The PA Environmental Council will hold its 49th Environmental Partnership dinner on June 13 to recognize 2 individuals with the Curtin Winsor Award and a project with a Special Places Award.

On April 26, Aqua America Chief Environmental Officer Chris Crockett received the George W. Fuller Award by the PA Section of the American Water Works Association.

On April 23, Gov. Tom Wolf was joined by state officials and clean water advocates for the signing of Senate Bill 9 (Yaw-R-Lycoming), designating the Eastern hellbender as Pennsylvania’s state amphibian.

The U.S. Postal Service will release its National Wild and Scenic River stamp series on May 21 that includes Pennsylvania’s 2019 River Of The Year-- the Clarion River.

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet April 30 to consider the renominations of Patrick McDonnell as DEP Secretary and Cindy Adams Dunn as DCNR Secretary.

On April 22, Marie Cusick of StateImpact PA reported Public Utility Commission member Andrew Place sent a memo to members of the Senate saying “... I do not believe Senate Bill 510, as currently drafted, is just and reasonable for Pennsylvania’s ratepayers, and encourage consideration of alternatives for addressing this intricate issue.”

On April 29, the House Consumer Affairs Committee is scheduled to hear testimony from electric ratepayers, retail energy suppliers and labor at its third hearing on House Bill 11 (Mehaffie-R- Lancaster) to provide financial support for nuclear power plants.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on April 29 on nuclear waste containment in light of the pending closure of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant.

The Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure and Environmental Resources and Energy Committees are scheduled to hold a joint hearing May 1 on the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards.

On April 25, Matt Smith, President of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce issued this statement on pending legislation to provide financial aid to Pennsylvania's nuclear power plants (House Bill 11, Senate Bill 510)--

On April 23, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing in Pittsburgh on strategies for combating climate change by reducing methane gas emissions.

On April 23, DEP told the Climate Change Advisory Committee the final version of the 2018 PA Climate Action Plan Update should be released by the end of the month, which means this week.

On April 25, the Public Utility Commission unanimously voted to turn down Sunoco’s request to resume construction of the Mariner East 2 Pipeline in West Whiteland Township, Chester County because the Commission is under a Commonwealth Court order to stay all actions related to the case until an appeal before the Court is resolved.

Late on April 24, the PUC's Pipeline Safety Division announced it was investigating reports of subsidence near several pipelines in Middletown Township, Delaware County .

The Department of Environmental Protection last week released its biennial report on water quality which said 40 percent of streams and rivers in the state do not meet federal Clean Water Act standards.  So, what does that mean to you?

On April 22, Gov. Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf announced a new LED lighting initiative during the third annual public Earth Day celebration at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg.

On April 26, the Peregrine Falcon eggs in the nest on the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg started to hatch.  Click Here to watch what’s going on live online.

The PA Conservation Heritage Project and its partners will hold a special screening and panel discussion of the WITF Penn’s Woods - Cradle of Conservation documentary on May 29 at the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

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--

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, issued the following statement in observance of Earth Day 2019--

On April 26, Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) and Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) along with Rep. Carl Metzgar (R-Somerset) and Rep. Pam Snyder (D-Fayette) announced they will serve as Co-Chairs for the Legislative Coal Caucus during the 2019-2020 Session.

On April 26, Senators David Argall (R-Schuylkill) and John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) unveiled a legislative proposal to extend and increase the Coal Refuse Energy and Reclamation Tax Credit from $10 to $45 million per year.

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee is scheduled to meet April 30 on House Bill 808 (Mehaffie-R-Dauphin) authorizing the Fish and Boat Commission to adopt their own fees for 3 years (House Fiscal Note and summary).

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee will hold an information meeting May 1 to learn about the permit review process for erosion and sedimentation control permits reviewed by DEP and county conservation districts.

The Senate Republican Policy Committee will take a closer look at effects of climate change disruption in Pennsylvania during a public workshop on May 1 in Harrisburg.

On April 24, the Department of Environmental Protection announced the approval of $25 million in federal funding for environmental cleanup and revitalization projects at abandoned mine land (AML) locations across Pennsylvania.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notices in the April 27 PA Bulletin of the opportunity to bid on--

By Amy Duke, Penn State News

On April 6, twenty volunteers helped Independence Conservancy put the finishing touches on a wetland begun last fall at newly-christened "Rocky Bend Nature Preserve" in Potter Township, Beaver County.

On April 23, Fish and Boat Commission staff partnered with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA and the National Arbor Day Foundation in planting 100 trees and 200 shrubs in the northeastern sector of the Commission’s Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg headquarters.

On April 25, Duquesne Light Company announced employee volunteers will be taking part in various tree planting events across its service territory and sponsoring a tree giveaway for customers [beginning May 1]. 

PPL Electric Utilities launched its Community Roots Tree Program in the fall of 2017 to offer free bare root seedlings and potted trees to environmentally-focused groups, municipal and county governments and schools (4th Grade) in its service territory.

