Gov. Tom Wolf Wednesday proposed an education reinvestment plan featuring a severance tax on natural gas extraction as part of his solution to properly fund public education in the Commonwealth.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Pennsylvania Executive Director Harry Campbell issued this statement Wednesday following Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposal for a natural gas severance tax to be used exclusively for education:

The PA Growing Greener Coalition Friday reiterated its case for why environmental funding must be contained in any severance tax package passed by the Commonwealth. Andrew Heath, executive director for the Coalition, issued the following statement:

PennFuture Wednesday offered strong support for Gov. Tom Wolf's proposal to enact a 5 percent severance tax on natural gas drilling activity in Pennsylvania.

Marcellus Shale Coalition president David Spigelmyer issued the following statement on Gov. Wolf’s new energy tax proposal unveiled Wednesday in Thorndale, Pennsylvania:

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, issued this statement on the new severance tax proposal—

Gov. Wolf this week proposed a new severance tax on natural gas production with no mention yet of funding for environmental restoration programs.

Three other natural gas severance tax proposals announced in recent weeks by both Republicans and Democrats included funding environmental restoration programs, like Growing Greener, making the omission of environmental funding from Gov. Wolf’s proposal Wednesday all the more glaring.

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.

Gov. Tom Wolf's work calendar will be posted each Friday and his public schedule for the day will be posted each morning.   Click Here to view Gov. Wolf’s Weekly Calendar and Public Appearances.

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 of interest saw action this week in the House and Senate--

The House Consumer Affairs Committee held an informational meeting Tuesday on the legislative and other priorities of the Public Utility Commission this session.

Brian Wagner, President of the PA Council of Trout Unlimited, will be the featured presenter at the March 2 Environmental Issues Forum hosted by the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee in Harrisburg.

The Coldwater Heritage Partnership Tuesday announced over $58,000 in grants have been awarded to local organizations to protect and conserve Pennsylvania’s coldwater streams.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Harrisburg Wednesday announced a proposed partial settlement with co-plaintiff Department of Environmental Protection and the City of Harrisburg and Capital Region Water to resolve alleged Clean Water Act violations involving sewer overflows and discharges of polluted stormwater to the Susquehanna River and Paxton Creek. The agreement will help protect people’s health, the two impacted waterways, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA Tuesday applauded the Venango County Commissioners for adopting a Clean Water Counts! resolution, calling on state officials to make clean water a top priority for the Keystone State.  

Franklin & Marshall College and multiple partners who collaborated to develop and test a new approach to a wetland ecosystem restoration at Big Spring Run (BSR) in Lancaster County are pleased to announce the launch of the BSR Project website.

Pennsylvania has 683 days to put the best management practices on the ground needed to eliminate 10 million pounds of nitrogen and 212 million pounds of sediment from going into our rivers and streams to meet the 2017 Chesapeake Bay cleanup milestones.

The Department of Environmental Protection published a notice inviting comments on a proposed TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) watershed plan for Crooked Creek Watershed in Armstrong and Indiana counties (PA Bulletin, page 830).  A copy of the TMDL is available on DEP’s TMDL webpage.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is scheduled to meet on March 5 at the Hershey Lodge, 325 University Drive, Hershey, starting at 9:00 a.m.

A panel of regional experts will address the many issues relating to the Wissahickon watershed in Montgomery and Philadelphia counties on May 13, and will offer tangible ways for community members to engage in protecting the 64-square mile area.

The Brodhead Watershed Association in Monroe County is looking for volunteers to help protect the pristine waters in the Poconos by becoming trained Streamwatchers.

Melting snow, heavy spring rains and flooding can wash out unpaved driveways, farm lanes, and access roads.

The Chester-Ridley-Crum Watersheds Association, Penn State University-Brandywine, and CRC’s municipal stormwater partnership will hold a lecture on March 8 at Penn State-Brandywine in Media, Delaware County.

The Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition’s February Catalyst newsletter is now available featuring articles on watershed protection in Butler and surrounding counties--

On April 25th from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at sites throughout Centre County, ClearWater Conservancy will host its annual Watershed Cleanup Day.

