PA Environment Digest An Update On Environmental Issues In PA Edited By: David E. Hess, Crisci Associates Winner 2009 PAEE Business Partner Of The Year Award Harrisburg, Pa April 14, 2014 PEC Western Pennsylvania Award Winners, Caren Glotfelty Lifetime Achievement Award

Three environmental protection and conservation programs from throughout Western Pennsylvania will share $15,000 from Dominion and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council for innovation and effectiveness in making a positive impact on the Western Pennsylvania environment. The programs are this year’s winners of the 2014 Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards, presented annually to local organizations that demonstrate leadership, effectiveness and results in making an impact on the environment. The winners are: ­­ ClearWater Conservancy – State College (Centre County) ­­ Paddle Without Pollution – Pittsburgh (Allegheny County)

­­ Three Rivers Rain Garden Alliance – Pittsburgh (Allegheny County) All three were chosen by a group of independent judges of environmental experts and PEC staff

in response to a call for entries earlier this year. With these awards, each winner will designate a $5,000 cash prize to be used in support of a

nonprofit environmental program of their choice. Lifetime Achievement Award In addition, PEC will present its Lifetime Achievement Award to Caren Glotfelty, formerly the

director of environment programs at the Heinz Endowments. Earlier in her career, Glotfelty was the first deputy secretary for water management in the Department of Environmental Resources. Subsequently she held the Maurice K. Goddard Chair in Forestry and Environmental Resources at The Pennsylvania State University.

Here’s more on each award winner­­ ­­ ClearWater Conservancy: ClearWater Conservancy developed a Riparian Conservation Program to restore functioning “streambank buffer zones” in the Spring Creek watershed that have been impacted by agriculture. ClearWater staff members meet with landowners to explain what streambank restoration involves and how it protects water quality. A mix of shrubs and trees are planted to create a “vegetated buffer zone” that protects the stream from pollution, siltation, and overheating.

A ClearWater steward is assigned to each property and gives the restoration project individualized attention. To date the Riparian Conservation Program has protected 4,600 acres of high­value riparian habitat. More than 300 ClearWater staff, site stewards and volunteers have installed riparian buffers along more than 69,890 feet of stream. They’ve also installed 35,988 feet of streambank fencing and 16 stream crossings for livestock, removed three dams, installed 168

streambank stabilization and fish habitat enhancement structures, and treated countless acres of invasive species. ­­ Paddle Without Pollution: Paddle Without Pollution’s (PWP) watershed stewardship events are addressing the large amount of litter, illegally dumped debris, and hazardous materials in our area’s rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands. They are also increasing public awareness of the effects of that pollution and have involved the community in direct action, low impact events that enable volunteers to make a positive difference through hands­on stewardship.

They use non­motorized boats exclusively and can operate with very little or no impact to the environment, using volunteers to get into ecologically sensitive, shallow and inaccessible areas that many boats or land­based cleanup crews cannot safely reach.

In 2013, PWP held 11 watershed stewardship events where approximately 300 Paddle Without Pollution volunteers removed more than 16 tons of litter and illegally dumped debris from the Allegheny, Monongahela, Kiski, and Ohio Rivers as well as Chartiers, Slippery Rock, and Ten Mile Creeks. ­­ Three Rivers Rain Garden Alliance: As little as one­tenth of an inch of rain can cause raw sewage to overflow into Pittsburgh’s rivers and streams. An effective strategy for addressing the problem of stormwater runoff is the installation of rain gardens. So in 2007, a group of nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government agencies formed the Three Rivers Rain Garden Alliance to raise awareness of the wet weather issue in our region and reduce runoff through the use of rain gardens.

An innovative website was created that explains the region’s wet weather problems and provided details on how to install a rain garden. The website is connected to 32 digital rain gauges located throughout Allegheny County.

Thus far, 96 rain gardens in seven Western Pennsylvania counties have been registered with the site and have retained more than 3,000,000 gallons of stormwater.

The Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards program is open to individuals and organizations that demonstrated a commitment to environmental excellence, leadership and accomplishment, and made significant contributions toward improving Western Pennsylvania’s environment.

Dominion and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council sponsor the Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards each year to encourage the community to emulate the achievements of the winning entries, thereby promoting innovative environmental efforts and enhancing the quality of life in Western Pennsylvania.

The winners will be honored at the Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards Dinner and Awards Ceremony on May 28 at the Westin Convention Center Hotel in Pittsburgh. Jim Seif Receives Lifetime Achievement Award, Manko, Gold Wins Sustainability Award The PA Bar Association Environmental and Energy Law Section Thursday recognized former DEP Secretary and EPA Region III Administrator Jim Seif with its Lifetime Achievement Award. The Section also recognized Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox with its first Law Office Sustainability Award.

Lifetime Achievement Award ­ Jim Seif Jim Seif started his career in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh,

prosecuting some of the earliest environmental cases of the modern era. After that,

he served as Chief of the Legal Branch at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Philadelphia, and then rejoined the U.S. Justice Department in the Criminal Division.

He later served as administrative assistant to Gov. Dick Thornburgh and then regional administrator of the EPA’s six­state office in Philadelphia. Following that work, he joined the environmental practice at the law firm of Dechert Price and Rhoads.

From 1995 to 2001 he was appointed by Gov. Tom Ridge to serve as Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. He later became vice president for Corporate Relations at PPL, Inc., and is now Principal of Ridge Global’s Energy Consulting Services Practice.

