On Wednesday, Jeff Sheridan, Gov. Wolf’s Press Secretary, sent a memo to reporters outlining the compromises the Governor has made so far to reach an FY 2016-17 budget agreement and listed his budget priorities.

A House Republican initiative-- House Bill 2013 (Ellis-R-Butler)-- to open Pennsylvania’s State Parks to private development-- is scheduled to be amended on the House Floor Monday and passed Tuesday.

Gov. Wolf Thursday signed Senate Bill 279 (Hutchinson-R- Venango) which kills updated DEP regulations covering conventional oil and gas drilling and makes the agency start the process over.  The bill is now Act 52.

The PA Independent Oil and Gas Association, representing conventional oil and gas drillers, applauded recent Congressional action to report out H.R. 3881 (Thompson-R-PA) which prohibits the U.S. Forest Service from creating new rules and regulations on drilling in the Allegheny National Forest.

Gov. Wolf Thursday signed Senate Bill 1195 (White-R-Indiana) into law that provides the General Assembly with additional authority to review any plan developed by DEP to implement the EPA Clean Power Climate Rule requirements.  The bill is now Act 57.

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

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

Sen. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Allegheny) this week introduced Senate Bill 1327 which would prohibit DEP from adopting methane emission regulations for the oil and gas industry that are more stringent than federal standards.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet on June 27 on House Bill 1391 (Everett-R-Lycoming) requiring the payment of minimum royalties to the owners of oil and gas mineral rights and any other business that may come before the Committee.

DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council Tuesday celebrated its 45th anniversary during its regular monthly meeting.  The CAC was created by Act 275 of 1970, and members began meeting the following year. 

The City of Philadelphia announced a major achievement accomplished through the Green City, Clean Waters Program at a June 16 celebration marking the five-year anniversary of the Green Stormwater Infrastructure plan’s adoption.

Resource Environmental Solutions, LLC Thursday announced the opening of the Robinson Fork Mitigation Bank, a watershed-scale stream and wetland restoration project on a site in Washington County, which will result in clean water and restoration of the natural habitat that has been overlooked for many years.

PA American Water Wednesday announced seven watershed- related projects across the Commonwealth will receive nearly  $35,000 in financial support through the company’s 2016 Environmental Grant Program.

Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski (D-Luzerne) and Rep. Mike Carroll (D-Luzerne) Tuesday announced a $50,000 Growing Greener grant for the Earth Conservancy to reclaim the Laurel Run Corporation surface mine in Plains and Wilkes-Barre Townships in Luzerne County.

The federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’s Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) recently presented its 2015 Excellence in Reforestation Award to DEP’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation and contractor Morgan’s Excavating. 

The Department of Environmental Protection is inviting interested parties to submit technical data on water quality, instream habitat or biological conditions for 19 stream or stream segments it is evaluating for water quality redesignation.  (formal notice)

The Brodhead Watershed Association and its partners will hold its annual River Ramble on August 7 which will showcase McMichael Creek in Monroe County.

With the solstice this week officially marking the arrival of the summer season, many of us will be spending a lot of time on or near the water between now and Labor Day doing recreational and other activities. 

The William Penn Foundation Tuesday announced the 4th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum will be held September 19-20 at the Normandy Farm Hotel & Conference Center in Blue Bell, Montgomery County.  Visit the Delaware Watershed Initiative webpage for more information as it becomes available.

The June 20 edition of the Watershed Winds newsletter is now available from Penn State Extension featuring articles on--

PA American Water announced Wednesday drinking water treatment plants it operates received 17 Partnership for Safe Water awards.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice Thursday announced D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc., has settled Clean Water Act violations involving its two large-scale breweries near Pottsville, Schuylkill County.

The Environmental Quality Board Tuesday approved final air quality regulations dealing with volatile organic emissions and final drinking water regulations setting revised coliform standards.  The regulations include--

The Department of Environmental Protection  has posted three documents on its website regarding the implementation of the final “Additional RACT Requirements for Major Sources of NOx and VOCs” (RACT II), promulgated by the Environmental Quality Board on April 23, 2016 (46 Pa.B. 2036). 

Environmental and education advocates gathered at the State Capitol Building Wednesday to honor three Pennsylvania schools named 2016 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS).

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

In an unprecedented alliance of solidarity, 5 Pennsylvania recycling, litter, and waste management organizations representing key stakeholder factions affected by the state’s electronics waste recycling law-- the Covered Device Recycling Act-- have united in expressing serious concerns about House Bill 1900 (Ross-R-Chester) and have proposed an alternative.

The PA Resources Council and its partners will hold a Household Chemical Collection event July 9 at the Washington County Fairgrounds, 2151 N. Main St., Washington from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Capping a two-year investigation, the Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday announced it has fined 12 University of Pittsburgh Medical Center hospitals a total of $451,000 for violations of the Solid Waste Management Act.