Each year, Keep PA Beautiful awards the President’s Award to a volunteer who has demonstrated a sustained commitment and exceptional contributions on behalf of Keep PA Beautiful to make our communities clean and beautiful.  In 2014, Dale Frazier from Bucks County was recognized for the distinction.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Wednesday announced they are teaming-up with the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay/Project Stream Clean for the 2015 Great American Cleanup of PA.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice it is now accepting applications for 2014 Recycling Performance Grants in the February 14 PA Bulletin.  The deadline for applications is September 30. 

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice it is proposing to remove two sites from the state Hazardous Site Cleanup Priority List in Bucks and Montgomery counties and is inviting public comments on the actions.

FirstEnergy Corp. is investing nearly $35 million in new electric transmission projects to support the Marcellus Shale gas industry in western Pennsylvania. The new transmission facilities also will help enhance service reliability for West Penn Power customers.

With frigid temperatures and extreme wind chills forecasted for much of the state in the upcoming days, the Public Utility Commission Thursday reminded consumers to prepare for the cold weather by reviewing conservation and safe heating tips.

The PA Technical Assistance Program will hold a Strategic Energy Management Showcase on April at the Penn Stater Conference Center in State College from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Recognition of the electricity market flaws that are putting even high-performing nuclear energy facilities at risk has grown quickly among those with the authority to fix the problem and initial market reforms are taking shape.

The Department of Environmental Protection’s Mine Subsidence Insurance Program Tuesday announced it is sending out notices to about 2,000 property owners in Pleasant Hills Borough, Allegheny County, to alert them of abandoned coal mines beneath their property, increasing their risk of damage from mine subsidence.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Tuesday announced the award of more than $3 million in rebates to replace 210 older diesel school buses with new buses that are more than 90 percent cleaner, reducing pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter that are linked to health problems including asthma and lung damage.

Sustainable Pittsburgh Wednesday announced 87 employers signed up to compete in the 2014-2015 Green Workplace Challenge. They represent a mix of businesses, nonprofits, local governments, universities, and K-12 schools comprising thousands of employees across southwestern Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Land Preservation Board Thursday safeguarded 1,495 additional acres on 18 farms in 10 counties through the state’s nation-leading farmland preservation program.

Gov. Tom Wolf Wednesday announced the Heritage Rail Trail in York County is the 2015 Trail of the Year in Pennsylvania.

The February issue of PA Wilds E-Update is now available from the Pennsylvania Wilds Resource Center featuring articles on--

The February 11 issue of the Resource newsletter is now available from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources featuring articles on--

The Lacawac Sanctuary in Lackawanna County announced their upcoming student residential camp and other summer programs, including--

Four broad-winged hawks tagged by scientists at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County have been tracked more than 4,000 miles to Central and South America, and one is currently moving about central Brazil.

The February edition of SEEDS, the newsletter from the iConservePA.org environmental education website, features articles on--

A new invasive species reporting and data management tool is now available.  Called PA iMapInvasives, the site was developed through a partnership between The Nature Conservancy, NatureServe, the New York Natural Heritage Program and the Florida Natural Areas Inventory.

Kenneth Reisinger has been named Acting Deputy for Waste, Air, Radiation and Remediation at the Department of Environmental Protection.

Acting DEP Secretary John Quigley Tuesday announced the appointment of Sarah Clark as Director of Legislative Affairs.

Acting DEP Secretary John Quigley Wednesday announced the appointment of Julie Lalo as Director of Communications at the Department of Environmental Protection.

The Allegheny Land Trust is now accepting applications for its 2015 John Hamm Internship.  The intern will assist with stewardship, land management, volunteer recruitment, environmental education and restoration of the Chartiers Creek Watershed in Allegheny and Washington counties.  Applications are due by April 1. Click Here for all the details.

This section lists House and Senate Committee meetings, DEP and other public hearings and meetings and other interesting environmental events.

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---

The Fish and Boat Commission published formal notice adding 10 streams to the Class A Wild Trout Streams List.

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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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