The Senate, House and Gov. Wolf reached a bipartisan agreement Thursday on a $31.996 billion General Fund budget-- House Bill 218 (Saylor-R-York)-- which the Senate (43-7) and House (173-27) passed Friday and sent to the Governor.

By Patrick McDonnell, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection

34 local, state, regional and national organizations concerned about the health of the Susquehanna River and water resources across the state Wednesday sent a letter to members of the General Assembly and Gov. Wolf urging them to invest in clean water for Pennsylvania.

As a new state budget continues to take shape, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Pennsylvania Executive Director Harry Campbell Thursday issued the following statement urging continued investments in agricultural efforts that benefit clean water.

PA Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding Wednesday joined a panel of state officials and economic and environmental experts to brief members of the congressional Chesapeake Bay Watershed Caucus on the destructive impact President Trump’s proposed budget cuts will have on efforts to clean up the bay watershed.

While the political fight is running hot and heavy to adopt a new natural gas severance tax or new fees on this or that to fund programs, no one has noticed there is a $65 million a year solution to fund Pennsylvania’s environmental and clean water restoration projects right under their noses.

As a follow up to the June 20 PA Supreme Court decision declaring the 2009 and 2010 Fiscal Code and other amendments diverting money from DCNR’s Oil and Gas Fund to the General Fund unconstitutional, the PA Environmental Defense Foundation filed a motion Thursday with Commonwealth Court asking the Court to determine if $383 million in Shale gas upfront and lease payments remains in the public trust to be used only for conservation purposes.

Here are the Senate and House Calendars for the next voting session day and Committees scheduling action on 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 last week in the House and Senate--

Senate Bill 624 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson) was passed Monday by the House by a vote of 120 to 77.  The bill retroactively changes the protection streams receive under Act 54 from underground coal mining.

The House Monday voted 163 to 33 to pass House Bill 1333 (Gabler-R-Clearfield) eliminating the current DEP limit on how long surface mine operators can temporarily cease mining operations from 180 days to the federal standard of what could be up to five years.

The Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Monday unanimously reported out Senate Bill 792 (Alloway-R-Adams) that would regulate the application of lawn fertilizer on June 26.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Thursday reported out two bills, one bill to extend the $2 Recycling Fee in Act 101, but only after amending the bill to extend the fee for one year.  The bills included--

The Joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee Tuesday released a report on PA’s Program for the Beneficial Use Of Biosolids (Sewage Sludge) by Land Application done pursuant to House Resolution 60 (Emrick-R-Northampton) adopted in 2016.

Sen. Richard Alloway (R-Franklin) Thursday introduced Senate Bill 800 to create a new Waste Electronic Equipment Recovery Act to replace the 2010 Covered Device Recycling Act that provides for the collection and recycling of electronics waste.

Gov. Tom Wolf Friday vetoed House Bill 1071 (Farry-R-Bucks) which would have prohibited local governments from adopting bans or fees on plastic bags used at grocery and other retail stores. 

The U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Tuesday amended and reported out H.R. 1731, the RECLAIM (Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities By Leveraging Local Activities and Investing More) Act mine reclamation and economic development initiative to the full House, according to Robert Hughes, Executive Director of the Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation Coalition.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Vice President Kim Coble issued this statement Tuesday following EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announcement they are proposing a rule to rescind the Clean Water Rule and revert to a previous definition of "waters of the United States."

Responding to U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s proposal Tuesday to withdraw the agency’s 2015 Waters of the U.S. Rule, the Environmental Council Of States expressed hope for a future collaborative process that ensures protection of human health and the environment.

Gov. Tom Wolf Thursday announced the approval of over $2.2 million in funding to support to 17 municipal stormwater projects in Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed that will remove 396 pounds of phosphorous, 2,800 pounds of nitrogen, and almost 800,000 pounds of sediment from local waters.

The Foundation for PA Watersheds is now accepting applications for its Fall round of grants.  The deadline for letters of intent to apply for grants is August 15.

LandStudies, Inc., an ecology-focused engineering and landscape architecture company based in Lititz, Lancaster County, has been selected to help the Eastern Delaware County Stormwater Collaborative develop a multi-municipal Pollution Reduction Plan,

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA Friday encouraged producers in Clinton, Centre and Lycoming Counties to apply for funding to install innovative conservation practices that will help improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay.

Representatives of Colorado-based Bion Environmental Technologies, whose subsidiary Bion PA1, LLC is still in default of its 2009 $7.8 million loan from the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority (PennVEST), has again been shopping draft legislation around Harrisburg like they did in 2013, 2015 and in 2016 to “establish appropriate public policies which will create regulations and funding mechanisms” for Bion Environmental Technologies, Inc, and other companies.

The Penn State Extension Community Forestry Program will hold a webinar on July 18 from Noon to 1:00 p.m. on Green Infrastructure - A Lesson In Change.

PA American Water Tuesday announced eight watershed-related projects across the Commonwealth will receive financial support through the company’s 2017 Environmental Grant Program.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission will hold the line on most fees for the next year, and will increase the municipal discount for its Annual Compliance and Monitoring Fee to 44 percent, as a result of actions taken at its meeting on June 16.

