Here are 69 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 20th Anniversary of the Quecreek Mine Rescue will be celebrated on July 22 and 23 in Somerset County Mine Rescue Site and at related events, according to the Quecreek Mine Rescue Foundation.

DEP’s Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board is scheduled to meet on July 25 to hear a presentation by Dr.  William Burgos, lead author of a new Penn State University study released in May which found runoff from spreading conventional oil and gas wastewater on unpaved roads contains concentrations of barium, strontium, lithium, iron, manganese that exceed human-health based criteria and levels of radioactive radium that exceed industrial discharge standards.

On July 14, the Bradford Era reported one of two 24-inch natural gas pipelines operated by Tennessee Gas Pipeline ruptured and exploded near Clermont, McKean County on Tuesday, July 12 at about 5:00 p.m. 

By Rev. Mitchell Hescox & Kim Anderson, Evangelical Environmental Network

On July 12, Environmental Quality Board approved a final regulation establishing a municipal waste rural transfer facility permit-by-rule and heard a presentation on DEP’s permit fee report on the Chapter 102 Erosion and Sedimentation Program recommending a fee increase.

On July 11, Republicans on the  House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee approved a letter to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission announcing their intent to review (and ultimately oppose) the final EQB regulation reducing VOC/Methane emissions from oil and gas facilities.

On July 11, Gov. Wolf vetoed Senate Bill 275 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) which would have prohibited counties, local governments and authorities from promoting cleaner energy sources to reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions.

On July 13, Pittsburgh-based PNC Bank announced a long-term renewable supply agreement with Constellation to power nearly 50 percent of its legacy operations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, District of Columbia, and parts of Illinois with renewable electricity.

On July 8, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded over $40 million to 21 organizations and five state agencies to help American families across the country make their homes more energy efficient and lower their utility costs.

On July 11,  Gov. Wolf signed into law Senate Bill 251 (Yaw-R-Lycoming, Comitta-D-Chester) as Act 83 setting standards for the application of fertilizer to turf, providing for the certification of professional fertilizer applicators and for labeling and an education program.

On July 14, the Chair of the tri-state Chesapeake Bay Commission, Maryland Senator Sarah Elfreth, joined by Vice-Chairs Pennsylvania Senator Scott Martin and Virginia Senator Lynwood Lewis, announced they have – with much gratitude and reluctance – accepted the retirement of Ann Pesiri Swanson, from her position as the Commission’s Executive Director, a job she has held since 1988.

On July 13, the PA Association of Conservation Districts issued this statement thanking the General Assembly for a $6.8 million increase in funding--

Despite the Gov. Wolf's initial budget proposal to fully fund the Delaware River Basin Commission with more than the $893,000 that the Commonwealth agreed to, negotiations with the General Assembly cut funding to $217,000, the same level that Pennsylvania has been funding the Commission at since 2014.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notices in the July 16 PA Bulletin related to two major stormwater General permits--

The Department of Environmental Protection invites comments on a draft technical guidance on Pennsylvania’s Public Water System Capability Enhancement Strategy (DEP ID: 391-0400-001).  (formal notice)

On July 11, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission released two proposed documents for public comment: a policy and a civil penalty matrix.

On July 13, Berks County-based Rodale Institute announced it received a $1 million donation from The GIANT Company.

On July 14, the Department of Environmental Protection visited the Berwick Seep Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act project site in Columbia County to view a recently installed oil recovery system and discuss how the HSCA program mitigates the release of contaminants into the Susquehanna River.

On July 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency broke ground at the North Penn Area 6 Superfund site in Lansdale, Montgomery County, where EPA is accelerating construction to clean up the site. 

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

On July 14, the Department of Transportation announced it was the recipient of a regional America’s Transportation Award from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

On July 14, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn visited Beartown Woods Natural Area in Franklin County to celebrate its forest heritage and to induct it into the Old-Growth Forest Network.

On July 13, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council announced the recipients of the 2022 Pennsylvania Water Trail Mini Grants totalling $24,600--

The Keystone Trails Association urges you to take advantage of a variety of hiking experiences and volunteer for trail care events across the state this summer and fall.

Want to explore the Susquehanna River in a new way this season? The Susquehanna Greenway Partnership and Lumber Heritage Region are excited to announce the release of a new booklet that will allow users to explore the logging history of the Susquehanna River Water Trail’s West Branch right from their kayaks. 

The Festival Of Wood is returning to Gifford Pinchot’s Grey Towers Historic Site in Pike County September 24 & 25.  The Festival is being held in connection with National Public Lands Day.

The July 15 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation.

On July 15, the Department of Health reported Pennsylvania’s first probable human cases of West Nile Virus infection in 2022 have been detected in Berks, Lancaster, Luzerne, and Philadelphia counties.

The Tick Borne Diseases Task Force will hold the Pike County Lyme and Tick Borne Diseases Health Symposium on Saturday, July 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Pike County Training Center, 135 Pike County Blvd., in Lords Valley, PA. Doors open at 9:45 a.m.

The Pittsburgh Collaboratory for Water Research, Education, and Outreach is seeking a full-time Director.  Applications review begins August 1.

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

The State Board of Education published notice in the July 16 PA Bulletin of final regulations setting education standards for Science, Environment, Ecology, Agriculture, Technology and Engineering Grades K-12  (PA Bulletin, page 3946 - Preamble, page 3970 - Standards )

Join the Chesapeake Bay Program's Diversity Workgroup in learning about how nature can benefit your mental and physical health in a special online program July 20 from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Local communities across the Commonwealth are experiencing an increase in the number of requests from businesses, organizations, landowners, and residents to install solar energy systems due to unpredictable and spiking natural gas and fossil energy costs.

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

Articles and NewsClips about federal actions impacting Pennsylvania--

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