By Kate Fritz, Chesapeake Bay Journal (mostly)

On August 27, the departments of Environmental Protection, Agriculture and Conservation and Natural Resources outlined their hopes for the Final Chesapeake Bay Healthy Waters, Healthy Communities Watershed Plan.

On August 29, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, chairman of the Chesapeake Executive Council, sent a letter to Gov. Tom Wolf and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler calling for action on Pennsylvania’s lack of progress on clean water goals.

Sewage overflows from Harrisburg wastewater treatment system have increased since a 2015 consent decree meant to address the problem, with the amount of human waste mixed with stormwater released to the Susquehanna River growing from 789 million gallons in 2016 to nearly 1.4 billion in 2018, water authority records show.

On August 28, the Public Utility Commission announced it is extending the comment period until September 11 on two separate rulemaking proposals related to pipeline operations in Pennsylvania addressing both pipeline safety regulations and periodic financial reporting by pipeline public utilities.

On August 29, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it has issued two penalties to Sunoco Pipeline, LP totaling $319,461 for violations resulting from construction activities on the Mariner East 2 pipeline project.

On August 29, the Public Utility Commission approved a Joint Petition for Approval of Settlement authorizing the initiation of bi-directional service of petroleum products along the Laurel Pipeline, while preserving the existing east-to-west capacity that enables transportation service from points of origin near Philadelphia to delivery points in western Pennsylvania.

The Public Utility Commission released its annual assessment of generation, transmission and distribution capacity in Pennsylvania last week which projected a significant increase in natural gas-fired electric generation capacity from 30 percent to as much as 45 percent of capacity by the end of 2022.

A report issued by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania found the number of “very heavy precipitation” events 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.

On August 29, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Deputy Secretary John Norbeck and other state officials broke ground for a new swimming pool complex at Ryerson Station State Park in Greene County funded by $9.6 million in settlement funds from Consol Energy for longwall coal mining damage to the park.

Years of planning and labor by area leaders to leverage their scenic resources and make good on a new vision of the former “coal and coke capital of the U.S.” have brought big changes to Connellsville, Fayette County and a first-of-its-kind award by local environmental and civic advocacy group Scenic Pittsburgh.

On August 28, Tom Wolf unveiled his initiative to create a lead-free Pennsylvania by calling on the legislature to increase access to blood testing for children in alignment with federal guidelines, increasing local response efforts, and planning for training of more certified lead abatement professionals.

On August 27, the Department of Environmental Protection announced mosquitoes in Mahoning Township, Montour County have tested positive for West Nile Virus bringing the total this season to 29.

This is the time of year when thousands of students, families and football fans are coming to University Park [and many other football and sports venues around the state], and Penn State officials want to make sure those visitors are not transporting the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that is threatening the northeastern U.S., especially southeastern Pennsylvania.

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 August newsletter from the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee is now available featuring articles on--

On August 29, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed changes to Obama-era methane emission reduction regulations it said would "remove regulatory duplication and save the industry millions of dollars in compliance costs each year while maintaining health and environmental regulations on oil and gas sources that the agency considers appropriate."

The organizers of the 2020 Riparian Forest Buffer Summit on March 11-12 have issued a call for presentation proposals on a variety of subjects, including  funding, partnerships, implementation, planning, research, policy, and more.

By Ad Crable, Chesapeake Bay Journal

By Ad Crable, Chesapeake Bay Journal

The State Conservation Commission is tentatively scheduled to begin accepting applications for FY 2019 Resource Enhancement and Protection Farm Conservation Tax Credit Program on September 3.

On August 29, the Delaware Riverkeeper and local groups announced the Department of Environmental Protection said it would agree to additional evaluations before taking any action to downgrade the protection classification of Tohickon Creek in Bucks County.

The Brodhead Watershed Association will host a September 21 hike to the Goose Pond Dry Flood Control Dam in Barrett Township, Monroe County with the Monroe County Conservation District from 10:00 a.m. to Noon.

