Not all the headlines in 2004 were about environmental legislation. There were lots of other significant action—some “firsts,” changes in regulatory programs, milestones passed and new proposals laid out.

Here’s our attempt to capture some of the more important ones in headline form month by month. If you want more info on any topic, just click on each of these links. (See Taking Positive Action for 2004’s Green Leaders)

January

Federal Court Blocks Implementation of New Source Review Rule

Pennsylvania Recycling Efforts Top 4 Million Tons

February

Growing Greener II Initiative Unveiled

Brownfields Action Teams Created by DEP

DEP Southeast Regional Office Completes Move to “Green” Building

EPA Plan to Regulate Mercury Dangerous Abuse of ‘Cap and Trade’ Program

Final Report on Bark Camp Shows How Dredge Materials Can Reclaim Mines

March

Rendell Administration Launches ‘Great Pennsylvania Cleanup’

Vehicle Emissions Inspections to Begin in Northeast

DEP Issues Research and Development General Permit

PA, USDA Announce Pennsylvania CREP Expansion

PENNVEST Initiates Brownfields Program, Approves First Projects

April

Economic Stimulus Package Passes, Includes Funding for Brownfields Remediation

Rendell Administration Testifies On Abandoned Mine Land Fund

3 Bipartisan Environmental Initiatives Introduced in the Senate

What’s Your Environmental Footprint?

Pennsylvania Becomes Official Energy Star ® Partner

DEP Institutes “Best Management Practices” for Low-Risk Properties

On-Board Diagnostic Vehicle Inspections Phased In for Philadelphia Region

Rendell Resurrects Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority

EPA Designates 37 Pennsylvania Counties as Ozone Nonattainment Areas

DEP Announces Final Clean Fill Policy

DEP, EPA Sign Agreement on Federal Liability on State Brownfields

Pollution Prevention Grant Program for Small Businesses Restarted

DEP’s Proposed CAFO Rules

New Study of Bituminous Coal Mining’s Effects on Land, Buildings, Water Supplies

Annual Litter Summit to be Held May 19-20

May

Government Reports Ozone Levels Nationwide Lowest Since 1980

Revised Stream ReLeaf Riparian Buffer Database Now Online

DCNR Dedicates Musto Environmental Education Center at Nescopeck State Park

Pennsylvania Among States to Sue West Virginia Coal Plants

Pennsylvania Consumers to Have Wind Energy Choice

Commercial Management of Hazardous Waste Declines

Senior Volunteers Wanted to Protect Homeland Security

Regional Directors in Southwest and Northeast Retire

New Interim Phosphorous Planning Standards Adopted for Farmers

June

Rendell Calls on President to Support National Dam Safety Initiative

DEP to Publish General Permit for Stormwater Discharges

DEP Levies Largest Ever Regional Penalty for Illegal Manure Discharge

Ozone Transport Commission Adopts Cap for Power Plant Emissions

Groundwater Plan Released for Comment in Susquehanna Watershed

Eric Conrad Retires From DEP, Pontorero Appointed to District Mining Job

ISG Agrees to $19.9 Million Trust Fund to Treat Mine Drainage

Falcons Learn to Fly, One Lost

Smog Rules Will Cut Power Plant Pollution in Eastern States This Summer

EPA Proposes In-Use Testing of Heavy-Duty Diesel Emissions

New Cabinet Committee to Focus of on Growing Pennsylvania’s Economy

DEP Secretary Announces Key Appointments

Four River Conservation Plans Finished, Added to DCNR Registry

Proposal Streamlines Permitting to Speed Infrastructure Improvements

Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership Announce Spanish Web Site

