U.S. Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) Wednesday introduced a bipartisan bill to help prevent the invasion of Asian carp into the Ohio River basin.

By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal

With the official close of the legislative session November 30, it’s important to take a look back at the environmental and energy legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2012.

Gov. Corbett gave a series of interviews to groups of Capitol Hill reporters Thursday commenting on expanding Keno-like games to taverns, cuts in pension benefits for existing state and school employees and a possible increase in the wholesale motor fuel taxes to increase transportation funding.

The General Assembly adjourned its two-year session sine die on November 30.  The Senate and House formally reorganizes and starts its new session on January 1.

The November issue of the Environmental Synopsis newsletter is now available from the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee

By Andy McAllister, WPCAMR Regional Coordinator

By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal

On Wednesday the Department of Environmental Protection’s Water Resources Advisory Committee voted to advance the DEP’s final Chapter 93 Water Quality Standards to the Environmental Quality Board for its consideration, but without the proposed standards for molybdenum, sulfates, chlorides, and 1-4 dioxane that raised the concern of the business community.

Hurricane Sandy swept through the Wissahickon Watershed in Montgomery County leaving a trail of destruction and crippling power outages. Storms such as Sandy topple older trees, uproot newer growth and gnaw away at the banks of the Wissahickon Creek.

The PA Section American Water Works Association will hold its 2013 annual conference April 23-25 in Hershey.  The Association has issued a call for papers and presentations for the conference.  Proposals are due December 10.  Click Here for details.

National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners President Philip Jones of Washington named Commissioner Robert F. Powelson of Pennsylvania as Chair of the Association’s Committee on Water.

The Department of Environmental Protection has canceled the December 11 Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting where they were due to roll out proposed changes to Chapter 78 regulations required by the Act 13 Marcellus Shale drilling law enacted in February.

The Department of Environmental Protection no longer has available a single calendar of agency advisory committee and other meetings, according to a notice on its website.

Sammy Boob was proud to learn all about recycling. One of his proudest moments was earning the PROP certificate designating him as a Certified Recycling Professional.  He hung his plaque on his office wall with great pride.

Agricultural businesses and pesticide applicators in 21 counties can dispose of unwanted pesticides safely and easily in 2013 through the Department of Agriculture’s CHEMSWEEP program.

The Department of Environmental Protection is forecasting an Air Quality Action Day on Saturday, December 1 in the Lehigh Valley, Liberty-Clairton in Pittsburgh and the Susquehanna Valley regions.  Click Here for details.

The Department of Environmental Protection will host a public hearing on December 13, to accept comments on two air quality plan approval applications and a storage tank permit application for Perdue Grain & Oil Seed LLC for the installation of a grain elevator and a soybean oil extraction facility in Conoy Township, Lancaster County.

The Public Utility Commission recognized the 10th year of its Prepare Now campaign by joining together with other state agencies at the Community Action Commission, Harrisburg, during a media and consumer event held Wednesday.

The Department of Environmental Protection will conduct a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. January 3  at the Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Co., 2311 Route 54 Highway, Montgomery, Pa. to discuss the proposed air quality plan approval 41-00084A for construction of a natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant to produce 936 MW or less of electricity in Clinton Township, Lycoming County.

Washington Gas Energy Services announced Tuesday PECO, PPL, Penelec and MetEd customers now have the option of switching their electricity generation to WGES PA WindPower, wind energy solely produced in Pennsylvania.

The Public Utility Commission published a notice announcing the availability of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plans by electric distribution companies in Pennsylvania in the December 1 PA Bulletin page 7372.

DEP’s Climate Change Advisory Committee Thursday began the consideration of 35 different work plans recommending steps to reduce Pennsylvania’s greenhouse gas emissions to address climate change.

The Department of Environmental Protection announced Thursday it will begin accepting applications December 1 for its Natural Gas Vehicle Grant Program, which will provide up to $20 million over the next three years to help pay for the incremental purchase and conversion costs of heavy-duty natural gas fleet vehicles.

Former Department of Environmental Protection Secretary and Public Utility Commission member John Hanger Wednesday launched his campaign to seek the Democratic nomination for governor at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, with stops in Harrisburg and Pittsburgh.

The PA Historical and Museum Commission is now accepting applications for Keystone Historic Preservation Project and Construction Grants.  The deadline for applications is March 1.

If Black Friday shopping and Cyber Monday found you hibernating, you still can find dozens of “wild” holiday gifts for that hunter, trapper or wildlife fan on your list at “The Outdoor Shop” on the Game Commission’s website.

The longest running Citizen Science survey in the world, Audubon's annual Christmas Bird Count will take place from December 14 to January 5.   Tens of thousands of volunteers throughout North America will brave winter weather to add a new layer to over a century of data.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of an opportunity to bid on a gas well plugging project in Elk County.

This section gives you a continuously updated thumbnail sketch of issues to be considered in upcoming advisory committee meetings where the agendas have been released

This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other recognition programs.  NEW means new from last week.

Here's a selection of NewClips on environmental topics from around the state--

Here are NewsClips on topics related to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling---

Here are NewsClips on watershed topics from around the state--

No new regulations were published this week.  Pennsylvania Bulletin - December 1, 2012

Upcoming legislative meetings, conferences, workshops, plus links to other online calendars.  Meetings are in Harrisburg unless otherwise noted.  NEW means new from last week.  Go to the online Calendar webpage.

Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to:  DHess@CrisciAssociates.com.

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, Pennsylvania Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.