Scrapbook Photo 03/25/24 - 93 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/3729bhvv
Weekly PA Environment Digest Newsletter
December 14, 2020 Issue #859
(12/14/2020)
* 16 Stories - What REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership Looks Like In PA

The first 16 stories in this week’s PA Environment Digest-- all new just this week-- profile students, farmers, landowners, businesses, architects, local officials, volunteers, scientists and many others showing real environmental and conservation leadership.

* Bart & Vivian Bartolacci Make Woods & Water Conservation Gift To The Future In Monroe County

By Carol Hillestad, Get Outdoors Poconos

* The Miller Family's Farm, Stream Restoration Adventure - 4 Years Later In Berks County

By Lamonte Garber, Stroud Water Research Center

* The Tenacity Of Tree Planters Like Ann Wain Of Paxton Creek Watershed Assn. And PA Student Leader Lenka Platt Work To Improve Environment

The new Fall/Winter Issue of Save The Bay Magazine from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation highlights the tenacity of tree planters like Ann Wain of the Paxton Creek Watershed and Education Association and Pennsylvania CBF Student Leader Lenka Platt.

* Greg Wilson, Donegal Trout Unlimited - Another DCNR Good Natured Pennsylvanian Improving Water Quality, Fish Habitat

Greg Wilson is a volunteer and conservation co-chair with the Donegal Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Lancaster county.

* The Witmer Family & Manada Conservancy Permanently Protect 89 Acres Of Woodland Along Kittatinny Ridge In Dauphin County

Surrounded by a forest full of chestnut oak, sassafras, and mountain laurel, and the fresh mountain air at the Witmer’s property in Jefferson Township, Dauphin County you would never know that the world is enduring a pandemic.

* Farm Families & PA Farmland Preservation Program Permanently Protect 14,727 Acres Of Farmland In 2020

On December 10, the Department of Agriculture announced an additional 2,710 acres on 32 farms in 17 counties through the state’s nation-leading Farmland Preservation Program.

* Farmers, Scientists In 15 Organizations Partner In New PA Soil Health Coalition To Achieve Water Quality, Farm Production Goals

Pennsylvania-- already a national leader in the soil health movement-- recently took a giant leap forward when 15 organizations joined together to form the Pennsylvania Soil Health Coalition.

* 2 Chester County Townships Join Brandywine-Christina Watershed Pay-For-Success Water Quality Cleanup Initiative By i2 Capital, The Nature Conservancy

On December 8, i2 Capital announced the pilot Revolving Water Fund in the Brandywine- Christina Watershed closed two additional partnership agreements with East Marlborough and Kennett townships in Chester County.

* Volunteers, Landowners & Staff Of Lebanon Valley Conservancy Highlight 2020 Accomplishments & Goals

The Lebanon Valley Conservancy provided a year-end update on just some of its 2020 accomplishments and initiatives and a peak at 2021.

* Volunteers In Darby Creek Valley Assn., Partners Cleanup Darby Creek Watershed In 4 Southeast Counties

The Darby Creek Valley Association, with the help of Darby Borough, the Philadelphia Water Department and the DCVA’s strong base of local volunteers teamed up to tackle a long standing illegal dump located along Cobbs Creek in Delaware County.

* Students, Adults Recognized By PA Resources Council As Winners Of 2020 Gene Capaldi Lens On Litter Photo Contest

The PA Resources Council recently announced the winners of the 36th annual Gene Capaldi Lens on Litter Photo Contest in several categories-- students and adults.

* Grateful For Our Volunteers - The Department Of Conservation & Natural Resources

As we get ready to turn the page on a strange and challenging year, we can’t help but feel a newfound sense of gratitude.

* Students Recognized At Westminster College Symposium On The Environment

Winners of the 2020 Student Symposium on the Environment, an annual event hosted by Westminster College in Lawrence County and co-organized with the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition, were announced during a virtual presentation and award ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 3.

* Custodians Of Our Ecosystems - Women, Raptors And Unsettling Words Virtual Program Dec. 17, Lehigh Gap Nature Center

The Lehigh Gap Nature Center in Lehigh County will host a December 17 virtual program on Custodians Of Our Ecosystems - Women, Raptors and Unsettling Words from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

* PA Architects Recognized In First Awards For Commitment To The Environment, Fighting Climate Change By PA Chapter American Institute Of Architects

The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Institute of Architects recently announced their 2020 Architectural Excellence Awards, including the inaugural COTE Awards to recognize projects that protect the environment and fight climate change.

* Highlights Publishing Foundation Receives $116,000 Grant To Support Boyds Mills Net Positive Energy Project In Wayne County

The Highlights Foundation, with assistance from SEEDS of Northeastern Pennsylvania, has received a $116,000 grant to support its Boyds Mills Net Positive initiative for The Highlights Foundation campus in Wayne County.