PA Businesses Reduce Off-Site Releases by Over 11 Percent in 2002

July

First BioDiesel Refueling Facility Opens, Wenger Feeds Testing Fuel

DEP Challenges Sudden Change of Course That Hurts PA Economy

EPA Mercury Reduction Proposal Penalizes Pennsylvania Coal

DEPLauds PA Sustainable Energy Board

Pennsylvania's Nesting Bald Eagle Population Increases

“Green Ribbon Commission” to Help Develop Environmental Funding Proposal

DEP Secretary Outlines Administration’s Priorities for DEP

DEP Announces Reopening of Site Assessment Grant Program

Innovative On-Line Training to be Available to Pa. Drinking Water Operators

New Volunteer Program Seeking Well Masters

DEP Proposes New Public Participation Policy

DEP Enhances eFACTS System

1,711 Brownfield Sites Completed Thru Land Recycling, Most at Private Expense

Farming demonstration Project Proves Successful Two Years in a Row

DEP Proposes Further Mine Safety Changes

Lake Wallenpaupack Agreement Benefits Community, Environment and PPL

Release of Great Lakes Protection Draft Agreements

Rohm-Haas Receives $2 Million for Biomass R & D Initiative

PA Lauded for First in Nation “One Cleanup” Agreement

Rendell Announces State Planning Board Members, Mission

Fact Sheet Available for Local Law Enforcement Officials on Illegal Dumping

Report Details Impacts of Manure on Bay, Changes in Dairy Feed Recommended

Public Interest Grows in Quecreek Mine Rescue Site in Somerset County, PA

August

DEP Offers Comments to EPA on Rule to Reduce Regional Haze

20th Anniversary of Pennsylvania Conservation Corps Celebrated

Updates on Citizens’ Volunteer Monitoring Program Information Exchange

Find A Compost Site Near You

DEP Names Southwest Regional Director, Environmental Advocate

ACRE Program Proposed for Agriculture

Pennsylvania Unveils Draft Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy

Op-Ed: Gov. Rendell Talks About Energy Issues at Democratic Convention

$5 million Announced for Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

DEP Signs Letter of Understanding With PennAg Industries

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Industries Gaining in Pennsylvania

Groups Petition State to Set Own Rules Limiting Mercury Emissions

DCNR Unveils New Interactive Rail-Trail Website

DEP Offers Toll-Free Line for Residents to Report Environmental Problems

September

New DEP Chief Counsel Named

NOx Air Pollution Reduced 70% Since 1990, 30% Since 2002 in Northeast

First Biosolids Vermicomposting Process in U.S. Dedicated

Rivers Feeding Chesapeake Bay Show Decline in Nutrients, Shad Returning

Bay States More Than Half-Way to New Wetlands Goals

PEC Wins Federal Grant for “Reverse Auction” of Pollution Reduction Credits

Recycling On-Line Course Goes Live!

EPA Agrees to Upgrade Lancaster County’s Air Quality Designation

Officials Mark Completion of Water Resources Plan for Delaware River Basin

Energy-Technology Company Gamesa Coming to PA

Women’s Council on Energy & Environment Honors McGinty

DEP Partners With Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers

DEP Deputy Nick DiPasquale to Return to Delaware, Fidler Named Acting

Rendell Asks For Federal Aid in 47 Counties as Storm Recovery Continues

October

Statewide Watershed Conference Attracts Over 400

Piñero Appointed as Federal Environmental Executive

Rendell Dedicates Reliant Energy’s New Waste Coal Power Station

Ozone Levels in 2004 Average Record Low

New York City Proposing Major Changes to Disposing of Its Trash

EPA Recognizes Achievements in Water Treatment and Pollution Reduction

Underground Storage Tank Board Announces No Increase in Fees for 2005

Rendell Highlights Potential of Pennsylvania Wilds

Largest Source of AMD on Quemahoning Creek to Be Eliminated

Pennsylvania Doubles ‘Green’ Electricity Purchase to 10 Percent

Call for Participation in Rethinking Waste Management Strategy

Five More Colleges and Universities Join Environmental Consortium

November

DEP Certifies Over 19,000 Emission Reduction Credits Available in Registry

DEP, Automobile Groups Launch Mercury-Reduction Plan

Senate Adopts Resolution to Promote Recognition of PA Environmental Heritage

Waterborne Diseases Remain Low in Pennsylvania

Year-Round Air Quality Forecasting in Susquehanna, Lehigh Valleys Begins

December

Innovative “Philly Rewards Recycling” Program Gets Underway

Effort Continues to Clean up Delaware River Oil Spill

PA’s First Voluntary Clean School Bus Program Gets Underway

PEC, Pfizer, Lititz Borough Do First Nutrient Trade in U.S.

DEP Appoints New Director of Waste Management Program

352 Miles of Migratory Fish Spawning Habitat Opened in Chesapeake Bay

Regional Stormwater Management Manual Focus Groups

EPA Makes Final Nonattainment Designations for Particulate Matter

The Department of Environmental Protection put out their own list of accomplishments for 2004 on December 23.

See there, lots was going on in 2004!

12/24/2004