Pa Environment Digest April 3, 2017

PA Environment Digest
An Update On Environmental Issues In Pennsylvania

Edited By: David E. Hess, Crisci Associates
Winner Of PA Association of Environmental Educators

Business Partner Of The Year Award
PA Environment Digest Daily Blog Twitter Feed
Issue #666 Harrisburg, PA April 3, 2017
Trump Issues Order Calling For Review Of Energy, Clean Power Plan, Methane Regs
President Trump Tuesday issued an Executive Order calling

on all federal agencies to immediately review existing
regulations that potentially burden the development or use of
domestically produced energy resources and appropriately
suspend, revise, or rescind those that unduly burden the
development of domestic energy resources beyond the degree
necessary to protect the public interest or otherwise comply
with the law.
Particular attention is to be paid to the burden the
development or use of domestically produced energy resources, with particular attention to oil,
natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy resources. Such review shall not include agency actions
that are mandated by law, necessary for the public interest
The Order has several parts: 1) general review of agency regulations and requirements
related to energy; 2) rescinding orders and other guidance issued by President Obama related to
climate change; 3) directing EPA to review the Clean Power Plan and its related rules and
agency actions; 4) review of the analysis of social costs of carbon, nitrous oxide and methane;
and 5) other provisions requiring the review of the oil and gas operations emission standards,
among others.
Regulation Review
The Order requires agencies to submit a plan for carrying out the regulations review
within 45 days to the federal Office of Management and Budget, the Vice President, the
Assistants to the President for Economic Policy, Domestic Policy and the Chair of the Council
on Environmental Quality.
Within 120 days of the Order agencies are to submit a draft final report on their review
report to OMB and the other offices. The report is to be finalized within 180 days.
Rescinding Actions
The Order also rescinds four Executive Orders and Presidential Memorandum issued by
President Obama relating to climate change and carbon pollution.
Also rescinded were two reports-- The 2013 Presidents Climate Action Plan and the
2014 Climate Action Plan Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions-- and the CEQ Final Guidance
1
for Considering Effects of Climate Change in National Environmental Policy Act Reviews.
Review Of Clean Power Plan
The Order requires EPA to review the Clean Power Plan under the criteria established in
the Order (and repeated here in the lede paragraph) and as soon as practicable, suspend, revise,
or rescind the guidance, or publish for notice and comment proposed rules suspending, revising,
or rescinding those rules.
Also included is a directive to the Attorney General to provide notice of the Order to any
court with jurisdiction over pending litigation related to Clean Power Plan rules and
requirements and request a stay in the litigation pending the completion of this review.
[Note: EPAs Clean Power Plan never went into effect due to a stay by the U.S. Supreme
Court issued in February 2016. Recent impacts on the coal industry and closing of coal-fired
power plants were entirely market-driven, especially in Pennsylvania due to the abundance of
natural gas.]
Review of Carbon, NOx and Methane Social Costs
The Order requires EPA to review the estimates of the social cost of carbon, nitrous oxide
and methane regulations and requirements to ensure the analyses are based on the best available
science and economics.
The Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases is disbanded
and six documents developed by the group are to be withdrawn as no longer representative of
governmental policy.
The Order also requires any analysis monetizing the value of changes in greenhouse gas
emissions resulting from regulations be done consistent with existing 2003 OMB guidance for
regulatory cost-benefit analysis.
Other Provisions
There are several other more specific sections in the Order, including--
-- Oil & Gas Methane Rule: Requiring the review of the federal methane rule consistent with
the criteria in the order and, if appropriate, shall, as soon as practicable, suspend, revise, or
rescind the guidance, or publish for notice and comment proposed rules suspending, revising, or
rescinding those rules. [Note: DEP has proposed to modify and adopt two general air quality
permits to comply with this requirement. Comments are due June 5.]
-- Federal Lands Coal Leasing: The Order requires the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to
withdraw the Secretarys Order prohibiting the leasing of coal on federal lands.
Click Here to read a copy of the Order. Click Here for a summary of the Order by the
Trump Administration.
Click Here for copies of all of President Trumps Executive Orders. Click Here for
copies of Presidential Memoranda.
NewsClips:
New Documents Reveal Even Deeper Cuts To EPA Staff, Programs
In PA, Trumps Climate Order Met With Anger, Relief
Energy Companies In PA Still Plan Shift Away From Coal
Heres What Western PA Folks Said About Trumps Order On Coal
Trump Climate/Coal Order Evokes Praise, Skepticism From PA Reps
Company Secures $700M To Build Natural Gas Power Plant In Cambria
Trump Moves To Dismantle Obamas Climate Legacy With Executive Order
Trump Tosses Obamas Clean Energy Plan, Embraces Coal
2
Green Groups Vow War Over Climate Rollback
AP: Trump Order Rolls Back Obamas Anti-Global Warming Projects
Policy Shift Helps Coal, But Market, Other Forces May Limit Effect
AP: Look At How Trumps Moves On Coal Will Affect The Industry
AP: Easing Coal Rules Unlikely To Make U.S. Energy Independent
Fortune: ExxonMobil Wants Trump To Stick With Paris Climate Deal
The Only Certainty In Trumps Climate Orders? More Lawsuits
EPA Mistakenly Sends Press Release Criticizing Trumps Climate Order
Apple, Wal-Mart Stick With Climate Pledges Despite Trumps Pivot
Trump Critics On Climate Policy Hope CEOs Can Sway Him
Op-Ed: Climate Progress, With Or Without Trump, Bloomberg
Op-Ed: Trumps Coal Policy Will Likely Do Just What Obamas Did- Nothing
Op-Ed: Trumps Climate Order Jeopardizes Our National Security
Pruitts Comments On Carbon Dioxide May Have Violated EPA Scientific Policy
AP: U.S. House Hearing On Climate Focuses On Name Calling
Congressional Climate Panel To Feature Penn State Prof
Republican Conservationists Buck Trump On Climate Change
What Trump Misses About Energy Jobs In America
A Conservative Still Pushing For A Carbon Tax
Forests Role In Climate Mitigation Bigger Than Previously Thought
Forest In Downtown Pittsburgh? Plan Would Put Trees, Shrubs On Skyscrapers
Micek: Sen. Wagner Explains Climate Change
PA Senator Blames Body Heat For Global Warming
Related Stories:
EPA Tells States They Have No Obligation To Comply With Clean Power Plan
Despite Trump Order, DEP Will Continue To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
[Posted: March 28, 2017]
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt

Thursday sent letters to state governors advising them that they are
under no obligation to adhere to the Clean Power Plan (CPP) rule. The
text of the letter follows--
On February 9, 2016, the Supreme Court of the United States
stayed implementation of the Clean Power Plan (CPP) effectively
"suspend[ing] administrative alteration of the status quo." Nken v.
Holder, 556 U.S. 418, 428 n.l (2009).
Further, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, the
Supreme Court has authority to "issue all necessary and appropriate
process to postpone the effective date of an agency action or to preserve
status or rights pending conclusion of the review proceedings." 5 U.S.C. 705.
Under that precedent, States and other interested parties have neither been required nor
expected to work towards meeting the compliance dates set in the CPP. It is the policy of the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that States have no obligation to spend resources to
3
comply with a Rule that has been stayed by the Supreme Court ofthe United States. To the extent
any deadlines become relevant in the future, case law and past practice of the EPA supports the
application of day-to-day tolling.
The days of coercive federalism are over. Accordingly, I look forward to working with
you, your state experts and local communities as we develop a path forward to improve our
environment and bolster the economy in a manner that is respectful of and consistent with the
rule of law.
A copy of the letter is available online.
NewsClips:
Related Stories:
In response to President Trumps Executive Order on climate change

and energy, Acting Department of Environmental Protection
Secretary Patrick McDonnell Tuesday issued this statement--
The changing climate is the most significant environmental
threat facing the world, and emissions from the United States are a
significant cause.
Pennsylvania has already experienced a long-term warming
of nearly two degrees over the past century, and this trend is
expected to accelerate.
Todays Executive Order from President Trump is
disappointing because it signals a shift away from addressing the very real problem of climate
change.
Pennsylvania is already seeing the effects of climate change on our economy and our
environment as higher monthly average temperatures, more extreme storm events, and other
signs of climate change are already being observed in the state.
Ignoring the problem will only make conditions worse for our communities and
economy and environment in the future.
As a state, Pennsylvania has already seen a decrease in carbon emissions from power
plants in part to the shift to cleaner forms of energy, such as natural gas and the focus on energy
efficiency.
Despite the Presidents action, the Department of Environmental Protection will
continue to pursue ways to reduce our states greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate
change, because it is a problem that faces us all today.
4
DEP offered these links for more information--
-- Climate Change Action Plan
-- Pennsylvania Climate Impacts Assessment Report
-- Letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt
-- Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearing
NewsClips:
Related Stories:
PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Planning Steering Committee Meets April

3
Development of Phase 3 of Pennsylvanias Chesapeake

Bay Watershed Implementation Plan begins April 3, with
the first meeting of the steering committee that will
coordinate a broad-based effort by work groups and
committed partners in the 43 watershed counties.
Collaboration from the ground up by local partners
in government, agriculture, business, and environmental
and community organizations is the key to developing a
strategic, implementable realistic plan to clean our streams,
rivers, and lakes in Pennsylvania, said DEP Acting
Secretary Patrick McDonnell. Focusing on achieving
healthy local waters not only brings our communities positive local environmental and economic
benefits, but also greatly improves our ability to meet our federal Bay obligations. Simply put,
clean water is great for PA and good for the Bay.
The Department of Environmental Protections Chesapeake Bay Program Office will host
the meeting.
Pennsylvania is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce
nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment levels in its Bay watershed counties by 2025. The
Commonwealth fell short of its Phase 1 goal set in 2010 and Phase 2 goal set in 2012.
This year, EPA is conducting a midpoint assessment of these levels and will define what
Pennsylvania needs to achieve in Phase 3 based on this assessment.
While Pennsylvania has made significant progress toward meeting the EPA targets,
particularly since 2015 when the Wolf administration launched its multi-agency Chesapeake
Bay Restoration Strategy, considerable work remains to be done.
The agenda for the steering committee meeting includes discussion of EPA expectations
5
and the establishment of work groups that will reach out to local committed partners.
Steering committee members include:
-- Patrick McDonnell (Chair), Acting Secretary, DEP
-- Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming) (Chair), Chesapeake Bay Commission
-- Karl Brown, Executive Secretary, State Conservation Commission
-- Cindy Dunn, Secretary, Conservation and Natural Resources
-- Carlton Haywood, Executive Director, Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin
-- Paul Marchetti, Executive Director, PA Infrastructure Investment Authority
-- Russell Redding, Secretary, Department of Agriculture
-- Work group co-chairs (to be identified at this meeting)
The meeting will be held in room 105 of the Rachel Carson State Office Building in
Harrisburg from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and is open to the public.
The steering committee will meet again on May 8.
A day long listening event for public input on Pennsylvanias Chesapeake Bay Watershed
pollutant reduction planning is scheduled for June 5.
For more information, visit DEPs Watershed Implementation Plans and Chesapeake Bay
Program Office webpages.
NewsClips:
Editorial: Saving The Chesapeake Bay
Crable: Columbia High Students Tackle Hands-On Lessons By Raising Trout
Another Scranton Homeowner Sues City Claiming Stormwater Damage
Rain Causes Stormwater Problems In Scranton
Bay Journal: Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper Hangs It Up For Politics
Editorial: Pass RECLAIM Mine Reclamation Initiative In Congress
Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal
Click Here to subscribe to the Chesapeake Bay Journal
Follow Chesapeake Bay Journal On Twitter
Like Chesapeake Bay Journal On Facebook
Related Stories:
Proposed Trump Cuts To State Grants Will Cripple DEP, Cause Drastic Fee Increases
Gov. Wolf Proposes New Budget With Little New For The Environment
CBF-PA: Wolfs Budget Lacks Adequate Investments To Meet PAs Clean Water Commitments
DCNR Names The Watershed Farm, Westmoreland County, Green Park Award Winner
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Tuesday announced
The Watershed Farm in Westmoreland County is the
recipient of the 2017 Green Park Award for its
demonstrated commitment to water resource
protection, habitat creation and connecting people to
nature.
Whether it is education or preservation,
6
plantings or parking, this 123-acre Westmoreland County farm emerges as a pure, shining gem,
said Dunn. For its demonstrated green and sustainable practices, The Watershed Farm is most
deserving of the third annual Green Park Award.
The secretary joined other state and local parks and recreation officials in presenting the
award to the Loyalhanna Watershed Association at a luncheon hosted by the PA Recreation and
Parks Society at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey.
Its exciting to see that this years Green Park Award winner has made a commitment to
sustainability by incorporating green and sustainable practices in all of the Green Park Award
criteria areas, Dunn said. Much like DCNR, The Watershed Farm is home to facilities that
employ the ideals of the LEED rating system, and it is a showcase property for practices in
environmental stewardship, water conservation and natural Landscaping, including 150-foot
riparian forest buffers around the farms streams and wetlands.
Co-sponsored by DCNR and the PRPS, the award recognizes statewide excellence in a
public park community that demonstrates green and sustainable practices. Judges include DCNR
staff from the departments bureaus of Recreation and Conservation and State Parks, the
secretarys office, and PRPS.
The award was accepted at the luncheon by Susan L. Huba, executive director of the
Loyalhanna Watershed Association, and Linda LaRue and Corliss Aukerman, association
volunteers. The Loyalhanna Watershed Association owns and operates the property.
The Loyalhanna Watershed Association was excited to complete The Watershed Farm
Project as a conservation asset for our community thanks to many friends and partnering
organizations, without whom the project would not have been possible, said Huba. To be
recognized by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources with this award is truly an
honor, as it exemplifies all The Watershed Farm represents through adaptive reuse, green
practices and environmental stewardship.
Restored as a family farm landscape, The Watershed Farm is a 123-acre property that is
home to a refurbished bank barn, the original brick farmhouse and a 4-acre wetland.
The bank barn now serves as the Nimick Family Education Center, allowing staff to
provide environmental programming to nearly 1,000 students and community groups each year.
Over 1,700 native trees and shrubs were planted to create 150-foot riparian forest buffers
around the waterways and wetland. Gardens on the farm host numerous pollinator-friendly
plants, bee boxes and bat boxes. A permeable parking area, two rain gardens and natural swales
promote infiltration and reduce erosion from storm water.
The Watershed Farm is also host to the popular Ligonier Country Market every Saturday
from May to October.
For more information, visit DCNRs Green and Sustainable Park Initiative webpage.
NewsClips:
Loyalhanna Watershed Farm Honored For Green, Sustainable Practices
Shawnee State Park Awarded Park Of The Year By Parks & Forests Foundation
SBA Honors Denver, PA Gypsum-Recycling Company
PA Assn. Of Environmental Educators 2017 Award Recipients Honored
The PA Association of Environmental Educators honored the winners of its
7
2017 Awards at its annual conference in mid-March. PAEE recognized individuals and
programs in several categories--
Keystone Award
Ruth Roperti, past president of PAEE, was recognized with the Keystone Award which
recognizes an educator who has dedicated their life to advancing the quality and opportunity for
environmental education in Pennsylvania. (photo)
Ruth was nominated by her long-time colleague, Jane Conrad, for her commitment to
environmental education as a classroom teacher, grant writer, longtime PAEE board member,
and volunteer with the Moraine Preservation Fund and numerous other environmental
organizations.
While President of PAEE, she was instrumental in expanding the reach of the Project
WET & Project Learning Tree programs, and growing PAEE's networks through partnerships
with various regional, state and national organizations including the North American Association
for Environmental Education, Mid-Atlantic Regional Assessment, & EE Capacity Project.
Ruth remains a steady force to promote and advance environmental education
opportunities throughout Pennsylvania. Click Here to read more about Ruth.
Outstanding Environmental Ed Program
The Wildlands Conservancys Wild About Learning Program is the winner of this
years Outstanding Environmental Education program.
The program was nominated for it's nature-based, in-school program, that runs biweekly
from October to June and includes 15 school visits and 2 field trips to the Pool Wildlife
Sanctuary.
First grade classrooms in each of the United Way's Priority Schools receive this grant
funded program that combines hands-on discovery, field experiences, wildlife presentations and
nature-themed books.
This approach links nonfiction themes and fictional materials to enhance concepts and
understanding and, ultimately, improve reading skills. Click Here to read more about the
program.
Outstanding Environmental Educator
Jennifer Brooks from Berks County Parks & Recreation Department is the recipient of
the Outstanding Environmental Educator Award.
She is currently stationed at the Angora Fruit Farm at Antietam Lake Park, which is
situated in the middle of 665 acres of protected parkland. She has developed the site from
scratch, tailoring it to their education departments needs.
What once was an old, overgrown orchard is now an amazing outdoor classroom with a
butterfly house, organic childrens vegetable garden, natural play area, floating wetlands, and an
enchanted forest.
She offers hands-on programs to the public, as well as to public, private schools, and
other groups. Click Here to read more about Jennifer.
Daisy S. Klinedinst Memorial Award
Jenni Urban, an intern with the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve in Westmoreland County is
the winner of the Daisy S. Klinedinst Memorial Award which recognizes educators with fewer than 5
years of experience in the field.
Jenni is a real asset to WPNR's Environmental Education programming, outreach, and
support. She is regularly entrusted to plan, organize, and teach EE programs from preschool
students through adults and she does a phenomenal job.
8
She is also often responsible for the care of our education animals, a docent at the Reserve
front desk, and involved in the planning of many large events, including Westmoreland Earth Day
and Nature Night Out. Click Here to read more about Jenni.
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the PA
Association of Environmental Educators website.
NewsClips:
Science Expo For Do-Gooders At Phillys Northeast High School
DEP, PennDOT Receive National Recognition From Keep America Beautiful
The departments of Environmental

Protection and Transportation were two of
13 Keep America Beautiful State Agency
Partner Award recipients at the annual Keep
America Beautiful National Awards
Ceremony in January for their support of the
Great American Cleanup of PA.
The award recognizes state agency
partners for their support of Keep America
Beautiful state affiliates like Keep
Pennsylvania Beautiful through partnership
projects and the value Keep America Beautiful places on public-private partnerships.
Keep America Beautifuls National Awards celebrates some of our countrys most
dedicated community leaders representatives from our affiliates and partner organizations,
said Mike Rosen, Keep America Beautiful senior vice president, marketing and communications,
who served as emcee of the event. Its my privilege to recognize such valuable, mission-based
work that our state agency partners achieve with their respective Keep America Beautiful state
affiliate partners to help communities become more environmentally healthy and economically
sound.
Through their individual and collaborative actions, volunteers are significantly helping
to eliminate and prevent pollution to our lands and waters, DEP Acting Secretary Patrick
McDonnell said. By adopting local roads and parks, they really do help beautify our green
spaces. Were pleased to be an annual sponsor of the Great American Cleanup of PA.
We are very pleased to have been honored with the 2016 State Agency Partnership
Award, said PennDOT Secretary, Leslie S. Richards. Our dedicated staff and enthusiastic
volunteers are truly at the heart of this important endeavor.
We are grateful for the support of our state agencies. PennDOT provides tremendous
support to Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful through its Adopt-A-Highway program, utilizing its
network of 7,500 AAH groups to promote the Great American Cleanup of PA and plays a critical
role in distributing cleanup supplies, said Shannon Reiter, President, Keep Pennsylvania
Beautiful. The Department of Environmental Protection continues to provide program funding
and is integral to the success of the Great American Cleanup of PA and our organization as a
whole.
9
Keep PA Beautiful and local affiliates working in 14 counties also earned national
recognition at the same Conference.
Click Here for a complete list of National Awards recipients.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep
Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them
on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.
Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up
communities and keep them clean and KPBs new Electronics Waste website.
Sign up now for the 2017 Great American Cleanup of PA and set up your own cleanup
and beautification event through May 31.
(Photo: Shannon Reiter, Keep PA Beautiful President presents KAB Partnership Award to
Patrick McDonnell, DEP Acting Secretary and Carl Wesneski, PennDOT Roadway Program
Coordinator.)
NewsClips:
Reports Of Illegal Dumping Rise, Can Philly Bring New Solutions To Old Problem?
Sign Up Now For City Of Harrisburg Litter Cleanup April 22
Related Story:
Keep PA Beautiful, Local Affiliates Working In 14 Counties Earn National Recognition
PA Environment Digest Google+ Circle, Blogs, Twitter Feeds
PA Environment Digest now has a Google+ Circle called Green Works In PA. Let us join your
Circle.
Google+ now combines all the news you now get through the PA Environment Digest,
Weekly, Blog, Twitter and Video sites into one resource.
Youll receive as-it-happens postings on Pennsylvania environmental news, daily
NewsClips and links to the weekly Digest and videos.
Also take advantage of these related services from Crisci Associates--
PA Environment Digest Twitter Feed: On Twitter, sign up to receive instant news updates.
PA Environment Daily Blog: provides daily environmental NewsClips and significant stories
and announcements on environmental topics in Pennsylvania of immediate value. Sign up and
receive as they are posted updates through your favorite RSS reader. You can also sign up for a
once daily email alerting you to new items posted on this blog. NEW! Add your constructive
comment to any blog posting.
PA Environment - The Feds: site is intended to be a single point of reference for changing
federal environmental policy and personnel that have an impact on Pennsylvania environmental
issues and programs.
PA Capitol Digest Daily Blog to get updates every day on Pennsylvania State Government,
10
including NewsClips, coverage of key press conferences and more. Sign up and receive as they
are posted updates through your favorite RSS reader. You can also sign up for a once daily
email alerting you to new items posted on this blog.
PA Capitol Digest Twitter Feed: Don't forget to sign up to receive the PA Capitol Digest
Twitter feed to get instant updates on other news from in and around the Pennsylvania State
Capitol.
Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule [Updated] /Govs 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--
Bill Calendars
House (April 3): House Resolution 84 (Ryan-R-Lebanon) congratulating the PA National

