Here are 58 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.

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.

PA Environment Digest Is Putting The Best Links To Environment & Energy Articles and NewsClips Here.   Are You Telling Your Story? 

The time is NOW to start contacting your state House and Senate members to tell them to set aside at least $500 million from federal American Rescue Fund monies the state already has to support watershed restoration, farm conservation, mine reclamation, protecting from flooding, recreation, State Park and Forest safety and maintenance projects.

On May 26, Pennsylvania Envirothon announced the winner of the statewide competition is Penncrest High School Team from Delaware County with a score of 556.3 who will represent Pennsylvania in the International Envirothon July 24-30 at Miami University of Ohio.

On May 24, Pennsylvania American Water announced it donated $10,000 to support the Pennsylvania Envirothon, a natural resource environmental education program that combines classroom learning and outdoor activities across the Commonwealth.

On May 26, Penn State University and the Department of Environmental Protection released a new study of spreading conventional oil and gas wastewater on unpaved roads by Penn State researchers, who found the wastewater running off the roadways after spreading contains concentrations of barium, strontium, lithium, iron, manganese that exceed human-health based criteria and levels of radioactive radium that exceed industrial discharge standards.

Twenty-seven percent of the wells on the list of “orphan and abandoned” oil and gas wells DEP hopes to plug at taxpayer expense under the new federal well plugging program are active conventional wells that DEP lists as having identified owners, according to Ankit Jain, Associate Attorney for the Sierra Club.

On May 24, a new geospatial analysis released by Earthworks and built in cooperation with FracTracker Alliance shows that 17,300,696 people, including 3,941,254 children under 18, reside within a half-mile health radius of active oil and gas wells, distribution and production facilities.

On May 26, the Independent Fiscal Office reported the lowest recent quarterly natural gas production in Pennsylvania since the fourth quarter of 2020 and a 105 billion cubic foot decrease (0.6%) in production since the fourth quarter of 2021.

On May 23, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell will leave his position on July 2 after serving in the position from May 20, 2016 and a total of 25 years of service with the Commonwealth.

The National Steering Committee of Small Business Environmental Assistance Programs and Small Business Ombudsmen has recognized the Pennsylvania Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP) of Widener University with the 2022 Small Business Environmental Assistance Program Excellence Award.

A Lawrence County farmer is challenging a local township ordinance that prohibits the installation of solar energy facilities on farms under the state’s Right To Farm Act (ACRE - Agriculture, Communities and Rural Environment Program).

By Matt Ehrhart and Diane Huskinson, Stroud

On May 23, representatives of DEP and other partners visited Shirk Farms in Snyder County to view a streambank stabilization project under construction and to discuss the importance of stream and agricultural best management practices (BMPs) as part of the Snyder Countywide Action Plan to improve local water quality in Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

On May 25, the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy announced the acquisition of a 216-acre property in the Borough of Blossburg, Tioga County is allowing a project to treat Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) to move ahead.

On May 21, members of the Department of Environmental Protection Northwest Regional Office attended a workshop on nonpoint source pollution at Ekey’s Florist & Greenhouse in Warren County.

On May 26, Allegheny College’s Creek Connections program held its annual cross-curricular activities trip at Gibson Park in Conneaut Lake, Crawford County, with financial assistance from DEP’s Environmental Education Grants Program.

By Dr. Tyler A. Groh, Assistant Research Professor

The Delaware River Basin Commission will hold its quarterly business meeting on June 8 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront, 815 Justison Street, Wilmington, DE starting at 10:30 a.m. 

With costs for electric generation increasing on June 1 for many utility customers, the Public Utility Commission reminds consumers they have options to manage anticipated higher bills and, in particular, stresses that consumers currently struggling to pay monthly bills should act now and seek assistance by contacting their utility.

On May 24, Pittsburgh International Airport officials announced a new phase of their ongoing partnership with locally-based natural gas exploration, production, midstream, and technology company CNX Resources Corporation aimed at further reducing carbon emissions in the transportation industry and related sectors – by using natural gas produced at the airport and converted into alternative fuel with CNX proprietary technology.

On May 24, the Clean Air Council announced a six-year saga over air pollution from the Energy Transfer natural gas liquids processing plant and terminal at Marcus Hook ended with a voluntary legal settlement in which Energy Transfer agreed to drop its appeals of two air pollution permits.

With the release of its 2021 Progress Report, the Pittsburgh 2030 District, an initiative of the Green Building Alliance and the largest 2030 District in North America, announced it will move its primary focus from energy reduction to carbon reduction goals in response to urgent developments in climate science.

