The March issue of Environmental Synopsis newsletter published by the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee this month highlights the Committee’s Environmental issues Forums.

Also included in this edition are articles on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wet weather sewage overflows, pipeline safety, renewable gasoline supplies, the Department of Energy’s FutureGen carbon capture projects and much more.

Future Environmental Forums

The Joint Committee has scheduled these Environmental Issues Forums in the next few months--

-- April 8: The PA American Water Company of Hershey, Rentricity, Inc. of New York, and the Westmoreland (PA) County Municipal Authority will make a presentation on a new technology that has been implemented at two energy recovery demonstration projects in western Pennsylvania. Rentricity’s turbine generator system captures the hydrokinetic energy created when water flows through pipes from the water sources to the treatment plants, reducing electricity demand and cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions.  The Forum will be in Room 8E-B East Wing starting at Noon.

-- May 6: Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director John Arway will offer a presentation entitled “Fish and Boat Commission Fiscal Slope: Spending Reallocation Plan and Revenue Generating Options.” The presentation will focus on the agency’s need to reduce operating costs, and to fund infrastructure needs. Among potential revenue generating options to be discussed is a proposed fee for consumptive use and degradation of water.  The Forum start at Noon LTBD.

-- June 17: Dr. David J. Nowak, Ph.D, project leader for the USDA Forest Service’s Northern Research Station, will discuss the agency’s innovative “i-Tree” program. Nowak was the driving force behind development of i-Tree’s suite of software tools that helps users assess and manage urban tree populations to make for effective urban forest management and better understanding of the ecosystem services provided by community trees. The Forum starts at Noon LTBC.

Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango) Chairs the Joint Conservation Committee.

3/25/2013