Guards environmental office on winning first place in the Sustainability Team in the 2016 Army
National Guard Environmental Awards Contest (sponsor summary). <> Click Here for full
House Bill Calendar.
Senate (April 18): Senate Bill 50 (Greenleaf-R-Montgomery) further providing for notice of
flood history in home sales disclosures (sponsor summary). <> Click Here for full Senate Bill
Calendar.
Committee Meeting Agendas This Week
House: the Labor and Industry Committee meets to consider House Bill 409
(Evankovich-R-Allegheny) makes fundamental changes to the method of adopting updates to the
Uniform Construction Code (sponsor summary); the Consumer Affairs Committee holds a
hearing on PA One Call utility location safety program. <> Click Here for full House
Committee Schedule.
Senate: <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.
Bills Pending In Key Committees
Check the PA Environmental Council Bill Tracker for the status and updates on pending state
legislation and regulations that affect environmental and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.
Here are links to key Standing Committees in the House and Senate and the bills pending in
each--
House
Appropriations
11
Education
Environmental Resources and Energy
Consumer Affairs
Gaming Oversight
Human Services
Judiciary
Liquor Control
Transportation
Links for all other Standing House Committees
Senate
Appropriations
Environmental Resources and Energy
Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
Community, Economic and Recreational Development
Education
Judiciary
Law and Justice
Public Health and Welfare
Transportation
Links for all other Standing Senate Committees
Bills Introduced
The following bills of interest were introduced this week--
Listing DEP Permits: House Bill 1003 (Ortitay-R-Allegheny) requiring DEP to list all its
permits in the PA Bulletin and online (sponsor summary). Billed as a way to streamline DEP
permitting, it does nothing of the sort. It only makes the PA Bulletin bigger and adds more
costs. Apparently the sponsor never saw DEPs existing online DEP Permit Application
Consultation Tool that leads potential applicants through a series of questions to answer the basic
question of What Environmental Permits Do I Need For My Project?
Recycling Fee: Sen. Thomas Killion (R-Delaware) Wednesday circulated a co-sponsor memo to
his colleagues inviting them to co-sponsor legislation to eliminate the 2020 sunset date on the
$2/ton recycling fee that supports Act 101 recycling grants and programs.
Session Schedule
Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--
Senate [Updated]
April 18, 19, 24, 25, 26
May 8, 9, 10, 22, 23, 24
June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
12
House
April 3, 4, 5 , 18, 19, 24, 25, & 26
May 8, 9, 10, 22, 23, & 24
June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, & 30
Governors Schedule
Gov. Tom Wolf's work calendar will be posted each Friday and his public schedule for the day
will be posted each morning. Click Here to view Gov. Wolfs Weekly Calendar and Public
Appearances.
Senate/House Bills Moving
The following bills of interest saw action this week in the House and Senate--
Senate
Fish Commission Fees: Senate Bill 30 (Eichelberger-R-Blair) authorizing the Fish and Boat
Commission to set its own fees was passed by the Senate and now goes to the House for action.
A Senate Fiscal Note and summary is available.
Game Commission Fees: Senate Bill 192 (Stefano-R-Fayette) authorizing the Game
Commission to set its own fees was passed by the Senate and now goes to the House for action.
A Senate Fiscal Note and summary is available.
The Feds
PUC Urges Preservation Of Federal Heating Assistance, Weatherization Programs
The Public Utility Commission Thursday sent a letter to members of Pennsylvanias

Congressional delegation to continue federal funding for the Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP).
Recommendations to eliminate funding for both of these programs are included in the
President Trumps preliminary budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018.
The Commissioners letter notes that LIHEAP assists approximately 345,000 low-income
Pennsylvania residents, helping to reduce high winter heating bills. Additionally, WAP funding
provides energy efficient improvements for high-risk and high-use consumers; helping
approximately 1,500 households per year reduce their energy costs and improve their quality of
life.
The Commissioners emphasized that the LIHEAP and WAP programs are critical parts of
the safety net for vulnerable consumers helping older residents, struggling families, and
individuals living with disabilities stay warm and safe during the winter months.
Their letter encourages Congress to continue funding at least at the current level.
The Commissioners joined with Gov. Wolf and others in supporting retention of these
13
important programs.
A copy of the letter is available online.
NewsClips:
PUC Asks Congress To Ignore Trump Budget On LIHEAP, Weatherization
Why Updating Pennsylvanias Building Codes Are Important, Act Now
Phillys $1 Billion Green Jobs Plan Slowly Taking Shape
Scranton Schools To Receive Energy Upgrade
How To Lower Your Energy Bill
Trumps Energy Efficiency Cuts Would Exact Hefty Price
Related Stories:
Wolf Opposes Trump Proposal To Eliminate LIHEAP Home Heating Assistance Funding
Wolf Administration Extends LIHEAP Home Heating Assistance Deadline To April 7
Bipartisan RECLAIM Reintroduced In Congress To Cleanup Abandoned Mine Lands
Monday a bipartisan group of legislators in

Washington reintroduced legislation in Congress
known as the RECLAIM Act that would expedite
much-needed funding from the Abandoned Mine
Land Trust Fund for projects that restore mine-scarred
land and enhance local economic development in coal
field communities.
The bill-- H.R. 1731 (Rogers-R-KY)-- has a
companion in the U.S. Senate S.728
(McConnell-R-KY) in the Senate
The RECLAIM Act follows the successful implementation of the AML Pilot Project that
was enacted in the 2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill.
That $90 million pilot spearheaded in Pennsylvania ($30 million), West Virginia, and
Kentucky provided coal communities with grants to reclaim abandoned mine lands with
economic development purposes in mind, create new job opportunities, and stimulate the local
economy.
No new revenues are provided by this effort. The funding that would be provided through
the RECLAIM Act already exists in the Abandoned Mine Land Trust Fund that was established
in 1977 to help states saddled with the legacy of abandoned mine lands and polluted waters.
In Pennsylvania alone, the cost to remediate that legacy exceeds several billion dollars.
Since its adoption, the Trust Fund has leveraged additional funds by nearly a two to
one margin extraordinary private and public investment within the Commonwealth.
The RECLAIM Act builds on that momentum by accelerating funding out of the Trust
Fund and creates a win-win scenario for the Commonwealth by enabling economic development
and job growth resulting from remediation.
The PA Environmental Council, the Eastern and Western PA Coalitions for Abandoned
Mine Reclamation, the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds and many other organizations
strongly support this legislation. PEC has long been a proponent of continuation of the Trust
Fund and its programs.
14
Members of the PA Coalitions for Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation thanked
Congressmen Thompson and Cartwright from Pennsylvania for their support for the federal
RECLAIM Act.
Representative Thompson, whose district contains the largest number of unrestored
abandoned mine sites in the nation, knows all too well how these damaged lands hinder
economic opportunity in the coal fields, said John Dawes, executive director of the Foundation
for Pennsylvania Watershed. RECLAIM would put out-of-work coal miners back to work
restoring abandoned mine lands and readying them for uses that will attract business and create
permanent jobs.
We are ready to go, and greatly appreciate Congressman Cartwrights ongoing support
of our work, said Robert Hughes executive director of the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for
Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR). EPCAMR and other reclamation-related groups
have successfully completed abandoned mine land reclamation and mine drainage cleanup
projects for decades. We already have the expertise, partnerships, and a long list of projects
ready to be implemented. These projects will improve our regions economic attractiveness,
bring dead acres of land and streams back to life, and create sustainable jobs for those displaced
by coal mine and coal-fired power plant closings and coal company bankruptcies. All we need is
the boost in funding that RECLAIM would deliver directly to our communities to help us
leverage other funds to create a just transition in our under-served coalfields of Pennsylvania.
Our region and local economies are hurting and are in need of a jump-start to turn our black
banks and orange streams into more productive greener landscapes and cleaner watersheds to
improve our quality of life in the coalfields.
"Reclamation of abandoned mine sites has been an integral part of our organizations
work since we were founded in 1994, said Bev Braverman, executive director of Mountain
Watershed Association. In the 125-square-mile Indian Creek watershed there are over 130
known mine discharges which foul water, contaminate private drinking water supplies, and
hinder tourism and economic development. Our vision is to treat the 11 worst discharges in the
watershed which will result in restoration of over 95 percent of Indian Creek. Our analysis has
shown that every dollar invested in mine drainage cleanup in the Indian Creek watershed results
in a $2.40 return to the local economy in terms of recreational fishing alone. Clean water makes
good economic sense, and the RECLAIM Act promises to help expedite this vital work."
We look forward to Congressmen Thompsons and Cartwrights leadership in building
further support among Pennsylvanias Congressional delegation as well as their colleagues in
other coal mining states, said Dawes. And we stand ready to ensure this legislation helps the
communities its intended to help and get RECLAIM through Congress to President Trumps
desk.
Click Here to read an op-ed on the RECLAIM proposal by EPCAMR.
You can learn more about those projects and their benefits, visit DEPs AMR Pilot
Program webpage, and listen to a recent episode of the PA Environmental Councils
Pennsylvania Legacies podcast.
PEC urges you to contact your member of Congress and convey your support for these
important bills.
Reauthorize AML Fee
Also on the table in Congress is reauthorization of the federal Abandoned Mine
Reclamation Fee which is the source of revenue for the RECLAIM and federal Abandoned Mine
15
Reclamation Program. The fees are set to expire in 2021.
The Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation is participating in
the national effort to reauthorize SMCRA by collaborating with States and Tribes to establish a
grassroots campaign and publish tools for citizens, non-profits, and legislators to use for
advocating for abandoned mine reclamation.
Click Here for a presentation by WPCAMR on fee reauthorization. Click Here for a
video on reauthorization. Questions should be directed to Andy McAllister, WPCAMR, by
calling by 724-832-3625 or send email to: andy@wpcamr.org.
(Photo: Eastern Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation.)
NewsClip:
Related Stories:
Op-Ed: EPCAMR: Federal RECLAIM Act Can Help In Reshaping Northeast PAs Economy
Wolf: $30M Pilot Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Economic Development Program
Campaign Starting Now To Reauthorize Federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fee
News From The Capitol
Sen. Killion To Introduce Bill To Eliminate Sunset Date On $2 Recycling Fee
Sen. Thomas Killion (R-Delaware) Wednesday circulated a co-sponsor

memo to his colleagues inviting them to co-sponsor legislation to
eliminate the 2020 sunset date on the $2/ton recycling fee that supports
Act 101 recycling grants and programs.
The Act established a $2-per-ton fee on all waste disposed at
municipal waste landfills and waste-to-energy facilities, established
grants for local collection programs, public education, materials
processing and composting facilities, equipment and technical training,
said Sen. Killion. This fee is set to sunset in the near future. As a
result of the sunset provision, recycling program agreements that are up
for renewal with the Commonwealth are not being renewed.
Today, more than 11.6 million residents, at least 94 percent of the
state's population, have access to recycling. About 79 percent have convenient access to
recycling through about 1,050 curbside pickup programs, explained Sen. Killion.
The Department of Environmental Protection has stopped accepting new applications for
Act 101 Recycling Implementation Grants until the issue with the sunset of the recycling fee is
resolved.
The $2/ton fee is projected to bring in about $38 million in FY 2016-17. $9 million of
that revenue was transferred to the state General Fund this year to help balance the state budget.
(page H69)
The Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania, PA Resources Council, PA Environmental
Council and many other groups are supporting reauthorization of the fee.
A number of groups, including the PA Resources Council and Rep. John Maher
(R-Allegheny), Majority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee,
16
have suggested the now 29 year-old Act 101 Recycling Act is in need of an overhaul.
The law as it exists today sets a very low bar, because that bar was a very high bar in
1988, said Justin Stockdale, regional director of the PA Resources Council in Pittsburgh.
That's the nature of public policy. It was a very progressive, cutting-edge piece of legislation
back then, the first of its kind in the nation.
Sometimes you need an element within the greater subject that creates a sense of
urgency, Rep. Maher said. It's time for us to revisit and update this law. If we're going to have
the fee, it becomes a question of, What's the fee for? What are we trying to accomplish?'
For more information on Act 101 and recycling in Pennsylvania, visit DEPs Recycling
In PA webpage.
E-Waste Recycling
Another recycling issue needing attention is the states 7-year old electronics waste
recycling law that law bans the disposal of CRTs and other electronic waste in landfills and
established an electronics recycling program that collects CRTs and other products for recycling
to be paid for, within certain limits, by electronics manufacturers.
At a hearing in March 2016 by the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and
Conservation Committee, everyone involved in the program from local governments to recyclers
said the law does not work and needs to be fixed because electronics manufacturers were not
paying for all the material being collected.
An effort to get stakeholders to agree on a fix last session spearheaded by Rep. Chris
Ross (R-Chester), now retired, failed, though not for lack of trying.
Sen. Richard Alloway (R-Franklin) circulated a co-sponsor memo to his colleagues in
February announcing his intent to introduce legislation to fix the law.
There are also a number of discussions going on in the House on the issue.
So, electronics waste recycling will also be on the agenda of the General Assembly this
year, as it was last session.
For more information on the electronics recycling program, visit DEPs Covered Device
Recycling Act webpage.
NewsClips:
PAs Recycling Fee Nears Expiration, State Eyes Overhaul
Allentown E-Waste Recycling Company Is Sold
Few Aware Of 3.8M Pounds Of CRT Waste Stored By Nulife In Grove City
Nulife Forced To Remove Tons Of TVs, Monitors From Erie Area Warehouses
Judge Hears Arguments In Keystone Landfill Expansion Case
DEP Confirms Leachate Spill At Keystone Landfill
Editorial: NE PA Needs Federal TRASH Act To Limit Waste Imports
Pen Argyl Opposes Proposed Slate Belt Sludge-Conversion Plant
Related Stories:
PROP Begins Work On Reauthorizing Act 101 Recycling Fee To Expire In 2020
DEP Orders Nulife To Remove 17 Million Pounds Of Cathode Ray Tubes Not Recycled
[March 31, 2017]
Legislative Forestry Task Force Issues 2015-16 Report, Recommendations
17
The Legislative Forestry Task Force Tuesday issued its 2015-16 report done pursuant to Senate
Resolution 55 (Hutchinson-R-Venango) of 2015 to make recommendations related to public and
private forest lands and practices.
Specifically, the 15-page Task Force report makes recommendations in four areas--
-- The implications of DCNRs revised State Forest Resource Management Plan--
-- Require the inclusion of a fiscal note to accompany State Forest Resources
Management Plan programs to provide increased transparency of program costs.
-- Require routine monitoring and evaluation to gauge the effectiveness of the programs
outlined in the State Forest Resources Management Plan.
-- Support the continued use of the Game Commissions Deer Management Assistance
Program on DCNR forestland to help meet land use goals.
-- Create incentives for resource developers to participate in voluntary invasive species
early detection surveys
-- The impact of pests and invasive species on Pennsylvanias forestry industry, as well as
the impact to overall forest health--
-- Support legislation similar to the Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Act, introduced
by Sen. David Argall (R-Schuylkill) in the previous session-- Senate Bill 1110. This Act updates
the current list of noxious weeds and forms the Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Committee,
which will be able to add and delete plants from the list following risk assessments and studies.
-- Consider adding a tier of invasive plants that require labeling prior to commercial sale.
-- Establish biosecurity training for commercial importers including invasive species risk
education and reporting procedures.
-- Create an emergency response fund which would allow for a flexible reaction to
immediate threats posed by invasive species. Early response prevents costly eradication or slow
the spread programs in the future.
-- The regulatory relationship between the States forestry industry, local governments and
county conservation districts--
-- Guidance materials developed by DEP, Penn State University and other partners are
critical for the forest products industry to remain in compliance. The materials listed below
should be updated without delay: Erosion and Sediment Control Plan for a Timber Harvesting
Operation; Timber Harvest Operations Field Guide for Waterways, Wetlands and Erosion
Control; Professional Timber Harvesters Action Packet.
-- Amend the ACRE law to shorten the time frame in which the Office of the Attorney
General will respond to requests for legal review. Consider the need for additional resources to
deal with an expedited case load within the Office of the Attorney General.
-- Promote the historical Local Conservation District operating model of educating the
public and industry, providing technical assistance for environmental law compliance and
solving problems.
-- Encourage conservation districts and local governments to review Penn State
Universitys model ordinance to prevent unlawful restrictions on forestry operations.
-- Encourage ongoing forest product industry involvement with Conservation Districts.
-- The decline in qualified timber harvesters and other related occupations--
-- Meeting with representatives from the insurance industry as well as the Insurance
Department in future task force meetings to understand workers compensation structures and
other issues facing employers, employees and independent contractors.
18
-- Develop forestry programs and curricula for high schools and vocational technical
schools to foster youth interest in forestry occupations.
-- Introduce a resolution urging Congress to reexamine OSHA regulations as they relate
to logging, recognizing the roles that minors could safely fill while introducing them to career
opportunities in the timber harvesting industry.
A copy of the report is available online.
The Legislative Forestry Task Force operates under the Joint Legislative Air and Water
Pollution Control and Conservation Committee.
Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango) serves as Chair of the Joint Conservation
Committee.
For more information, visit the Joint Conservation Committee website, Like them on
Facebook or Follow them on Twitter. Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the
Committee.
NewsClips:
Watershed Groups To Plant Trees Along Turtle Creek In Monroeville
Scientists Fighting To Keep Out Invasive Lanternfly
What Can We Blame For The Surge In Lyme Disease?
Forest Fire Lookout Towers Help First Responders Keep Watch
Forest Fire Lookout Towers To Be Replaced In Wyoming County
Op-Ed: Nuclear Energy-A Keystone For Pennsylvanias Economy And Environment
By: Sen. Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster), Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Rep. Becky Corbin
(R-Chester), Rep. Rob Matzie (D-Allegheny) Co-Chairs of the PA Nuclear Energy Caucus
Pennsylvanias energy history is a rich landscape of

innovation and technological breakthroughs that have
helped advance our Commonwealth and the country.
From its earliest founding days, the Commonwealth has
pioneered energy sources that have helped the state grow
and prosper.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in Shippingport,
Pennsylvania where Duquesne Light Company started the
Shippingport Atomic Power Station in 1957 - a first-of-its kind nuclear power generating facility
designed solely for peacetime utility use.
From those early beginnings and in the decades that followed, Pennsylvania supported
the nuclear industry as it became a foundation for energy grid reliability, economic vitality and
carbon-free electricity.
Today, Pennsylvanias five nuclear power plants generate a staggering 35 percent of the
states electricity, employ thousands of people and contribute billions of dollars in the state
through taxes, payroll and direct and indirect spending.
Pennsylvanians dont always give thought to where the power comes from, as long as the
lights come on when we flick the switch. Perhaps more importantly, we dont always consider
19
what would happen if one form of electricity supply just went away.
We want to make sure that members of the General Assembly and others understand the
value and importance of nuclear power.
That is why we have joined together Democrats and Republicans in a bipartisan,
bicameral fashion to launch the Nuclear Energy Caucus. We believe that the unique role that
nuclear power plays and the benefits it offers to Pennsylvania need to be recognized and more
easily understood.
Nuclear energy is a clean, safe, reliable and affordable source of electricity that helps
power the economy, and achieve Pennsylvanias environmental goals.
For example, nuclear stations support more than 15,600 direct and secondary full-time
jobs, have an annual payroll of $360 million, and lead to about $81 million in tax revenue from
secondary/induced economic activity from plant and employee activities.
The nuclear energy industry also purchases more than $1.8 billion of materials, services
and fuel from more than 4,150 companies in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvanias nuclear plants
contribute approximately $2.36 billion to the states gross domestic product (GDP).
Additionally, nuclear power plants prevent substantial emissions from CO2, SO2, and
NOx. Average annual CO2 emissions would be about 52 million tons greater absent the
generation from Pennsylvania nuclear plants.
This Caucus will provide members with an opportunity to better learn, recognize and
support the zero carbon emission qualities of nuclear energy, which coupled with its ability to
provide baseload, or continuous, capacity make it an incredibly beneficial form of electricity.
Our collective goal is to have a continuing, ongoing dialogue about Pennsylvanias
nuclear assets.
As we look around the country, there is little doubt that nuclear energy sources like
many other resources are struggling.
Since 2013, five nuclear stations have ceased power production and begun
decommissioning, with another seven plants already announced that they plan to close by 2019,
in addition to two other plants planning to shutter four more reactors by 2025.
All of the events, coupled with Pennsylvanias status as a top nuclear power producer,
invite us to have a timely and important discussion on the valuable role that nuclear power
plays in the Commonwealths economy and environment.
To that end, we look forward to working on policies that promote all of Pennsylvanias
energy resources, including nuclear energy.
(Photo: Exelon, Three Mile Island, Dauphin County)
NewsClips:
Swift: Nuclear Energy Caucus Forms In Challenging Times
FirstEnergy Exec Calls For Urgent Nuclear Power Plant Bailout
Activists Ask NY Governor To Halt Nuclear Plant Subsidies
As Coal, Nuclear Plants Shutter, PJM Eyes Energy Grids Future
AP: Ripples From U.S. Nuclear Plant Closings Overwhelm Small Towns
PJM Says More Natural Gas Power Generation Wont Hurt Reliability
PJM Study Finds Electric Grid Can Remain Reliable With More Gas, Renewables
PJM: Growth Of Natural Gas No Threat To Power Grids Reliability
Report: Regional Power Grid Can Handle Much More Gas, Renewables
Electric Grid Operator Questions Reliability In Shift To Gas-Powered Generation
20
Toshiba Approves Westinghouse Bankruptcy Filing
Cash-Strapped Westinghouse Sees Hope In Service, Fuels
Related Story:
Feature- Remembering The Accident At Three Mile Island, 3:53 a.m., March 28, 1979
Senate Bill Would Require Approval Of Regulations By The General Assembly, Governor
Sen. John DiSanto (R-Dauphin) Tuesday announced he has introduced

