July 1, 2016

July 4 PA Environment Digest Now Available

The July 4 PA Environment Digest is now available.  Here are just a few of the headlines--

Attempts by some House Republicans to dictate, without any involvement of the public, what kinds of recreational experiences should be in Pennsylvania’s State Parks in House Bill 2013 (Ellis-R-Butler) and House Bill 2188 (Christiana-R-Beaver) raises the question of what DO our State Parks actually need?
Hint: It’s not water slides, golf courses and cheesy tourist attractions that are a drain on DCNR’s reduced staff and maintenance resources.
Fortunately, the PA Parks and Forests Foundation has the answer.

The Senate Tuesday unanimously adopted Senate Resolution 404 offered by Sen. Rob Teplitz (D-Dauphin) recognizing the invaluable contributions the 29 National Parks and Pennsylvania’s award-winning State Park system make to Pennsylvania’s communities and in the lives of our citizens.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced Friday the Commonwealth Financing Authority approved $16.8 million in funding to support 118 abandoned mine drainage abatement; sewage treatment; greenways, trails and recreation; baseline water quality data; watershed restoration; and flood control projects.
The funding for these projects comes from the Act 13 drilling impact fee and the Marcellus Legacy Fund.
The CFA also approved $23.9 million in grants and loans to support 22 Alternative and Clean Energy Projects.

On Tuesday, the School District of Philadelphia celebrated the release of GreenFutures, the District’s first ever sustainability plan.

The winner of the Keep PA Beautiful 2016 Great American Cleanup Of PA Video Contest is the Lake Frederick Homeowners Association from Millerstown, Perry County.

The Department of Human Services Thursday announced extra financial help will be provided to vulnerable Pennsylvanians who received assistance from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, during the 2015-2016 heating season.

The Department of Health Wednesday announced the launch of the Commonwealth’s new Zika Virus Prevention and Awareness Campaign.

Pennsylvania’s first probable human case of West Nile Virus infection in 2016 has been detected in an Indiana County woman.

The PA Forest Heritage Association reported in its quarterly newsletter this week damage from the 616 wildfires so far in 2016 totaled over $3.4 million and burned 11,291 acres, nearly triple the acreage of last year.  Nine residences were destroyed, along with 18 other structures.

The Department of Environmental Protection updated its Non-Regulatory Agenda that lists the technical guidance being developed by the agency.  (formal notice)  The Agenda serves as a guide and resource to the regulated community, the public, Department staff and members of the Department's Advisory Committees regarding the focus of the Department's policy development for the coming year.

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--
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