Here are 152 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 Puts Links To The Best Environment & Energy Articles and NewsClips From Last Week Here By Topic--

As the Foundation for Sustainable Forests celebrates its 20th year, they decided to look back to A Forest Conversation, an essay read by Wendell Berry that explores the organization’s founders, mission, and roots.

The final state budget includes a $50 million transfer to the Clean Streams Fund created in 2022 to support the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program and projects to reduce water pollution from abandoned mines and urban/suburban runoff.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Chesapeake Conservancy both praised lawmakers and Gov. Shapiro for including $50 million in funding for the Clean Streams Fund in the new FY 2024-25 state budget to support on-farm conservation practices and other local water quality improvement projects.

On July 11, the House gave final approval and sent to the Governor House Bill 1032 (Fiedler-D- Philadelphia) creating a grant program to help school districts across Pennsylvania fund and install solar panels on school grounds.

On July 11, the House-- by a vote of 127 to 75-- and the Senate-- by a vote of 37 to 12-- passed and sent to the Governor Senate Bill 831 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) establishing a framework for authorizing the geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide through injection wells.

On July 9 -10, the Senate and House gave final, unanimous approval to House Bill 1466 (Bizzarro-D-Erie) that would help prevent powerful interests from filing SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) lawsuits to silence citizen critics and chill free speech.

On July 8, the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a decision  siding with environmental organizations, vindicating their right to challenge permits issued to the Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) before the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board.

From July 6 to 12, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 654 inspection entries, and caught up posting inspection reports from the previous weeks.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the July 13 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a Chapter 105 water encroachment for a Beech Resources, LLC project involving the construction of three permanent pipelines serving shale gas development impacting Exceptional Value water resources in Lycoming Township, Lycoming County.   (PA Bulletin, page 4052)

The following notices were published in the July 13 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

In April of 2023, the state Department of Health issued an updated Pennsylvania State Health Improvement Plan that identified Environmental Health, and specifically oil and gas development, as a rising risk to public health.  Read more here.

On July 11, the Public Utility Commission recognized the staff and leadership of the PUC’s Pipeline Safety Division, which has received outstanding evaluations from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) – reflecting the PUC’s strong commitment to its safety mission.

On July 11, 2024, The Derrick published an update on events surrounding the contamination of a spring serving as a source of water for the Venango Water Company and the Village of Reno by a conventional oil well wastewater spill on July 19, 2023--

The PublicSource.org webinar with reporter Quinn Glabicki and Editor-in-Chief Halle Stockton discussing an investigative series on fracking giant EQT’s impact on air, water and community health as well as the global climate conversation is now available online.

On July 11, Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-Columbia) announced the US Environmental Protection Agency visited Wilburton Tuesday to install air quality control monitors to measure any concentration of contaminants in the air during the ongoing efforts to extinguish the nearby coal bank fire.

On July 11, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it is providing over $20 million to 13 workforce development organizations across the nation under its Innovative Water Workforce Development Grant Program, which supports expanding career opportunities in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector.

The Environmental Quality Board published notice in the July 13 PA Bulletin inviting comments on proposed changes to 80 soil and water chemical cleanup standards under the Land Recycling Program, including more compounds in the PFAS family of chemicals and lead, and setting three public hearings..  https://tinyurl.com/4cnnh94a

The Stroud Water Research Center will honor award-winning author and fisherman Paul Greenberg with the 2024 Stroud Award for Freshwater Excellence at the Water's Edge Gala on September 19 at the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library.

On July 9, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science released its 2023-24 Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report that gives an overall 'C' grade to Bay Watershed ecological, economic and societal indicators and a 'C+' grade for the Bay which is the highest overall grade for the Bay since 2002.

On July 8, the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy released a new video highlighting the Youth Conservation Corps’ recently completed a 50-mile paddling Perki-Bay Expedition following three Pennsylvania waterways.

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

The Penn State Extension will host a five-part Woodland Stewardship webinar series Guided Engagement With Your Land on September 25, October 9 and 23 and November 6 and 20 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. each day.

The Foundation for Sustainable Forests is now accepting reservations for the Loving The Land Through Working Forests Conference on September 21 and the Friends of the Foundation Dinner on September 20, both in Crawford County

The PA Association Of Environmental Educators is now accepting presentation proposals for the 2025 Annual Conference scheduled for March 10 to 12 in Erie.  The deadline for proposals is September 13.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the July 13 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a Title V Acid Rain Air Quality Permit for the gas-fired Hummel Station Power Plant located in Shamokin Dam Borough, Snyder County. (PA Bulletin, page 4044)

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the July 13 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a RACT III Title V Air Quality Permit for the IPSCO Koppel Tubular LLC facility in Harmony Twp., Beaver County.  (PA Bulletin, page 4046)

Sustainable Pittsburgh's Sustainable Community Development Network will host an August 6 webinar on Climate Action Planning - Resources And Funding Opportunities from Noon to 1:15 p.m.

The Philadelphia Solar Energy Association's 2024 Junior Solar Sprint was a smashing sunny success on Drexel University’s Quad in June.

Registration is now open for the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful 2024 Summit for Community Stewardship to be held in coordination with the departments of Environmental Protection, Transportation and Community and Economic Development on October 16 and 17 at the Hilton in the City of Scranton.

The Department of Agriculture published notice in the July 13 PA Bulletin announcing an Quarantine Order establishing a framework for taking steps to protect nursery stock from the invasive box tree moth.

On July 12, The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources received the Leadership Award from the Forest Stewardship Council for 25 years of positive forest management.

This article first appeared on the Pennsylvania Environmental Council website July 8, 2024--

The July 12 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

By Sienna Dunkleberger, Intern, Susquehanna Greenway Partnership

The Keystone Trails Association will host their 16th KTA Trail Challenge 25K Run/Hike on Saturday, September 7 within Susquehannock State Park and along the Conestoga Trail in Lancaster County.

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 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..

By Penn State News

By James M. Seif, Former Administrative Assistant to Gov. Dick Thornburgh

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

U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-D) will be the featured speaker during The Sierra Club DelCo Green Team webinar on July 15 starting at 7:30 p.m. 

The Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie will host the film showing of Seeing The Unseen - Aquatic Invaders and What's At Stake on August 3 at 5:30 p.m.

Penn State University's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences will host a Mining Summer Camp for high school juniors and seniors August 4 to 9 in State College. 

The US Geological Survey PA Water Science Center's latest Pennsylvania Waters newsletter features articles on drought, flooding, water quality and more--

The following bills were given final approval by the Senate and House and are now on the Governor’s desk for action--

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 July 13 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.