legislation-- Senate Bill 561-- to prohibit regulations with an economic
impact of $1 million or more from being imposed without approval by the
General Assembly and Governor.
Under the measure, no regulation with an economic impact or cost to
the Commonwealth, to its political subdivisions, and to the private sector
exceeding $1 million could be imposed without approval of the General
Assembly and Governor.
The bill requires the Independent Fiscal Office to verify any cost
estimates prior to submitting the regulation for review by the Independent
Regulatory Review Commission. In 2015, that would have meant 74 regulations, according to
the IRRC.
The IRRC reviewed 32 final regulations in 2015 which the General Assembly would be
required to approve under this legislation.
The bill makes no mention of any review of the potential benefits a regulation may
generate.
This legislation is needed to strengthen political accountability for regulatory policy and
protect our economy from undue burdens on business and job creation, Sen. DiSanto said.
Currently, the regulatory review process requires the General Assembly to pass a concurrent
resolution disapproving a regulation. However, the Governor must sign the disapproval
resolution to bar his own agencies from enacting the regulation, the senator noted.
Reversing this process and requiring concurrent resolutions of approval will reinforce
the constitutions balance of powers. While the General Assembly delegates legal authority to
executive agencies, it is essential that the General Assembly have the final say on legislative
intent for economically significant regulations, he said.
I was sent to Harrisburg to protect taxpayers and employers from the growing burden of
state government and to encourage entrepreneurialism and job growth, Sen. DiSanto said.
These measures are just two of the steps necessary to restore government that serves the people,
instead of the other way around.
The bill was referred to the Senate Rules and Executive Nominations Committee since
the bill amends the Regulatory Review Act.
A sponsor summary is available.
DEPs Existing Online What Permit Do I Need? Tool Much Better Than Proposed Bill
Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Allegheny) introduced House Bill 1003 Monday requiring DEP to list all
21
its permits in the PA Bulletin and online as a way to streamline DEP permitting (sponsor
summary).
DEP has promulgated a wide variety of permits that applicants must apply for and be
granted before initiating projects. However, there is NO single compendium of any and all
permits available under the DEP, said Rep. Ortitay in his co-sponsor memo. We contend that
there should be a single location in The Pennsylvania Bulletin that outlines each and every
permit available under DEP and that the information should also contain the timelines set to
secure these permits and the statutory and regulatory authority for each of these permits.
This information should also be set forth in a navigable, easy to use DEP website,
explained Rep. Ortitay. We direct DEP to compile, organize and list all of these permits, along
with relevant timelines and proper statutory and regulatory authority.
Actually, DEP already has a much better approach to this issue than simply listing its
permits because it answers the right question-- What Environmental Permits Do I Need For My
Project? without the additional cost of printing hundreds of pages in the PA Bulletin as Rep.
Ortitay proposed.
DEPs existing online DEP Permit Application Consultation Tool leads potential permit
applicants through a series of questions to answer the question-- What Environmental Permits
Do I Need For My Project?
In fact, this language from DEPs online tool looks very much like the language in the
bill introduced by Rep. Ortitay--
After starting the tool, the user will be presented with a series of questions about their
project. Based on those responses, the tool will generate a report that provides further
information on permits, authorizations, or notifications that may be necessary. The report will
also provide references that can be consulted for further information about the applicability of
identified requirements, as well as links to application forms and relevant instructions.
The DEP tool, however, goes one step further, Once the results have been reviewed, the
department encourages the user to schedule a pre-application conference. To assist in this
process, the tool will automatically be forwarded the report to the appropriate Assistant Regional
Director (ARD) or District Mining Office (DMO).
Perhaps a better approach might be to give DEP more funding to make its existing tool
better rather than make the PA Bulletin hundreds of pages longer.
For more information, visit DEPs DEP Permit Application Consultation Tool webpage.
News From Around The State
Want To Be An Ambassador For Water Issues In Philadelphia? Tell Us Why
Are you interested in helping communities in Philadelphia

learn more about protecting local watersheds through projects
that make neighborhoods greener, more vibrant places to live,
learn, work and play?
You could be the Philadelphia Water Departments new
Outreach Ambassador! The deadline to apply is April 19.
Become an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer with the
22
Philadelphia Water Department and serve in a year-long position that focuses on expanding
Green City, Clean Waters outreach in Philadelphia neighborhoods and supporting other
water-related initiatives that help our communities.
Our ideal candidate has a passion for protecting the environment and improving the
quality of life in Philadelphia neighborhoods. We believe arming citizens with knowledge
empowers them to advocate for smart infrastructure investment in their neighborhood and allows
them to help others get the most out of City services.
We want our Outreach Ambassador to bring energy to a job that requires engaging people
from a variety of backgrounds around complex issues like stormwater runoff pollution, green
infrastructure, low-income assistance programs and water quality concerns.
Every day, youll work with the Philadelphia Water Department team to build public
support for environmental investments by empowering residents to become Green City, Clean
Waters ambassadors within their community.
Click Here to fill out an application. Click Here for the complete announcement.
NewsClips:
Rain Barrels Keep Gardens Green, Reduce Rainwater Runoff, PRC Workshops
SRBC, DEP Partner On Water Loss Management Training For Drinking Water Systems
The Susquehanna River Basin Commissions Public

Water Supply Assistance Program by partnering with
the Department of Environmental Protection Operator
Outreach Assistance Program to present a three-part
instructional series on Water Loss Management in
April, July and August.
Many public water suppliers in Pennsylvania deliver
water to customers through aging distribution systems.
Water systems withdraw, treat and supply water for
which they may not be fully compensated because of
metering and billing inaccuracies or leakage.
To deal with aging infrastructure, public water supply systems should evaluate how and
where to focus capital improvements for the greatest return on investment dollars.
To help public water suppliers maximize revenue, conserve water resources and improve
operations, the Commission and DEP are offering a series of three workshops on the following
dates:
-- April 11: In-Depth Training in Water Loss Auditing using the AWWA Free Water Audit
Software;
-- July 12: Controlling Water Utility Apparent Losses in Metering and Billing Operations; and
-- August 16: Fundamentals of Leakage and Pressure Management for Water Utilities.
The Commission is pleased to be able to partner with PADEP and provide this valuable
training that will assist small water suppliers in completing high quality evaluations of their
23
systems, said Andrew Dehoff, Executive Director of the Commission. He added, It is our
belief that workshop attendees will walk away with the knowledge and tools to address water
losses and improve system revenue.
The workshops are being offered free of charge and lunch is included. Each workshop
will provide between 5.5 and 6 water contact hours for PA-licensed water operators. Each
workshop is limited to the first 40 participants who complete registration.
The workshops will be held at the Commissions Conference Center located at 4423 N.
Front Street, Harrisburg, Pa.
For more information and to register, visit SRBCs Public Water Supply Assistance
Program webpage.
NewsClips:
Pittsburgh Mayor Talks About Cost Of Fixing Pittsburghs Water Problems
Pittsburgh Seeks Firm For Filters To Remove Lead From Water
Pittsburgh To Restructure Citys Water, Sewer System
Allegheny Controller Calls On Pittsburgh Mayor To Prioritize Lead Service Line Replacement
Fmr Pittsburgh Water Authority Management Company Blasts City Audit
Can Families In Pittsburgh Afford To Get Lead Out Of Their Water?
Pittsburgh Seeking State Funding To Replace Lead Water Service Lines
Hidden Poison: Digging Into Pittsburghs Lead Problem
How Pittsburgh Water Samples Are Tested For Lead
Editorial: Mayor Right To Assert Himself On Pittsburgh Water Authority
When Elevated Lead Levels Arent Enough For Allegheny County To Help Kids
Lead In Pittsburghs Soil Is A Big Problem
Corry To Receive $160K Grant For Water System Improvements
Behrend Student Collects 1,000s Of Bottles Of Water For Flint, MI
Dealing With Lead Problems From Paint Stalled In Lancaster
Extended: Schuylkill Student Street Art Contest Accepting Entries Until April 14
The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary and the

Philadelphia Water Department are now accepting entries to
the Schuylkill Street Art Contest. The deadline for entries
has been extended to April 14.
Any students in grades 6-12 who attends public, private, or
homeschool within Berks, Chester, Montgomery, or
Schuylkill counties are invited to enter the contest. Click
Here to see some of last years entries.
There will be a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner for each of the
four counties: Berks, Chester, Montgomery and Schuylkill
County.
Prizes include--
-- 1st Place Winners: Artwork transformed into street art and a $100 gift card. Photos of last
years street art can be seen here.
-- 2nd Place Winners: $75 gift card
24
-- 3rd Place Winners: $50 gift card
For more information and an entry form, visit the Schuylkill Street Art Contest webpage.
Questions should be directed to Virginia Vassalotti by sending email to:
vvassalotti@DelawareEstuary.org or call 302-655-4990, ext. 121.
(Photo: 1st Place Montgomery County 2016 Winner, Kristin Olinger, Phil-Mont Christian
Academy.)
NewsClip:
June 3-9 Schuylkill River Sojourn Registration Now Open
March 27 Watershed Winds Newsletter Now Available From Penn State Extension
The March 27 Watershed Winds newsletter is now available

from Penn State Extension featuring articles on--
-- Winter Precipitation And Forests: Was It Enough?
-- Over Time, Nuisance Flooding Can Cost More Than Extreme
Events
-- Wellhead Protection - The Area Around The Well Counts!
-- Focus On Aquatic Invasive Species - What Are Asian Carp?
-- Centre County Watershed Cleanup Day April 22
-- House Bill Would Eliminate Churches, Schools, Camps
From Safe Drinking Water Act
-- Have Fun Learning About Invasive Species With New Tool
From PA 4-H
-- Click Here to sign up for your own copy.
NewsClips:
DRBC Considers New Fish Rule To Mark Gains In Water Quality
Delaware Reservoir Management In Flux: Inflexible On Flexible Flow?
25
March Catalyst Newsletter Now Available From Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition
The March issue of The Catalyst newsletter is now

available from the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition in
Butler County featuring articles on--
-- A Picture-Perfect Prairie Improvement Day At Jennings
Environmental Ed Center (photo)
-- The KIDS Catalyst: The Colors Of Spring
-- Undated Recycling Guide Now Available From Butler
County
-- Note: The Catalyst will go all digital in April. Use the
link below to sign up.
-- Click Here to sign up for your own copy.
The Catalyst newsletter is distributed to over 1,200 individuals in over a dozen countries
including: Brazil, Peru, South Korea, Mexico, England, Wales, Venezuela, South Africa, New
Zealand, Australia and Germany.
For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and volunteer
opportunities, visit the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition website.
Clean Creek Products
Looking for a unique gift that will please the most discriminating taste and help the
environment? Consider pottery products from Clean Creek.
Clean Creek Products, a division of Stream Restoration Inc., a nonprofit watershed
restoration organization, was formed to market the metals recovered in treating abandoned mine
drainage. One of the uses for these metals is in ceramic pottery glazing.
Every product you purchase from Clean Creek will not only support the artists that create
them, but also helps support watershed groups doing local projects to help restore Pennsylvania's
over 16,500 miles of polluted waterways.
Click Here to see a video on Clean Creek pottery.
NewsClip:
Centre County Watershed Cleanup Day April 22
Come celebrate Earth Day by taking part in ClearWater

Conservancys 21st Annual Watershed Cleanup Day on April 22
from 8 a.m. to noon.
Individuals, families and groups will descend on sites throughout
Centre County's watersheds to clean up trash and litter. A picnic
to celebrate our volunteers will immediately follow the cleanup
at Tussey Mountain in Boalsburg.
Since 1997, Watershed Cleanup Day volunteers have removed
5.8 million pounds of waste from local streams, roadways,
sinkholes, and illegal dumpsites.
Through a partnership with Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority, an army of
26
citizen volunteers and the generosity of local contractors, heavy equipment operators, businesses,
municipalities, Centre Region Parks and Recreation and the MS4 partners, Watershed Cleanup
Day continues to have impact every year.
In 2016, over 500 volunteers helped to remove about 83 tons of trash from Centre
County.
Please join your neighbors April 22 to help keep Centre County beautiful! To join the
2017 Cleanup as a group, family or individual, signup online at the Watershed Cleanup Day
webpage.
For more information on programs, initiatives and other upcoming events, visit the
ClearWater Conservancy website.
NewsClips:
(Reprinted from the March 27 Watershed Winds, Penn State Extension. Click Here to sign up for
your own copy.)
Green Valleys Watershed Assn French Creek Cleanup In Chester County April 22
Green Valleys Watershed Association is seeking

volunteers to participate in a stream cleanup of the
French Creek in northern Chester County.
The French Creek Clean-Up will take place
from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Earth Day, April 22.
Volunteers will remove litter from the banks along
the French Creek, starting in the vicinity of the
Foundry Building along Main Street.
The clean-up will continue upstream at several
pre-designated cleanup sites. Volunteers will meet at Green Valleys table at the Phoenixville
Farmers Market.
The French Creek Cleanup is in its fifth year. This annual event has brought together
members of the community and several organizations for a rewarding day of beautifying and
protecting a local, natural resource.
The French Creek is an important part of our areas history, culture, and environment.
The clean-up will run rain or shine. Volunteers are asked to wear clothing suitable for
working outdoors in brushy areas, and to consider bringing sunscreen and bugspray.
Free clean-up supplies, including trash bags, gloves, and traffic safety vests, have been
provided through the Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania. Refreshments will be provided.
This event is also part of the larger Schuylkill Scrub initiative.
Questions and volunteer registrations can be directed to Green Valleys Watershed
Association by phone at 610-469-4900, by sending email to: kelsey@greenvalleys.org or visit
the French Creek Stream Cleanup webpage.
NewsClips:
27
Allegheny CleanWays Kicks Off Tireless Project Cleanup April 9
The Tireless Project, an Allegheny CleanWays river cleanup

program, will be starting its 2017 season on April 9!
Since it began in 2003, 4,478 volunteers have boarded the
Tireless Project pontoon boat, the Rachel Carson, and removed
over 608,000 pounds of debris, including 3,568 tires and over
24,200 pounds of metal and other recyclables, from our
riverbanks and streams.
In November of 2016, the Tireless Project completed its 200th
cleanup.
The 2017 Tireless Project Kickoff event will begin at noon with live music from Colonel
Eagleburger's Highstepping Goodtime Band while volunteers clean up litter and other debris
from the riverbanks via the Rachel Carson and remove invasive plants on shore with Friends of
the Riverfront.
Throughout the event participants will also be able to visit tables to learn more about
other Tireless Partner organizations including Allegheny Land Trust, Boat Pittsburgh, Three
Rivers Waterkeeper, and more.
After the cleanup, volunteers are invited to stay for refreshments and live music from
3:00 to 5:00 p.m. as Allegheny CleanWays recognizes all of the dedicated DumpBusters and
Tireless Project volunteers who have donated time cleaning up our hillsides, vacant lots,
roadways, and riverbanks in 2016.
A cookout-style dinner will be provided, along with beer generously donated by Pabst
Blue Ribbon.
The Kickoff and Volunteer Recognition event will be held at Millvale Riverfront Park.
Please register for both events on Allegheny CleanWays online events calendar or by
emailing Samantha Weaver, Education and Outreach Coordinator, at:
sam@alleghenycleanways.org.
NewsClips:
Allegheny River & Watershed Cleanup Set For May 13 At Allegheny Reservoir, NY
The Allegheny River and Watershed Cleanup will take place

on May 13 starting at the Onoville Marina, 704 W. Perimeter
Road, Steamburg, NY, just north of the Allegheny National
Forest in Warren County, at 8:00 a.m. where volunteers will
28
sign-in and get trash bags, gloves and other supplies.
Since 2008, more than 2,800 volunteers have donated almost 23,000 hours and have
removed almost 400 cubic yards of trash from the watershed.
They have pulled out television sets; microwave ovens; lawn chairs; refrigerators;
55-gallon drums; more than 1,300 tires and have filled many bags of recyclable metal, glass,
plastic and aluminum.
2016 was the third year that the Reservoir Clean-up crossed north into New York State
and it became quickly apparent that cleanup efforts are really beginning to show. Almost 100
volunteers collected more than 30 cubic yards of trash and 82 tires. And theres more to do!
The last several years, cleanup teams have been joined by the Seneca Nation of Indians
and Cattaraugus County's Onoville Marina, who served as hosts for the activities and played key
roles in making the event the smashing success that it was.
The positive effects of the annual Reservoir Clean-up are very apparent. As a result of
this annual "community conservation event" the shorelines and waters of the Allegheny
Reservoir are much safer and cleaner places for the wildlife and recreationalists who use them.
For all the details and to register (encouraged), visit the Allegheny River and Watershed
Cleanup website.
NewsClips:
Volunteers! Clinton County CleanScapes Young Womans Creek Cleanup April 8
Join Clinton County CleanScapes, Lock Haven

University students and Chapman Twp. staff in
removing litter and tires from the streambanks of Young
Womans Creek in North Bend on April 8 from 9:45
a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Lunch & supplies provided to all registered participants.
Please register by April 6. Click Here for all the details.
Other cleanup events coming up include April 22 Rail
Trail hillside Cleanup; July 22 Bald Eagle Creek and
September 9 West Branch Susquehanna River Cleanups
will be announced on the Clinton County CleanScapes
Facebook page.
NewsClips:
Keep PA Beautiful Urges Students To Apply For KABs Youth Advisory Council
29
Keep America Beautiful is now accepting applications for the 2017-2018 National Youth
Advisory Council which provides an opportunity for 10 high school students (15-18 years old)
from diverse backgrounds to participate in a service learning and leadership development
program.
The YAC members will provide an original point of view in assessing Keep America
Beautiful programs, implement local service projects, and will act as ambassadors and leaders
for youth service in their respective communities and states.
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful believes that our younger generation is the key to a cleaner
more sustainable environment. I encourage Pennsylvania students to embrace this distinctive
opportunity. The National Youth Advisory Council will provide a unique experience that can be
transferred to other leadership opportunities in the future, said Shannon Reiter, President of
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, the state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful.
Last year, Elena Prenovitz from Erie was named to the National Youth Advisory Council
for a second year (second from right in photo).
The YAC is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Wrigley Company
Foundation.
Applications will be accepted through May 5 11:00 p.m. EDT. Applications must be
submitted online. Selected Council Members will attend the 2018 Keep America Beautiful
National Conference.
To learn more, visit the 2017-2018 National Youth Advisory Council webpage.
Questions should be directed to Tom Morales, Keep America Beautiful, by sending email to:
tmorales@kab.org.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep
Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them
on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.
Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up
communities and keep them clean and KPBs new Electronics Waste website.
Sign up now for the 2017 Great American Cleanup of PA and set up your own cleanup
and beautification event through May 31.
NewsClips:
Millersville U. Receives PepsiCo Recycling Grant To Support Sustainability Ambassadors
Thanks to funding from the PepsiCo Recycling Zero Impact

Fund, Millersville University in Lancaster will establish a
group of Student Sustainability Ambassadors to run campus
events that focus on conserving energy, reducing waste and
cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The grant worth $5,750 will pay for materials and resources
to support the student workers.
PepsiCo Recycling Zero Impact Fund, an expansion of
30
PepsiCo Recyclings college and university programs to help bring campus eco-innovations to
life. The Zero Impact Fund encouraged colleges and universities across the country to submit
ideas to accomplish their environmental goals; winning applications received up to $10,000 from
PepsiCo.
Millersville University is fortunate to have PepsiCo as a partner as we establish our
Student Sustainability Ambassadors, says MUs Sustainability Manager Chris Steuer. They
will be able to help continue and expand the Universitys sustainability initiatives, particularly in
and around the residence halls.
Following the release of its Climate Action Plan in January of 2016, Millersville
University has launched various initiatives aimed at cutting its climate impact, including
launching a campus energy conservation campaign and breaking ground on a net zero energy
buildingthe Lombardo Welcome Center.
The PepsiCo Recycling Zero Impact Funds will strengthen the efforts to contribute to the
Universitys carbon neutral goal.
In its first year, 40 colleges and universities submitted project proposals for the PepsiCo
Recycling Zero Impact Fund for the 2016-2017 school year, which were evaluated by a PepsiCo
committee. Project proposals were evaluated based on the following criteria: environmental and
social impact, feasibility, longevity and ingenuity.
The Zero Impact Fund is a great example of how innovative and sustainable ideas can
come from anyone, says Tim Carey, Senior Director of Sustainability at PepsiCo. Were
excited to see how our Zero Impact Fund recipients will bring their campus eco-innovations to
life and are proud to play a role in helping to implement impactful sustainability initiatives that
we hope will inspire other schools to do the same.
Since 2010, PepsiCo Recycling has partnered with more than 100 colleges and
universities on campus recycling programs and has awarded more than $70,000 to support
campus recycling efforts and increase student engagement.
In addition to the Zero Impact Fund, PepsiCo Recycling offers resources for colleges and
universities to reduce waste and recycle at collegiate athletic events and engage the campus
community around sustainability.
For more information on the PepsiCo Recycling Zero Impact Fund and winning
proposals, visit PepsiCoRecycling.com.
For more on Millersvilles sustainability initiatives, visit the Sustainability At The Ville
webpage.
NewsClips:
DEP Now Accepting Applications For Recycling Performance Grants
The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting

applications for Section 904 Recycling Performance Grants for
31
calendar year 2016. The deadline for applications is September 30. (formal notice)
Recycling Performance Grants are awarded based on the weight of recycled materials
collected and marketed by local municipal recycling programs.
For more information and to apply, visit DEPs Recycling Performance Grants webpage.
Questions should be directed to Mark Vottero, DEP Bureau of Waste Management, by sending
email to: mvottero@pa.gov.
NewsClips:
PEMA, Partner Agencies Collaborate On Floodproofing Prevention Workshops In April
The PA Emergency Management Agency, along with the

