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Weekly PA Environment Digest Newsletter
November 20, 2006
(11/17/2006)
PDF Version - PA Environment Digest 11/20/06
* House Leadership Races, Guide to New Members of General Assembly
The House Republican and Democratic Caucuses picked their Leadership teams this week and here’s the rundown. The Senate elects its Leadership next week. Also look for the link to the Guide to New Members published by the Pennsylvanians for Effective Government.
* Video Blog - Trout Unlimited Members Celebrate Nearly 20 Years of Treating Acid Mine Water
Every week for nearly 20 years, members of the Doc Fritchey Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Dauphin and Lebanon counties have been adding tons of limestone to two diversion wells to treat mine drainage entering Rausch Creek, a tributary to Stony Creek in Lebanon County.
* Video Blog - PA Resources Council Honors Clifford L. Jones with Fox Calhoun Award
The Pennsylvania Resources Council this week gave special recognition to Clifford Jones, former DER Secretary, PUC Commissioner, Secretary of Commerce and President of PA Chamber of Business and Industry for his environmental accomplishments.
* On the Senate/House Agenda
These environmental bills are on the House calendar and Senate committee agendas this week—
* Action on Senate/House Bills/Bills Introduced
The House took action on these environmental bills this week…
* Environmental Issues Forum to Feature Emerging Contaminants in PA Waters
The November 20 Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee’s Environmental Issues Forum will feature a presentation on emerging contaminants in Pennsylvania waters.
* PA Resources Council Honors Cliff Jones, 5 Others with Sustainability Awards
“Sustainability: Urban and Rural” was the theme of the Pennsylvania Resources Council’s annual awards dinner this week in West Conshohocken.
* Chesapeake Bay’s 2006 State of the Bay Report Shows Slight Improvement
With just four years to go before the court-ordered deadline to remove the Chesapeake Bay from the nation’s dirty waters list, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s 2006 State of the Bay report shows modest improvement, with the health index up two points to 29 this year, still far from the goal of 40 by 2010.
* DEP Requests Comments on Redraft of Nutrient/Sediment Trading Proposal
The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting comments on a re-draft of the “Trading of Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Credits- Policy and Guidelines.”
* Penn State Offers Free Primer on Water Quality Credit Trading
Water-quality specialists in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences published "A Primer on Water Quality Credit Trading in the Mid-Atlantic Region," explaining water-quality trading programs.
* William Penn Foundation Invites Schuylkill Watershed Protection Grant Applications
The William Penn Foundation is accepting applications for its Schuylkill River Watershed Cluster grant program. Letters of intent are due December 11.
* Delaware Estuary Conference/Summit Coming January 22-24
The Delaware Estuary Science Conference and the first ever Delaware Estuary Environmental Summit will both be held in Cape May, N.J from January 22-24.
* Highway/Transit Proposal Would Increase Gas, Sales, Reality Transfer Taxes
The bipartisan Transportation Funding and Reform Commission issued a final report this week with recommendations that would increase fees and taxes by over $1.6 billion to pay for critical improvements to Pennsylvania’s highways and bridges and help fund public transit.
* Loans To Help Truckers Save Money, Reduce Emissions
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is partnering with the Small Business Administration to make loans available to purchase SmartWay Upgrade Kits to help truckers pay for fuel-saving technologies.
* November 15 America Recycles Day – Learn More About Recycling, Composting
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, each year our country produces almost 240 million tons of municipal solid waste equivalent to nearly 4.5 pounds of waste per person each day, most of which is recyclable.
* Northeast Philadelphia Increases Recycling 29 Percent
To help celebrate America Recycles Day the Philadelphia Recycling Office announced an increase in recycling tonnage in Northeast Philadelphia by nearly 29 percent since the summertime launch of the City’s new single stream recycling collection method.
* Great Valley School District Recognized for Switching to Biodiesel
Are school districts doing enough to protect children from hazardous school bus engine fumes? One Chester County school district has taken action to make sure its students are protected from the dangers of diesel – at no cost to the district.
* PA Brownfield Project Wins Phoenix Award at National Conference
The Bethlehem Commerce Center land recycling project in Northampton County won the People’s Choice Award and the Region 3 overall 2006 Phoenix Award during the Phoenix Awards Ceremony at the Brownfields 2006 conference held this week in Boston.
* Penn State’s Hydrogen Day Explores Energy Technologies
Hydrogen energy and hydrogen fuel cell technologies were highlighted at Penn State's 2006 Hydrogen Day on November 14 at the Nittany Lion Inn at University Park.
* BP Solar to Invest $70 Million to Expand U.S. Facility
BP Solar this week unveiled its plans for a $70 million expansion project at its North
* Agriculture Department Searching for Invasive Plant in Allegheny County
Allegheny County residents were asked by the Department of Agriculture this week to report any locations where Kudzu is growing under a pilot program to eradicate the invasive weed.
* PA's Fresh Food and Supermarket Initiative Wins EPA Smart Growth Award
The Commonwealth's Fresh Food Financing Initiative has won the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2006 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement, which is given to public sector entities that, among other things, make investments to strengthen communities and promote balanced, regional development.
* Penn State’s Philadelphia Environmental Risks Program Receives EPA Grant
Penn State was one of sixteen project sponsors to share $2.7 million in grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to continue progress on solving local health and environmental issues.
* Feature - Edge Density Key to Controlling Gypsy Moth Spread
Controlling population peaks on the edges of the gypsy moth range may help to slow their invasion into virgin territory, according to a team of researchers.
* Quick Clips
Here’s a selection of NewsClips on environmental topics from around the state…
* Watershed NewsClips
Read a sampling of NewsClips on watershed topics from around Pennsylvania.
* Regulations - DEP Mercury Emissions Reduction Plan Narrowly OK’d
The Independent Regulatory Review Commission voted 3 to 2 this week to approve a final regulation to reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants proposed by the Department of Environmental Protection, setting the stage for additional review of the regulation by the General Assembly.
* Regulations
The Department of Environmental Protection also published notice of proposed changes to Radiological Health regulations for comment notice of a December 19 public hearing on a revised ozone implementation plan for Greene County and a second December 19 public hearing on a similar plan for the Reading area.
* Technical Guidance & Permits
The Department of Environmental Protection published a proposed plan for regulating erosion and sediment from oil and gas operations asking for public comments.
* Calendar of Events
Upcoming conferences, meetings, workshops, plus links to other online calendars. Meetings are in Harrisburg unless otherwise noted. Go To: PA Environment Digest Calendar Page
* Stories Invited
Send your stories about environmental issues, programs and positive actions to PA Environment Digest - DHess@crisciassociates.com or go to www.PaEnvironmentDigest.com .
* Supporting Member PA Outdoor Writers Association
PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association.

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