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

Awards/Recognition

-- PA Recreation & Parks Society CEO Tim Herd Announces His Retirement  [PaEN]

-- StateCollege.com: Adam Smith, US Fish & Wildlife Service Biologist, Named Outstanding Coldwater Conservationist Professional By PA Council Of Trout Unlimited

-- Hollow Oak Land Trust Spotlight: Laura Theofanous - Championing Milkweed At The Nike Missile Site In Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: Meet Winners Of 2024 Sustainable Garden Awards From Phipps Conservatory

-- Delaware Highlands Conservancy Announces Winners Of Confluence: Land, Water, Wildlife Photo Contest; ARTery Gallery Exhibition  [PaEN]

Grants

-- Susquehanna University: Grant From Richard King Mellon Foundation To Support Freshwater Research Institute

-- The Daily Item: Susquehanna University Receives $600,000 Mellon Foundation Grant To Fund Freshwater Research

-- Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Now Accepting Applications For EPA Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grants In EPA Region 3  [PaEN]

-- New PA Sportsman License Plate Unveiled To Benefit Youth Hunting & Fishing Programs  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA Unveils Speciality License Plate For Sportsmen

Help Wanted

-- Choose Clean Water Coalition Now Accepting Applications For Young Environmental Professionals Of Color Mentorship Program  [PaEN]

-- Conservation District Invites Pike County Citizen Scientists To Participate In Study Of Microplastics  [PaEN]

-- DCNR Grants Newsletter: Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape; New Lloyd Clark Trail; Boating Facility Grants; Young Professionals Of Color Mentorship Program

Upcoming Events

-- WHYY: Tonight [Oct. 3] Academy Of Natural Sciences Discussion Of Preserving Seeds As Cultural Heritage

-- PA Forestry Association Walk In Penn’s Woods Oct. 5-6 - Find A Walk Near You!

-- Foundation For Sustainable Forests Wall In Penn’s Woods Oct. 6 Northwestern REC Community Forest In Crawford County

-- North Branch Land Trust Walk In Penn’s Woods Oct. 6 Sugar Notch Trails Hike & Sip In Luzerne County

-- Williamsport Sun: Rider Park To Host Walk In Penn’s Woods Day Oct. 6

-- TribLive: St. Xavier In Unity To Host Fall Walk Oct. 6, Road Ramble, Input On Nature Preserve Plans Oct. 2 In Westmoreland

-- PA Resources Council, Allegheny County Host Final Hard-To-Recycle Collection Events This Year On Oct. 5 & 26  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Center for Energy Law & Policy Oct. 7 EarthTalk On Sustainable Aviation Fuel And The Policies Impacting Its Development.  4:00 to 5:00 p.m.

-- Williamsport Sun: Susquehanna Chapter Trout Unlimited Hosts Oct. 9 Program On PA Forest Health

-- US Forest Service Watershed Forestry Team Hosts Webinar On Riparian Forest Buffer Success And Innovation Begins Oct. 10  [PaEN]

-- Beaver County Times: Beaver County To Host Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Oct. 12

-- Lehigh Valley Wildlands Conservancy Highlights October Events: Oct. 15 Stream Restoration; Fall Photo Contest; Tree Planting; Much More!

-- Center For Coalfield Justice Hosts Oct. 16 In-Person Program In Waynesburg, Greene County On Protecting Public Health, Resources From Shale Gas Development   [PaEN]

-- BikeOut: One Day Ride - Explore Delaware River Towns Oct. 19

-- New Cumberland Library In Cumberland County To Hold Oct. 20 Lecture, Book Signing Event For Cradle Of Conservation, An Environmental History of Pennsylvania  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Hosts Oct. 23 Webinar On Identifying Environmentally Sensitive Areas On The Farm - Wetlands  [PaEN]

-- Delaware River Basin Commission/EPA Climate Practitioners Workshop Oct. 28, 4:00 p.m.

-- Philadelphia Solar Energy Assn.: Nov. 2 Teacher Training For Junior Solar Sprint

-- Buffalo Creek Coalition Meets Nov. 14 In Butler County On State Of Watershed, Habitat Restoration, Lingering Hemlock Project  [PaEN]

-- Stroud Water Research Center Highlights Streamside Forests & Climate Resilience; How Many Trees To Protect A Stream?; Herbicides & Buffers; Honoring Paul Greenberg  [PaEN]

-- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Highlights October Events: Accessible Hawk Watch; Incredible Invertebrates; History Of Hawk Mountain; Owloween; Wilderness First Responder Course

-- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: Wilderness First Responder Certification Course, Deadline To Register Nov. 1

-- The Nature Conservancy PA Nature News: Creating Resilient Forests Video; Oct. 12 Family Day Cove Mountain Preserve; Why Does Biodiversity Matter?; Bats In Focus

Public Participation

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - October 5 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 72 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 5 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets Oct. 8 On Hydrogen Hubs, Data Centers, Food Processing Residuals, PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Regulation  [PaEN]

-- Mon Valley Clean Air Fund Sets 3 Outreach Sessions Starting Oct. 9 In Allegheny County Communities Affected By US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Plant Fire  [PaEN] 