Department of Community and Economic Development, the
Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District Silver Jackets team, will
host three regional flood proofing workshops across western
Pennsylvania next month.
The informational workshops are intended for the general
public as well as local elected and community officials.
These events will give attendees an opportunity to learn about the different types of
nonstructural flood proofing techniques from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National
Nonstructural Flood Proofing Committee.
The discussion will include topics such as elevating buildings, wet and dry flood proofing
and relocation/acquisition.
The times for all workshops will be the same at each location. An afternoon workshop
will be conducted for community officials from 1 to 4:30 p.m.; the public is invited to attend an
evening workshop session from 7 until 9 p.m.
Dates and locations are as follows:
-- April 4: Green Tree Municipal Building, 10 West Manilla Ave., Green Tree, Allegheny
County;
-- April 5: Butler County EMA Office, 120 McCune Drive, Butler, Butler County; and
-- April 6: Tom Ridge Environmental Center, 301 Peninsula Drive, Erie, Erie County.
While these events are free, attendance will be limited. To reserve a seat, send email to:
RA-SHAZMITOFF@pa.gov with the location and session (community officials or public) you
would like to attend.
Federal and state representatives will be on hand to discuss other floodplain management
topics, such as the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Community Rating System
(CRS). Continuing Education Credits are pending approval from ASFPM for floodplain
managers who attend.
More information on flood proofing is available at the National Nonstructural Flood
32
Proofing Committee website. For questions regarding the flood proofing workshop, please
contact Michael Debes, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, at 412-395-7327 or send email to:
Michael.R.Debes@usace.army.mil.
NewsClips:
Minor Flooding Possible As Susquehanna River Rises Over Weekend
Editorial: Trump Wants Flood-Threatened Americans To Pay For His Wall
U.S. Army Corps, SRBC Partner To Provide Data To FEMA To Revise Flood Maps In PA
By Sarah Gross
Matthew Elsasser picked up a piece of equipment that

looks like a futuristic yellow sled and dipped it up and
down in a slow rhythmic dance while making two full
rotations.
Im mimicking the pitch and roll of the water
to calibrate our equipment, said Elsasser,
environmental technician with the Susquehanna River
Basin Commission. My movement is based on the
current conditions of the water. The choppier the
water is, the more I move.
This tool is actually a small boat that carries an
Acoustic Doppler Profiler (ADP), which uses a sonar beam to measure the depth to the ground
under the water surface.
This is the Commissions first day on Swatara Creek, a tributary of the Susquehanna
River in east central Pennsylvania [Lebanon, Dauphin counties], for a project in collaboration
with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, to provide information to the Federal
Emergency Management Agency Region III that will help FEMA update their flood risk maps.
These maps will help the communities they serve to better understand their flood risks in
order to take the appropriate actions to help lower that risk.
While the Baltimore District will coordinate surveying other waterways within the
Mid-Atlantic region as part of a larger project for FEMA, the Swatara Creek study accounts for
about 40 percent of this total project.
Swatara Creek is a high priority for FEMA, said Craig Thomas, North Atlantic
Division regional technical specialist for floodplain management and Baltimore District
environmental protection specialist. An almost 500-year flood completely annihilated Hershey,
Pennsylvania, and the surrounding area during Tropical Storm Lee in 2011.
To complete the Swatara Creek portion of the study, the Corps is conducting on-land
surveys, and the Commission is taking on the in-channel survey work.
The river is so big, and we needed a boat and this specialized equipment to augment our
capabilities, said Thomas. Luckily, the Commission was able to help, and we were able to
figure out a way to provide funding to them, which will only open the door for future
collaboration.
The Corps is documenting surface elevations and bridge dimensions for about 60 bridges
33
within the study area in order to determine potential flow restrictions and conduct modeling to
simulate the extent and depth of potential flooding along Swatara Creek. Bridges are a crucial
part of survey work the Corps performs because bridges constrict water movement and create
potential bottlenecks for water to flow freely during flooding.
The Corps was on hand for the Commissions first day in the field to provide operational
support and to nail down shared project expectations. Luckily for the team, March 9, was an
unseasonably warm day, as field work is preferable in the winter, so foliage doesnt inhibit
signals from the equipment.
The Corps team provided the Commission with ideal locations to collect data points from
within the creek. These locations are between bridges, so as to not duplicate data the Corps is
collecting.
The Commission will collect depth data from the ADP per river mile in the Swatara
Creek, as well as one corresponding elevation reading along the bank per river mile using
supplemental Real Time Kinematic (RTK) equipment.
The Corps will compile the on-land and in-channel survey data to determine potential
flood extents and depths and delineate the floodplain and regulatory floodway boundaries in the
watershed under various flood events.
To perform the first channel survey, Elsasser tied a rope anchored atop the survey boat to
the calibrated tool, dropped it in the water and guided it back and forth six times across the width
of the channel. The depth data was then logged within the ADP collection software and averaged
to obtain a more accurate number.
Multiple crosses allow interpolation between the bottom elevations collected, said
Kimberly Dagen, Commission environmental scientist. This process helps smooth the data out
to ensure a representative cross section of the channel is obtained.
At the end of this first run, the team had completed data collection for one river mile
along the Swatara Creek by lunchtime leaving 51 more to go.
The Swatara Creek study is anticipated to wrap up in summer 2017, at which time data
from the Corps and the Commission will be turned over to FEMA.
We should get great modeling results from all of our data, said Thomas. We have a lot
of historical data and high water marks, including data from Lee, to compare our current
modeling to.
This isnt the first time the Corps has partnered with the Commission.
This effort represents an extension of a long-standing partnership the Commission has
with the Baltimore District to provide flood-hazard reduction strategies to communities in the
Susquehanna River Basin, including flood inundation mapping, enhanced flood warning tools,
and flood-damage reduction studies," said Benjamin Pratt, P.E., CFM, Commission water
resources engineer.
The Commission is currently funding work for the Corps to conduct a Floodplain
Management Services study for the Chiques Creek, also a tributary of the Susquehanna River in
Lancaster County, as part of an effort funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection to evaluate green flood-hazard reduction strategies.
We have a great collaboration with the Commission, said Thomas. They recognized
our expertise in hydrologic and hydraulic modeling and mapping, and we performed all of the
in-channel survey work for the Chiques study.
Though not a flood risk management study, the Corps has also worked with the
34
Commission to study stream flow at Bald Eagle Creek, which is a part of Foster Joseph Sayers
Reservoir [at Bald Eagle State Park, Centre County] to evaluate the modification of reservoir
operations to provide environmental enhancements.
We have this specialized equipment for channel surveys, and we are always looking for
more ways to use it, said Pratt. This particular collaboration on the Swatara Creek study started
with a conversation between Craig and me while working on the Chiques Creek study. The
opportunity just presented itself.
(Photo: Kimberly Dagen, SRBC Environmental Scientist and Matthew Elsasser SRBC
Environmental Technician.)
NewsClips:
Related Story:
PEMA, Partner Agencies Collaborate On Floodproofing Prevention Workshops In April
(Reprinted from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Baltimore District) website.)
2017 Environmental Advisory Council Conference Set For May 6 In Lancaster
The annual Environmental Advisory Council

Conference will be held on May 6 at the
DoubleTree Resort, 2400 Willow Street Pike in
Lancaster from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Conference provides EAC members and
municipal officials with an opportunity to
discuss issues impacting local municipalities,
share ideas and network.
Registration includes networking breakfast,
morning EAC session, lunch and afternoon session of your choice.
The Conference is being held in conjunction with the PA Land Trust Association PA
Land Conservation Conference at the same location from May 4 to 6.
An EAC is a group of 3-7 people, appointed by a municipalitys elected officials, that
advises those officials, as well as the planning commission and park and recreation board, on the
protection, conservation, management, promotion and use of natural resources within the
municipality.
Pennsylvanias EAC Network is administered by the Pennsylvania Land Trust
Association.
All registrations should be submitted by paper form. Click Here for the registration form.
Payment must be by check. Please make checks payable to PA Land Trust Association and mail
to: PA Land Trust Association, 119 Pine Street, 1st Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101.
If you need assistance, please contact us at 717-230-8560. Late fees will be applied to
registrations submitted on or after April 15.
For all the details, visit the Environmental Advisory Council Conference webpage.
35
DEP To Hold Statewide Listening Tour To Gather Input On Environmental Justice
Department of Environmental Protection Acting Secretary Patrick McDonnell Tuesday

announced he will be hosting nine roundtables across the state over the next two months to meet
with residents and hear their perspectives on environmental justice. (formal notice)
The Office of Environmental Justice fulfills a critical role within DEP ensuring that all
Pennsylvanians, especially those who have historically been disenfranchised, are fully involved
in the decisions that affect their environment, said McDonnell. Environmental justice
embodies the principles that communities should not be disproportionately exposed to adverse
environmental impacts. With these listening sessions, I want to hear how we can improve on our
responsibility.
The tour will focus on engaging residents and leaders in DEPs decision-making process,
and involving residents in communities that may not fit the traditional definition of an
environmental justice area -- which is based on minority population and income levels in census
tracts.
Specific Questions
DEP is soliciting input on these questions--
-- What environmental justice concerns are most pressing in your community?
-- Do you feel that the current definition of an environmental justice community (20 percent
poverty or 30 percent minority, or both) properly represents the needs of your community and
the Commonwealth at large?
-- Do you feel the Department is engaged with marginalized communities to ensure that they
have a voice in the decision-making process? How can the Department be more engaged with
these communities?
-- What tools have you used to find out information on Department permitting/enforcement
actions?
-- What ways can the Department be more effective at sharing information with the public?
-- How can the Department be more effective at receiving public input?
-- What resource is your community lacking that the Department can provide that would assist in
efforts to ensure environmental equity?
-- What additional steps can be taken by the Department to effectively reach out to these
vulnerable communities to ensure that their concerns are taken into consideration?
The roundtables will be held--
-- April 12: Greene County, Margaret Bell Miller Middle School, 126 East Lincoln St.,
Waynesburg. 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
-- April 13: Pittsburgh, Hill House Association, 1835 Centre Ave., Pittsburgh, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
-- April 20: Williamsport, The Genetti Hotel & Suites, 200 West 4th St., Williamsport, 4:30 to
6:30 p.m.
-- April 27: Erie, Tom Ridge Environmental Center, 301 Peninsula Dr., Room 112, Erie, 5:00 to
7 p.m.
-- May 2: Dauphin County, DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Ave., Conference
Room, Harrisburg, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
-- May 11: Allentown, Allentown Public Library, Community room, 1210 Hamilton St,
Allentown, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
36
-- May 15: Lancaster County, HACC Lancaster Campus, East Building, Room 203, 1641 Old
Philadelphia Pike, Lancaster, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
-- May 23: City of Chester (Delaware County), Location TBA, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
-- May 25: Philadelphia, Location TBA, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
We want to move beyond just the census tract boundaries and make sure were really
considering the needs of people and the role of public participation, said Carl Jones, director of
DEPs Office of Environmental Justice. We want to ensure that communities and regulated
entities are connected and communicating.
DEP will solicit feedback from the listening sessions about improving how public
feedback is received, and ensuring that communities are sufficiently engaged with the
decision-making process and companies involved.
DEP has three goals for the Office of Environmental Justice: minimizing adverse
environmental impacts, empowering communities, and fostering economic opportunities, said
Jones. We want to hear from Pennsylvanians about how we can meet those goals.
For more information, visit DEPs Listening Session Schedule and Environmental Justice
webpages. Questions should be directed to Carl Jones, Director of DEPs Office of
Environmental Justice at 484-250-5818 or send email to: caejone@pa.gov.
NewsClips:
Environmental Justice Will Be Focus Of DEP Statewide Listening Tour
Erie To Host DEP Listening Session On Environmental Justice April 27
Wolf Administration Extends LIHEAP Home Heating Assistance Deadline To April 7
Gov. Tom Wolf Tuesday announced Pennsylvanians struggling to pay home heating bills will
now have until April 7 to apply for financial help through the Low-Income Home Energy
Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
The federally funded program was slated to end March 31, but the Wolf Administration
decided that given the unpredictable weather this winter, Pennsylvania would extend the
program, giving people extra time to apply for funding.
Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanias most vulnerable were able to heat their homes
this winter because of LIHEAP, said Gov. Wolf. By keeping the program open longer, we
hope to provide additional assistance to those who are struggling to keep their family warm.
LIHEAP offers assistance in the form of a cash grant sent directly to the utility company
or a crisis grant for households in immediate danger of being without heat. Some households are
eligible for both types of assistance.
Cash grants are based on household income, family size, type of heating fuel and region.
In addition to proof of income and household size, applicants must provide a recent bill or a
statement from their fuel dealer verifying their customer status and the type of fuel used.
Everyone deserves a safe, warm home. I encourage Pennsylvanians to apply today to
ensure they have the necessary resources to stay warm as the climate continues to be
unpredictable, said Department of Human Services Secretary Ted Dallas.
Individuals can apply for a LIHEAP grant online at the Compass website or in person at
their local county assistance office. They may also call the statewide toll-free hotline at
1-866-857-7095 with questions about the program.
37
For more information, visit the DHS LIHEAP webpage.
NewsClips:
Related Stories:
PUC Urges Preservation Of Federal Heating Assistance, Weatherization Programs
Wolf Opposes Trump Proposal To Eliminate LIHEAP Home Heating Assistance Funding
PUC Offers Tips On Door-To-Door Sales By Energy Suppliers, Consumer Rights
The Public Utility Commission Thursday offered consumer tips on

door-to-door sales and marketing activities by agents of
competitive electric and natural gas suppliers, reminding
consumers of their rights as well as their options when it comes to
shopping for and selecting a competitive supplier for gas or electric
service.
With spring upon us, warmer weather and more daylight, we
traditionally see an uptick in door-to-door sales and marketing
activity by competitive suppliers, said PUC Chairman Gladys M.
Brown. PUC regulations provide consumers with layers of
protection to help them recognize deceptive sales practices and
avoid falling victim to unscrupulous sales agents.
In Pennsylvania, from April 1 through Sept. 30, hours for
door-to-door sales and marketing expand one hour, from 8:00 a.m.
to 9:00 p.m. When a local ordinance has stricter limitations, a
supplier must comply with the local ordinance.
Chairman Brown advised consumers to immediately seek proper identification before
engaging a salesperson. Brown noted that regulations require agents who conduct door-to-door
activities, or appear at public events, to wear an identification badge.
The badge must:
-- Accurately identify the supplier, its trade name and logo;
-- Display the agents photograph;
-- Display the agents full name;
-- Be prominently displayed; and
-- Display a customer-service phone number for the supplier.
Upon first contact with a customer, an agent must identify himself by name, the energy
supplier he represents, and the reason for the visit. Additionally, the agent must make clear that
he is not working for - and is independent of - the customers local utility or any other supplier.
The agent may not wear apparel or accessories or even carry equipment containing
branding elements that suggests a relationship with a utility, government agency, or other
38
supplier.
Chairman Brown urged consumers to avoid intimidating sales pitches pressuring them to
act now, reminding them that they are not required to choose a competitive supplier for their
electricity or natural gas supply.
However, should they elect to enter into a contract with a competitive supplier, residents
should expect the following once the suppliers sales agent completes a transaction:
-- Before the agent leaves the residence, the customer should receive a copy of each signed or
initialed document relating to the transaction;
-- The agent must explain the suppliers verification process that is used to confirm the
customers intent to switch suppliers;
-- After customer verification, the agent must provide a copy of the full disclosure statement with
all contractual terms and conditions; and Agents must remind customers that they may rescind
the transaction within three business days after receiving the disclosure statement.
-- Agents must immediately leave a residence when requested to do so, and furthermore must
honor a customers request to be exempted from future door-to-door sales and marketing
activities. Upon receipt of such a request, the agent notifies the supplier, which removes the
customer from their databases within two business days.
Chairman Brown further urged customers facing an aggressive sales agent or suspecting a
potential scam to contact the PUCs Bureau of Consumer Services at 1-800-692-7380, as well as
alert their local utility.
Consumers who feel threatened or are concerned about their safety should contact local
authorities to report the incident. The complete list of regulations governing marketing and sales
practices for Pennsylvanias retail residential energy market is found at 52 Pa. Code, Chapter
111.
In addition to door-to-door sales, Chairman Brown reminded consumers that they have
other avenues to shop for their electric generation or natural gas supply.
She noted that for both industries, the PUC operates neutral, independent websites in
www.PAPowerSwitch.com (electric) and www.PAGasSwitch.com (natural gas) where 24 hours
a day, seven days a week consumers can access current supplier offerings, consumer education
fact sheets, and information on energy efficiency and conservation.
The PUCs consumer tips are available online.
PJM Study: Electric System Reliable Even With Much More Gas, Renewables
The PJM Interconnection system can remain reliable with the addition of more natural gas and
renewable resources, an analysis released Thursday by PJM concludes. However, the report
notes that an increased reliance on any one generation type brings resilience risks not accounted
for under traditional reliability standards.
The report, "PJM's Evolving Resource Mix and System Reliability," responded to
questions about the effects of fuel diversity on reliability. PJM stakeholders had questioned
whether the system is losing too many traditional resources as coal plants retire and nuclear
owners consider their future.
"This analysis underscores our responsibility to continue to operate the system reliably,
and explore the role of resilience, the ability to tolerate unforeseen shocks and continue to deliver
39
electricity," said PJM CEO Andy Ott. "Different resources provide different reliability attributes,
though new technology or regulations have the ability to improve those capabilities. "PJM needs
to work with stakeholders and the industry to determine whether markets and operation
structures need to shift to make sure that necessary levels of generator reliability characteristics
are maintained in future resource mixes."
The report analyzed the availability of generator reliability attributes essential to the grid
under potential resource portfolios. Those qualities include frequency response, voltage control,
ramp, fuel assurance, flexibility, black start, environmental restrictions and equivalent
availability.
"We found that the risk to the system wasn't that resources couldn't necessarily provide
reliability attributes but that the potential concentration of a single fuel source or low-probability,
high-impact events could cause significant impacts to the system," said Michael Bryson, vice
president Operations, who led the study.
PJM created a "composite reliability index" to assess the operational reliability of various
resources across four states: normal peak conditions, light load, extremely hot weather and
extremely cold weather.
"The study concluded that our current portfolio is both reliable and diverse," Bryson said.
The study found that a more diverse fuel portfolio isn't necessarily more reliable. Certain
resource blends that fall between the least and most diverse offer the greatest number of key
generator reliability attributes.
An adequate level of diversity fosters flexibility and adaptability in mitigating risks
associated with equipment failure, fuel price volatility, supply disruptions, extreme weather and
other unforeseen system shocks.
PJM's current resource profile includes natural gas, coal, nuclear, renewables, demand
response and other generation types.
The resource mix within PJM has become more evenly balanced over time.
In 2005, coal and nuclear resources generated 91 percent of the electricity on the PJM
system.
Over time, policy initiatives, technology improvements, and economics spurred a shift
from coal to natural gas and renewable generation.
From 2010 to 2016 in PJM, coal-fired units made up 79 percent of the megawatts retired,
and natural gas and renewables made up 87 percent of new megawatts placed in service.
PJMs installed capacity in 2016 consisted of 33 percent coal, 33 percent natural gas, 18
percent nuclear, and 6 percent renewables (including hydro).
The analysis identified no limit to the amount of natural gas-fired generation that could
be added to the system before it affected reliability; however, highlighted the potential increased
dependency on fuel infrastructure and the need for PJM to further explore grid resilience.
The report did not address the economics of resource types, factors that might impact a
fuel's deliverability or public policy issues such as environmental impact, including the use of
subsidies.
A copy of the report is available online.
The topic will be the focus of the upcoming Grid 20/20: Focus on Resilience (Fuel Mix
Diversity & Security), to be held April 19 in Philadelphia.
PJM manages the electric power system serving 65 million people in all or parts of
Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio,
40
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
NewsClips:
Related Story:
PJM Marks 20 Years Of The Competitive Electricity Market
PJM Marks 20 Years Of The Competitive Electricity Market
PJM Interconnection this year celebrates 20 years of