The Office of Attorney General Thursday announced the arrest of Eric Spatt, the former owner and president of a Lackawanna County business who is accused of improperly storing hazardous waste.

The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday announced it is investigating perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) found in exceedance of the 2016 Lifetime Health Advisory Level (HAL) established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in parts of Doylestown, Plumstead, and Buckingham townships, Bucks County, near the Cross Keys area.

Keep America Beautiful and UPS Foundation awarded local Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful affiliates, Keep Blair Beautiful and Keep Northeastern PA Beautiful, each with a $5,000 Community Tree Planting Grant.

The Department of Environmental Protection Wednesday announced it will hold a public hearing on an application from Sammy-Mar, LLC to drill a new injection disposal well in Huston Township, Clearfield County.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notices in the June 25 PA Bulletin that it is accepting public comments on segments of the Sunoco Mariner East II Pipeline Project through August 24.

The departments of Health and Environmental Protection will hold a Facebook Town Hall meeting at 11 a.m. July 6 to answer questions about the Zika virus. 

The Centre County West Nile Program will be conducting an ultra-low volume (ULV) mosquito control operation to reduce high populations of nuisance mosquitoes on June 28 in parts of Rush Township.

The June 23 DEP News is now available from the Department of Environmental Protection featuring stories on--

Significant changes in Pennsylvania’s electricity generation mix are well underway. The availability of low-cost, abundant natural gas combined with an increase in renewable energy build and continued investment in energy efficiency are contributing to the creation of a more diversified energy portfolio.

Sustainable Energy Fund and West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund Wednesday announced the finalists for the Energy Sprout Competition.

More than 85 people representing community organizations, environmental groups, solar companies, competitive electric suppliers, public officials, utilities and other stakeholders joined PECO Thursday in Philadelphia for the company’s Solar Stakeholder Collaborative.

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebates of from $500 to $2,000. (formal notice)

The PPL Foundation awarded more than $450,000 in sustaining grants to 95 nonprofit organizations, including 17 environmental groups, across Pennsylvania to support their efforts to improve education, develop the future workforce and revitalize communities.

The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design Tuesday welcomed John Quigley—former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection—as a Senior Fellow.

Exelon Generation Wednesday announced that earlier this week it formally notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of plans to retire the Clinton and Quad Cities nuclear stations in Illinois in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

The Pocono Forest and Waters Conservation Landscape Initiative Wednesday announced the recipients of its 2016 Mini-Grants. 

The Delaware Highlands Conservancy Tuesday announced it has awarded its annual “Delaware Highlands Conservancy/Yeaman Scholarship” in the amount of $1,000 to Daniel Smith, a 2016 graduate of Delaware Valley High School, and the “Vanessa Van Gorder Memorial Scholarship” in the amount of $1,000 to Molly Mowatt, a 2016 graduate of Wallenpaupack Area High School.

The Wildlands Conservancy in the Lehigh Valley Friday highlighted just some of the activities it has coming up in July for students and adults, including the September 25 Wine & Dine Farm-To-Table experience.  Click Here for a quick rundown.

The Brodhead Watershed Association will host another in its series of Get Outdoors Poconos hikes on July 23 to Stairway Lake in the Delaware State Forest in Pike County.

The PA Environmental Council and its partners will host the Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition Summit on November 4 at the Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry Township, Butler County.

The June 22 edition of the Resource newsletter is now available from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources featuring articles on--

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published notice in the June 25 PA Bulletin it has designated 5 new wild areas as part of the State Forest Wild Area Program totaling 50,500 acres in Centre, Elk, Fayette, Mifflin, Pike, Potter and Union counties.

Wild Excellence Films Wednesday announced it has been contracted to produce a film for Allegheny Land Trust, one of the many new projects for the company in 2016.

Department of Agriculture officials Thursday announced the Spotted Lanternfly quarantine has been expanded to Lower Macungie Township, Alburtis and Macungie Boroughs in Lehigh County and New Hanover Township in Montgomery County after small populations of the pest were found.

Timothy Bruno, Chief of DEP's Office of the Great Lakes was named to Erie Reader's 40 Under 40 Class of 2016.  The annual list highlights young people who are effecting change in Erie. Those selected are nominated by readers. 

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County recently announced Gigi Romano, Allentown, will serve as the Sanctuary’s new Communications Specialist, replacing duties formerly assumed by Mary Linkevich, who accepted a new position and departs in July.

Trout Unlimited is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Policy Director for the Mid-Atlantic Region to lead efforts to protect coldwater habitats under pressure from energy production and transmission activities based in Harrisburg or the Delaware River Watershed.  Responsibilities include--

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 - June 25, 2016

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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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