jr. wrote to all
members of the House Tuesday saying--
“I write to make it emphatically clear that the Administration, including the Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP), is strongly opposed to House Bill 2154, Printer’s Number
3477.
“We have collectively engaged, through DEP and the Department of Community and
Economic Development (DCED), in what we thought to be productive conversations at the
Pennsylvania Grade Crude Development Advisory Council (CDAC) over the past year.
“We believe that those efforts were headed toward development of a bill that we could
support. However, House Bill 2154, PN 3477 is not it.
“This bill is bad for the environment. For example, the legislation allows for up to 210
gallons of crude oil or 630 gallons of brine, to be spilled without having to be reported.
“It also relaxes casing and cementing requirement, which significantly increases the risk
of water contamination, and would relax water restoration or replacement standards where a well
operator affects a public or private water supply.
“Additionally, the legislation encourages the proliferation of methane by allowing wells
to remain in active status (i.e. uncapped) if equipment is left on site.
“This bill is also bad for landowners. It would remove the requirement to notify
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landowners 24 hours in advance of drilling and would eliminate the requirement for operators to
obtain and post a well permit prior to commencing site construction, while affording landowners
only 15 days to raise objections to a proposed well location.
“Further, the bill would prevent local municipalities from making reasonable zoning
decisions, a right which was upheld by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in the Robinson
Township decision.
“These are merely a few examples of major concerns with the legislation that cannot be
resolved through piecemeal attempts to amend.
“The Administration acknowledges that the conventional industry is facing particular
challenges and is in need of a legislative solution. However, the bill in its current form is
unworkable, and a new product needs to be crafted.
“We were sincere in our offer to return to CDAC to work toward a collaborative product,
and that offer still stands.
“However, the Administration strongly opposes House Bill 2154, PN 3477, and would
ask for a negative vote should this bill run on final passage.”
Click Here for a copy of the letter.
DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell wrote to members of the House Environmental
Resources and Energy Committee more than a month ago when the bill was briefly in
Committee expressing similar concerns saying, in part, “As written, the bill presents
environmental and public health risks and loosens current environmental protections to the point,
in some cases, of nullification.”
The PA Environmental Council, Environmental Defense Fund wrote to all members of
the House calling the bill a wholesale weakening of necessary environmental protection
standards for conventional oil and gas drilling.
Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron), prime sponsor of the bill said, “The conventional oil
and gas industry has long been a cornerstone of the economy in my district and areas across the
northern tier, providing thousands of good, family-sustaining jobs.
“This bill will help preserve those jobs by removing the threat of unreasonable and
unnecessary regulations from the backs of our conventional producers in favor of rules that are
relevant and appropriate to these shallow well operations.
“The lack of understanding by many bureaucrats about the vast differences between the
types of drilling has really put our conventional operators at risk.
“It is extremely frustrating, especially given the good stewardship long practiced by
conventional producers. They live in the communities where their wells are located, breathing
the same air and drinking the same water as everyone else. They clearly have a vested interest in
doing things right.”
[Note: From 1859 to 1984, the conventional oil and gas drilling industry drilled as many
as 760,000 wells and left an estimated 560,000 wells unaccounted for and likely not plugged to
modern standards, abandoned or orphaned in its wake before the first modern environmental well
plugging requirements were adopted in 1984-- 125 years later and opposed bitterly at the time by
conventional drillers. Click Here to learn more about abandoned wells.]
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration which has its own identical bill-- Senate
Bill 1088 (Hutchinson-R-Venango)-- pending in the Senate Environmental Resources and
Energy Committee.
To date, no hearings have been held on either bill in the House or Senate even though this
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represents a significant change in public policy for regulating oil and gas wells.
(Photo: Unplugged abandoned conventional wells are direct conduits to groundwater.)
NewsClips:
Cusick: House Passes Bill Removing Environmental Standards For Conventional Drillers
AP-Scolforo: House OKs Bill To Relax Rules For Shallow Gas, Oil Drilling
House Passes Conventional Oil And Gas Industry Bill
Related Stories:
Senate Committee To Consider House Conventional Oil & Gas Bill, DRBC Eminent Domain,
Pipelines, Ethane Hub, Recycling, Trail Bills June 12
House Environmental Committee Meets June 12 On Bill To Implement Governor’s Oil & Gas
Well Permitting Reforms
Wolf Announces Final General Permits Limiting Methane Emissions From Unconventional Oil
& Gas Operations
[Posted: June 5, 2018]
Senate Committee To Consider House Conventional Oil & Gas Bill, DRBC Eminent
Domain, Pipelines, Ethane Hub, Recycling, Trail Bills June 12
The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet June 12 to
consider 8 bills and resolutions, including House Bill 2154 weakening environmental protection
standards for conventional oil and gas drilling and Senate Bill 1189 declaring the Delaware River
Basin Commission proposed moratorium on fracking a taking of property rights.
The agenda includes--
-- Conventional Oil & Gas Wells: House Bill 2154 (Causer-R- Cameron), the Conventional Oil
and Gas Act, which weakens environmental protection standards for conventional oil and gas
drilling and turns back the clock 34 years to the original 1984 Oil and Gas Act. Click Here for
more.
-- DRBC Fracking Ban Taking: Senate Bill 1189 (Baker-R-Luzerne) that would declare, as a
matter of law, an oil and gas fracking moratorium enacted by the Delaware River Basin
Commission would constitute an act of eminent domain and a taking of property for which
compensated would be required from DRBC. Click Here for more.
-- Pipeline Commission: Senate Resolution 373 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) would establish a
23-member Senate-House legislative Commission to Study Pipeline Construction and Operations
and to recommend improvements for the safe transport of oil, natural gas and other hazardous
liquids through pipelines. Click Here for more.
-- Pipeline Notification: Senate Bill 1027 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) setting additional
notification requirements for residents impacted by pipeline construction (sponsor summary).
-- Ethane Storage Hub: Senate Resolution 375 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) urging Congress to
support the development of an ethane storage hub in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary).
-- Mushroom Compost: Senate Bill 917 (Dinniman-R-Chester) amends Act 101 Municipal
Waste Planning and Recycling Act to include spent mushroom compost under the definition of
“compost materials to encourage its reuse (sponsor summary).
-- Eliminate Act 101 Leaf Collection Programs Mandate: House Bill 927 (Rader-R-Monroe)
amends Act 101 Municipal Waste Planning and Recycling Act to eliminate the mandate on
municipalities to have a leaf waste collection program (House Fiscal Note and summary).
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-- Lewis & Clark National Trail: Senate Resolution 326 (Vogel-R-Beaver) encourage
Congress to recognize the Eastern Legacy of the Lewis and Clark National Trail for its historic
national significance (sponsor summary).
The meeting will be held in Room 8E-B East Wing in the Capitol starting at 9:30. Click
Here to watch the meeting live online.
Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental
Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-3280 or sending email to:
gyaw@pasen.gov. Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) serves as Minority Chair and can be
contacted by calling 717-787-7105 or sending email to: yudichak@pasenate.com.
Related Stories:
House Passes Bill Weakening Standards For Conventional Oil & Gas Drilling
& Gas Operations
Sen. Dinniman Calls On PUC To Post Mariner East Pipelines Case Public Comments Online
DEP Invites Comments On Monaca Gas Pipeline Project Water Quality Certification In Beaver,
Washington Counties
DEP Issues Water Quality Certification For Equitrans Pipeline Expansion Project In Greene
County
House Environmental Committee Meets June 12 On Bill To Implement Governor’s Oil &
Gas Well Permitting Reforms
The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet June 12 on
House Bill 2304 (Fritz-R-Susquehanna) which would enact the oil and gas well permitting
reforms proposed by Gov. Wolf in January.
The well permitting changes would include those proposed in a DEP permitting reform
white paper authorizing permitting of multiple wells on one pad with one application, allow
adjustments to the well bore location by up to 50 feet without permit amendments and eliminate
the requirement a well be constructed in one year and replace it with a 3-year term.
The meeting will be held in Room B-31 Main Capitol Building starting at 9:30. House
committee meetings are typically webcast through the House Republican Caucus website.
Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental
jmaher@pahousegop.com. Rep. Mike Carroll serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by
calling 717-787-3589 or sending email to: mcarroll@pahouse.net.
Related Stories:
Gov. Wolf, DEP Taking Action To Reduce Backlogs, Improve Oversight, Modernize Permit
Process
& Gas Operations
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Washington Counties
County
Wolf Announces Final General Permits Limiting Methane Emissions From New
Unconventional Oil & Gas Operations
Gov. Tom Wolf Thursday announced the Department of Environmental Protection is releasing
the final versions of General Permit 5 and 5A to control methane emissions from unconventional
natural gas operations at new compressor stations, processing, transmission facilities and well
sites. (formal notice)
“These permits represent the first step of my Methane Reduction Strategy and my
administration’s continuing commitment to cleaner, healthier air across the commonwealth,” said
Gov. Wolf. “Cleaner air means healthier communities – for our citizens, and especially for our
children. These new permits are one example of a way that we can have positive economic
development without compromising public health. These permits are a win-win, helping industry
control methane emissions that cost them money, while also helping defend our children and
keep our communities healthier through cleaner air. We’ve arrived at these permits through a
comprehensive process that included feedback and input from both industry and the
environmental community, and I am proud of the finished product that we are unveiling today.”
Methane, the primary component of natural gas, has been identified by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency as the second-most prevalent greenhouse gas emitted in the
United States from human activities.
“Pennsylvania is the second-largest producer of natural gas in the nation behind Texas,”
said Gov. Wolf. “We are uniquely positioned to be a national leader in addressing climate
change while supporting and ensuring responsible energy development, while protecting public
health and our environment.
“These permits incorporate the most current state and federal regulations for controlling
air pollution,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “The permits for new unconventional
natural gas wells and new compression, processing and transmission stations along pipelines are
some of the first in the nation to comprehensively address methane emissions from all equipment
and processes, and they also address other types of air pollution that contribute to poor air
quality.”
The newly revised general permits, GP-5 and GP-5A, will be required for new
compression, processing and transmission stations along pipelines, and new natural gas wells,
respectively.
In addition to the methane controls, the permits also set thresholds on other types of air
pollution, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), and
nitrogen oxides (NOx). Operators will be required to meet federal new source standards and state
Best Available Technology (BAT) included in the permit conditions for equipment and processes
to control pollution emissions.
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“Reducing air pollution from gas wells and compression, processing and transmission
facilities is key to responsibly developing Pennsylvania’s natural gas resources,” said
McDonnell. “Everything we can do to reduce air pollution will improve public health.”
Final permit language is posted on DEP’s Air General Permit and the Methane Reduction
Strategy webpages.
Technical Guidance
The Department of Environmental Protection published two notices in the June 9 PA
Bulletin finalizing and rescinding technical guidance related to air emissions from oil and gas
operations in addition to finalizing GP5/GP5A to control methane emissions--
DEP published notice in the June 9 PA Bulletin of final technical guidance on Air
Quality Permit Exemptions Related To Categories 35, 38, 16 and 40 (DEP ID: 275-2101-003)
[Note: Should be posted on DEP’s Air General Permit webpage. (Prior document) Questions
regarding this technical guidance document should be directed to Naishadh Bhatt, 717-787-2856
or send email to: nabhatt@pa.gov or Frank Zarefoss, 717-787-4325 or send email to:
fzarefoss@pa.gov.
DEP published notice in the June 9 PA Bulletin rescinding technical guidance on
Performing Single Stationary Source Determination for Oil and Gas Industries (DEP
ID: 270-0810-006) due to the issuance of the United States Environmental Protection Agency
Final Rule entitled ''Source Determination for Certain Emission Units in the Oil and Natural Gas
Sector,'' 81 FR 35622 (June 3, 2016). Questions regarding this technical guidance document
should be directed to Frank Zarefoss, 717-787-4325 or send email to: fzarefoss@pa.gov.
Regulating Existing Sites
The Department of Environmental Protection is developing a set of regulations to control
methane emissions at existing oil and gas facilities, however, no timetable has been announced
for when a draft will be available.
Methane Emissions
In 2015, there were 112,128 tons of methane emitted from unconventional natural gas
operations as reported to DEP by companies. DEP found average methane reported from each
midstream compressor station decreased from 106.9 tons in 2012 to 97.5 tons in 2015. The
average emission per well site was 8.3 tons in 2012 and 5.8 tons in 2015.
A report by the Environmental Defense Fund in February said methane emissions from
all of Pennsylvania’s oil and gas operations- conventional and unconventional-- could be as
much as 520,000 tons a year.
Public Review
DEP started the development of the General Permits in December of 2016 and has held
several rounds of public comment starting in February 2017 and again in March of 2018 as well
as discussions with the agency’s Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee and Oil and Gas
Technical Advisory Board as the drafts have evolved.
During DEP’s initial comment period more than 10,000 comments were received. Based
on those comments, DEP made significant changes to the proposals along the way.
There has also been a lively discussion between DEP and the General Assembly over the
General Permits and questions about the General Permits have been a regular feature of budget
hearings for the agency.
In February of 2017, Senators Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson), President Pro Tempore of the
Senate; Jake Corman (R-Centre), Senate Majority Leader; and Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming),
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Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, sent a letter to
DEP raising 21 questions about how and why the General Permits were being used.
The issue was also raised in a June 2017 hearing on regulatory authority by the House
State Government Committee.
Legislative interest in the issue culminated in a rider added to the Tax Code budget bill
last July by the Senate in July 2017 that would have created a new 7-member Air Quality Permit
“Advisory” committee dominated by 6 members appointed by the Senate and House to
specifically approval all general air quality permits that regulate air emissions from oil and gas
operations.
If enacted, it would have been the first time in history a legislatively-dominate body has
veto authority over any environmental regulation or permit short of a vote to pass new legislation
or a resolution that is then presented to the Governor for his action.
While the provision didn’t make it into the final budget settlement, it was very close and
was supported by the House.
Industry Reaction
Marcellus Shale Coalition President Dave Spigelmyer issued this statement Thursday--
“Our industry is focused on ensuring methane and related emissions are managed safely and
effectively. In fact, methane is the very product we produce and is used by homeowners and
business across the Commonwealth. Our efforts to manage the resource have improved air
quality as noted by the DEP and other independent reports. Despite this positive and continued
progress, we remain concerned about imposing additional requirement through operating
permits, particularly those that exceed DEP’s statutory authority.”
Environmental Reaction
“Today’s announcement brings Pennsylvania in line with what other states, with the
support of industry, have already proven: that our economy and environment are best served by
adoption of high standards for energy development,” said John Walliser, Senior Vice President
for Legal and Government Affairs for the PA Environmental Council.
“With these controls in place, we must now focus on an even bigger issue: emissions of
methane from existing sources” said Walliser. “We look forward to continuing our work with
other stakeholders committed to advancing leading energy development and environmental
protection standards.”
“Pennsylvanians can breathe easier once these methane safeguards are in place,” said
Fred Krupp, President, Environmental Defense Fund. “This progress toward cleaner air must
continue with concrete steps to reduce pollution from the hundreds of thousands of existing oil
and gas facilities across the state.”
“With millions of Pennsylvanians affected by oil and gas pollution, Gov. Wolf is taking
the right step by standing up to protect residents of the Commonwealth,” said Andrew Williams,
Director of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs for EDF. “Gov. Wolf should be commended for
listening to his constituents and taking effective and responsible action to rein in the
environmental and public health impacts of oil and gas development.”
EDF said cost-effective technologies already exist to control methane emissions –
another recent analysis by the International Energy Agency found operators can cut 40 to 50
percent of emissions at no net cost. Tackling the state’s methane emissions will ultimately make
Pennsylvania more competitive, healthier and a leader by applying reasonable and responsible
oil and gas controls.
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“Gov. Wolf has listened to the needs of his constituents and delivered some of the
strongest protections for new pollution sources in the nation,” said Rob Altenburg, Director of
the PennFuture Energy Center. “We now look forward to his administration turning their
attention to the tens of thousands of existing sources of natural gas pollution in our state and
issuing a quick proposal to properly regulate them as well.”
“While EPA continues efforts to dismantle commonsense clean air protections at the
federal level, we are proud to see our governor taking action to establish strong standards here in
Pennsylvania,” said Joseph Minott, Executive Director and Chief Counsel of Clean Air Council.
“As the second largest producer of natural gas in the country, Pennsylvania must demonstrate
responsible leadership. Fulfilling that role will require taking the next step to apply similar
regulations to existing sources of methane emissions.”
“The tools and technologies to drastically cut methane pollution in our communities
already exist, but the industry has largely chosen not to invest in the right safeguards. The new
permitting process will ensure that operators are taking appropriate steps to limit pollution in the
communities where they plan to set up shop,” said Steve Hvozdovich, Pennsylvania Campaigns
Director for Clean Water Action. “Gov. Wolf is making great strides, and there is still work to be
done to ensure all existing sources of pollution are addressed.”
“Pennsylvania residents have been living, working and sending their children to schools
in areas with known health and safety risks,” said Jamin Bogi, Policy and Outreach Coordinator
for Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP). “These permits are an important step in the right
direction, and we need to slow the constant stream of toxic pollutants from natural gas sites
already in operation. The time is now for Gov. Wolf to follow through on standards for existing
sources.”
“By finalizing permits that reduce new natural gas waste and methane pollution, DEP has
taken a vital step to protect Pennsylvania’s air quality. This not only protects people’s health, it
also protects the gas industry by preserving the advantages gas has over coal,” said David
Jenkins, president of Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship (CRS).
“There is nothing conservative about waste and pollution, or the corner cutting that
causes them. Pennsylvania’s commitment to these common sense standards is a welcome
contrast to the swamp politics in Washington that is preventing federal agencies like EPA from
doing their job,” Jenkins added.
“CRS encourages DEP to take the critical next step by addressing the state’s existing
sources of oil and gas air pollution. Producing Pennsylvania’s natural gas responsibly is the
prudent path forward for everyone,” said Jenkins.
"On behalf of veterans across Pennsylvania, Vet Voice Foundation is gratified to see
Gov. Tom Wolf finalize permits to curb future oil and gas methane pollution in the state," said
Garett Reppenhagen, the foundation’s regional director. "Methane pollution wastes valuable
energy resources and hinders our energy security, the very security for which soldiers put their
lives on the line every day. The Wolf administration can heed the call and finish the job by
enacting necessary standards for the existing sources of oil and gas air pollution that pose a
serious problem today."
More Information
For more background information, visit DEP’s Methane Reductions From The Oil & Gas
Sector webpage.
NewsClips:
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Kummer: PA Moves To Curb Methane Pollution At Natural Gas Sites
AP-Levy: Pennsylvania To Require Gas Drillers to Reduce Air Pollution
Legere: PA Adopts New Controls For Cutting Methane From Shale Gas Wells
Frazier: PA Sets Methane Regulations On Natural Gas Wells For First Time
Wolf To Use Permits To Control Methane Pollution From New Sources Of Natural Gas
Cusick: DEP: No Specific Timeline On Methane Regs For Existing Oil & Gas Facilities
Related Stories:
EDF Report: PA Oil & Gas Methane Emissions Nearly 5 times Higher Than State Inventory
DEP: Natural Gas Facility Methane Emissions Increase 4% With Increase In Gas Production,
Number Of Facilities
Sen. Dinniman Calls On PUC To Post Mariner East Pipelines Case Public Comments
Online
Sen. Andy Dinniman (D-Chester) Thursday asked the Public Utility Commission to post all
public comments online and on the official docket of the case regarding the suspension of
Sunoco’s Mariner East pipeline project.
“This is a basic matter of transparency,” said Sen. Dinniman. “I thank the dozens of
residents who submitted public comments in support of my petition and the emergency stop
order. However, regardless of what side you’re on, I believe the PUC has a duty to make all
public comments readily available on its website in order to encourage public dialogue and
discussion on this issue.”
“In light of my strong belief in the need for complete openness and transparency in this
process, I am posting all public comments-- both for and against the emergency stop order-- that
have not been included on the PUC’s website as of June 6, 2018, on my own website [bottom on
the page].”
Two weeks ago, a PUC judge sided with Dinniman and granted his petition, halting
operation of the Mariner East 1 pipeline and prohibit construction of the Mariner East 2 and
Mariner East 2X pipelines in West Whiteland Township.
Sunoco is appealing that decision to the full PUC, which is scheduled to meet on June 14.
Since then, dozens of individuals, community organizations, townships, public officials, and
trade organizations have submitted comments both for and against the judge’s decision.
However, recently the PUC appears to have made a discretionary decision that all public
comment filed after May 31 would neither be posted to the online docket nor be included in the
official case file.
Rather, such comments are being placed in a public file only available for public view by
request in person at the PUC’s headquarters, located in the Commonwealth Keystone Building at
400 North Street in Harrisburg.
That includes recent public comments submitted by West Whiteland Township, East
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Goshen Township, state Rep. Carolyn Comitta, and the Chester County Commissioners, among
others
In urging the PUC uphold the suspension, the Chester County Commissioners blasted
Sunoco for its “unwillingness to truly listen to the public’s concerns and allay them, to explain
publicly the measures in place of pipeline safety, and most importantly, to be transparent about
what steps are being taken and what other steps could be taken to ensure that pipelines carrying
volatile liquid gases right next to homes, schools, and other gathering places are absolutely safe.”
Sen. Dinniman said the Commissioners’ statement was a perfect example of why such
public comments should be available on the PUC’s website.
“Citizens have a right to easily access what their neighbors and their elected officials are
saying on this issue – one that potentially impacts the very health, safety, and well-being of our
communities,” Sen. Dinniman said. “I respectfully request that the PUC restore the role of public
input in the process and post all comment to its website and include them on the official docket.
Our residents deserve to know they’re being heard in significant public safety decisions being
considered by their state agencies.”
Sen. Dinniman a filed a legal brief making that request through his attorney Mark Freed
of Curtin and Heefner. You can view it here.
Public comments posted by Sen. Dinniman--
-- In Favor of the Emergency Stop Order:
Chester County Commissioners
Del-Chesco United for Public Safety
East Goshen Township
Eric Friedman
Pipeline Safety Coalition
State Rep. Carolyn Comitta
Saints Peter and Paul School
West Whiteland Township
-- Opposed to the Emergency Stop Order:
Pa. Energy Infrastructure Alliance
Senators Bartolotta, Scarnati & Yaw
INEOS Europe
Westmoreland County Commissioners
Steamfitters Local Union 420
The case falls under PUC Docket Numbers: C-2018-3001451 and P-2018-3001453.
The PUC has a public meeting on June 14 where this issue could be discussed.
Pending Bills
Three bills sponsored by Sen. Dinniman related to pipeline safety issues have been on the
Senate Calendar waiting for action since April 24.
They include: Senate Bill 835 (Dinniman-D-Chester) requiring the registration of land
agents working for pipeline companies (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 930 (Dinniman-D-
Chester) sets notification requirements related to pipeline emergencies (sponsor summary); and
Senate Bill 931 (Dinniman-D- Chester) requires the installation of automatic or remote
controlled safety values in natural gas pipelines in densely populated areas.
NewsClips:
Hurdle: Mariner East 2 Pipeline Struck By Water Main Contractor In Delaware County, Gas
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Pipeline Was Not Buried As Deeply As Records Showed
Hurdle: Chester County Slams Mariner East Pipeline For Appalling Lack Of Emergency
Information
Mariner East 2 Pipeline Drilling Stopped Again In Lebanon County
Mariner East 2 Pipeline Foe Accused Of Employee Harassment
U.S. Supreme Court Won’t Review Mariner East 2 Pipeline Eminent Domain Challenge
TransCanada Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline Explosion In West Virginia
Related Stories:
PUC Judge Issues Order To Shut Down Mariner East 1, 2, 2x Pipelines, Sunoco To Appeal
Washington Counties
County
DEP Invites Citizens To Sign Up For New Regional Community Engagement Events
The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday

