Caren Glotfelty, a career environmental leader in academia, government and philanthropy, will be honored by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council for her achievements as a champion of environmental protection and conservation.

Gov. Tom Corbett Tuesday announced DEP is now accepting applications for the Growing Greener Plus Grant Program for watershed protection and abandoned mine drainage projects.  A total of $21 million is available for grants.  (formal notice)

Here's an update on the natural gas severance tax proposals introduced so far in the Senate and House:

StateImpact reported Wednesday Commonwealth Court heard oral arguments on a series of issues the PA Supreme Court directed them to rehear as a result of its December 2013 decision declaring portions of the Act 13 drilling law unconstitutional.

Panda Power Funds was joined Thursday by Gov. Tom Corbett and officials from across the Keystone State to break ground on the company’s 829-megawatt combined-cycle “Liberty” generating station located in Bradford County.

Carbon emissions continue to increase rapidly around the world.  The world's emission facts are grim, and finding major examples of declining emissions is, indeed, hard to do.

The Public Utility Commission Tuesday alerted consumers that six of the eight default electric service providers in Pennsylvania will be increasing their basic electric prices by an average of over 25 percent starting June 1.  Only two companies-- PPL and PECO-- will see a decrease in electric costs.

PJM Interconnection, operator of the nation's largest power grid, is prepared with enough resources to power air conditioners to the 61 million people served by the power grid.

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 following bills were given final approval by the Senate and House and are now on the Governor's desk for action--

The House Democratic Policy Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the proposal to expand gas drilling leasing on state lands on June 2.

The 2014 Ohio River Watershed Celebration will be heading to land this year at the North Park in Allegheny County on September 18.  The festivities are scheduled to run from 10:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will include fishing and kayak trips on the North Park Lake.  More details to follow….

The Water Resources Education Network (WREN) Project, a project of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund, Friday announced 22 community partnerships across the Commonwealth have been awarded a share of grant funds totaling $68,720.

The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday announced its Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation has received the 2013 Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative Pennsylvania State Award for an abandoned mine project in Farmington Township, Clarion County.

The Department of Environmental Protection has begun to design a plant to treat Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) that will result in a considerable improvement in the water quality of Clearfield Creek and a tributary to the Frankstown Branch Juniata River in Cresson, Cambria County.

The Kettle Creek Watershed Association held its 15-year celebration of accomplishments in the Kettle Creek Watershed in Clinton and Potter counties on May 9.

Nature Abounds has been awarded a $356,884 grant from DEP’s Growing Greener Grant Program to expand the statewide PA Senior Environment Corps Program.

More than 1,200 elementary school students from nearly 15 different Lehigh Valley Schools attended the HydroMania Festival on May 8 in Allentown.

The latest issue of Delaware Estuary News from the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary is now available featuring the Partnership’s 2013 Activity Report.

The PA Association of Township Supervisors this week announced the Letort Spring Run Sustainable Stormwater Pilot Project in Cumberland County as the winner of its 2014 Excellence in Intergovernmental Cooperation Award.

Stormwater Sentries is a new game that can be accessed on Facebook and is designed to educate the public about how our actions impact local streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay.

The May issue of The Catalyst newsletter is now available from the Slippery Rock Creek Watershed Association in Butler County featuring articles on the upcoming 2014 Ohio River Watershed Celebration on September 18, the Memorial Day Outdoor extravaganza and the June 26-27 PA Abandoned Mine Drainage Conference.

The PA Section American Water Works Association is co-sponsoring the first International Water/ Wastewater Infrastructure Management Conference on August 5-6 in Philadelphia.  Click Here for more information.

The Center for Sustainable Shale Development Wednesday announced the Richard King Mellon Foundation has awarded the Center a two-year grant in support of its certification program and public engagement initiatives. 

The Associated Press reported Thursday the Center for Sustainable Shale Development received its first application to be certified under the sustainability guidelines of the Center.

