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

Awards/Recognition

-- Keep PA Beautiful Seeking Nominations For Litter Hawk Youth Award Program To Recognize Students In Grades K To 6  [PaEN]

-- Lancaster Farming: EPA Rolls Out Youth Advisory Council Led By PA 4-H’er

-- York Daily Record - Brian Whipkey: US Youth Fly Fishing Team Fills Up With PA Teenagers

-- CBF's Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership: Last Year's Winners Of The Mira Lloyd Dock Diversity Award Work On Completing Environmental Projects  [PaEN]

-- PA Sea Grant's Tom Cermak Recognized With Great Lakes Sea Grant Individual Achievement Award  [PaEN]

-- EPA Launches Video Prize Challenge To Showcase Electric Transportation In Action, Entries Due Jan. 23  [PaEN]

Grants

-- Western PA Conservancy Now Accepting Applications For BHE GT&S Watershed Mini Grants In Western PA  [PaEN]

Help Wanted

-- Help Wanted: Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership Executive Director  [PaEN]

Upcoming Events

-- Friends Of The Wissahickon Host Nov. 7 Climate Change In Our Watersheds Fall Valley Talk, In-Person, Online In Philadelphia  [PaEN]

-- Energy Efficiency Alliance Of PA/NJ Host Nov. 8 Webinar On Results Of Latest National Energy Literacy Survey  [PaEN]

-- Protect PT Holds Nov. 11 Workshop On Living Near Shale Gas In Westmoreland County  [PaEN]

-- University Of Pittsburgh Studies Of Shale Gas Development Health Impacts To Be Discussed At Nov. 14 Joint Meeting Of DEP Citizens Advisory Council, Environmental Justice Advisory Board  [PaEN]

-- PA League Of Women Voters, University Of Pittsburgh Graduate School Of Public Health Nov. 14 Shale Gas & Public Health Conference  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension/PA Sea Grant: Nov. 15 Webinar On Developing A Choose Native Plants Publication For Landscapers And Homeowners  [PaEN]

-- Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition: Call For Submissions For Westminster College Student Symposium On The Environment Dec. 4 to 7  [PaEN]

-- Registration Open For 7-Part Online Tree Tenders Training Workshop Starting Jan. 17 Thru Feb. 28  [PaEN]

-- DCNR State Parks: Online Growing Up WILD Facilitator Training Starts Feb. 8  [PaEN]

Programs/Information

-- PA Watershed Groups Engaged 8,000 Volunteers Contributing Over 44,500 Hours; 35,000+ People Involved In Projects, Education, Hikes, Other Events; Planted 30,000 Trees in 2022  [PaEN] 

-- Shippensburg News-Chronicle: Statewide Watershed Conference Gave Watershed Groups A Place To Share Stories, Concerns, Learn About Projects And Practices Elsewhere, Find Funding And More

-- WNEP: Susquehanna University Students Install Manmade Beaver Dams

-- Berks Nature Releases 15th State Of The Environment Report At Program Attended By Over 300  [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette: Young Ambassadors From Western PA High Schools To Help Fight Litter  

-- WNEP: Getting Students Ready To Repair Electric Vehicles

-- Pike Conservation District: What Happens When Stormwater Management Goes Wrong? - By Chris Metzler, District Engineer  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette - Mary Ann Thomas: Art Reflecting Pittsburgh’s Geological History Unveiled At Fern Hollow Bridge

-- WESA: Farmland Preservation Efforts Grow As Allegheny County Protects Unique Crops And Smaller Farms

-- The Daily Item: Penn State Study Tracks Deer Habits, Habitats

-- Penn State Extension Community Trees News: DCNR Funding Community Forestry Projects; What’s A Tree City USA Community? Tree Health Struggles; What’s My Tree Doing For Me? 

-- WESA/The Allegheny Front: Why Teaching People About Invasive Plants Can Get A Little Thorny

-- TribLive: Recycling Pumpkins Good For Wildlife, Environment

-- Post-Gazette - John Hayes: Bear Season: Here’s How PA Controls Its Largest Predator 

-- PennLive: To The Bat Hospital!  PA Bat Rescue Group Treats These Misunderstood Creatures 

-- The Nature Conservancy-PA Nature News: Explore Nature In PA At A TNC Preserve; Chesapeake Bay Farmers Going Above & Beyond; More!

