Each month the Department of Environmental Protection provides a report policy initiatives and the status of program and regulation changes to the DEP Citizens Advisory Council for its information.  In the past this more than 20 page report has not been routinely made available to the public.

The report covers a variety of topics and their latest status.  Some information in the updates has not changed in a while because the information is the last status reported.  Other information is quite new.

Here’s a summary of the topics covered in the 22-page August Report prepared by DEP:

-- Water Management

-- Water Quality Standards Triennial Review

-- NPDES MS4 Permit (PAG-13)

-- NPDES Pesticide General Permit (PAG-15)

-- NPDES Large & Small Vessel General Permits (vGPs)

-- State Water Plan: Development of Critical Area Resource Plans

-- Water Resource Technical Assistance Center

-- Marcellus O&G Water Management Plan Activities

-- Chesapeake Bay TMDL/Watershed Implementation Plan

-- PA’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan (Milestones, Nutrient Trading,

          Wastewater Plants, Agriculture Updates, Revisions to construction stormwater general

          permit (PAG-02), E&S Control Manual training

-- Stormwater Offsetting Workgroup

-- Riparian Buffer Waivers

-- E&S Control Pollution Manual

-- Safe Drinking Water Unregulated Contaminant Rule 3

-- Waste Management

-- Recycling Fund & Solid Waste Advisory Committee agenda

-- Municipal & Residual Waste Regulation Revisions

-- Land Recycling Program Technical Guidance Manual

-- Energy Initiatives: Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant, PA Energy Development Authority, PA Sunshine Program, Small Business Ombudsman, Federal Stimulus Funded Projects, ISO 50001 Workshops, Department of Corrections CHP Project, Energy Symposium.

-- Oil & Gas Issues

-- Latest on implementation of Act 13 Marcellus Shale provisions; White Paper on proposed Chapter 78 changes required by the law, Act 13 Roll-Out, draft Erosion and Sedimentation Control General Permit (ESCGP-2), policy on addressing spills and releases from oil and gas wells and related operations.

-- Oil and Gas Workload Report

-- Spud well report submitted to the PUC

-- Implementation of Act 9 of 2012 related to emergency response at well sites

-- Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting summary

-- Mining/Reclamation/AMD Issues

-- Abandoned Mine Surface/ Bond Fund Discharge Treatment

-- Status of Proposed Coal Permit and Non-Coal Permit Fees

-- NPDES Permitting For Mine Sites

-- Act 54 Mine Subsidence Impact Report

-- Pending Policy Guidance Documents

-- PA Office of Homeland Security - requested list of contacts for trade associations

-- Environmental Education

-- Environmental Education Grants Program

-- EE Outreach, Workshops, Conferences, Board meetings, Upcoming Outreach Events

-- Green Schools

-- Falcon Outreach/Education

-- Office of Program Integration

-- Project Syllabus permit review improvement process

A copy of the report is available online.

9/3/2012