* DEP Works Thru Pandemic: 855 More Permits, 2,027 More Inspections Since Last Week

From March 16 to December 8, Department of Environmental Protection employees have been teleworking and using COVID-19 mitigation measures to continue to fulfill its mission.  DEP staff have--

* Energy Transfer Partners Files Appeal Of DEP Order To Keep Natural Gas Out Of Unstable Section Of Revolution Pipeline That Exploded In 2018

On December 8, ETC Northeast Pipeline, LLC-- a.k.a. Energy Transfer Partners-- filed an appeal of a November 11 order issued by the Department of Environmental Protection to prevent ETC from putting natural gas in unstable sections of the Revolution Pipeline located in Butler, Beaver, Allegheny and Washington counties.  [EHB Docket Case# 2020110]

* DEP Invites Comments On Energy Transfer Partners Erosion & Sedimentation Permits For Revolution Pipeline Slope Failure Fixes

The Department of Environmental Protection published notices in the December 12 PA Bulletin inviting comments on several erosion and sedimentation control permits covering slope failure fixes along the ETC Northeast Pipeline, LLC-- a.k.a. Energy Transfer Partners-- Revolution Pipeline route located in Butler, Beaver, Allegheny and Washington counties (Dec. 12 PA Bulletin, pages 7051 to 7074).

* DEP Sets Jan. 13 Virtual Hearing On Chapt. 105 Waterways Permit For Phase I PennEast Pipeline Project

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the December 12 PA Bulletin of a  January 13 virtual hearing on the Chapter 105 Waterways Management for Phase I of the PennEast Pipeline Project starting at 6:00 p.m.. (PA Bulletin, page 7107)

* DCNR Completes Online StoryMap On Monitoring Gas Development Impacts In State Forests

On December 9, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced it now has available an online StoryMap making the data and findings of DCNR's ongoing efforts to monitor the environmental and natural resource impacts of shale gas drilling on state forest land more accessible to the public.

* PA Capitol & COVID Weekly Report: Gov. Wolf Hits Pause To Reduce COVID Deaths; Election Challenges Fizzle

[ Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else ] On Thursday, Gov. Wolf announced he was putting in place temporary restrictions he said would put Pennsylvania on “pause” to help reduce the soaring number of new COVID deaths and cases related to the disease. Read more here.

* Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule

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--

* National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Now Accepting Proposals For 2021 Chesapeake Bay Innovative Nutrient & Sediment Reduction Grants

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency and the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program partnership, is now soliciting Letters of Interest for the 2021 Chesapeake Bay Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction (INSR) Grants Program.

* NRCS-PA Announces Completion Of Hibernia Flood Protection Dam Rehabilitation In Chester County

On December 11, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Pennsylvania announced the completion of the rehabilitation of Brandywine Creek PA-436f Hibernia Dam in Chester County.

* Chesapeake Bay Foundation Applauds U.S. House Passage Of Ecosystem Restoration Bill

On December 8, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the Water Resources Development Act of 2020, which authorizes ecosystem restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and around the country.

* EPA Clean Air Cost-Benefit Rule Threatens To Limit Crucial Chesapeake Bay Cleanup, Health Protection

On December 9, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized a new rule that threatens to undermine air pollution limits essential to restoring the Chesapeake Bay and its waterways and puts the health of the watershed’s most vulnerable residents at the greatest risk, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

* U.S.G.S. Pennsylvania Water Science Center Winter Newsletter Now Available

The Winter issue of the Pennsylvania Waters newsletter is now available from the U.S.G.S. Pennsylvania Water Science Center featuring articles on--

* Bay Journal: Wet Weather Overwhelms Some Potomac River Progress - The Potomac Starts In PA

By Whitney Pipkin, Chesapeake Bay Journal

* Chesapeake Bay Stormwater Network Accepting Nominations For Best Urban Best Management Practices

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Stormwater Network is now accepting nominations for the Best Urban Best Management Practices Awards.  The deadline for nominations is February 5.

* Allegheny County Conservation District, Partners Host Drinking Water, Wastewater Webinars Thru December

The Allegheny County Conservation District and partners Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County and ALCOSAN are hosting a series of webinars in December on drinking water and wastewater issues.

* Pike County Conservation District Produces Homeowner's Checklist For A Watershed Friendly Home

The Pike County Conservation District produced a bi-fold brochure and webpage on “A Homeowner’s Checklist for a Watershed Friendly Home.”