operating competitive wholesale electricity markets that
maintain grid reliability at the lowest reasonable cost.
PJM launched the country's first bid-based
electricity market on April 1, 1997, amid a federal
restructuring of the industry that opened transmission
lines to competitors and non-incumbent entities. It
quickly refined the system to align locational prices
with corresponding grid conditions, a model now used
around the world.
The synergies created by PJM's regional coordination save $2.8- $3.1 billion annually for
the 65 million consumers it serves in 13 states and the District of Columbia.
The market was created to promote competition and facilitate the introduction of retail
choice into the electric industry. But it also benefits customers of traditional utilities, which
generate and distribute their own electricity to residential and commercial customers. The market
provides these companies an exchange where they may buy less expensive power and sell
surplus electricity.
Meanwhile, innovative technologies including renewable power, battery storage and
vehicle-to-grid initiatives are attracted to areas of PJM because the market provides easier access
for them to sell their products and services to customers.
"The impact of the markets was to open up the power industry to a much broader group
of potential participants many with new and more efficient technologies," said President and
CEO Andrew L. Ott, who designed the initial market. "Electricity has become more affordable
because we have more and more people competing."
Since 1997, PJM has developed a suite of wholesale markets and services. For the past 20
years, these markets have signaled the exit of older, uneconomic resources and the entry of new,
efficient generation and renewable power.
Every day, PJM said, these markets achieve the goal for which they were formed:
maintaining reliability at the lowest reasonable cost.
PJM will mark the anniversaries throughout the year, including at a special session at the
41
Annual Meeting in May.
PJM manages the electric power system serving 65 million people in all or parts of
Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
NewsClips:
Related Story:
PJM Study: Electric System Reliable Even With Much More Gas, Renewables
Green Building Alliance Accepting Nominations For Emerald Awards In Western PA
The Green Building Alliance in Pittsburgh is now

accepting nominations for its Emerald Awards to
recognize local people, projects and initiatives that drive
the creation of healthy, high- performing places for
everyone and that inspire sustainability in all its forms.
The deadline for nominations is April 26.
Award categories include--
-- Person: Someone who, no matter where they are in
their career path, has done something that would not
have happened without their advocacy. Someone who
exhibits bravery, boldness, and persistence in creating green buildings and other sustainable
places.
-- Project: Built environment projects of any size (in operation preferred) that have or will raise
the bar, put the project and our region on the national stage, or approach a sustainability goal in
an innovative way.
-- Initiative: Thoughtful engagement initiatives, programs, or collaborations that emphasize the
importance of process, ensure an inclusive approach, and positively impact a diverse set of
stakeholders.
Award winners will be recognized at the Emerald Evening dinner on September 21 at the
August Wilson Center in Pittsburgh.
For more information and to submit a nomination, visit the Alliances Emerald Awards
webpage.
NewsClips:
Sustainable Pittsburgh Asks Shell To Study Crackers Environmental Footprint
Group Calls On Shell To Participate In Sustainability Study For Cracker Plant
PUC To Hold 2 Hearings May 16 On Application To Change Direction Of Laurel Pipeline
42
The Public Utility Commission Wednesday announced it will hold two Smart Hearings on
May 16 to gather public comment on an application by Laurel Pipe Line Company, L.P. for
approval to change direction of petroleum products transportation service to delivery points west
of the Altoona area.
The Smart Hearings, conducted by Administrative Law Judge Eranda Vero, will be held
at the PUCs headquarters in Harrisburg, at the following times: May 16 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. in
the Commonwealth Keystone Building, Hearing Room 1, 400 North Street, Harrisburg.
PUC Smart Hearings are broadcast live on the PUC website and enable residents and
concerned parties throughout Pennsylvania to see and hear the testimony being offered without
the need to attend the hearings in person.
Witnesses are able to offer their comments by telephone, from the convenience of their
homes, offices, or other locations, to be included in the live Internet stream and considered as
part of the Commissions review.
In-person testimony at the Harrisburg hearing site also will be included, for those who
prefer to comment in that manner. Individuals will have the option of not having their testimony
live-streamed, if they prefer.
Individuals wishing to testify at the hearings by telephone must contact the PUCs Office
of Administrative Law Judge (OALJ) at 717-787-1399 and provide contact information no later
than May 8. Attendance in person requires no prior action, simply show up and sign in.
Laurel Pipeline Application
Laurel Pipeline submitted an application to the Commission on November 16, 2016,
requesting all necessary authority and approvals from the PUC, to the extent required, to
authorize Laurel to change the direction of its petroleum products transportation service over a
portion of its system, west of its Eldorado facility, located in the Altoona area.
According to their application, Laurel currently transports petroleum products from east
to west from points of origin near Philadelphia to destinations across the state, terminating west
of Pittsburgh, where it connects to pipelines originating from a number of refineries located in
the Midwest.
A portion of the capacity of the pipeline is also used to transport petroleum products from
New Jersey and Delaware to destinations in Pennsylvania.
Laurels application notes that expanding refining capacity in the Midwest has led to a
number of shippers indicating an interest in transporting petroleum products to destinations in
Western and Central Pennsylvania. Laurel is proposing to reverse the flow on part of the Western
Pennsylvania portion of its pipeline system, allowing petroleum products to move eastward,
toward the Altoona area.
Offering Comments The Hearing
Members of the public are welcome to attend the hearings and provide comments. Their
testimony will become part of the record on which the PUC will issue its final decision.
The PUC offers these tips on how to participate:
-- Prepare what you are going to say beforehand. Even though it is not required, you may want to
write out your statement, which can be read.
-- Bring copies, if you are attending an in-person hearing. If you have a written statement you
would like to give to the judge as evidence, please bring two copies for the court reporter and
several copies for the other participants.
43
-- Plan to be questioned. Parties in the case may want to ask you a question to clarify something
you said.
NewsClips:
Laurel Pipeline: A Gasoline War Looms In Pennsylvania
Crable: Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Opponents Breaking Camp For Now
3 Potential FERC Nominees Bring Business, Energy Backgrounds
Oil In Dakota Access Pipeline
Green Groups Sue Trump Over Keystone Pipeline
[March 29, 2017]
Commonwealth Financing Authority OKs Pipeline, Small Water, Sewer System Grants
The Commonwealth Financing Authority Wednesday approved a $1 million grant to help

finance a natural gas line extension in Venango County and $22.1 million in grants to support
116 small water and sewer system projects.
The PIPE Program grant would extend the Barley natural gas line to provide service to a
Glenn O. Hawbecker, Inc. asphalt plant near Barkeyville Borough in Venango County. Click
Here for a list of projects approved under the PIPE Program.
Click Here for a list of projects approved for small water and sewer systems.
Sustainable Pittsburgh Calls On Shell For Sustainability Assessment Of Ethane Plant
Sustainable Pittsburgh Tuesday announced it has invited Royal Dutch Shell to collaborate on an
independent sustainability assessment of the companys $6 billion petrochemical plant to be built
in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, located in the Pittsburgh region.
According to a new study released by Gov. Wolfs office and the Team Pennsylvania
Foundation last week, up to four more ethane crackers could be built in Pennsylvania.
As such, Sustainable Pittsburgh sees a pivotal opportunity and need for Royal Dutch
Shell to raise the global standards for the design, construction, and operation of its ethane cracker
given the enormous consequences for the region stemming from this industrial complex and
those to follow.
When Royal Dutch Shell, one of the largest corporations in the world and a global leader
in sustainability, with a state and local subsidy of $1.65 billion in tax forgiveness for the Beaver
County plant over, sets up shop in the region (Potter Township pop. 548), the high stakes call for
game-changing outcomes, according to Sustainable Pittsburgh.
Missing is a comprehensive assessment, Sustainable Pittsburgh says, that goes beyond
compliance to assess, measure, and commit to combined regional social, economic, and
environmental gains; that is, long-term sustainable development.
Consequently, Sustainable Pittsburgh has invited Royal Dutch Shells collaboration in
conducting an independent sustainability assessment, led by an empaneled group of
multidisciplinary experts, of its ethane cracker complex.
Sustainable Pittsburgh urges that a thorough assessment of the return on public
investment accounting for the range of externalities per social, economic, and environmental
impacts of the ethane cracker should include commitment to use of cutting-edge innovations for
44
beyond-compliance performance to mitigate negative impacts associated with not just air quality,
but that of water, housing, public health, social systems, ecosystems, transportation, property
values, and other local and regional issues.
The group has also specifically calling for Shell to generate or purchase renewable
electricity to power the plant, produce zero waste and emissions, commit to buying local, and
embrace circular approaches to plastics reuse.
Sustainable Pittsburgh is a nonprofit group that tries to affect decision-making in the
Pittsburgh region to integrate economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental quality as
the enduring accountability, bringing sustainable solutions for communities and businesses.
The groups board is made up of representatives of the City of Pittsburgh, business,
academic, local government and nonprofit groups.
Shell Reaction
Shell on Tuesday said that the local representatives agreed to meet with Sustainable
Pittsburgh but that the nonprofit declined the invitation.
After receiving the assessment request, Shell offered to meet with the organization face
to face to share some of the innovative project features and determine if we could achieve some
common ground based on the advance stages of design, Shell spokesman Ray Fisher said.
Unfortunately, Sustainable Pittsburgh declined, instead insisting on a meeting with Shell global
leaders.
In addition, Shell said that Sustainable Pittsburgh is requesting a review and assessment
of many design features (of the plant) which have already been completed and permitted.
Shell said it has conducted multiple public engagements in and around Beaver County
since 2014, giving the public an opportunity to comment and dialogue on the project.
The ethane plant is being developed by Shell Chemical Appalachia.
NewsClips:
Shell Complex In Louisiana Provides Blueprint For Beaver County Plant
Manufacturers Share Gameplan For SW PA Renaissance At Shale Summit
Oil, Gas Upswing Energizing Southwest PA
DEP Approves 2 Underground Drilling Waste Injection Wells In Elk, Indiana Counties
The Department of Environmental Protection Monday approved permits for two underground
injection control (UIC) wells for disposal of wastewater associated with oil and natural gas
production. The wells are located in Highland Township, Elk County; and Grant Township,
Indiana County.
In a related action, Philly.com reported Tuesday DEP also filed a lawsuit in
Commonwealth Court against Highland and Grant townships seeking to invalidate the home-rule
charters the towns voters expressly approved to ban wastewater wells.
After a thorough review, DEP determined that both applications meet all regulations, are
sufficient to protect surface water and water supplies, and would abate pollution, said Acting
DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell.
The wells will be operated by two separate operators, Seneca Resources Corp. in Elk
45
County; and Pennsylvania General Energy Company (PGE) in Indiana County.
In addition to the permit applications, DEP reviewed Erosion and Sedimentation Control
and Post Construction Stormwater Management Plans, Control and Disposal Plans, and the
applications submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as the
permits issued by the EPA for the wells.
Due to concerns about seismic activity related to UIC wells that has occurred in other
states DEP has applied special conditions to the permit to ensure early detection if even minor
seismic events occur. These conditions include:
-- Installation of a seismometer and continuous recorder with operating, calibration, service, and
maintenance information at the disposal well site; and the contact information for the responsible
person in charge of conducting seismic monitoring activities.
-- Verification that data is captured at the disposal well site and provided to the Incorporated
Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Network in real time.
-- Description of installation to allow for optimal seismic event identification and location.
-- Submission of a tectonic seismic event contingency plan that includes monitoring, reporting
and mitigation provisions.
-- Provision for updating the seismic monitoring and mitigation plan, retaining seismic event data
and equipment records, and submitting reports on the use of monitoring equipment.
In addition, these wells are permitted at much lower pressures, and in formations farther
from the basement rock that is more prone to activity, than the wells in other states that have
been linked to seismic activity.
For more information on these and other injection well permits, visit DEPs Underground
Injection Wells webpage.
NewsClips:
PA OKs New Injection Wells For Drilling Wastewater
PA Approves 2 Injection Wells For Drilling Wastewater
Deep Injection Wells Approved For Indiana, Elk Counties
Crable: 2 Drilling Waste Underground Injection Wells Approved By PA
DEP Sues 2 Towns That Banned Frackwater Disposal Injection Wells
DEP Sues Townships Over Banning Drilling Waste Injection Wells
Outrage After DEP Sues Towns That Banned Frack Water Disposal Wells
Is Wolf Flip-Flopping On Shale Industry? New DEP Lawsuits Prompt Questions
Center For Rural PA: 2nd Studies On Health, Social, Economic Impacts Of Shale Drilling
The Center for Rural Pennsylvania Monday released what it called Wave 2 of its multi-year
research into the social and economic impacts of natural gas development in Northcentral and
Southwest Pennsylvania.
The primary Wave 2 report summaries the findings of more detailed reports on changes
in crime, economic changes, and changes in housing, agriculture, health insurance, health care
and health outcomes, transportation and the experience of low-income residents in four
Marcellus Shale counties-- Bradford, Lycoming, Washington and Greene.
Among the findings in the reports--
-- Overall Health: The report found there were nine statistically significant differences between
46
counties with no wells, counties with some wells and counties with the most wells on health
issues--
1. Counties with no wells experienced significantly larger increases than counties with wells in
the percentage of adults without health insurance;
2. Counties with no wells experienced significantly larger declines than counties with wells in
the percentage of poor children without health insurance;
3. Counties with some wells experienced significantly larger reductions in respiratory
hospitalizations and digestive hospitalizations compared to counties with no wells;
4. Counties with no wells experienced significantly larger reductions in length of stay for
respiratory hospitalizations compared to counties with wells;
5. Counties with no wells experienced significantly smaller increases than counties with wells in
length of stay for hospitalizations caused by injuries, poisonings, and toxic effects of drugs;
6. Counties with the most wells experienced an increase in the percentage of adults reporting
fair/poor health while counties with no wells experienced a decline, and the difference is
statistically significant;
7. Counties with no wells experienced a larger decline in adult smoking rates than counties with
some wells;
8. Counties with some wells experienced a larger increase in chlamydia rates than counties with
no wells and counties with the most wells; and
9. Counties with the most wells experienced smaller increases in the gonorrhea rates than
counties with no wells.
-- Economics: Although economic impact studies generally find modest positive economic
changes associated with development, what those impacts are, where they are, and their
magnitude varies widely. Employment and compensation are generally found to have less impact
than income generated from leases and royalties. Economic impacts will likely be short-run due
to the temporal dynamics of the industry.
-- Agriculture: The number of farms in Bradford County increased substantially between 2002
and 2012, while the number of farmers in the other counties and Pennsylvania in general
declined. Average acreage in the four study counties increased, with the exception of Lycoming
County. Lycoming and Bradford counties experienced the most dramatic drop in milk cow
inventory especially when compared to their neighboring counties and statewide. Moreover, the
decline in milk cows increases steadily from no drilling to high drilling counties.
-- Crime: Driving under the influence and disorderly conduct arrest rates are associated with
well density, controlling for other factors. Rates of driving under the influence are higher in
counties with high levels of well development compared to counties that do not have well
development; however, the counties with high levels of development did not experience an
increase in DUIs from before to during Marcellus well development that was greater than other
counties. Counties with higher Marcellus well density had higher rates of disorderly conduct
arrests than counties with little or no well activity.
-- Low-Income Households: Nearly all respondents described the effects of the shale gas
industry on the cost and availability of housing and in particular how rising housing costs had
contributed to their own residential instability and/or that of others whom they knew. These
challenges were coupled with the difficulties in finding employment offering wages that might
cover rising housing costs. Respondents described how higher-paid employment opportunities in
the industry were not widely available. Respondents also described a mix of community changes
47
above and beyond changes in the housing market, such as perceived increases in crime. Some
female respondents described increases in prostitution and either directly or indirectly attributed
community change to the gas industry. Low income residents tended to strongly believe that
public policy makers had largely ignored or had remained unaware of the negative consequences
of shale gas development, especially as it has affected the most vulnerable segments of
Pennsylvania communities.
The reports were done for the Center by Kathryn Brasier, Raeven Chandler, Leland
Glenna, Arielle Hesse, Timothy Kelsey, Shannon Monnat, Joshua Perchinski, Kai Schafft, and
Mark Suchyta at Penn State University.
Copies of the 8 reports are available on the Center for Rural Pennsylvania Reports
webpage.
AG Shapiro: $30.4 Million Damage Settlement With Volkswagen Over Vehicle Emissions
Attorney General Josh Shapiro Thursday announced a $30.4 million

settlement with Volkswagen for environmental damages caused by a
device the automaker placed on its cars which allowed excessive carbon
monoxide emissions to escape into the air in violation of federal and
state laws.
The settlement with Volkswagen is part of a $157 million overall
settlement agreement between the automaker and the Attorneys General
of 10 states, including Pennsylvania.
In an earlier settlement with Volkswagen for consumer
protection law violations, the automaker agreed to pay an additional
$23.1 million in civil penalties and costs to the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, the Office of Attorney General, and two related state funds.
All told, Volkswagen will be paying $53.5 million to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
and its agencies under these two settlements for consumer protection and environmental
violations.
Consumers who purchased or leased diesel vehicles manufactured by VW, Audi, or
Porsche can submit claims to have their vehicles bought back or fixed by visiting the
VWCourtSettlement website. This program is being overseen by the Department of Justice,
Federal Trade Commission and a Plaintiffs Steering Committee.
Under the agreement, Pennsylvania will receive $30.4 million from Volkswagen as its
portion of the settlement for environmental damages and vehicle claims, which Pennsylvania can
use broadly for any environmentally beneficial purpose.
It will be up to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to determine
how best to use the settlement funds to benefit the states environment.
Im fighting to ensure a healthy environment for Pennsylvanians and protect their right
to clean air and pure water, Attorney General Shapiro said in announcing the settlement. In
this settlement, our prosecutors have addressed the serious harms caused by Volkswagens
emissions device and its conscious cheating that resulted in excessive, illegal amounts of carbon
monoxide fouling the air across our Commonwealth.
The 10 states whose Attorneys General signed on to the settlement are Pennsylvania,
48
Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and
Washington.
The key provisions of the settlement include:
-- $30.4 million payment to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to address environmental
damages caused by Volkswagens misconduct;
-- Volkswagen commits to comply with restitution and buyback provisions already in place
under the earlier settlement agreement for violations of consumer protection law;
-- Volkswagen will increase the availability of Zero Emissions Vehicles in Pennsylvania and the
other states, including battery electric cars.; and
-- Volkswagen will increase its contribution to a mitigation trust fund states can apply for
monies from this fund for various environmental programs.
Under the earlier settlement with Volkswagen reached last year, the automaker agreed to
pay $13.1 million in civil penalties to the Pennsylvania Treasury, $5 million in costs to the
Office of Attorney General, and $2.5 million deposits each into the Commonwealths Clean Air
and Motor License funds.
In addition, there was direct consumer restitution for the faulty emissions devices,
administered by federal authorities.
Earlier in the week, the Office of Attorney General filed a Complaint and Consent
Petition in Commonwealth Court which memorialized the earlier settlement in principle,
resolving the consumer issues. Judicial review of the complaint is pending.
The Office of Attorney General is representing the departments of Environmental
Protection and Transportation in the Volkswagen settlement agreements, and Attorney General
Shapiro commended these state agencies and Governor Tom Wolf for their ongoing
collaboration on the complex litigation.
Every step were taking is to protect Pennsylvanians rights to a clean environment and
consumers rights to fair deals when they buy cars in our Commonwealth, Attorney General
Shapiro said. Pennsylvanians purchased or leased nearly 23,000 Volkswagen vehicles on the
promise they were good for the environment and the opposite was true. This settlement will help
deliver justice by making Volkswagen pay up for the real harms caused by its deceptions and
illegal pollution and builds on our efforts to deliver a cleaner environment for Pennsylvanians.
NewsClip:
VW To Pay Over $157M To Settle Emissions Claims By 10 States
DCNR Officials, Educators, Students Launch Think Outside Initiative At Parks, Forests
Addressing educators and students at a state park near