announced it has launched a new initiative to connect
with residents in their communities to discuss topics of
local interest.
“DEP Connects” events will be held several times a year
in each of DEP’s six regions.
“DEP wants to meet residents in their communities to
discuss our work, showcase examples of environmental
innovation and leadership, and hear their questions,
concerns, and ideas,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “DEP Connects is a new way for
the public to engage directly with DEP on the environmental challenges and opportunities facing
Pennsylvania.”
The dynamic format allows for the topic, structure, and location for each event to be
customized to local needs. Throughout the year, DEP will offer tours of project sites, guest
presentations, panel discussions, open houses, or other events.
Once each year, DEP will select a statewide priority issue, and all six of DEP’s regional
offices will hold coordinated DEP Connects events addressing the same theme, but through a
local lens.
“This program reflects our commitment to proactively engage with our neighbors and
seek better ways to work together, and more effectively carry out DEP’s mission, which is to
protect our air, land, and water and provide for the public’s health and safety through a cleaner
environment,” said McDonnell.
To sign up to receive notifications about DEP Connects programs, visit the DEP
Connects webpage, complete a brief survey, including name, contact information, and topics of
interest. DEP will use this information to invite participants to an event of interest in the region.
For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website,
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Click Here to sign up for DEP’s monthly newsletter, sign up for DEP Connects events, sign up
for DEP’s eNotice, visit DEP’s Blog, Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit
DEP’s YouTube Channel.
NewsClip:
DEP Plans Regional Outreach Events To Address Local Concerns
Related Story:
DEP Blog: DEP Connects Invites Citizens To Engage With DEP In Their Communities
By Megan Lehman, DEP Northcentral Regional Office
Some came for the live, up-close-and-personal

displays of aquatic critters that usually stay hidden
at the bottoms of nearby streams and rivers. Others
came for the chance to win a free rain barrel, to view
the DEP Falcon Cam live on the big screen, or to
hold and examine equipment used to detect radiation
and air pollution.
But what the staff of DEP’s Northcentral Regional
Office heard the most from visitors to the office’s
Earth Day Open House was, “I came to learn more
about what you do!”
With those hundreds of face-to-face, one-on-one interactions at the April 23 event, the
staff of DEP’s Williamsport office kicked off “DEP Connects,” a new venue to help residents of
Pennsylvania explore how DEP fits into their daily life.
DEP Connects is a new opportunity for Pennsylvanians to engage with DEP in their own
backyards through events like the Open House. Each of DEP’s six regional offices will host a
variety of in-person programs featuring topics of local interest around the state.
Mark Stephens, a Groundwater Geologist who represented the Safe Drinking Water
Program at the NCRO Earth Day Open House, said DEP Connects events will help the public to
better understand DEP’s many functions.
“The majority of the general public are not part of permitted entities, engineers, or
professional consultants, and the people I interact with sometimes start with the perception of
DEP as a ‘black box,’” said Stephens. “At the Open House, we had a good cross-section of
people, including the very young, students, seniors, and even local elected officials. At our table,
we had a chance to discuss the importance of well caps, protective casing construction, and
regular water quality testing with them.”
Citizens were welcomed to the regional office to talk one-on-one with DEP staff
representing all of the agency’s specialized programs. This event was the first general,
region-wide open house offered by NCRO since 1995, when the office moved to its current
location.
“We thought an open house was the perfect way to invite everyone back to our home to
engage with DEP as we prepared to roll out the new DEP Connects program,” said Regional
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Director Marcus Kohl.
DEP Connects is designed to be flexible and dynamic, rather than a one-size-fits-all
approach. Each DEP regional office will hold at least three events each year, but the topic,
format, and location for each event will change, because each DEP Connects event will be
designed to address local issues and needs.
“DEP wants to meet you in your community to discuss our work, showcase examples of
environmental innovation and leadership, and hear your questions, concerns, and ideas,” said
Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “DEP Connects is an accessible way for the public to engage
directly with DEP on the environmental challenges and opportunities facing our communities.”
Events may include including open houses such as the April 23 event, plus project site
tours, panel discussions, DEP staff presentations, guest presentations from other agencies, and
more.
Once each year, DEP will select a statewide priority issue, and all regions will hold
coordinated DEP Connects events addressing the same theme, but filtered through the local lens.
“This new program reflects our commitment to proactively engage with Pennsylvanians
and seek better ways to work together to more effectively carry out DEP’s mission, which is to
protect our air, land, and water and provide for the public’s health and safety through a cleaner
environment,” said McDonnell.
To sign up for the DEP Connects program, all Pennsylvania residents are invited to visit
the DEP Connects website and complete a brief survey, including your name, contact
information, and topics of interest.
DEP will use this information to contact participants when an event of interest is planned
in their local area.
Bookmark and check the page regularly, because DEP will also post recaps of DEP
Connects events around the state as they take place.
The DEP Connects program replaces the previous Regional Roundtable program, which
originated in the 1980s and was still operational in some regions.
The new DEP Connects program will continue to embrace the local stakeholder
organizations that were represented on the Roundtables, but has been expanded to be more
inclusive of all sectors of the community.
DEP plans to survey attendees at DEP Connects events to gather feedback to make the
program as effective as possible.
A post-event survey of attendees to the Earth Day Open House revealed that all
respondents said the Open House met or exceeded their expectations.
Attendees noted their appreciation of the chance to talk individually with DEP staff, learn
about the breadth of DEP programs, and pick up informational handouts to bring home.
To sign up to receive notifications about DEP Connects programs, visit the DEP
Connects webpage.
For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website,
Click Here to sign up for DEP’s monthly newsletter, sign up for DEP Connects events, sign up
for DEP’s eNotice, visit DEP’s Blog, Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit
DEP’s YouTube Channel.
NewsClip:
Related Story:
13
Joint Budget & Finance Committee Water Use Fee Report Lays Groundwork For Further
Discussion
The Joint Senate-House Legislative Budget &

Finance Committee Wednesday released a new
report-- Feasibility of Establishing A Water Use Fee
In Pennsylvania Report-- that lays the factual
groundwork for discussing one funding option
Pennsylvania members of the Chesapeake Bay
Commission pointed to as possible source of
funding for a new Pennsylvania Clean Water Fund.
The report outlines the basic facts of consumptive
and nonconsumptive water uses in Pennsylvania as
of 2015 by industry, business, agricultural and water
supply sectors.
Pennsylvania withdrew 25.8 trillion gallons of water from surface and groundwater
sources across 11 user sectors in 2015.
Three of those sectors, hydroelectric power, thermoelectric power, and public water
supplies accounted for 98.4 percent of total water withdrawals. Hydroelectric power, alone,
accounted for 92 percent of total water withdrawals.
Excluding hydroelectric power, the three largest sectors were thermoelectric power,
public water supplies, and industrial use. These three account for 92 percent of the remaining
total water withdrawals.
Three of those sectors, hydroelectric power, thermoelectric power, and public water
supplies accounted for 98.4 percent of total water withdrawals. Hydroelectric power, alone,
accounted for 92 percent of total water withdrawals.
Excluding hydroelectric power, the three largest sectors were thermoelectric power,
public water supplies, and industrial use. These three account for 92 percent of the remaining
total water withdrawals.
Of water use by sectors in 2015 was: hydroelectric 91.95 percent, thermoelectric 4.53
percent, public water supply 1.97 percent, thermoelectric recirculated 0.46 percent, industrial
0.89 percent, livestock 0.12 percent, mining 0.06 percent, oil and gas 0.01 percent, commercial
and institutional 0.008 percent, irrigation 0.009 percent and wastewater treatment 0.0002 percent.
Also included is information on water withdrawals by county, by sector, by ground or
surface water.
The report provides calculations of what fees sectors would be if there was a desire to
raise $100, $300 or $500 million annually with no exemptions
Calculations were also done on the fee cost in House Bill 20 (Sturla-D-Lancaster) as
another possible scenario.
Click Here for a copy of the full 203-page report.
Sen. Bob Mensch (R-Montgomery) serves as Chair of the Committee and Sen. James
Brewster (D-Allegheny) serves as Vice Chair.
14
Fish & Boat Commission Comments
John Arway, Executive Director of the Fish and Boat Commission, provided written
comments as part of the report which included this introduction--
“The establishment of a water use fee in Pennsylvania has been a professional and
personal goal of mine for most of my 38-year career with the Commonwealth.
“Since becoming executive director of the PFBC in 2010, I have tried to bring attention
to this issue and in 2011, I authored an article in the Pennsylvania Angler and Boater Magazine
titled: Highway Robbery.
“In the article, I called attention to the uses and amounts of water that are withdrawn
from Pennsylvania waters.
“Therefore, on behalf of the Commonwealth’s anglers, boaters, fish, aquatic species and
citizens, I thank you for a comprehensive LBFC Feasibility Study which examines, in great
detail, the sources, uses, withdrawals and possible compensation rates.
“Your study assembled a significant amount of data and provides excellent materials to
further inform and engage the public and lawmakers on this important topic.
“When water is withdrawn from a Commonwealth stream, lake, river or from beneath the
ground’s surface and used by man for other purposes, it takes away a certain amount of water
from other uses.
“Our Commonwealth’s water resources are “the common property of all the people,
including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall
conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.” (Section 27, Article I of the
Pennsylvania Constitution).
“As perhaps one of the oldest Commonwealth agencies whose original charter was to
restore American shad runs to the Susquehanna River and protect native brook trout from the
sediment pollution occurring because of the large-scale logging of our landscape, the PFBC
traditionally represents the Commonwealth as the trustee for our fish and aquatic life resources.
“These are the very resources which provide fishing and boating opportunities for over
1.1 million anglers and over half a million boaters.
“Our Commonwealth anglers spend over $12 billion annually in Pennsylvania’s economy
and have a vested interest in how water is used and regulated since the growing demand for
water has the potential to seriously affect the sports of fishing and boating.
“Water is truly a Commonwealth asset, should be regarded as a commodity of economic
value, and not a Commonwealth good which is freely given away.
“It is important that all people understand the scope and scale of how various water uses
and withdrawals impact the environment, as well as the species and humans which rely on water
to live.”
Arway’s letter, which starts on page 194 of the full report, goes on to describe why
compensation for water use should be provided to the Commonwealth and its regulatory and
natural resources as trustees of what he called “Pennsylvania’s most valuable natural resource.”
Sen. Bob Mensch (R-Montgomery) serves as Chair of the Committee and Sen. James
Brewster (D-Allegheny) serves as Vice Chair.
Proposed PA Clean Water Fund
On January 24, 2017, all 5 Pennsylvania Senate and House members on the Chesapeake
Bay Commission wrote to all members of the Senate and House to outline the need to address
the state’s water pollution cleanup problems and propose a potential solution - a dedicated Clean
15
Water Fund for Pennsylvania.
The letter proposes, as one solution, a water use fee to finance Pennsylvania’s water
pollution cleanup effort that would raise an estimated $245 million. They noted water fee
proposals were introduced in the 2015-16 session-- Senate Bill 1401 (Alloway-R-Franklin) and
House Bill 2114 (Sturla-D-Lancaster)-- and now House Bill 20 (Sturla-D-Lancaster).
The letter to members was signed by Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of
the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Sen. Rich Alloway (R-Franklin),
Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming), Rep. Keith Gillespie (R-York) and Rep. Mike Sturla
(D-Lancaster).
Their cover note to colleagues said--
“Clean water is fundamental to public health and our economy. Unfortunately, almost
one quarter of Pennsylvania’s streams and rivers are not safe for either drinking, swimming,
fishing or aquatic life.
“The enclosed report, Water Rich & Water Wise, describes the extent of the impact and
potential solutions.
“As legislative members of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, we know that practices to
improve water quality are not without cost. Our state and local governments have already spent
significant dollars to upgrade wastewater treatment plants and farmers are implementing best
management practices.
“Unfortunately, much more needs to be done, not just for the Bay, but more importantly
for our own local waters.
“The good news is that these practices work, and much of the remaining effort can be
achieved with some of the most cost-effective practices available. Investment in clean water
directly benefits local governments and landowners, and provides local jobs.
“By taking care of our own local waters, we also reduce regulatory uncertainty that can
arise from pollution of downstream neighbors, whether in the Chesapeake, Ohio, Delaware or
Great Lakes watersheds.
“Please take a moment to read the enclosed report. We hope that you will join us in a
thoughtful conversation about legislation to address this important issue.”
A Clean Water Fund For Pennsylvania
Here’s the discussion of funding water pollution cleanup from Water Rich & Water Wise.
In Pennsylvania, a water use fee has been proposed.
It would support water protection programs across the Commonwealth, in every part of
the state, including the Ohio, the Genesee, the Susquehanna, the Delaware, the Erie and the
Potomac watersheds.
Currently, 5.9 billion gallons of the commonwealth’s water are used each day, statewide,
without compensation. By instead charging only one-hundredth of a cent per gallon for all
withdrawals over 10,000 gallons per day, and one-tenth of a cent for all consumptive uses over
10,000 gallons per day, an estimated $245 million per year could be generated.
This is even after municipal water systems and agricultural production are exempted and
existing fees charged by the Susquehanna and Delaware River Basin Commissions are deducted.
The average individual uses only 100 gallons a day, so a 10,000 gallon threshold would
include only large-scale commercial uses. At least 12 other states have some form of water fee,
providing for both the oversight and protection of their water.10 Funding water quality is a good
investment.
16
Studies of the Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes and Everglades have estimated at least a 2:1
benefit to cost ratio for water quality restoration.11 In other words, for every dollar spent on
water quality improvement, two dollars of benefit, such as economic activity, ecosystem services
and increased property values are realized.
The jobs created by restoration activity are often in the high-value STEM professions,12
and the quality of life in healthy watersheds helps to attract employers and retain employees.
Pennsylvania is at a turning point. A robust investment in clean water today will help
Pennsylvania comply with its current federal mandate for the Chesapeake Bay.
It will also prepare the Commonwealth for any future regional efforts such as Great
Lakes or Gulf of Mexico restorations. Most importantly, it will help the Commonwealth meet its
own constitutional duty, as a trustee of natural resources for the benefit of all,13 by investing in
the prosperity of Pennsylvania citizens and communities.
Establishing a Pennsylvania Water Fund makes sense. It provides a logical approach to
protecting local water quality while addressing regional concerns. It will help to make the
Commonwealth both water rich and water wise.
A copy of Water Rich & Water Wise is available online. Click Here for a copy of the
cover letter.
Follow Up Action
Since January 2017, the House and Senate and the Governor’s Office have not identified
and taken action on specific sources of funding for a PA Clean Water fund or other proposals to
help Pennsylvania meets its statewide and Chesapeake Bay water pollution cleanup obligations.
Earlier this month, Sen. Yaw, Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Minority Chair of the
Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, and Rep. Everett announced plans to
introduce legislation creating a $3 Keystone Tree Fund checkoff on driver and vehicle
registrations to support tree planting efforts statewide along impaired waters.
The initiative is designed to help support the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership
which has a goal of planting 10 million trees along streams by 2025.
A PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee is now in the middle of
drafting a clean water plan to meet Pennsylvania’s obligations to reduce water pollution in the
43-county Chesapeake Bay drainage area of the state.
One Committee workgroup is looking at funding issues. The workgroup is being led by
Rep. Everett, Brion Johnson, Executive Director of the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority,
and Marel King, PA Director, Chesapeake Bay Commission.
(Map: Groundwater withdrawals per day in millions of gallons by county in 2015.)
NewsClips:
Bay Journal: PA Shad Hatchery’s 42-Year Run May Be Coming To An End
Frye: Would Anglers Accept Voluntary Permits To Support Fishing?
Proposed DEP Permit Fee Increase In PA Not Expected To Slow Drilling In State
New Purpose Sought for Johnstown Flood Tax
Editorial: Use Flood Tax To Help Cities
Op-Ed: Wolf Aims To Increase Utility Bills With Severance Tax
Op-Ed: Don’t Raise Taxes On Natural Gas Producers, Speaker Turzai
Editorial: Maintain Coal Tax To Fund Black Lung Disability Payments
Related Stories:
PA Chesapeake Bay Commission Members Spotlight Need For Clean Water Fund In PA
17
Chesapeake Bay Foundation: PA Lagging In Meeting All Pollution Reduction Goals Except
From Wastewater Plants
DEP, Agriculture Leaders Tour Award-Winning Stream Restoration Project At Plain Sect Farm
In Lancaster
Witnesses Tell House Committee Of Nearly 8 Year Effort To Address Homeowner Fertilizer
Use, Applicator Education, Registration
Senate, House Approve Resolutions Designating June 3-9 Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week
House Committee Meets June 11 To Consider Resolution Calling For Audit Of PennVEST
Nonpoint Source Program
Op-Ed: PA And Partners Have Plans To Pick Up The Pace Of Water Pollution Reductions
Call For Proposals: 2018 Chesapeake Watershed Forum Nov. 2-4 In Shepherdstown, WV
Inside Pennsylvania’s Strategy For Healthier Local Streams In The Chesapeake Bay Watershed
PA Land Trusts Expanded Conserved Land By 36 Percent In Last 9 Years
The PA Land Trust Association Wednesday reported