The September 17 quarterly meeting and picnic of the West Branch Susquehanna Restoration Coalition will be held in Bald Eagle State Park at  Pavilion #5 on Skyline Drive, Howard, Centre County starting at 5:30.

It’s that time of the year again! For the eleventh year in a row-- ever since the very first year of the event-- Friends of Allegheny Wilderness is inviting volunteers to participate in the Allegheny River Cleanup to help remove unwanted refuse from the National Wild & Scenic Allegheny River and environs.

Nearly 6,000 tires were collected for recycling in Cambria, Cumberland, McKean and Washington counties during special collection events this spring by local affiliates of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and now more events are scheduled for this fall in Cambria, Fayette, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin and Perry counties.

The Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation is seeking volunteers for the annual Centralia Trash/Litter Cleanup Day on October 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Columbia County.

The PA Resources Council has released its fall schedule of 12 backyard composting, recycling, rain barrel and vermicomposting workshops in Allegheny County.

On August 28, the Group Against Smog and Pollution reported Environmental Hearing Board Judge Steven C. Beckman on Wednesday ruled Erie Coke Corp. can continue operating-- subject to certain limitations-- pending its appeal of DEP’s decision to deny the company’s Title V operating permit.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the August 31 PA Bulletin of a proposed State Air Quality Implementation revision to implement EPA’s regional haze requirements and update DEP’s best available retrofit technology determinations for public comment.

The Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled an October 16 hearing [if needed] on the RACT II Air Quality Plan for the Truck Accessories plant in Northumberland County.  (August 31 PA Bulletin page 5063)

On August 28, Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell provided an update on the department’s response to the Pool Doctor/Beaver Alkali Products Hazardous Waste Site and also highlighted a September 4 hearing on the site.

On August 28, the Public Utility Commission announced the PA One Call Damage Prevention Committee took a total of 70 disciplinary actions, including $47,250 in administrative penalties, against 33 underground facility owners, excavators and project owners for violating excavation safety requirements.

The Penn State Schuylkill campus in Schuylkill Haven will host a September 26 program on the Centralia Mine Fire - Social Conflict and the Death Of A Pennsylvania Community starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Morgan Auditorium.

By Francisco Tutella, Penn State News

On September 12, StateImpact PA will host a Climate Change Adaptation, Resilience and Social Equity Forum featuring a panel discussion on the affects of climate change, including frequent extreme weather events and threats to human health through air pollution, diminished water quality, and heat stress.

Penn State’s Environmental Resource Management Program was ranked fifth in the top 20 environmental science programs in the nation, according to successfulstudent.org, a student resource website that evaluates colleges and degrees from a student’s point of view.

Municipalities and recreation authorities could receive grants of up to $10,000 as part of PECO’s Green Region Open Space Program administered by Natural Lands.  The deadline for applications is October 31.

There is still time to register for Natural Lands’ ChesLen Chase Race For Open Space to be held on October 19 at the ChesLen Preserve in Coatesville, Chester County starting at 11:00 a.m..

The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc. has helped organize two special upcoming events: Creative Makers Exhibits in Lock Haven opening September 3 and the Annual Awards Program and Dinner on November 7 in DuBois.

Tickets for two popular October theatrical programs-- the annual dramatic readings of selected works of Edgar Allan Poe and for the popular theatrical historical presentation in the Laurel Hill Cemetery-- at Gifford Pinchot’s Grey Towers National Historic Site in Milford, Pike County, are now available for sale to the public.

By Jim Wilson, Northampton County Parks & Recreation Division

On August 29, more than 1,000 American eels were released into Pickering Creek near Yellow Springs in Chester County in the hope they will help control populations of an invasive species of crayfish, known as the virile crayfish.

As part of its 85th anniversary celebration, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County will exhibit a collection of 30 pieces of art by acclaimed wildlife artist Fred Wetzel of Albany Township.

Registration is still open for students ages 12-22 to attend the Frontiers in Ornithology: A Symposium For Youth September 28 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., to be held at the Ashland Nature Center in Hockessin, Delaware, a program recommended by Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.

The PA Land Trust Association is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Director of Advocacy.

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.

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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 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.

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