On September 23, the Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council was given a presentation on the new, proposed Department of Education Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology and Engineering Education Standards that drive what students in Grades K to 12 are taught in Pennsylvania.

The Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission are pleased to join with other fish and wildlife conservation agencies across the country to recognize September 26 as National Hunting and Fishing Day!

On September 25, the PA Association of Environmental Professionals recognized John E. Childe, Jr., PA Environmental Defense Foundation, with the Karl Mason Award and Len Lichvar, Manager of the  Somerset County Conservation District, with the Walter Lyon Award.

On September 25, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized Berkley Green, a household and baby cleaning products company based out of Uniontown, Fayette County, and the Navy Supply Systems Command Weapons System Support in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County as two of 18 of EPA’s Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners.

More than 120 guests virtually joined the Stroud Water Research Center, its board of directors, and the presenting sponsor, Wilmington Trust, at the 18th annual Water’s Edge gala as they honored The Redford Center.

On September 22, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced that it has collected a civil penalty of $736,294.11 from Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) for violations associated with the construction of the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline in Columbia, Lancaster, Lebanon, Luzerne, Lycoming, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties.

On September 23, the Public Utility Commission directed Sunoco Pipeline L.P. (Sunoco) to work with Frankford Township, Cumberland County, and the Cumberland County Commissioners to schedule a public awareness and public education meeting in Cumberland County concerning the Mariner East pipeline system.

On September 22, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it has completed its review of requests submitted by Sunoco Pipeline, LP (SPLP) to amend to the Chapter 102 (Erosion and Sediment Control) and Chapter 105 (Water Obstructions and Encroachments) permits for portions of the Mariner East 2 pipeline located in Delaware and Chester Counties.

On September 21, Grant Township in Indiana County filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought against it by the Department of Environmental Protection over a drilling waste injection well.

From March 16 to September 22, Department of Environmental Protection employees have been teleworking and using COVID-19 mitigation measures to continue to fulfill its mission.  DEP staff have--

The Department of Environmental Protection posted a notice on its Alerts webpage in August announcing it has updated its General Information Form (GIF) used to facilitate coordination between different types of permit or authorization applications for the same project.

As promised, on September 24, Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed House Bill 2025 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) taking away DEP’s authority to adopt a carbon pollution reduction program for power plants compatible with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

On September 24, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn joined officials in the City of Reading and others in the release of the new Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan.

On October 1, the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee will hold an information meeting on House Bill 1706 (Gabler-R-Clearfield) to allow Off-Highway Motorcycles-- dirt bikes and dual sport motorcycles-- on public trails, state forest and park lands and other public land.

On September 24, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources issued its first weekly Fall Foliage Report for September 24 to 30.  New reports will be issued every Thursday.

Potter and Tioga Counties in Northern Pennsylvania have been recognized by national online media outlet Thrillist as “Where to See the Most Beautiful Fall Foliage in the Mid-Atlantic.”

On September 25, a squad of six DCNR wildfire fighters will be joining squads from Maryland and Delaware to help the fight the Mullen Wildfire in Wyoming.  Crews from the US Forest Service and National Park Service in the Mid-Atlantic region are also joining the effort.

As of September 26, the Department of Environmental Protection reported seven more counties had mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile Virus-- Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Monroe, Perry, Schuylkill and Westmoreland. Read more here.

[ Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else ] Twenty-four House Democrats gave Gov. Wolf a big win last week when they stuck by him in a failed House Republican attempt to override the Governor’s veto of House Bill 2787 (Reese-R- Westmoreland) giving school districts sole authority to determine how to handle sports fans during the pandemic.  Read more here.

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 September 30, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to hold an informational meeting on 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.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet on September 30 to consider legislation to exempt some water supplies used by the public from clean water standards and require the recycling of solar panels through the state’s  broken electronic waste recycling program.

On September 25, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the award of $9.3 million to 42 groups nationwide in support of pollution prevention activities, including Penn State's PA Technical Assistance Program for businesses.

On September 25, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement with MarkWest Liberty Bluestone, L.L.C. to settle alleged federal Clean Air Act violations at its natural gas processing plant in Evans City, Butler County.

On September 22, the PA Emergency Management Agency announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be opening the application periods for two Non-Disaster Mitigation Grants for county and local governments on September 30.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA invites the public to call-in for the Pennsylvania State Technical Committee meeting on October 22 at 1:00 p.m.