land trusts across the Commonwealth have increased
the amount of land conserved by 36 percent between
2008 and December 2017.
The 2017 Pennsylvania Land Trust Census Report
found trusts have conserved 189,000 acres, an area
roughly the size of Union County.
Among other findings--
--Increased the acreage protected by perpetual
conservation easements by 46 percent;
-- Increased the acreage owned by land trusts by 66
percent; and
-- Increased by 23 percent the land transferred to governments for parks, game lands, and other
public conservation and recreational purposes.
In 2016 and 2017 alone, land trusts protected 22,000 acres, which is more than 34 square
miles.
The report also found that more than 123,000 Pennsylvanians contribute financially to
land trusts, and that land trusts directly employ 598 people in full-time jobs.
“Day in and day out, land trusts provide a tremendous public service,” said PALTA
Executive Director Andrew Loza. “Working quietly and consistently at the local level, they have
created an impressive network of preserved land for the benefit of current and future
generations.”
Click Here for a copy of the report.
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the PA Land
Trust Association website, Click Here to sign up for regular updates from PLTA, Like them on
Facebook, Follow them on Twitter, and Join them on Google+. Click Here to support their
work.
NewsClips:
Schneck: Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Moves 2,400 Acres Into Conservation Easement
18
Editorial: Don’t Let Lower Merion School District Plunder Precious Open Space
ClearWater Conservancy Seeking Conservation Of Hess Farm In Centre County
Related Stories:
The Conservation Fund Purchases 32,598 Acres Of Forest Land In Elk, McKean Counties
Pennsylvania Preserves 550,000th Acre Of Farmland
Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding Thursday announced the state has hit a major
milestone, preserving 550,000 acres of farmland in the Commonwealth over the last three
decades.
“By investing our energy and resources in protecting Pennsylvania’s farmland, we are not
simply investing in commodities; we’re investing in people and the future of agriculture and our
ability to grow food,” said Secretary Redding. “Today’s landmark achievement represents a
commitment to our agribusinesses, a commitment to our food system, a commitment to our
communities, and a commitment to the future of the Commonwealth.”
The Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program is dedicated to
slowing the loss of prime farmland to non-agricultural uses. Funding allows state, county, and
local governments to purchase conservation easements from owners of quality farmland.
Since the Commonwealth’s program began in 1988, federal, state, county, and local
governments have purchased permanent easements on 5,329 farms totaling 552,703 acres in 58
counties for agricultural production.
Under Gov. Wolf, funding for farmland preservation has increased more than 45 percent,
or $12.5 million. Since taking office, the Wolf administration has preserved 597 farms totaling
50,039 acres of prime farmland across Pennsylvania.
At Thursday’s event, which celebrated the safeguarding of 550,000 acres, also recognized
Lehigh County for its 30 years of participation in the program.
Secretary Redding also presented the owners of Heidel Hollow Farms, Inc., with two
bicentennial awards. The Bicentennial Farm Program was created in 2004 to recognize farms
that have been in the same family for 200 years or more.
To date, the Department of Agriculture has recognized 2,026 Century and 180
Bicentennial farms, representing 2,206 families dedicated to both their heritage and production
agriculture.
Purchasing easements is a critical investment in Pennsylvania’s robust agricultural
industry, an investment that protects agriculture’s $135.7 billion total economic impact and
ensures future food supply production for a growing population.
Since the program’s inception, total county contributions have exceeded the
half-billion-dollar mark, and state contributions have surpassed $1 billion.
For more information, visit Agriculture’s Farmland Preservation Program webpage.
NewsClips:
Editorial: No One Wins The Blame Game On Chesapeake Bay
Editorial: A Save For Dairy Farms, Agriculture Is An Asset
Crable: Tiny Wasp Found In Lancaster Orchard Could Be Big Solution To Stick Bug Invasion
19
Meyer: Plaintiffs Often Out Of Luck In Nuisance Farm Cases Due To Right-To-Farm Law
State Grant To Help Study Infestation Of Chesco Mushroom Flies
In Chesco, Volunteer Farmers Grow Food For Neighbors In Need
Related Story:
DCNR Names Ellen Shultzabarger Pennsylvania's State Forester
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has named Ellen Shultzabarger
Pennsylvania's next State Forester and Director of the Bureau of Forestry.
She succeeds Dan Devlin who retired in March of this year after nearly 40 years of state
service.
Shultzabarger has worked for the Bureau for over 14 years in a variety of positions, most
recently as the Chief of Conservation Science and Ecological Resources.
During her tenure at DCNR, she has led a number of highly visible projects and worked
to ensure their successful completion, including the development and launch of the Pennsylvania
Conservation Explorer environmental permit screening tool.
Before coming to DCNR and the bureau, Shultzabarger worked for the Massachusetts
Division of Fish and Wildlife, Tufts University and several local and national nonprofit
conservation organizations.
She earned a BS in Natural Resources from The Ohio State University and a Graduate
Certificate in Urban Environmental Planning and Policy from Tufts University.
The Director plays a critical role in the daily operations of the bureau, and is also an
integral part of the leadership team of the department.
“In Ellen, we have found someone with proven leadership abilities, a vision for the
bureau and the department, and a strong natural science background,” said DCNR Secretary
Cindy Adams Dunn. “She is a strong communicator, respected among her colleagues and works
in a collaborative way to achieve the goals of the Bureau and further the mission of the agency.
“The task ahead of guiding the Bureau through a strategic planning process and working
on the important issues facing our public lands and natural resources requires that type of
collaboration,” said Dunn. “And, it requires that each of us work together to ensure that we do
everything we can to carry forward the strong conservation legacy that we are blessed with here
in Pennsylvania.”
[Note: Shultzabarger is the first woman to hold that position since Joseph Rothrock was
appointed the state’s first Forestry Commissioner and the Division of Forestry was formed in
1895.]
NewsClips:
Communities Dealing With Dead Trees As Emerald Ash Borer Takes Its Toll
Lyme Disease Expert: Don’t Let Fear Of Disease Keep You Inside
Register By Tuesday For Tour Of Field Improvements At Forbes State Forest
Related Story:
DCNR To Hold 20 Meetings Seeking Public Input On State Forest Districts Across PA
20
Bills On Governor's Desk
The following bills were given final approval by the Senate and House and are now on the
Governor's desk for action--
Local Clean Energy Funding: Senate Bill 234 (Blake-D-Lackawanna), Property Assessed
Clean Energy Financing Program, that authorizes local governments to create energy
improvement districts to help fund energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation
projects for commercial, agricultural and industrial buildings to reduce their operating costs
(Senate Fiscal Note and summary).
Senate/House Bills Moving Last Week
The following bills of interest saw action last week in the House and Senate--
House
Conventional Wells: House Bill 2154 (Causer-R-Cameron) the Conventional Oil and Gas Act,
which weakens environmental protection standards for conventional oil and gas drilling and
turns back the clock 34 years to the original 1984 Oil and Gas Act was passed by the House 111
to 84. A House Fiscal Note and summary is available. The bill now goes to the Senate for
action. Click Here for more. [Note: The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy
Committee is scheduled to consider this bill on June 12. Click Here for more.]
Native Vegetation: House Bill 2131 (Quigley-R-Montgomery) encouraging the use of native
vegetation along highways was removed from the Table, referred into and out of the House
Appropriations Committee and was passed by the House. A House Fiscal Note and summary is
available. The bill now goes to the Senate for action.
Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week: House Resolution 773 (Gillespie-R-York) designating June
3 to 9 Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week in PA was adopted by the House (sponsor summary).
Drug Disposal: House Bill 2152 (R.Brown-R-Monroe) providing for the disposal of prescription
drugs from hospice or home health care patients was reported from the House Appropriations
Committee and passed by the House. A House Fiscal Note and summary is available. The bill
now goes to the Senate for action.
Senate
Alternative Ratemaking: House Bill 1782 (Delozier-R-Cumberland) authorizing alternative

ratemaking such as decoupling, performance-based, multiyear and other mechanisms for utilities
regulated by the PUC, including electric, natural gas, water and wastewater services. (House
Fiscal Note and summary) was reported out of the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional
Licensure Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.
21
Stormwater Fees: House Bill 913 providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by incorporated
towns; House Bill 914 providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by boroughs; House Bill
915 providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by first class townships; and House Bill 916
providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by Cities of the Third Class were all Tabled
pursuant to Senate Rule 9 (inaction).
Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Gov’s Schedule/ Bills Introduced
Here are the Senate and House Calendars for the next voting session day and Committees
scheduling action on bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--
Bill Calendars
House (June 11): House Bill 1401 (DiGirolamo-R-Bucks) which amends Title 58 to impose a
sliding scale natural gas severance tax, in addition to the Act 13 drilling impact fee, on natural
gas production (NO money for environmental programs) and includes provisions related to
minimum landowner oil and gas royalties; House Bill 1446 (Quinn-R- Bucks) encouraging
infrastructure for electric and natural gas fueled vehicles; House Bill 1284 (Peifer-R-Pike)
directs DCED to develop a one-stop-shop online permitting portal for business (sponsor
summary); House Resolution 284 (Moul-R-Adams) urging Congress to repeal the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency’s MS4 Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (sponsor
summary). <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.
Senate (June 11): Senate Bill 819 (Aument-R-Lancaster) amending the Agricultural Security
Law to provide for agritourism uses on protected land; Senate Bill 835 (Dinniman-D-Chester)
requiring the registration of land agents working for pipeline companies (sponsor summary);
Senate Bill 930 (Dinniman-D- Chester) sets notification requirements related to pipeline
emergencies (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 931 (Dinniman-D-Chester) requires the installation
of automatic or remote controlled safety values in natural gas pipelines in densely populated
areas; Senate Resolution 104 (Bartolotta-R- Washington) resolution urging the Governor to end
the moratorium on new non-surface disturbance natural gas drilling on state forest land (sponsor
summary); House Bill 544 (Moul-R-Adams) further providing for liability protection for
landowners opening their land for public recreation; House Bill 1782 (Delozier-R-Cumberland)
authorizing alternative ratemaking such as decoupling, performance-based, multiyear and other
mechanisms for utilities regulated by the PUC, including electric, natural gas, water and
wastewater services. (House Fiscal Note and summary). <> Click Here for full Senate Bill
Calendar.
Committee Meeting Agendas This Week
House: the State Government Committee holds a hearing on the Delaware River Basin
Commission to hear from entities regulated and to investigate concerns about the impact of
DRBC policies and actions on economic vitality and property rights; the Agriculture and Rural
Affairs Committee meets to consider House Resolution 948 (Causer-R-Cameron) requesting the
22
Auditor General to do a financial audit of the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority nonpoint
source water pollution control program (sponsor summary); the Environmental Resources and
Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 2304 (Fritz-R-Susquehanna) which would
enact the oil and gas well permitting reforms proposed by Gov. Wolf in January; the Local
Government Committee meets to consider House Bill 2468 (Kampf-R-Chester) limiting use of
eminent domain on land with conservation easements for parks and open space purposes
(sponsor summary); the Game and Fisheries Committee holds a hearing on Chronic Wasting
Disease. <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.
Senate: the Appropriations Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 1171 (Brooks-R-
Crawford) replacing the Nutrient Management Advisory Board with the Farm Animal Advisory
Board (sponsor summary); the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to
consider House Bill 2154 (Causer-R- Cameron), the Conventional Oil and Gas Act, which
weakens environmental protection standards for conventional oil and gas drilling and turns back
the clock 34 years to the original 1984 Oil and Gas Act. Click Here for more; Senate Bill 1189
(Baker-R-Luzerne) that would declare, as a matter of law, an oil and gas fracking moratorium
enacted by the Delaware River Basin Commission would constitute an act of eminent domain
and a taking of property for which compensated would be required from DRBC. Click Here for
more; Senate Resolution 373 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) would establish a 23-member
Senate-House legislative Commission to Study Pipeline Construction and Operations and to
recommend improvements for the safe transport of oil, natural gas and other hazardous liquids
through pipelines. Click Here for more; Senate Bill 1027 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) setting
additional notification requirements for residents impacted by pipeline construction (sponsor
summary); Senate Resolution 375 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) urging Congress to support the
development of an ethane storage hub in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 917
(Dinniman-R-Chester) amends Act 101 Municipal Waste Planning and Recycling Act to include
spent mushroom compost under the definition of “compost materials to encourage its reuse
(sponsor summary); House Bill 927 (Rader-R-Monroe) amends Act 101 Municipal Waste
Planning and Recycling Act to eliminate the mandate on municipalities to have a leaf waste
collection program (House Fiscal Note and summary); Senate Resolution 326 (Vogel-R-Beaver)
encourage Congress to recognize the Eastern Legacy of the Lewis and Clark National Trail for
its historic national significance (sponsor summary). <> Click Here for full Senate Committee
Schedule.
Bills Pending In Key Committees
Check the PA Environmental Council Bill Tracker for the status and updates on pending state
legislation and regulations that affect environmental and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.
Bills Introduced
The following bills of interest were introduced last week--
Oversight Of 10 DEP Funds: House Bill 2454 (Fritz-R-Susquehanna) require General

Assembly to specifically appropriate funds out of 10 DEP special accounts and resetting the uses
23
of those accounts rather than have the Governor’s allocate monies by executive authorization:
Abandoned Well Plugging Fund, Clean Water Fund, Electronic Materials Recycling Account,
Industrial Land Recycling Fund, Radiation Protection Fund, Oil and Gas Regulation Restrict
Account, Orphan Well Plugging Fund, Safe Drinking Water Fund, Solid Waste Abatement Fund
and Waste Transportation Safety Fund (sponsor summary).
Loyalsock Creek: House Resolution 964 (Everett-R-Lycoming) recognizing the Loyalsock

Creek as the 2018 River of the Year (sponsor summary).
Session Schedule
Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--
Senate
June 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
House
June 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
Governor’s Schedule
Gov. Tom Wolf's work calendar will be posted each Friday and his public schedule for the day
will be posted each morning. Click Here to view Gov. Wolf’s Weekly Calendar and Public
Appearances.
News From The Capitol
Senate Committee OKs Bill To Authorize Alternative Energy, Water Utility Ratemaking
To Encourage Conservation, Infrastructure Investment
The Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee Wednesday reported out
House Bill 1782 (Delozier-R-Cumberland) authorizing alternative ratemaking by the Public
Utility Commission for utilities it regulates, including electric, natural gas, water and wastewater
services.
In the energy context, the bill is designed to allow utilities to encourage energy efficiency
improvements, distributed and renewable energy projects.
The bill would allow the Public Utility Commission to approve the use of alternate
ratemaking mechanisms by utilities, such as decoupling, performance-based rates, formula rates
and multiyear rates.
It does not add to the amount a company is approved to earn or recover from ratepayers.
This continues to be determined by the PUC. It also does not change the type of costs that may
be recovered by a utility through rates.
The bill clarifies the PUC’s authority to approve the use of alternative rate mechanism.
These mechanism could be used to recover capital costs and expenses to provide service as they
do now, and the PUC retains the ability to approve such recovery.
24
House Bill 1782 now goes to the full Senate for consideration. (House Fiscal Note and
summary)
Sen. Tommy Tomlinson (R-Bucks) serves as Majority Chair of the Consumer Protection
rtomlinson@pasen.gov. Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh) serves as Minority Chair and can be
contacted by calling 717-787-4236 or sending email to: boscola@pasenate.com.
NewsClip:
Energy Efficiency, Grid Modernization Driving Energy Sector Job Growth
Senate, House Approve Resolutions Designating June 3-9 Chesapeake Bay Awareness
Week
The Senate and House Monday unanimously

approved separate resolutions designating the week of
June 3 to 9 as Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week.
The designation is meant to encourage all
Pennsylvanians “to commemorate Chesapeake Bay
Awareness Week with events, activities, and
educational programs designed to raise awareness of
the importance of the Chesapeake Bay to the
Commonwealth, the region, and the United States.”
The Senate passed Senate Resolution 377
sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming),
Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee (sponsor
summary). The House passed House Resolution 773 sponsored by Rep. Keith Gillespie (R-York)
(sponsor summary).
Sen. Yaw and Rep. Gillespie are two of Pennsylvania’s representatives on the interstate
Chesapeake Bay Commission. The other state members are Sen. Richard Alloway (R-Franklin),
Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming), Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster) and DEP Secretary Patrick
McDonnell.
“During this week, we have the opportunity to celebrate Pennsylvania’s success in
reducing nutrient and sediment pollution in the Chesapeake Bay,” Sen. Yaw said. “We can
educate residents about the actions each citizen can take to help restore the Bay, as well as call
attention to the challenges ahead and the opportunity to restoring the Bay and Pennsylvania’s
rivers and streams.” Click Here to watch a video of Sen. Yaw’s remarks.
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest and most productive estuary in the United States,
spanning six states and the District of Columbia. It is fed by 50 major tributaries, including the
Susquehanna River, which is the largest tributary into the Bay. The Susquehanna River
contributes about half of the Bay's fresh water.
For more information on Pennsylvania's efforts to cleanup rivers and streams in the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed, visit the Pennsylvania's Chesapeake Bay Plan webpage.
(Photo: Sen. Yaw, Rep. Gillespie.)
NewsClips:
Op-Ed: PA, Partners Have Plans To Pick Up The Pace On Cleaning Up The Bay
25
AP: Exelon Challenges New Requirements For Conowingo Dam On Susquehanna
Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal
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In Lancaster
Witnesses Tell House Committee Of Nearly 8 Year Effort To Address Homeowner

Fertilizer Use, Applicator Education, Registration
Staff from the interstate Chesapeake Bay Commission

told members of the House Agriculture and Rural
Development Committee Tuesday of their 8 year effort
to address the issue of overapplication of fertilizers by
homeowners and to adopt a registration and education
program for professional applicators.
The comments were made at a hearing held by the
Committee on Senate Bill 792 (Alloway-R-Franklin).
Russell Redding, Secretary of Agriculture, said the
version of the bill before the Committee was the “result
of three years of development through a stakeholder process that included scientists and research
institutions, industry, and our own Fertilizer Advisory Board, all with the shared goal of
lowering nutrient load to our local streams.
“For the first time in Pennsylvania's history, Senate Bill 792 creates a professional
certification program for fertilizer applicators and promotes best practices by all fertilizer users,
yet retains important exemptions for the private application of fertilizer by our farmers who are
already governed by other statutes,” explained Redding.
He explained one of the objectives of the bill is “Educating homeowners on the same
principles of nutrient stewardship embodied within the 4 Rs using the "Right Source, Right Rate,
Right Time, and Right Place"--for fertilizer applications can be a successful approach.”
Two representatives of the Chesapeake Bay Commission-- Ann Swanson, Executive
26
Director, and Marel King, Pennsylvania Director-- discussed their 8 year effort to have the
General Assembly address turf and lawn fertilizer practices.
“The product of that eight-year process is Senate Bill 792 as currently amended a bill that
we believe is comprehensive in its approach to urban nutrient management, protecting water
quality while respecting the diversity and innovation of the turf fertilizer industry in
Pennsylvania,” said King.
King pointed to recent land use data showing the number of acres of land in turf is now
exceeding acres of corn on farms in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
“The watershed has only continued to become more urbanized, and the nutrient and
sediment loads from developed areas continue to grow while loads from other sectors continue to
decline,” explained King. “With the growing influence of urban acres on water quality, it
seemed only right that nutrient management principles -- already applied to agriculture should be
extended to lawns.
“This legislation is not anti-fertilizer or anti-lawns. Healthy lawns that receive the Right
fertilizer can help to reduce runoff from urban and suburban areas.,” she said. “We have now
reached a point where there is consensus on the language with assurance from EPA that the
Commonwealth can receive credit under the Bay TMDL.”
Matthew Johnston, EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office, explained the provisions now
in Senate Bill 792 will allow Pennsylvania to receive credit for urban nutrient reduction for every
acre of turf receiving nutrients from a newly certified fertilizer applicator.
One estimate is the legislation will result in a 10 percent reduction in nitrogen applied to
urban turf and a 70 percent reduction in phosphorus or annual reductions of over 180,000 pounds
of nitrogen and over 220,000 pounds of phosphorus pollution.
“To put these numbers in perspective, Pennsylvania would need to replant over 16,000
acres of forest to obtain similar nitrogen reductions, or over 240,000 acres of forest to obtain
similar phosphorus reductions,” said Johnston.
Gregg Robertson, PA Landscape and Nursery Association, said, while crediting the
Department of Agriculture with an open process for developing the current bill, “our Association
continues to question the need for this bill at all, particularly those parts that regulate turf grass
fertilizer and the professionals who apply it for a living.
“First, based upon the scientific research regarding turf grass fertilization and EPA's own
Expert Panel Report, the bill will have no impact on water quality in the Bay watershed and may
even make conditions worse.
“Second, the bill will impose real costs in the millions of dollars on Pennsvlvania's lawn
care industry, which is comprised mostly of small businesses.
“Third, given the recent statement of EPA, Pennsylvania is unlikely to receive any credit
for this legislation in meeting Pennsylvania's 2025 Chesapeake Bay goals.”
Click Here to watch a video of the June 5 hearing.
Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron) serves as Majority Chair of the House Agriculture
Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-5075 or by sending email to:
mcauser@pahousegop.com. Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski (D-Luzerne) serves as Minority Chair and
can be calling 717-783-0686 or by sending email to: epashins@pahouse.net.
Growing Greener Apps Due July 13
27
Applications for the next round of Growing Greener Grants are due July 13.
NewsClips:
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In Lancaster
House Passes Bill To Encourage Use Of Native Vegetation Along Highways
By a vote of 194 to 1, the House Wednesday passed House Bill 2131 (Quigley-R-Montgomery)
encouraging the use of native vegetation along highways.
“(This legislation encourages) the Department of Transportation to plant vegetation,
which has been identified by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, as being
native to Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Tom Quigley, prime sponsor of the bill. “In this way, native
vegetation planted along highways will thrive because those plants are better adapted to local
conditions. Native vegetation is also more likely to support wildlife, while discouraging invasive
plant species in our fair Commonwealth.”
Under the bill PennDOT is required to consult with DCNR and the Controlled Plant and
Noxious Weed Committee to develop a list of particular species of vegetation that can be used
for roadside plantings.
The bill also includes a process for PennDOT to allow for planting nonnative species
where it is no feasible, provided they are deemed not invasive or detrimental to the environment.
A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
NewsClips:
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The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee is scheduled to meet on June 11 to consider
House Resolution 948 (Causer-R-Cameron) requesting the Auditor General to do a financial
audit of the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority nonpoint source water pollution control
program.
The resolution was prompted by a March 26 information meeting the Committee had on
the $50 million in loans the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority made to Lyme Timber
Company to help the private company buy 60,103 acres of private forest land in 6 Northern Tier
Counties.
At the meeting, a number of members questioned whether financing the purchase of
forest land by a private company was the best use of $50 million in PennVEST money.
The goal of the audit is to determine if the $50 million loan falls within the definition of
“project” under Act 16 of 1988 that established PennVEST.
The meeting will be held in Room 60 East Wing starting at 12:15. Committee meetings
are typically webcast at the House Republican Caucus website.
Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron) serves as Majority Chair of the House Agriculture
Committee and can be contacted by sending email to: mcauser@pahousegop.com. Rep. Eddie
Day Pashinski (D-Luzerne) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by sending email to:
epashins@pahouse.net.
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House Ag Committee: Is A $50M PennVEST Loan To Buy Forest Land The Best Use Of That
Public Funding?
In Lancaster
House Committee To Consider Bill To Limit Eminent Domain Use On Land Protected By
Conservation Easements June 13
The House Local Government Committee is scheduled to meet on June 13 to consider House
Bill 2468 limiting the use of eminent domain by government agencies on land with conservation
easements for parks and open space purposes.
The bill was introduced by Representatives Warren Kampf (R-Chester), Kate Harper
(R-Montgomery) and Marcy Toepel (R-Montgomery).
Two school districts in the state-- Cumberland Valley in Cumberland County and Lower
29
Merion in Montgomery County-- have decided to use eminent domain to condemn
privately-owned land permanently preserved by conservation easements held by local land trusts,
over the objections of many residents of the communities. Other suitable non-preserved land in
each vicinity is available, according to the bill sponsors.
The bill would require any government agency to obtain Orphans’ Court approval before
using eminent domain to take permanently preserved land. The procedure is similar to that found
in the Agricultural Area Security Law which requires additional scrutiny before condemnation of
agricultural lands. The Orphans’ Court is given authority in the Donated and Dedicated Property
Act over certain transactions related to publicly owned lands held for public uses.
A sponsor summary is available.
The meeting will be held in Room 205 of the Ryan Building starting at 9:00. House
committee meetings are typically webcast through the House Republican Caucus website.
Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) serves as Majority Chair and can be contacted by
calling 717-787-2801 or by sending email to: kharper@pahousegop.com. Rep. Robert Freeman
(D-Lehigh) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-783-3815 or sending
email to: rfreeman@pahouse.net.
NewsClips:
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Senate House Nuclear Energy Caucus Meets June 19 On Environmental Impacts Of

