Here are 44 new stories in the PA Environment Digest about individuals, groups, local governments, farmers, businesses, watershed groups and many more working all across Pennsylvania to restore and protect the environment and show others the beauty that surrounds us.

By Andy McAllister, Western PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation

[Note: The Eastern and Western PA Coalitions for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, citizen, wildlife, environmental and other groups, communities and counties, DEP and many others officially launched an effort in October 2016 to start pushing Congress to reauthorize the federal mine reclamation fee which is critical to fund state programs to regulate surface coal mining and reclaim abandoned mines and address Pennsylvania’s #1 water pollution issue.  Read more here.

[Chesapeake Bay Foundation:] The Chesapeake Executive Council held its meeting on October 1. The Council’s job is to lead Bay restoration efforts, establish the policy direction for the restoration and protection of the Bay and its living resources, and be accountable to the public for progress made under the Bay agreements.

This fall, the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership members will be digging success and improving local stream health by planting roughly 65,500 native trees.  By the end of this year, committed and resilient partners will have planted about 200,000 trees amid lingering pandemic limitations.

On September 30, the Water Science Institute and its partners hosted a celebration of the Big Spring Run Legacy Sediment Stream Restoration Project in West Lampeter Township, Lancaster County.

The Westmoreland Conservation District announced the recipients of its annual awards for outstanding conservation efforts: the Conservation Farmer of the Year is the John Starr Family, Starr Valley Farm; and the J. Roy Houston Conservation Partner is The Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce.

Martha and Richard Coyle partnered with Berks Nature to preserve their 94.5 acre farm in Union Township, Berks County.

More wildlife habitat and scenic views in the Laurel Highlands along the Great Allegheny Passage Trail will remain forever intact thanks to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s permanent protection of 50 acres in Black Township, Somerset County.

At its 30th Session of the Committee on Sustainable Energy meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, last week, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe recognized Pittsburgh-based Green Building Alliance for advancing efforts to establish and facilitate high performance building standards. 

The American Fisheries Society last week distributed a statement by 112 world aquatic scientific societies saying in part, "The world’s aquatic resources are now under their greatest threat in human history.  Human-caused climate change is accelerating the degradation of aquatic ecosystems and the services they provide."

On September 28, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn celebrated the Delaware & Hudson Rail-Trail as Pennsylvania’s 2021 Trail of the Year.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary’s Director of Stewardship, Todd Bauman, received the Sanctuary’s highest honor, the Hawk Mountain Warden Award, during the Sanctuary’s board of directors’ June 2021 meeting.

Links to all the articles and NewsClips in this week’s PA Environment Digest by topic in one place--

On September 28, the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee nearly unanimously reported out Senate Bill 525 (Gordner-R-Columbia, Comitta--D-Chester)-- bipartisan legislation allocating $500 million from the federal American Rescue Plan to fund Growing Greener watershed, farm conservation, mine reclamation and recreation projects.

On September 29, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA issued a statement from Pennsylvania Executive Director Shannon Gority, commending the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for passing to the full Senate pieces of legislation that would allocate $500 million to Growing Greener and also establish a Clean Streams Fund.  [Read more here.]

Pennsylvanians always have appreciated the extraordinary natural abundance of Penn’s Woods.

Last week, the Department of Environmental Protection published its September update on Pennsylvania’s efforts to implement the plan to clean up the Commonwealth’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Lancaster Clean Water Partners provided an update this week on its activities to implement its County-wide Clean Water Action Plan.  The update includes articles on--

The Middle Spring Watershed Association recently installed a streambank restoration project along Middle Spring Creek next to a Shippensburg area youth baseball field in Franklin County.

The Center for Water Quality Excellence serving Lancaster and York counties held an open house on September 30 at their storefront office 430 Walnut Street, Suite 303 in Columbia, Lancaster County.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is inviting public feedback on how it is implementing its Riparian Buffer Grant Program.   The deadline for responses is September 30.

The Department of Environmental Protection invites comments on a proposed Alternative Restoration Plan developed for the Baken Creek Watershed in Perry County. (PA Bulletin, page 6319)

The Department of Environmental Protection published a notice of an opportunity to bid on a mine reclamation project in Paint Township, Clarion County.

The latest Catalyst newsletter from the Butler County-based Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition provided an update on recent activities, including--

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will host three virtual workshops in November for potential applicants for Community Conservation Partnership Grants.

On September 30, Sen. Katie Muth (D-Chester) and Rep. Sara Innamorato (D-Allegheny) co-chaired a hearing by the Senate Democratic Policy Committee on the environmental and health dangers associated with oil and gas drilling waste in Pennsylvania.

In a September 24 filing before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said Sunoco Pipeline LP could not hide risk analysis data from the public about the area impacted by a potential explosion of its Mariner East 2 Pipeline in Pennsylvania.

On September 21, public health advocacy groups Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania and the SWPA Environmental Health Project met for a fifth time with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to press the agency to consider a number of actions that would lower the risk of health impacts to residents from shale gas development emissions.