The Ohio River Basin Consortium For Research and Education and the Ohio River Basin Alliance is still accepting registrations for the virtual Ohio River Basin Summit and Symposium September 30 to October 2.

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold the third round of virtual meetings for the Statewide Water Resources and Regional Water Resources Advisory Committees in October.  (formal notice)

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is making sure there will be enough trees to plant millions of them in the coming years and the effort is paying off for local businesses and streamside buffers in Pennsylvania.

The PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture will host an October 7 webinar on Financing Your Soil Health - Pennsylvania’s Resource Enhancement and Protection Farm Conservation Tax Credit Program from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

By Ad Crable, Chesapeake Bay Journal

The Department of Environmental Protection published a notice in the September 26 PA Bulletin inviting comments on the draft Water Quality Assessment Methodology for the 2022 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report.

The Pennsylvania 4R Alliance will host a series of three webinars on how farmers can Increase Nutrient Use Efficiency and Reducing Nutrient Loss To The Environment. 

The Southwestern PA Commission's Water Resource Center has scheduled three webinars on emergencies, floodplain management and integrated water resources planning.

By Bryan Swistock, Penn State Extension Water Resources Coordinator

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the September 26 PA Bulletin of an opportunity to bid on a well plugging project in Lycoming County.  The well is an abandoned 6,854 foot Oriskany Sandstone well drilled in the 1970’s.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful seeks volunteers to participate in Pick Up Pennsylvania as a way to celebrate National Public Lands Day September 26.

The PA Resources Council will host a series of online conservation workshops in October on a variety of practical topics, including backyard composting, rain barrels and watersheds and recycling and waste reduction.

On October 17, the PA Resources Council will hold a Reuse Fest in Allegheny County to provide the opportunity for the public to donate a variety of items to nonprofit groups in one convenient location.

The PA Resources Council has three week-long and two one-day Traveling Glass Recycling Collection Events scheduled in October for Allegheny County.

The Environmental Quality Board published notice in the September 26 PA Bulletin of proposed regulations eliminating Stage II gasoline vapor recovery requirements for gasoline stations and add a vapor leak monitoring requirement for small gasoline storage tanks for public comment. 

On September 22, the PUC announced the Damage Prevention Committee took a total of 26 disciplinary actions, including $72,750 in administrative penalties, have been taken against 57 underground facility owners, excavators and project owners. 

A new white paper released by Berks County-based Rodale Institute has analyzed new data on soil carbon sequestration potential in the past decade to conclude that a global switch to regenerative crop and pasture systems could drawdown more than 100 percent of annual CO2 [carbon dioxide] emissions.

By Penn State News

The PA Municipal League will hold a virtual Sustainability Conference on November 19 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Local Government Academy will host a series of webinars in October and November on community sustainability and resilience topics.  The webinars include--

On October 8 Sustainable Pittsburgh and CEOs For Sustainability will host a Sustainability Amid Crisis: Adapting For Impact webinar starting at 2:00 p.m.

On September 22, FirstEnergy utilities announced 100 percent of new fleet purchases of aerial and light duty trucks will be electric or hybrid vehicles beginning in 2021.  Their utilities in Pennsylvania include Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power and West Penn Power.

On September 23, DCNR told the Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council the environmental assessment for the proposed Maryland National Guard very low-level flight training area in six counties in the Pennsylvania Wilds should be available in January for a short 45-day public comment period.

Register now for the WeConservePA virtual Western PA Land Conservation Summit on November 12-13.

On September 24, the Wildlands Conservancy announced the permanent protection of  187 acres situated in Salisbury and Upper Saucon Townships, Lehigh County.

The Willistown Conservation Trust announced the final conservation chapter to the 15-acre Stonehedge Farm at Plumsock and Goshen Roads in Willistown, Chester County has finally concluded. The land is now protected from additional development forever.

By: Chris K. Firestone, Botanist, Ecological Services Section, Bureau of Forestry

The September 25 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

On September 23, the Fish and Boat Commission announced it is now accepting applications for a new round of Boating Facility Grants to help communities capitalize on the surge in new boating activity.  The deadline for applications is December 30.

By Amy Duke, Penn State News

On September 24, the Delaware Highlands Conservancy regretfully announced all guided Eagle Watch bus tours for January and February 2021 are canceled due to COVID-19.

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 92 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 PA Forestry Association’s 2020 Exploring Change in Penn's Woods Symposium October 26-30.  Click Here to register.

The PA Environment Digest is a proud sponsor of the virtual 2020 PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference to be held on October 28-29.   Click Here to register.

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