The Delaware River Basin Commission Wednesday released its 2016 annual report highlighting ongoing efforts to manage the water resources of the 13,539-square-mile Delaware River Basin that provides drinking water for an estimated 15 million people.

The Department of Environmental Protection published an updated Non-Regulatory Agenda of Technical Guidance Documents it plans to develop and finalize in the agency.  (formal notice PA Bulletin page 3652)

Tuesday at the State Capitol Building in Harrisburg, environmental and educational advocates gathered to honor the School District of Philadelphia and Coebourn Elementary School in Delaware County as Pennsylvania’s 2017 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools.

During a press conference at Fairmount Water Works in Philadelphia Wednesday, 23 environmental education centers from Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey announced a new Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River to increase awareness of the importance of the Delaware River watershed, a 13,500 square mile system that provides drinking water for 15 million people.

The Department of Environmental Protection this week announced positive mosquito results for West Nile Virus have been found in Wilkinsburg Borough, Allegheny County, Stroud Township, Monroe County and Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County.

The Department of Environmental Protection Friday announced it will host a public hearing July 24 to collect comments from citizens on the draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued to Brunner Island Power Plant on April 5, 2017 and published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on April 22, 2017.

Department of Environmental Protection Monday announced it will host a July 20 public hearing regarding Perdue AgriBusiness LLC’s application to use Emission Reduction Credits at the soybean processing facility currently under construction in Conoy Township, Lancaster County.

Philadelphia-based Clean Air Council Wednesday announced it has filed an action in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in order to ensure a fair public participation process for individuals wanting to submit comments on proposed air permits by the Allegheny County Health Department.

Laura Legere reported in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Saturday Shale gas driller EQT again appealed a penalty levied by the Department of Environmental Protection because of the way the $1.1 million penalty was calculated.

A coalition of 40 community organizations, farms, environmental organizations, and local businesses representing over 436,727 members and constituencies Monday delivered a coalition letter to Gov. Tom Wolf and the Department of Environmental Protection Secretary McDonnell urging the DEP to deny permit applications for the proposed Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project.

Commonwealth Court Tuesday issued a decision involving a Blair County case where one landowner sought to enforce a local land development ordinance on another. 

Associated Petroleum Industries in Pennsylvania Tuesday released a new study on the benefits natural gas brings to the state in terms of consumer savings, family-sustaining jobs and economic growth.

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council Thursday released a white paper, Achieving Deep Carbon Reductions: Paths for Pennsylvania’s Electricity Future, summarizing the findings of its March 2017 conference of the same name.

Exelon Tuesday announced the American Council For An Energy-Efficient Economy reported Exelon had the lowest rate of carbon dioxide emissions among the 20 largest privately held or investor-owned energy produces with the next best ranking company coming in with six times Exelon’s emission rate.

PennFuture’s 7th annual Pittsburgh Solar Tour is set for October 14 from Noon to 4:00 p.m.  The tour is designed to encourage solar and clean energy solutions by connecting citizens to residential, commercial, and public solar installations and installers.

In 2016, a team of Penn State and U.S. Department of Energy researchers discovered a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to extract rare earth elements (REEs) from coal and coal byproducts.

The Small Business Development Centers will host a July 27 workshop on funding opportunities through the Small Business Innovation Research Program at Villanova University, Falvey Memorial Library Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship Institute, 800 Lancaster Avenue  In Philadelphia from 8:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The 15th anniversary of the Quecreek Mine Rescue in Somerset County with a Community Celebration on July 29 at the mine rescue site, 140 Haupt Road in Somerset from 3:00 to 9:45 p.m.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Wednesday announced a strategic plan for Pennsylvania's state parks of the future will kick off this holiday weekend with surveys being made available to park visitors and other interested parties.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and TreePennsylvania Wednesday announced it is now accepting applications for TreeVitalize Tree Planting Grants.  The deadline for applications is August 15.

The PA Forest Heritage Association’s Spring edition of the Burning Issues newsletter is now available featuring stories on--

Pennsylvania’s Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area in Coal Township, Northumberland County earned the 2017 Tom Petri Achievement Award for Construction and Design.

The Settlers Hospitality Group Wednesday presented the Delaware Highlands Conservancy with a check for $6,144 from funds collected through the Green Lodging Partnership Program at Ledges Hotel in Hawley, Wayne County.

The Brodhead Watershed Association will host another Get Outdoors Poconos hike on July 15 on the Red Rock Trail in the Mount Airy Trail Network in Paradise Township in Monroe County starting at 10:00.

The Western PA Conservancy Friday purchased a 30-acre property located in the headwaters of Laurel Hill Creek in Jefferson Township, Somerset County, that has now become a new addition to Laurel Ridge State Park.

The Wildlands Conservancy in Lehigh County Thursday outlined upcoming special events and educational programs in July featuring--

The June 28 issue of the Resource newsletter is now available from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources featuring articles on--

by John Arway, Executive Director, Fish and Boat Commission

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is saddened by the loss of Paul Lyskava, who served as a member of the Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County is seeking qualified candidates to fill the position of President. 

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 - July 1, 2017

CLICK HERE to Print The Entire PA Environment Digest.  This Digest is 93 pages long.

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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