Nuclear Power Plants Shutting Down
The bipartisan Senate House Nuclear Energy Caucus is scheduled to meet on June 19 to hear
presentations from environmental organizations about the impact the pending shut down of
nuclear power plants will have on meeting air quality and carbon-free electricity generation
goals.
“Nuclear energy produces over 90 percent of Pennsylvania’s carbon emission-free
electricity and is the only clean-air source that can produce large amounts of electricity around
the clock,” said Sen. Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster), one of four co-chairs of the Caucus.
“Average annual [carbon dioxide, a climate-changing greenhouse gas] CO2 emissions would be
about 52 million tons greater absent the generation from Pennsylvania nuclear plants.”
He also noted nuclear power plants prevent substantial emissions from sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxide, which contributes to the formation of ground level ozone pollution.
The hearing will be held in Room 8E-A East Wing starting at 8:00 a..m. Click Here to
watch the hearing live online.
Senators Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster) and John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) along with
Representatives Becky Corbin (R-Chester) and Rob Matzie (D-Allegheny) serve as co-chairs of
the Nuclear Energy Caucus.
For more information on past hearings and actions, visit the Senate-House Nuclear
30
Energy Caucus webpage.
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Exelon CEO: Retirement Of Coal, Nuclear Plants Does Not Constitute A Grid Emergency
Will State Take Action To Prevent Closure Of TMI? Some Groups Oppose Nuclear Bailout
Op-Ed: Coal, Nuclear Power Remains Vital
Op-Ed: Prematurely Closing Nuclear Plants In PA Risky Move
Op-Ed: We’ve Already Bailed Out TMI Twice, A 3rd Time Isn’t A Charm
TMI, Peach Bottom Nuclear Power Plants To Test Emergency Sirens This Week
Exelon Files Closing Plan For Nation’s Oldest Nuclear Plant In NJ
Nuclear Power Bailout Plan Could Mean Higher Costs For NJ Residents
U.S. Subsidies May Not Save Some Coal, Nuclear Plants Slated For Closure
AP: DOE Chief Defends Trump Directive On Coal, Nuclear Plants
Bloomberg: A Meltdown Didn’t Kill Three Mile Island, But Shale Gas Probably Will
Americans Will Pay A High Price To Save Coal
Moody’s: Coal Bailout Bad For Consumers, Good For FirstEnergy
How Trump’s Soviet-Style Coal Directive Would Upend Power Markets
Op-Ed: Will FERC Uphold State Support For Clean Energy?
Editorial: Trump’s Energy Bailout Is A Big Mistake
Editorial: Trump And High-Energy Pandering
News From Around The State
DEP Citizens Advisory Council June 19 Meeting To Focus On Energy Programs, Public
Engagement
The agenda for DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council June 19 meeting includes a discussion of the
agency’s energy programs and public engagement and outreach.
David Althoff, Director of DEP’s Energy Programs, will provide an overview
presentation on the energy programs, including conservation and efficiency, advanced
technologies, energy security and resiliency and education and outreach.
Julie Lalo, Director of DEP’s Office of Communications will provide a presentation on
DEP public engagement and outreach activities and initiatives.
Click Here to read DEP’s June Report to the CAC.
The meeting will be held in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building starting at 10:00.
There is a also a call-in option: Bridge #: 717-612-4788, Toll Free #: 855-734-4390, PIN #:
083399.
For more information and available handouts, visit DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council
webpage. Questions should be directed to Neil Bakshi, DEP Policy Office, nebakshi@pa.gov.
NewsClip:
Related Stories:
31
DEP, Agriculture Leaders Tour Award-Winning Stream Restoration Project At Plain Sect
Farm In Lancaster
Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick

McDonnell and Agriculture Deputy Secretary
Greg Hostetter Monday toured a project that
restored a badly eroded section of Big Beaver
Creek on a Plain Sect farm in Lancaster County.
The improvements prevented the loss of
valuable land and reduced sediment levels by
121,000 pounds, nitrogen levels by 202 pounds,
and phosphorous levels by 183 pounds annually.
“Many partners in Lancaster County
teamed up to restore this stream to its more
natural state, after years of erosion,” said
Secretary McDonnell. “Because of your great work, the creek now carries less sediment and
fertilizer pollution, enabling healthier insect and fish populations and bringing economic benefit
to the farm.
“Ultimately, reducing pollutants in our waters can only be accomplished community by
community, parcel by parcel. As we celebrate Chesapeake Bay Watershed Awareness Week, I
commend your teamwork as a model for communities throughout Pennsylvania’s 43 counties in
the watershed. You demonstrate that the benefits of environmental conservation go beyond the
environment.”
DEP honored the Big Beaver Creek-Plain Sect Farm project with a 2018 Governor’s
Award for Environmental Excellence in April.
“Caring for the environment is ingrained in the culture of Pennsylvania’s agriculture
sector,” Agriculture Deputy Secretary Greg Hostetter said. “Our two goals of clean water and
healthy soil are inseparable to economically viable farms. Projects like this one demonstrate
clearly that caring for soil and water boosts the farmer’s bottom line.”
Kara Kalupson, director of the Pequea Creek Watershed Association, and Matt Kofroth,
watershed specialist at the Lancaster County Conservation District, coordinated the project,
partnering with the farmer after he lost a mule on the steep bank.
Project partners included the Conservation Fund; Strasburg, West Lampeter, and
Providence Townships; Solanco High School FFA students and Lancaster Academy students;
and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Chesapeake Bay Foundation staff.
The group installed in-stream structures to slow stream flow and planted 800 native tree
seedlings and about 3,500 shrubs on the banks to help prevent erosion and improve wildlife
habitat.
They also installed bridges and streambank fencing to keep cows from eroding the banks
and getting manure into the stream. A half-mile of stream was restored.
32
NewsClips:
Related Stories:
DEP, Local Partners Highlight Marienville Library Rain Garden In Forest County As
Growing Greener Grant Applications Come Due
Department of Environmental Protection

Secretary Patrick McDonnell and local partners
highlighted the Marienville Area Library rain
garden in Forest County Friday to tout the
significance of the state-funded Growing Greener
Program.
The Secretary was joined by Growing Greener
project partners from the Northwest Commission,
Friends of the Marienville Area Library, and the
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy for the visit.
“It’s invigorating to see Growing Greener funds
being used in the most significant ways, to protect
our natural resources and to educate our youth,”
said Secretary McDonnell “I applaud the significant efforts of Jackie and the Friends of
Marienville Area Library, and the partners, for the hard work and vision to see this project
through.”
The Marienville Area Library was approved for a $7,225 Growing Greener grant to
create an approximate 850 square foot garden to manage runoff from their new impervious
building.
The garden is intended to serve as a future reading space, children’s educational
programming area, adult educational programing area, as well as beautification of the library
33
facility.
Library Director Jacklyn McLaughlin worked with local and state officials to obtain
support for the Growing Greener Grant.
The Marienville Area Library Rain Garden is now among the 132 community gardens
that the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy currently supports and maintains through thousands
of volunteers and sponsorships.
The Conservancy helped the library design the look of the garden and select native plant
materials, and provided gardening expertise.
The Friends of the Marienville Area Library were integrally involved in applying for the
Growing Greener Grant, tiered planning of educational programming for the garden and library
expansion.
They donated $3,000 to complete the Stormwater Management Plan and the associated
permit.
Visit DEP’s How To Be Stormwater Smart webpage to learn more about stormwater
management.
NewsClips:
Activicts Point To Green Sewer Fixes To Handle Sewage, Runoff Along Ohio River
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Independence Conservancy Completes Raccoon Creek Stream Bank, Buffer Project In Beaver
County
Allegheny, Westmoreland Conservation Districts, Partners Host Local Green Infrastructure Tour
June 26
New Statewide Partnership Launches Major Effort To Plant 10 Million Trees To Cleanup
Pennsylvania’s Streams, Rivers
Independence Conservancy Completes Raccoon Creek Stream Bank, Buffer Project In

Beaver County
Nonprofits Independence Conservancy and Stream

Restoration Inc. recently completed a stream bank
and buffer project on the main stem of Raccoon
Creek in Potter Township, Beaver County funded by
a $99,785 DEP Growing Greener Watershed
Protection Program Grant.
Implementing key recommendations of the 2014
Raccoon Creek Region Conservation Plan, the
34
project reduces erosion and riparian habitat loss, lessens sediment loading and re-establishes a
streamside buffer of native vegetation.
The project also addressed an abandoned pipeline, exposed by bank erosion, which posed
a hazard to recreational use of the creek.
Bioengineering and traditional techniques reinforce the eroding streambank: re-grading,
stone toe protection, rootwad deflectors, live-stakes, brush layering, rock vanes, and erosion
control blankets.
500 feet of streambank was re-shaped, while an additional 400 feet was enhanced with
live-stakes and riparian buffer plantings. Japanese knotweed was treated and replaced with
native vegetation.
Additional permitting allowed for partial removal of a gravel bar, deflecting stream
energy away from the eroding bank and towards the center of the channel during higher flows.
This high-profile project generated interest among local residents, adjacent landowners,
and municipal officials.
Two dozen enthusiastic volunteers planted 2,700 live-stakes, 800 native tree and shrub
seedlings, and 15 balled & burlapped shade trees within the 900-foot riparian buffer.
Neighboring landowner Shell Pennsylvania Chemicals donated 2,000 tons of native
sandstone boulders to build four rock vanes, a kayak launch and visitor-friendly features.
With in-kind contributions and donations, the original scope of work, and more, was
finished in April of 2018, on time and within the grant budget.
Partners include BioMost, Inc.; Independence Conservancy, Inc.; Department of
Environmental Protection; Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds; Shell Pennsylvania
Chemicals; and Beaver County Conservation District.
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the
Independence Conservancy website, send email to: info@independenceconservancy.org or drop
them a line at: Independence Conservancy, Inc., PO Box 248, Industry, PA 15052.
(Photo: Looking upstream across the length of the repaired buffer on April 7, 2018. Root wads
and toe boulders held up well against ice chunks and several winter floods. Most of the erosion
control blanket had to be replaced. A generator-powered hammer drill made quick work of
preparing holes, and kept a young helper engaged.)
NewsClips:
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In Lancaster
DEP, Local Partners Highlight Marienville Library Rain Garden In Forest County As Growing
Greener Grant Applications Coming Due
Allegheny, Westmoreland Conservation Districts, Partners Host Local Green Infrastructure Tour
June 26
35
By Harry Campbell, Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA Office Executive Director
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) latest

assessment of how Bay states are doing when it comes
to meeting pollution-reduction goals made news last
week. Unfortunately, in Pennsylvania’s portion of the
progress report, not much was actually new.
The Commonwealth continues to lag
significantly behind in meeting its Clean Water
Blueprint goals for reducing nitrogen, phosphorus, and
sediment pollution from agriculture and urban and
suburban runoff.
It is close to reaching the overall mark for phosphorus reduction.
Pennsylvania isn’t the only state with work to do. Maryland and Virginia have also fallen
behind in implementing practices to reduce nitrogen pollution from agriculture and urban runoff.
All three states have exceeded their goals for reducing nitrogen and phosphorus pollution
from sewage treatment plants.
In the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, Bay states committed to implementing 60
percent of the practices necessary for Bay restoration by 2017 and finishing the job by 2025.
CBF’s midpoint assessment examined whether the states achieved the 60 percent goal,
and whether they have implemented the programs and policies that were committed to.
Pennsylvania plays a key a role in saving the Chesapeake Bay. It provides half of the
freshwater that flows into the Bay, and roughly 19,000 miles of Commonwealth rivers and
streams are impaired by polluted runoff and the legacy of coal mining.
Between the lines of the midpoint assessment and this latest segment in the Keystone
State’s clean water challenge, is news that Pennsylvania has plans for making progress.
For one, long-term water quality testing is showing that pollution is being reduced.
Second, to be successful, solutions to restore and protect our own local streams will have to take
root in our own backyards, on farms, parks, and other private and public properties.
Last year, the Commonwealth started a collaborative, stakeholder process to develop the
third and final watershed implementation plan to meet its commitments. That plan is focusing on
developing local plans with local engagement and investments for local benefits.
One of Pennsylvania’s most ambitious, collaborative, and challenging efforts to restore
and protect its rivers and streams is the planting of 10 million trees by the end of 2025.
Strategically placed, trees are one of the most cost-effective tools for cleaning and
protecting waterways.
They filter and absorb polluted runoff, stabilize streambanks, improve soil quality, and
cleanse drinking water sources.
The Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership has been big news since its launch in April. It
is a collaborative effort, coordinated by CBF, of national, regional, state, and local agencies,
36
conservation organizations, watershed groups, conservancies, outdoors enthusiasts, businesses,
and individuals.
Through the end of April, more than 30 partner groups like Penn State Extension Master
Watershed Stewards, Lebanon Valley Conservancy, Doc Fritchey Chapter of Trout Unlimited,
Pequea Park and others planted more than 31,000 trees at over 50 locations throughout the
Commonwealth.
Plantings in Lancaster, York, Adams, Franklin and Cumberland counties in Southcentral
Pennsylvania are important because of the amount of polluted runoff generated there and the
miles of local stream impairment.
Coupled with overall loss of trees along streams and streets, the region is where greatest
need meets greatest opportunity.
Ten million new trees alongside streams, streets, and other priority landscapes could be
the boost needed to get the Commonwealth back on track toward its clean water goals, and
achieving as much as two-thirds of its 95,000-acre Blueprint goal.
Word of partnership plantings has sparked statewide interest. Partners outside of
Pennsylvania’s portion of the Bay watershed will hopefully join the effort in time for the fall
planting season.
To learn more, visit the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership website.
Despite the lack of progress cited in portions of the midpoint assessment, the Chesapeake
Bay is getting better. The dead zone is getting smaller, there is record acreage of Bay grasses
again this year, and the oyster population is improving.
But the recovery is fragile.
This is a watershed moment for the Commonwealth. We’re moving in the right direction
but must accelerate clean water efforts.
Pennsylvania’s new watershed implementation plan and the Keystone 10 Million Trees
Partnership that will plant 10 million trees can provide the boost the Commonwealth needs to get
back on track.
With the new plans for progress, investments at the right levels, in the right practices, and
in the right places can change history.
That will be big news.
For more on Chesapeake Bay-related issues in Pennsylvania, visit the Chesapeake Bay
Foundation-PA webpage. Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left
column). Click Here to support their work.
NewsClips:
37
Related Stories:
In Lancaster
PA To Pilot County-Level Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Planning Process In 4 Counties This
Summer
Find Your Chesapeake GeoTour Launches June 9 In Wrightsville, York County
Over 150 geocaching adventurers are expected June 9 at the

Zimmerman Center for Heritage in Wrightsville, York County for
the launch of the new Find Your Chesapeake GeoTour.
This event will feature displays and exhibits from Maryland,
Virginia, and local geocaching organizations along the Find Your
Chesapeake GeoTour.
Cachers will have the opportunity to pick up a copy of the Find
Your Chesapeake GeoTour Passport, trail requirements, and a
listing of caches along the Find Your Chesapeake GeoTour.
Eight of the geocaches are located at parks and non-profit
organizations along the Susquehanna River.
Geocaching is a worldwide phenomenon, in which participants use
a handheld GPS, or smartphone, to plot map coordinates to locate a
hidden treasure or “cache.”
The Find Your Chesapeake GeoTour is the combined effort of the National Park Service,
Chesapeake Conservancy, and volunteers with the Maryland Geocaching Society and the
Northern Virginia Geocaching Organization.
The trail has over 60 cache locations on eight Chesapeake rivers in Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia. The “FYC” will be the third such collaboration, building
on the success of geotrails along the Star-Spangled Banner and the Captain John Smith
Chesapeake national historic trails.
The Find Your Chesapeake GeoTour will launch June 9 from 10:00 a.m. to Noon at the
Zimmerman Center for Heritage in Wrightsville, York County, a visitor contact station for the
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.
38
Geocaching volunteers, National Park Service staff and representatives from Chesapeake
Conservancy will be on site at the launch event to teach the basics to those who are new to the
hunt and bonus caches will be placed in the area.
Organizers expect most serious geocachers to spring into action as soon as the FYC
GeoTour® coordinates are officially published around 11:30 a.m.
A collectible, highly coveted, challenge coin, known as a “geocoin”, will be awarded to
the first 350 geocachers to locate at least 20 geocaches, record the secret code in the official
passport, and log their finds online.
After discovering the 20 required caches, geocachers may have their passports validated
via mail at the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office, and – for the lucky 350 – a
beautiful two-inch metal coin will be returned in the mail.
The geocoins are engraved with a trackable number that geocachers use to “follow” the
coin or “discover” a coin held by others.
For all the details, visit the Find Your Chesapeake GeoTour website.
NewsClips:
The Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay has issued a

call for classroom and field experience proposals for
the 2018 Chesapeake Watershed Forum on November
2-4 in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
This year’s theme, Connecting Our Communities:
Celebrating Diverse and Innovative Partnerships,
was chosen to celebrate the many diverse and
inclusive partnerships that have proven successful in
the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.
The Forum will reach over 400 restoration and protection practitioners to inspire and
empower local action towards clean water.
It shares successful tools and techniques, building the capacity of local organizations and
governments, building partnerships, educating on new initiatives, networking amongst each
other, and celebrating successes.
The organizers are especially interested in engaging, interactive learning sessions that
highlight innovative partnerships, leading to success.
Click Here on details of submitting proposals.
More information is available on programs, initiatives and special events on the Alliance
39
for the Chesapeake Bay website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Alliance,
Like the Alliance on Facebook, Follow them on Twitter, add them to your Circle on Google+
and visit the Alliance’s YouTube Channel. Click Here to support the Alliance’s work.
NewsClips:
Related Stories:
In Lancaster
Allegheny, Westmoreland Conservation Districts, Partners Host Local Green