-- DCNR: Final Fall Foliage Report Shows End To An Extended Period Of Phenomenal Fall Color!  [PaEN]

-- Nov. 3 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation  [PaEN]

Public Participation

-- Reminder: Nov. 13 DEP Hearing On Proposed River Pointe Warehouse In Northampton County 

-- EQB Invites Comments On Proposed Site-Specific Mercury Standard Related To York County Landfill; Dec. 5 Virtual Hearing  [PaEN]

-- DEP Sets Dec. 7 Hearing On York County Solid Waste Authority Resource Recovery Facility Air Permit  [PaEN] 

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - November 4  [PaEN]

-- Game Commission Proposes Black Rail As Threatened Species  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 57 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In Nov. 4 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

Background On Issues

-- House Committee Hearing On Increasing Safety Setbacks Zones Around Natural Gas Facilities Heard About First-Hand Citizen Experiences On Health Impacts, From Physicians On Health Studies And The Gas Industry On Job Impacts  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw, Republican Chair Of Senate Environmental Committee, Calls Bill To Reduce Shale Gas Industry Impacts On Health, Environment ‘Stupid’  [PaEN] 

-- Williamsport Sun: Sen. Yaw Calls Legislation Expanding Natural Gas Infrastructure Safety Zones ‘Stupid’

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Mariner East 2X Natural Gas Liquids Pipeline Being Repaired After Dent Discovered In Chester County During Maintenance Check  [PaEN]

-- Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force Issues Report On The Best Ways To Increase Exports Of PA's Natural Gas; Minority Report Rebuts Need For LNG Facility, Outlines Impacts  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Health News: Majority-Black Pennsylvania Community Fights Back Against Proposed $6 Billion LNG Natural Gas Terminal [Chester, Delaware County]

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: PA Needs To Do More To Defend Public Health From Shale Gas - By Alison Steele, Environmental Health Project

-- Gov. Shapiro, CNX Natural Gas Company Sign Statement Of Mutual Interests To Monitor Air Emissions At Drill Sites, Extend Safety Setbacks While Data Is Being Collected; DEP To Move Ahead With Some Reg Changes  [PaEN]

-- AP: PA To Partner With CNX Natural Gas Driller On In-Depth Study Of Air Emissions, Water Quality

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Shapiro Announces Agreement With CNX On Fracking Health Measures, Says New Regulations Coming

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: CNX Natural Gas Company, Gov. Shapiro Find Agreement On Monitoring Program Where Legislators Cannot

-- WTAE: PA Partners With Natural Gas Driller On Air Monitoring Amid New Regulatory Push

-- Observer-Reporter: CNX Resources Corp, Shapiro Administration Announce Transparency Initiative

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Shapiro, CNX Natural Gas Announce Monitoring Agreement

-- Inside Climate News - Jake Bolster: PA Governor Announces Collaboration With CNX Natural Gas Drilling Aimed At Increasing Transparency

-- Evangelical Environmental Network Thanks Gov. Shapiro For Defending Children's Health Thru An Agreement With CNX Natural Gas; Believes In Repenting Of Sins, 2nd Chances  [PaEN]

-- Washington Examiner: PA Gov. Shapiro Partners With Natural Gas Giant

-- TribLive Editorial: Is Shapiro’s Voluntary Agreement With CNX The Right Move For Gas Well Safety?  [‘We do not trust foxes to guard henhouses’]

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Let’s Celebrate More Climate Wins In Pennsylvania - Plugging Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells - By Mandy Warner, Environmental Defense Fund & John Walliser, PA Environmental Council 

-- Attorney General Henry Announces Criminal Charges Against Equitrans For 2018 Natural Gas Explosion That Destroyed Home In Greene County  [PaEN]

-- AP: PA Attorney Charges Equitrans With Crimes In 2018 Natural Gas Explosion That Leveled Home, Hurt 3, Including 4-Year-Old Boy

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Criminal Charges Against Equitrans Should Be A Deterrent To Environmental Violators, Attorney General Says 

