Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Thursday joined local leaders in education, environmental protection and business at the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center to unveil details of a plan to enact fair and reasonable severance tax proposal on the Marcellus shale industry.

PA Environment Digest now has a Google+ Circle called Green Works In PA.  Just go to your Google+ page and search for DHess@CrisciAssociates.com, the email for the Digest Editor David Hess,  and let us join your Circle.

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 Democratic Policy Committee held a public hearing Monday to listen to local officials and experts about sewage line maintenance issues at the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, according to Policy Chairman Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster).

Rep. Robert Godshall (R-Montgomery), Majority Chair of the House Consumer Affairs Committee, held a committee meeting Thursday to hear testimony from electric companies on their response to recent storm-related power outages and what they are doing to minimize outages in the future.

Rep. Peter J. Daley II (D-Washington), Minority Chair of the House Consumer Affairs Committee, Thursday urged gas and electric utilities and the Public Utility Commission to grant a two-week reprieve on service shutoffs that can begin April 1, regardless of income.

The Senate Local Government Committee is scheduled to consider Senate Bill 1255 (Erickson-R-Delaware) authorizing municipal authorities to establish programs that allow property owners to reduce their stormwater rates and changes by implementing best management practices on April 1.

The Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee will hold a hearing April 1 starting at 9:30 a.m. on variable electric rates in Room 8E-B East Wing Capitol Building.

The Department of Environmental Protection Monday announced efforts to reduce pollution in Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed continue to yield progress based on the Chesapeake Bay Program annual Chesapeake Bay Watershed Model progress run results for 2013.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Vice President Kim Coble issued this statement Monday following the release of a proposed new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Army Corps of Engineers rule designed to protect isolated wetlands and headwater streams. The rule clarifies which water bodies are entitled to federal protection under the Clean Water Act.

The PA Association of Conservation Districts Friday announced the award of more than $46,000 for 26 projects in 25 counties that promote water pollution prevention strategies through the Non-Point Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-Grant Program.

Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition Executive Director Andrew Heath recently received the presidential citation from PA Recreation & Park Society board president William Wert for his leadership in advocating for the Commonwealth’s parks, trails and open spaces.

The Department of Environmental Protection Wednesday announced the award of a $350,000 grant to Leacock Township, Lancaster County, to assist with the construction of a new public water system.

Volunteers are needed to join the estimated 1,500 people who will participate in the two-month Schuylkill Scrub by picking up litter during nearly 100 cleanup events near the Schuylkill River, Pennsylvania’s River of Year, in April and May.

ClearWater Conservancy in Centre County will host its annual Watershed Cleanup Day April 26 from 8 a.m. to Noon  at sites throughout Central Pennsylvania and is seeking community members to pitch in that day.

Clinton County CleanScapes will sponsor a series of community cleanup events in 2014 starting April 5 with the West Branch Susquehanna River greenway cleanup in Renovo, Clinton County.  Other events already scheduled include--

As part of Chestnut Hill Township’s Earth Day Activities, Close the Loop Company will be coordinating a Give and Take Day on April 26 at the Chestnut Hill Township Park in Monroe County on Route 715 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. GIVE, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. TAKE.

Sixteen State College Area Elementary Schools are currently competing in an eight week Plastic Bag Recycling Challenge which has so far recycled over 150,000 plastic bags collected from the schools-- over 2,000 pounds of plastic bags and film.  And there is no sign of slowing down. 

Are you 55 years or older, live in Clearfield County and want to become involved in protecting our resources and educating the public on the natural world? If so, the Clearfield County Senior Environment Corps wants you.

The Northeast Pennsylvania Audubon Society is now accepting scholarship applications for two different summer camp experiences -- a Family Camp Scholarship for an eligible adult and child to spend a week on an island in Maine, and three full environmental camp scholarships for 11-13 and 14-17 year olds.

Join the PA Environmental Council for the annual Pennsylvania Environment Ride May 16-18  from Elizabethtown on the Susquehanna River to Philadelphia on the Delaware River.

The Department of Environmental Protection Friday announced the hearing sessions on an Application for Gas Well Spacing Units, or spacing order, received from Hilcorp Energy Co., have been scheduled for May 7-8.

The Air and Waste Management Association will hold the Oil and Gas Environmental Compliance Conference in Pittsburgh on May 13-14.

Paul King, President & CEO of the PA Environmental Council Friday issued the following statement on a new federal strategy to more comprehensively regulate methane emissions to combat climate change--

The Department of Environmental Protection, along with the Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Transportation, invites government, private and public fleet managers, municipalities, universities and interested parties to a natural gas vehicle, infrastructure and incentive workshop from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on April 29, in the Commonwealth Room of the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, 2300 North Cameron St., Harrisburg.  

The Department of Environmental Protection invites fleet managers, school districts, municipalities, nonprofit entities, and for-profit businesses to an Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant workshop from 10:30 a.m. until noon on May 2 at the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission office, 312 Main St., Towanda.

The Department of Environmental Protection invites fleet managers, school districts, municipalities, nonprofit entities, and for-profit businesses to one of three Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant workshops in Northwest Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia City Council last week unanimously passed an ambitious resolution in support of increasing solar power generation within the city of Philadelphia. The resolution sets a goal of 20,000 solar roofs by 2025, and outlines policies that can be used to reach that target.

The PennFuture Energy Center Wednesday announced the release of the Clean Energy Wins Policy Roadmap to provide nonpartisan education to gubernatorial candidates, policymakers and the general public about the economic, job creation and environmental benefits of clean energy while identifying practical policies that can grow Pennsylvania's clean energy economy.

Gov. Tom Corbett announced Tuesday Pennsylvanians struggling to pay home heating bills will have extra time, through April 18, to apply for financial help through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

The Public Utility Commission Thursday reminded consumers who are behind on their electric and natural gas bills that their service may be terminated as of April 1, regardless of income.

Any organization that handles, uses or stores hazardous chemicals  – from nail salons and funeral homes to contractors and manufacturers – must comply with the latest version of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard or the company risks employee injury and/or OSHA citation.

The Foundation for Sustainable Forests will hold its Loving The Land Through Working Forests Conference May 16-17 at Allegheny College in Meadville.

The Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia will host A Consulting Botanist’s Toolkit Workshop developed by the PA Botany Symposium Planning Committee on April 18 starting at 8:30 a.m.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Friday announced the addition of two new members to their Board of Directors-- John McGoran, Manager of Municipal Services with Republic Services and Mary Webber, Founder and Principal of Webber Associates.

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia Tuesday announced Carol R. Collier, an experienced leader in regional watershed management and planning, has joined the Academy as its Senior Advisor for Watershed Management and Policy.

At 3:53 a.m., March 28, 1979, the cascading failures of valves, pumps, gauges and reactor operators combined to produce the worst accident in the U.S. commercial nuclear power industry.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of the opportunity to bid on a mine reclamation project in Greene 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 NewsClips 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 - March 29, 2014

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.

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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.

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