Infrastructure Tour June 26
The Allegheny and Westmoreland

County Conservation Districts and their
partners are hosting a Local Green
Infrastructure Tour on June 26 from
9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. starting and
ending at the Monroeville Public
Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd in
Monroeville.
Can planting trees and making
sidewalks out of concrete that’s porous reduce a community’s need to build a water-treatment
plant?
You bet.
And not only that, installing these and other kinds of green infrastructure practices can
also help reduce the risk of flooding and improve water quality, too.
Take a closer look at a variety of green infrastructure practices that are already in place
and doing the job of managing stormwater in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.
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Sponsored by the Westmoreland and Allegheny County conservation districts, Jacobs
Creek Watershed Association, and 3 Rivers Wet Weather, the tour will visit:
-- Detention pond retrofit at the Monroeville Public Library;
-- Unique, quarter-acre porous asphalt parking lot at Southmoreland High School;
-- Eight different stormwater management practices in a half-mile section of Scottdale (including
a porous pavement alley, two kinds of rain gardens, Silva Cells™, and bioswales); and
-- Streambank swales, rain gardens, porous pavement, and riparian buffers at Westmoreland
County Community College.
Stormwater management experts, project engineers, and municipal officials will be on
hand to explain the features of each practice, its effectiveness in capturing stormwater, how the
installation was funded, and how it is maintained. Information also will be provided on scientific
monitoring of the practices.
The tour will stop for lunch at the West Overton Museum in Scottdale, where a boxed
lunch will be provided.
There is a nominal charge for the event. Seating is limited and registration is due by June
15. Click Here to register online.
Funding for this event is provided in part by the PA Association of Conservation
Districts, Inc., through a grant from the Department of Environmental Protection under section
319 of the Clean water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information, look for the Local Green Infrastructure Tour on the Westmoreland
County Conservation District website.
NewsClips:
Join June 13 Webinar To Learn How You Can Help Urge Congress To RECLAIM
Abandoned Mine Lands
The Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation is urging individuals and groups
interested in seeing Congress do more to fund local mine reclamation projects to attend a
national webinar on June 13 at 1:00 or 7:00.
EPCAMR and many other groups are promoting the RECLAIM initiative now pending in
Congress as H.R. 1731.
Pennsylvania would receive about $253 million over the next 5 years to accelerate the
pace of abandoned mine reclamation projects that lead to job creation if the RECLAIM Act
becomes law.
It is critical to point out this is money that is already in the federal Abandoned Mine
Reclamation Fund just sitting there waiting to be spent. Also critical is the fact the per ton fee on
coal that supports this Fund will expire in 2021 if not reauthorized.
The webinar will provide an update on the status of the RECLAIM proposal and how
grassroots organizing can help move the legislation forward.
The hosts of the webinar are Coal River Mountain Watch, The Alliance for Appalachia,
41
Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards and the Center for Coalfield Justice.
Click Here to register.
OSM Watershed Grants
Applications for federal Office of Surface Mining Acid Mine Drainage Watershed Grants
are due August 31.
PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference
Register now for the 20th PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference June 20-21 in
State College.
NewsClips:
Beveridge: Large Abandoned Mine To Be Reclaimed In Rostraver, Washington County
St. Vincent Gets Grant To Study Impact Of Sewage, Mine Drainage Pollution
Getting To The Bottom Of The Geyser Of Big Mine Run In Schuylkill County
Artist Transforms Abandoned Coal Plant Through Mosaic
Related Story:
EPCAMR Asking Groups, Local Governments To Urge Congress To Act NOW On RECLAIM
DEP Invites Groups To Submit Data For Stream Standard Reviews For 3 Watersheds In 7
Counties
The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 9 PA Bulletin inviting
groups and individuals to submit water quality and other information to help its review of water
quality standards in three watersheds--
-- Logan Spring Run in Huntingdon and Blair Counties is being evaluated as part of an NPDES
permit renewal. Logan Spring Run is currently designated Warm Water Fishes, Migratory Fishes
(WWF, MF);
-- Bermudian Creek in Adams County is being evaluated due to a potential inconsistency
between the Fish and Boat Commission Wild Trout Waters classification and the current WWF,
MF designation for portions of the basin; and
-- Fishing Creek in Clinton, Centre, Union and Lycoming Counties is being evaluated in
response to a rulemaking petition submitted to the Environmental Quality Board by the Lloyd
Wilson Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
Persons who have technical data concerning the water quality, instream habitat or
biological condition of these stream sections are encouraged to make it available to the
Department for consideration in the assessment. These assessments may lead to
recommendations to the Board for redesignation.
Data should be submitted to Mark Brickner, Division of Water Quality, Bureau of Clean
Water, P.O. Box 8774, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8774, or sent by email to: mbrickner@pa.gov.
Data should be submitted within 30 days of this notice. Questions concerning this evaluation can
be directed to Mark Brickner at 717-787-9637.
For more information on stream assessments, visit DEP’s Stream Assessment
Notifications webpage.
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Keep PA Beautiful Now Accepting Applications For Fresh Paint Days Grants
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, along with partners

BEHR paint and The Home Depot, are now
accepting applications for 2018 Fresh Paint Days
Pennsylvania Grants. The deadline for
applications is July 31.
The program is designed to provide community
groups with paint and painting supplies enabling
them to renew a community structure in need into
something beautiful through the application of fresh paint.
Eight grants of up to 20 gallons of exterior paint and a gift card for painting supplies will
be awarded to tax-exempt groups within Pennsylvania. Groups will have 30 days to complete
their projects, September 1 through 30.
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful will select the eight winning projects from among
applications submitted.
Selected grantees must meet the following requirements to be considered – only one
building per application, proof of liability insurance, signed permission to paint from the
building owner and two before photos of the intended project.
Selected grantees must also agree to select a color from the Behr paint line and provide a
final report with during and after photos.
“At Behr Paint, we believe in doing the right thing and we’re on a mission to make a
difference in the communities where we live and work,” said Drew Hatcher, Contract
Management Director at Behr Paint. “Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is an amazing organization
and everyone in the community is enriched by their Fresh Paint Days efforts. We are proud to
once again be partnering with them to help beautify communities across the state.”
“Through our partnership with BEHR and The Home Depot, Fresh Paint Days
Pennsylvania empowers community groups to take a direct role in community revitalization
efforts,” explains Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “Keep
Pennsylvania is pleased to continue offering this program to organizations as an impetus to
improve our communities’ one structure at a time. It is a valuable program and I want to
encourage community groups in Pennsylvania to take full advantage of this great opportunity.”
Grants will be awarded in early-August.
The Fresh Paint Days Pennsylvania grant is available to any tax-exempt group within the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Private property owners or individual applicants are not
eligible.
For more information or to download the application. Visit KPB’s 2018 Fresh Paint Days
Pennsylvania Grants webpage. Questions can be answered by Michelle Dunn, Keep
Pennsylvania Beautiful Program Coordinator, at 877-772-3673 ext. 113 or send email to:
mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep
Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to become a member. Click Here to sign up for
regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on
Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.
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Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up
communities and keep them clean and KPB’s Electronics Waste website.
NewsClip:
Nonprofits Encouraged To Apply For Fresh Paint Days Grants
PA Resources Council, Partners Host June 16, 30 Hard-To-Recycle Collection Events In

Allegheny County
The PA Resources Council and its partners will host two
Hard-To-Recycle Collection events on June 16 and 30 in
Allegheny County from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The events
will be held at these locations--
-- June 16: Bethel Park High School, Allegheny County
-- June 30: Quaker Valley High School, Leetsdale,
Allegheny County
Individuals can dispose of cell/home phones, CFL bulbs,
computer towers and peripheral equipment (keyboards,
laptops, mice, UPS/servers, Zip drives, etc.), expanded
polystyrene packaging material, microwave ovens, stereo equipment and video game
consoles/DVD players at no cost.
Participants will pay a fee to drop off televisions, computer monitors, printers, alkaline
batteries, CDs/DVDs/floppy discs, fluorescent tubes, small Freon appliances, tires (with and
without rims) and VHS tapes.
PRC’s 2018 hard-to-recycle campaign is sponsored by Allegheny County Health
Department, Colcom Foundation, Duquesne Light Watt Choices, LANXESS, Municipality of
Bethel Park, NewsRadio 1020 KDKA, NOVA Chemicals, UPMC and WPXI 11 Cares.
PRC is hosting a total of five hard-to-recycle collections in 2018. Upcoming collections
will take place on August 25 in West Mifflin and on October 6 in Robinson Township also in
Allegheny County.
For all the details, visit PRC’s Hard-To-Recycle Event webpage or call 412-488-7490
x236.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the PA Resources
Council website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates, follow PRC on Twitter or Like them
on Facebook. Click Here for PRC’s Events Calendar. Click Here to support their work.
NewsClips:
The Return Of Returnable Beer Bottles By Straub Brewery, Will Customers Bring ‘Em Back?
Editorial: Keystone Landfill Study Show Vigilance Vital
EQB Meets June 19 On Final Radiation Protection Regulations
The Environmental Quality Board is scheduled to meet on June 19 to consider two final
regulations relating to radiation protection.
One is a final-omitted rulemaking adopting U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
44
consistency changes and the other is a final regulation updating requirements for a number of
sources of radiation including x-ray machines, industrial radiological sources and radon
certification.
The meeting will be held in Room 105 Rachel Carson Building starting at 9:00.
For more information and available handouts, visit DEP’s Environmental Quality Board
webpage or contact Laura Edinger by calling 717-772-3277 or sending email to:
ledinger@pa.gov.
West Nile Virus Found In York County, Targeted Spraying Operations Begin This Season
The Department of Environmental Protection this week

announced targeted spraying operations in several
counties to help control the spread of mosquito-borne
West Nile Virus.
So far in the 2018 season, sampling has found West
Nile Virus in Manchester Township, York County.
Certain mosquito species carry the West Nile virus,
which can cause humans to contract West Nile
encephalitis, an infection that can result in an
inflammation of the brain.
According to the Department of Health, all residents in areas where virus activity has
been identified are at risk of contracting West Nile encephalitis.
Individuals can take a number of precautionary measures around their homes to help
eliminate mosquito-breeding areas, including:
-- Dispose of cans, buckets, plastic containers, ceramic pots, or similar containers that hold
water.
-- Properly dispose of discarded tires that can collect water. Stagnant water is where most
mosquitoes breed.
-- Drill holes in the bottom of outdoor recycling containers.
-- Have clogged roof gutters cleaned every year as the leaves from surrounding trees have a
tendency to plug drains.
-- Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use.
-- Turn over wheelbarrows and don't let water stagnate in birdbaths.
-- Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish.
-- Clean and chlorinate swimming pools not in use and remove any water that may collect on
pool covers.
If a resident has stagnant pools of water on their property, they can buy Bti products at
lawn and garden, outdoor supply, home improvement and other stores. This naturally occurring
bacterium kills mosquito larvae, but is safe for people, pets, aquatic life and plants.
Additionally, these simple precautions can prevent mosquito bites, particularly for people
who are most at risk:
-- Make sure screens fit tightly over doors and windows to keep mosquitoes out of homes.
-- Consider wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks when outdoors, particularly when
mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, or in areas known for having large numbers of
45
mosquitoes.
-- When possible, reduce outdoor exposure at dawn and dusk during peak mosquito periods,
usually April through October.
-- Use insect repellents according to the manufacturer's instructions. An effective repellent will
contain DEET, picardin, or lemon eucalyptus oil. Consult with a pediatrician or family physician
for questions about the use of repellent on children, as repellent is not recommended for children
under the age of two months.
For the latest sampling and spraying information, visit the West Nile Virus website.
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Saves Millions Thru Energy Efficiency
State and county officials joined energy efficiency

advocates for a tour of the Penn State Health Milton
S. Hershey Medical Center Central Campus Plant
in Dauphin County Thursday to showcase the
energy efficiency retrofits that saved the Center
millions annually, while improving the patient care
experience.
The tour was hosted by the Keystone Energy
Efficiency Alliance (KEEA) to highlight the
Hershey Medical Center as a model for how
Pennsylvania health care systems-- and other
energy-intensive businesses.
“Energy Efficiency implementation is an important part of our mission. In addition to the
tremendous impact on our financial bottom-line, the direct public health benefit of energy
conservation enhances our Academic Health Center’s clinical, research and education missions,”
said Marvin Smith, Assistant Vice President of Facilities
Utilizing Pennsylvania Act 129, the state’s energy efficiency resource program, Hershey
Medical Center a chilled water optimization plant and is in the process of installing a combined
heat and power (CHP) plant.
This technology generates electricity and captures heat that would otherwise be wasted to
provide useful thermal energy—such as steam or hot water—that can be used for space heating,
cooling, domestic hot water and sterilization processes.
The CHP, along with upgraded heating ventilation, air conditioning and lighting, has
helped Hershey Medical Center save $2.7 million annually. These upgrades work together to
control energy costs on the campus so that the maximum amount of funding is available to
patients and doctors for treatments, research and teaching.
“Act 129 is helping Pennsylvania’s residents, businesses, and non-profit institutions save
considerable amounts of both energy and money. Those who take advantage of Act 129 have
more capital to grow their business or invest in critical services. And Act 129 construction and
retrofit programs support an array of local jobs that cannot be outsourced,” said Matt Elliott,
Executive Director of the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance (KEEA).
The collective benefits are a direct result of Act 129, the state’s cornerstone energy
efficiency and conservation law. Hershey Medical Center, like many other Pennsylvania
46
organizations, benefits directly from Act 129 programs that have businesses save money on
energy and enable them to concentrate investments in mission-driven programs.
Energy efficiency is also a significant and growing job creator in Pennsylvania.
A 2017 report from KEEA and Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) found that 62,000
Pennsylvanians work in clean energy. Those jobs include construction workers, engineers,
energy auditors, product manufacturers, software developers, and others.
Projects like those showcased at Hershey Medical Center support workers in many such
professions.
The tour was attended by lawmakers who serve near Hershey Medical Center, including
Rep. Tom Mehaffie (R-Dauphin), Dauphin County Commissioner Mike Pries, and staff from the
offices of Congressman Scott Perry and Rep. Stan Saylor (R-York).
Jodi Hoffman of PPL Electric Utilities represented the project’s utility partner on the
tour.
Click Here for more on Act 129 and other case studies.
For more information on programs, initiatives and other upcoming events, visit the
Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance website.
NewsClips:
PPL Rebates Offered For Energy-Efficient Building
Related Story:
PUC Publishes Final Policy Statement On Combined Heat, Power Technology
PUC Publishes Final Policy Statement On Combined Heat, Power Technology
The Public Utility Commission formally published the policy statement it adopted in April to
encourage combined heat and power (CHP) technology in the June 9 PA Bulletin.
The PUC’s Bureau of Technical Utility Services will also set up a CHP Working Group
to engage with stakeholders and encourage the deployment of, and reduce barriers to, CHP
initiatives in the Commonwealth. It met for the first time on May 30.
CHP captures the waste heat energy that is typically lost through power generation, using
it to provide heating and/or cooling for manufacturing and business.
CHP is an efficient means of generating electric power and thermal energy from a single
fuel source, providing cost-effective energy services to commercial businesses like hospitals,
universities and hotels.
“CHP offers a variety of benefits,” noted Chairman Gladys M. Brown in a supporting
statement at the PUC public meeting,” First and foremost, CHP supports environmental
stewardship through increased efficiency. Also, it provides economic benefits to its adopters
through reductions in energy consumption. Further, it supports reliability and resiliency as a
distributed energy resource.”
The Commission voted 5-0 to adopt the policy statement, which promotes a coordinated
approach to CHP to the benefit of the economy, the environment, and the security of
Pennsylvania residents and businesses.
First proposed and issued for public comment in the winter of 2016, the newly adopted
policy statement is intended to:
47
-- Promote CHP investments;
-- Encourage electric distribution companies (EDCs) and natural gas distribution companies
(NGDCs) to make CHP an integral part of their energy efficiency and resiliency plans, as well as
their marketing and outreach efforts; and
-- Encourage these companies to design interconnection processes and rates for owners and
operators of CHP facilities.
Under the new policy, EDCs and NGDCs are required to report to the Commission
biennially on CHP development in their service territories, including their efforts to promote
such development.
Commission staff will also provide biennial reports to the Commission summarizing and
analyzing the utility reports, identifying government agency programs providing financial aid
and other support for CHP and making recommendations regarding the development of CHP in
the Commonwealth.
On Jan. 21, 2016, PUC Chairman Brown, on behalf of the Commission, signed a
partnership agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Initiative.
Specifically, the PUC’s partnership agreement pertains to the CHP for Resiliency
Accelerator program, which was launched by DOE to support and expand the consideration of
CHP solutions by states, communities and utilities for their infrastructure needs.
To see all documents related to this issue, visit the PUC’s Docket No.: M-2016-2530484.
The contact person for technical issues is Joseph Sherrick, Bureau of Technical Utility
Services, 717-787-5369 or send email to: josherrick@pa.gov. The contact person for legal issues
is Kriss Brown, Assistant Counsel, Law Bureau, 717-787-4518 or send email to:
kribrown@pa.gov.
For more information, visit the PUC’s Combined Heat and Power webpage.
NewsClips:
Related Story:
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Saves Millions Thru Energy Efficiency
DEP Issues Water Quality Certification For Equitrans Pipeline Expansion Project In
Greene County
The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 9 PA Bulletin that it
has issued the Section 401 Water Quality Certification for the Equitrans Pipeline Expansion
Project in Greene County (PA Bulletin page 3485).
The project involves construction of a 30-inch natural gas pipeline in Franklin and
Jefferson townships, Greene County.
NewsClips:
Information
48
Related Stories:
Washington Counties
DEP Invites Comments On Monaca Gas Pipeline Project Water Quality Certification In
Beaver, Washington Counties
The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 9 PA Bulletin

proposing to issue a Section 401 Water Quality Certification for the National Fuel Gas Monaca
Pipeline Project in Center and Potter townships, Beaver County and Buffalo Township,
Washington County (PA Bulletin page 3488).
The project involves construction o f 12-inch natural gas pipeline for the purpose of
transporting natural gas from an existing transmission line to the Shell Ethane Plant in Beaver
County.
Public comments are due July 9. Read the PA Bulletin notice for all the details. (PA
Bulletin page 3488).
NewsClips:
Information
Related Stories:
County
PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In May Newsletter
The PA Environmental Council Monday published

its In Case You Missed It In May newsletter
featuring articles on--
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-- Western PA Environmental Awards Videos Podcast
-- Postcard From The 2018 World Series Of Birding
-- Building Watershed Coalitions - Regional Watershed Workshops
-- DCNR’s Interactive River Sojourns Map
-- Delaware Watershed Initiative - Little Fish, Big Pond
-- “Tireless” Effort To Cleanup Illegal Dumping In Northeast PA Video
-- East Coast Greenway And Clean Air Run Video
-- Springtime In Harrisburg Podcast
-- The Science Of Leadership Podcast
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the PA
Environmental Council website, visit the PEC Blog, follow PEC on Twitter or Like PEC on
Facebook. Visit PEC’s Audio Room for the latest podcasts. Click Here to receive regular
updates from PEC.
Penn State Extension Hosts Public Meetings On Spotted Lanternfly In Monroe, Schuylkill
Counties
Penn State Extension is hosting a series of public

meetings on the threats posed by the Spotted
Lanternfly throughout Eastern and Southeastern
Pennsylvania.
The Spotted Lanternfly presents a significant threat
to Pennsylvania agriculture, including the grape,
tree-fruit, hardwood and nursery industries, which
collectively are worth nearly $18 billion to the state's
economy.
The public can do a great deal to stop the spread of
this invasive insect. Learn more at a public meeting
near you.
The next meetings will be held--
-- June 20: Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Schuylkill County Agricultural Center, 1202 Ag
Center Drive, 6:30 p.m.
-- June 25: Mountainhome, Monroe County, The Friendly Community Center, 6683 Route 191,
6:30 p.m.
-- July 18: Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Schuylkill County Agricultural Center, 1202 Ag Center
Drive, 6:30 p.m.
Click Here to register, for more information and future meeting dates.
For more information on the Lanternfly, visit the Department of Agriculture’s Spotted
Lanternfly webpage, the U.S.D.A. Spotted Lanternfly webpage and the Penn State Extension
Spotted Lanternfly webpage.
NewsClips:
50
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, The Nature Conservancy-PA Partner To Protect 2,400 Acres
Of Sanctuary Land
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and The Nature

Conservancy-PA Thursday announced the two will
protect over 2,400 acres of Sanctuary forestland for
generations to come in Berks County.
“Hawk Mountain sits on the Kittatinny Ridge, a
globally-significant migration super highway. Our
goal is to protect this international flyway and to
guarantee that our refuge for raptors—and the people
who enjoy it—stays forever wild,” says Hawk
Mountain President Sean Grace.
Over the course of three years, the two conservation
leaders implemented a creative approach to conserve the Sanctuary, including placing the
majority of its landholdings in a perpetual conservation easement.
“Hawk Mountain has always considered this approach, and The Nature Conservancy
presented us a tremendous opportunity through its Working Woodlands Program,” Grace
explains.
An attractive feature was the chance to collaborate on a broad-based forest management
plan that emphasizes the best and highest ecological forest functions, and brings to the Sanctuary
forest expertise that it otherwise would not have.
Bill Kunze, the Executive Director for The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania, calls the
partnership a win-win for conservation. “Our work to preserve the Kittatinny Ridge is easier
when Hawk Mountain leads by example,” he says.
“Not only does Hawk Mountain benefit, but so do other organizations. We’ve already
co-hosted with Hawk Mountain a two-day workshop that connected the best minds in key forest
management issues, such as deer overbrowsing and invasive plant management,” Kunze adds.
The project works thanks to a carbon inventory and the sale of carbon credits. This, in
turn, helps to fund the conservation easement and provide the ongoing input from experts in the
field.
According to Kunze, eligible landowners like Hawk Mountain earn revenue through
carbon credits, and as forest management practices improve, income may increase over time.
“The net result is better-managed forest, more carbon sequestered, and greater incentive
to protect land over the long-term,” says Kunze.
The ultimate goal is to serve as a leader in land conservation, and a model for other
organizations and private landowners.
"Hawk Mountain and The Nature Conservancy has done a tremendous job today in this
project to not only protect land, but also to still allow recreation and nature tourism," says Sara
Nicholas, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Policy Director.
“It’s amazing what two organizations can accomplish when they partner at the highest
level,” says Grace. “Hawk Mountain and The Nature Conservancy benefit, and so does wildlife.”
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Hawk
Mountain Sanctuary website or call 610-756-6961. Click Here to sign up for regular updates
51
from the Sanctuary, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, visit them on Flickr, be part of
their Google+ Circle and visit their YouTube Channel. Click Here to support Hawk Mountain.
For more information on programs, initiatives and other special events, visit the PA
Chapter of The Nature Conservancy website. Click Here to sign up for updates from TNC, Like
them on Facebook, Follow them on Twitter and Join them on Instagram. Click Here to become a
member.
NewsClips:
Related Story:
Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee Earns National Recognition
The National Coalition for Recreational Trails

