Gov. Rendell this week signed an executive order protecting Pennsylvania's state forests from any new natural gas development activities that would disturb the surface of these areas and jeopardize fragile ecosystems.

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council applauded Gov. Rendell’s signing of an Executive Order prohibiting additional leasing of State Park or Forest land for oil and gas development.

Former Gov. Tom Ridge told the Allentown Morning Call this week Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett could support a Marcellus Shale natural gas severance tax and not violate his pledge to not raise taxes.

Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, this week wrote at letter in response to an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette defending actions by Senate Republicans on the Marcellus Shale severance tax. Here's the text of the letter--

This year’s Westmoreland Conservation District annual awards banquet will be held on a new day – Veterans’ Day, November 11 – and at a new location – the Fred M. Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College, Latrobe.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and PA CleanWays this week announced they have formally completed their merger with the organization’s new bylaws being approved at the Annual Business meeting of the former PA CleanWays network.  

Federal officials this week dedicated the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge, to protect habitat for more than 80 rare species of plants and animals.

As part of the multi-year Goddard Legacy Project, the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation together with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources unveiled an educational interpretive panel recently at Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center honoring the life and work of Maurice K. Goddard (1912-1995).

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.