A plan by a group of conservative House Republicans lead by Rep. Dan Moul (R-Adams) to empty environmental special funds and transfer the money to the General Fund will mean not paying communities for all or part of at least 900 grants for local projects already approved and underway over the last two years.

House Republicans spent the week again airing budget proposals privately and behind closed doors, but there is no consensus on an overall revenue plan to respond to the Senate-passed revenue package supported by both Caucuses in the Senate, House Democrats and Gov. Wolf.

A group of 25 Choose CleanWater Coalition member organizations sent a letter to Gov. Wolf, Senate and House Leaders on August 24 opposing the environmental riders added to the Senate-passed Tax, Fiscal and Administrative Code budget bills.

By Harry Campbell, PA Executive Director, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

A report issued Tuesday by PennEnvironment said proposed Trump Administration cuts of 34 percent or more to water quality improvement and protection programs would be a step backward in helping to cleanup up the Delaware River Watershed.

By Cong. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Greg Goldman, Executive Director, Audubon Pennsylvania

Proposed cuts to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency clean water programs would halt progress on addressing industrial waste, sewage runoff, and agricultural pollution in Lake Erie, according to a new report released Thursday by the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center. 

In a Tweet last Sunday morning, the National Weather Service called the torrential rainfall in Texas and nearby areas from now Tropical Storm Harvey “unprecedented & all impacts are unknown & beyond anything experienced.”

A new report issued by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania Friday found “very heavy precipitation” has increased by 71 percent over the last 54 years in the Northeast and Pennsylvania putting the 831,000 people living on floodplains in the state at even more risk of flooding.

Acting Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman urged Congress to include provisions specifically supporting private market residential flood insurance as it works on the reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program which is set to expire on September 30.

Now Tropical Depression Harvey is another opportunity to remind public officials that investing in green infrastructure yields triple the benefits-- reducing stormwater flooding, nutrient and sediment reduction-- over single purpose solutions.

The federal government and the Department of Environmental Protection took actions Thursday and Friday to deal with expected gasoline and other fuel supply disruptions caused by now Tropical Depression Harvey.

On the eve of Stroud Water Research Center’s 50th anniversary, the 2017 Stroud Award for Freshwater Excellence will be presented to His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco at The Water’s Edge, the Stroud Center’s premiere fundraising gala, on September 17.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Monday honored winners of the Presidential Innovation Award For Environmental Educators and the President’s Environmental Youth Award Program during events in Washington, D.C.

The federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Thursday announced it is honoring the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation with its highest national award for abandoned mine reclamation.

In honor of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art’s 50th Anniversary, the Delaware County Council presented a resolution on Wednesday commemorating the organization’s commitment to preserving land and protecting water since 1967.

Longtime Democratic Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Rep. Bud George passed away Friday in Houtzdale, Clearfield County at the age of 89.

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 House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to consider legislation establishing a natural gas production severance tax on September 11.

The Department of Environmental Protection Friday announced will hold a webinar at 9:30 a.m on September 6 to discuss the results of expanded agricultural inspections in Pennsylvania’s part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

This summer the City of Wilkes-Barre and the Borough of East Petersburg in Lancaster County kicked of green infrastructure implementation and planning initiatives.

The 5th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum hosted by the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed will be held October 17-18 at the Skytop Lodge in Skytop, Monroe County.  Early bird pricing ends September 15.

Join the Local Government Academy and the Sustainable Community Development Network on September 13 for the Technical Resources For Sustainable Stormwater Mitigation Strategies webinar from 1:00 to 2:15 p.m. 

In September, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA begins its 27th year of the Susquehanna Watershed Environmental Education Program that teaches students in grades 6 to 12 about the importance of water quality in hands-on and on-the-water experiences.

The departments of Environmental Protection and Conservation and Natural Resources are teaming up with Penn State Extension and Dauphin County Conservation District to offer a free, educational workshop called “Weathering The Storm” on the challenges of managing stormwater runoff pollution on September 19.

Brodhead Watershed Association’s Members & Friends Celebration, a popular annual gathering of local environment-minded people, will be held September 29 at Pocono Manor in Monroe County.

Bring your kids for a pre-bedtime, twilight exploration of Skywood Park during Brodhead Watershed Association’s special Bug’s-eye View of Twilight Program to be held 6 to 7:30 p.m. on September 16.

The Fish and Boat Commission now has available the presentations made at the August 26 Pennsylvania Wild Trout Summit held at the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology in Pleasant Gap, Centre County.

Gov. Tom Wolf Wednesday announced his support for universal testing of blood-lead levels in all Pennsylvania children under the age of two to determine who is at risk for lead poisoning and where children with the highest and lowest blood-lead levels reside.

The West Nile Virus Program Wednesday reported three more probable human cases of West Nile Virus in Allegheny, Chester and Cumberland counties.  The season’s first human case was reported on August 8 in Montgomery County.