Carlisle, Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Monday invited
statewide college and university participation in DCNRs
new Think Outside initiative promoting state parks and
forestlands as invaluable learning tools of higher
education.
Think Outside is designed to expand the
learning landscape by inviting colleges and universities to
49
provide opportunities for place-based educational experiences in our states incredibly diverse
outdoor classrooms -- its 121 state parks and more than 2.2 million acres of state forests, Dunn
told Messiah College and Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania representatives gathered at
Kings Gap Environmental Education Center, near Carlisle, Cumberland County.
DCNR officials are structuring the program as an opportunity for students to gain
place-based learning outdoors. Think Outside invites students and professors to use state parks
and forests for educational experiences, and then share their projects, activities, research or
proposals with DCNR.
Whether a single student, a group of students, or an entire class, participants are invited
to visit the state parks and forests for any learning experience, and together work toward a more
sustainable Pennsylvania, Dunn said. Students and professors across all academic disciplines
are encouraged to cultivate new ideas and build stronger connections with the outdoors and our
natural resources.
At the Kings Gap gathering, Dunn invited questions from the groups representing
Messiah College and Shippensburg University, two schools demonstrating strong interest in the
Think Outside program.
Participating in Think Outside enhanced learning by giving students space to see the
social value of conservation and to begin thinking critically about all the disciplines and
resources that go into protecting Pennsylvanias abundant natural resources, said Brandon
Hoover, Messiah Colleges director of sustainability.
Dunn noted the educational program is part of DCNRs commitment to sustainability, a
department-wide effort to make state parks and forests more resilient, and ensure DCNR
advances energy efficiency throughout its facilities and operations.
As part of this, DNCR wants to hear from students and professors -- all are invited to
share their learning experiences with DCNR, Dunn said. The department intends to host a
Think Outside Day with agency leaders. Research and findings will be presented and
considered for implementation.
Among possible state park- or forest-related projects suggested by Dunn:
-- Professor-led classes for analyses of soil, water, air, flora or fauna;
-- Visits for inspiration and subject matter in writing, painting or photography course work; and
-- Research opportunities on most DCNR lands.
Interested students and/or professors are asked to complete Think Outside applications,
which will be reviewed by DCNR staff. Certain research projects may require approval by the
bureaus of State Parks or Forestry.
For more information, visit DCNRs Think Outside webpage.
NewsClips:
A Picture-Perfect Prairie Improvement Day At Jennings Environmental Ed Center
By Brittany Nulph, Jennings Environmental Ed Center Intern
On an unusually warm January
50
21st, the community in and around Slippery Rock donated part of their Saturday, and all of their
stomachs, to participate in Prairie Improvement Day at Jennings Environmental Education
Center in Butler County.
Jennings is unique to the Pennsylvania state park system, as it is home to the easternmost
managed and protected prairie in the United States, and the only managed and protected prairie
in the state of Pennsylvania.
The Jennings prairie is habitat to rare and endangered animals and some unusual plant
species.
That being said, Jennings draws many visitors of all walks of life who come to see this
amazing and unique ecosystem. In preparation for the upcoming season, Jennings, for the past
fifteen consecutive years, has implemented Prairie Improvement Day.
This year, more than 80 volunteers dedicated their time to help improve the conditions of
the prairie. Volunteers including boy scouts cut and removed four large, fully grown trees from
the prairie.
Volunteers also removed small woody growth, such as Shingle Oak, and Dogwood
saplings from specific areas in the prairie.
For lunch, 9 local restaurants and Jennings staff donated sixteen different kinds of soup,
including vegetarian options. Each volunteer received a commemorative soup mug as a thank
you for their time and service.
Prairie Improvement Day 2017 was a complete success, and Jennings Environmental
Education Center hopes to keep the tradition going to involve the community in the care and
maintenance of the prairie and get folks outdoors during the chilly winter months.
Jennings encourages everyone to visit the park in the upcoming season and enjoy the
many features it has to offer: a unique combination of prairie and forest, a wide array of resource
and education opportunities, miles of scenic hiking trails, and the 20-acre prairie ecosystem -
home to distinctive prairie plants and the endangered massasauga rattlesnake.
We hope to see new and return visitors at Jennings soon - come and appreciate the fruits
of the labor on this successful day!
(Reprinted from the March issue of The Catalyst newsletter published by the Slippery Rock
Watershed Coalition. Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)
Free Peregrine Falcon Workshop For Educators In Harrisburg April 13
A free workshop called WILD in the City offers educators

unique up-close learning experiences and curriculum
materials on peregrine falcons in Pennsylvania on April 13, at
the Rachel Carson State Office Building in Harrisburg.
The workshop is sponsored by the Department of
Environmental Protection and Game Commission, in
cooperation with ZOOAMERICA North American Wildlife
Park in Hershey and the Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources.
All teachers, non-formal educators, homeschoolers, and youth group and scout leaders
51
are invited to attend. Teachers are eligible for 5.5 Act 48 credit hours.
At the workshop, which will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Rachel Carson
Building auditorium, participants will:
-- Observe the state-listed endangered peregrine falcons in the wild;
-- Learn about Pennsylvanias peregrine falcon restoration efforts and population status;
-- Explore using the high-definition live PA FalconCam in their classrooms or programs;
-- Receive standards-based curriculum guides from DEP and the Game Commission and a book
from the DCNR-coordinated program Project WILD.
The workshop will be led by falcon experts including Art McMorris, peregrine falcon
coordinator at the Game Commission, and Patrick Miller, naturalist at ZOOAMERICA.
Registration is required. To register, educators should contact the DEP Environmental
Education and Information Center by phone at 717-772-1644 or send email to: adevine@pa.gov
by April 6. Space is limited, so registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Peregrine falcons were absent from Pennsylvania in the early 1960s as a result of DDT
use. While the birds remained extremely rare for many years, theyve made a comeback through
reintroduction programs, adapting to life in cities such as Harrisburg, Reading, Pittsburgh,
Philadelphia, and Williamsport.
Peregrine falcons have nested on a ledge on the 15th floor of the Rachel Carson State
Office Building since 1997. The nest site has been very productive, with 61 young peregrine
falcons hatched since 2000.
The PA FalconCam chronicles the lives of the famous Harrisburg falcons for viewers
around the world.
For more information on the species, visit the Game Commissions Peregrine Falcons In
PA webpage.
NewsClips:
Schneck: Unruly Hanover Bald Eagle Chicks Challenging Parents
Reports: Eaglet Might Be In Pittsburgh Nest
Pittsburgh Eagles Welcome Chick After Losing Nest
Schneck: When Will Hummingbirds Return To PA?
Have Fun Learning About Invasive Species With New Tool From PA 4-H
Penn State Extension, with funding from the state

Department of Agriculture, has created a fun, hands-on,
interactive curriculum to address the threat of invasive
species, to be offered through its Pennsylvania 4-H Youth
Program.
Stop the Invasion: Unwanted Plants, Bugs and Other Pests
educates youth and adults about the role they can play in
slowing the spread of invasives in Pennsylvania. The lessons
in this curriculum feature current pests affecting Keystone
State farmers, families and the environment.
52
The 4-H invasive species project book provides a much-needed, hands-on and interactive
curriculum to address the threat of invasives that makes learning fun, according to Jennifer
Fetter, extension educator watershed and youth development.
Using best practices in experiential and inquiry-based learning, users can expand their
knowledge and discover the role they can play in surveillance, management and eradication of
these destructive plants and animals, she said. This new 4-H project can be used in school
classrooms, nature centers, camps, scouting programs, or any youth education setting, in addition
to use by 4-H members and clubs.
Stop the Invasion is especially useful for groups seeking educational opportunities that
lead to community service and action projects, noted Fetter, who added that each lesson in the
book is also aligned with current educational standards.
You dont need to an expert to lead the activities in this book. Each lesson in the Stop
the Invasion 4-H project has all of the background information and guidance you need, she said.
The target audience for this curriculum is middle-school aged youth. Each lesson, however, is
adaptable for younger and older audiences.
The Stop the Invasion 4-H curriculums six chapters each include opportunities for
reading and interactive activities that can be done individually or in a group. Chapter 1 begins
with an introduction to invasive species. Chapters 2 and 3 look at the impacts of invasive species
on the environment and on our lives. Chapters 4 and 5 explore how invasive species spread and
what can be done to stop them. Finally, Chapter 6 provides an opportunity for youth to dig deep
into information about one invasive species of their choice.
Interspersed throughout the curriculum are case studies of invasive species of concern in
Pennsylvania, such as the spotted lanternfly, allium leafminer, and the yellow fever and Asian
tiger mosquitos that carry Zika virus.
Opportunities for youth to participate in citizen science by identifying and reporting
invasive species in their local communities are also addressed.
Stop the Invasion is a critical curriculum because the U.S. Department of Agriculture
reports that invasive pests, which include foreign insects, weeds, and even larger animals like
fish, birds and mammals, are the second greatest threat to biological diversity after habitat loss.
Invasive species also impact our lives and economy.
Some of these pests are simple nuisances, while others can have devastating financial
impacts.
Pennsylvania has seen the emergence of several new invasive insects in recent years.
These insects can completely devastate crops and resources like onions, orchards and ash trees.
Everyone can play an important role in stopping the spread of invasive species.
Click Here for a copy of Stop The Invasion.
For more information about the curriculum, including training opportunities and how to
obtain a copy, contact your countys 4-H Educator in the Penn State Extension office nearest
you.
NewsClips:
Endangered Bats Nesting Site Cleared In Allegheny County To Protect The Bats
Crable: Bumble Bee, Once Common In Lancaster, Now Endangered
Editorial: This Bumblebee Needs Protection For Humans Sake
Editorial: Its Vital We Address The Plight Of The Bumblebee
53
(Reprinted from the March 27 Watershed Winds, Penn State Extension. Click Here to sign up for
your own copy.)
Wildlands Conservancy April Programs Schedule Now Available
The April schedule of education and other programs is now available from the Wildlands
Conservancy featuring--
-- Earth Day Volunteer Opportunities
-- April 22 Invasives: ID and Removal
-- April 22-23 Habitat Restoration At Thomas Darling Preserve
-- April 23 Wild In The Parks Community Cleanup
-- Sign Up Now For Summer Camps, Get A Discount
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Wildlands
Conservancy website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Conservancy, Like on
Facebook, Follow on Twitter and Join on Instagram.
Gov. Wolf Announces More Opportunities For Pet-Friendly Travel In PAs State Parks
Gov. Tom Wolf and the Department of Conservation and Natural

Resources Monday announced increased opportunities for
campers to bring their pets to some of Pennsylvanias State
Parks.
As travelers prepare for camping season in Pennsylvania, were
thrilled to announce that state park visitors will find more
campsites and cabins open to pets, said Gov. Wolf. Travelers
to 56 parks across Pennsylvania can now pursue their happiness
and experience the beauty of the commonwealth with their pets
at their side.
New state park pet camping sites have been established this season at Codorus, York
County; Colonel Denning, Cumberland County; Greenwood Furnace, Huntingdon County;
Shawnee, Bedford County; and Sizerville, Cameron County.
Newly designated cabin sites are being offered for pet owners at Codorus State Park, as
well as Cook Forest, Clarion County, and Ohiopyle State Park, Fayette County, where walled
tents will be utilized.
Since the pilot program started, we have heard repeated calls to allow pets in more state
park campgrounds and today were thrilled to respond to the requests, DCNR Secretary Cindy
Adams Dunn said. Well listen closely to the responses to the expanded project to judge its
effectiveness, and gauge how park campers, both with and without pets, like these changes."
Surveys, feedback to park managerial staff, and reservation information all played a key
role in the departments decision to continue expanding a pets policy that began in 2001 with
nine parks.
The changes affecting pet owners come as the Bureau of State Parks continues to upgrade
54
its online camping reservation system, and provide electrical and water service at more state park
campgrounds across the state.
Visitors now can search from the comfort of their home or with mobile devices for full
hook-up sites or pet-friendly sites, Dunn said. Better campsite descriptions, enhanced maps
and photos of each site give visitors a more accurate view of the site prior to arrival, ensuring
they have a quality state park experience.
Pet owners at selected state park sites must comply with many program regulations. They
govern leashing; barking and other noise; maximum number of pets allowed (two, when the size
of a cat or larger); aggressive behavior; proper cleanup and disposal of feces; valid licensing
when required; and needed vaccinations.
Violations could require campers to remove their animals from park grounds. Park
officials are empowered to determine whether animals meet the definitions of "pet," which are
commonly kept in household captivity, and "caged pets," which will not be released from their
cage while at the park.
Visit the DCNR Pets In Parks webpage for more information.
For more information on programs and facilities available at state parks, visit the PA
State Parks website.
For more information, visit DCNRs website, Click Here to sign up for the Resource
newsletter, Click Here to be part of DCNRs Online Community, Click Here to hook up with
DCNR on other social media-- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.
NewsClips:
PA State Parks Expand Program To Welcome Pets At Campsites
New Recreation Areas Planned For Loyalhanna, Conemaugh Lakes
$200K State Grant Will Help Make Braddock Urban Park Possible
Get Outdoors Poconos Chestnut Mountain Hike April 15 In Monroe County
The Brodhead Watershed Association is holding a

Get Outdoors Poconos hike on April 15 at the
Chestnut Mountain Nature Preserve in Barrett
Township, Monroe County from 10:00 to 11:30
a.m.
From thousand-year glaciers to short-lived loggers,
Chestnut Mountains natural history is evident at
the 479-acre Nature Preserve that hike leader Carol
Hillestad and local educator Karen Tetor will lead
taking participants on a 2.8-mile tour of the
wooded wonderland.
After a developers plans to build townhouses here failed, the new owner chose to timber
the land. It took the Buck Hill Conservation Foundation almost 20 years of persistent negotiation
and fundraising to save the property, in turn protecting the water that runs through it.
55
Hikers will see a confluence of creeks, glacier-dropped nuggets of pink and white quartz,
and a sweet circular view that includes a privately conserved tree farm, along Pocono Plateau to
Spruce Mountain, Mount Wismer and Skytops West Mountain beyond.
Click Here to watch a short video of the view from Chestnut Mountain.
Meet at the trailhead on the east side of Route 191, marked by a sign and kiosk. From
Mountainhome, where Routes 191/390 split near Mountainhome Diner, take 191 north for 4.3
miles. Turn right into the parking area. Trailhead GPS coordinates: 41.211407, -75.307811
The hike series is administered by Brodhead Watershed Association and supported by a
grant from the William Penn Foundation.
The hike is free, but registration is required. Call 570-839-1120 or 570-629-2727; or send
an email to: info@brodheadwatershed.org to register.
For information about this and other hikes in the series, visit the Get Outdoors Poconos
webpage.
PPL Utilities Supports Conservation Education With Donation To Hawk Mountain
Visitors to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks

County will continue to enjoy educational programs,
events, workshops and lectures, thanks in part to
support from PPL Electric Utilities.
PPL Electric Utilities has awarded $5,000 in
Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) funding
to Hawk Mountain. This grant will support the
Sanctuary's educational programming available for
school groups and to the public.
"We are thrilled to have PPL as a corporate partner
who supports our efforts in conservation education," said President of Hawk Mountain, Geri
Unger.
"PPL is committed to improving the communities where our customers and employees
live and work," said Carol Obando-Derstine, regional affairs director for PPL Electric Utilities.
"Organizations like Hawk Mountain improve the quality of life in our region, and we are pleased
to be able to support them."
The 2,500-acre Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is the worlds first refuge for birds of prey and
is open to the public year-round by trail-fee or membership, which in turn supports the nonprofit
organizations raptor conservation mission and local-to-global research, training, and education
programs.
To learn more about this and other programs and upcoming events, visit the Hawk
Mountain Sanctuary website or call 610-756-6961.
Regional Opening Day Of Trout Season Kicks Off April 1 In Southeast, April 15 Statewide
With great weather greeting kids and their mentors this past
weekend for Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day, anglers in 18
56
southeastern counties are warmed up and ready to kick off a new fishing season on April 1 and
statewide on April 15.
The 18 counties opening on April 1 include: Adams, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland,
Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton,
Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, and York.
All along creeks and lake shorelines, anglers and their friends and families will wait at
their favorite spots for the official 8 a.m. start and an opportunity to catch some of the 3.15
million trout stocked each year by the Fish and Boat Commission. Anglers can keep a daily limit
of five trout, which must be at least seven inches long.
"The opening day of trout season is always a big event that anglers and their friends and
families look forward to each year," said PFBC Executive Director John Arway. "It's a way to
kick off spring and start another season of fishing and creating memories."
A second Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day will be held on April 8 in the remaining 49
counties. This is the Saturday before the April 15 Statewide Opening Day of Trout Season.
The PFBC's "great white fleet" of hatchery trucks has been busy since late February
stocking Pennsylvania's waterways with a fresh supply of brook, brown and rainbow trout. In
addition to these fish, the PFBC plans to stock about 8,700 trophy golden rainbow trout that
weigh an average of 1.5 pounds and measure at least 14 inches long.
Also, PFBC cooperative nurseries run by sportsmen's clubs across the state will add
another 1 million trout to waters open to public angling.
Anglers can find stocked waters in their county by visiting the PFBC website or by
downloading the free FishBoatPA smartphone app from the Apple App Store or Google Play
Store.
The app has been downloaded more than 68,000 times so far. Users can sort stocking
schedules by county, and the app is tied directly into the PFBC's online stocking schedule, so
anglers can see past and upcoming stockings and the type of trout placed in a water.
The "Near Me" feature uses a phone's GIS coordinates to locate and display trout waters
within 5, 15, 25 and 50 miles of the user, who can then use mapping apps to get directions to
their favorite stocking site.
Each year more than 850,000 anglers buy a fishing license, which is required for anyone
16 and older.
The price of a resident annual license is just $21; non-resident annual $51; and senior
resident annual $10. Trout permits are $8. Anglers also can purchase an optional $5 metal button
for an alternate way to display their license.
The PFBC also offers a voluntary youth fishing license for $2.90. For every youth license
sold, the PFBC receives approximately $5 in federal funding, which is reinvested into youth
fishing programs.
"Trout season is a great cure for cabin fever and an opportunity to get outside and enjoy
the Commonwealth's abundant natural resources," Arway added.
Licenses and buttons can be purchased at more than 900 licensing agents and online at
the Gone Fishing PA website.
NewsClips:
Schneck: Ready For Trout Opening Day April 1?
Schneck: Whats New This Year In PA Trout Fishing?
Schneck: Managing Trout In Pennsylvania
57
Schneck: How 3.15 Million Trout Get Into PAs Waters
Schneck: Meetings Set On Changes To Bass Fishing In Susquehanna, Juniata Rivers
Feature- Remembering The Accident At Three Mile Island, 3:53 a.m., March 28, 1979
At 3:53 a.m., March 28, 1979, the cascading failures of

valves, pumps, gauges and reactor operators combined to
produce the worst accident in the U.S. commercial nuclear
power industry.
The accident occurred at the Three Mile Island
nuclear power plant Unit 2 near Middletown, a few miles
downstream from Harrisburg. For 48 hours, the reactor
was dangerously out of control.
Anyone living in and around T.M.I. remembers
exactly where they were on March 30 when they heard Gov. Dick Thornburgh order all
preschool children and pregnant women within five miles of the plant to evacuate and later
everyone within 10 miles to close their windows and stay indoors.
Seven thousand people were evacuated and perhaps a hundred thousand more fled.
A hydrogen bubble formed in the reactor bringing it very close to exploding. Within a
few days, scientists reduced the size of the bubble. The cooling down process, however, took a
month and the radioactive plant would take years to decontaminate.
Though no lives were lost in the accident, the uncertainty and fear it caused gave people a
new sense of vulnerability. The day after the accident, 35,000 protesters in Hanover, West
Germany, chanted, "We all live in Pennsylvania."
In contrast to Unit 2, Unit 1 at Three Mile Island has operated successfully since it first
began commercial operations in 1974 producing electricity for Pennsylvania and the
Mid-Atlantic region.
As a result of the accident, emergency planning and response programs at the local, state
and federal level were dramatically improved around nuclear plants and state efforts to monitor
radiation and provide direct oversight at these facilities also underwent significant changes.
Here are remembrances from that day by two of the people who were touched in unique
ways by the accident
-- Thomas M. Gerusky, the late Director of the Bureau of Radiation Protection at the
then-Department of Environmental Resources on March 28, 1979, and who was in charge of the
states technical response to the accident; and
-- James M. Seif, former Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, and in 1979
administrative assistant to Gov. Dick Thornburgh.
Its a Biggie Some Thoughts on the Accident at Three Mile Island