Seif also serves as Chair of the BioChem Technologies, Inc.'s Board, and is on the Advisory Committee of the Dick Thornburgh Legacy Project at the University of Pittsburgh. He has a political science degree from Yale University and a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh. He is admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court and in Pennsylvania.

Among the awards received by Seif during his service at DEP were: 1998 Government Award­Water Resources Association, 1999 Government Award­PA Recreation and Park Society, 1999 Leader­Of­The­Year Award­PA Chemical Industry Council, Fox­Calhoun Award­PA Environmental Council, 2000 Small Business Advocate Award­Small Business Development Centers and 2000 Lifetime Award for Public Service from the National Academy of Public Administration for his 30­year career in state and federal government.

During his time as Secretary of DEP, the agency, its staff and partners won more national and international awards for its new and innovative programs than any state environmental agency in history.

DEP programs and initiatives were recognized by such diverse groups as the Council of State Governments (6 times), Ford Foundation­Harvard University Innovative Programs (twice), the United Nations Environment Programme Honour Roll of 500, Resources for the Future, Regional Emmy Awards (2), President’s Council on Sustainable Development, Renew America and the American Academy of Environmental Engineers (green buildings).

Terry Bossert, last year’s recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award and who served with Seif as Chief Counsel at DEP, introduced the Award and called Seif, “one of the key, thinkers, innovators and doers in the environmental field over the last couple decades.”

“It’s not what positions you hold, it’s what you do with the positions when you have them,” said Bossert. “Whether you agreed or disagreed with what Jim’s goals were or what his agenda was, he always had a plan, a way to get there and a plan to make everything work out right.”

Bossert listed many of Seif’s accomplishments during his time at DEP, some, like brownfields redevelopment, he started to talk about before anyone else he noted. He also listed the Growing Greener Watershed Restoration Program, the 21st Century Environment Commission, the first LEED certified state office building, the Green Government Council to “green” government operations, the Regulatory Basics Initiative, bringing DEP into the Internet age and improving communication about DEP policies and regulations with the public and other levels of government.

“A lot of the initiatives we take for granted now, are really initiatives started by Jim Seif,” said Bossert.

In accepting the Award, Seif said the thing that makes this award so special to him is that “when your friends and colleagues think well of you, it’s the best. And it really is.”

He noted there have been many positive changes in the environmental law community over the years saying when he first began his career government and business environmental attorneys hardly mixed in professional organizations. He said now there is a mix of professionals young and old, public and private and an important inclusion­­ women.

Seif included several personal observations in his remarks about his father Charles who inspired him to be a lawyer. He said at home they talked about things around their dining room table­­ the pride of being in a learned profession and continuing to learn. His mother Dorothy, he said, enrolled him in the “College of Curiosity” about nature and all things. She was a scientist and a teacher and lived to be 98 and never stopped teaching and learning.

He concluded by saying, the Award could be said to be career cap, but quickly added, his career is not over, but his remarks were. Click Here to watch a video of Seif’s remarks.

Law Office Sustainability Award ­ Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox The Bala Cynwyd­based law firm of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox LLP is the winner of the

PBA Environmental and Energy Law Section first annual Law Office Sustainability Award. Philip L. Hinerman, Fox Rothschild, introduced the Award and explained the Environment and

Energy Law Section established the award in 2014 to honor a participant in the Pennsylvania Lawyers United for Sustainability Program (PLUS) excelling in a substantial sustainability program or project.

The PLUS Program guidelines were developed with input from the PBA Law Practice Management Office and offer suggestions and provide specific examples to program participants on how to make their law practices more sustainable.

The guidelines cover five separate areas: energy savings, paper reduction, recycling and waste reduction, transportation and sustainable purchasing.

A special presentation outlined the steps taken by Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox to improve its sustainability in moving to a new office space. Among other initiatives, the law firm­­ ­­ Reduced water use by 32 percent by installing low­flow plumbing fixtures; ­­ Reduced energy use by 21 percent by installing high efficiency lighting; ­­ Purchased renewable energy credits for 50 percent of the electricity it uses; ­­ 95 percent of the construction debris resulting from the remodeling was not landfilled; ­­ Glass walls in outer offices allow natural light into interior office spaces reducing lighting costs; ­­ Purchased Energy Star­compliant computer equipment; ­­ Vending machines have occupancy sensors to reduce lighting or functions when no one is in the office; and ­­ Reused and refurbished office equipment from the old office space for use in the new one.

Accepting the Sustainability Award for Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox were attorney Brenda Gotanda and Office Manager John Kirk.

Click Here to watch a video of the Award presentation. For more information, visit the PA Bar Association Environmental and Energy Law Section

webpage. Republicans, Democrats In Senate, House Join In Calling For A Natural Gas Severance Tax Republican and Democratic members of the Senate and House held a press event Wednesday at the Capitol in Harrisburg urging the adoption of a natural gas severance tax to fund education, environmental programs and close gaps in the upcoming state budget.

Sen. John Yudichak (D­Luzerne), Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, explained that Act 13 of 2012 has proven to be “fatally flawed.” He pointed out that many components of the law have been struck down by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, as well as inflicting unnecessary confusion and harm on businesses across the state by imposing 67

separate tax policies rather than a single state policy. “Pennsylvania needs to have a comprehensive strategy on Marcellus Shale development,” Sen.