The Sustainable Energy Fund is now accepting registrations for the June 29 Energypath 2022 Conference, the region's largest sustainable energy event attracting industry professionals, policymakers, and academia across the United States.

The Penn State Technical Assistance Program is hosting several energy-related online training opportunities for businesses, including--

SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Education & Development Support) is offering FREE Home Energy Efficiency Assessments to low-income residents of Lackawanna County.

In Pittsburgh and Philadelphia last week, the PA Resources Council, PennEnvironment, other partners and local officials issued a call for updates to the Commonwealth's recycling law.

The Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority celebrated 50 years this month.  In honor of the 50th Anniversary, the Centre County Commissioners dedicated Proclamation 22 of 2022 – Proclaiming the 50th Anniversary of Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority in Centre County.

On May 24, twenty-four employees from Braskem joined forces with the Borough of Marcus Hook in Delaware County to fill a 30-yard dumpster full of trash from areas around Market Memorial Park, the nearby Community Center, surrounding streets and sidewalks and behind the Orlandini Tile Supplies store.

On May 25, officials from the departments of Health, Education, and Conservation and Natural Resources announced nine student winners of the 2022 Lyme Art Contest to promote awareness of the prevalence of ticks and the types of diseases they carry. 

On May 26, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn noted state park swimming pools and beaches will be open this holiday weekend to welcome visitors for the outdoor activities that have been so critical to our well-being during the pandemic. 

On May 23, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Fish and Boat Commission announced the award of nearly $1 million in grants to improve access to the Lackawaxen River in Wayne County.

On May 24, DCNR Deputy Secretary for Parks and Forestry John Norbeck visited Memorial Lake State Park in Lebanon County to call attention to the park’s infrastructure needs, also highlighting how federal American Rescue Fund monies could be used to address outdated facilities and public safety preparedness across the state.

On May 26, the Allegheny Land Trust announced they had successfully completed fundraising for three land purchases to permanently protect a total of 90 acres in Ohio Township, Franklin Park Borough and Sewickley Hills Borough.

Lancaster Farmland Trust announced that the King family preserved their 73-acre farm in Elizabeth Township, with the help of generous gifts to LFT’s Honoring the Promise Campaign during Acres for Auction at their 2021 Together For the Land event.

By Carol Hillestad for the Pocono Heritage Land Trust

By Chris Mele for Brodhead Watershed Association

Love the outdoors? Looking for the gear, resources, and information to help you on your next adventure?

The May 27 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation.

Recognizing the value pollinators provide to humans and our ecosystem, Penguin Court, a Preserve of the Brandywine Conservancy, and the Westmoreland Pollinator Partners, a committee of over two dozen groups in Westmoreland County promoting and protecting pollinators, are pleased to announce the second annual Pennsylvania Pollinator Photo Challenge.

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

LandHealth Institute's watershed stewardship program, ProFESS-- Future Environmental Scientists and Stewards-- is returning for its sixth year to empower 9th-12th grade students in Philadelphia!

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary will soon be issuing a call for presentation proposals for the 10th Biennial Delaware Estuary Science and Environmental Summit set for January 30 - February 1 at Harrah's Resort In Atlantic City.

Penn State Extension will hold another in its series of Water Cooler Talk Webinars June 29 on Aquatic Invasive Species in Pennsylvania from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

The Pennsylvania Sea Grant's latest aquatic invasive species (AIS) video explores the aquarium and water garden trades, and enthusiasts.

Join Rodale Institute’s researchers and expert staff at our annual Organic Field Day on July 22 to learn the latest results of our farming trials and visit nearly 20 demonstration stations on our 386-acre experimental farm in Kutztown, Berks County.

People of faith will come together to discuss concerns for West Virginia’s changing climate, its effects on our way of life, our future, and our response on June 4 at the Caring for Creation Together - A West Virginia Interfaith Conference On Climate Change.

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

On May 25, Republicans on the House Local Government Committee reported out Senate Bill 275 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) which prohibits counties, local governments and authorities from promoting clean, cheaper energy sources to reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions.

On May 23, Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler), Majority Chair of the House Environmental Resources, said this about protecting the public from the health consequences of certain businesses--

Articles and NewsClips about federal actions impacting Pennsylvania--

On May 23, the U.S. the Department of the Interior released draft guidance for eligible states and the Navajo Nation on how to apply for the first $725 million in funding available for reclaiming abandoned mine lands (AML) as part of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

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.

The PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference will be held in-person and virtually June 22-23 at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center in State College.  This year's theme-- New Opportunities On The Horizon!  Registration Open!    Read more here.

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.