A five-member team of high school students from Penncrest High School in Media, Delaware County, earned second-place honors early this month at the 2015 International NCF-Envirothon.

The Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation  will receive the 2015 Excellence in Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Appalachian Regional Award from the U.S. Department of Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement for its work on the Simpson Northeast Coal Refuse Fire in Fell Township, Lackawanna County in 2014.

Dr. Donald Eggen, forest health manager with DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry, was honored early this month for leadership and accomplishments in forest health and aviation safety at the 2015 Gypsy Moth Program Managers Meeting, sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Health Program.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Thursday announced that over 128,157 volunteers participated in the 2015 Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Great American Cleanup of PA and collected 300,186 bags, or 6,003,720 pounds of trash, cleaned 11,943 miles of roads, railroad tracks, trails, waterways, and shorelines, and 6,422 acres of park and/or wetlands and planted 13,050 trees, bulbs, and plants in an effort to keep Pennsylvania beautiful.

Voting members of DEP’s Conventional Oil and Gas Advisory Committee Thursday continued to raise objections to the final draft of Chapter 78 drilling regulations presented to the Committee for their review and said litigation would be pursued by conventional drillers challenging the legality of the rulemaking.

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting public comments on the 2015 Climate Change Impacts Assessment Update through November 4.

House Republicans Tuesday failed in 14 attempts to override the veto of specific line items in Gov. Wolf’s veto of the state budget bill-- House Bill 1192-- all by party-line votes of 115 to 83, less than the two-thirds (136) needed to override the veto.

A new poll released Thursday by Franklin and Marshall found 54 percent of registered voters surveyed held the General Assembly responsible for the current budget stalemate, while 29 percent held Gov. Wolf responsible.

The PA Environmental Council Environmental Policy Conference on October 13 in Harrisburg will feature key decision makers on Pennsylvania’s foremost policy challenges in 2015 and beyond.

Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program is a way for businesses to enrich educational opportunities for students and earn tax credits by donating to an Educational Improvement Organization. 

PA Environment Digest now has a Google+ Circle called Green Works In PA.  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 Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board is meeting on September 2 to consider the final draft of DEP’s Chapter 78 drilling regulations covering unconventional (Marcellus) natural gas drilling operations.

If you missed the August 26 DEP Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force meeting this week, you can catch up with an on demand video of the meeting available on the Task Force webpage.

The 6th Lehigh Valley Watershed Conference will be held on October 13 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Northampton County.  The theme this year is Freshwater Ecology.

Penn State Extension and the Stroud Water Research Center will hold a Riparian Stream Buffer Workshop on September 24 starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Stroud Center, 970 Spencer Road, Avondale, Chester County.

The Penn State Master Well Owner Network will provide free, online training for the first 25 volunteers who submit an application and are accepted into the program.  The registration deadline for this course is September 18.

By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal

The Allegheny Front radio program this week featured Lindsay Baxter from the PA Environmental Council talking about the group’s River Town Program.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the August 29 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a proposed, revised Total Maximum Daily Load Plan for Thompson Run in Allegheny County. (formal notice Aug. 29 PA Bulletin page 5449)

The August 24 edition of the Watershed Winds newsletter is now available from Penn State Extension featuring stories on--

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful invites Pennsylvania residents to coordinate a cleanup as part of the Ocean Conservancy’s 2015 International Coastal Cleanup held from September 1 through October 31.

The Department of Environmental Protection said Tuesday it is continuing drilling work to map the limits of the Jeansville mine fire in Banks Township, Carbon County. 

In the coal-rich Keystone State, voters support 67 – 28 percent federal requirements that owners of coal-burning power plants reduce pollution, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released Monday.

In response to ongoing debate surrounding the Environmental Protection Agency’s finalized Clean Power Plan, more than 400 Pennsylvania academic leaders have signed a letter emphasizing the scientific validity of climate change and urging Gov. Tom Wolf and U.S. Senator Bob Casey to implement a strong state plan that minimizes carbon pollution.

The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday announced it has finalized nearly $375,000 in penalties against three natural gas exploration companies for methane gas migration violations that impacted private drinking water wells in Bradford, Lycoming and Tioga counties.