-- TribLive: Equitrans Faces Criminal Charges In Connection With 2018 Greene County Natural Gas Explosion That Destroyed Home

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: PA Attorney General Files Criminal Charges Against Equitrans In 2018 Greene County Home Natural Gas Explosion Caused By Leaking Conventional Well At The Pratt Gas Storage Facility

-- WTAE: Criminal Charges Filed Against Equitrans After Natural Gas Explosion Destroyed Greene County Home In 2018 

-- Observer-Reporter: State AG Files Criminal Charges Against Equitrans, Faults Company For 2018 Natural Gas Explosion That Destroyed Home In Greene County

-- Commonwealth Court Declares RGGI ‘Invalid Tax’ And Enjoins DEP, EQB From Enforcing Its Provisions  [PaEN] 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Shapiro Mum On Whether He’ll Appeal RGGI Decision [Still Reviewing Court Decision]

-- Williamsport Sun: PA State, Federal Lawmakers Applaud Commonwealth Court Decision Invalidating RGGI

-- AP: Commonwealth Court Blocks Effort To Make Power Plants Pay For Greenhouse Gas Emissions [RGGI]

-- Spotlight PA: PA Court Strikes Down Key Climate Program [RGGI], But Environmentalists Expect An Appeal

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Court Rules Climate Program Is An Illegal Tax, Says State Cannot Join RGGI

-- The Center Square: Commonwealth Court Strikes Down Carbon ‘Tax’ [RGGI]

-- City & State PA: Breaking Down The RGGI Rulings And What They Mean

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Ad Crable: Pennsylvania’s Inclusion In RGGI Remains Uncertain

-- WPXI: DEP Will Work To Fix Abandoned Mine Subsidence Damage In Lincoln Place

-- WTAE: Sen. Robinson Wants Tougher Lead Testing Standards For PA Schools

-- PUC Issues Emergency Order To PA American Water To Operate Troubled East Dunkard Water Authority In Greene County; Lawsuit Filed Alleging Water Tainted By Mine Drainage, Shale Gas Operations  [PaEN]

-- Observer-Reporter: PUC Emergency ‘Receivership’ Requested For East Dunkard Water Authority In Greene County

-- Observer-Reporter: East Dunkard Water Authority Customers: ‘We’re The Flint, Michigan Of PA;” Lawsuit Claims Contamination By Mine Drainage, Shale Gas Operations Caused Health Problems  [PDF of article]

-- Observer-Reporter: East Dunkard Water Authority Treatment Plant Back Online After Shutdown

-- Protecting Clean Water Together Series: Keeping The Gunk Out Of Your Water Supply - By Carol Hillestad for the Brodhead Watershed Association   [PaEN]

-- York Daily Record Column: Creatives & Recreationalists: Galleries And Outdoors Replacing Factory Work

-- York Daily Record: Shank’s Mare Outfitters Owners Created A Susquehanna River Institution, Now They’re Retiring

-- TribLive: Fish Reefs To Be Built In The Monongahela River

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Lost Heritage: Bringing American Martens Back To PA

-- WTAE: Rep. Major Wants To Chomp Down Exotic Animal Release After Multiple Gators In Kiski River

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: We Have A Path To Reduce Climate Pollution, It Is Time To Launch Market-Based RGGI - By Environmental Defense Fund & Ceres

-- PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In October Now Available  [PaEN]

-- The Guardian: US Students At Penn State, University Of Pennsylvania Other Schools File Complaints Over Fossil Fuel Investments  

-- The Guardian: Pittsburgh, Environmental, Cultural Institutions Share Lobbyists With Fossil Fuel Companies

-- AP: Earth Will Likely Lock Into Breaching Key Warming Threshold In Early 2029, Scientists Calculate

-- Financial Times: Future Of Fossil Fuels Leaves Nations At Odds Ahead Of UN Climate Summit

Visit the PA Parks & Forests Foundation’s Events webpage and DCNR’s Calendar of Events for activities happening near you.

Visit DEP’s Teaching Green webpage to learn about more environmental education resources.

Visit the PA Environment Digest Calendar Of Events for more opportunities.

[Posted: November 5, 2023]

11/6/2023