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Mon Valley Clean Air Fund Sets 3 Outreach Sessions In Communities Affected By US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Plant Fire Starting Oct. 9

-- DEP Advisory Group To Hear How DEP Proposes To Implement New Federal Methane Reduction Rule For Conventional Oil & Gas, Shale Gas Wells, Infrastructure Oct. 10  [PaEN]

-- The Guardian: LNG Gas Has Far Worse Climate Emissions Than Coal, Cornell Study Finds

-- Public Comments Invited On Draft Juniata River Watershed Conservation Plan By Western PA Conservancy [PaEN]

-- Western PA Conservancy, Partners Invite Residents Of French Creek Watershed To Comment On Conservation Plan At Oct 22 Meeting In Saegertown, Crawford County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Sets Oct. 28 Meeting/Hearing On Renewal Of Hazardous Waste Permit For Keystone Cement In Northampton County [Updated]  [PaEN]

-- DEP Sets Nov. 4 Hearing On Renewal Of Air Quality Permit For Panther Creek Coal Waste-Fired Power Plant In Carbon County  [PaEN]

Programs/Information

-- DCNR: Second Fall Foliage Report: Best Viewing In Northeast, Southwest PA  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Robinson Announces Introduction of Senate Bill 1328 Requiring Radon Testing In Schools Every 5 Years

-- PA American Water Celebrates Source Water Protection Week With Education Program  [PaEN]

-- WNEP: Schuylkill County Conservancy Hosts 100 5th Graders For Outdoor Learning Day

-- Delaware RiverKeeper Aquatic Plant Survey [Video]

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: ‘Life Waste’ Is A Musical Tour Of The Potential Of Biogas [Dickinson College Farm Methane Digester]

-- York Daily Record - Brian Whipkey: Look What’s Coming To New Susquehanna Riverlands, Big Elk, Vosburg Neck State Parks

-- DCNR: Study Finds Northcentral Regional ATV Trail Connector Generates $23.5 Million In Revenue Over 2-Year Period [Northcentral Regional ATV Trail]

-- Slippery Rock University Installs Deer Exclosures To Educate People About The Effects Of Overgrazing In Forests

-- Warren Times - Audubon Community Nature Center: Boogie-Woogies In The Woods

-- Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly News: Tips For Handling Yard Waste In Quarantined Areas; How To Protect Your Business; Online Learning Opportunities

-- Penn State Extension Home Garden News: Fall Garden Care For Pollinators; Not-So-Nice Native Plants; Spooktacular Flora And Fungi

Background On Issues

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: Fracking In Pennsylvania Hasn’t Gone As Well As Some May Think

-- The Allegheny Front - Susan Phillips: Fracking In Pennsylvania Hasn’t Gone As Well As Some May Think

-- LancasterOnline Letter: Remembering The Reality Of Fracking - Doing It Safely Or The Wild West - Not For Or Against - By Bruce Riefenstahl, Mount Joy

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Ad Crable: Pennsylvania Factions Spar Over Treating Roads With Drilling Wastewater

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 - Five More Abandoned  Shale Gas Well Violations; Failure To Disclose Fracking Chemicals; Failure To Report Waste Generation & Disposal; Lawnmower Causes Conventional Pipeline Gas Leak [PaEN]

-- No Decision Posted Yet From DEP On Whether Flare Gas Chemical Makeup, Volume At Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County Is Confidential Business Information  [PaEN]

-- Olean Times Herald (NY): Marine Vet In McKean County Deals With Fracking Wastewater Injection Well Next Door: ‘I Regret Purchasing This Home’

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Work On Shale Gas Wastewater Injection Well In McKean County Progresses  [PDF of Article]

-- DEP Begins Accepting Grant Applications Oct. 9 To Plug Orphan Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned By Their Owners  [PaEN]

-- The Energy Age Blog: Update: Emergency DEP Conventional Well Plugging Continues In Allegheny County

-- Observer-Reporter: Marcellus Shale Has Wealth Of Natural Gas And More [Royalty Payments, Act 13 Drilling Impact Fees]  [PDF of Article]  [Part 3]

-- Independent Fiscal Office Projects Another $100+ Million Drop In Act 13 Shale Gas Drilling Impact Fee Revenue In 2023 And 2024 From 2022  [PaEN] 

-- PennLive - John Beauge: Construction Of PA General Energy Natural Gas Pipelines In Lycoming County Can Begin Despite Concerns For Trail, Wild Trout Streams  [Read more here ]

-- Sen. Yaw Introduces Bill To Prohibit State Government From Owning Any Clean Energy Credits; Would Force The Use Of More Taxpayer Money To Plug Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Routinely Abandoned By Conventional Well Owners  [PaEN]

-- No False Solutions PA Coalition: 2nd Carbon Dioxide Leak Reported At ADM Carbon Capture Plant In Illinois, Delay In Notifying Public  Should Give PA Pause On Carbon Capture Storage  [PaEN]