The Ben Franklin Shale Gas Innovation & Commercialization Center Wednesday released an update of its 2012 report on shale gas drilling wastewater treatment and disposal covering 2014 which resulted in a finding the industry is recycling 91 percent of its wastewater as a result of the adoption of 25 PA Code 95.10 regulations five years ago, 1.1 percent is discharged to surface water and 7.9 percent is being disposed by underground injection wells.

The Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled a hearing on September 16 on a request from Hilcorp Energy Company to waive the 330 foot setback as required by the Oil and Gas Conservation Law for a well located in Pulaski Township, Lawrence County.  (formal notice Aug. 29 PA Bulletin page 5448)

The Department of Environmental Protection Wednesday announced a change to the public hearing scheduled for September 2 at Valley View High School, 1 Columbus Drive, Archbald, PA, regarding a proposed natural gas power plant in Jessup, Lackawanna County.

The Department of Environmental Protection Friday announced it is returning the NPDES permit application for stormwater construction to Clean Earth Inc. related to the company’s proposed use of treated drill cuttings for fill at the Wellsboro-Johnston Airport in Tioga County.

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a hearing September 30 on Phase I Hazardous Waste Storage, Treatment Facility siting application submitted by Elcon Recycling Services in Falls Township, Bucks County. (formal notice Aug. 29 PA Bulletin page 5448)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Monday announced the award of $400,000 in brownfields grants to Pittsburgh’s North Side Industrial Development Company. 

Fixed-tilt concentrating photovoltaic panels that will deliver significantly more energy than conventional photovoltaic solar panels are the aim of Penn State's solar energy research funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy for $2.9 million.

The Department of Environmental Protection and West Nile Programs across the state announced mosquito spray dates in the coming week.  They include--

The Department of Agriculture Thursday announced another Berks County township is being quarantined in the fight to stop the spread of the Spotted Lanternfly, an invasive insect new to the United States that was first found in the area last fall.

Wild Excellence Films Thursday announced the cinematography for its independent film, Cathedral: The Fight to Save the Ancient Hemlocks of Cook Forest, is approximately 50 percent complete.

In partnership with the PA Recreation and Park Society, the Department of Conservation and Resources will again be offering free, in-person grant workshops at six locations across Pennsylvania in November.

Take a walk on the WILDS side and experience the 2015 PA Greenways and Trail Summit on September 20-22 in Warren at the Allegheny Community Center and Holiday Inn of Warren.

Over 550 people will enjoy a free boat ride at Pennsylvania Coast Day on September 12, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia.

The August 26 edition of the Resource newsletter is now available from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources featuring articles on--

Runners of all ages and abilities are invited to race through scenic and challenging terrain for Natural Lands Trust’s second annual ChesLen Chase for Open Space on October 24, at the 1,263-acre ChesLen Preserve in Unionville, Chester County.

The Brodhead Creek Watershed Association is sponsoring a hike into the prehistoric time capsule called Long Swamp, at YMCA’s Camp Speers, near Dingmans Ferry in Pike County as part of the Get Outdoors Poconos hiking series.

For the first time, only PA Wilds Juried Artist will sell artwork at an event in the PA Wilds.  The event will coincide with the All Fired Up & Kickin Ash BBQ Contest in Cameron County on September 26 in Emporium.

The Manada Conservancy will hold a Native Plant Sale and Potluck Dinner on September 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Cladel Homestead and Preserve, 412 South Meadow Lane, Hummelstown, Dauphin County.  Click Here for all the details.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg will host a special program on September 15 on Pennsylvania’s Conservation Heritage Considered: A Special Preview and Panel Discussion starting at 12:15.

Deborah Nardone of Halfmoon Township, a longtime champion of natural places and clean water, has been named Executive Director of ClearWater Conservancy in State College.

The Chester County Conservation District is seeking qualified applicants for a Conservation Program Representative. 

The Susquehanna Greenway Partnership is seeking qualified candidates for two positions: Development Associate and a River Towns Planner--

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the August 29 PA Bulletin of an opportunity to bid on a mine reclamation project in Cambira County.

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 are NewsClips from around the state on all environmental topics, including General Environment, Budget, Marcellus Shale, Watershed Protection and much more--

No new regulations were published this week.  Pennsylvania Bulletin - August 29, 2015

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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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