UPDATED STORY. With action on several of Gov. Rendell's key legislative priorities-- transportation funding and alternative energy-- off the table, the only high profile environmental issue left is action on a proposed severance tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas production.

Andrew Heath, Executive Director of the Renew Growing Greener Coalition, released this statement encouraging action on the severance tax--

At a follow-up hearing this week, Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee heard from Steven Crawford, Gov. Rendell's Chief of Staff, on revised plans for collecting and evaluating information on possible terrorist threats in the Commonwealth.

Rep. Chris Ross (R-Chester) has been appointed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to serve on the agency's Local Government Advisory Committee. The 30-member committee provides advice to the EPA on environmental issues affecting communities.

The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia is calling for a comprehensive research plan that would result in guidelines and an assessment tool for regulators and managers in order to minimize the environmental impact of Marcellus Shale gas drilling.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers are now accepting nominations for DCNR's 2011 River of the Year recognition.  This year nominations will be accepted from the Ohio River Basin.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold four public meetings in Pennsylvania next week to discuss the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) – a strict “pollution diet” to restore local waters and the Chesapeake Bay.

Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences recently awarded the Outstanding Alumni honor to Matt Ehrhart, PA Office Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The PBS program Growing A Greener World will feature a story on the Rodale Institute, the Berks County-based pioneer of organic farming and gardening.

Fourteen community gardens planted and maintained by volunteers and staff of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy have received 2010 Community Greening Awards from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

The ClearWater Conservancy is hosting an Adventure in Conservation program entitled, "Raptor Migration in Central Pennsylvania" on November 2 starting at 7:00 p.m. at Centre Furnace Mansion in State College.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of an opportunity to bid on a orphan well plugging project in Warren County.

DCNR Secretary John Quigley announced the appointment of George Love to the position of director, Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey. 

By Jill Reigh, Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania

By Rep. Stanley Saylor

In December 2003, the largest tract of undeveloped land remaining on the Lake Erie shoreline was purchased by a Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, with the intention that it be turned over to DCNR to become a state park. The “Coho tract”—a 540-acre parcel of shoreline in western Erie County—was acquired from Reliant Energy. The project was made possible with the help of grants from Richard King Mellon Foundation and DCNR. The Conservation Fund provided bridge funding for the acquisition through its Great Lakes Revolving Loan Fund.

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

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.

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