Here are 148 new stories in the PA Environment Digest about individuals, groups, local governments, farmers, businesses, watershed groups and many more working all across Pennsylvania to restore and protect the environment and show others the beauty that surrounds us.

PA Environment Digest Puts Links To The Best Environment & Energy Articles and NewsClips From Last Week Here By Topic--

On October 23, the national Rails To Trails Conservancy named Sarah Clark Stuart, trails and transportation manager in the City of Philadelphia Department of Streets, the 2024 Doppelt Family Rail-Trail Champion for her visionary leadership that has been central to the progress of the Circuit Trails, an 860-miles-plus regional trail network that serves Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey.

A Widener University Commonwealth Law faculty member who has shaped environmental policy for decades has been honored with one of the highest recognitions in his field.

The Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania recently honored eleven women for their professional contributions to the state and around the world as part of their Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania program

On October 22, the Clean Air Council and Environmental Integrity Project filed a 358-page rulemaking petition with the Environmental Quality Board asking it to increase minimum setback distances from fracking wells.

On October 23, the Department of Environmental Protection began plugging a conventional gas well orphaned by the well owner that contaminated a family's drinking water well in Vowinckel, Clarion County.

From October 19 to 25, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 673 inspection entries, and caught up with posting other inspection reports from earlier.

The following notices were published in the October 26 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice in the October 26 PA Bulletin the Executive Director gave his approval to or renewed 20 general water use permits in September for individual shale gas well drilling pads in Bradford, Clearfield, Lycoming, Sullivan, and Susquehanna counties.

On October 25, Baker Hughes reported the number of natural gas drilling rigs in Pennsylvania dropped to 12, the lowest number of rigs in the state since July 2007, according to Reuters.

On October 24, the Environmental Defense Fund released a new report detailing the growth of Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry methane mitigation industry revealing a 22.2% increase in the number of methane mitigation companies in the state over the past three years.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the October 26, 2024 PA Bulletin extending the three Air Quality Permits needed for the temporary operation of the Shell Petrochemical Plant in Beaver County until a full Title V Air Quality Permit can be put in place.  (PA Bulletin, page 6791-6792)

On October 21, PJM Interconnection CEO Manu Asthana told the Organization of PJM States-- “I feel more concerned today than I did two years ago about resource adequacy. Load is growing much faster than we had projected then, which even back then was an eye-popping set of numbers.”

On October 24, the PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center released new data showing Pennsylvania ranks 48th in the nation for rate of growth in total solar, wind and geothermal generation over the past decade.

On October 22, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development issued this statement on the award of an $87 million US DOE grant to Mainspring Energy, an emerging linear generator manufacturer.

On October 22, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it is now accepting Qualified Professional bids through the Pennsylvania eMarketplace for reviewers of four DEP permit applications under the new SPEED [Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion And Development] Permit Review Program.

On October 24, the US Department of the Interior and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement announced another $244 million in fiscal year 2024 funding to address dangerous and polluting abandoned mine lands, create good-paying, family-sustaining jobs and catalyze economic opportunity in coal communities across Pennsylvania.

On October 25, US Senator Bob Casey announced $40 million in funding to the Department of Agriculture and Land O'Lakes Farmer Cooperative-- $21.2 million-- to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve water quality on more than 50 farms and the National Hemp Association-- $19.6 million-- to implement conservation measure to prevent water quality degradation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notices in the October 26 PA Bulletin inviting comments on proposed Total Maximum Daily Nutrient Load Plans for Muddy Run in Union County and Deer Creek in York County.

On October 23, ClearWater Conservancy announced it has received a $2 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission through the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative.

The Delaware River Basin Commission announced it will hold a virtual hearing November 6 on water withdrawal and other requests and a virtual business meeting on December 5.  (formal notice)

Join the Schuylkill Action Network and its partners for their annual meeting on November 1 at Albright College in Reading to help celebrate 21 years of collaboration.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, in coordination with the departments of Environmental Protection, Transportation and Community and Economic Development hosted affiliates, volunteers and community partners for a Summit for Community Stewardship.

On October 25, the  Department of Conservation and Natural Resources urged Pennsylvanians to exercise caution when burning outdoors to prevent wildfires.

On October 24, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources issued its fifth Fall Foliage Report saying cool nights and warm, sunny days have continued to stimulate steady change in Pennsylvania forests.

The Cameron County Chamber of Commerce announced the results of the Sinnemahone Ultra Trail Run held in perfect conditions for runners this year on October 19.  This is the third event in the annual Sinnemahone Triple Crown.

The Berks County Conservation District is seeking qualified candidates to fill two positions--

Opportunities to learn more about environmental and energy issues affecting Pennsylvania for students and adults--

The PA Association of Environmental Educators is now accepting registrations for the 2025 Annual Conference to be held March 10-12 at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie.

Educators are invited to attend the Southwest PA Environmental Literacy Coalition online meetings on December 12, February 19 and April 25 from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m.

The Penn State Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program is hosting a two-part Food Manufacturing Pollution Prevention Training Series--

Thandazile Moyo, assistant professor of energy and mineral engineering at Penn State, will give the talk, “Aligning with Recycling as a Strategy for Reliable Critical Metals Supply: Policies, Challenges, and Opportunities in the U.S.,” at 4:00 p.m. on October 28, in 112 Walker Building on the University Park campus.

The Penn State Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program is hosting a two-part Metals Manufacturing Pollution Prevention Training Series--

The Sierra Club Pennsylvania is hosting an October 30 webinar - It’s Scary Out Here! How Oil and Gas Waste Haunts Pennsylvania-- from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Youth ages 5-14 are invited to join the Penn State Master Gardeners of Cumberland County for the Wildlife Tree Ornaments Workshop for Youth on Saturday, November 16, 2024, 10:00 a.m. to Noon.

Penn State University Libraries will observe GIS Day--  an annual event celebrating the technology of geographic information systems (GIS)-- with sessions on Nov. 18 and a trivia event on Nov. 19.

The Penn State Extension is hosting a 9-part webinar series on the Woods In Your Backyard starting January 15 and ending on March 12.

Life, Liberty And Death on the Appalachian Frontier, published by Masthof Press, tells the stories of men and women who traveled across the mountain ranges and through the river valleys that make up the Appalachian region, often called the first frontier, during the 18th century.

The following bills have passed the Senate and House and are now on the Governor’s desk for his action--

The information you need to follow legislation in the House and Senate- starting with articles and NewsClips from last week--

Articles and NewsClips about federal actions impacting Pennsylvania--

Click Here for a list of public participation opportunities and a calendar of events.

Click Here for grants, awards, recognition programs and contest deadlines.

Highlights of the environmental and energy notices in the October 26 PA Bulletin--

Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to: PaEnviroDigest@gmail.com.

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the PA Outdoor Writers Association, PA PA Council Trout Unlimited, Organization for Watersheds & Rivers and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.