May 31, 2015
May 30, 2015
May 29, 2015
June 1 PA Environment Digest Now Available
The June 1 PA Environment Digest is now available. Here are just a few of the headlines--
Gov. Tom Wolf Wednesday announced the formation of a task force to help Commonwealth agencies, the natural gas industry, and communities across the state collaborate more effectively as thousands of miles of pipelines are being proposed to transport natural gas and related byproducts to markets from gas wells throughout the Commonwealth.
Despite the recent precipitation events, the Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday said it is maintaining a drought watch for 27 counties across Pennsylvania because parts of the state have below-average groundwater and in some areas surface water levels.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army finalized the Clean Water Rule Wednesday to clearly protect from pollution and degradation the streams and wetlands that form the foundation of the nation’s water resources.
The Department of Environmental Protection told the Citizens Advisory Council on two occasions (May, June) last year the proposed EPA Waters of the U.S. rule would have little impact in Pennsylvania because state water quality programs already exceeded minimum federal requirements and use a similar regulatory definition.
On May 14, William John Caddy, 38, from Johnstown was found guilty of illegally dumping shingles, buckets, cement and other debris on Hohan Avenue/Kingston Lake Trail in Middle Taylor Township by the Honorable Mary Ann Zanghi.
Clean out the garage…the basement…the overflowing closets throughout the house because the region’s fourth annual large-scale collection of materials to be reused by local nonprofits will take place on June 13 in Allison Park, Allegheny County.
ClearWater Conservancy celebrated its 20,000th student visit to Millbrook Marsh Nature Center in Centre County under the conservancy’s Connections program this spring.
To read the Digest, visit: www.PaEnvironmentDigest.com. Click Here to print the entire Digest.
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.
PA Environment Digest was the winner of the PA Association of Environmental Educators' 2009 Business Partner of the Year Award.
Additional Tools--
Click Here to sign up to receive the Digest directly by email.
Click Here for a Calendar of Upcoming Events.
Click Here to search back issues of the Digest.
PA Environment Digest Twitter Feed: Update on PA environmental issues.
PA Environment Daily Blog: Update on PA environmental issues.
Green Works In PA Google+ Circle: Update on PA environmental issues.
Questions?: Send email to David Hess at: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com
PA Community Colleges Testify Before House Subcommittee On Technical Education
A panel representing Pennsylvania’s 14 community colleges testified before a House Subcommittee on Technical Education and Career Readiness at Reading Area Community College Thursday, sharing how the community colleges are providing Pennsylvanians with access to affordable, high-quality postsecondary workforce training that offers students several pathways to careers and is aligned with industry needs.
This was the second hearing of the House Subcommittee on Technical Education and Career Readiness, which has been tasked with examining readiness surrounding career and technical education in the state.
“We are thankful for the opportunity to share some of the many success stories from Pennsylvania’s community colleges,” said Elizabeth Bolden, President/CEO of the PA Commission for Community Colleges. “Community colleges have collaborated with educational and business partners for more than 50 years to provide education and workforce training to their communities. We support statewide policies to expand career readiness, education and technical training programs so that Pennsylvania’s workforce has the skills and training needed by employers throughout the Commonwealth.”
Joining Bolden on the panel was Dr. Doug Jensen, Vice President, Economic Development and Chief Executive Officer for the Advanced Technology Center at Westmoreland County Community College.
Jensen’s testimony included information about some of WCCC’s collaborations with employers and WCCC’s Advanced Technology Center High School Academy, which is a partnership between the 17 Westmoreland County school districts and four Career and Technology Centers in the region that provides a pathway for students to obtain highly marketable technical skills.
Dr. Karen Kozachyn, Dean, Workforce Development and Community Education at Delaware County Community College, told the panel of DCCC’s partnership of more than 20 years with the Chester County Intermediate Unit. The college is now a partner in three Technical College High Schools in Jennersville, Brandywine, and Phoenixville, which develop career pathways for students.
At the conclusion of the 2014-15 academic year, a total of 244 high school students enrolled in college course through this partnership, earning a total of 1,080 credits.
Dr. Stephen Waller, Interim Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs/Provost and Assistant Dean of Science and Mathematics at Reading Area Community College (RACC), shared information on RACC’s new partnership with Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania to allow students the opportunity to complete a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Technical Leadership from Bloomsburg University at the RACC campus.
Waller also discussed the Berks County Technical Academy, which allows high school technical students to earn up to 27 college credits at a free or reduced tuition rate, as well as RACC’s engagement with Project Lead the Way, a pre-engineering program to start to build a bridge for engineering-track high school students to transition to RACC’s applied engineering programs.
Also represented at the hearing were representatives from the Pennsylvania Association of Private School Administrators, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania and the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties.
For more information, visit the PA Commission for Community Colleges website.
Friday NewsClips
90%+ Of Schools Show How They Would Spend Extra $$$
92% Of Schools Submit Plans On Investing More Education $$$
Click Here for Today's PA Environmental News
92% Of Schools Submit Plans On Investing More Education $$$
May 28, 2015
Kinship Foster Care Parents On The Rise In PA, New Education Video Available
Since 2012, 24 percent more children have been placed in “kinship” foster care, according to 2014 data collected by the Office of Children and Families in the Courts, a unit of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
Kinship care is the full-time care, nurturing and protection of children by relatives or any adult who has a “kinship” bond with the children. These caregivers may include grandparents, aunts or uncles, siblings of the children requiring care, cousins or non-blood “relatives,” such as a teacher, coach or family friend.
