The Senate and House finalized all the pieces of the FY 2019-20 state budget including the Fiscal Code bill, the Tax Code bill, the Administrative Code bill and the General Fund budget bill and they were all signed by the Governor--

The Growing Greener Coalition issued this wrap up of changes-- mostly bad-- in the FY 2019-20 state budget, itemized the missed opportunities and extended a big THANK YOU to all who acted to protect environmental and community project funding--

On June 28, Harry Campbell, executive director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in Pennsylvania, issued this statement about the $34 billion General Fund budget for 2019-20, negotiated by the legislature and signed by Gov. Tom Wolf. 

On June 26, Senate Republicans passed Senate Bill 575 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) establishing a taxpayer funded procurement program for nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment reductions needed to comply with the Chesapeake Bay Watershed pollution reduction goals in all or part of 43 counties in the state.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority will start pre-qualifying applicants for Multifunctional Riparian Buffer Grants on July 1.

The Lancaster County Community Foundation is now accepting applications for Clean Water Fund Grants.  The deadline for applications is July 26.

On June 26, Senate Republicans passed Senate Bill 619 ( Yaw-R-Lycoming) making fundamental changes to the definition of water pollution under the state Clean Streams Law effectively making most spills and discharges to rivers and streams no longer pollution.

On June 27, Harry Campbell, executive director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA issued this statement after the state Senate’s narrow vote to approve Senate Bill 619, which would redefine the term “pollution” in the Clean Streams Law, and potentially allow for certain spills and discharges to go unreported and unregulated.

By George Block, Sunday Outdoors Columnist, Observer-Reporter

On June 27, the Public Utility Commission posted detailed information about this year’s distribution of drilling impact fees on natural gas producers totaling $242,964,000 on the PUC’s Act 13 website.

On June 28, the Independent Fiscal Office issued its estimate of revenues for 2019 from the Act 13 drilling impact fees saying there could be a $9.6 million revenue  increase over this year or a $37.1 million decrease, depending on the price of natural gas.

The Public Utility Commission published notice in the June 29 PA Bulletin opening a formal 60 public comment period on two separate rulemaking proposals related to pipeline operations in Pennsylvania addressing both pipeline safety regulations and periodic financial reporting by pipeline public utilities.

The votes are in on Keep PA Beautiful’s 2019 Great American Cleanup of PA Video Contest on Facebook and the winners are--

As part of the celebration of the PA Rivers Conservation & Fly Fishing Youth Camp’s 25th anniversary, Ashley Wilmont of Bellefonte was awarded the 2019 Dr. Robert J. Behnke Award.

On June 26, the Pennsylvania Conservation Heritage, in partnership with the PA Parks and Forests Foundation, the PA Forestry Association, and the Center for Land Use and Sustainability at Shippensburg University, released the latest story map, Forest Legacy Trail.

The following bills of interest saw action last week in the House and Senate--

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 June 25, the Senate passed a 5-bill package making changes to the state’s vehicle emissions inspection program, but the changes do not avoid the need to amend federal law to make the proposed changes. 

On June 24, the PA Environmental Council wrote to members of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee expressing its opposition to Senate Bill 763 (Bartolotta-R- Washington) limiting reporting on environmental impacts from underground coal mining.

On June 25, the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee reported out legislation making reports on impacts of deep coal mining options and other legislation.  The bills included --

On June 25, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency budget containing an increase in Chesapeake Bay Program funding from $73 to $85 million.

On June 28, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the request of the Allegheny County Health Department to permanently eliminate the low-RVP summer gasoline requirement that routinely increased gasoline prices in Western Pennsylvania by 10 to 15 cents.

The Pennsylvania Office of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service shared a recent announcement of the availability of the SoilWeb 2.0 App jointly developed between NRCS and the University of California at Davis Soil Resource Laboratory to access detailed digital soil survey data.

On June 27, Department of Environmental Protection’s District Mining Operations will hold a public hearing July 17 on a draft discharge permit for Consol Pennsylvania Coal Company’s Bailey Central Mine Complex in Morris Township, Greene County.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 29 PA Bulletin of an opportunity to bid on a mine reclamation project in Indiana County.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notices in the June 29 PA Bulletin (pages 3380-3382) inviting comments on Total Maximum Daily Load Water Quality Plans for--

By Penn State News

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 29 PA Bulletin inviting comments on annual reports submitted by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations under the PAG-12 Water Quality General Permit.

On June 28, the Department of Environmental Protection awarded $205,000 in Environmental Education Grants to 45 projects addressing environmental justice, climate change, and water quality.

In spring 2019, the Game Commission’s Howard Nursery introduced a new program for teachers in Pennsylvania-- mix of 25 native pollinator-friendly seedlings were packaged for teachers to order and plant a pollinator garden on their school premises, free of charge.

