The Sept. 26 PA Environment Digest is now available. Here are just a few of the headlines--
The PA Growing Greener Coalition Monday unveiled its blueprint for $315 million in new investments in a Growing Greener III Program to provide annual funding for clean water, parks and trails, green open spaces, and locally grown food.
The proposal would dramatically expand the number of programs included in the present Growing Greener Program to fund 27 different initiatives, but does not propose a source of revenue necessary to add $315 million to the existing $57 million Growing Greener funding.
The PA Environmental Council and other groups this week put a spotlight on House attempts to rollback protections now in DEP’s drilling regulations, kill regulations with a single vote from a single committee in the House or Senate and possible attempts to reduce protection for endangered species.
The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee has scheduled a meeting for September 27 to vote on Senate Resolution 385 (Brooks-R-Crawford) directing the Joint State Government Commission to identify environmental laws and regulations more stringent than federal law as a first step to rolling back environmental protection in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary). Only a vote by the Senate is needed to direct the Joint Commission to undertake this study, not the House.
Harry Campbell, PA Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Monday provided an update on CBF-PA’s efforts to have the lower Susquehanna River designated as impaired for aquatic life by the Department of Environmental Protection. His update said-- This past week, we delivered 6,204 signatures to the Acting Secretary of the DEP. Click Here to learn more about the critical importance of the Susquehanna River.
Pennsylvania watershed and conservation organizations may be eligible for free technical assistance to effectively assess, monitor, and restore their local water resources. The Consortium for Scientific Assistance to Watersheds (C-SAW) is offering both organizational and scientific assistance, made possible by a Growing Greener grant from the Department of Environmental Protection.
The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday invited nonprofits, local governments, schools and universities, and other organizations to apply for 2017 Coastal Zone Grants to be used for projects that benefit Pennsylvania’s coastal resources in the Lake Erie and Delaware Estuary watersheds. The deadline for applications is October 17.
The Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition September Catalyst newsletter included this feature on generating electricity from mine drainage treatment systems-- Research, education programs, and demonstrations of innovative mine drainage treatment and land reclamation technologies have been ongoing at the Jennings Environmental Education Center passive treatment system for over 20 years in Butler County.
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is pleased to announce Elena Prenovitz of Erie has been selected by Keep America Beautiful as one of 10 high school students from across the country to serve for another year on its national Youth Advisory Council (YAC). Selections for the Council were based on a rigorous application and interview process.
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Friday announced the point and observation area on the Susquehanna River at Shikellamy State Park in Northumberland County will be now be called “Kury Point” to honor former Sen. Franklin Kury who authored the section of Pennsylvania’s Constitution popularly known as the Environmental Rights Amendment.
The Public Utility Commission this week issued its 2015 Annual Report on implementation of the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act which found 67 percent of the sources certified to generate the credits needed to meet the AEPS standard come from outside Pennsylvania.
Fifty-three percent of the Tier II credit generators are also from outside Pennsylvania.
In terms of credits retired to meet the AEPS standard in 2015, 35.8 percent of Tier I credits, 62.3 percent of Tier II credits and 74.1 percent of the solar credits came from Pennsylvania.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Thursday posted its first Fall foliage report showing expected dates when the best forest colors can be found. Fall foliage visitors can also get suggestions about the best spots to view foliage on DCNR’s Penn’s Woods Fall Foliage Story Map.
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.
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Questions?: Send email to David Hess at: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com
