The Chesapeake Bay Foundation Wednesday issued its midpoint assessment in meeting Chesapeake Bay pollution reduction goals through 2017.  It's not a surprise Pennsylvania is behind in meeting the milestones on all categories except reducing pollution from wastewater plants.

The Landis Homes Retirement Community Friends of the Woods and Wetlands environmental volunteers in Lancaster County recently received the LeadingAge PA’s 2018 Distinguished Service Award for Volunteers. 

The PA Supreme Court Friday issued a decision upholding almost all of the provisions of a preliminary injunction issued by Commonwealth Court in November 2016 stopping DEP from temporarily enforcing certain Chapter 78a regulations on unconventional natural gas drilling.

The PA Supreme Court Friday issued an opinion that upholds a property owner’s challenge to a decision by the Fairfield Township Board Of Supervisors in Lycoming County to allow natural gas drilling even when the local zoning ordinance was found to not specifically authorize it.

House Republican Caucus Chair Rep. Marcy Toepel (R-Montgomery) notified Republicans Thursday a final vote is scheduled for Tuesday on House Bill 2154 (Causer-R-Cameron), the Conventional Oil and Gas Act, which weakens environmental protection standards for conventional oil and gas drilling and turns back the clock 34 years to the original 1984 Oil and Gas Act.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Wednesday joined other state officials, the Bureau of State Parks, and historic group representatives in marking state parks’ 125th anniversary at an event at Washington Crossing Historic Park in Bucks County

The PA Parks and Forests Foundation encourages all Pennsylvanians to join in celebrating the 125th Anniversary of Pennsylvania's State Parks and Forests.  On May 22 dignitaries gathered at the State Capitol to kick off the celebration.

The following summary of the forthcoming report The Legacy of Pennsylvania’s State Parks and Forests: The Future Is In Our Hands by the PA Parks and Forests Foundation was taken from the Summer Penn’s Stewards newsletter. (See the newsletter for additional charts and photos.)

The Conservation Fund Wednesday announced the purchase of 32,598 acres of sustainable timberland land surrounding the city of Johnsonburg in Elk and McKean Counties.  The purchase was made through the Fund's Working Forest Fund Program.

The Northeast Environmental Partners Friday announced they are now accepting nominations for the Northeastern Pennsylvania Environmental Partnership Awards, the Thomas P. Shelburne Award and the Emerging Environmental Leader Award.

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

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--

On Tuesday, House Bill 2222 (Moul-R-Adams), requiring the Department of Environmental Protection to replace the interstate Delaware and Susquehanna River Basin Commissions in regulating groundwater, was referred to the House State Government Committee, bypassing the Environmental Committee.

Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery) and bipartisan co-sponsors Wednesday introduced Senate Resolution 373 that would establish a 23-member Senate-House legislative Commission to Study Pipeline Construction and Operations and to recommend improvements for the safe transport of oil, natural gas and other hazardous liquids through pipelines.

On Friday, Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne) introduced Senate Bill 1189 that would declare, as a matter of law, an oil and gas fracking moratorium enacted by the Delaware River Basin Commission would constitute an act of eminent domain and a taking of property for which compensated would be required from DRBC.

The May Environmental Synopsis newsletter is now available from the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee featuring stories  on--

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA Friday issued a statement from Pennsylvania Executive Director Harry Campbell, after U.S. Senator Robert P. Casey introduced a bill to provide greater federal assistance to farmers so they can plant more forested riparian buffers in Pennsylvania.

By Nick DiPasquale & Joel Dunn in Chesapeake Bay Journal

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Friday announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture has resumed continuous Conservation Reserve Program enrollment following a freeze initiated last year.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro, together with a coalition of seven other Attorneys General, Thursday sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its failure to implement and enforce a critical federal rule regulating methane emissions from landfills. There are 44 landfills in Pennsylvania.

President Trump Friday directed the U.S. Department of Energy to prepare immediate steps to stop the retirements of what he called “fuel-secure power facilities” like coal and nuclear electric power generating facilities.

For a fifth grader, Amari Eaddy is well on his way to becoming a solid conservationist.

On May 18 the Delaware River Basin Commission participated in the 18th annual Lehigh Valley Water Suppliers’ HydroMania, a fun-filled water festival attended by over 1,000 3rd and 4th grade elementary school students, teachers, and chaperones at Cedar Crest College in Allentown.

The Central Pennsylvania Conservancy's Goddard Leadership Legacy Institute has extended the deadline for accepting applications for its leadership camp for youth ages 13 to 15 for its July 8-13 Program.  The new deadline is June 8.

The Department of Agriculture Thursday announced $1.3 million for 35 grants to support research agriculture-related research at Penn State University, the Rodale Institute and other institutions to address nutrient reduction, the Spotted Lanternfly and other important issues affecting the state’s agricultural industry.

The PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers and PA Environmental Council will hold two more in its series of regional watershed workshops on June 20 in Carlisle, Cumberland County and on June 28 in Doylestown, Bucks County.

By Will Parson, Chesapeake Bay Program

The latest green infrastructure newsletter is now available from Lancaster-based LandStudies featuring articles on--

The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association will hold its 25th Annual Conference, Workshop and Trade Show September 18 to 20 in Camp Hill, Cumberland County across the river from Harrisburg.

The latest edition of the Runoff Rundown newsletter is now available from the Center for Watershed Protection featuring stories on--

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 2 PA Bulletin inviting comments on draft proposed changes to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact and Agreement procedures and guidance for reviewing water diversion proposals.  

The Delaware River Basin Commission Thursday announced it will accept entries for its Summer Photo Contest from June 25 to August 1.

Pennsylvania American Water Tuesday announced 68 emergency service organizations across the Commonwealth received grants totaling approximately $50,000 through its annual Firefighting Support Grant Program.

On May 31st, we join together to commemorate National Dam Safety Awareness Day, remembering the lessons learned from past dam failures, pushing for strong dam safety programs, investing in Pennsylvania and America's critical infrastructure and rededicating ourselves to the effective public-private partnerships that work to keep America's dams safe, operational and resilient.

You have just one week to enter the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Great American Cleanup of PA Video Contest. Entries are due June 8.

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a hearing July 19 on the interim cleanup steps it has taken to deal with TCE contaminated groundwater a 77-acre site at 44 and 84 Brennan Road in Nockamixon Township, Bucks County. (PA Bulletin page 3364)

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a hearing July 11 on the interim cleanup steps it has taken to deal with 12 private wells contaminated with poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), above the Health Advisory Limit combined concentration for Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) at the Ridge Run site in East and West Rockhill townships in Bucks County.. (PA Bulletin page 3365)

DEP’s Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on June 14 to consider a comprehensive package of proposed increases in Air Quality Permit fees, new fees for certain air quality assessments and new annual permit administration fees.  Click Here for the agenda.

The Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled a July 17 hearing [if requested] to consider public comments on the RACT II Air Quality Plan for the Sonneborn, LLC Petrolia Facility in Petrolia, Butler County. (PA Bulletin page 3375)

The next meeting of DEP’s Pennsylvania’s Solar Future Stakeholder Meeting will be held June 14 at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, University of Pennsylvania, Fisher Fine Arts Building, 220 S. 34th, Philadelphia from 9:00 to 4:00.

The PA Technical Assistance Program will host a free Saving Energy Costs By Implementing An Energy Management System Workshop at the Penn State New Kensington Campus in Westmoreland County.

By A’ndrea Elyse Messer, Penn State News

The Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring and Mountain Watershed Association are hosting a volunteer training session on stream monitoring related to Shale natural gas production on July 7 in Allegheny County.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 2 PA Bulletin of an opportunity to bid on plugging abandoned oil and gas wells in Butler County.

The Independent Fiscal Office Thursday reported natural gas production in Pennsylvania grew by 9.9 percent in the first quarter of 2018 to 1,441.2 billion cubic feet compared to the same time period in 2017. 

DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell told the Environmental Justice Advisory Board Tuesday a new Director of the Office of Environmental Justice will be named by the end of June and another position will be added to bring the Office up to a complement of four.

The Pocono Forests and Waters Conservation Initiative, administered by the PA Environmental Council, Tuesday awarded 10 grants totaling $60,000 to support recreation and education projects in Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike and Wayne counties.

Love to kayak or canoe? Or have you always wanted to try? Either way, embarking on a group, educational water adventure, known as a river sojourn, could be the experience you’re craving!

The Brodhead Watershed Association will host two events on June 16-- a Water Wiser Kids event snorkeling in McMichael Creek and the Van Buskirk Preserve Hike that is part of the Get Outdoors Poconos series, both in Monroe County.

The May 30 edition of the Resource newsletter is now available from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources featuring articles on--

The Lehigh Valley-based Wildlands Conservancy Wednesday highlighted its June education programs featuring, among others--

The Summer issue of Penn’s Stewards newsletter is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

As its beautiful annuals and perennials awaken from their winter slumber, Gifford Pinchot’s Grey Towers National Historic Site in Milford, Pike County, opens for its 2018 visitor season.

Visitors of all ages have the opportunity to see a rare Regal Fritillary butterfly on June 29, 30 and  July 6, 7 guided tours of the PA National Guard’s Fort Indiantown Gap facility in Lebanon County.

The Game Commission invites you to be the most creative host in your neighborhood-- host a bat count this summer as part of the Appalachian Bat Count!

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 2, 2018

Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to:  PaEnviroDigest@gmail.com.

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, Pennsylvania Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.

Registration is now open for the 20th Anniversary PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference to be held June 20-21 at the Ramada Inn & Conference Center in State College.  Join PA Environment Digest as a sponsor of this terrific Conference.