June 24, 2016

June 27 PA Environment Digest Now Available

The June 27 PA Environment Digest is now available.  Here are just a few of the headlines--

A House Republican initiative-- House Bill 2013 (Ellis-R-Butler)-- to open Pennsylvania’s State Parks to private development-- is scheduled to be amended on the House Floor Monday and passed Tuesday.

Sen. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Allegheny) this week introduced Senate Bill 1327 which would prohibit DEP from adopting methane emission regulations for the oil and gas industry that are more stringent than federal standards.

The City of Philadelphia announced a major achievement accomplished through the Green City, Clean Waters Program at a June 16 celebration marking the five-year anniversary of the Green Stormwater Infrastructure plan’s adoption.

The federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’s Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) recently presented its 2015 Excellence in Reforestation Award to DEP’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation and contractor Morgan’s Excavating.

With the solstice this week officially marking the arrival of the summer season, many of us will be spending a lot of time on or near the water between now and Labor Day doing recreational and other activities.  

Environmental and education advocates gathered at the State Capitol Building Wednesday to honor three Pennsylvania schools named 2016 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS).

In an unprecedented alliance of solidarity, 5 Pennsylvania recycling, litter, and waste management organizations representing key stakeholder factions affected by the state’s electronics waste recycling law-- the Covered Device Recycling Act-- have united in expressing serious concerns about House Bill 1900 (Ross-R-Chester) and have proposed an alternative.

The departments of Health and Environmental Protection will hold a Facebook Town Hall meeting at 11 a.m. July 6 to answer questions about the Zika virus.

Significant changes in Pennsylvania’s electricity generation mix are well underway. The availability of low-cost, abundant natural gas combined with an increase in renewable energy build and continued investment in energy efficiency are contributing to the creation of a more diversified energy portfolio.

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebates of from $500 to $2,000. (formal notice)  The deadline for applications is December 31 or after the first 250 rebates are paid.

The Pocono Forest and Waters Conservation Landscape Initiative Wednesday announced the recipients of its 2016 Mini-Grants.

The PA Environmental Council and its partners will host the Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition Summit on November 4 at the Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry Township, Butler County.

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.


Additional Tools--
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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