-- Inside Climate News: Carbon Capture Monitoring Well Leaking In Illinois; Most Residents Found Out When The World Did, Failed To Follow Emergency Procedures

-- The Guardian: LNG Gas Has Far Worse Climate Emissions Than Coal, Cornell Study Finds

-- Marcellus Drilling News: PJM, Other Electric Grid Operators File Brief In Lawsuit Against EPA Gas-Fired Power Plant Regulation  [PDF of Article]  [PJM, et al Brief]

-- House Environmental Committee Moves Solar Energy Facility Decommissioning Best Practices; Food Processing Waste Bills  [PaEN]

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Solar Energy Companies Would Need Plan For Eventual Cleanup Under Bill In State House

-- PennFuture: Lawmakers Move Bill To Require Clean Solar Energy Facilities To Have Bonds; But Fail To Have Adequate Plugging Bonds For Dirty Oil & Gas Wells Leaving Taxpayers To Pick Up The Cost  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw Introduces Bill To Prohibit State Government From Owning Any Clean Energy Credits; Would Force The Use Of More Taxpayer Money To Plug Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Routinely Abandoned By Conventional Well Owners  [PaEN]

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Flips Switch On First Of 3 Massive Solar Energy Projects In Fayette, Somerset Counties To Add 43 MW To PJM Grid

-- Stroud Water Research Center Receives $141,000 Grant From Green Mountain Energy Sun Club For New 55-Kilowatt Rooftop Solar Energy System  [PaEN]

-- Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority Receives $75,000 West Penn Energy Fund Grant For Solar Energy Array; Will Save $2 Million Over 25 Years; Power Renewable Gas Facility  [PaEN]

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Solar Co-Op Aims To Lower Cost For Rooftop Solar In Dauphin, Cumberland Counties

-- Observer-Reporter: New Solar Farms Look To Shine Bright In Southwestern PA [Mitsubishi Solar Energy Facilities]   [PDF of Article]

-- Post-Gazette: Massive Solar Farms Are Eating Up Acreage Across Rural PA Triggering Fear, Anger, Heated Disputes  [PDF of Article]

-- Tribune-Democrat: Upper Yoder Twp. Drawing Up Regulations For Possible Solar Energy Facilities

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Old Lycoming Twp. Solar Energy Facility Permit Good For Energy Needs, Liberty

-- WHYY: Wilmington’s Hagley Museum Using Historic Dams Along Brandywine River To Get Off Electric Grid

-- Utility Dive: PJM Interconnection Inflates Electricity Prices By Billions By Not Consistently Accounting For Reliability Must-Run Contracts, Campaign Alleges

-- Marcellus Drilling News: PJM, Other Electric Grid Operators File Brief In Lawsuit Against EPA Gas-Fired Power Plant Regulation  [PDF of Article]  [PJM, et al Brief]

-- 200+ Attend Delaware River Watershed Forum In Bethlehem - The Power Of Collaboration  [PaEN]

-- DEP Chesapeake Bay Healthy Waters Newsletter Highlights Funding Opportunities; County Clean Water Projects; Accomplishments  [PaEN]

-- Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition Receives Grant To Rehab De Sale Passive Mine Drainage Treatment System;  Participates In WV Mine Drainage Conference; Learn More About Datashed.org  [PaEN]

-- Watershed Success Spotlight: Allegheny Land Trust + Chalfant Run-Thompson Run Watershed Assn., Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- Episcopal News Service: Lancaster Clean Water Partners Grant Will Help Manheim Church Do Its Part To Clean Up Chesapeake Bay 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: Chesapeake Bay Cleanup At A Crossroads; New Path Or Stay The Course?

-- Pottsville Republican Herald Guest Essay: Riparian Buffers Necessary In Age Of Stronger Storms - By Alliance for The Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

-- Susquehanna University: Grant From Richard King Mellon Foundation To Support Freshwater Research Institute

-- The Daily Item: Susquehanna University Receives $600,000 Mellon Foundation Grant To Fund Freshwater Research

-- Rep. Owlett Introduces Stream Cleaning Bill To Help Protect Against Flooding [But Do These Bills Make The Problem Worse?  Read real story here]

-- Food Processing: Keystone Potato Products Takes Sustainability To New Levels In Schuylkill County

-- DEP Now Accepting Applications For Food Waste Reduction Grants To Help Fight Hunger  [PaEN]

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Turnpike Hears Strong Opposition To Allegheny Mountain Bypass

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: EPA Issues New Order For MAX Environmental Hazardous Waste Landfill Over Stream Pollution In Yukon, Westmoreland County

-- Altoona Mirror: Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, PA Interfaith Power & Light  Volunteers Prepare To Give Away 4,500+ Native Plants Requested By Individuals

-- LancasterOnline: New Holland Breaks Ground On Community Butterfly Garden

-- WESA: Pittsburghers Pledge To Get Out Of The Car For ‘Week Without Driving’

-- Williamsport Sun - Bill Bower: Reflections In Nature: Latest Harvest Moon Was Also A Supermoon

Visit the  DEP Calendar of Events;  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: October 6, 2024]

10/7/2024