Scrapbook Photo 03/25/24 - 93 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/3729bhvv
Weekly PA Environment Digest Newsletter
February 14, 2022 Issue #917
(2/14/2022)
* 50 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA

Here are 50 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.

* This Week’s Examples Of Going The WRONG WAY On Environmental, Energy Issues

While PA Environment Digest’s priority is to highlight positive examples of environmental and energy leadership, 2022 is an election year which demands accountability to voters.

* All Articles & NewsClips In This Week’s Digest By Topic

PA Environment Digest Is Putting The Best Links To Environment & Energy Articles and NewsClips Here.   Is Your Story Being Told?

* Gov. Wolf’s Environmental Budget Builds On Bipartisan Support For $450 Million Conservation Allocation From Federal ARP Funds; Increases DEP Staff To Manage Historic Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Funding

On February 8, Gov. Wolf proposed a $43.7 billion General Fund budget that retains the $2.865 billion balance in the Rainy Day Fund and includes the previously announced $450 million allocation of federal American Rescue Plan funds for local environmental cleanup, conservation and recreation projects that has bipartisan support in the Senate and House.

* DCNR Blog: Gov. Wolf’s Proposed Budget Supports Conservation And Recreation

Governor Tom Wolf delivered his final budget address, outlining his vision for a generational investment in education and to raise wages, attract innovative industries, and create good jobs that will make Pennsylvania an even better place to live and work.  [Read more here]

* Critical Budget Issue: How Will The General Assembly Help Communities, Workers Transition To Clean Energy?

The General Assembly has yet to answer the question of how to help communities and workers caught in the market-driven transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.

* Gov. Wolf Announced PA Received The Initial $244.9 Million From The Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law To Clean Up Abandoned Mine Lands

On February 7, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Pennsylvania has been awarded $244.9 million from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to clean up abandoned mines across the Commonwealth.

* DEP To Prohibit Conventional Oil & Gas Drillers With Unresolved Environmental Violations From Getting Conventional Well Plugging Contracts; 133 Companies Interested In Doing Well Plugging Work

On February 7, the Department of Environmental Protection announced conventional oil and gas drillers with unresolved environmental violations will not be awarded contracts to plug conventional wells under the new federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law oil and gas well plugging program.

* Representative Of Conventional Oil & Gas Well Drillers Compares Their History In PA To The Holy Bible - But He Left Out Some Parts

Arthur Stewart from Cameron Energy represented conventional oil and gas drillers and the PA Grade Crude Oil Coalition at a February 7 informational meeting held by the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee on the problem of oil and gas wells abandoned by conventional oil drillers in Pennsylvania.  Read more here.

* Scott Perry No Longer DEP Deputy For Oil & Gas Management

The Department of Environmental Protection confirmed as of February 11, Scott Perry, Deputy Secretary for Oil and Gas Management, is no longer an employee of the agency.

* Protect PT Hosts Feb. 15 Webinar On Proposed Increase In Oil & Gas Well Bond Amounts To Protect Taxpayers From Paying To Plug Wells Conventional, Unconventional Drillers Abandon

Westmoreland-Allegheny counties-based Protect PT will host a February 15 webinar on a proposal to increase oil and gas well bonding for conventional and unconventional wells starting at Noon.

* PUC Invites Public Comments On Enhancements To Regulation Covering Petroleum & Hazardous Liquids Pipelines

On February 12, the Public Utility Commission published notice in the PA Bulletin inviting comments on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding regulations related to the pipeline transport of petroleum products and hazardous liquids in intrastate commerce – seeking public comment on proposed amendments to existing regulations along with the addition of new regulations.

* Registration Now Open! Virtual 2022 Watershed Forestry Summit March 2-3

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Western PA Conservancy are pleased to announce registration is now open for the 2022 Watershed Forestry Summit, to be held virtually March 2-3!

* Growing Greener Grant To Help Restore The Health Of 30 Agriculturally-Impaired Streams In Central PA 30 x 30 Stream Restoration Initiative

On February 7, the Chesapeake Conservancy and partners announced that projects proposed by Centre County Conservation District, ClearWater Conservancy, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Lycoming County Conservation District and Chesapeake Conservancy were among those selected to receive funding through the Department of Environmental Protection’s Growing Greener Program.

* DEP Awards $250,000+ In Grants To Protect Lake Erie Coastal Zone

On February 9, the Department of Environmental Protection announced six projects received Coastal Zone Grants totaling more than $250,000.

