Here are 100 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.

PA Environment Digest Put Links To The Best Environment & Energy Articles and NewsClips From Last Week Here By Topic.

On June 9, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn recently celebrated the Susquehanna River North Branch as Pennsylvania’s 2023 River of the Year during a celebration at Vosburg Neck State Park.

The York County Envirothon completed its 2023 season with nearly 800 students participating countywide. Students tested their environmental knowledge in four competitions ranging from April 25 to May 18.

On June 5, the House voted 141 to 62 to pass House Bill 1028, bipartisan legislation sponsored by Rep. Rob Matzie (D-Beaver) and Rep. Jim Marshall (R-Beaver), to improve rail safety, strengthen state standards for freight trains and add reporting requirements for the transportation of hazardous materials.

On June 6, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee reported out legislation requiring the evaluation of cumulative impacts of some new pollution sources on communities already burdened by pollution, a bill prohibiting cryptocurrency mining operations from using a state tax credit and two resolutions.

On June 5, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held a hearing on House Bill 652 (Bullock-D- Philadelphia) requiring an evaluation of the cumulative impacts of certain electric generation, waste management, sewage treatment facilities and major sources of air pollution proposed in communities already burdened by pollution.

On May 23, 2023, MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC submitted a Notice of Intent to DEP to clean up soil and groundwater contaminated by a 10,000 gallon spill of natural gas condensate and water contaminated with Volatile Organic Compounds and Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds, including benzene and other pollutants, at the Imperial Compressor Station in Robinson Township, Washington County.

From June 3 to 9, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 687 inspection entries that resulted in reporting 134 violations of environmental regulations-- 113 violations by the conventional oil and gas industry and 21 violations by the unconventional shale natural gas industry.

The following DEP notices were published in the June 10 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

The Better Path Coalition will host another in its series of virtual Brown Bag Briefings June 22 with Laurie Barr, a citizen scientist who has spent the last decade hunting for orphaned and abandoned conventional wells and researching stream health in Pennsylvania as part of Save Our Streams PA.

On June 6, Inside Climate News reported a study in the journal ACS Omega, researchers have reported the discovery of harmful volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, leaking from 48 conventional abandoned wells in Western Pennsylvania.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published notice it is proposing to issue a permit for a Class II underground injection well in Nicholson Township, Fayette County to be operated by G2 STEM LLC of Fairfax, Virginia.

On June 5, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania denied an emergency motion by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC to enjoin the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board from hearing an appeal of state permits issued to the company’s Regional Energy Access Expansion Natural Gas Pipeline Project.

On June 8, residents and environmental groups from across the Beaver County region gathered to demand accountability from the Shell Petrochemical Plant and delivered a petition with 60,000 signatures to Beaver County commissioners demanding they keep residents safe.

On June 7, the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held its third information session on carbon capture technology and covered its job potential, how it could help reach a net-zero carbon emissions goal and the environmental and other impacts and risks.

On June 27, Penn State Extension will host a virtual workshop on the Fundamentals Of Carbon Capture And CO2 Flooding from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

On June 8, Synapse Energy Economics issued findings from a new report independently produced for Evergreen Collaborative and Ceres exploring the economic benefits of Pennsylvania’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to cut carbon pollution from power plants.

Rebuild By Design released an updated Atlas of Disaster showing 90 percent of U.S. counties have experienced a federal climate disaster between 2011-2021, with some having as many as 12 disasters during that time.

The Pittsburgh 2030 District, a project of the Green Building Alliance, has released its 2022 Progress Report, revealing District property partners have reduced carbon emissions by 44.8% below baseline.

This editorial first appeared in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, Luzerne County, on June 7, 2023--

By Lori Falce, Tribune-Review Community Engagement Editor

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission has received a nearly $150,000 grant from the Department of Environmental Protection to spearhead an in-depth investigation into abandoned mine drainage polluting the Moshannon Creek Watershed.

Each year the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin celebrates individuals, organizations, and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to the Delaware River Basin through conservation, management, and protection of water resources.

Planning is well underway for Penn State's 2023 Ag Progress Days exposition, which will be held Aug. 8-10 in Centre County.

Visitors from Pennsylvania and surrounding states interested in the forest-products industry and the sustainable management of forest resources gathered at the 2023 Forest Products Equipment and Technology Exposition, June 9-10 at Penn State's Ag Progress Days site at Rock Springs in Centre County.

On June 7, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it will host a public hearing on June 21 to provide a brief informational presentation regarding the Boyertown Landfill Site PFAS investigation and to hear oral comments on DEP’s proposed prompt interim response action. 

On June 7, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful announced LuAnn Horn and Kathy Redinger, fondly known as the "Litter Ladies Of Lebanon County," were recognized with the KPB Community Pride Award.

The Centre Region Council of Governments and the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority, in partnership with the Borough of State College Borough Compost Facility, are hosting a pilot program for more sustainable management of our kitchen waste by establishing five food scraps drop-off sites.

On June 7, the overwhelmingly confirmed Cindy Adams Dunn to serve as the Secretary of Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

DCNR's Bureau of Forestry reported in its recent Forest Fridays publication that State Forester Ellen Shultzabarger has accepted a position with the US Forest Service.

The summer edition of Penn’s Stewards newsletter from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation features articles on--

If you’re looking for a way to see more fireflies this year and in years to come, join the Pennsylvania Firefly Festival by turning your Lights Out For Lightning Bugs this summer.

The June 9 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

The latest newsletter from the PA Natural Heritage Program puts a spotlight on the ecological value of floodplains, weasels in Pennsylvania, supporting the state's rarest plants and much more.

The Third Annual Breeding Bird Blitz for Conservation organized by the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology is now underway!

WeConservePA is now accepting registrations for the 2023 Pennsylvania Greenways & Trails Summit on September 17-19 in Scranton.

The Friends of South Mountain Partnership and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy has Flex Grant funding available to support initiatives within our community that further the goals of the South Mountain Partnership.

On June 6, the Delaware Highlands Conservancy announced a 63.5-acre property located in Buckingham Township, Wayne County, at the confluence of the East and West branches of the Delaware River, is now permanently protected with a conservation easement held by the Conservancy.

On June 6, the Allegheny Land Trust announced it has 24 acres of land under contract for protection as a permanent green space in Ross Township along Lowries Run Road.

The Warren County Conservation District is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of District Manager.

The Luzerne County-based North Branch Land Trust is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Land Protection and Stewardship Coordinator.

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

Join the Stroud Water Research Center for a special series of three action-oriented online seminars on how you can make a difference and improve the health of your local streams.

The Penn State Center for Ag Conservation Assistance Training and the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Program will offer a 3-part course covering planning, implementing, and managing riparian forest buffers in agricultural settings.

Are you passionate about ensuring the success of young tree plantings? The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is hosting 3 open volunteer days over the summer where you can come learn about young tree planting tending and get hands on experience.

The presentations made at the 2023 Watershed Congress Along The Schuylkill River are now available on demand.

Join the Celebrate the Bloom!, a free annual event held at DCNR's Jennings Environmental Education Center in Butler County.  This year it will be on July 29.

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

On June 7, Senate Republicans passed Senate Bill 691 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) dropping ‘Protection’ from the name of the Department of Environmental Protection and changing it to the Department of Environmental Services.

This editorial first appeared in the Citizens Voice on June 9, 2023--

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 June 10 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.