Yudichak said. “No other gas­producing state in the country has done it the way Pennsylvania has done it.”

Gov. Corbett’s strategy of staying out of the industry’s way, he argued, is ineffective. Sen. Yudichak concluded, “We’re shortchanging the taxpayers in Pennsylvania, and we’re shortchanging our opportunities to invest in a robust Pennsylvania economy.”

Two weeks ago Sen. Yudichak proposed a 5 percent severance tax on the extraction of Marcellus shale gas and the revenue which he plans to introduce as Senate Bill 1333.

Click Here to watch Sen. Yudichak’s remarks. Sen. Ted Erickson (R­Delaware), Majority Vice Chair of the Senate Environmental

Resources and Energy Committee, said, “It is vitally important that we maintain the Marcellus Shale industry in Pennsylvania.” He noted that the economic benefits are not reserved to drilling areas, and encouraged industry stakeholders to come to the table to discuss this issue.

In response to a question, Sen. Erickson said there is growing interest from members in a severance tax to close budget gaps. Rep. Thomas Murt (R­Montgomery) said Budget Secretary Charles Zogby suggested a willingness to entertain reasonable proposal to close the gaps.

Last Wednesday, Sen. Erickson introduced Senate Bill 1315 imposing a 4 percent tax on natural gas production at the wellhead. Proceeds from the tax would be deposited in the state General Fund.

Rep. Greg Vitali (D­Delaware), Minority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, cited recent polling that consistently shows that 70 percent of Pennsylvanians support a severance tax on natural gas drilling.

“I believe the Governor should listen to the citizens of Pennsylvania.” Rep. Vitali pointed to a report from the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center that suggested a moderate increase could generate upwards of $1.2 billion annually by 2020. All other states have enacted a severance tax, he reiterated, so this is not an unreasonable initiative

Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R­Bucks) emphasized, “This is a critically important issue for the state of Pennsylvania.” He discussed pending legislation in the House that would enact a 4.9 percent severance tax on natural gas extraction, of which 40 percent would be directed to public education.

Rep. DiGirolamo stressed that all other states impose a severance tax on natural gas drilling, and the interest is bipartisan across the entire state.

“This is just common sense, reasonable legislation,” he said. “The industry is here, they’re going to stay here, and if we put a tax on them they’re not going to go anywhere.”

In December, Representatives Gene DiGirolamo (R­Bucks) and Tom Murt (R­Montgomery) working with Representatives Harry Readshaw (D­Allegheny) and Pam DeLissio (D­Montgomery) announced a severance tax proposal that would impose a 4.9 percent severance tax on natural gas production to replace the drilling impact fee enacted in 2011. The actual legislation has not been introduced yet. NewsClips: Bipartisan Coalition Proposes Marcellus Shale Tax Bipartisan Group Of Lawmakers Calls For Severance Tax Republicans Join Call For Gas Severance Tax A Taxing Tale About Marcellus Shale Drillers Local Officials Voice Concern About Natural Gas Severance Tax

Local Officials Worry New Shale Gas Tax Will Diminish Fee Revenue Chevron Blocked DEP Access To Greene County Well Fire Site Editorial: DEP Must Tell Full Story On Drilling’s Impact Editorial: Vital Drilling Data Evaporate In Loophole Senate Acts On Gas Lease Royalty Bills, House Negotiates Full Refunds Demanded In Natural Gas Royalty Dispute Energy Firms Want Role In Next Phase Of Shale Case Court Blocks Use Of Eminent Domain On Lancaster Pipeline Legislative Hearing Focuses On Expanding State Oversight Of Pipelines DEP Looking Into Chapin Natural Gas Dehydration Station Incident Boback Calls For Investigation Of Wyoming Dehydration Station Eco­Groups Seek Enforcement Action Against Tioga Driller Allegheny County Sets Meetings On Deer Lakes Drilling Gas Drilling Approaches Deer Lakes Park Entrance Residents Near Airport Drilling Pushing For Sites Further Away Seismic Mapping Battle Between Hempfield, Houston Company Franklin County To Use Drilling Impact Fees For Green Projects DCED Secretary Predicts Mon Valley’s Industrial Rebirth Add Us To Your Google+ Circle PA Environment Digest now has a Google+ Circle called Green Works In PA. Just go to your Google+ page and search for DHess@CrisciAssociates.com, the email for the Digest Editor David Hess, and let us join your Circle.

