January 28, 2017

Saturday PA Capitol Digest NewsClips

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January 27, 2017

Jan. 30 PA Environment Digest Now Available

The January 30 PA Environment Digest is now available.  Here are just a few of the headlines--
The bipartisan Pennsylvania members Pennsylvania of the Chesapeake Bay Commission Tuesday wrote to all members of the Senate and House to outline the need to address the state’s water pollution cleanup problems and propose a potential solution - a dedicated Clean Water Fund for Pennsylvania.
Harry Campbell, executive director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in Pennsylvania, issued this statement Friday in support of the concept of a water use fee that would go toward reducing pollution in the Commonwealth’s rivers and streams.
The Independent Fiscal Office Monday said the Act 13 drilling impact fee will being in $13.1 million less than last year for a total of $174.6 million.  That’s down $61.2 million from its high in 2013 of $225.7 million-- a 27 percent reduction.
None of the natural gas severance tax proposals introduced so far in the new legislative session or those announced have any additional funding for environmental programs.  Keep that in mind as groups and Gov. Wolf talk about the necessity to enact a severance tax.
The Commonwealth Financing Authority will be accepting the next round of applications for grants funded by Act 13 for watershed restoration, abandoned mine drainage abatement, baseline water quality data, orphan or abandoned well plugging, sewage facilities and flood mitigation programs starting February 1.  The deadline for applications is May 31.
By Donna Morelli, Executive Director, Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay, from the Chesapeake Bay Journal
The Chesapeake region is fortunate to have a variety of organizations that are interested in creating innovative partnerships to address local needs for clean water.
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Thursday announced the Montour Trail in Allegheny and Washington counties has been named the state's 2017 Trail of the Year.
The PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers is now accepting applications for 2017 PA River Sojourns Grants.  The deadline for applications is February 24.
PA American Water Tuesday announced that applications are being accepted for its 2017 Stream of Learning Scholarship Program to provide financial assistance to high school seniors who are planning to pursue careers in the water and wastewater industry.

The Commonwealth Financing Authority is now accepting applications for its High Performance Building and Renewable Energy Grant Programs throughout 2017.  Here’s a quick rundown on the programs--
National speakers and Pennsylvania-based experts will discuss “deep decarbonization” of Pennsylvania’s electricity sector at an upcoming conference hosted by the PA Environmental Council.  “Achieving Deep Carbon Reductions: Paths for Pennsylvania’s Electricity Future” will be held March 15-16 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh.
Penn State Extension, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and their partners are sponsoring a series of three workshops designed to help owners of small patch woodlands improve their land.
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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Questions?: Send email to David Hess at: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com
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Gov. Wolf To Combine Health, Aging, Drug & Alcohol, Human Services Into Super Agency

The Associated Press reported late Friday Gov. Wolf will announce a plan Monday to consolidates the departments of Health, Aging, Drug and Alcohol Prevention and Human Services into one super agency called the Department of Health and Human Services.
State employees were notified in an email Friday afternoon from the top officials in each of the four agencies.
In it, they said they had worked to "identify operational silos and program duplicity that exists between agencies and reimagine how we deliver critical services to the 13 million citizens of this Commonwealth."
The details on the move were few, in terms of how much money it would save and how many employees might lose their jobs. Wolf's office said it would provide more information Monday.
Gov. Wolf will present his proposed FY 2017-18 budget to the General Assembly on February 7, a budget he said he would balance with cuts and consolidations and without any increases in the personal income or sales tax.
Could the consolidation of DEP and DCNR be far behind?
NewsClips:
Related Story:
Rep. Barrar Plans Bill To Consolidate DCNR, PA Historical & Museum Commission
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Friday PA Capitol Digest NewsClips

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Click Here for PA Environmental NewsClips & News
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