“The increase in kinship care placements is significant because I firmly believe there’s no question that kids are better served by staying with people they know – staying in their familiar school, peer groups, church or synagogue,” said Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Max Baer. “Many of the children are traumatized when they come into the system, and our job is to make them better, not to create additional trauma.”
With the rise in kinship placements, the AOPC and OCFC developed a new, educational video to help potential kinship providers learn about and understand kinship foster care, navigate the dependency court system and take the necessary steps to become a kinship parent.
The video highlights:
— Different types of kinship foster care providers – formal and informal kinship providers;
— Benefits of kinship foster care in terms of maintaining stability, reducing trauma associated with out-of-home care and keeping connections to extended family and sibling relationships;
— Situations where the biological parents cannot continue to care for their children – such as parental drug abuse, incarceration, abandonment or homelessness;
— Family finding practices in Pennsylvania and what to expect in court; and
— Resources available to kinship foster parents.
“Reducing trauma for children and viewing decisions from their perspective is certainly a priority for our state’s dependency courts,” said Sandy Moore, Administrator of OCFC. “Focusing on both the physical and emotional well-being of children is critical, and safe kinship care can help us accomplish both.”
“Kinship caregivers can have a tremendous impact on children’s lives by offering them a place where they can feel safe,” added Justice Baer. “I encourage people to consider serving as kinship providers as it will likely change life as they know it today. We’ll do our part by working in concert with judges, social workers and other child welfare professionals to provide the educational, financial and emotional resources needed to help children succeed.”
Click Here to watch the video online or obtain copies by contacting the Office of Children and Families in the Courts at 717-231-3300 ext. 4255 or send email to: elke.moyer@pacourts.us.
Thursday NewsClips
Poll: Wolf’s Approval Rating Stands At 40 Percent
AG’s Internal Sandusky Review Protected By Attorney-Client Privilege
Click Here for Today's PA Environmental News
AG’s Internal Sandusky Review Protected By Attorney-Client Privilege
May 27, 2015
Sen. Smith To Resign To Become Pittsburgh Chamber President
Sen. Matt Smith (D-Allegheny) will resign his Senate seat to become President of the Pittsburgh Chamber. Smith served in the House from 2007 to 2012 and was elected to the Senate in 2013. Smith’s resignation will take effect at the end of June. Smith served as Minority Chair of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee and served on the Aging and Youth, Appropriations, Judiciary and Transportation committees.
NewsClip: Sen. Smith Resigning To Be Pittsburgh Chamber President
Wednesday NewsClips
Editorial: Ground Internet Gambling Before It Takes Off
E-911 Fee Remains At Issue As Reauthorization Deadline Looms
Click Here for Today's PA Environmental News
E-911 Fee Remains At Issue As Reauthorization Deadline Looms
May 26, 2015
May 25, 2015
May 24, 2015
May 23, 2015
May 22, 2015
May 25 PA Environment Digest Now Available
The May 25 PA Environment Digest is now available. Here are just a few of the headlines--
The Southwest PA Environmental Health Project made a presentation to the DEP Citizens Advisory Council Wednesday about the need for a health registry to try to document any health-related impacts from Marcellus Shale natural gas development and infrastructure.
Raina Rippel and Jill Kriesky said the Project is staffed by medical health professionals from a variety of backgrounds dedicated to providing information to individuals and communities on issues of public and individual health arising from natural gas development.
Gov. Wolf’s Chief of Staff Kathleen McGinty told the Pennsylvania Press Club Monday the Governor supports the Act 13 drilling impact fee and it is maintained under his severance tax proposal.
“The governor supports the impact fee. The impact fee is incorporated in his plan and actually he takes it one step better and guarantees those impact dollars to impacted communities at the highest levels they’ve ever been,” said McGinty.
However, severance tax proposals introduced last week advertised as the Governor’s severance tax proposal specifically do not retain the drilling impact fee. The language says the fee expires on January 1, 2016.
This week, the PA Environmental Council, Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA, Environmental Defense Fund, PA Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and the Western PA Conservancy submitted comments on the Department of Environmental Protection’s proposed final regulatory changes for Marcellus and other unconventional shale gas development.
Pennsylvania farmers are protecting their soils, their bottom lines, and the state's waterways by widely adopting conservation practices in their crop operations, according to a study commissioned by the Department of Agriculture.
U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Bob Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.) have written to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack encouraging more federal support for farmers’ efforts to prevent pollution into the Susquehanna River Basin and Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Thursday announced 12,809 volunteers from 50 counties canvassed their communities to remove 646,210 pounds of trash and debris from Pennsylvania’s waterways and coastal regions during the 2014 International Coastal Cleanup.
The Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory Council rejected revisions the 2012 International Code Council building standards Wednesday, missing a significant opportunity to make Pennsylvania safer and more energy efficient.
Students 13 to 15 can now register for the Goddard Leadership Legacy Institute set for July 12-17 at the Ironmaster’s Mansion at Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Adams County.
The PA Emergency Management Agency Friday urged residents to prepare for possible severe weather during Hurricane Preparedness Week, which stretches May 24 through May 30.
To read the Digest, visit: www.PaEnvironmentDigest.com. Click Here to print the entire Digest.
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.
PA Environment Digest was the winner of the PA Association of Environmental Educators' 2009 Business Partner of the Year Award.
Additional Tools--
Click Here to sign up to receive the Digest directly by email.
Click Here for a Calendar of Upcoming Events.
Click Here to search back issues of the Digest.
PA Environment Digest Twitter Feed: Update on PA environmental issues.
PA Environment Daily Blog: Update on PA environmental issues.
Green Works In PA Google+ Circle: Update on PA environmental issues.
Questions?: Send email to David Hess at: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com
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