The International Coastal Cleanup, a global initiative that aims to prevent trash from entering our waterways, began on September 1, but there is still time to register a cleanup event or volunteer.

The 9th Annual Allegheny River Cleanup will take place from September 9 to 16 and will spend 2 days on the Conewango Creek the 2015 Pennsylvania River of the Year and 3 days on the Allegheny River the 2017 Pennsylvania River of the Year in the Warren County area.

Clinton County CleanScapes invites you to register for the September 9th West Branch Susquehanna River Community Cleanup Event organized by CCC in partnership with Sunken Treasure Scuba Center and Lock Haven University students. 

The Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling will hold a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event at the Westmoreland Cleanways Recycling Center, 113 Innovative Lane in Latrobe from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The Department of Environmental Protection accepts applications for its County Municipal Waste Planning Grant Program on a rolling basis throughout the year.

The Northeast Recycling Council will hold its 30th Anniversary Fall Conference November 13-14  in Amherst, Massachusetts.

The Lacawac Sanctuary and Wayne-Pike Workforce Alliance will hold their 3rd Annual Women In Science Symposium on September 19 at the Heritage Nightclub at Woodlock Resort in Hawley, Wayne County 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The PA Association of Environmental Professionals Monday issued a call for presentation proposals for its 2018 Conference on May 2-4 in State College.  The Conference theme is “Branches of Knowledge.”  The deadline for submissions is September 28.

The Department of Environmental Protection will present concepts it would like to include in a proposed fee increase package to the Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee on September 6.

The state Department of Human Services announced at a recent meeting of the LIHEAP Advisory Committee the 2017-18 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding plan will reflect level equal funding.

The Department of Transportation is inviting municipalities to submit applications for its Green Light-Go Program to fund upgrades of local traffic lights to LEDs.  PennDOT will accept applications between September 2 and November 9.  (formal notice)

Nearly 70,000 people work in Pennsylvania’s clean energy sector, according to the 2017 Clean Jobs Pennsylvania report unveiled Thursday by the national, nonpartisan business group E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs) and local partner Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance (KEEA).

Public Utility Commission Thursday requested comments on proposed regulatory changes designed to enhance competition and encourage greater customer participation in the Commonwealth’s retail natural gas market.

The Department of Environmental Protection Thursday announced it has approved the Chapter 105 and Chapter 102 permit applications for the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Project. The pipeline will transport natural gas from northeast Pennsylvania to mid-Atlantic and southern states.

On Thursday the Department of Environmental Protection reported 2015 methane emissions from unconventional natural gas operations increased slightly-- from 107,735 to 112,128 tons- 4 percent-- with more facilities and an increase in natural gas production from 4.1 to 4.6 trillion cubic feet between 2014 and 2015.

The Independent Fiscal Office Tuesday released its April to June Quarterly Report on Natural Gas Production in Pennsylvania which shows gas production is up 3 percent and the number of producing wells are up 7.6 percent for the calendar year.

Environmental groups and Shell Chemical Appalachia Monday announced a settlement agreement on monitoring air emissions from the ethane plant being built in Beaver County.  The agreement includes a fenceline monitoring program and flare testing.

On August 21 Tyr Energy, Inc., Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. and Siemens Financial Services, Inc. announced they have started the construction of the Hickory Run Energy Center, LLC Power Plant, a 1,000 megawatt natural gas power plant located near North Beaver Township, Lawrence County.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Thursday launched a redesigned website  as part of Gov. Tom Wolf’s efforts to make government more accessible for citizens. 

Congressman Ryan Costello (R-PA) announced on August 24 the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has received a $2,420,000 grant for land acquisition in the Schuylkill Highlands Project Area. The grant is through the federal Highlands Conservation Act.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Bureau of Forestry is initiating a pilot program increasing the size of registered all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) permitted on two state forest trail systems, DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced Tuesday.

The Brodhead Watershed Association will host another in a series of hikes in the Get Outdoors Poconos series on September 23 and 24 in the Paradise-Prices Preserve in Monroe County.

Natural Lands is now accepting registrations for the 4th Annual ChesLen Chase Race For Open Space to be held on October 21 at the ChesLen Preserve in Coatesville, Chester County.

Eric Rutkow, author of American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation (Scribner, 2012) will have a conversation with Nancy Pinchot on September 17 at 11 a.m., at Grey Towers National Historic Site, Milford, Pike County, as part of the Milford Readers and Writers Festival.

A fun, fee-free day on September 30 from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at Grey Towers National Historic Site, Milford, Pike County will feature an Open House of the historic mansion, music, a magic show, a special exhibit, and self-guided trail walks.

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Tuesday announced former Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Quigley has joined the University to develop and head HU’s Center for Environment, Energy and Economy.

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 - September 2, 2017

CLICK HERE to Print The Entire PA Environment Digest.  This Digest is 85 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.