The state budget proposed by House Republicans Wednesday restored $3.8 million in funding for conservation districts, adds $2 million for the Heritage Parks Program, restores $400,000 in funding for Sewage Facilities Planning Grants and provides a $4.4 million increase to the Department of Environmental Protection personnel line items.

The 30th annual Pennsylvania State Envirothon champions, scoring 550.67 points of a possible 600, are from the York County Homeschool located in York County.  The York County team earned the honor to represent Pennsylvania at the North American Envirothon.

Fun on Pennsylvania’s rivers - from canoes and kayaks slicing through white water to leisurely tube floats - will draw thousands of paddlers and other outdoors enthusiasts to waterways across the state this summer.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation- PA Office this week issued a policy statement saying it does not endorse legislation and a proposal developed by BION Environmental Technologies to promote large-scale, capital intensive projects to reduce nutrients going into Pennsylvania’s streams and rivers and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

Here are the Senate and House Calendars and Committee meetings showing bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet on June 4 to consider legislation authorizing the state to set standards for the construction of drinking water wells.

The Western and Eastern Coalitions for Abandoned Mine Reclamation and the Antracite Region Independent Power Producers’ Association will hold a fun, educational fundraising event on June 11 at Mountain View Country Club, 100 Elks Club Road in Boalsburg, Centre County.

On June 18 the federal Office of Surface Mining and its partners will host a tour of a mine treatment system on the North Fork Montour Run in Findlay Township, Allegheny County to demonstrate a new water-powered air compressor with no moving parts used to aerate mine water during the treatment process.

The Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation has begun its Coal Run Project in Bridgeville Borough, Allegheny County.

Gov. Corbett Thursday announced the Department of Environmental Protection has launched Pennsylvania Mine Map Atlas, an online underground mine map viewer. Pennsylvania Mine Map Atlas allows residents and stakeholders to see detailed underground mine maps that were once only available in hard copies.

The Department of Environmental Protection is considering an expansion of the current Lake Erie coastal zone to a larger, watershed-based area to encompass all Pennsylvania watersheds that flow into Lake Erie.

The StormwaterPA website is featuring a new video called Clean Water: A Long Journey From the Source To Our Tap as part of its online stormwater education series.  Click Here to watch the video.

Penn State Extension Water Specialist, Bryan Swistock, and Extension Educators, Jim Clark and Diane Oleson met with the Association of State Home Inspectors early in May to teach them about private water supplies.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service has extended its deadline to sign up for the Conservation Stewardship Program until June 14.  Nationwide, the program will provide about $175 million in funding for up to 12.6 million additional acres enrollment this year.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission meets on June 20 to consider changes in water resource fees, the flood warning system, an update of the Comprehensive Plan for the basin and other issues.  Hearing Room 1, North Office Building. 1:30.  (formal notice and agenda)

The PA Resources Council, with partner Coca-Cola, will hold a Watershed Awareness/Rain Barrel Workshop on June 13 in Pittsburgh City Chambers, 414 Grant St., Pittsburgh starting at 6:00 p.m.

In celebration of National Fishing and Boating Week, the Tireless Project will be hosting three special cleanup events on each of Pittsburgh’s three rivers.

The Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania extended the deadline for nominations for the 2013 Waste Watcher Awards until June 14. The awards recognize recycling, waste reduction, reuse and composting programs in the Commonwealth.

The PA Resources Council, in partnership with ECOvanta, will hold six electronic waste recycling event in the five county Philadelphia Region during June.  Click Here for the schedule and more information.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of the final Policy for Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory Coordination During Permit Review (021-0200-001) in the May 25 PA Bulletin.   Both the policy and a comment/response document were posted this week.

The Department of Environmental Protection will participate in a public meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4, to discuss Carpenter Technology Corporation’s plan to replace a steel coil cleaning line at its plant in Reading, Berks County.

Nature Abounds is seeking volunteers to be Climate Change Ambassadors in the Lake Erie Region.

Effective June 1, PPL Electric Utilities’ price to compare will be higher for residential customers and lower for small businesses.

Summer is just around the corner and PECO is ready. More than 35 projects have been completed this year that are essential to meeting the increased demand customers place on the electric system to keep their homes and businesses cool.

Department of Environmental Protection Thursday  reported the season’s first two detections of West Nile virus-carrying mosquitos since surveillance began in early May.

State and federal environmental officials have announced that two land purchases have been made to benefit the wildlife, people and landscape of the Kittatinny Ridge.

Whether scrambling to help muzzle deadly wildfires out West, or repair and rebuild after hurricanes and tropical storms close to home, some Department of Conservation and Natural Resources workers excelled.

State parks across Pennsylvania will be hosting special events and activities during June as part of the nationwide observance of “Great Outdoors Month.’’

Pennsylvanians can help safeguard the state’s trees from devastating insects and diseases by not moving firewood more than 50 miles from its origin.

Schools might soon be letting out, but educators and others who work with youth have a chance to continue their learning through wildlife-focused workshops that also fulfill mandates set forth by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Berks County, will host its 3nd Annual Hawk Mountain Hill Climb, a 5K run or walk, on June 15.  The two-mile finish on Hawk Mountain Road will end at the Sanctuary Visitor Center.

The Environmental Institute at Lackawanna College in Scranton offers a variety of public programs on environmental, natural resource and wildlife topics in June and July.  Click Here for a calendar of events.

The Farmland Preservation Artists of Central Pennsylvania is a group of 16 artists dedicated in promoting the appreciation and preservation of the farmland in our area through the visual arts. 

Penn State Extension-Centre County and its partners are pleased to be offering the Woods in Your Backyard Workshop on June 22 at the Forest Resources Building, Penn State University Park Campus from 9:00 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.

On May 31 Shippensburg University recognized Crisci Associates’ David Hess with its 2013 Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published notice of an opportunity to bid on constructions projects in Berks, Elk and Susquehanna counties.

The PA Resources Council is now seeking candidates to fill the position of Western Regional Program Coordinator.   Click Here for more information.  Send cover letters and resumes to davem@prc.org.

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 - June 1, 2013

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.