There are 24 new stories in this week’s PA Environment Digest that show leadership from multiple landowners permanently preserving their property, volunteers working to restore mining-scared land, companies making huge investments in renewable energy, students exploring the frontiers of wind energy, energy companies striving to meet new environmental standards, groups using the power of faith to protect the environment, communities cleaning up, recycling and beautifying their surroundings and legislators trying to a give a direct voice to citizens in making new laws.

Eugene, Timothy and Robert Morton and their families recently donated a conservation easement on 340 acres of land in Rockdale Township, Crawford County to the French Creek Valley Conservancy.

The Westmoreland Land Trust recently acquired the 96-acre Carl A. Schwarz farm near Greensburg which will be conserved as a nature and art park, with meadows to provide habitat for pollinator and upland meadow bird species.

On April 15, the Department of Agriculture announced 2,370 acres on 26 farms in 16 counties through the state’s nation-leading Farmland Preservation Program.

By Amy Duke, Penn State News

Rachel Reyna is Chief of DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry’s Rural and Community Forestry section.

The PA Association of Environmental Educators announced the winners of the 2021 Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience Award winners.

By Ad Crable, Chesapeake Bay Journal

On April 12, the Pennsylvania Conservative Energy Forum (PennCEF) announced the launch of the Pennsylvania chapter of the Land & Liberty Coalition.

By Holly Benford, PEC Finance & Administration Coordinator

On April 13, Bradford White Water Heaters, an industry-leading manufacturer of residential, commercial and industrial water heating and storage products in Montgomery County, is proud to announce that it has received the 2021 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Join First Lady Frances Wolf and Pennsylvania environmental, wildlife and conservation agencies for a virtual Earth Day 2021 Celebration on April 22 starting a 10:00 a.m.

Next week will bring a week of awareness about the environment as we mark Earth Day on April 22.

By Virginia Nurk, Community Relations Coordinator, DEP Southeast Regional Office

The Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Dauphin County is hosting a special exhibit to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment to the state constitution from April 22 - Earth Day - to mid-August.

In recognition of our call to be faithful stewards of our environment and our understanding that we cannot do this alone, the Pennsylvania Council of Churches is joining with our partners from multiple faith traditions in a special online service in observance of Earth Day at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20.

In celebration of Earth Day, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful encourages residents to volunteer at an upcoming 2021 Pick Up Pennsylvania cleanup or beautification event or organize one of your own.

The Bucknell University Humanities Center will present Agnes Revisited - The Performance: Learning to Live with Floods - History, Change, Remembrance, and Resilience on April 22 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. via Zoom.

On April 12, the Pocono Arts Council announced the award recipients for “The Earth Speaks VII: A Juried Exhibition on the Environmental Crisis” featured in the Community Gallery, 701 Main Street, Suite 402, Stroudsburg, April 19-May 8, 2021.

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for two watershed restoration and protection grant programs-- Growing Greener Plus and EPA Section 319 Grants.

From March 16, 2020 to April 13, 2021 Department of Environmental Protection employees have been teleworking and using COVID-19 mitigation measures to continue to fulfill its mission.  DEP staff have--

On April 12,  an opinion and order by Administrative Law Judge Elizabeth Barnes of the Public Utility Commission was released finding that Sunoco Pipeline violated several state and federal laws in its construction and operation of the Mariner East pipelines.

On April 15, Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks), along with commissioners from Bucks and Montgomery counties, announced the two counties have joined in opposition to the PA Senate Republican Caucus court challenge to the Delaware River Basin Commission's fracking ban.

A new Muhlenberg College Public Health Program Poll of Pennsylvanians finds health concerns over fracking natural gas as a major health risk have declined by 11 percentage points over the last two years, while the number of people undecided on the issue has increased 14 percent.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to hold an informational meeting April 19 on the “conventional oil and gas industry and the environmental benefits they provide.”

DCED’s PA Grade Crude (Oil) Development Advisory Council is scheduled to hold a virtual meeting on April 22-- Earth Day-- on several important topics--

[ Because In Politics, Everything Is Connected To Everything Else ] The House State Government Committee finished its series of 14 hearings on the 2020 election last week looking at almost every possible aspect of the election process from the perspective of those involved in Pennsylvania, other states and national interest groups.  Read more here.

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--

Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh) has introduced Senate Bill 538 that would authorize voters to directly propose and vote on amendments to the state constitution, establish new laws or repeal existing laws, without action by the General Assembly.

On April 12, bipartisan companion bills in the House and Senate to raise the mandate for solar energy from 0.5 percent to 5.5 percent by 2026 under the state’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards were praised by several energy and environmental groups.

Sen. Mario Scavello (R-Monroe) has re-introduced legislation-- Senate Bill 472-- to authorize community solar projects which allow neighbors, businesses, farms, and other community members to directly participate in and receive the benefits from a solar project connected to their local electric distribution company’s grid.

The House Consumer Affairs Committee is scheduled to hold a meeting April 19 on House Bill 1161 (Mizgorski-R-Allegheny) authorizing the establishment of a local solar energy subscriber program, the former House Bill 1970 from last session. 

