October 14, 2016

October 17 PA Environment Digest Now Available

The October 17 PA Environment Digest is now available.  Here are just a few of the headlines--

Philly.com reported Thursday the Marcellus Shale Coalition filed a legal challenge in Commonwealth Court asking that DEP be blocked from enforcing certain provisions in the  Chapter 78a drilling regulations until it can be determined if DEP has the statutory authority to enact those provisions.  The regulations went into effect on October 8.

Pennsylvania, as well as many other States and Tribes across the Nation, are gearing up to push Congress to reauthorize the reclamation fees associated with the federal Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act.  The fees are set to expire in 2021.

Researchers, educators, elected officials, farmers, agribusiness professionals and agricultural and environmental agency representatives gathered for the 2016 Penn State Agricultural Research Tour in late September to learn about current water quality and soil health research relevant to the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

By Patrick McDonnell, Acting Secretary of DEP
Thank you for inviting me to open the second Pennsylvania In The Balance meeting. And thank you to everyone who participated last year.
Last year's meeting brought together a diverse and important group of people to discuss the challenges we face in our commitment to restoring Pennsylvania's local waters, the waters in our backyards and on our farms, and ultimately the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay.

The PA Growing Greener Coalition is now offering an updated edition of the Finding The Green Guide to Watershed, Recreation and Land Conservation Funding available for download.
The purpose of this single-source guide is to provide an overview of funding opportunities that may benefit the work you do. The guide contains a thorough listing of state funding programs for conservation, preservation and recreation projects.

The PA Environmental Council is inviting watershed groups to share resource information, learn techniques to help build membership, and network with other groups at the Northwest PA Watershed Workshop on October 25 at the Bossard Nature Center at Woodcock Lake in Saegertown, Crawford County from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

By James Wilson, Parks Recreation Specialist, Northampton County Division of Parks and Recreation
Now deceased 121 years, James Henry (1809-1895) is one of Pennsylvania’s unsung pioneer conservation heroes, and among the very first Pennsylvanians to make original and progressive contributions to the protection and enhancement of the aquatic resources of the state.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful would like to remind Pennsylvania residents there is still time to organize an event or volunteer for the 2016 International Coastal Cleanup which runs through October 31.

The PA Resources Council, PA American Water and other organizations will host three Drug Take-Back Day drop-off collection events in Allegheny County on October 22 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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