recently awarded DCNR’s Pennsylvania Trails
Advisory Committee the 2018 Achievement
Award for Outstanding State Recreational Trails
Advisory Committee.
The Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee
was honored along with 10 trail projects at a
special Capitol Hill ceremony in Washington,
D.C. on June 5 as part of the celebration of Great
Outdoors Month.
The Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee is a 20-member committee staffed by the
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that represents both motorized and
non-motorized trail users and advises the state agencies on use of state and federal trail funding,
and serves as an effective voice for trail interests in state trail policies and programs.
From the Coalition for Recreation Trails announcement--
“The committee has 20 members, with 11 representing different trail uses. Okay; that’s
not so unusual. But they didn’t stop there.
“A 12th member represents people with disabilities, which the NASPD committee
particularly noticed, and the remaining eight are at-large members drawn from one of these four
professional groups: trail advocates; trail planners; trail builders; and trail managers.
“Then they add, as ex officio members, the RTP coordinator from the Bureau of
Recreation and Conservation; the RTP and Transportation Alternatives Program coordinator
from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation; and representatives of both the Bureau of
State Forestry and the Bureau of State Parks. These folks mean business.
“And to focus their efforts and increase their effectiveness, they have set up four
dedicated subcommittees. The committee is charged with implementing the recommendations of
the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. SCORP plans have been around for
years.
“But Pennsylvania has also created a Trail Network Strategic Plan, based on an input
52
session the committee hosted during the 2013 statewide Greenways and Trails Summit. And, in
addition to that strategic plan, an annual trails report is prepared with the help of the committee’s
Education and Communication subcommittee, which is also working with the DCNR on the
development of a Committee Manual.
“The DCNR’s ambitious goal is to have a trail within 15 minutes of every Pennsylvania
citizen and the advisory committee supports the state’s efforts to reach this goal.
“One of their best tools is the identification of the Top 10 Trail Gaps in the state, a
program that began in 2015 to identify projects that will connect contiguous open miles of trails,
require construction or rehabilitation of major infrastructure, have a large price tag and can be
completed by the end of 2019.
“The committee’s Planning subcommittee is working with the DCNR on its Trail Gap
analysis efforts and on improving the ability to close those gaps.
“Another new idea is the designation of a Pennsylvania Trail of the Year, which is
coordinated by the advisory committee’s Events Subcommittee, to help build enthusiasm and
support for both large and small trails, and raise public awareness about the value of
Pennsylvania’s trail network.
“Since the program’s inception in 2013, a total of 75 nominations have been submitted,
making this innovation one of the committee’s biggest accomplishments. The same
subcommittee determines promotion strategies for Trails Month in September as well.
“NASPD also made special note of the committee’s outreach to the public. Members of
the committee host trail forums across the state, bringing information and feedback to the full
committee for action.
“So far, three forums have been held and two more are being planned. Clearly, this is a
focused, dedicated, and effective group. And there’s one more adjective I’d like to add:
enthusiastic.
“When they learned they had won this year’s Achievement Award and the ceremony
conflicted with their own meeting, they changed their plans, and a 12-member delegation has
come from all over the state to accept their well-deserved award.”
The state award winner is chosen each year by the National Association of State Park
Directors Awards Committee—particularly appropriate because in most states, the state park
agency administers Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funds.
Visit DCNR’s Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee webpage to learn more about
their activities. To explore trails across Pennsylvania, visit the Explore PA Trails website.
NewsClips:
Sen. Yudichak Hikes To Celebrate 30th Anniversary Of D&L Corridor
Point State Park Fountain Repairs Continue In Pittsburgh
June 8 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation
Exploring Greene County From A Kayak On Ten Mile Creek
Beveridge: Mon River Trail Floated As Tourism Boost
Crable: Officials To Rebuild Martic Forge Bridge For Rail-Trail In Lancaster
Chambersburg To Discuss Banning Drones From Public Parks
Design Sketches For Delaware River Waterfront Trail To Be Unveiled
Philadelphia Rail Park Opens, Carrying Freight Of A Changing Neighborhood
AP: Tower Of Voices At Flight 93 Memorial To Open By 9/11
O’Neill: Out On The Appalachian Trail, More Than A Long Walk
53
Crable: Susquehanna National Heritage Area Designation Passes U.S. House
Related Story:
William Penn Foundation Awards $10.6M For The Circuit Trails In Southeast PA
William Penn Foundation Awards $10.6M For The Circuit Trails In Southeast PA
The William Penn Foundation Wednesday

announced grants totaling $10.6 million in
support of a project to build multi-use
trails in southeastern Pennsylvania and
New Jersey.
The grants will help close gaps in and
accelerate completion of the Circuit Trails,
a regional network of interconnected trails
totaling 800 miles-- 2,329 of which have
been built-- that provides opportunities for recreation, exercise, and travel, as well as access to
miles of rivers and streams.
“The Circuit Trails bring enormous value to communities across the region. They foster
critical connections between communities, and bring people closer to our rivers and streams. We
are proud to collaborate with other key organizations in the work of completing the full system
of trails,” said Andrew Johnson, Program Director of Watershed Protection at the William Penn
Foundation.
The grants include $6.6 million in capital funding to the Delaware Valley Regional
Planning Commission to provide technical assistance and administer a competitive re-granting
fund in support of the planning, design, and construction of new trails.
Other Circuit Trails Coalition organizations receiving grants for supporting work,
including planning, communications, and programming, include:
-- Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia to develop campaigns and programs to increase the
visibility and advance completion of the trails.
-- Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art to plan and develop new Circuit Trails in the
Brandywine Creek valley.
-- Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor to analyze potential new public access points
to the Delaware Canal Trail, a portion of The Circuit Trails network.
-- Rails-to-Trails Conservancy to market and promote The Circuit Trails in order to increase trail
use and build support for more public funding.
-- Heritage Conservancy for outreach and programming in Bristol, Pa., and along the Delaware
Canal in Bucks County to connect gaps in and increase use of The Circuit Trails.
-- Schuylkill River Development Corporation to complete the final design for the Christian to
Crescent segment of the Schuylkill River Trail, a key segment of the Circuit Trails.
-- D&R Greenway Land Trust to advance The Circuit in Burlington and Mercer Counties, New
Jersey.
"With more than half of the total project left to complete, we have established an interim
goal of reaching 500 trail miles by the year 2025," said Sarah Clark Stuart, chair of the Circuit
54
Trails Coalition and executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. "The
foundation's funding is so critical to helping the coalition achieve this ambitious goal, as every
mile of multi-use trail requires a significant level of investment for planning, feasibility study,
design, and construction as well as communication, advocacy, and organizing."
The Circuit Trails is one of the largest trail networks in the United States. Once complete,
this system will serve as a powerful connector between communities and their local parks and
waterways within the Delaware River watershed.
Years of hard work by more than 60 Coalition partners has generated local momentum
and attracted additional funding sources for the trails.
In March, The Circuit Trails celebrated a significant success when U.S. Senators Bob
Casey (D-Pa.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) announced the federal government approved a $12
million TIGER grant for the Christian to Crescent segment of the Schuylkill River Trail in
Philadelphia, a key trail within the Circuit.
For more information on trails in the Southeast, visit the Circuit Trails website. To
explore trails across Pennsylvania, visit the Explore PA Trails website.
(Photo: Brandywine Trail, Schuylkill River Trail.)
NewsClips:
Related Story:
Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee Earns National Recognition
Friends Of Allegheny Wilderness Join Conservation Groups In Telling Congress: Keep

Bikes Out Of Wilderness Areas
The Friends of Allegheny Wilderness, joined 149

other conservation groups Thursday in opposing
legislation in Congress “to reject an
unprecedented call to weaken the Wilderness Act
to allow for the use of mountain bikes in
designated Wilderness.”
The sign-on letter from 150 organizations was
prepared in response to two Republican bills (S.
55
2877 and H.R. 1349), which would open up all of America’s 110-million acres of Wilderness to
mountain bikes and other sundry wheeled contraptions within 2 years of passage. The Senate
bill was just recently introduced in Congress.
“Tionesta, Pennsylvania native and Wilderness Act of 1964 author Howard Zahniser
during his long career wrote chapter and verse emphasizing that all forms of modern
mechanization must be prohibited from wilderness areas in perpetuity,” stated Friends of
Allegheny Wilderness executive director Kirk Johnson. “For example, as early as 1949 Zahniser
wrote the following to Congress.”
“Wilderness areas must be forever kept free from the sights and sounds of mechanical
civilization, and all the influences which clash with the primeval environment or detract from its
full enjoyment.” — Howard Zahniser, in The Wilderness Society’s 1949 report to Congress, A
Statement on Wilderness Preservation.
“Any honest person can readily see what the original intent of the Wilderness Act was in
this regard. Zahniser would be spinning in his grave in Tionesta’s Riverside Cemetery along the
banks of the National Wild and Scenic Allegheny River were these two obtuse and hostile,
overtly anti-wilderness, bills to pass,” Johnson concluded.
“Mountain bikes are exactly the kind of mechanical devices and mechanical transport that
Congress intended to keep out of Wilderness in passing the Wilderness Act. Bicycles have their
place, but that place is not inside Wilderness areas,” explained Kevin Proescholdt, Conservation
Director of Wilderness Watch.
“For over a half century, the Wilderness Act has protected wilderness areas from
mechanization and mechanical transport, even if no motors were involved with such activities.
This has meant, as Congress intended, that Wildernesses have been kept free from bicycles and
other types of mechanization and mechanical transport. [We] believe that this protection has
served our nation well, and that the ‘benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness’ would be
forever lost by allowing mechanized transport in these areas,” the 150 organizations wrote
Congress in the sign-on letter.
“We see this for what it is: an assault on the very idea of Wilderness and the values of the
Wilderness Act,” said George Nickas, executive director of Wilderness Watch. “At a time when
wilderness and wildlife are under increasing pressures from increasing populations, growing
mechanization, and a rapidly changing climate, the last thing Wilderness needs is to be invaded
by mountain bikes and other machines.”
Supporters of S. 2877 and H.R. 1349 disingenuously claim that mountain bikes were
allowed in Wilderness until 1984, but then banned administratively by the U.S. Forest Service.
This claim is simply not true.
“The 1964 Wilderness Act (36 U.S.C. 1131-1136) banned all types of mechanized
transport, including bicycles, in designated Wilderness. Section 4(c) of that act states, “[T]here
shall be...no use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment or motorboats, no landing of aircraft, no
other form of mechanical transport, and no structure or installation within any such area.”
[Emphasis added.]
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Friends of
Allegheny Wilderness website.
NewsClips:
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Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape Initiative Awards $85,000 In

Mini-Grants For 18 Projects
The Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation

Landscape Initiative recently announced the
award of $85,000 in mini-grants to 18 local
recipients to advance the goals of land
conservation, community revitalization and
environmental education.
The grant recipients included--
-- Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley,
$10,000 to support Master Watershed Steward
projects;
-- Friends of Johnston, Inc, $9,500 to complete a
study and restoration plan for a bog on Archibald Johnston Preserve and begin removing
invasive and replanting native plants;
-- Community Bike Works, $7,800 to provide outdoor education to urban students through trail
bike rides, conservation careers leadership program;
-- Wildlands Conservancy, $6,000 to complete a riparian buffer gap analysis for Lehigh and
Northampton counties;
-- Wildlands Conservancy, $5,000 to hire a consultant to develop and manufacture a map and
interpretive sign for the Jordan Creek Greenway about the trail and conservation story;
-- City of Easton, $5,000 to build a bicycle playground in Hugh Moore Park for children 4+
years including a tunnel to ride through and natural winding dirt path;
-- City of Easton, $3,500 to create three native plant pollinator gardens in Hugh Moore Park to
educate visitors and provide wildlife habitat;
-- Lehigh Carbon Community College, $5,000 to create three native plant, pollinator gardens on
campus through the research and coordination of students, faculty, and volunteers;
-- Lehigh Gap Nature Center, $5,000 for field supplies and training a class of Color of Nature
interns to lead bilingual environmental programs in urban parks;
-- Plainfield Township, Northampton County, $5,000 to create and adopt an Official Map and
corresponding Ordinance to utilize Open Space EIT funds to protect high priority natural areas;
57
-- Nurture Nature Center, $4,800 to expand the nature journaling program by creating three “sit
spots” in Easton and holding workshops for the public and educators;
-- Bushkill Township, Northampton County, $4,000 to construct matted swales and a rain garden
along the parking area of the Ballas Tract;
-- Lafayette College, $3,400 to create a trail counter system for Karl Stirner Arts Trail with
multiple trail counts and in-person surveying to increase data and support closing trail gaps;
-- Northern Lehigh Recreation Authority, $3,000 to create a trailhead visitors’ center in
Slatington on weekends to promote trails, community programs, and local businesses;
-- Northern Lehigh Recreation Authority, $1,500 to hold an outdoor recreation food truck
festival on July 28 in Walnutport to promote a variety of outdoor education and recreation
opportunities;
-- Delaware Valley Green Building Council, $2,700 to hold a workshop for school personnel
about creating healthier, more energy efficient schools;
-- Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition, $2,250 to provide scholarships to Lehigh Valley
youth groups to experience the Delaware River Sojourn; and
-- Northampton County Conservation District, $1,550 to promote conservation education with an
Act 48 Teacher Workshop about invasive species and how to safely and effectively remove
them.
Funding for the grants was provided by the Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources.
Learn more about the Lehigh Valley Conservation Landscape Initiative by visiting the
Lehigh Valley Greenways and about Conservation Landscape Initiatives across the state by
visiting the DCNR website.
NewsClips:
They’re Off! College Students Research Brook Trout On Route 6 Trek In Northern Tier
Six college students from the PA Trout Unlimited’s