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to get instant updates on other news from in and around the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Bills Introduced Here are the Senate and House Calendars and Committee meetings showing bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced­­ Bill Calendars House (April 28): House Bill 202 (Harper­R­Montgomery) prohibiting standby water service charges for fire companies; House Bill 1684 (Everett­R­Lycoming) which seeks to clarify a minimum royalty payment in state law. <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar. Senate (April 28): Senate Bill 1255 (Erickson­R­Delaware) authorizing municipal authorities to establish programs that allow property owners to reduce their stormwater rates and changes by implementing best management practices­ sponsor summary. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar. Committee Meeting Agendas This Week House: the House Republican Policy Committee holds a hearing on smart meter safety and installation. <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule. Senate: <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule. Bills Pending In Key Committees Here are links to key Standing Committees in the House and Senate and the bills pending in each­­ House Appropriations Education Environmental Resources and Energy Consumer Affairs Gaming Oversight Human Services Judiciary Liquor Control Transportation Links for all other Standing House Committees Senate Appropriations Environmental Resources and Energy Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Community, Economic and Recreational Development Education Judiciary Law and Justice Public Health and Welfare Transportation Links for all other Standing Senate Committees Bills Introduced The following bills of interest were introduced this week­­ Stormwater Management: House Bill 2144 (Harper­R­Montgomery) authorizes municipal authorities to to establish voluntary programs to reduce the cost of stormwater management­ sponsor summary. Session Schedule Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House­­ House April 28, 29, 30 May 5, 6, 7 June 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 Senate April 28, 29, 30 May 5, 6, 7 June 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 Senate/House Bills Moving The following bills of interest saw action this week in the House and Senate­­ House Pittsburgh Low­RVP Gasoline: Senate Bill 1037 (Vogel­R­Beaver) providing for the repeal of regulations imposing low­RVP summer gasoline standards in the Pittsburgh Region was amended and reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and Tabled. Earth Day Observance: House Resolution 765 (Miller­R­York) encouraging all citizens of the Commonwealth to observe Earth Day on April 22 was adopted by the House. Arbor Day Observance: House Resolution 764 (Marsico­R­Dauphin) recognizing April 25 as Arbor Day was adopted by the House­ sponsor summary.

Senate Gas Leaseholder Protection: Senate Bill 1236 (Yaw­R­Lycoming) authorizing royalty interest owners of oil and gas wells to inspect records of gas companies to verify proper payments; Senate Bill 1237 (Yaw­R­Lycoming) prohibiting gas companies from retaliating against royalty interest owners of oil and gas wells by terminating their lease agreement­­ Senate Fiscal Note; and Senate Bill 1238 (Yaw­R­Lycoming) requiring gas companies to fill a satisfaction piece in the county Recorder of Deeds office when oil and gas leases are terminated­­ Senate Fiscal Note­­ were passed by the Senate and now go to the House for consideration. Lead In Water Supply Systems: Senate Bill 1254 (Yudichak­D­Luzerne) changing the definition of “lead free” under the Plumbing System Lead Ban and Notification Act to conform to federal requirements­­ sponsor summary­­ passed the Senate and now goes to the House for action. Aggregate Advisory Board: Senate Bill 1155 (Scarnati­R­Jefferson) creating an Aggregate Advisory Board within DEP was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Mine Water Reuse: Senate Bill 411 (Kasunic­D­Somerset) encouraging the reuse of mine drainage and mine pool water for drilling operations was Tabled. News From The Capitol Senate Passes Natural Gas Leaseholder Protection Bills Three bills expanding the rights of landowners who are currently leased with natural gas companies were approved Monday with strong bipartisan support by the full Senate, according to prime sponsor, Sen. Gene Yaw (R­Lycoming), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

The legislation, known as the Oil and Gas Lease Protection Package, aims to provide more protections for landowners.

“This three­bill package aims to level the playing field in favor of Pennsylvania landowners who are looking for fair treatment when leasing their land,” Sen. Yaw said. “Hopefully, these bills, along with other legislative and investigative efforts that are presently underway, will resolve many of the royalty issues which have been brought to the attention of local legislators. I’m sure the House of Representatives will also see the merit in approving this legislation.”

Senate Bill 1236 would expand upon the Oil and Gas Lease Act by allowing royalty interest owners the opportunity to inspect records of natural gas companies to verify proper payments. In addition, the bill requires all royalty payments be made within 60 days of production unless otherwise stated in the contract. Any delinquent payments are to be paid with interest.

Senate Bill 1237 would prohibit a gas company from retaliating against any royalty interest owner by terminating their lease agreement or ceasing development on leased property because a royalty interest owner questions the accuracy of current royalty payments. Companies found to have violated the provisions of this act face civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day.

Senate Bill 1238 would require a gas company to record a surrender document in the county Recorder of Deeds office where the oil and gas well is located within 30 days upon expiration,

termination, or forfeiture of an oil and gas lease. The surrender document will release the gas company’s interests in the oil and gas. This is similar to what a mortgage company would be required to do after a mortgage was paid in full.

The PA Farm Bureau applauded the Senate for passing three bills that would provide additional protection for landowners involved in leases with natural gas and oil companies.

“Farmers hope the legislation will result in improved relationships between gas and oil companies and landowners, by requiring the companies to provide relevant information about their development activities to leaseholders and require them to be more open about lease terminations,” said PFB President Carl Shaffer.

“We are urging members of the House to move quickly on these bills to improve leaseholder rights, and are also seeking swift passage of House Bill 1684 (Everett­R­Lycoming), which would amend Pennsylvania’s Oil and Gas Act to forbid gas well companies from assessing production cost deductions that would drop royalty payments under 12.5 percent,” continued Shaffer. “Many farmers and other leaseholders are incurring dramatic reductions in royalty payments received from gas well companies due to costs claimed by those companies. This violates the intent of the original state law guaranteeing landowners a 12.5 percent royalty rate.” NewsClips: Senate Acts On Gas Lease Royalty Bills, House Negotiates Full Refunds Demanded In Natural Gas Royalty Dispute

House Members Continue Work On Gas Well Royalty Legislation Work is continuing in Harrisburg to secure passage of legislation designed to clarify the existing state law on how natural gas royalty payments to Pennsylvania landowners are calculated, according to bill sponsors, Reps. Garth Everett (R­Lycoming), Sandra Major (R­Susquehanna), Tina Pickett (R­Bradford) and Matt Baker (R­Tioga).