The Pocono Lake Ecological Observatory Network is a regional lake monitoring and education program run by Lacawac Sanctuary at Lake Ariel in Wayne County.

The Brodhead Watershed Association will hold its Annual River Ramble on August 4 featuring an eco-tour of the Mill and Buck Hill creeks area near Mountainhome in Barrett Township, Monroe County.

In July, the PA Resources Council will host two pop-up glass recycling collection events in Allegheny County in response to the sudden removal of glass from many of the region’s residential curbside recycling programs.  The events will be held--

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 29 PA Bulletin a hearing will be held September 11 [if needed] on the RACT II Air Quality Plan for the GenOn Northeast Management Company in Plumcreek Township, Armstrong County. (PA Bulletin page 3342)

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 29 PA Bulletin a hearing will be held September 11 [if needed] on the RACT II Air Quality Plan for FirstEnergy Bruce Mansfield Power Plant in Beaver County. (PA Bulletin page 3347)

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 29 PA Bulletin it will hold a hearing on August 12 on the draft Air Quality Plan Approval for the Slate Belt Biosolids Heat Recovery Center to be located at the Grand Central Sanitary Landfill in Plainfield Township, Northampton County. (PA Bulletin page 3348)

On June 14, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission approved a settlement of $18,500 for water withdrawals without a permit by the Sunoco Mariner East II Pipeline. 

On June 26, the Public Utility Commission announced the PA 1 Call Damage Prevention Committee took 194 disciplinary actions and imposed $180,850 in penalties against 73 underground facility owners, excavators and project owners in the latest enforcement actions.

On June 26, Public Utility Commission announced it is urging residents across the state to consider ways to conserve energy and stay cool as temperatures across the Mid-Atlantic Region are expected to climb above 90 degrees, combined with high humidity, through the weekend.

On June 24, Reading City Council unanimously voted to adopt a resolution establishing a goal of powering the entire community with 100 percent clean, renewable energy by 2050.

Millersville University in Lancaster County has the first building in Pennsylvania, the Samuel N. and Dena M. Lombardo Welcome Center, to be Zero Energy Certified by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI).

By Jim Seif, Former Secretary Of DEP

About five percent of people working in the United States are scientists and engineers. Science is important because it is the most reliable way of learning about the world, both natural and artificial.

The Brodhead Watershed Association announced it has two special outdoor education programs coming up in July.

The Foundation for Sustainable Forests, a nonprofit land trust based in Spartansburg, Crawford County, announced 436 acres of working woodlands in Warren County’s Southwest and Eldred Townships have been conserved in perpetuity.  

The PA Land Trust Association has published new and updated guidance on the protections provided to land trusts, local governments, and other landowners against claims of personal injury and loss of property by people using their land. PALTA developed substantial amendments to Pennsylvania's Recreational Use of Land and Water Act (RULWA) signed into law by Gov. Wolf in late 2018.

On June 24, members of the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy’s Youth Conservation Corps began their five-day Perki-Bay Canoeing Expedition. The team, consisting of 22 students and leaders launched into the Perkiomen Creek at the Conservancy’s headquarters near Schwenksville, Montgomery County.

Lehigh Valley-based Wildlands Conservancy highlights July education programs and activities--

Pennsylvania is home to many great hiking trails, but the opportunities for day trips and long-distance treks don’t stop at the waters edge.

Austin Unruh has a passion for stream buffers; and works to help build multi-functional riparian buffers with Crow and Berry land management.

The Lyme Timber Company and Three Rivers Forest Management will hold a Forestry Summer Series to educate the public on Lyme’s investments in timberland and related businesses, approaches to forest management, and conservation strategies in the Cameron, McKean and Potter counties region.

A giant praying mantis made of wood. Unique henna art on wood. Jewelry, fountain pens and Christmas ornaments made from wood. All are additions to the returning wood craftsmen who will demonstrate, display and sell their specialty items at the 15th annual Festival of Wood, scheduled for August 3-4 at Grey Towers National Historic Site in Milford, Pike County.

The June 26 edition of the Resource newsletter is now available from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources featuring these articles--

The Brodhead Watershed Association will host a discussion on How We Can Help Wildlife Withstand Climate Change on July 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the Brodhead Creek Heritage Center, 1539 Cherry Lane Road in East Stroudsburg, Monroe County.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation awarded $73,410 in grants to fund 30 wildlife habitat and hunting heritage projects across 44 counties in Pennsylvania.

On June 25, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County announced it has revamped the Conservation Science Department with a series of internal promotions and an addition of a new research biologist to the team.

The Allegheny Land Trust is seeking qualified applicants to fill a Land Manager position.  The deadline for applications is July 15.

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 103 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.

A Environment Digest is proud to be a sponsor of the 2019 PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation and National Abandoned Mine Lands Program Conference to be held in Pittsburgh on September 8-11.

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