CANCELED FOR JUNE 22: On June 22, the House State Government Committee is scheduled to consider Senate Bill 575 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) which takes money away from conservation efforts by farmers at precisely the time farmers need it most.

On June 18, the Independent Regulatory Review Commission unanimously approved the EQB final regulation increasing the unconventional natural gas well drilling application fee.

On June 15, Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the Office of Attorney General is formally charging Cabot Oil and Gas, an unconventional gas, or “fracking,” company, for environmental crimes that occurred in northeastern Pennsylvania.

On June 17, the Washington County Watershed Alliance announced it will be receiving a $100,000 donation from Range Resources as a result of a settlement of criminal charges by the Office Of Attorney General for waterways impacts in Washington County.

On June 17, the Public Utility Commission posted detailed information about the distribution of CY 2019 Act 13 drilling impact fees on natural gas producers – totaling $200,364,500 – on the PUC’s Act 13 website.

On June 16, Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding invited Lancaster and York County farmers to apply for up to $250,000 in Conservation Excellence Grants.

From March 16 to June 16, Department of Environmental Protection employees have been teleworking and using COVID-19 mitigation measures to continue to fulfill its mission.  DEP staff have--

On June 16, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine reminded Pennsylvanians to take proper steps to prevent against tick bites and recognize the symptoms of Lyme disease, as some symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to those of COVID-19.

The PA Land Trust Association has compiled Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice resources for use by conservation organizations.

By Tracey Coulter, Agroforestry Coordinator, DCNR's Bureau of Forestry

[ Because Everything Is Connected To Everything Else ] Every county in Pennsylvania last week got the green light to move to the Green Phase of reopening, except for Lebanon County, because Gov. Wolf said it did not meet the criteria.

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 Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to hold a virtual hearing June 23 on DEP’s proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Program for power plants.

The Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee is scheduled to meet on June 23 to discuss a committee report on the impact of DEP’s proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Program covering power plants on the coal waste-fired power plants.

The Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee is scheduled to hold a virtual meeting on June 23 to consider bills allowing wind energy facilities in farmland preservation areas and to set aside farm conservation funding for land trusts.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet June 23 on legislation to add a member to DEP’s Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board.

On June 17, the U.S. Senate voted 73 to 25 to pass the Great American Outdoors Act, a bill that permanently and fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund and provides money for the growing maintenance backlog on public lands.

On June 18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the appointment of 33 members to the EPA Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee.

On June 19, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation announced its participation in litigation challenging the Trump administration’s unwarranted reversal of the legal foundation for limiting emissions of mercury and other toxic air pollutants from fossil fuel-fired power plants.

The PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers will host virtual workshops where watershed group leaders can share resources, partnership, and program information and reconnect with your network in your region of Pennsylvania.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is surveying forest landowners and farmers to learn more about how agroforestry is being practiced across Pennsylvania.

By Ryan Davis, Forests For The Bay, Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay

On June 18, Pocono Organics, one of the largest public-facing regenerative organic farms in North America, opened its organic farm, food market, and cafe at 1015 Long Pond Road in Long Pond, Monroe County. 

By Amy Duke, Penn State News

The PA Horticultural Society has extended the deadline for entering the 2020 Gardening Contest to June 26.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notices in the June 20 PA Bulletin announcing the opportunity to bid on mine reclamation projects in Blair and Somerset Counties.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is postponing its quarterly business meeting on Friday, June 19, 2020, 9:00 a.m., from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 

The PA Resources Council will launch its Hard-To-Recycle Collection Events in Allegheny County on July 18 and 25.

On June 16, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful announced it has received a $20,000 grant from Keep America Beautiful to continue their work with the Keep America Beautiful Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP).

On June 18, the Associated Press reported, the Public Utility Commission rejected an attempt by Republican Commissioner John Coleman to end the termination moratorium put in place in March by the PUC in response to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.

On June 18, the Public Utility Commission approved the implementation of a five-year fourth phase (Phase IV) of the Act 129 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program, requiring additional, incremental reductions in consumption and peak demand for Pennsylvania’s largest electric distribution companies (EDCs).

On June 17, a total of 228 disciplinary actions, including $119,600 in administrative penalties, have been taken against 79 underground facility owners, excavators and project owners in the latest enforcement actions by the Public Utility Commission’s Damage Prevention Committee. 

The Better Path Coalition hosted a virtual tour of Pennsylvania unconventional natural gas drilling impacts and pipelines for elected officials, their staffers, the press, and the public on June 19.

The Brodhead Watershed Association offers an adventure to young people wanting to get outside for a while: a scavenger hunt at Ice Lake in Monroe County.

The Capital Area Greenbelt Association is now accepting registrations for its 2020 We Ride Apart Together Virtual Tour de Belt to be held July 30 to August 8.

The June 19 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

With Gov. Tom Wolf easing more COVID-19 restrictions and moving Pike County into the Green Phase, Gov. Pinchot’s Grey Towers National Historic Site is preparing for a safe and orderly return of staff and visitors.

On June 17, the Wildlife for Everyone Foundation announced the name Soaring Eagle Wetland as the new designation of its wetland located in Huston Township, Centre County.

The Game Commission is extending its Wildlife on WiFi virtual learning campaign to provide parents, youth, and educators with at-home wildlife-education resources during the academic year school closures.

Click Here: Week’s Worth Of PA Environment & Energy NewsClips

Click Here for a list of public participation opportunities and a calendar of events.

Click Here for grants, awards, recognition programs and contest deadlines.

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

CLICK HERE to View or Print the 56 page PA Environment Digest.

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.

The PA Environment Digest is a proud sponsor of the 2020 PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference will now be held on October 28-29 in State College.

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