Here are 67 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-- 

At the June 13 meeting of DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council, Acting DEP Secretary Richard Negrin and Saleem Chapman, Executive Director of the new Center of Environmental Excellence, highlighted how a new Excellence initiative at DEP will provide the management framework to improve permitting efficiency, deliver best in class service to business and the public and share the results.

On June 15, following a meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force this week, the Department of Environmental Protection declared a statewide drought watch.

During the week of June 12, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission notified water users with withdrawal permits, including those providing water to unconventional shale gas operations, to review provisions in their permits limiting water withdrawals during low streamflow conditions.

On June 12, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced $5,527,000 from the U.S. Department of the Interior to plug 48 abandoned conventional oil and gas wells in the Allegheny National Forest.

On June 16, the Department of Environmental Protection posted two solicitations for bids on BidExpress.com to clean out and plug 23 abandoned, conventional and permitted Class IIR oil and gas waste injection wells in Highland Township, Elk County.

From June 10 to 16, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 651 inspection entries that resulted in reporting 67 violations of environmental regulations-- 61 violations by the conventional oil and gas industry and 6 violations by the unconventional shale natural gas industry.

At a June 12 meeting, Robinson Township Supervisors in Washington County were trying to get more information from MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC about a 10,000 gallon spill of natural gas condensate that occurred at the Imperial Compressor Station and was the subject of a PA Bulletin Act 2 cleanup Notice of Intent published on June 10, according to Cathy Lodge a township resident who attended the meeting.  Read more here.

On June 17, the Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the PA Bulletin inviting comments on a MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources, LLC project in Washington County to expose more than a mile of two natural gas pipelines to prevent damage from underground longwall coal mining.  (PA Bulletin, page 3228)

A June 14 DEP administrative inspection report filed on the PA General Energy Company, LLC Shawnee Water Withdrawal for shale gas drilling operations on State Forest Land in Gamble and Plunketts Creek Townships, Lycoming County said “the buried intake vault, intake screen, wet well, and piping between intake and wet well of the Loyalsock/Shawnee Freshwater System project were all installed [last summer and fall] at sizes larger than what was proposed in the approved permit application E4129-133” in violation of Chapter 105 regulations.

The following DEP notices were published in the June 17 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

By Ad Crable, Chesapeake Bay Journal

On June 13, Public Utility Commission Chairman Gladys Brown Dutrieuille told the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee Winter Storm Elliot has again demonstrated extreme weather can have a significant impact on electric grid operations in terms of reliability and resilience.

On June 15, S&P Global reported on the results of a joint inquiry by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and North American Electric Reliability Corp into the impact of Winter Storm Elliot that caused a wave of unplanned power plant outages in December 2022, particularly in the PJM Interconnection electric grid region.

On June 12, the Public Utility Commission published the 2023 Summer Readiness Overview reports from the state’s electric distribution companies (EDCs) and the region’s electric transmission organization PJM Interconnection. 

Quantified Ventures, in partnership with the US Endowment for Forestry & Communities, Pennsylvania Environmental Council and Green Forests Work, are seeking to enroll former mine lands in the Legacy Mine Land Reforestation Program. 

The Board of the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds is now seeking qualified candidates for the position of Executive Director.

Audubon Mid-Atlantic is hosting a July 19 webinar on the Healthy Forest Initiative - Opportunities for Strategic Forest Conservation and Partnership to open a discussion about partnerships with land trusts starting at 10:00 a.m.

The Pike County Conservation District is partnering with the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership to again provide Pike County residents with free native trees and shrubs and tree tubes this Fall.

Healthy Lands Week is a statewide initiative to strengthen volunteer activities, engage visitors, and raise awareness of stewardship of cultural and natural resources.

On June 9, 2023, 29 people attended stream assessment training led by the Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Group Manager Dustin Shull and co-hosted by Susquehanna University in Snyder County and Chesapeake Conservancy.

The Pennsylvania Resources Council will host an e-waste recycling collection event on June 27 in Chester County to provide area residents with a convenient and cost-effective method of responsibly disposing of televisions, computers and other electronic equipment.

What is most important to PA hikers? What do PA hikers enjoy most about our trails and want to experience in our forests? That's what Keystone Trails Association is venturing to find out!

The June 16 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

If you have been following the exciting story of Pennsylvania's piping plovers, our rarest nesting shorebird and one of the most critically endangered species globally, nesting at Presque Isle State Park in Erie, then you know about the four-egg nest that was recently protected.

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

The annual Falcon Watch & Rescue Program at the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg is looking for volunteers to help with peregrine falcon fledglings.

The June edition of DCNR’s State Parks Environmental Education newsletter is now available featuring articles on--

The Asbury Woods Environmental Center is pleased to bring back its program, Nature in Your Neighborhood, for its second year in the City of Erie.

Join the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority and the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Program at the Marriott Residence Inn in Wilkes-Barre on July 15 from 10:00 a.m. to Noon for a free Rain Barrel Workshop.

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 June 17 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.