On September 29, the Department of Environmental Protection terminated the air quality permit for the proposed Beech Hollow natural gas-fired power plant in Robinson Township, Washington County at the request of the company.

The Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled a public hearing [if needed] November 3 on the proposed RACT II Air Quality Plan for the coal-fired Keystone-Conemaugh Power Plant in West Wheatfield Township, Indiana County.  (PA Bulletin page 6283)

This editorial first appeared on TribLive.com October 3, 2021--

Cameras installed through the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Illegal Dump Free PA surveillance camera loan program recently captured brothers illegally dumping in Michaux State Forest in Franklin County.

The PA Resources Council Traveling Glass Recycling Bin Program provides a free recycling service that rotates through a variety of locations in western Pennsylvania. 

On September 29, the Department of Environmental Protection announced $3 million in funding through the Driving PA Forward - Truck & Bus Fleet Grant Program (formerly the Class 8 Truck and Transit Bus Grant Program).

Dozens of Pennsylvania policymakers and state staff explored the latest models of electric vehicles September 28 at the state capitol at a ride-and-drive hosted by the Electrification Coalition and several leading vehicle manufacturers.

The PA Energy Development Authority is scheduled to meet on October 5 to hear an update on the Restart Grant Program and a Green Bank proposal.

On September 30, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources issued its first Fall Foliage Report that gives a preview of the leaf viewing season.  It concludes-- “Expect a vibrant, beautiful show!”

By Alex MacDonald, Chief -- DCNR Trails, Greenways & Statewide Planning Section

On September 30, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn unveiled new “Nature for All” trailhead signs that are designed to represent the department’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) on public lands.

The October 1 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation.

Applications are now being accepted for the PECO Green Region Open Space Grant Program administered by Natural Lands.  Applications are due October 19.

The Western PA Conservancy will start accepting applications for Canoe Access Development Grants on October 18.  The deadline for applications is November 19.

Opportunities to learn more about environmental and energy issues affecting Pennsylvania for students and adults--

Bucknell University will hold its 16th River Symposium November 5-6 at the Elaine Langone Center on the campus of Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Union County.

The 16th Annual Chesapeake Bay Watershed Forum will be held November 1-5 online with in-person networking.  The theme of this year’s Forum is-- The Future is Now: Getting to (and Moving Beyond) 2025.

The PA Council of Trout Unlimited and its partner organizations will be hosting the 2022 Joint Meeting of the Keystone Coldwater Conference and PA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society on February 25-26, 2022, at the Ramada Conference Center in State College

Greg Bonsall has been named the new Executive Director of PA Envirothon who most recently served as District Manager of the Lycoming County Conservation District

The National Conservation District Association 2022 Student Conservation Poster Contest is now underway with the theme-- Healthy Soil, Healthy Life-- for students in grades K-12.

By Ellen Enslin, Program Manager, Pike Conservation District

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission created its first-ever Stories in Water Data StoryMap to provide information about its Sediment and Nutrient Assessment Program (SNAP).

The Southwestern PA Commission’s Water Resource Center has released a schedule of upcoming webinars.  They include--

Through the summer of 2021 the Delaware Highlands Conservancy held its fourth annual juried photo contest, “Confluence: Land, Water, Wildlife.”

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

Independence Conservancy held a “Walk in Penn’s Woods” on Sunday, October 3 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Rocky Bend Nature Preserve, 247 Raccoon Creek Road, Potter Township, Monaca PA 15061.

The Brownfield Coalition of the Northeast will host the virtual Northeast Sustainable Communities Workshop on October 26-27.

The information you need to follow legislation in the House and Senate- starting with articles and NewsClips from last week--

On September 29, the Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee amended and reported out Senate Bill 635 (Yudichak-I-Luzerne) which expands the Property-Assessed Clean Energy Program-- C-PACE-- to include multifamily buildings, indoor air improvements and resiliency measures.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet October 4 on legislation to redefine water pollution letting companies decide when to report spills and a bill on prescriptive easements

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy and Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committees are scheduled to hold a hearing October 4 on the “consumer and economic impacts of failing to invest in Pennsylvania’s natural gas infrastructure.”

Articles and NewsClips about federal actions impacting Pennsylvania--

On September 27, Gov. Tom Wolf reminded survivors of the remnants of Hurricane Ida they can access federal, state, and local resources to help in their recovery at Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs).

On October 1, Gov. Tom Wolf reminded Pennsylvanians impacted by Hurricane Ida remnants that caused significant damage (Aug. 31 - Sept. 5), that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has made financial aid available to survivors. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is set to begin accepting applications for two community hazard mitigation assistance programs on September 30-- Flood Mitigation Assistance and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grants.

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

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

Highlights of the environmental and energy notices in the latest PA Bulletin--

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 proud sponsor of the 2021 Virtual PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference to be held October 27-28.  Click Here to register.

PA Environment Digest is a proud sponsor of the 2021 Statewide Watershed Conference hosted by the PA Organization of Watersheds and Rivers on November 7-8, with special webinars on November 10-11.

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.