The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday issued a field order to ETC Northeast Pipeline LLC requiring the operator to immediately stabilize disturbed areas, repair erosion control features, and stop all other earth moving activities associated with the Revolution Pipeline.

By David Kinney and Kurt Fesenmyer, Trout Unlimited

Commonwealth Court Friday issued a decision upholding the zoning ordinance of Allegheny Township in Westmoreland County allowing oil and gas well drilling in all zoning districts as long as they satisfy standards to protect public health, safety and welfare.

The Department of Environmental Protection Thursday announced it has launched electronic permits for well drilling and erosion and sediment control at oil and gas sites to provide operators a more efficient and convenient permitting process and faster response from DEP.

The Department of Environmental Protection Wednesday submitted formal comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on its plan to replace the current Clean Power Plant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel power plants.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the City of Philadelphia and a coalition of 26 other states, counties, and cities Thursday called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to abandon its proposed replacement to the Clean Power Plan.

Sportsmen and women on both sides of the aisle overwhelmingly want state decision-makers to ensure robust funding for conservation programs that improve, restore water quality and fish habitat, according to a new poll released Wednesday by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and Public Opinion Strategies.

The PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee will meet on November 20 in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

The Chesapeake Bay Local Government Advisory Committee is holding 4 roundtable discussions for local officials in Pennsylvania on November 9, 14, 15 and 16 to have an open discussion about obstacles and opportunities to protect and restore local streams.

The Courier Express Monday reported the Somerset County Conservation District was awarded a national Environmental Achievement Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance for its abandoned mine drainage abatement efforts in Lamberts Run Watershed.

Keep PA Beautiful Friday reported 108,638 volunteers participated in 5,362 events picking up over 5 million pounds of trash during the 2018 Great American Cleanup of PA, which ran from March 1 through the end of May.

The PA Resources Council will recognize the winners of the 2018 Environmental Leadership Awards-- Wawa, Philadelphia Media Network, LLC, Eldredge, Inc. and the Falk School of Sustainability & Environment, Chatham University at a special Awards Celebration on November 15 at Material Culture in Philadelphia.

The Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority, Weis Markets and Trex Company, Inc. Wednesday announced the winners of the “Healthy Kids, Healthy Earth” student poster contest. 

The PA Land Trust Association is now accepting nominations for its 2019 Lifetime Leadership and Land Conservation Government Leadership Awards.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Thursday Fall Foliage Report said Pennsylvania is now experiencing the most vivid colors of foliage across wide areas of the state.

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--

Gov. Tom Wolf Friday sent a letter to the president requesting federal disaster aid for multiple counties to pay for millions of dollars in damages caused by severe storms that brought heavy rainfall and severe flash flooding to parts of Pennsylvania from August 10 to 15, 2018.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Thursday announced it is inviting the City of Lancaster to apply for $22 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan.   

The following article appeared in the Fall Conserve Magazine published by the Western PA Conservancy--

The following article appeared in the Fall Conserve Magazine published by the Western PA Conservancy--

The following article appeared in the Fall Conserve Magazine published by the Western PA Conservancy--

The November issue of The Catalyst newsletter is now available from Butler County-based Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition featuring articles on--

By Diane Huskinson, Stroud Water Research Center

By: Donna Morelli, Chesapeake Bay Journal

The Penn State Environment and Natural Resources Institute will host a Water Insights Seminar on November 9 on Who Signs Up For Free Rain Gardens from Noon to 1:00.

This article appeared in the Fall Notes From The Forest newsletter from the Lacawac Sanctuary Field Station and Environmental Education Center--

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for its 2019 Environmental Education Grants.  The deadline for applications is January 11.  (formal notice)

The Brodhead Watershed Association will host a Water Wiser Kids Stories of the Forest event on November 10 at the Nothstein Preserve in Paradise Township, Monroe County from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.

Climate science research, 3D coral reefs, solar-powered robots and urban gardening experiments are just some of the innovative and forward-thinking projects students will be tackling throughout eastern and central Pennsylvania as a result of PPL Foundation’s Empowering Educators Grants.