Gov. Corbett Thursday announced Curry Supply Company, a manufacturer of commercial service vehicles related to the natural gas industry in Pennsylvania, has established a new facility in Blair County, a move that will create 50 jobs.

Penn State Extension has scheduled a series of webinars for May, June, July and August on a variety of topics related to Marcellus Shale development.  Here’s a list of upcoming events--

The Department of Environmental Protection Saturday published formal notice it has awarded more than $15 million in Act 101 recycling and compost grants.  Click Here for a list of grants awarded.  The next round of recycling grant applications are due August 15.

Five Pennsylvania schools were part of the 2012-13 Great American Can Round-Up, a recycling competition sponsored by the Can Manufacturers Institute where more than 532,400 students competed to collect the most aluminum beverage cans nationwide.

The Clean Pittsburgh Commission Wednesday released its 2013 Annual Report detailing the status of quality of life issues in the City, including litter prevention and recycling programs, status of abandoned vehicles, buildings, and lots, community gardens, graffiti, and more. 

The Departments of Environmental Protection and Health Friday reported the first detection in 2014 of a West Nile Virus-carrying mosquito.

The Department of Environmental Protection Wednesday issued an air quality plan approval and waste management permit to Delta Thermo Energy, Inc. to construct and operate an energy production facility in Allentown.

On May 14, staff from DEP's Bureaus of Labs and Radiation Protection hosted a delegation of visitors from the Fukushima Prefectural Government who came to Harrisburg to learn about Pennsylvania’s surveillance program of nuclear power plants.

The May 15 issue of the DEP News is now available from the Department of Environmental Protection.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy.

More than 130 business and community leaders from across the Pennsylvania Wilds gathered Thursday evening to get an update on the state and local effort to grow the region’s outdoor recreation economy, and to honor 10 organizations and individuals for outstanding work in conservation and sustainable tourism development.

The Susquehanna Greenway Partnership Tuesday announced the winners of their 2014 Photo Contest--

Natural Lands Trust in Bucks County Monday announced the organization is accepting applications for its “Force of Nature” volunteer training program, which educates and trains participants to serve as volunteer project leaders and ambassadors for the regional land conservation organization.

Department of Environmental Protection Secretary E. Christopher Abruzzo Friday announced  the Rachel Carson State Office Building has been rated a “silver bicycle friendly business” by the League of American Bicyclists.

Marsh Creek State Park visitors in Chester County with a keen eye for scenery may notice a subtle change in lakeside topography Thursday after park workers and community volunteers installed two floating islands to provide improved water quality and aquatic habitat.

The Delaware Highlands Conservancy has released a new short film about the interconnectedness of the Delaware Highlands vibrant local community, thriving farm and forest economies, and the ways in which shopping local and how using the ShopLocalSaveLand website can make a big difference.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Saturday published notice of the execution of an oil and gas lease agreement on the streambed for Tenmile Creek in Morgan Township, Greene County, to allow gas development without disturbing the streambed.  The lease will result in a payment to DCNR of $10,200.

The May 14 issue of the Resource newsletter from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is now available.

On Tuesday, the Rachel Carson State Office Building hosted nearly 150 students and teachers for its 15th annual falcon banding event.

They grow up so quickly.  It’s been about six weeks since the first of three bald-eagle chicks hatched in Pittsburgh in front of a live audience viewing online. And anyone who more recently has logged onto the Game Commission’s website to access the 24-hour live stream will tell you those three little birds aren’t so little anymore.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published notice of an opportunity to bid on Lackawanna State Park projects.

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--

The Environmental Quality Board published notice of proposed changes to the Land Recycling Program administrative regulations for public comment (PA Bulletin, page 2980) and published notice of a correction to the table of Land Recycling Program health standards published originally in January 2011 (PA Bulletin, page 2975).

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.

CLICK HERE to Print The Entire PA Environment Digest.

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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