The Environmental Quality Board published notice in the July 29 PA Bulletin of a final regulation making changes to Environmental Laboratory Accreditation regulations, including increases in permit fees. (PA Bulletin page 4085)

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice in the July 29 PA Bulletin of final changes to regulations to clarify the application requirements for review of water withdrawal and use projects.

The Public Utility Commission published notice in the July 29 PA Bulletin of final Electric Service Safety regulations.

The PUC also published notice in the July 29 PA Bulletin of a request for additional comments on Standards and Billing Practices for Residential Public Utility Service.

Pennsylvania Bulletin - July 29, 2017

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.

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.

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

February 2017 DEP Regulatory Agenda - PA Bulletin, Page 740

Technical Guidance & Permits

Note: DEP published 73 pages of public notices related to proposed and final permit and approval/disapproval actions in the July 29 PA Bulletin - pages 4144 to 4217 .

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the July 29 PA Bulletin inviting public comments on a draft policy for state water quality certification for interstate natural gas pipelines regulated by FERC.

The Department will use this technical guidance to ensure that proposed interstate natural gas transmission pipeline projects regulated by FERC comply with State statutory and regulatory requirements necessary to protect the quality of the waters of the Commonwealth.

Click Here for a copy of the draft guidance.

The deadline for comments is August 28.  Comments may be submitted through DEP’s online eComment webpage, by e-mail to: ecomment@pa.gov. Written comments should be submitted to the Technical Guidance Coordinator, Department of Environmental Protection, Policy Office, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101

Questions about this guidance should be directed to Kenneth Murin, Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands, 717-787-3411, or send email to: kmurin@pa.gov.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the July 29 PA Bulletin that an updated Environmental Assessment Form and Instruction for Chapter 105 Water Obstruction and Encroachment Applications is now available on DEP’s website.

The form is used by regulated entities, consultants and the Department to evaluate the proposed environmental impact for a proposed project. The form has been revised and updated to provide more in depth discussion on the value of the resource, the potential effect the project will have on the resource, alternatives available and mitigation to offset the impacts.

Other changes include the addition of questions related to large scale projects located in more than one county in this Commonwealth and are covered by more than one single permit application will need to be addressed in the updated form.

Click Here for copies of the Environmental Assessment Instructions and Assessment Forms in Word and PDF formats.

The Department has begun providing training through webinars and regional settings prior to the effective date of the revised form.

Questions regarding this revised form and instructions should be directed to David Goerman at 717-772-5971 or send email to: dgoerman@pa.gov.

DEP published notice in the July 29 PA Bulletin of a federal consistency determination under the Coastal Zone Management Act for maintenance dredging in Neshaminy State Park.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published notice in the July 29 PA Bulletin of a proposed property exchange in Potter County involving 3,391.5 acres of oil, gas and mineral rights underlying existing State Forest lands in Elk and Susquehannock State Forest districts.  In return, DCNR proposes to convey 2,949.7 acres of oil, gas and mineral rights underlying property in West Branch and Pike Townships.

The Public Utility Commission published its staff report on the PUC’s Review Of Universal Service and Energy Conservation Programs in the July 29 PA Bulletin (page 4238).

The review was approved by the Commission on April 6 in a motion made by commissioners Andrew Place and David Sweet and the PUC began soliciting comments on the issue in May.

The report provides an historical perspective on the programs, summaries related proceedings and outlines potential options for action going forward-- regulations, policy or statute.

Documents related to this issue can be found at PUC Docket Nos. L-2016-2557886,  M-2017-2587711 and M-2017-2596907.  Click Here to search for documents filed so far.

Contact persons for matters related to this Staff Report are Louise Fink Smith, finksmith@pa.gov, and Tiffany Tran, tiftran@pa.gov, in the Law Bureau, and Joseph Magee, jmagee@pa.gov,  and sdewey@pa.gov,  in BCS.

Additionally, Word-compatible versions of comments at this docket are to be emailed to the contact persons and to the following email account RA-PCLAW-LIURP@pa.gov.

Related Story:

PUC Formally Starts Review Of Energy Conservation, Assistance Program Effectiveness

DEP Technical Guidance In Process

Draft Technical Guidance Documents - DEP webpage

Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines - DEP webpage

Submit Comments on Proposals Through DEP’s eComment System

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 (July 2017) - DEP webpage

Other DEP Proposals For Public Review

Other Proposals Open For Public Comment - DEP webpage

Submit Comments on Proposals Through DEP’s eComment System

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.

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

DEP Calendar of Events    DCNR Calendar of Events

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7/31/2017