The organizers of the 21st Annual 3 Rivers Wet Weather Sewer Conference on November 13-14 in Monroeville near Pittsburgh have issued a call for abstracts.  Proposals are due June 7.

By Jodi Sulpizio, Penn State Extension Natural Resources Educator

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is accepting proposals for 2 Delaware River Watershed Restoration Grant Programs.  The deadline for applications is May 1.

The PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture is now accepting presentation proposals for its 2020 Conference to be held February 5-8 in Lancaster.  The deadline for proposals is June 14.

On April 18, the U.S. Geological Survey released another in its series of county studies on the quality of water coming from private drinking water wells.

By Bryan Swistock, Penn State Extension Senior Associate

The latest issue of Connect With Your Environment in the Erie Times-News features a special Earth Day Every Day edition.

On April 25, Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, announced National Drug Take-Back Day, sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, will be held on Saturday, April 27. 

Mark your calendar to be part of the action during the 2019 Ohio River Sweep on June 15 in Western Pennsylvania.

By Jennifer R. Fetter, Penn State Extension Educator

The PA Resources Council will hold 7 Household Chemical Collection Events in Allegheny, Beaver, Cambria, Fayette and Washington counties between May 4 and October 12.

On April 23, Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell and Department of Transportation  District 9 Executive Thomas Prestash along with DEP and PennDOT employee volunteers collected trash along Stonycreek River in Cambria County as part of the Great American Cleanup Of PA.

On April 25, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it has approved IESI Blue Ridge Landfill’s permit application to expand its facility in Greene Township, Franklin County.

By Dr. Richard Kaplan

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the April 27 PA Bulletin inviting comments on proposed changes to the Mariner East 2 Pipeline erosion and sedimentation permit in Cambria County (page 2064)

On April 23, a coalition of businesses filed a formal protest with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in position to Buckeye Pipeline's request to make the Laurel Pipeline bi-directional from Altoona to Pittsburgh.

On April 25 & 26, Department of Environmental Protection awarded over $2.8 million in grants for 23 clean energy vehicle projects that will help improve air quality and public health.

On April 23, Public Utility Commission released its report providing detailed information about action items related to electric distribution company responses to the winter storms that brought significant wet snow and high winds to Pennsylvania in March 2018.

The Public Utility Commission published notice in the April 27 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a proposed 2021 update to the Technical Reference Manual for Energy-Efficiency and Demand Side Management Rules for PA’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards.

On April 25, Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell and officials from GIANT Food Stores dedicated the completion of a 625-kilowatt solar panel array at the company’s headquarters in Carlisle, Cumberland County. 

On April 25, the Public Utility Commission approved an Implementation Order for Act 58 of 2018, putting forth procedures through which utilities may seek Commission approval of applications establishing alternative rates and rate mechanisms in future base rate proceedings.

By: Greg Podniesinski, Natural Heritage Section Chief, DCNR's Bureau of Forestry

On April 22, Penn State Extension announced field scouting has detected first emergence of the allium leafminer, Phytomyza gymnostoma, an invasive fly species, in Perry, Lancaster, and Northumberland Counties.   They expect the adult flight to occur over the next two to five weeks.

For the second year in a row, Pittsburgh joins 150 cities across six continents in the City Nature Challenge, which inspires cities to compete in logging as many wild plants, animals, and fungi species as possible across four days.

The Lehigh Valley-based  Wildlands Conservancy Friday highlighted just some of the education and other events coming up in May--

The South Mountain Speakers Series will host a “Pollinators and Their Habitat” program on May 8 featuring a presentation by Brandon Hoover, Director of Sustainability at Messiah College in Boyer Hall room 131 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Messiah College, Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County.

On April 22-- Earth Day-- the treasured land nature writer Marcia Bonta notably describes and chronicles in her Appalachian seasons books is now permanently protected, thanks to the donation of a conservation easement to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy on her family’s 648-acre property in Southcentral Pennsylvania.

The PA Land Trust Association is now accepting grant applications for regional trail workshops and outreach events.  The deadline for applications is May 1.

The PA Parks and Forests Foundation will display the winning photos from the 2018 Through the Seasons Photo Contest at Cleve J. Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill, Cumberland County.

The Susquehanna Greenway Partnership is now accepting entries to its 2019 Photo Contest. Show us what Susquehanna River Town or special scene do you treasure. The deadline for entries is June 30.

On April 27, 569 participants were part of the popular Ironmaster’s Challenge 50K Ultra Marathon Trail Run and the 15K Challenge Trail Run hosted by the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy in partnership with the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club and the Keystone VHF Club of York.

The Friends of Allegheny Wilderness held a Hickory Creek Wilderness Trail Stewardship weekend April 27-28 in the Allegheny National Forest in Warren County.

The Northeast PA Audubon Society is now accepting applications for its annual $4,000 college scholarship.  The deadline for applications is April 30.

Brothers Calvin and Peter Livengood conducted an investigation into migration patterns through the Center for Undergraduate Research at California University They presented their findings at the Strike a Spark student research conference on April 24.

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 127 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 proud sponsor of these award and educational programs--

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