On November 20, the House and Senate passed and sent to the Governor their version of a completed FY 2020-21 budget in Senate Bill 1350 that adds about $11 billion to the temporary budget they passed in May for a total General Fund budget of $36.5 billion, about four percent above last year. 

Last week hunting, angler, conservation, environmental and recreation groups representing hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians from every corner of the Commonwealth have come together to oppose efforts to cut funding dedicated by law and voter referendums to community-driven recreation, conservation and environmental restoration projects to balance the state's budget.

On November 16, the Growing Green Coalition published an open letter to the Senate, House and the Governor opposing any efforts to take money dedicated to supporting community-driven recreation and conservation projects and using it to deal with the state budget deficit.

On November 18, the Growing Greener Coalition wrote this open letter to members of the Senate and House and Gov. Wolf urging them to oppose efforts to cut dedicated recreation and conservation funding to fill state budget holes--

On November 19, thirteen hunting and angler groups wrote to members of the House and Senate and Gov. Wolf asking them to maintain funding for local conservation projects that are critical to good stewardship of Pennsylvania’s wildlife resources and public lands.

On November 18, the PA Federation of Sportsmen and Conservation wrote to members of the Senate and House urging them to protect dedicated state funds used to improve habitat and ensuring access to wild places in Pennsylvania as they finish the FY 2020-21 state budget.

By Derek Eberly, PA Field Representative

By Shannon Gority, Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA

On November 16, the PA Environmental Council wrote to members of the Senate and House urging them to oppose any budget proposals that seek to undermine funding dedicated to supporting local, community-driven recreation and environmental conservation projects.

On November 17, the PA Parks and Forests Foundation wrote to members of the Senate, House and Gov. Wolf asking them to oppose any efforts to cut funding deviated to support recreation and conservation projects.

On November 17, WeConservePA, which represents 70 land trust and conservation organizations and more than 100,000 Pennsylvanians, sent a letter to House and Senate members and Gov. Wolf urging them to oppose efforts to retreat on the state's commitments to fund community-driven recreation and conservation projects.

On November 17, Senate concurred in Senate Bill 790 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson) that would significantly reduce requirements for protecting the environment from conventional oil and gas drilling by a vote of 29 to 19-- Republicans supporting-- sending the bill to Gov. Wolf for his action.

On November 17, Republicans on the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee  voted to report out 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 November 17, the Department of Environmental Protection told the Environmental Quality Board it expects to present its report and recommendation on a rulemaking petition proposing a climate cap-and-trade program covering all major sources of greenhouse gas emissions to the Board during the first quarter of 2021.

From March 16 to November 17 Department of Environmental Protection employees have been teleworking and using COVID-19 mitigation measures to continue to fulfill its mission.  DEP staff have--

On November 17, after a meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force, the Department of Environmental Protection lifted the drought watch for 10 counties, returning those counties to normal status.

On November 20, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it is providing just over $6 million in grant funding to eight counties to continue support for their accelerated progress in improving local water quality in Pennsylvania’s share of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

By Brittany Smith, PA Conservation Coordinator

Customers of PA American Water can rest assured of the quality of their tap water, as 18 of the company’s water treatment plants were recently recognized with 20-Year Directors Awards from the Partnership for Safe Water for 20 consecutive years of water quality excellence.

Armed with a $10,000 Keep America Beautiful Cigarette Litter Prevention Program grant, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful collaborated with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in 2019 to reduce the number of cigarette butts carelessly left behind in four state parks: Benjamin Rush, Nockamixon, Ridley Creek and Tyler.

On November 20, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced changes to operating procedures for state park and forest facilities that will require out-of-state visitors to comply with orders intended to prevent the spread and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. 

On November 19, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources outlined final changes to its internal policy on ATV trails on state forest lands to respond to increasing demands for riding opportunities, local and county government interest in expanding recreational tourism, and legislative action.