* Stroud Water Research Center: Using Model My Watershed To Project Future Stream Water Quality

By Scott Ensign, Stroud Center

* Penn State Extension: Climate Change And Water Resources In PA Webinar Dec. 30

The next Penn State Extension Water Cooler Talk will be held on December 30 about Climate Change and Water Resources in Pennsylvania from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

* Wildlife For Everyone Accepting Applications For Natural Resource Career Scholarships

Wildlife For Everyone is now accepting applications for Wildlife Scholarships to support students with a career interest in a natural-resource related field such as wildlife resources, conservation, forest ecosystem management, environmental science, fisheries and wildlife biology.

* U.S. Forest Service Expands Free Access To Allegheny National Forest As Part Of Every Kid Outdoors Program

The USDA Forest Service announced it will expand its Every Kid Outdoors Program to offer fourth and fifth-grade students and their family members fee-free access to more than 2,000 sites on national forests and grasslands for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year.

* Deadline Extended: Meaningful Watershed Education Experience In PA Accepting Nominations For 2 Award Programs Thru Jan. 22

The PA Association of Environmental Educators announced the deadline for the  MWEE Partner of Excellence and the MWEE School of Excellence Award to celebrate outstanding support of and/or implementation of the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) in Pennsylvania has been extended to January 22.

* K-12 Teacher, Administrator Scholarships Now Available To Attend PAEE Virtual Environmental Educators Conference In March

On December 10, the PA Association of Environmental Educators and Stroud Water Research Center announced 15 Pennsylvania K-12 teachers and/or school administrators will be awarded stipends to attend the PAEE 2021 virtual Conference on March 22-23.

* Nominations Now Being Accepted For Governor's Awards For Local Government Excellence

The Department of Community and Economic Development is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Governor's Awards for Local Government Excellence.  The deadline for nominations is January 31.

* DEP Settles With Keystone Landfill In Lackawanna County For In-Lieu Of Penalty Project Over Water Pollution Caused By Leachate

On December 11, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it has reached a Consent Order and Agreement (CO&A) with Keystone Sanitary Landfill (KSL) in Lackawanna County for violations related to leachate management and groundwater impacts at its facility in the boroughs of Dunmore and Throop.

* Delaware River Basin Commission Approves Terminal On Delaware River In NJ To Export PA Natural Gas

On December 9, the Delaware River Basin Commission voted 4 to 0 with New York abstaining to approve a permit for a controversial liquified natural gas terminal to be built in a South Jersey port, despite significant public comments opposing the project.

* PA Energy Development Authority Provides $1.7 Million In Grants To 11 Clean Energy, Energy Efficiency Projects

On December 8, the Department of Environmental Protection announced the PA Energy Development Authority awarded $1.7 million in COVID-19 Restart Grants to 11 energy efficiency, solar energy, high-performance building, and electric vehicle charging projects halted by the pandemic.

* PPL Utilities Posts Winners Of Change A Little, Save A Lot Energy Efficiency Video Contest

PPL Utilities posted the three winning videos from its recent Change A Little, Save A Lot Energy Efficiency Video Contest--

* DEP Hosts Dec. 15 Webinar On Transitioning To New ePermitting System For Oil & Gas Well Permits

The Department of Environmental Protection will host a December 15 webinar on transitioning to the new ePermitting application for oil and gas well permits starting at 1:30 p.m.

* Brandywine Conservancy Awards $40,000 In Mini-Grants To 7 Municipal Partners To Support Brandywine Creek Greenway

On December 10, the Brandywine Conservancy announced the award of $40,000 in grants to seven municipal partners through the Brandywine Creek Greenway’s new Mini-Grant Program for 2020-2021.

* Penn State Center For Private Forests Hosts Webinars Jan. 12 On Stream Buffers; Feb. 9 On Fostering Old Forest Conditions

The Penn State Center for Private Forests will host two PA Forests Web Seminar Series January 12 on Streamside Buffers and Live Stake Planting and February 9 on Fostering Old Forest Conditions Through Structural Complexity Enhancement

* Think About Our Shared Future - Consider A Friends Of South Mountain Membership

This holiday season, South Mountain Partnership offers a different gift to share with friends and family—a membership to the Friends of South Mountain Partnership.

* Citizen Science: Participate In Audubon's 2020 Christmas Bird Count Starting Dec. 14

Love birdwatching? Sign up to join this year’s National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count!

* Fish & Boat Commission Hosting Virtual 2-Part Women's Intro To Fly Fishing Program Feb. 16 & 17

The Fish and Boat Commission is hosting a free virtual two-part Women's Intro To Fly Fishing Program on February 16 and 17 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on both nights.

* Environment & Energy NewsClips

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

* Public Participation Opportunities/Calendar Of Events

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

* Grants & Awards

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

* Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits

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

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* Stories Invited - About 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.

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

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