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Weekly PA Environment Digest Newsletter
June 21, 2010
(6/21/2010)
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* Rendell: Progress Made On Budget, Except 20,000 Workers May Be Furloughed

At a press conference this week, Gov. Rendell said there was progress in a meeting with the four Caucus leaders where they laid out a schedule to get the state budget done almost on time.

* Video Blog- Legislators, Environmental Groups Push For Natural Gas Severance Tax

Legislators, environmental groups and citizen lobbyists held a press conference at the Capitol this week to urge action on legislation and regulations related to Marcellus Shale drilling.

* Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. Joins Professional Services Directory

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc., a civil and environmental engineering firm, has just joined the PA Environment Digest Professional Services Directory.

* Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Bills Introduced

Here are the Senate and House Calendars and Committee meetings showing bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--

* Senate/House Bills Moving

The following bills of interest saw action this week in the House and Senate--

* Senate Environmental Committee Expects Gas Well Blowout Report In 3 Weeks

Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger told the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week his agency's investigation into the June 3 Clearfield County Marcellus Shale gas well blowout should be completed in about three weeks.

* House Passes Bill Requiring Recycling Of TVs, Computers, Other Electronics

The House this week overwhelmingly passed House Bill 708 (Ross-R-Chester) which requires manufacturers of computers and televisions to arrange to recycle them.  The bill also bans dumping these devices in a landfill. 

* Senate Committee To Consider Green Building, Energy Office And Other Bills June 22


* Emergency Response For Gas Well Accidents Topic Of June 29 Senate Hearing

The sufficiency of local emergency response plans in gas drilling areas and the capacity of state officials to act quickly when problems hit will be the subjects of a public hearing on June 29 by the state Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee.

* House Environmental Committee Looks To Put Another Gas Severance Tax Bill In Play

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets on June 21 to consider House Bill 1489 (George-D-Clearfield), another version of legislation which would impose a severance tax on natural gas production.

* June 21 Environmental Issues Forum Features Green Roof Presentation

The director of Penn State University’s Center for Green Roof Research will be the presenter at the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee’s June 21 Environmental Issues Forum.

* Rep. Boback To Introduce Bill To Protect Public Drinking Water Systems From Drilling

Rep. Karen Boback (R-Columbia) announced her intent to introduce legislation to provide additional protections for public drinking water supplies, as the natural gas drilling industry continues to grow in Pennsylvania.

* DEP's Scott Roberts Earns Mayfly Award, 250+ Attend Joint Mining Reclamation Conference

The Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference’s coveted “Mayfly Award” recognizes individuals who have dedicated a lifetime of knowledge and expertise to the reclamation of abandoned mines in Pennsylvania.  

* More Than 125 Attend West Branch Susquehanna Symposium, Awards Presented

The May 6 West Branch Susquehanna Symposium attracted over 125 people from Trout Unlimited chapters, watershed groups, local colleges and universities, and conservation districts, as well as folks representing various agencies and abandoned mine reclamation agencies from across Pennsylvania.

* DRBC Moratorium On Marcellus Shale Drilling Extended To Exploratory Wells

Delaware River Basin Commission Executive Director Carol R. Collier this week announced she has supplemented her May 19, 2009 determination to include natural gas exploratory wells and as a result, the moratorium imposed on new wells in May applies.

* Opinion- Marcellus Shale Coalition: Would DRBC Have Let Washington Cross The Delaware?

The Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry group promoting Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania, put out this piece in response to the extended moratorium on drilling issued by the Delaware River Basin Commission this week.

* IRRC Approves Tougher Drilling Wastewater, Erosion & Sedimentation Rules

 

* EPA Schedules Meetings On Fracking Gas Wells, One In PA


* Saint Vincent College Business Center Hosts Marcellus Shale Business Seminar June 29


* Conewago Creek Designated USDA Showcase For Voluntary Conservation Practices

U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan this week unveiled Conewago Creek as one of three showcase watersheds designed to demonstrate what can be achieved by combining strong partnerships, sound science and funding to solve natural resource problems in a targeted area in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. 

* EPA Reaffirms December 2010 Deadline for Chesapeake Bay TMDL

 

* PSU: Straw Residue Helps Keep Nitrogen On The Farm


* ClearWater Conservancy Honored By Leadership Centre County


* Friends Of Wissahickon Trail Ambassadors Lead Summer Walks

 

* Greenways & Trails Easement, Liability Workshop July 15 At Bucknell


* Save The Date: PA Sustainable Landscapes Conference October 19 In Scranton


* EPA Launches New Program To Green State Capitals


* DCNR Agrees To Suspend Regulation Restricting Free Speech In Response To ACLU


* EPA Offers Eco-Friendly Advice For Healthy Lawns And Greenscapes


* PPL Program Helps Business Customers Maximize Their HVAC Systems


* June 24 PPL Webinar To Help Small, Mid-Sized Businesses Cut Energy Costs


* Chair Of PUC, Sen. Boscola Announce Work To Reform Electricity Pricing


* F.O.R.C.E, PA Coal Association Congratulate House On Creating New Coal Caucus


* Governor's Office Publishes Regulatory Agenda

The Governor's Office this week published its regulatory agenda which shows which regulations it is planning to adopt or propose in the next six months. (Pa Bulletin page 3431)

* June 23 PA Environmental Council Dinner To Feature Candidates For Governor


* Help Wanted: Natural Biodiversity Seeking Candidates For 4 Positions

The non-profit group Natural Biodiversity based in Windber, Pa is seeking candidates to fill four positions--

* Grants & Awards

This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other recognition programs. NEW means new from last week.

* Quick Clips


* Marcellus Shale NewsClips


* Watershed NewsClips


* Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits

On June 15 the Environmental Quality Board approved final regulations on hazardous waste exclusions, control of VOCs from large appliance and metal furniture surface coating operations, water and wastewater operator certification (which includes a project decrease in fee income from $1.1 million to $938,128 annually) and proposed rulemaking revising noncoal mining permit fees which will increase fees from about $25,000 annually to $2.5 million annually.

* Calendar Of Events

Upcoming legislative meetings, conferences, workshops, plus links to other online calendars. Meetings are in Harrisburg unless otherwise noted.  NEW means new from last week.  Go to the online Calendar webpage.

* Stories Invited

Send your stories, photos and videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to:  DHess@CrisciAssociates.com.

* Supporting Member PA Outdoor Writers Assn./PA Trout Unlimited

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers AssociationPennsylvania Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.

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