On November 18, DCNR Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council heard a presentation on DCNR’s ongoing efforts to monitor the environmental and natural resource impacts of shale gas drilling on state forest land.

DCNR told the Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council on November 18, the weather, COVID pandemic and wildfires in the western part of the country combined to make 2020 a challenging year, and it isn’t over.

[ Because Everything Is Connected To Everything Else ] In addition to finishing the FY 2020-21 state budget, Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly continued their brawl over the November election.

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 November 19, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Koppers, Inc. has agreed to settle with EPA, the state of  West Virginia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to resolve alleged violations of federal and state environmental laws at its facilities in Follansbee and Green Spring, West Virginia, and Clairton, Allegheny County.

The November Chesapeake Bay Implementation newsletter is now available from the Department of Environmental Protection featuring these articles--

The Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professionals are now offering a Buffer Certificate Course Training Program over six sessions-- three webinars and three field workshops.

The PA Association of Conservation Districts is now accepting applications from county conservation districts for Multifunctional Riparian Buffer Grants.  The deadline for applications is December 31

The PA Sustainable Agriculture Association is now accepting registrations for its 2021 virtual Sustainable Agriculture Conference to be held January 19 to February 5.

Rodale Institute in Berks County commissioned Amber Art and Design to create a new mural entitled “Farming in Harmony.”

The Bucknell University Center for Sustainability and the Environment held their 15th Susquehanna River Symposium on November 6-7.  Proceedings from the Symposium are now available online.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the November 21 PA Bulletin of an opportunity to bid on a mine reclamation project in Luzerne County.

The PA Association of Environmental Educators is now accepting presentation proposals for its virtual Annual Conference to be held on March 22-23.  The deadline for proposals is December 4.

The Cumberland Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited is now accepting applications for the 2021 Rivers Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp to be held June 20-25 at Messiah University in Cumberland County.

By Deborah Klenotic, Deputy Communications Director

Note: The final FY 2020-21 budget takes $50 million from the Recycling Fund and uses it to balance the state budget and is not available to pay grants. Read more here.

The Northeast Recycling Council has issued a call for presentations at its virtual Spring 2021 Conference to be held March 30-31.  The deadline is December 16.

On November 19, the Public Utility Commission recognized National Critical Infrastructure Security Month, noting the importance of Pennsylvania’s critical utility systems and the extensive behind-the-scenes efforts by public utilities and thousands of utility workers in keeping our communities safe and secure.

On November 18, members of the CEOs for Sustainability executive network called upon their peers in the Southwestern Pennsylvania region to “lead forward” and commit to a sustainable economic recovery as part of the C-Suite Summit.

On November 19, the Public Utility Commission initiated a proceeding geared toward exploring new ways to enhance reliability and resiliency within the Commonwealth’s electric distribution systems, including future utilization of novel resources such as energy storage as distribution assets for electric distribution companies (EDCs).

The deadline of November 30 to join the new Scenic Rivers Solar Co-op is fast-approaching. Solar United Neighbors, a nonprofit organization working nationwide to help homeowners and businesses go solar, is organizing the local effort.

The Cumberland Conservation Collaborative and its partners will hold a Cumberland County Climate Action Planning online event December 8 on Municipal Rules - Where Real Action Happens from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

The Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic Management Council is inviting the public to offer comments through a questionnaire and a town hall as part of a recreation capacity study of the lower wild and scenic stretch of the Delaware River.

WeConservePA has issued a call for workshop proposals for its virtual 2021 WeConservePA Conference to kick off March 24.  Proposals are due December 14.

The November 20 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

The Game Commission formally published notice in the November 21 PA Bulletin of a November 4 order establishing a Chronic Wasting Disease Containment Zone Permit for the 2020/21 hunting license year to authorize increased harvest of deer in designated CWD containment zones in addition to existing allocations and bag limits.

The PA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society has issued a call for its virtual February 11-12 Spring Technical Meeting.  Proposals are due December 31.

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 91 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.

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