The Senate passed a three bill package on royalty issues Monday. “Since we were able to move House Bill 1684 out of committee for consideration by the full

chamber, efforts have been ongoing to gain additional input from our colleagues and constituents across the Commonwealth to make sure this is fair to both conventional and Marcellus natural gas land owners and operators,” said Rep. Everett. “The legislation needs to provide relief, not only to those with one­eighth leases, but to those with higher percentage agreements. This must include not just rules on how royalties are calculated but also remedies for land owners who feel that their royalties are not being calculated correctly.”

House Bill 1684, passed by the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee with bipartisan support recently, seeks not only to remedy the lease payments, but to ensure that drilling companies do not deduct excessive and unwarranted post­production costs from the payments as well.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2010 issued a ruling suggesting that the General Assembly further clarify the 1979 law on how royalty payments are calculated, and the legislation would do that.

“This is an important issue to many landowners in the northeast region and it continues to be a top priority for me and my Northern Tier colleagues as we work to make this the best bill possible to help landowners receive fair and equitable payments,” said Rep. Major. “We are diligently working with all interested parties and will continue to push for advancement of the bill.”

“This legislation is about fairness and accountability, and with the Northern Tier in the very heart of Marcellus drilling activity, it is imperative that we get this bill right so that it doesn’t encounter any

other hurdles along the way,” said Rep. Pickett. “We realize the urgency of getting this bill signed into law for our landowners, as every day that

goes by some of them are potentially losing money,” said Rep. Baker. “However, we also need to make sure we have a good solid bill that will garner the support needed to see it through to the governor’s desk.

The bill is on the House calendar awaiting second consideration, which involves the process of adding amendments. NewsClips: Senate Acts On Gas Lease Royalty Bills, House Negotiates Full Refunds Demanded In Natural Gas Royalty Dispute

Bill Reducing Lead In Water Supply Systems Passes Senate Sen. John Yudichak (D­Luzerne), Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Tuesday announced the Senate unanimously passed his legislation that would enhance the quality and safety of drinking water by lowering the maximum lead content of plumbing products.

Senate Bill 1254 would make the state Plumbing System Lead Ban and Notification Act consistent with a 2011 change in federal law that became effective on January 4 of this year.

"This bill addresses not only an environmental concern – but it will also greatly improve the quality and safety of our drinking water supply by lowering the amount of lead allowable in plumbing products," Sen. Yudichak said.

Senate Bill 1254 would lower the maximum lead content of plumbing products from 8 percent to .25 percent. The bill would also establish a statutory method for the calculation of lead content.

Sen. Yudichak said the legislation was drafted at the request of the Department of Environmental Protection.

The bill will now goes to the House for consideration. House Committee Reports Out Bill To End Low­RVP Gasoline In Pittsburgh The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Wednesday amended and reported out Senate Bill 1037 (Vogel­R­Beaver) whose intent is to repeal the requirement for summer low­RVP gasoline in seven Western Pennsylvania counties required from May 1 to September 15.

The counties include Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland.

The Committee approved an amendment to require the Department of Environmental Protection to start the process for amending the State Air Quality Implementation Plan within 60 days of the effective date of the act.

Once the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approves the amended SIP, the bill directs the Environmental Quality Board to adopt a regulation eliminating the low­RVP gasoline requirement in Western Pennsylvania.

A 2012 DEP review of the low­RVP gasoline requirement in response to Act 135 found low­RVP gasoline contributed a volatile organic compound emission reduction of 1.61 tons per day in the Pittsburgh Region.

It is those emissions DEP will have to make up by imposing or adjusting volatile organic compound emission limits in other sectors since the Pittsburgh Region is in nonattainment of the Ozone

Pollution Standard. “Residents in these seven counties are essentially being penalized because of where they live,”

said Rep. Ron Miller (R­York), Majority Chair of the Committee. “Use of more expensive summer gas in the Pittsburgh area was intended to address certain environmental conditions, some of which will always exist due to their proximity to other states.”

“These seven counties, as well as a handful of counties in Maine, are the only areas of the country where the summer gas mandate remains in effect,” added Rep. Miller. “Florida and North Carolina recently passed repeals that relieve this burden on their residents.”

“We simply cannot wait for the federal government to act on its own on this issue,” said Rep. Eli Evankovich (R­Westmoreland). “This long­standing policy has cost the people of southwestern Pennsylvania unnecessarily for too long.”

“I was pleased to support the passage of the bill,” said Rep. Jeff Pyle (R­Armstrong). “The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), a non­elective body of political appointees, seems more concerned about protecting their unaccountable power at the expense of southwestern Pennsylvania residents having to buy special, and more expensive, gasoline. It just isn’t fair and the situation must change.”

The Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) reports the cost difference between low­RVP summer gasoline in the Pittsburgh area from May to September 2013 was an average of 13.53 cents a gallon higher than 9.0­RVP gasoline in the same region with a difference as high as 18.87 cents last August.

The bill was reported out of Committee with two opposing votes and now goes to the full House for consideration.