* DEP Awards $574,974 In Grants To Protect Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone

On January 5, the Department of Environmental Protection announced 12 projects received Coastal Zone Grants totaling $574,974 aimed at protecting and restoring the Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone would be funded through grants.

* CBF Blog: Mira Lloyd Dock Award Winner Kiasha Huling Plants Trees To Cool The 'Heat Island' Effect In Philadelphia

By B.J. Small, Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA

* CBF Blog: Mira Lloyd Dock Award Winner Shauna Yorty Is Growing Community Connections In A Lancaster Neighborhood

By B.J. Small, Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA

* Environmental Hearing Board Strengthens DEP’s Clean Streams Law Complaint Investigation Process

By Martin R. Siegel, Esq., Barley Snyder

* PEC: Northeast PA Environmental Partnership Award Winners - The Stourbridge Project & Greater Wyoming Valley Audubon Society

By Lily Jones, PEC Communications Director

* DEP Invites Comments On A Proposed Denial Of NPDES Permit For 20MW Solar Energy Project In Erie County

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the February 12 PA Bulletin proposing to deny an NPDES permit for a 20MW solar energy facility to be installed by Erie Solar, LLC in Girard Township, Erie County (PA Bulletin, page 1068).

* Guest Essay: The Case For Equitable Energy Storage In Pennsylvania

By Odette Mucha, Vote Solar and Liz Robinson, Philadelphia Solar Energy Association

* EDF: PA Receives First $25.3 Million For Electric Vehicle Charging Investments From Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - Equals Jobs & Cleaner Air For PA

On February 10, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Pennsylvania will receive the first $25.3 million from an estimated $171.5 million over the next five years to invest in electric vehicle charging stations.

* Agriculture Permanently Protects Additional 1,969 Acres Of Farmland Bringing Total To 600,000+

On February 10, the Department of Agriculture announced it has protected 1,969 acres on 26 farms in 12 counties from future development, investing more than $6.4 million in state, county and township dollars. 

* Health Dept. Accepting Entries For Student Art Competition To Raise Awareness About Ticks, Lyme Disease

On February 7, as the number of Lyme disease cases in the state and across the nation continues to rise, officials from the departments of Health, Education, and Conservation and Natural Resources encouraged Pennsylvanians to participate in the 2022 Lyme Art Contest to promote awareness of the prevalence of ticks and the types of diseases they carry. 

* DCNR Reports 1,371 Wildfires Burned 2,981 Acres In 2021, Down Slightly From 2020

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources reported there were 2,981 acres burned in 1,371 wildfires during 2021, down from 1,507 wildfires and 3,033 acres burned in 2020.

* Feb. 11 Take Five Fridays With Pam Now Available; Feb. 14 Growing Greener 3 Funding Event

The February 11 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation.

* Environment & Energy Educational Opportunities For Students & Adults

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

* WeConservePA, Partners Host New 4-Part Solar Energy Webinar Series Beginning March 17

WeConservePA, the Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach And Research and the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law will host a four-part series of webinars on solar energy starting March 17.

* Sustainable Pittsburgh, Partners Host Educational Events March 10 & 15 On Embodied Carbon And Why It Matters To Your Carbon-Reduction Strategy

Sustainable Pittsburgh and CEOs for Sustainability will host two educational events on March 10 and 15 on embodied carbon, the carbon dioxide emissions associated with materials and construction processes through the whole lifecycle of a building or infrastructure.

* News From PA House & Senate

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

* The Feds

Articles and NewsClips about federal actions impacting Pennsylvania--

* NFWF Now Accepting Applications For Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund Small Watershed Grants

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program partnership, is now soliciting proposals through the 2022 Small Watershed Grants (SWG) Program.

* NFWF Accepting Applications For Delaware River Watershed Conservation Grants

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is soliciting proposals to conserve, restore, and connect people with fish and wildlife habitat in the Delaware River watershed.  The deadline for proposals is March 31.

* 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.

* PA Bulletin

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

* 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.

* Register Now! Keystone Coldwater Conference + PA Chapter Of American Fisheries Society Feb. 25-26

PA Environment Digest is a proud sponsor of 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.  Register Now!

* Registration Now Open! Virtual 2022 Watershed Forestry Summit March 2-3

PA Environment Digest is a proud sponsor of the 2022 Watershed Forestry Summit, to be held virtually March 2-3 organized by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Western PA Conservancy.   Click Here to register   Register Now!

* Supporting Member PA Organization For Watersheds & Rivers; PA Outdoor Writers Assn.; PA Trout Unlimited

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.

Previous PA Environment Digests