By Thomas M. Gerusky
Last week, I was interviewed by the producers of a proposed Public Television Network show
58
which will provide a 20-year update on the Three Mile Island accident. That accident occurred
on March 28, 1979.
To prepare for the interview, I went back to my notes and published reports of the
accident to refresh my memory. As I wandered through the documents, the memories of that
time and the aftermath of the accident came slowly into focus. The following are some of the
thoughts that returned.
It is difficult to discuss the accident and the Commonwealths response to it without
reviewing the attitudes of the public, the press, the nuclear industry, the regulators and the
technical world. Nuclear power was touted as the safest form of supplying energy. Nuclear
reactors were designed and operated to run without a serious accident. New nuclear power
stations were being proposed all over the country.
The staff of the Bureau of Radiation Protection and the Pennsylvania Emergency
Management Agency had prepared emergency response plans for an accident at those power
reactors situated in the state and for accidents at other facilities and on the transportation routes
for spent fuel and other sources of radioactivity. Infrequently, transportation accidents had taken
place and we had responded. In no case was there any serious release to the environment nor any
exposure of the public.
A plan had been drawn up for the Three Mile Island complex. It is interesting to note that
a public meeting on that plan was held in Middletown, just north of the reactors, only a short
time before the accident and few people showed up.
At approximately 7 a.m. on the morning of March 28, I received a call from our bureaus
emergency officer, Bill Dornsife, a nuclear engineer who had previously worked at Three Mile
Island, who informed me that he had received a call from the island concerning an emergency
that was occurring there. He gave me some details, but the words I will always remember were
"Its a biggie." The procedure was for me to proceed to the office while other staff members
contacted other individuals and agencies to provide them with the information.
I arrived at the office around 7:20 a.m. From that time on and continuing for the next 30
days, our office was open and staffed around the clock. Bureau and department technical and
administrative staff assisted in providing the coverage. It became a team effort and continued a
team effort through the cleanup.
Although we had established an open phone line with the reactor, the lack of early
information was a major concern. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the federal regulator of
the facility, had not yet arrived on site and even after they arrived, little new information was
forthcoming.
Metropolitan Edison Company, the operator of TMI, had stated through its public
relations office in Reading that the accident was under control and that no serious releases of
radioactivity had occurred. Our information from the radiation protection staff on the island
indicated otherwise.
As the seriousness of the accident became more apparent, more Pennsylvania officials
became involved, first Lt. Gov. William Scranton, and then Gov. Dick Thornburgh. The
administration had just been sworn into office the previous January and their responsibilities
under emergency conditions were just becoming known to them. Throughout the course of the
accident, both men exhibited professionalism and leadership. I was really impressed with the
way the governor listened to the information he was receiving, asked very pointed questions and
then made up his mind after reviewing all of the facts.
59
Two days later, Friday, March 30, was a day I will always remember.
We had been receiving reports from the island that controlled releases of radioactive
gases were occurring. Monitoring was being performed from a helicopter situated above the
release point and off-site.
The information concerning the levels was being relayed by phone to the NRC
emergency desk at the commissions headquarters in Washington. There was confusion
concerning the data and Washington incorrectly thought that the levels reported at the release
point were occurring off-site. As a result, they contacted the Pennsylvania Emergency
Management Agency and recommended an evacuation. From that point on, chaos reigned until
the governor contacted the chairman of the NRC to question its recommendation.
On a subsequent telephone call from the chairman to the governor, he told the governor
that the NRC had no idea what was happening inside that reactor and, when questioned about the
need for an evacuation, he stated that if his wife and daughter were in the immediate vicinity of
TMI, he would get them out.
Gov. Thornburgh had no choice, and started a voluntary evacuation program for the most
vulnerable of the population, pregnant women and small children. The governor also requested
that senior NRC staff be sent to the island to take over the accident response. That brought
Harold Denton and many NRC staff members here. Someone said later that it was impossible to
"run" an accident response from Washington.
The ensuing days were filled with tension, the possibility of an explosion from a
hydrogen bubble growing inside the reactor, the visit of President Jimmy Carter and the governor
to the plant, the planning for a massive evacuation of the residents of the area in case things got
worse, continuing releases of inert radioactive gases from the stack, the hoard of press from all
over the world, and finally, the subsequent relaxation of the recommendation for evacuation
based upon the knowledge that there was no potential for an explosion.
For us, the NRC, the utility and the public in the vicinity of TMI, the cleanup of the
reactor over the next 10 years, the need to vent the remaining radioactive Krypton from the
building before anyone could enter, learning that the fuel had melted and the expenditure of over
a billion dollars kept the accident in our minds.
The reactor has now been mothballed with considerable radioactive material still inside.
It will stay that way until its sister reactor, Three Mile Island I, is shut down. They will be
decommissioned together, when the next generation also will learn what happened on March 28,
1979.
REACTOR!!??
by James M. Seif
I enjoyed Tom Geruskys account of the TMI incident, and would like to add three memorable
moments of my own.
The first occurred about 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28, 1979.
Always an early riser, I was settled into my small office in Room 225, Main Capitol, the
official address of the Governors Suite in Harrisburg. State Trooper Denny Denisevicz and I had
just made a "fresh pot" his had cooked all night as he tended the antique Governors
Switchboard.
I was administrative assistant to Gov. Dick Thornburgh. My duties were principally as
scheduler. (The "Abominable No Man" as he put it.) But only two months had elapsed since
60
inauguration, and all of us were still trying to define our assignments.
My phone rings. Denny says, "a guy from Met Ed wants to reach the Governor to report
something." One thing I did know about my job was to step in front of such anonymous reports. I
say, "anonymous" because I had just moved to Harrisburg, and had no idea that GPU was a
utility and didnt know that Three Mile Island was a power plant let alone a nuke.
In any case, the man told me his emergency manual required a call to the governors
office when theres a "reportable incident at our plant."
"Okay, what happened?"
"We lost cooling in the reactor, but its okay now. Weve shut down as a precaution."
"REACTOR!!??" (I still hope I didnt say it that way.)
"Yes, this is a nuclear power plant."
I asked several questions. Did they call local police? State Police? Emergency
management people? The nuclear regulators in Washington? Yes to all. Was anyone hurt? No.
What about damage to equipment? He didnt know.
Given the answers to his questions and his calm tone, I concluded that the call was little
more than his following the checklist in his manual and the "call the governor" item was on
the checklist as a matter of political caution and not necessary for any real emergency purpose.
It turns out that was, in fact, the origin of the "call the governor" item, but of course, as
the crisis developed in the next hours, I felt I had been misled. I cant recall now if I mentioned
any of this to Gov. Thornburgh or not, but I did let him take a scheduled trip out of town that
day, and valuable hours were lost.
The second recollection is from late Saturday night, March 31, when the crisis reached its
most perilous point. Reactor temperature was rising, evacuation was accelerating and a lot of us
were getting tired and edgy. After riding around for several hours with State Police
Commissioner Dan Dunn, I was especially tense. Dan was a former FBI Special Agent, whom I
had known for years, and he was one of the drollest and most cheerful people I knew. But this
night, his jaw was clenched.
Back in the governors office with other staff, we checked the TV and Saturday Night
Live, hosted by the comedians Bob and Ray, came on. To our shock, it opened by announcing a
contest to pick a new capitol of Pennsylvania!!! We called the network in New York, hoping that
the script could be altered by the news of how serious we thought the problem had become. We
figured the network and certainly the sponsors would not want to add to any panic.
No such luck. An unresponsive switchboard operator said only that he would try to get a
message to the theater. To this day, I recall him by the name he carries in that nights phone log:
FNU LNU First Name Unknown, Last Name Unknown. This was FBI lingo taught to me years
before by Dan Dunn.
Finally, there was an interesting postscript: About six weeks after the crisis had passed,
Another governor called. Gov. Thornburgh was on the road; and so I took the call.
This governor was also a "rookie" and was calling to glean some of the lessons of TMI.
We spoke about the organizational issues of emergency management, local-state relations,
medical perils (including panic), the political danger of Congressional Second Guessers, the
media circus and so on.
I was impressed because he was one of the few people who was interested in the policy
and managerial implications of what had happened, and the only governor that I know of who
ever called.
61
When we were finished, I said, "Thank you for calling, Gov. Clinton."
He said, "Its Bill. Keep up the good work, Dick!"
Related Story:
Op-Ed: Nuclear Energy-A Keystone For Pennsylvanias Economy And Environment
Keith Welks Receives PA Bar Environmental & Energy Law Section Achievement Award
Keith Welks, Deputy State Treasurer for fiscal operations and

Senior Advisor for Policy at the state Treasury Department, will be
honored with the 2017 Pennsylvania Bar Association
Environmental and Energy Law Section Award during the
sections Environmental Law Forum, April 5-6 at the Hilton
Harrisburg.
Welks is to receive the award for being a forceful advocate
for environmental protection, and finding creative ways to fight
the good fight of protecting the environment and conserving
energy, both in and out of state service.
In his current role, Welks identifies investment opportunities for the Pennsylvania
Treasury in a number of areas, including investments that involve green or clean technologies.
He worked with numerous partners to establish the KeystoneHELP Program, which has
provided more than 14,000 low interest loans to homeowners who install energy conservation
measures. Welks has also led a successful sale of a large portion of the HELP loan portfolio to
secondary investors.
He was integral in the Pennsylvania Treasurys creation of Wharehouse for Energy
Efficiency Loans (WHEEL), the first national financing facility which aims to provide
homeowners across the U.S. with low-cost financing for home improvements by creating a
secondary market for residential clean energy loans via securitization.
Prior to working at the Pennsylvania Treasury, Welks helped create and lead the
environmental crimes section of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General from 1980 until
1987. He then served as chief counsel of the former Department of Environmental Resources for
several years.
In the mid-1990s, Welks created, secured funding for and served as president of the
Phoenix Land Recycling Company, a nonprofit organization that facilitated the remediation and
reuse of brownfield sites in the Commonwealth.
Mr. Welks graduated summa cum laude from Lafayette College and received a J.D. from
the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
The Environmental Law Forum will feature opening remarks by Patrick McDonnell,
Acting Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, on April 5.
For more information on the awards program and the Forum, visit the PBAs
Environmental Law Forum webpage.
Public Participation Opportunities/Calendar Of Events
62
This section lists House and Senate Committee meetings, DEP and other public hearings and
meetings and other interesting environmental events.
NEW means new from last week. [Agenda Not Posted] means not posted within 2 weeks
of the advisory committee meeting. Go to the online Calendar webpage for updates.
Note: DEP published its 2017 schedule of advisory committee and board meeting in the
December 17 PA Bulletin, page 7896.
April 1-- Penn State Extension, DCNR Woods In Your Backyard Workshop. Penn State
Wilkes-Barre, Lehman, Luzerne County. 9 a.m. 4:30 p.m.
April 3-- NEW. House Labor and Industry Committee meets to consider House Bill 409
(Evankovich-R-Allegheny) makes fundamental changes to the method of adopting updates to the
Uniform Construction Code (sponsor summary). Room B-31 Main Capitol. Noon.
April 3-- NEW. PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Planning Steering Committee
meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg. 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
April 4-- NEW. PEMA, DCED, FEMA, U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Workshop On
Nonstructural Flood Proofing. Green Tree Municipal Building, 10 West Manilla Ave., Green
Tree, Allegheny County.
April 4-- Center for Watershed Protection 2017 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference.
Online and regional hub locations closest to PA: Temple Universitys Ambler Campus, 580
Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, Montgomery County [register here] or in Baltimore [register here].
April 5-- House Consumer Affairs Committee holds a hearing on PA One Call utility location
safety program. Room 60 East Wing. 9:30.
Nonstructural Flood Proofing. Butler County EMA Office, 120 McCune Drive, Butler, PA
April 5-7-- PA Assn. of Environmental Professionals 32nd Annual Conference. State College.
April 6-- Agenda Posted. DEP Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board meeting. 4th Floor
Training Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Daniel Snowden,
dsnowden@pa.gov or 717-787-5103. (formal notice)
-- Status of Federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Funding and State Funding
April 6-- Agenda Posted. DEP Radiation Protection Advisory Committee meeting. 14th Floor
Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. DEP Contact: Joseph Melnic, jmelnic@pa.gov
or 717-783-9730.
-- Status of Radiation Protection Program Fee Increase Package
April 6-- Delaware River Basin Commission Hearing On Aquatic Life Water Uses In Delaware
63
Estuary. West Trenton Volunteer Fire Company Hall, 40 West Upper Ferry Road, West
Trenton, NJ. 2:00 p.m. (formal notice)
Nonstructural Flood Proofing. Tom Ridge Environmental Center, 301 Peninsula Drive, Erie, PA
April 7-- PennFuture, National Wildlife Federation 3rd Annual Celebrating Women In
Conservation Awards. Keystone College, Evans Hall, in La Plume, Lackawanna County. 6:30.
April 8-- PA Resources Council Rain Barrel Workshop. Fern Park, Allegheny County. 10:30
a.m. to Noon.
April 8-- Brodhead Watershed Association Streamwater Volunteer Training. Northampton

Community Colleges Kapp Hall, Room 104, at the Tannersville Campus. 11:30 a.m.
April 8-- Penn State Extension, DCNR Woods In Your Backyard Workshop. Penn State Beaver,
SUB Lodge, Monaca, Beaver County. 9 a.m. 4 p.m.
April 8-- Fish and Boat Commission Mentored Youth Trout Days.
April 8-- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Lecture By Private Lives Of Vultures Author Kate Fallon.
Berks County. 2:00 p.m.
April 8-- Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor First Trails Cleanup at Hugh Moore
Park, Northampton County.
April 9-- Clean Air Council Run For Clean Air Earth Day Celebration. Philadelphia.
April 9-- NEW. Allegheny CleanWays Tireless Project Cleanup Kickoff. Millvale Riverfront
Park, Allegheny County. Noon to 3:00 p.m.
April 11-- NEW. SRBC, DEP Water Loss Management Training For Drinking Water Systems:
AWWA Water Audit Software. SRBC, 4423 N. Front Street, Harrisburg. 8:30 to 3:30.
April 11-- PA Resources Council Rain Barrel Workshop. North Park-Rose Barn, Allegheny
County. 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
April 12-- DEP State Board for Certification of Water and Wastewater Systems Operators
meeting. 10th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Cheri
Sansoni, Bureau of Safe Drinking Water, Operator Certification, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg,
PA 17101, 717-772-5158, csansoni@pa.gov.
April 12-- Agenda Posted. DEP Technical Advisory Committee on Diesel-Powered Equipment
(Deep Mining) meeting. DEP New Stanton Office, 131 Broadview Road, New Stanton. 10:00.
DEP Contact: Peggy Scheloske, mscheloske@pa.gov or 724-404-3143.
64
April 12-- NEW. DEP Environmental Justice Listening Session. Margaret Bell Miller Middle
School, 126 East Lincoln St., Waynesburg, Greene County. 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
April 12-- PA Resources Council Rain Barrel Workshop. Phipps Garden Center, Allegheny
April 12-- PA Chamber of Business & Industry Annual Environmental Conference and Trade
Show. Best Western Premier Eden Resort & Suites, 222 Eden Road, Lancaster.
April 13-- DEP Oil And Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Kurt Klapkowski, 717-783-9438 or send email to:
kklapkowsk@pa.gov. Click Here to participate via WebEx. (formal notice)
April 13-- NEW. DEP Environmental Justice Listening Session. Hill House Association, 1835
Centre Ave., Pittsburgh, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
April 13-- Society of Women Environmental Professionals - Capital Chapter Annual

Conference. Central Penn Colleges Conference Center, Summerdale, Cumberland County.
April 13-- NEW. Game Commission, DEP Free Peregrine Falcon Workshop For Educators.
Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg. 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
April 15-- NEW. Brodhead Watershed Association. Get Outdoors Poconos Chestnut Mountain
Nature Preserve Hike. Barrett Township, Monroe County. 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
April 18-- Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00.
DEP Contact: Laura Edinger, Environmental Quality Board, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA
17101, 717-772-3277, edinger@pa.gov.
April 18-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.
DEP Contact: Katie Hetherington Cunfer, Citizens Advisory Council, P. O. Box 8459,
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8459, 717-705-2693, khethering@pa.gov.
April 18-- DEP Mine Families First Response and Communication Advisory Council meeting.
DEP New Stanton Office, Fayette Room, 131 Broadview Road, New Stanton. 10:00. DEP
Contact: Allison Gaida, 724-404-3147 or send email to: agaida@pa.gov. (formal notice)
April 18-- PA Resources Council Rain Barrel Workshop. Lauri Ann West Community Center,
Allegheny County. 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
April 19-- DEP public meeting/hearing on proposed Air Quality Plan Approval for an
emergency generator at a Transco natural gas pipeline compressor station in Mifflin Township,
Lycoming County. Salladasburg Elementary School, 3490 State Route 287, Jersey Shore.
6:00-- meeting, 7:15-- hearing. Contact: Muhammad Zaman, DEP Williamsport Office,
65
570-327-3648. (formal notice PA Bulletin page 1536)
April 20-- CANCELED. DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105
Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg. 9:15. DEP Contact: Kirit Dalal, kdalal@pa.gov or
717-772-3436.
April 20-- CANCELED. DEP Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board meeting. 4th Floor
Training Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Daniel Snowden,
dsnowden@pa.gov or 717-787-5103. (formal notice)
April 20-- NEW. DEP Environmental Justice Listening Session. The Genetti Hotel & Suites,
200 West 4th St., Williamsport, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
April 20-- PA Resources Council Rain Barrel Workshop. South Park-Buffalo Inn, Allegheny
April 21-22-- PEC, KPB Pinchot State Forest Earth Day Tree Planting. Luzerne County.
April 22-- PA Environmental Council Tree Planting, Weiser State Forest. Columbia County.
April 22-- NEW. Green Valleys Watershed Association French Creek Cleanup. Chester
County.
April 22-- Earth Day!
April 22-- PA Resources Council Rain Barrel Workshop. Ross Township Community Center,
Allegheny County. Noon to 1:30 p.m.
April 22-- PA Resources Council Reuse Fest. UPMC Passavant Green Lot off Babcock Blvd,
McCandless, Allegheny County.
April 22-23-- Friends of Allegheny Wilderness Hickory Creek Wilderness Trail Stewardship
Days. Warren County.
April 25-- PA Environmental Council. Dinner Recognizing Winners Of 2017 Governors

Environmental Excellence Awards. Harrisburg Hilton.
April 25-27-- PA Section American Water Works Association Annual Conference. The
Hershey Lodge, Hershey.
April 26-- NEW. House Consumer Affairs Committee hearing on House Bill 107 (Godshall-R-
Montgomery) expanding access to natural gas service (sponsor summary). Room B-31 Main
Capitol. 9:30.
April 26-- DEP Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee meeting. 12th Floor
66
Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Nancy Herb, nherb@pa.gov
or 717-783-9269.
April 27-- DEP Agricultural Advisory Board meeting. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909
Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg. 9:00. DEP Contact: Jay Braund, jbraund@pa.gov or 717-772-5636.
April 27-- NEW. DEP Environmental Justice Listening Session. Tom Ridge Environmental
Center, 301 Peninsula Dr., Room 112, Erie, 5:00 to 7 p.m.
April 27-- PA Resources Council Rain Barrel Workshop. Boyce Park-Activity Center,
Allegheny County. 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
April 29-- Manada Conservancys Spring Native Plant Sale. Hummelstown, Dauphin County.
April 29-- PA Resources Council/PA American Water Drug Take-Back Day. Green Tree, Mt.
Lebanon and Robinson Township, Allegheny County.
May 2-- NEW. DEP Environmental Justice Listening Session. DEP Southcentral Regional
Office, 909 Elmerton Ave., Conference Room, Harrisburg, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
May 3-- House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee informational meeting on the forest
products industry. University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, 300 Campus Drive, Bradford. 9:00.
May 3-- Registration Open. Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium. Ramada Inn Conference
Center, State College.
May 4-- DEP Small Water Systems Technical Assistance Center Board meeting. Room 105
Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. DEP Contact: Dawn Hissner, dhissner@pa.gov or 717-772-2189.
(formal notice)
May 4-6-- Registration Open. PA Land Trust Association Land Conservation Conference &
Environmental Advisory Council Network Conference. Lancaster.
May 6-- NEW. 2017 Environmental Advisory Committee Conference. DoubleTree Resort, 2400
Willow Street Pike in Lancaster. 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
May 6-- PA Resources Council Allegheny County Backyard Composting Workshop. Ross Twp.
Community Center, Noon to 1:30 p.m.
May 6-- PA Resources Council. Household Chemical Collection Event. North Park, Allegheny
County.
May 6-- Delaware Highlands Conservancy. Dinner & Live, Silent Auctions. Silver Birches
Waterfront in Hawley, Pike County.
67
May 8-- NEW. PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Planning Steering Committee
meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg. 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
May 9-- DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Mark Brojakowski, mbrojakows@pa.gov or 717-772-3429.
(formal notice)
May 9-- PA Resources Council Allegheny County Backyard Composting Workshop. Carnegie
Municipal Building, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
May 10-- House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee holds an information meeting with
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding on budget and other priorities of the agency. Room 60
East Wing. 9:00.
May 10-- DEP Aggregate Advisory Board meeting. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909
Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg. 10:00. DEP Contact: Daniel E. Snowden, dsnowden@pa.gov or
717-787-5103.
May 10-- DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building, Harrisburg. 9:30. DEP Contact: Diane Wilson, diawilson@pa.gov or 717-787-3730.
May 10-- PA Resources Council Allegheny County Backyard Composting Workshop. Fern
Hollow, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
May 11-- NEW. DEP Environmental Justice Listening Session. Allentown Public Library,
Community room, 1210 Hamilton St, Allentown. 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
May 13-- PA Resources Council Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. Galleria at Pittsburgh

Mills, Frazer Township, Allegheny County.
May 15-- NEW. DEP Environmental Justice Listening Session. HACC Lancaster Campus, East
Building, Room 203, 1641 Old Philadelphia Pike, Lancaster. 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
May 16-- Primary Election Day.
May 16-- PA Resources Council Allegheny County Backyard Composting Workshop. North
Park-Rose Barn, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
May 17-- Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. DEP
Contact: Laura Edinger, Environmental Quality Board, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA
17101, 717-772-3277, edinger@pa.gov.
May 17-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.
DEP Contact: Katie Hetherington Cunfer, Citizens Advisory Council, P. O. Box 8459,
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8459, 717-705-2693, khethering@pa.gov.
68
May 18-- CANCELED. DEP Oil And Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105
Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Kurt Klapkowski, 717-783-9438 or send email to:
kklapkowsk@pa.gov. (formal notice)
May 18-- PA Resources Council Allegheny County Backyard Composting Workshop. Boyce
Park-Activity Center, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
May 19-21-- PA Outdoor Writers Association Spring Conference. Harrisburg/Hershey Holiday

Inn Grantville, Dauphin County. Click Here for more information.
May 20-- Foundation For Sustainable Forests Loving The Land Through Working Forests
Annual Conference. Mercer County.
May 20-- PA Resources Council. Household Chemical Collection Event. Concurrent

Technologies Corporation, Johnstown, Cambria County.
May 20-- PA Resources Council Allegheny County Backyard Composting Workshop. Lauri
ann West Community Center, 10:30 to Noon
May 20-- PA Parks & Forests Foundation. Highmark Walk For A Healthy Community.
Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg.
May 22-- Environmental Issues Forum. Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and
Conservation Committee to hear a presentation on Pennsylvanias pollinator population and
emerging threats to agriculture and the beekeeping industry. Pollinators play a significant role in
the production of fruit and vegetables. Room 8E-A East Wing Capitol Building. Noon.
May 23-- NEW. DEP Environmental Justice Listening Session. City of Chester (Delaware
County), Location TBA. 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
May 24-- PA Green & Healthy Schools Partnership. PA Green & Healthy Schools Forum with
PA Envirothon. University of Pittsburgh Campus-Johnstown .
May 24-- PA Resources Council Allegheny County Backyard Composting Workshop. South
Park-Buffalo Inn, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
May 25-- NEW. DEP Environmental Justice Listening Session. Philadelphia, Location TBA.
4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
June 1-- PA Resources Council Rain Barrel Workshop. Phipps Garden Center, Allegheny
June 5-- NEW. PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Planning Steering Committee
public input session. Location and time to be announced.
69
June 7-- DEP Coastal Zone Advisory Committee meeting. 10th Floor Conference Room,
Rachel Carson Building. 9:30. DEP Contact: Stacey Box, 717-772-5622 or send email to:
sbox@pa.gov.
June 7-- DEP Laboratory Accreditation Advisory Committee meeting. Room 206, Bureau of
Laboratories Building, 2575 Interstate Drive, Harrisburg. 9:00. DEP Contact: Aaren Alger,
aaalger@pa.gov or 717-346-7200.
June 7-- DCNR PA Trails Advisory Committee Public Forum. Murrysville Community Center,
3091 Carson Ave, Murrysville, Westmoreland County. 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
June 8-- PA Resources Council Allegheny County Backyard Composting Workshop. Phipps
Garden Center, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
June 18-23-- Registration Open. Rivers Conservation & Fly Fishing Youth Camp. Messiah
College, Grantham, Cumberland County.
June 21-22-- PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference. Best Western Plus Genetti Hotel
and Conference Center, Wilkes-Barre. Click Here for more information.
June 24-- PA Resources Council Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. Quaker Valley High
School, Leetsdale, Allegheny County.
July 12-- NEW. SRBC, DEP Water Loss Management Training For Drinking Water Systems:
Metering and Billing Operations. SRBC, 4423 N. Front Street, Harrisburg. 8:30 to 3:30.
July 22-- PA Resources Council. Household Chemical Collection Event. Consol Energy Park,
Washington County.
July 29-- PA Resources Council Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. La Roche College,

McCandless, Allegheny County.
August 12-- PA Resources Council Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. Century III Mall, West
Mifflin, Allegheny County.
August 16-- NEW. SRBC, DEP Water Loss Management Training For Drinking Water Systems:
Fundamentals of Leakage and Pressure Management. SRBC, 4423 N. Front Street, Harrisburg.
8:30 to 3:30.
August 19-- PA Resources Council. Household Chemical Collection Event. Boyce Park,
Allegheny County.
September 16-- PA Resources Council. Household Chemical Collection Event. South Park,
Allegheny County.
70
September 21-- DEP Recycling Fund Advisory Committee/Solid Waste Advisory Committee
joint meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Laura Henry,
lahenry@pa.gov or 717-772-5713.
September 23-26-- Statewide Greenways & Trails Summit. DoubleTree Hotel in Reading,
Berks County.
October 4-- DEP Low-Level Radioactive Waste Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105
Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Rich Janati, rjanati@pa.gov or 717-787-2147.
October 7-- PA Resources Council Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. Settlers Cabin Park,
Allegheny County.
October 14-- PA Resources Council. Household Chemical Collection Event. Bradys Run Park,
Beaver County.
December 5-7-- National Brownfields Conference - Sustainable Communities Start Here.