Rep. Ron Miller (R­York) serves as Majority Chair and Rep. Greg Vitali (D­Delaware) serves as Minority Chair. House Adopts Resolution Encouraging All Citizens To Observe Earth Day April 22 The House Wednesday unanimously adopted House Resolution 765 encouraging all citizens of the Commonwealth to observe Earth Day on April 22 introduced by Rep. Ron Miller (R­York), Majority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

The text of the resolution follows­­

A RESOLUTION Encouraging all citizens of this Commonwealth to observe Earth Day on April 22, 2014.

WHEREAS, April 22, 2014, is the 44th celebration of Earth Day; and WHEREAS, United States Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin created the concept of Earth

Day to encourage awareness for environmental concerns; and WHEREAS, It has been estimated that every year millions of Americans participate in Earth

Day activities to promote a healthier and cleaner environment; and WHEREAS, The importance of being good stewards of the environment has become a nearly

universal belief held by the people of this country and this Commonwealth; and WHEREAS, Protecting the environment is good for our health, our economy and the plants and

animals that inhabit this planet with us; and WHEREAS, Earth Day is a day to contribute to the well­being of our planet; and

WHEREAS, Earth Day events and activities are designed to promote environmentally friendly concepts, such as recycling, energy efficiency, utilizing environmentally friendly products and reducing pollution; and

WHEREAS, The global theme for Earth Day 2014 is "Green Cities" with the goal of creating cleaner, healthier and more economically viable urban areas; and

WHEREAS, As we celebrate the 44th anniversary of Earth Day, we encourage greater environmental awareness in our cities and across this Commonwealth; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage all citizens of this Commonwealth to observe Earth Day on April 22, 2014.

For Earth Day activities you can get involved in, visit DEP’s Earth Day Central webpage or

volunteer for a Great American Cleanup of PA cleanup event. NewsClips: Earth Day Events In Central PA Earth Day Activities In Lehigh Valley Watershed Cleanup Day April 26 In Centre County Perkiomen Watershed Cleanup Set For This Saturday More Than 300 Trees To Be Planted At Wilson College Volunteers Needed To Plant Trees At Flight 93 Memorial Resolution Recognizing April 25 As Arbor Day Adopted By The House The House Wednesday unanimously adopted House Resolution 764 recognizing April 25 as Arbor Day was adopted by the House introduced by Rep. Ron Marsico (R­Dauphin). The text of the resolution follows­­

A RESOLUTION Recognizing April 25, 2014, as "Arbor Day;" promoting public participation in the celebration; and

further recognizing the value of trees to our environment.

WHEREAS, The tree has proved to be a valuable component of our environment by providing us with natural aesthetics for landscaping, a biological tool to control water and wind erosion, a renewable source of food, fuel and lumber for man, a habitat for birds and wildlife and a natural producer of oxygen and water through the process of transpiration; and

WHEREAS, The original "Arbor Day" was observed with the planting of more than a million trees; and

WHEREAS, Scientists, environmentalists, foresters and government officials throughout the world are increasingly alarmed about the significant clearing and destruction of the forests of the world and are now exploring the feasibility of large­scale reforestation programs as a means of preventing a possible adverse climate change such as global warming; and

WHEREAS, "Arbor Day" has been designated by many states as a time to recognize the importance of trees to our environment; and

WHEREAS, "Arbor Day" is now celebrated throughout the United States and in countries around the world; and

WHEREAS, The last Friday in April is commonly held to be the day to celebrate "Arbor Day";

therefore be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives hereby recognize April 25, 2014, as "Arbor

Day"; and be it further RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives ask that citizens and communities throughout

this Commonwealth, individually and collectively, engage in the celebration of "Arbor Day" by planting trees in appropriate public places as a source of future enjoyment and civic pride; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be conveyed to the Governor and the Senate to solicit their support of this recognition.

For Earth Day activities you can get involved in, visit DEP’s Earth Day Central webpage or

volunteer for a Great American Cleanup of PA cleanup event. NewsClips: Earth Day Events In Central PA Earth Day Activities In Lehigh Valley Watershed Cleanup Day April 26 In Centre County Perkiomen Watershed Cleanup Set For This Saturday More Than 300 Trees To Be Planted At Wilson College Volunteers Needed To Plant Trees At Flight 93 Memorial News From Around The State Robindale Energy Services Earns Governor’s Award For Environmental Excellence Robindale Energy Services, Inc. in Westmoreland County Monday announced they are a recipient of a Governor’s 2014 Award for Environmental Excellence. Each year, projects that encourage and promote environmental stewardship are selected for this recognition.

Robindale received the recognition for a waste coal reclamation and clean­up project located near Saltsburg, PA. The 46.6 acre site is located within the Loyalhanna Creek Watershed and previously consisted of 18.6 acres of abandoned refuse piles scattered throughout the area with little to no vegetation existing.

During the 18­month reclamation project, nine Robindale employees and thirty­five contracted truck drivers worked to remove approximately 305,097 tons of waste coal, restore the site to its original contour, and revegetate all disturbed areas.

This effort has produced positive surface runoff, eliminated acidic runoff to the streams, and enhanced the scenic beauty of the site which is bisected by a Westmoreland County Rails to Trails pathway.

“Energy, the environment and the economy are not mutually exclusive. We are proud of this project which used the waste coal for energy, cleaned up the environment, and provided jobs to support the effort. I want to thank Gov. Corbett, DEP Secretary Abruzzo, and the other public and private partners that made this project a reality. We are pleased to accept this award in recognition of the effort,” said D. Scott Kroh, CEO/President of Robindale Energy Services, Inc.