5 Rivers clubs have begun a month-long trek across
Pennsylvania’s U.S. Route 6. Their purpose is to
explore, do research, collect data and still have time
58
do a little bit of fishing in the Northern Tier’s famed brook trout breeding grounds.
They will be supported by the Fish and Boat Commission, three colleges including
Mansfield University, Keystone College and the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford, National
Trout Unlimited staff, and a plethora of Trout Unlimited chapter members from across the top of
Pennsylvania.
The students were given assignments by a committee set up in that region for data
collection and research. The students will start at Keystone College in Lackawanna County and
begin their trek on the New Jersey border, moving west until they receive their next set of
instructions from the committee at Mansfield in Tioga County.
They will repeat the process heading west to Bradford in McKean County. In the final
week they will head back to Keystone College to present their data and findings.
The committees at each location will include chapter volunteers, fisheries professionals
from PFBC, full time National TU staff, professors from each college and a member from PATU
Council.
This endeavor will be funded by sponsors and donors, which includes a major portion
from PFBC.
It is our hope that these students will be able to use this project for an internship and also
to help develop their capstone projects for graduation.
Follow the students on a special TU PA Brook Trout Odyssey Instagram account, on the
Trout Unlimited PA Brook Trout Odyssey Facebook page or on the PA Trout Council’s
Facebook page.
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the PA Council
of Trout Unlimited website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates (top of page). Like them
on Facebook. Follow PATU on Twitter. Click Here to become a member. Click Here to
support their work.
NewsClips:
Crable: A Virus Killed Susquehanna’s Smallmouth Bass All Those Years
Cusick: Virus Linked To Smallmouth Bass Deaths In Susquehanna
Slippery Rock U Closes McKeever Environmental Center. Save McKeever
Valley Middle School Students In Hazelton Win STEM Competition
Plum High School Students, Community Members Take Part In STEAM Playground
EQT Supports Wildlife For Everyone Seedlings For Schools Program In Southwest
Obit: Jack Phillips, 23, Penn State Graduate Who Aspired To Protect The Environment
Related Story:
Bay Journal: PA Shad Hatchery’s 42-Year Run May Be Coming To An End, Unless PA General
Assembly Acts
Bay Journal: PA Shad Hatchery’s 42-Year Run May Be Coming To An End, Unless PA
General Assembly Acts
By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal
59
If you saw this creature in a stream, you’d run for cover.
The footlong image on Josh Tryninewski’s computer screen had an eerie, transparent
body with two large bulging eyes at one end. A strange white sac was hanging underneath.
You could find one in a stream, but not easily.
It’s not a mutant — but an American shad, just hours after hatching. The one on
Tryninewski’s screen was actually a tiny speck just a few millimeters long, floating in a petri
dish and greatly magnified through a microscope.
“This is day zero — just welcomed into the world today, in the comfy confines of a nice
blue tank,” said Tryninewski, a fisheries biologist with Pennsylvania’s Fish and Boat
Commission.
The tiny fish was one of roughly 4 million shad expected to be reared this spring in the
state’s Van Dyke Hatchery. But the shad “fry” projected onto Tryninewski’s screen could also be
among the last.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission last year announced plans to eliminate
funding for the Van Dyke Hatchery after the 2018 spawning season. That would end a 42-year
operation that has pumped nearly 281 million shad fry into the Susquehanna River, the
Chesapeake Bay’s largest tributary. Nearly 30 million more have been reared for the Delaware
River.
The commission in April reaffirmed its decision to close the hatchery, which costs about
$200,000 a year to operate, as well as two other hatcheries as part of an overall $2 million budget
cut effective July 1.
Although the commission is an independent agency, the state legislature has to approve
increased fees for fishing licenses, the commission’s largest source of revenue, which have not
gone up since 2005.
“Unless legislators act, we must cut expenses to remain financially solvent,” said John
Arway, the commission’s executive director. (Click Here for more.)
That seems unlikely. Many lawmakers oppose any fee hike, and some view the
commission’s threat to close hatcheries as heavy-handed and have instead introduced legislation
that would limit the term of its executive director, effectively throwing Arway out of his
position.
If the issue is not resolved, the reddish plywood building located a stone’s throw from the
Juniata River, a Susquehanna tributary, could close its doors for good after it finishes stocking
bug-eyed shad fry in June.
“It’s concerning,” said Tryninewski, who has been overseeing the hatchery since 2014,
“because in three to five years you are going to have 40 to 50 percent fewer shad [in the
Susquehanna] than what’s there now.”
An Upstream Battle
Getting shad back in the Susquehanna has been a challenge for more than 150 years.
Shad are anadromous, meaning they are born in freshwater rivers but spend most of their lives in
the ocean along the Atlantic Coast before returning to their native river to spawn.
Spring migration runs in the Susquehanna — which holds the most spawning habitat of
any East Coast river — began declining in the mid-1800s, in part because spawning runs were
hindered by small dams built to divert water into adjacent canals.
The Pennsylvania legislature created the fish agency in 1866 to restore shad runs to the
river. But the situation worsened in the early 1900s when four large hydroelectric dams were
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built on its lower stretch, totally blocking fish migration.
In 1976, with shad having nearly disappeared in the river below the dams, the utilities
that owned the facilities paid to build and operate the Van Dyke Hatchery to help restore its
population.
Ultimately, the goal was to put the hatchery out of business by helping the shad to get
upstream on their own to spawn.
In the 1990s, the utilities spent tens of millions of dollars building fish passages that
would physically lift fish over three of the dams, while allowing them to swim over a ladder at
the fourth.
When the last passage was completed in 2000 — theoretically opening the entire river to
fish migration — utility funding for the hatchery ended, along with an operation to capture shad
below the dams and truck them upstream.
But the passages were never as effective as anticipated. In recent years, only a few
thousand shad have made it past the first three dams, where they begin to find suitable spawning
habitat. Since 2010, the number getting past all four has ranged from 8 to 224.
So the commission has continued operating the Van Dyke hatchery to help maintain a
population in hopes that the passage issues would eventually be resolved.
“The number that are getting to the spawning grounds has been dropping the last 10 or 15
years,” said Sheila Eyler, who coordinates fish restoration efforts on the river for the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service. “So the role of the hatchery has actually gotten more important to sustain
that run and keep it going until we can address the fish passage problems that we have.”
Battling The Odds
The bug-eyed shad under Tryninewski’s microscope had arrived via truck a little more
than a week before, among a batch of eggs harvested from the Potomac River.
The eggs came in plastic bags and were carried into a biosecure room where the bags
were floated in tanks of water until they reached about 60 degrees. After that, they were placed
in egg incubation jars — four foot-high clear plastic tubes which can hold several hundred
thousand eggs that are constantly stirred by a gentle upwelling of water.
Like much of its equipment, the incubation tubes were custom-made for the hatchery, and
they’ve aged. Many are held together with epoxy, hot glue and duct tape. “We treat all of these
as if they were antiques, because they kind of are,” Tryninewski said.
After eight days, the fry start to emerge from the eggs, and the tubes are moved into large
blue tanks filled with slightly warmer water — 64 degrees — overnight.
The next day, the tubes are taken outside and the eggs stirred with a turkey feather to
speed hatching — “the eggs and the fry don’t stick to the feather,” Tryninewski explained. The
hatching is greatly accelerated if it’s also sunny outside.
The fry are then released into the large, blue tanks, about 5 feet across, each of which can
hold a half-million larval fish. The first couple of days they live off the white yolk sac from the
egg that remains attached.
After that, they begin gorging on a blend of brine shrimp and dried commercial fish food,
which automatically sprinkles into the tank every 15 minutes.
The larvae are tiny, but the ensuing feeding frenzy is hard to miss.
“You see them racing through and dimpling on the surface?” Tryninewski asked. “They
go after it pretty good.”
Starting at three days, the tanks are treated with tetracycline, a chemical that accumulates
61
in the only bone that exists in the tiny fish — the ear bone, or otolith. That allows biologists to
identify hatchery-reared fish when they are recovered in the wild.
After about 20 days, when they’ve reached a length of roughly three-quarter of an inch,
the tiny fish are removed from their blue tanks. Just as they arrived, they leave in plastic bags
and are carried to their destination in coolers.
Those reared from eggs from the Susquehanna and Potomac rivers, about three quarters
of the roughly 4 million shad expected to be reared this year, will be released in various
Susquehanna tributaries. The other quarter, reared from Delaware River eggs, will be released in
that basin.
Biologists float the bags in river water, allowing the temperature to adjust before the bags
are opened, and the fry — still translucent and bug-eyed — swim out.
They’ll be easy pickings for predators, so biologists typically release half a million or
more at a time. “That way they are overwhelming any predators that may be there,” Tryninewski
said.
By fall, the juvenile fish will have left the Susquehanna by passing through the turbines
of large hydroelectric dams in the lower part of the river. They’ll spend four or five years
swimming along the Atlantic Coast.
“They don’t stop swimming until they are dead,” Tryninewski said. “They don’t take a
rest, they just keep going.”
If they survive the gantlet of predators in the ocean, about one out of every 425 that are
released into a Susquehanna tributary will return as an adult to spawn.
3-Pronged Effort
Or try to. For many, the return journey will be futile because only a fraction of the
migrating fish make it through the passages to spawning grounds upstream.
Upgrades to the passages are planned as part of relicensing agreements with dam owners,
but completion would be years away.
In the meantime, biologists hope that some migrating shad would be captured from the
river, trucked around the dams and released to spawn as part of a trap-and-transport program
Exelon has agreed to implement among the terms of a new operating license.
Exelon owns the 94-foot-high Conowingo Dam in Maryland which, just 10 miles
upstream from the Bay, is the first dam encountered by migrating fish.
But it’s unclear whether that will be ready to start next year as hoped, because Exelon
and the state of Maryland still have issues to resolve before a new license can be finalized.
“If a license were issued in late 2018 or early 2019, there may be a potential for limited
trap and transport in 2019, but I really wouldn’t expect much to happen until 2020,” Eyler said.
If not, 2019 could be the first year since 1976 without juvenile shad produced above the
dams.
In any case, biologists had viewed upstream shad restoration on the Susquehanna as a
three-pronged effort: Some fish would be carried over the dams as passages are upgraded, others
trucked around them, and the hatchery would continue to stock fry. That way, rebuilding the
shad population would not depend on just one technique or technology.
If Van Dyke is closed, that prong would be removed from the equation.
Shad Stocking Struggles
It would also accelerate the dramatic decline in shad stocking around the Chesapeake.
After Van Dyke opened, more than half a dozen hatcheries in the region, operated by states,
62
federal agencies and Native American tribes, began churning out millions of fry as part of an
all-out effort to rebuild the population in the Bay watershed — an effort that also included new
fish passages, dam removals and harvest moratoriums.
Shad historically were a revered species in the region migrating far up the region’s rivers
— on the Susquehanna, they supported fisheries as far north as New York — and their
restoration has long been a goal of the state-federal Bay Program partnership.
As recently as the 1950s, they were the most valuable fishery in the Chesapeake, but
overfishing, pollution, loss of habitat and the construction of dams that closed off historic
spawning grounds have all contributed to the population collapse, scientists say.
While there have been some bright spots — the Potomac stock has been steadily
increasing — their spawning populations are at near historic lows in most East Coast rivers.
In the [Chesapeake] Bay region, hatchery production peaked in 2000, when 36 million
shad were stocked in various Bay tributaries.
Over the next decade, though, stocking began to decline.
Because of concerns about declines in other rivers, Van Dyke was no longer able to
import large numbers of eggs from the Hudson, which had been a major source and pushed its
production to well over 10 million in some years.
The Potomac, the Bay tributary with the healthiest population, became the egg source for
Van Dyke and most other hatchery production throughout the region.
But gradually, other hatcheries closed because of budget cuts or shifted their focus to
other species. This year, in a cost-cutting move, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland
Fisheries stopped funding the hatchery production of shad for the James River, ending a 25-year
effort.
If Van Dyke closes, the only major American shad stocking activity next year will be by
Maryland on the Choptank and Patapsco rivers, where the state each year tries to stock 2.75
million and 200,000 respectively, and by Delaware on the Nanticoke River, where a record 1.3
million shad were stocked last year.
Across the Bay region, shad production will have fallen nearly 90 percent from its peak.
By themselves, hatcheries in the region have failed to restore large shad populations in
once-major spawning areas like the James and Susquehanna rivers.
But biologists say the blame likely lies with pressures from outside the region — such as
the bycatch of shad in commercial ocean fisheries — which has driven shad populations along
most of the Atlantic Coast to near-record lows.
On the other hand, many note, if it weren’t for hatchery production, shad numbers on the
Susquehanna would be far lower than they are today.
“The hatchery fish they are releasing are still contributing pretty significantly to the
adults that are returning to the dam,” said Steve Minkkinen, who heads the USFWS Maryland
fisheries office.
Numbers are not precise, but the Maryland Department of Natural Resources estimates
the Upper Bay shad run is roughly twice as large as it was three decades ago.
And DNR biologists say they are seeing evidence that their hatchery efforts are paying
off as adult shad are starting to return in the Choptank and Patapsco.
“We’re cautiously optimistic,” said Chuck Stence, of the DNR’s anadromous fish
program. But, he added, “restoration doesn’t occur over several years. It could be decades.”
Whether time will run out on Van Dyke remains to be seen.
63
If the hatchery closes, restarting it may be difficult. The microscope Tryninewski used to
show off just-hatched shad fry is the most high-tech feature in the plywood building. The
operating manual hasn’t been updated since 1997, and Tryninewski said “there’s a lot of Rube
Goldburg things around here. It is definitively function over form.”
Most of the operating knowledge is handed down from biologists who have worked at the
hatchery over time.
“For someone coming in cold trying to get this facility up and running,” Tryninewski
said, gesturing to the pipes crisscrossing the hatchery to the various tubes and tanks, “…you look
at this and it just looks like spaghetti.”
(Photo: Josh Tryninewski examines shad “fry” produced at Pennsylvania’s Van Dyke Hatchery
using a microscope that projects them onto a computer screen. (Dave Harp).)
NewsClips:
Related Stories:
They’re Off! College Students Research Brook Trout On Route 6 Trek In Northern Tier
Chesapeake Bay Foundation: PA Lagging In Meeting All Pollution reduction Goals Except From
Wastewater Plants
Bay Journal: Exelon Sues Maryland Over Unfair Burden Posed By Conowingo Dam
Requirements
(Reprinted from the Chesapeake Bay Journal.)
3 More Captive Deer Test Positive For Chronic Wasting Disease In Blair, Lancaster
Counties
The Department of Agriculture Friday announced three captive deer have tested positive for
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Pennsylvania, bringing the total to 49 since the disease was
discovered in Pennsylvania in 2012.
The disease was confirmed in two white-tailed deer on a small hobby farm in Greenfield
Township, Blair County. These are the first CWD positives among captive deer in Blair County.
The farm is now under quarantine.
A West Cocalico Township, Lancaster County deer also tested positive. The deer was
among a herd that was euthanized after a deer tested positive in February 2018. It was the only
positive result among 36 deer tested.
Click Here for the full announcement.
Visit Agriculture’s Captive Deer CWD Program webpage and the Game Commission
Chronic Wasting Disease webpage.
64
Public Participation Opportunities/Calendar Of Events
This section lists House and Senate Committee meetings, DEP and other public hearings and
meetings and other interesting environmental events.
NEW means new from last week. [Agenda Not Posted] means not posted within 2 weeks
of the advisory committee meeting. Go to the online Calendar webpage for updates.
Note: DEP published the 2018 meeting schedules for its advisory committees and boards.
June 9-- NEW. Find Your Chesapeake GeoCaching GeoTour Launches. Zimmerman Center for
Heritage in Wrightsville, York County. 10:00.
June 11-- NEW. Senate Appropriations Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 1171
(Brooks-R-Crawford) replacing the Nutrient Management Advisory Board with the Farm Animal
Advisory Board (sponsor summary). Rules Room. Off the Floor.
June 11-- House State Government Committee holds a hearing on the Delaware River Basin
Commission to hear from entities regulated and to investigate concerns about the impact of
DRBC policies and actions on economic vitality and property rights. Room 205 Ryan Building.
10:00. Committee meetings are typically webcast through the House Republican Caucus
website. Click Here for more.
June 11-- NEW. House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meets to consider House
Resolution 948 (Causer-R-Cameron) requesting the Auditor General to do a financial audit of the
PA Infrastructure Investment Authority nonpoint source water pollution control program
(sponsor summary). Room 60 East Wing. 12:15. Committee meetings are typically webcast
through the House Republican Caucus website. Click Here for more.
June 12-- NEW. Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider
House Bill 2154 (Causer-R- Cameron), the Conventional Oil and Gas Act, which weakens
environmental protection standards for conventional oil and gas drilling and turns back the clock
34 years to the original 1984 Oil and Gas Act. Click Here for more; Senate Bill 1189
(Baker-R-Luzerne) that would declare, as a matter of law, an oil and gas fracking moratorium
enacted by the Delaware River Basin Commission would constitute an act of eminent domain
and a taking of property for which compensated would be required from DRBC. Click Here for
more; Senate Resolution 373 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) would establish a 23-member
Senate-House legislative Commission to Study Pipeline Construction and Operations and to
recommend improvements for the safe transport of oil, natural gas and other hazardous liquids
through pipelines. Click Here for more; Senate Bill 1027 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) setting
additional notification requirements for residents impacted by pipeline construction (sponsor
summary); Senate Resolution 375 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) urging Congress to support the
development of an ethane storage hub in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 917
(Dinniman-R-Chester) amends Act 101 Municipal Waste Planning and Recycling Act to include
65
spent mushroom compost under the definition of “compost materials to encourage its reuse
(sponsor summary); House Bill 927 (Rader-R-Monroe) amends Act 101 Municipal Waste
Planning and Recycling Act to eliminate the mandate on municipalities to have a leaf waste
collection program (House Fiscal Note and summary); Senate Resolution 326 (Vogel-R-Beaver)
encourage Congress to recognize the Eastern Legacy of the Lewis and Clark National Trail for
its historic national significance (sponsor summary). Room 8E-B East Wing 9:30. Click Here to
watch the meeting live online. Click Here for more.
June 12-- NEW. House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider
House Bill 2304 (Fritz-R-Susquehanna) which would enact the oil and gas well permitting
reforms proposed by Gov. Wolf in January. Room B-31 Main Capitol. 9:30. House committee
meetings are typically webcast through the House Republican Caucus website. Click Here for
more.
June 12-- Penn State Center For Nutrient Solutions Presentation Of Research Results. Radisson
Hotel Harrisburg, 1150 Camp Hill Bypass, Camp Hill, Cumberland County. 8:00 to 4:00.
June 12-- DEP Weathering The Storm Stormwater Education Workshop. Alumni Room of the
Waldron Campus Center, Gannon University, 109 University Square, Erie. 8:30 to 3:30.
June 12-- PA Highlands Coalition. Multi-Functional Riparian Buffer Webinar. 10:30 to Noon.
June 12-- Sustainable Pittsburgh. Renewable Energy Procurement, Opportunities For PA

Businesses, Institutions Webinar. 2:00 to 3:00.
June 13-- NEW. House Local Government Committee meets to consider House Bill 2468
(Kampf-R-Chester) limiting use of eminent domain on land with conservation easements for
parks and open space purposes (sponsor summary). Room 205 Ryan Building. 9:00. House
committee meetings are typically webcast through the House Republican Caucus website. Click
Here for more.
June 13-- DEP State Board For Certification of Water and Wastewater Systems Operators. 10th
Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Edgar Chescattie,
717-772-2814 or eschescattie@pa.gov.
June 13-- DEP Weathering The Storm Stormwater Education Workshop. Winnie Palmer Nature
Reserve, Saint Vincent College, 744 Walzer Way, Latrobe, Westmoreland County. 8:30 to 3:30.
June 13-- Delaware River Basin Commission business meeting on a variety of policies and
water withdrawal requests. West Trenton Volunteer Fire Company, 40 West Upper Ferry Road,
West Trenton, NJ. 10:30. (formal notice) Click Here for more details.
June 13-- DCNR Elk State Forest District Public Meeting. Elk State Forest Resource
Management Center, 258 Sizerville Road in Emporium, Cameron County. 6:00 to 8:30.
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June 13-- Penn State Agriculture & Environment Center. Stream Stewardship Workshop Part 1.
Milanof-Schock Library, 1184 Anderson Ferry Road, Mount Joy, Lancaster County. 6:30. Part
2 is June 20.
June 13-- NEW. National Webinar On Federal RECLAIM Mine Reclamation Bill And How
You Can Help. 1:00 and 7:00.
June 14-- House Game and Fisheries Committee holds a hearing on Chronic Wasting Disease.
Room 60 East Wing. 10:00. Committee meetings are typically webcast at the House Republican
Caucus website.
June 14-- Agenda Posted. DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105
Rachel Carson Building. 9:15. DEP Contact: Kirit Dalal, 717-772-3436, kdalal@pa.gov.
(formal notice)
-- Proposed Air Quality Fee Increases
June 14-- PUC En Banc Hearing On Supplier Consolidated Billing By Electricity Suppliers.
Hearing Room 1, Keystone Building, 400 North Street, Harrisburg. 1:00. Note: Second hearing
on this topic July 12.
June 14-- DEP Pennsylvania’s Solar Future Stakeholder Meeting. Kleinman Center for Energy
Policy, University of Pennsylvania, Fisher Fine Arts Building, 220 S. 34th, Philadelphia. 9:00 to
4:00. Click Here to register. Click Here to attend the meeting by Webinar.
June 15-- Location Added. Susquehanna River Basin Committee business meeting. Crowne
Plaza Baltimore Downtown-Inner Harbor, Carroll Room, 105 W. Fayette Street, Baltimore. 9:00.
(formal notice) Click Here for more.
June 15-- NEW. PA Wilds Community Development Committee. Knox & Kane Rail Trail
Forum. Marienville Area Civic Association Building, 149 Maca Drive, Marienville, Forest
County. 8:00 a.m.
June 16-- PA Resources Council. Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. Bethel Park High School,
Allegheny County. 9:00 to 1:00.
June 16-- Brodhead Watershed Association. Water Wiser Kids Snorkeling In McMichael Creek.
Snydersville, Monroe County. 10:30 to Noon.
June 16-- Brodhead Watershed Association. Get Outdoors Poconos Van Buskirk Preserve Hike.
Paradise Township, Monroe County. 10:00 to 11:30.
June 18-- House Consumer Affairs Committee holds a hearing on competitive energy supplier
sales and marketing practices. Room B-31 Main Capitol. 11:00. Committee meetings are
typically webcast through the House Republican Caucus website.
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June 19-- NEW. Senate House Nuclear Energy Caucus meeting. Room 8E-A East Wing. 8:00.
Click Here to watch the hearing live online.
June 19-- Agenda Posted. Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 9:00. DEP Contact: Laura Edinger, 717-772-3277, ledinger@pa.gov.
June 19-- Agenda Posted. DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Neil Bakshi, DEP Policy Office, nebakshi@pa.gov. Call-In
Option: Bridge #: 717-612-4788, Toll Free #: 855-734-4390, PIN #: 083399.
June 19-- PA Technical Assistance Program. Saving Energy Costs By Implementing An Energy
Management System Workshop. Penn State New Kensington Campus, The Corner, 701 Fifth
Avenue, New Kensington, Westmoreland County. 9:00 to 3:00.
June 20-- Penn State Agriculture & Environment Center. Stream Stewardship Workshop Part 2.
Little Chiques Park, 229 Park Ave., Mount Joy, Lancaster County. 6:30. Part 1 is June 13.
June 20-- PA Environmental Council. PA Organization For Watersheds and Rivers. Regional
Watershed Workshop. Dickinson College, Stern Great Room, 208 W. Louther St., Carlisle,
Cumberland County. 9:45 to 3:00.
June 20-- NEW. Penn State Extension. Public Meeting On Spotted Lanternfly. Schuylkill
County Agricultural Center, 1202 Ag Center Drive, Pottsville. 6:30.
June 20-21-- Registration Open. 20th Anniversary PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation

Conference. Ramada Conference Center, State College.
June 21-- DEP Hearing [If Needed] On RACT II Air Quality Plan For Fiberglass Reinforced
Plastic, Shirley Township, Huntingdon County. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909
Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg. 10:00. (PA Bulletin, page 2972) Click Here for more.
June 22-- 3 Rivers Wet Weather. Stream Restoration Workshop. McFadden Hall, 1520 Butler
Plank Road, Glenshaw, Shaler Township, Allegheny County. 9:00 to 3:00.
June 23-- Audubon Society of Western PA. Backyard Habitat Flowers And Feathers, The
Connection Between Plants and Birds Workshop. Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, 614
Dorseyville Road, Pittsburgh. 10:00.
June 25-- NEW. Penn State Extension. Public Meeting On Spotted Lanternfly. The Friendly
Community Center, 6683 Route 191, Mountainhome, Monroe County. 6:30.
June 26-- DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: John Krueger, 717-783-9264, jkrueger@pa.gov.
June 26-- NEW. Allegheny, Westmoreland Conservation Districts. Local Green Infrastructure
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Tour. Monroeville Public Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd., Monroeville. 9:00 to 2:30.
June 27-- DEP Hearing [If Needed] On RACT II Air Quality Plan For DuPont Plant, North
Towanda Township, Bradford County. DEP Northcentral Regional Office, 208 West Third
Street, Williamsport. 10:00. (PA Bulletin, page 3009) Click Here for more.
June 28-- PA Environmental Council. PA Organization For Watersheds and Rivers. Regional
Watershed Workshop. Heritage Conservancy Aldie Mansion, 85 Old Dublin Pike, Doylestown,
Bucks County. 9:30 to 3:00
June 29-- PA National Guard Regal Fritillary Butterfly Tours. Fort Indiantown Gap, Lebanon
County.
June 30-- PA Resources Council. Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. Quaker Valley High
School, Leetsdale, Allegheny County. 9:00 to 1:00.
June 30-- PA National Guard Regal Fritillary Butterfly Tours. Fort Indiantown Gap, Lebanon
County.
July 6-- PA National Guard Regal Fritillary Butterfly Tours. Fort Indiantown Gap, Lebanon
County.
July 7-- Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring. Mountain Watershed Association. Volunteer
Training For Shale Gas-Related Stream Monitoring. Blythedale Volunteer Fire Department,
1799 Blythedale Road, Buena Vista, Allegheny County. 9:00 to 3:30.
July 7-- PA National Guard Regal Fritillary Butterfly Tours. Fort Indiantown Gap, Lebanon
County.
July 11-- DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 9:30. DEP Contact: Diane Wilson, 717-787-3730, diawilson@pa.gov.
July 11-- DEP Technical Advisory Committee On Diesel Powered (Mining) Equipment. DEP
New Stanton Office, 131 Broadview Road, New Stanton. 10:00. DEP Contact: Peggy Scheloski,
724-404-3143 or mscheloske@pa.gov.
July 11-- DEP Hearing On Interim Response At Ridge Run PFAS, PFOS, PFOA Well
Contamination Site In Bucks County. West Rockhill Township Building, 1028 Ridge Road,
Sellersville, PA. 6:30.
July 12-- PUC En Banc Hearing On Supplier Consolidated Billing By Electricity Suppliers.
Hearing Room 1, Keystone Building, 400 North Street, Harrisburg. 1:00.
July 17-- Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. DEP
Contact: Laura Edinger, 717-772-3277, ledinger@pa.gov.
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July 17-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.
DEP Contact: Neil Bakshi, DEP Policy Office, nebakshi@pa.gov.
July 17-- DEP Hearing [If Needed] On RACT II Air Quality Plan For Sonneborn Petrolia
Facility In Butler County. DEP Northwest Regional Office, 230 Chestnut Street, Meadville,
Crawford County. 9:00 a.m.
July 18-- NEW. Penn State Extension. Public Meeting On Spotted Lanternfly. Schuylkill County
Agricultural Center, 1202 Ag Center Drive, Pottsville. 6:30.
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July 19-- DEP Hearing On Interim Response At Nockamixon TCE Well Contamination Site In
Bucks County. Nockamixon Township Municipal Building, 589 Lake Warren Road, Upper
Black Eddy, PA. 7:00
July 25-- DEP Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee meeting. 12th Floor
Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Nancy Herb, 717-783-9269 or
nherb@pa.gov. (formal notice)
July 25-27-- Registration Open. Professional Recyclers of PA. 28th Annual Recycling &
Organics Conference. Best Western Premier Hotel, Harrisburg.
July 28-- PA Resources Council. Recycling Bin Distribution Event In Pittsburgh. Point Breeze
Distribution Event, URA’s Parking Lot on Meade Street. 8:00 to 2:00. Click Here to register.
July 28-- Audubon Society of Western PA. Backyard Habitat Gardening for Pollinators and
Butterflies Workshop. Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, 614 Dorseyville Road, Pittsburgh.
10:00.
August 1-- DEP Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel
Carson Building. 9:00. DEP Contact: Michael Maddigan, 717-772-3609, mmaddigan@pa.gov.
August 8-- DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Todd Wallace, 717-783-9438, twallace@pa.gov.
August 11-- PA Resources Council. Recycling Bin Distribution Event In Pittsburgh. Fairywood
Distribution Event, B Keppel Trucking, 100 Beechnut Drive, Pittsburgh. 8:00 to 2:00. Click Here
to register.
August 15-- DEP State Board for Certification of Sewage Enforcement Officers meeting. 11th
Floor, Conference Room B, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Kristen
Szwajkowski, 717-772-2186, kszwajkows@pa.gov.
August 15-- DEP State Board For Certification of Water and Wastewater Systems Operators
meeting. 10th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Edgar
Chescattie, 717-772-2814, eshescattie@pa.gov.
August 20-23-- U.S. Biochar Initiatives Conference. Chase Center on the Riverfront,
Wilmington, Delaware.
August 21-- Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00.
DEP Contact: Laura Edinger, 717-772-3277, ledinger@pa.gov.
August 25-- PA Resources Council. Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. Century III Mall, West
Mifflin, Allegheny County. 9:00 to 1:00.
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August 28-- DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: John Krueger, 717-783-9264, jkrueger@pa.gov.
September 4-- DEP Board Of Coal Mine Safety meeting. DEP Cambria Office, 286 Industrial
Park Road, Ebensburg. 10:00. DEP Contact: Peggy Scheloske 724-404-3143 or send email to:
mscheloske@pa.gov.
September 6-9-- Registration Open. Delaware Highlands Conservancy. Educational Retreat For
Women Forest Landowners. Highlights Workshop Facility in Boyd’s Mill, Milanville, Wayne
County.
September 18-20-- Mid-Atlantic Chapter International Erosion Control Association. 25th