LEED-certified David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh.
February 7-10-- PA Association For Sustainable Agriculture Annual Conference. State

College.
Visit DEPs Public Participation Center for public participation opportunities. Click Here to sign
up for DEP News a biweekly newsletter from the Department.
Sign Up For DEPs eNotice: Did you know DEP can send you email notices of permit
applications submitted in your community? Notice of new technical guidance documents and
regulations? All through its eNotice system. Click Here to sign up.
DEP Regulations In Process

Proposed Regulations Open For Comment - DEP webpage
Submit Comments on Proposals Through DEPs eComment System
Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods - DEP webpage
Recently Finalized Regulations - DEP webpage
DEP Regulatory Update - DEP webpage
February 2017 DEP Regulatory Agenda - PA Bulletin, Page 740
DEP Technical Guidance In Process

Draft Technical Guidance Documents - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines - DEP webpage
71
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
Copies of Final Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
DEP Non-Regulatory/Technical Guidance Documents Agenda (Feb. 2017) - DEP webpage
Other DEP Proposals For Public Review

Other Proposals Open For Public Comment - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Other Proposals - DEP webpage
Other Proposals Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
DEP Facebook Page DEP Twitter Feed DEP YouTube Channel
Click Here for links to DEPs Advisory Committee webpages.
DEP Calendar of Events DCNR Calendar of Events
Note: The Environmental Education Workshop Calendar is no longer available from the PA
Center for Environmental Education because funding for the Center was eliminated in the FY
2011-12 state budget. The PCEE website was also shutdown, but some content was moved to
the PA Association of Environmental Educators' website.
Senate Committee Schedule House Committee Schedule
You can watch the Senate Floor Session and House Floor Session live online.
Add Green Works In PA To Your Google+ Circle
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.
April 3-- NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants

April 12-- DCNR Community Conservation Partnership Grants Close
April 14-- EXTENDED. Schuylkill Student Street Art Contest
April 15-- DCNR Environmental Careers Summer Camp
April 15-- Philadelphia Sustainable Business Tax Credit
April 17- Schuylkill River Restoration Fund Land Transaction Grants
April 19-- SBA Economic Damage Disaster Loans In 5 Southwest Counties
April 21-- NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program Grants
April 26-- NEW. Green Building Alliance Western PA Emerald Awards
April 30-- Northeast PA Audubon Society College Scholarship
May 3-- PennVEST Water Infrastructure Funding
May 9-- National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Chesapeake Bay Grants
72
May 12-- CFA Solar Generating Equipment Loans
May 12-- CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal & Wind Funding
May 12-- CFA Solar Energy Program
May 12-- CFA High Performance Building Program
May 18-- DCNR Volunteer Fire Company Wildfire Fighting Grants
May 26-- PennAg Industries College Scholarships
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Water-Related, Recreation Grants
May 31-- Abandoned Mine Land Programs Assn. College Scholarship
June 1-- DEP Vehicle Fleet Owner Alternative Fuels Technical Assistance Program
June 2-- Great American Cleanup Of PA Video Contest
June 4-- Goddard Leadership Legacy Institute For Youths 13-15
June 30-- Susquehanna Greenways Partnership 2017 Photo Contest
July 14-- CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal & Wind Funding
July 14-- CFA Solar Energy Program
July 14-- CFA High Performance Building Program
August 18-- SBA Flood Disaster Economic Injury Assistance In Northcentral PA
September 5-- SBA Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Economic Injury NC PA
September 7-- PA Parks & Forests Foundation Thru The Seasons Photo Contest
September 15-- CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal & Wind Funding
September 15-- CFA Solar Energy Program
September 15-- CFA High Performance Building Program
September 30-- NEW. DEP Recycling Performance Grants
October 31-- PA Resources Council Lens On Litter Photo Contest
-- Visit the DEP Grant, Loan and Rebate Programs webpage for more ideas on how to get
financial assistance for environmental projects.
-- Visit the DCNR Apply for Grants webpage for a listing of financial assistance available from
DCNR.
Environmental NewsClips - All Topics
Here are NewsClips from around the state on all environmental topics, including General
Environment, Budget, Marcellus Shale, Watershed Protection and much more.
The latest environmental NewsClips and news is available at the PA Environment Digest Daily
Blog, Twitter Feed and add us to your Google+ Circle.
Federal Policy
73
Coal Mining Jobs Trump Would Bring Back No Longer Exist
Philly Energy Group Excited By Trump Executive Order Rolling Back Regulations
Energy Companies May Pay More To Drill, Mine On Federal Land
Trump Budget Cuts Harm Loyal Supporters In PA Coal Country
U.S. House Votes To Restrict EPAs Use Of Scientific Studies
Will Trump Sink Harrisburgs Plan To Transform Sinkhole-Ravaged Block?
Air
Alternative Fuels
York Countys First CNG Fueling Station Opens
Awards & Recognition
Beautification
Biodiversity/Invasive Species
74
Budget
Court Says Shale Driller Does Not Owe $500K In Impact Fees
Op-Ed: EPA Cuts Would Endanger Public Health
Chesapeake Bay
Climate
AP: U.S. House Hearing On Climate Focuses On Name Calling
75
A Conservative Still Pushing For A Carbon Tax
Forests Role In Climate Mitigation Bigger Than Previously Thought
Micek: Sen. Wagner Explains Climate Change
PA Senator Blames Body Heat For Global Warming
Coal Mining
U.S. Coal Boss Murray: Trump Cant Bring Mining Jobs Back
Coal Mining Jobs Trump Would Bring Back No Longer Exist
Moodys: Coals Comeback is Not Going To Happen
Freeport Property Tabbed For Development Being Strip Mined
Compliance Actions
Report: Drilling Companies Often Get Slap-On-The-Wrist Fines
Judge Throws Out $4M Tainted-Water Award To Dimock Shale-Gas Families
Judge Cancels Jury Award To Dimock Families, Orders New Trial
Delaware River
AP: Landowners To Continue Fight To Drill In Delaware Watershed
Drinking Water
Pittsburgh Mayor Talks About Cost Of Fixing Pittsburghs Water Problems
Pittsburgh Seeks Firm For Filters To Remove Lead From Water
Pittsburgh To Restructure Citys Water, Sewer System
Allegheny Controller Calls On Pittsburgh Mayor To Prioritize Lead Service Line Replacement
Fmr Pittsburgh Water Authority Management Company Blasts City Audit
Can Families In Pittsburgh Afford To Get Lead Out Of Their Water?
Hidden Poison: Digging Into Pittsburghs Lead Problem
How Pittsburgh Water Samples Are Tested For Lead
Editorial: Mayor Right To Assert Himself On Pittsburgh Water Authority
When Elevated Lead Levels Arent Enough For Allegheny County To Help Kids
Lead In Pittsburghs Soil Is A Big Problem
Corry To Receive $160K Grant For Water System Improvements
Behrend Student Collects 1,000s Of Bottles Of Water For Flint, MI
Dealing With Lead Problems From Paint Stalled In Lancaster
76
Economic Development
Freeport Property Tabbed For Development Being Strip Mined
Education
Energy
Swift: Nuclear Energy Caucus Forms In Challenging Times
FirstEnergy Exec Calls For Urgent Nuclear Power Plant Bailout
Activists Ask NY Governor To Halt Nuclear Plant Subsidies
AP: Ripples From U.S. Nuclear Plant Closings Overwhelm Small Towns
Toshiba Approves Westinghouse Bankruptcy Filing
Cash-Strapped Westinghouse Sees Hope In Service, Fuels
PPL Fighting Cyberattacks CEO Says
PPL: Dont Use Our Nightlights, Might Catch On Fire
Talen Looking To Unload Energy-Contracting Arm
Union Ratifies 5-Year Labor Contract With PPL
Penn Students Stage Sit In Over Fossil Fuel Investments
Op-Ed: Realistic Energy Options, Answer Isnt Blowing In The Wind
Philly Energy Group Excited By Trump Executive Order Rolling Back Regulations
Energy Conservation
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice Will Be Focus Of DEP Statewide Listening Tour
Erie To Host DEP Listening Session On Environmental Justice April 27
Farming
Flooding
77
Susquehanna River To Crest Below Flood Stage
Forests
Forest Fire Lookout Towers Help First Responders Keep Watch
Forest Fire Lookout Towers To Be Replaced In Wyoming County
Geology
Will Trump Sink Harrisburgs Plan To Transform Sinkhole-Ravaged Block?
Green Infrastructure
Health
Pennsylvania: How Healthy Is Your County?
Only 5 Counties Statewide Are Less Healthy Than Luzerne County
Erie Countys Health Ranking Tumbles
Lehigh Valley Residents Slip In Annual Ranking
Philly Regions Counties Ranked By Health, Or Is It Wealth?
Editorial: Let Erie County Health Stats Be Call To Action
History - Environmental
Crable: Tuesday Marks 38th Anniversary Of TMI Nuclear Accident
McKelvey: Three Mile Island: A Look Back At The Accident, Aftermath
The Partial Meltdown At TMI Was 38 Years Ago
Land Recycling
EPA Poised To OK Sands Casino Site Brownfield Redevelopments
Litter/Illegal Dumping
Mine Reclamation
Oil & Gas
AP: Landowners To Continue Fight To Drill In Delaware Watershed
AP: Drillers: Permit Limbo Hurts PAs Competitiveness
Report: Drilling Companies Often Get Slap-On-The-Wrist Fines
PA OKs New Injection Wells For Drilling Wastewater
PA Approves 2 Injection Wells For Drilling Wastewater
Deep Injection Wells Approved For Indiana, Elk Counties
Crable: 2 Drilling Waste Underground Injection Wells Approved By PA
DEP Sues 2 Towns That Banned Frackwater Disposal Injection Wells
DEP Sues Townships Over Banning Drilling Waste Injection Wells
Outrage After DEP Sues Towns That Banned Frack Water Disposal Wells
78
Is Wolf Flip-Flopping On Shale Industry? New DEP Lawsuits Prompt Questions
McKelvey: Restoring Notice In Law Of Drilling Water Spills Could Take Years
Judge Throws Out $4M Tainted-Water Award To Dimock Shale-Gas Families
Judge Cancels Jury Award To Dimock Families, Orders New Trial
Court Says Shale Driller Does Not Owe $500K In Impact Fees
Rostraver Township To Adopt Marcellus Shale Drilling Ordinance
York Countys First CNG Fueling Station Opens
Range Resources Contractors Rescue 99-Year Old Fall Victim
Oil, Gas Upswing Energizing Southwest PA
Op-Ed: What To Make Of Wolfs Mixed Signals On Marcellus Shale?
Sen. Wagner Keynotes For Natural Gas Advocates In Harrisburg
Oil Giants Upending American Shale Turf
Maryland Declares Fracking Too Hazardous, Wont Allow It
Attytood: A GOP Governor Next Door Banned Fracking, Why Cant Us?
Pittsburgh Gasoline Prices Continue Rare Springtime Decline
Pipelines
Laurel Pipeline: A Gasoline War Looms In Pennsylvania
Crable: Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Opponents Breaking Camp For Now
3 Potential FERC Nominees Bring Business, Energy Backgrounds
Oil In Dakota Access Pipeline
Recreation
New Recreation Areas Planned For Loyalhanna, Conemaugh Lakes
PA State Parks Expand Program To Welcome Pets At Campsites
$200K State Grant Will Help Make Braddock Urban Park Possible
Recycling/Waste
79
Judge Hears Arguments In Keystone Landfill Expansion Case
DEP Confirms Leachate Spill At Keystone Landfill
Editorial: NE PA Needs Federal TRASH Act To Limit Waste Imports
Pen Argyl Opposes Proposed Slate Belt Sludge-Conversion Plant
Renewable Energy
Op-Ed: Realistic Energy Options, Answer Isnt Blowing In The Wind
Schuylkill River
Stormwater
Sustainability
Wastewater Facilities
Crews Respond To Sewage Spill Into Monacacy Creek
Editorial: Require Disclosure Of Fees Associated With Scranton Sewer Sale
Editorial: Scranton Sewer Sale Legal Fees Rooted In Politics
Watershed Protection
Wildlife
Schneck: Ready For Trout Opening Day April 1?
Schneck: Whats New This Year In PA Trout Fishing?
Schneck: Managing Trout In Pennsylvania
Schneck: How 3.15 Million Trout Get Into PAs Waters
80
Schneck: Meetings Set On Changes To Bass Fishing In Susquehanna, Juniata Rivers
Cuddling Bear Cubs Part Of Game Commissions Annual Bear Count
Schneck: Unruly Hanover Bald Eagle Chicks Challenging Parents
Reports: Eaglet Might Be In Pittsburgh Nest
Pittsburgh Eagles Welcome Chick After Losing Nest
Schneck: When Will Hummingbirds Return To PA?
Other
ONeill: A Faith-Based Program To Care For Earth
Click Here For This Week's Allegheny Front Radio Program
Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits
No new regulations were published this week. Pennsylvania Bulletin - April 1, 2017
Sign Up For DEPs eNotice: Did you know DEP can send you email notices of permit
applications submitted in your community? Notice of new technical guidance documents and
regulations? All through its eNotice system. Click Here to sign up.
DEP Regulations In Process

Proposed Regulations Open For Comment - DEP webpage
Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods - DEP webpage
Recently Finalized Regulations - DEP webpage
DEP Regulatory Update - DEP webpage
February 2017 DEP Regulatory Agenda - PA Bulletin, Page 740
Technical Guidance & Permits
Note: DEP published 55 pages of public notices related to proposed and final permit and
approval/disapproval actions in the April 1 PA Bulletin - pages 1862 to 1917.
The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice in the April 1, 2017 PA Bulletin of
actions taken during its March meeting.
81
DEP Technical Guidance In Process
Draft Technical Guidance Documents - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
Copies of Final Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
DEP Non-Regulatory/Technical Guidance Documents Agenda (Feb. 2017) - DEP webpage
Other DEP Proposals For Public Review

Other Proposals Open For Public Comment - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Other Proposals - DEP webpage
Other Proposals Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
Visit DEPs Public Participation Center for public participation opportunities. Click Here to sign
up for DEP News a biweekly newsletter from the Department.
DEP Facebook Page DEP Twitter Feed DEP YouTube Channel
Click Here for links to DEPs Advisory Committee webpages.
DEP Calendar of Events DCNR Calendar of Events
CLICK HERE To Print Entire PA Environment Digest
CLICK HERE to Print The Entire PA Environment Digest. The April 3, 2017 issue is 83 pages
long.
Stories Invited
Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or
programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com.
PA Environment Digest is edited by David E. Hess, former Secretary Pennsylvania Department

of Environmental Protection, and is published as a service of Crisci Associates, a
Harrisburg-based government and public affairs firm whose clients include Fortune 500
companies and nonprofit organizations.
Did you know you can search 14 years of back issues of the PA Environment Digest on dozens
of topics, by county and on any keyword you choose? Just click on the search page.
82
PA Environment Digest weekly was the winner of the PA Association of Environmental
Educators' 2009 Business Partner of the Year Award.
Supporting Member PA Outdoor Writers Assn./PA Trout Unlimited
PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers

Association, Pennsylvania Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout
Unlimited.
83

Pa Environment Digest April 3, 2017

Transféré par

Informations du document

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Pa Environment Digest April 3, 2017

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

PA Environment Digest

An Update On Environmental Issues In Pennsylvania

Winner Of PA Association of Environmental Educators

PA Environment Digest Daily Blog Twitter Feed

Issue #666 Harrisburg, PA April 3, 2017

President Trump Tuesday issued an Executive Order calling

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt

In response to President Trumps Executive Order on climate change

PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Planning Steering Committee Meets April

Development of Phase 3 of Pennsylvanias Chesapeake

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

PA Assn. Of Environmental Educators 2017 Award Recipients Honored

The PA Association of Environmental Educators honored the winners of its

DEP, PennDOT Receive National Recognition From Keep America Beautiful

The departments of Environmental

PA Environment Digest Google+ Circle, Blogs, Twitter Feeds

Also take advantage of these related services from Crisci Associates--

Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule [Updated] /Govs Schedule/ Bills

House (April 3): House Resolution 84 (Ryan-R-Lebanon) congratulating the PA National

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

Senate: <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Pending In Key Committees

The following bills of interest were introduced this week--

Senate/House Bills Moving

PUC Urges Preservation Of Federal Heating Assistance, Weatherization Programs

The Public Utility Commission Thursday sent a letter to members of Pennsylvanias

Bipartisan RECLAIM Reintroduced In Congress To Cleanup Abandoned Mine Lands

Monday a bipartisan group of legislators in

News From The Capitol

Sen. Killion To Introduce Bill To Eliminate Sunset Date On $2 Recycling Fee

Sen. Thomas Killion (R-Delaware) Wednesday circulated a co-sponsor

Legislative Forestry Task Force Issues 2015-16 Report, Recommendations

Op-Ed: Nuclear Energy-A Keystone For Pennsylvanias Economy And Environment

Pennsylvanias energy history is a rich landscape of

Sen. John DiSanto (R-Dauphin) Tuesday announced he has introduced

News From Around The State

Want To Be An Ambassador For Water Issues In Philadelphia? Tell Us Why

Are you interested in helping communities in Philadelphia

The Susquehanna River Basin Commissions Public

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary and the

The March 27 Watershed Winds newsletter is now available

The March issue of The Catalyst newsletter is now

Centre County Watershed Cleanup Day April 22

Come celebrate Earth Day by taking part in ClearWater

Green Valleys Watershed Association is seeking

Allegheny CleanWays Kicks Off Tireless Project Cleanup April 9

The Tireless Project, an Allegheny CleanWays river cleanup

The Allegheny River and Watershed Cleanup will take place

Volunteers! Clinton County CleanScapes Young Womans Creek Cleanup April 8

Join Clinton County CleanScapes, Lock Haven

Millersville U. Receives PepsiCo Recycling Grant To Support Sustainability Ambassadors

Thanks to funding from the PepsiCo Recycling Zero Impact

DEP Now Accepting Applications For Recycling Performance Grants

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting

PEMA, Partner Agencies Collaborate On Floodproofing Prevention Workshops In April

The PA Emergency Management Agency, along with the

Matthew Elsasser picked up a piece of equipment that

2017 Environmental Advisory Council Conference Set For May 6 In Lancaster

The annual Environmental Advisory Council

Department of Environmental Protection Acting Secretary Patrick McDonnell Tuesday

Wolf Administration Extends LIHEAP Home Heating Assistance Deadline To April 7

PUC Offers Tips On Door-To-Door Sales By Energy Suppliers, Consumer Rights

The Public Utility Commission Thursday offered consumer tips on

PJM Marks 20 Years Of The Competitive Electricity Market