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet April 20-- two days before Earth Day-- to consider legislation to allow the General Assembly to kill final regulations by doing nothing, provide a shield to law violators and mandating private review of DEP permit applications.

The House State Government Committee is scheduled to meet on April 20 on legislation to set up the Office of the Repealer to recommend repeal of regulations that defy a common sense approach to government and another bill to repeal existing regulations by resolution rather than law.

On April 16, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Environmental Protection announced they will hold a virtual public meeting May 4 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. to take comments from the public on a proposed settlement with American Zinc Recycling Corp. 

On April 12, the Biden Administration released a Pennsylvania Infrastructure Needs Report cataloguing how infrastructure in the state has suffered from the lack of investment.  Here's the report--

On April 12, the Audubon’s Delaware River Watershed Program announced the formation of the Delaware River Congressional Watershed Caucus to protect the Delaware Watershed’s water and land that birds need to prosper.

Pennsylvania agricultural producers and landowners are encouraged to apply for technical and financial assistance to improve and enhance natural resources on their agricultural and forest land in two county-specific Regional Conservation Partnership Projects.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA invites the public to attend an online meeting of  Pennsylvania State Technical Committee April 20.

The Environmental Hearing Board published notice of proposed changes to regulations related to its practice and procedures for hearing appeals of actions by the Department of Environmental Protection for public comment. (formal notice)

The PA Association of Conservation Districts and DEP will host a virtual Section 319 Watershed Restoration Project Implementation meeting on May 19-20.

Vote now for the two Pennsylvania photos that are part of Viewers' Choice voting in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation 2021 Photo Contest.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission's Lower Susquehanna Source Water Protection Partnership will hold a virtual meeting May 13 from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.

On April 14, the Delaware River Basin Commission announced the start of a Basin-wide study to explore the feasibility of additional freshwater storage to meet future water availability, climate adaptation, drought management and flow management needs. 

PennFuture and Conservation Voters of PA will host a Glass Half Full - Planning For Pennsylvania's Water Future webinar on April 21 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

The American Society of Reclamation Services hosted another in its series of webinars on The Four R's - Mine Reclamation, Restoration, Remediation And Rehabilitation las week which is now available on demand.

On April 16, the Department of Environmental Protection announced the beginning of its 2021 Black Fly Suppression Program. The program involves aerial and backpack spraying on roughly 1,700 stream miles in 35 counties of the Commonwealth.

The Pennsylvania Resources Council will host electronics recycling collection events in Delaware and Allegheny counties to provide residents with a convenient and cost-effective method of responsibly disposing of televisions, computers and other electronic equipment.

The Independence Conservancy will hold community tire collections events in Allegheny County on April 24 and in Beaver County on May 8.

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for Calendar Year 2020 Act 101 Recycling Performance Grants.  The deadline for applications is December 30.  (formal notice)

On April 12, the Department of Community and Economic Development awarded grants to four projects to connect apprentices to classroom training that will lead to good-paying jobs through the Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Grant Program.

On April 14, the Department of Environmental Protection released a report assessing energy storage capacity statewide that recommends significantly increasing it by pairing solar energy with storage for a cleaner, more resilient electric grid.

On April 13, Talen Energy Corporation announced it has entered into a joint venture with Pattern Energy Group LP named "PT Energy Transitions" to pursue the development, financing, construction and operation of approximately 1.4 Gigawatts of utility scale renewable energy projects over the next five years.

By Mariah Chuprinski, Penn State News

On April 13, Project Canary and Chesapeake Energy Corporation launched a pilot partnership to produce certified responsibly sourced natural gas (RSG) at select well pads in the Marcellus and Haynesville shales, the companies announced.

On April 15, Pittsburgh-based EQT Corporation announced its commitment to seek independent certification of a majority of its produced natural gas under certification standards developed by Equitable Origin and MiQ.

A Penn State-led research team has received a nearly $950,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to create the next generation of an online decision-support tool Beescape designed to help conserve pollinator populations across the United States.

The PA Environmental Council, in partnership with DCNR and the PA Water Trails Partnership, will be offering Water Trail Mini Grants of up to $5,000 to improve access to designated water trails starting the end of April.

The City of Chester in Delaware County recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of Eyre Park Levee Walk.

The City of Philadelphia wants to know what residents think about trees in the city. Feedback will help to create a strategic plan for the planting and care of trees.

By Anna Jordan, Susquehanna Greenways Partnership

The April 14 DCNR Resource newsletter is now available featuring these articles--

The Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County is hosting a variety of online programs in April, including workshops on understanding your impact on water bodies, a story time program featuring Forest Bright Forest Night and on installing rain barrels.

On April 15, Delaware County-based Natural Lands announced it has hired Todd Sampsell as vice president of conservation services. Sampsell’s 20-year conservation career spans the country, but his roots are in Pennsylvania.

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 103 page PA Environment Digest.

David E. Hess, former Secretary Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.  He can be contacted by sending email to: PaEnviroDigest@gmail.com.

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the PA Organization for Watersheds & Rivers, PA Outdoor Writers Association, PA Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.