Annual Conference, Workshop and Trade Show. Radisson Hotel, Camp Hill, Cumberland
County.
September 20-- DEP Solid Waste Advisory Committee & Recycling Funding Advisory
Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Laura Henry
717-772-5713 or send email to: lahenry@pa.gov.
September 22-- Joint meeting of DEP Recycling Fund Advisory Committee and Solid Waste
Advisory Committee. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Laura Henry,
717-772-5713, lahenry@pa.gov.
September 23-- Audubon Society of Western PA. Backyard Habitat Trees and Shrubs,
Supporting Wildlife In Winter Workshop. Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, 614 Dorseyville
Road, Pittsburgh. 10:00.
September 28-- DEP Low-Level Waste Advisory Committee meeting Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Rich Janati, 717-787-2147, rjanati@pa.gov.
October 1-3-- Engineers’ Society of Western PA. PA Brownfield Conference. Sands Bethlehem
Casino, Bethlehem.
October 6-- PA Resources Council. Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. Settlers Cabin Park,
Robinson Township, Allegheny County. 9:00 to 1:00.
October 17-21-- Passive House Western PA. North American Passive House Network 2018
Conference. David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh.
October 18-- DEP Radiation Protection Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel
Carson. 9:00. DEP Contact: Joseph Melnic 717-783-9730 or send email to: jmelnic@pa.gov.
November 1-2-- PA Water And Wastewater Technology Summit. Penn Stater Conference
Center Hotel, State College.
72
Visit DEP’s Public Participation Center for public participation opportunities. Click Here to sign
up for DEP News a biweekly newsletter from the Department.
Sign Up For DEP’s eNotice: Did you know DEP can send you email notices of permit
applications submitted in your community? Notice of new technical guidance documents and
regulations? All through its eNotice system. Click Here to sign up.
DEP Regulations In Process

Proposed Regulations Open For Comment - DEP webpage
Submit Comments on Proposals Through DEP’s eComment System
Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods - DEP webpage
Recently Finalized Regulations - DEP webpage
DEP Regulatory Update - DEP webpage
March 3, 2018 DEP Regulatory Agenda - PA Bulletin, Page 1374
DEP Technical Guidance In Process

Draft Technical Guidance Documents - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
Copies of Final Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
DEP Non-Regulatory/Technical Guidance Documents Agenda (February 2018) - DEP webpage
Other DEP Proposals For Public Review

Other Proposals Open For Public Comment - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Other Proposals - DEP webpage
Other Proposals Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
DEP Facebook Page DEP Twitter Feed DEP YouTube Channel
Click Here for links to DEP’s Advisory Committee webpages.
DEP Calendar of Events DCNR Calendar of Events
Senate Committee Schedule House Committee Schedule
You can watch the Senate Floor Session and House Floor Session live online.
73
Grants & Awards
This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other
recognition programs. NEW means new from last week.
June 15-- Southern Alleghenies Regional Greenways, Recreation Mini-Grants

June 21-- DEP Mariner East II Pipeline Water Quality Project Grants
June 29-- Anthracite Power Producers’ Mine Reclamation Grants
June 30-- DEP Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebates (first come, first serve)
June 30-- FirstEnergy Utilities All-Electric Vehicle Rebate From Nissan
July 6-- DEP Clean Diesel Grants (VW Settlement)
July 13-- DEP Growing Greener Plus Watershed Grants
July 13-- DEP Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants
July 18-- Northeast Environmental Partner Environmental Awards
July 20-- CFA Alternative & Clean Energy Funding
July 20-- CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal & Wind Funding
July 20-- CFA Solar Energy Funding
July 20-- CFA High Performance Building Funding
July 31-- NEW. Keep PA Beautiful Fresh Paint Days Grants
August 1-- Delaware River Basin Commission Summer Photo Contest
August 15-- PA Leopold Farm Conservation Award $10,000
August 31-- OSMRE Not-For-Profit Acid Mine Drainage Watershed Grants
September 5-- PA Parks & Forests Foundation Photo Contest
September 15-- CFA Alternative & Clean Energy Funding
September 15-- CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal & Wind Funding
September 15-- CFA Solar Energy Funding
September 15-- CFA High Performance Building Funding
September 28-- DEP Calendar 2017 Recycling Performance Grants
October 31-- PA Resources Council Gene Capaldi Lens On Litter Photo Contest
December 14-- DEP Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants
December 31-- DEP County Act 101 Waste Planning, HHW, Education Grants
-- Visit the DEP Grant, Loan and Rebate Programs webpage for more ideas on how to get
financial assistance for environmental projects.
-- Visit the DCNR Apply for Grants webpage for a listing of financial assistance available from
DCNR.
Environmental NewsClips - All Topics
Here are NewsClips from around the state on all environmental topics, including General
Environment, Budget, Marcellus Shale, Watershed Protection and much more.
74
The latest environmental NewsClips and news is available at the PA Environment Digest Daily
Blog, Twitter Feed and add PaEnviroDigest Google+ to your Circle.
Air
Hopey: Cameras To Provide Monitoring Of Visible Air Pollution At Mon Valley Plants
CMU’s Air Pollution-Spotting Breathe Cam Network Expands To Mon Valley
AP: EPA To Deny MD, DE Petitions Against PA, Other State Air Emissions
Alternative Fuels
DEP Awards $71,000 Grant To Rhoads Energy To Advance Propane Use
White House Expected To Announce Compromise On Biofuels
Awards & Recognition
State College To Be Platinum Certified Sustainable Municipality
Beautification
Nonprofits Encouraged To Apply For Fresh Paint Days Grants
Biodiversity/Invasive Species
Budget
Chesapeake Bay
Climate
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Op-Ed: Pittsburgh Needs Bolder Action On Clean Energy
Phillips: Spring Birdsong Could Change With A Changing Climate
Coal Mining
Quecreek Mine Where 9 Were Rescued 16 Years Ago Nears Closing
Natural Gas Pipeline Group Slams DOE Memo To Save Coal, Nuclear Plants
NRC Chair: Nuclear Safety Regs Not To Blame For Plant Retirements
Did Trump Officials Act On Policies Suggested By Coal CEO
Delaware River
Delaware RiverKeeper June 8 RiverWatch Video Report
Drinking Water
16,000+ Horsham Residents Still Under Boil Water Advisory
Source Of TCEs In Lycoming County Water Wells Still Unknown
Peoples Gas Continues To Poke Around The Water Utility Business
PA American Water Awards Grant To Carbondale Fire Company
Education
Slippery Rock U Closes McKeever Environmental Center. Save McKeever
Plum High School Students, Community Members Take Part In STEAM Playground
Obit: Jack Phillips, 23, Penn State Graduate Who Aspired To Protect The Environment
Emergency Response
Fence Installer Drills Into Gas Line, Neighborhood Evacuation In Lancaster
Gas Spewed Like A Geyser At Warwick Twp Gas Leak, 50+ Evacuated
PA American Water Awards Grant To Carbondale Fire Company
Pittsburgh Offering Free Classes On Disaster Preparedness
76
Energy
Columbia Gas Of PA Seeking Rate Increase For Pipe Replacements
Duquesne Light, Peoples Duke It Out Over Utility Rates, Regulators, More
Chambersburg School Board Will Not Vote On Power Line Right-Of-Way
Energy Conservation
Environmental Heritage
Lack Of Money, Volunteers Force Closure Of Seldom Seen Tourist Coal Mine
June 9 Lecture On Deadly 1891 Coal Miner Strike Outside Mt. Pleasant
Farming
Flooding
Pittsburgh Looking To Replace Washington Blvd Floodgates After Latest Failure
Pittsburgh’s Washington Blvd. Floodgates Are Again Malfunctioning
Lycoming Officials Mull Tax Or Fee To Fund Levee Replacement
Flash Flooding Forces Rescues From Cars, Homes In Lancaster
Forests
77
Register By Tuesday For Tour Of Field Improvements At Forbes State Forest
Green Buildings
Green Building Alliance Leader Moving To Pitt As First Sustainability Director
Green Infrastructure
Hazardous Sites
EPA: Toxic Chemical Levels Exceed EPA Limits At Coplay Aggregates Quarry Fill Site In
Lehigh
Source Of TCEs In Lycoming County Water Wells Still Unknown
Land Conservation
Land Use Planning
How The Future Of Pittsburgh’s Riverfronts Could Be Decided By Zoning
Mine Reclamation
Beveridge: Large Abandoned Mine To Be Reclaimed In Rostraver, Washington County
St. Vincent Gets Grant To Study Impact Of Sewage, Mine Drainage Pollution
Getting To The Bottom Of The Geyser Of Big Mine Run In Schuylkill County
Artist Transforms Abandoned Coal Plant Through Mosaic
Ohio River
Oil & Gas
Hurdle: PA Supreme Court Warns Municipalities To First Amend Zoning To Allow Drilling
Municipalities Advised To Review Zoning Ordinances On Drilling In Light Of Court Decision
Hopey: Court: Gas Drilling Not Allowed On Land Zoned For Homes Or Farms
Testimony Concludes In Challenge To Penn Twp. Drilling Ordinance
Cusick: House Passes Bill Removing Environmental Standards For Conventional Drillers
AP-Scolforo: House OKs Bill To Relax Rules For Shallow Gas, Oil Drilling
House Passes Conventional Oil And Gas Industry Bill
Legislators Ask Feds To Support Ethane Storage Hub In PA
Building An Ethane Storage Hub Energizes Speakers At Southpointe
78
Landowners’ Lawsuit Accuses Chesapeake Energy Drilling Co. Of Breach Of Contract
Columbia Gas Of PA Seeking Rate Increase For Pipe Replacements
DEP Awards $71,000 Grant To Rhoads Energy To Advance Propane Use
PA Natural Gas Boom Falls Into Russia’s Crosshairs In Efforts To Sow Discord
Alleged Worley & Obetz’s Fraud Appears To Snag 4th Bank, Loss Rises To Nearly $62M
AP: Family-Owned Worley & Obetz Closes Amid Fraud Reports
Signs Point To Worley & Obetz As Cause Of $32M Loss For Fulton Financial
Worley & Obetz Co-Owner Plans New Company To Make Things Right With Customers
Worley & Obetz Files For Bankruptcy, Cites Up To $100M In Debts
White House Expected To Announce Compromise On Biofuels
Pipelines
Information
Public Participation
Radiation Protection
Op-Ed: Prematurely Closing Nuclear Plants In PA Risky Move
Recreation
79
Recycling/Waste
The Return Of Returnable Beer Bottles By Straub Brewery, Will Customers Bring ‘Em Back?
Editorial: Keystone Landfill Study Show Vigilance Vital
Regulations
Op-Ed: Regulatory Reform Bills A Solution In Search Of A Problem, Joe Minott
Renewable Energy
Marriott In Greenfield To Become 1st Hotel In Lancaster To Go All Solar
Op-Ed: Pittsburgh Needs Bolder Action On Clean Energy
Susquehanna River
Sustainability
State College To Be Platinum Certified Sustainable Municipality
Green Building Alliance Leader Moving To Pitt As First Sustainability Director
Watershed Protection
How The Future Of Pittsburgh’s Riverfronts Could Be Decided By Zoning
Delaware RiverKeeper June 8 RiverWatch Video Report
Click Here to subscribe to the Chesapeake Bay Journal
Wildlife
Pittsburgh Eaglet Prepares For Takeoff
80
Presque Isle Hawk Watch Counts 40 Bald Eagles In Single Day
Phillips: Spring Birdsong Could Change With A Changing Climate
Frazier: Building A Better Bat Cave
Schneck: What Do Do With Baby Wildlife You Find
Schneck: 15 Common Bugs In Your Backyard That Will Freak You Out
Other
Wildfires
New Mexico Community Evacuated As 47-Square Mile Wildfire Grows
Hurricanes
Updated Hurricane Season Forecast Calls For Fewer Storms
Editorial: New Post-Maria Death Toll Better Reflects Magnitude Of Puerto Rico’s Suffering
Federal Policy
AP: EPA To Deny MD, DE Petitions Against PA, Other State Air Emissions
Chemical Industry Scores A Big Win At EPA
Click Here For This Week's Allegheny Front Radio Program
Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits
No new regulations were published this week. Pennsylvania Bulletin - June 9, 2018
Sign Up For DEP’s eNotice: Did you know DEP can send you email notices of permit
applications submitted in your community? Notice of new technical guidance documents and
regulations? All through its eNotice system. Click Here to sign up.
DEP Regulations In Process

Proposed Regulations Open For Comment - DEP webpage
Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods - DEP webpage
Recently Finalized Regulations - DEP webpage
DEP Regulatory Update - DEP webpage
March 3, 2018 DEP Regulatory Agenda - PA Bulletin, Page 1374
Technical Guidance & Permits
Note: The Department of Environmental Protection published 68 pages of public notices related
to proposed and final permit and approval/ disapproval actions in the June 9 PA Bulletin - pages
3421 to 3489.
The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 9 PA Bulletin of the
final versions of General Permit 5 and 5A to control methane emissions from unconventional
81
natural gas operations at compressor stations, processing, transmission facilities and well sites.
Click Here for more.
DEP published notice in the June 9 PA Bulletin of the availability of the draft revision to the
Partnership for the Delaware Estuary’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for
comment. Click Here for more.
Final permit language should be posted on DEP’s eComment webpage and DEP's Methane
Reduction Strategy webpage.
DEP published notice in the June 9 PA Bulletin of final technical guidance on Air Quality Permit
Exemptions Related To Categories 35, 38, 16 and 40 (DEP ID: 275-2101-003) [Note: Should be
posted on DEP’s eComment webpage. (Prior document) Questions regarding this technical
guidance document should be directed to Naishadh Bhatt, 717-787-2856 or send email to:
nabhatt@pa.gov or Frank Zarefoss, 717-787-4325 or send email to: fzarefoss@pa.gov.
DEP published notice in the June 9 PA Bulletin rescinding technical guidance on Performing
Single Stationary Source Determination for Oil and Gas Industries (DEP ID: 270-0810-006) due
to the issuance of the United States Environmental Protection Agency Final Rule entitled
''Source Determination for Certain Emission Units in the Oil and Natural Gas Sector,'' 81 FR
35622 (June 3, 2016). Questions regarding this technical guidance document should be directed
to Frank Zarefoss, 717-787-4325 or send email to: fzarefoss@pa.gov.
DEP Technical Guidance In Process

Draft Technical Guidance Documents - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
Copies of Final Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
DEP Non-Regulatory/Technical Guidance Documents Agenda (February 2018) - DEP webpage
Other DEP Proposals For Public Review

Other Proposals Open For Public Comment - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Other Proposals - DEP webpage
Other Proposals Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
Visit DEP’s Public Participation Center for public participation opportunities. Click Here to sign
up for DEP News a biweekly newsletter from the Department.
DEP Facebook Page DEP Twitter Feed DEP YouTube Channel
Click Here for links to DEP’s Advisory Committee webpages.
82
DEP Calendar of Events DCNR Calendar of Events
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Register Now For 20th PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference
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Pa Environment Digest June 11, 2018

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Issue #728 ​Crisci Associates​, Harrisburg, PA June 11, 2018

PA Environment Digest Blog​ ​Twitter Feed​ ​PaEnviroDigest Google+

The House Tuesday voted 111 to 84 to pass ​House Bill 2154

The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday

By Megan Lehman, ​DEP Northcentral Regional Office

Some came for the live, up-close-and-personal

The ​Joint Senate-House Legislative Budget &

PA Land Trusts Expanded Conserved Land By 36 Percent In Last 9 Years

The ​PA Land Trust Association​ Wednesday reported

Pennsylvania Preserves 550,000th Acre Of Farmland

DCNR Names Ellen Shultzabarger Pennsylvania's State Forester

Senate/House Bills Moving Last Week

Alternative Ratemaking:​ ​House Bill 1782​ (Delozier-R-Cumberland) authorizing alternative

Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Gov’s Schedule/ Bills Introduced

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

Bills Pending In Key Committees

The following bills of interest were introduced last week--

Oversight Of 10 DEP Funds:​ ​House Bill 2454​ (Fritz-R-Susquehanna) require General

Loyalsock Creek: ​House Resolution 964​ (Everett-R-Lycoming) recognizing the Loyalsock

News From The Capitol

The Senate and House Monday unanimously

Witnesses Tell House Committee Of Nearly 8 Year Effort To Address Homeowner

Staff from the interstate Chesapeake Bay Commission

House Passes Bill To Encourage Use Of Native Vegetation Along Highways

Senate House Nuclear Energy Caucus Meets June 19 On Environmental Impacts Of

News From Around The State

Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick

Department of Environmental Protection

Independence Conservancy Completes Raccoon Creek Stream Bank, Buffer Project In

Nonprofits ​Independence Conservancy​ and ​Stream

By Harry Campbell, ​Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA​ Office Executive Director

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) ​latest

Find Your Chesapeake GeoTour Launches June 9 In Wrightsville, York County

Over 150 geocaching adventurers are expected June 9 at the

The ​Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay​ has issued a

Allegheny, Westmoreland Conservation Districts, Partners Host Local Green

The Allegheny and Westmoreland

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful​, along with partners

PA Resources Council, Partners Host June 16, 30 Hard-To-Recycle Collection Events In

EQB Meets June 19 On Final Radiation Protection Regulations

The Department of Environmental Protection this week

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Saves Millions Thru Energy Efficienc​y

State and county officials joined energy efficiency

PUC Publishes Final Policy Statement On Combined Heat, Power Technology

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 9 PA Bulletin

PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In May Newsletter

The ​PA Environmental Council​ Monday published

Penn State Extension​ is hosting a series of public

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary​ and ​The Nature

Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee Earns National Recognition

The ​National Coalition for Recreational Trails

The ​William Penn Foundation​ Wednesday

Friends Of Allegheny Wilderness Join Conservation Groups In Telling Congress: Keep

The ​Friends of Allegheny Wilderness​, joined 149

Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape Initiative Awards $85,000 In

The ​Lehigh Valley Greenways​ Conservation

Six college students from the ​PA Trout Unlimited’s

By Karl Blankenship, ​Chesapeake Bay Journal

Public Participation Opportunities/Calendar Of Events

June 12-- ​Sustainable Pittsburgh​. ​Renewable Energy Procurement, Opportunities For PA

June 20-21--​ ​Registration Open​. ​20th Anniversary PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation

September 18-20--​ ​Mid-Atlantic Chapter International Erosion Control Association​. ​25th

DEP Regulations In Process

DEP Technical Guidance In Process

Issue #728 Crisci Associates, Harrisburg, PA June 11, 2018

PA Environment Digest Blog Twitter Feed PaEnviroDigest Google+

The House Tuesday voted 111 to 84 to pass House Bill 2154

By Megan Lehman, DEP Northcentral Regional Office

The Joint Senate-House Legislative Budget &

The PA Land Trust Association Wednesday reported

Alternative Ratemaking: House Bill 1782 (Delozier-R-Cumberland) authorizing alternative

Oversight Of 10 DEP Funds: House Bill 2454 (Fritz-R-Susquehanna) require General

Loyalsock Creek: House Resolution 964 (Everett-R-Lycoming) recognizing the Loyalsock

Nonprofits Independence Conservancy and Stream

By Harry Campbell, Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA Office Executive Director

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) latest

The Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay has issued a

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, along with partners

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Saves Millions Thru Energy Efficiency

The PA Environmental Council Monday published

Penn State Extension is hosting a series of public

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and The Nature

The National Coalition for Recreational Trails

The William Penn Foundation Wednesday

The Friends of Allegheny Wilderness, joined 149

The Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation

Six college students from the PA Trout Unlimited’s

By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal

June 12-- Sustainable Pittsburgh. Renewable Energy Procurement, Opportunities For PA

June 20-21-- Registration Open. 20th Anniversary PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation

September 18-20-- Mid-Atlantic Chapter International Erosion Control Association. 25th

DEP Facebook Page DEP Twitter Feed DEP YouTube Channel

Click Here for links to DEP’s Advisory Committee webpages.

DEP Calendar of Events DCNR Calendar of Events

Senate Committee Schedule House Committee Schedule

PA Environment Digest Blog Twitter Feed PaEnviroDigest Google+

June 15-- Southern Alleghenies Regional Greenways, Recreation Mini-Grants

PA Environment Digest Blog Twitter Feed PaEnviroDigest Google+

DEP Facebook Page DEP Twitter Feed DEP YouTube Channel

Click Here for links to DEP’s Advisory Committee webpages.

PA Environment Digest Blog Twitter Feed PaEnviroDigest Google+

PA Environment Digest is edited by David E. Hess, former Secretary Pennsylvania Department

PA Environment Digest weekly was the winner of the PA Association of Environmental

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