The following story appeared in the November Catalyst newsletter from the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition based in Butler County--

Trout Unlimited and PennFuture are hosting a Clean Water Advocacy Workshop on November 10 at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way in Harrisburg from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Delaware River Basin Commission will hold a hearing November 14 to take comments on a series of 25 water withdrawal requests and a business meeting on December 12 to consider those requests and other issues.  (formal notice)

Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, along with NorthPoint Development Vice President of Economic Development Brent Miles, Thursday announced the potential for approximately 1,548 new jobs at a groundbreaking ceremony at the redeveloped Hanover 9 mine reclamation site co-located in the City of Nanticoke and Hanover Township in Luzerne County.

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a hearing December 4 on the proposed RACT II Air Quality Plan for East Penn Manufacturing in Richmond Township, Berks County (Nov. 3 PA Bulletin, page 7013)

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a hearing December 11 on the RACT II Air Quality Plan for the Exelon Croydon Power Plant in Bristol Township, Bucks County. (Nov. 3 PA Bulletin, page 7051)

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a hearing December 11 on an Alternative RACT II Air Quality Plan for Arcelormittal Plate Company in Plymouth Township, Montgomery County. (Nov. 3 PA Bulletin, page 7050)

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a hearing December 11 on the RACT II Air Quality Plan for the Monroe Energy Facility in Trainer Borough, Delaware County. (Nov. 3 PA Bulletin, page 70521)

The Department of Human Services is now accepting applications from families for the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) Program grants.

The Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled 2 public hearings on the Air Quality Permits needed for 2 new natural gas compressor stations on the Adelphia Pipeline in West Rockhill Township, Bucks County and Lower Chichester Township, Delaware County. (Nov. 3 PA Bulletin, page 7012)

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for Alternative Fuels Corridor Infrastructure Grants under the federal Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act for federally designated corridors.  Applications will be accepted between November 9 and February 8.  (formal notice)

The Department of Transportation Tuesday announced the opening of its 14th compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station at IndiGO-Indiana, 1657 Saltsburg Avenue in Indiana PA .

Legislation introduced Thursday in Philadelphia City Council would enable the City to enter into a Power Purchase Agreement with a renewable energy developer to buy solar power.

As part of PJM Interconnection’s ongoing initiative to assess the resilience of the electrical grid, Thursday released a summary of its study examining one critical element of grid resilience – fuel supply.

The Carnegie Mellon University's Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation will host the 2019 Engineering Sustainability Conference at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh April 7-9.

Pennsylvania State Forester Ellen M. Shultzabarger this week visited State Correctional Institution Rockview in Centre County and met with prison officials and inmates enrolled in the facility’s Forestry Camp.

The following article appeared in the Fall Conserve Magazine published by the Western PA Conservancy--

The following article appeared in the Fall Conserve Magazine published by the Western PA Conservancy--

The following story appeared in the November Catalyst newsletter from the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition based in Butler County--

The Western PA Conservancy’s Fall Conserve Magazine is now available featuring articles on--

The Brodhead Watershed Association will host a Leavitt Branch Dry Dam Walk-And-Tour Tour on November 18 in Monroe County starting at 10:00 a.m.  The tour is part of the Get Outdoors Poconos series.

The following story appeared in the Fall Delaware Highlands Conservancy Journal--

By: Stanley M. Kaminsky, Crew Member, Wilkes-Barre 10-Month PA Outdoor Corps Crew

Thanks to Curt Weinhold, a dark skies photographer and frequent visitor to Cherry Springs State Park [Potter County], the importance of conserving Pennsylvania’s dark skies in the Pennsylvania Wilds just got a permanent reminder with the designation of 31 miles of PA Route 44 in Potter County as the “Highway to the Stars.”

The Fall Penn’s Stewards newsletter is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation featuring stories on--

The October 31 issue of the Resource newsletter from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is now available featuring articles on--

The Game Commission published an updated Executive Order on Chronic Wasting Disease in deer in the November 3 PA Bulletin adding Quebec to the list of states and Canadian Provinces declared to be CWD-endemic areas.

With deer becoming increasingly active, and daylight saving time soon to put more vehicles on the road during the hours when deer move most, the Game Commission is advising motorists to slow down and stay alert.

The Wildlife For Everyone Foundation recently elected three new trustees to its Board of Directors-- Blair Soars, Carl Roe and Jerry Regan. The incoming trustees will serve three-year terms through 2021.

The Berks County Conservation District is seeking qualified candidates for either a District Engineer or an urban Resource Conservationist and Team Leader position.

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

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 highlights of actions taken by agencies on environmental regulations, technical guidance and permits.

CLICK HERE to View or Print the entire PA Environment Digest.  This Digest is 101 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: 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.