This year 37 applications for a Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence were submitted and 19 projects were selected to receive an award. The awards will be presented at the Pennsylvania Environmental Council’s Annual Dinner which will be held on April 22, 2014 at the Harrisburg Hilton at 6:00 p.m.

Robindale Energy Services, Inc. is a western Pennsylvania company that primarily deals with the permitting and mining, and transportation of waste coal from 7 counties in the bituminous coal fields to waste coal burning plants in the state.

Robindale’s operations over the past 22 years have helped clean miles of streams and remove millions of gallons of acid mine drainage in Pennsylvania at no cost to the taxpayers. From 1991 through 2013, Robindale has reclaimed over 40,080,744 tons of waste coal and has completely reclaimed 1,018 acres of abandoned mine land.

Click Here for other Award winners. PEC Leads Urban Cluster In WPF Delaware River Watershed Initiative The PA Environmental Council will lead a cluster of watershed groups in a multi­year initiative to protect and restore critical sources of drinking water in the Delaware River watershed funded by the William Penn Foundation.

In all, more than 40 of the nation’s leading environmental and conservation organizations will share $35 million from the William Penn Foundation.

PEC is one of eight urban watershed cluster leaders selected to administer this project and will spend three years collaborating with other groups to restore water flows and water quality in order to support greater diversity and populations of aquatic and terrestrial species throughout the watershed.

The PEC team will consist of the Lower Merion Conservancy, Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust, the Tookany­Tacony­Frankford Watershed Partnership, the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association, the Friends of the Poquessing Creek, Temple University Center for Sustainable Communities and Villanova University.

The Delaware River watershed is a strategic focus for the William Penn Foundation because it covers more than 13,500­square miles spanning New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware and provides drinking water for 15 million people.

In addition, the watershed supports a broad spectrum of water­related economic enterprises valued at $25 billion per year, as well as a number of significant habitats. Deforestation from commercial, residential, and energy development, chemical runoff from farms, and stormwater runoff in cities severely threaten the health of the watershed.

The focus of the Philly Upstream Initiative will be the implementation of green stormwater infrastructure “on the ground” and municipal policies to regulate and manage stormwater run­off in heavily populated suburban communities outside of Philadelphia. Covering just 135 square miles, these small watersheds are home to nearly 400,000 Pennsylvanians.

PEC will lead the development and execution of an Outreach and Education strategy to be coordinated with each of the watershed partners.

In the Poquessing Creek Watershed, PEC is working directly with the all­volunteer Friends of Poquessing to develop effective programs and build the capacity and reach of this small group.

Among some of the other organizations participating in this program are the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Open Space Institute.

Across the entire Delaware River watershed, the goal of this project is to permanently protect more than 30,000 acres, implement more than 40 restoration projects, pilot new incentives for landowners and businesses, provide replicable models for other locations in the watershed, and develop long­term water quality data for the watershed at an unprecedented scale.

For more information, contact Patrick Starr by sending email to: pstarr@pecpa.org. NewsClips: Trib Reveals Gaping Holes In Water Pollution Oversight Watershed Groups Get $35 Million In Delaware NE Groups Win William Penn Foundation Watershed Grants Nature Conservancy Partners On Brandywine­Christina Project Meet Another Big Funder Freaking Out About Watersheds Watershed Cleanup Day April 26 In Centre County Perkiomen Watershed Cleanup Set For This Saturday HBG Area Homeowner Stormwater Best Practices Workshops CBF Program Takes Students On Midstate Waterways Lower Dauphin Teacher: 19 Years Taking Students On Outdoor Trips Editorial: EPA Rule Will Clarify Authority On Waterways WV Court To Decide Legality Of Lawsuit Over Dunkard Creek (Reprinted from the Spring issue of the Forum newsletter from the PA Environmental Council.) Senior Environment Corps Seeking Volunteers In Cambria, Blair Counties Are you 55 years or older, live in Blair or Cambria County and want to become involved in protecting our watershed resources and educating the public on the natural world? If so, the Senior Environment Corps of Pennsylvania wants you.

The Cambria County Conservation District and the Blair County Conservation District, along with Nature Abounds, a national non­profit and organizer of the SEC program, are working together to engage senior volunteers in environmental activities throughout the region.

Members can participate in a variety of tasks from monitoring water­quality, observing and reporting on wildlife, and even helping with office tasks. The possibilities are endless. Blair County has had an active SEC program for over a decade, and the Cambria County SEC is new.

“We’re thrilled that Cambria County will have a new Senior Environment Corps (SEC). There has been SEC groups in surrounding counties for quite some time – Indiana, Blair, and Clearfield ­ so it’s time for Cambria to have one too,” said Nature Abounds President, Melinda Hughes­Wert

“Senior Environment Corps members have monitored water quality, helped to inventory wildlife, marked abandoned oil wells and educated the next generation of environmental stewards,” explained Hughes­Wert. “Since 1997, SEC volunteers in Pennsylvania have contributed over 2,000,000 hours to the Commonwealth’s environment, and that contribution is estimated to be valued at over $3,000,000 a year. In 2013, the SEC program won a Western Pennsylvania Environmental Award.”

“The Board of Directors is looking forward to engaging new senior resources for conservation in Cambria County,” said Robb Piper, Manager of the Cambria County Conservation District.

Training Meeting May 6 For anyone interested in joining either SEC group in Blair or Cambria County, they are invited

to attend the joint water quality monitoring training on May 6 at the Newry Lions Club Park from 10 a.m. until approximately 3 p.m..

To attend the training of for more information about the SEC program, contact Melinda Hughes­Wert of Nature Abounds at either 814­765­1453 or send email to: sec@natureabounds.org. RSVP’s for the event will be accepted until May 2.

For more information, visit Nature Abounds’ Senior Environmental Corps webpage. For Earth Day activities you can get involved in, visit DEP’s Earth Day Central webpage or

volunteer for a Great American Cleanup of PA cleanup event. NewsClips: Earth Day Events In Central PA Earth Day Activities In Lehigh Valley Watershed Cleanup Day April 26 In Centre County Perkiomen Watershed Cleanup Set For This Saturday More Than 300 Trees To Be Planted At Wilson College Volunteers Needed To Plant Trees At Flight 93 Memorial Volunteers Needed For May 3 Chester­Ridley­Crum Watersheds Stream Cleanup The 17th Annual Chester­Ridley­Crum Creek Watersheds Streams Cleanup will be held on May 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at two dozen sites throughout the watersheds in Chester and Delaware counties.

The aim of the event is not only to pick up trash but to show how our everyday decisions affect the health of our creeks and the watersheds surrounding them. Healthy communities start with healthy streams. By volunteering to clean our streams, you are providing trash­free streams that result in cleaner, safer waters and healthier environments for all to enjoy.

A free picnic for volunteers will follow at Ridley Creek State Park. Pre­registration is requested for volunteers who would like to contribute to healthier streams.

For more information, visit the CRC Streams Cleanup webpage or call 610­359­1440 or send email to: info@crcwatersheds.org. Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition April Catalyst Newsletter Now Available The April issue of the Catalyst newsletter from the Slippery Rock Creek Watershed Coalition in Butler County is now available and features an article on the Paddle Without Pollution group seeking volunteers in Western Pennsylvania.

The Coalition also reports it is seeking volunteers to log water quality data collected in the watershed, reports on monthly hikes available from the North Country Trail Association and introduces a new “Kids Catalyst” activity­­ The Flowers Of Spring.

Click Here to read your copy. For Earth Day activities you can get involved in, visit DEP’s Earth Day Central webpage or

volunteer for a Great American Cleanup of PA cleanup event. NewsClips: Earth Day Events In Central PA Earth Day Activities In Lehigh Valley Watershed Cleanup Day April 26 In Centre County Perkiomen Watershed Cleanup Set For This Saturday More Than 300 Trees To Be Planted At Wilson College

Volunteers Needed To Plant Trees At Flight 93 Memorial Penn State Extension Helps With Pond Restoration Managing a large field pond can be a challenging task. Sometimes the best option is to think of unique, innovative ways to approach the management task.

Mr. Matthew Kokoszka (Mr. K), a faculty member at the Kiski School contacted Dana Rizzo, water resources educator, to help create one of those innovative approaches. The Kiskiminetas Springs School, better known as the Kiski School, in Saltsburg, PA has a pond on the school property that has been somewhat neglected for many years.

It has an overabundance of a non­native, invasive plant, Brazilian elodea, some filamentous algae and the overflow is too small which leads to flooding of the adjacent lawn, allowing water to flow uncomfortably close to a residence hall.

Overall the pond is an eyesore on an otherwise beautiful campus and unusable for the activities that they have deemed suitable for the pond.

Dana Rizzo and Tim Wood, a local pond consultant that graciously assists on Penn State Extension Pond & Lake Management workshops met with Mr. K with the goal of providing him input on all of the options for the pond, regardless of cost.

Established in 1888, the Kiski School is one of the oldest all­boys college preparatory boarding schools in the United States. Mr. K was interested in making the pond beautiful and useful again but more importantly utilize the process to teach his students about pond management, look at the financial requirements of such an undertaking, plan creation, proposal writing and actual implementation of the plan.

Wood and Rizzo made a presentation to Mr. K and the students on March 3rd. Their presentation provided guidance on the variety of management considerations including aquatic plant management, fisheries management and overall needs of the pond. Wood also provided numerous options for physical repair and management options with their associated costs.

During a great, interactive discussion, the students came up with goals for their pond including fishing, ice skating, boating, classroom instruction, and aesthetics. Creating these goals and utilizing the information provided to them helped them create a plan and a proposal for the administration.

Once they receive approval they will move forward with implementing their plans. Participating in this project has helped the students feel ownership over transforming an eyesore into a beautiful, useful water resource where they live and attend classes throughout the year. (Written By: Dana Rizzo, Extension Educator, Water Resources, Renewable Natural Resources, Penn State Extension, Westmoreland County, reprinted from Penn State Extension Watershed Winds newsletter.) DEP To Monitor Restart Of ArcelorMittal Monessen Coke Works The Department of Environmental Protection Monday announced it will conduct a series of air quality readings in advance of and immediately following the resumption of cokemaking operations at ArcelorMittal’s Monessen coke plant in Westmoreland County.

“While we welcome the economic boost the plant will give the Mon Valley, we recognize that it has the potential to impact air quality in the area,” DEP Southwest Regional Director Susan Malone

said. “We will work to ensure that the plant is operating within the parameters of its air quality permits.” The department’s Mobile Analytical Unit (MAU) has already collected “background” air

samples. These readings were gathered before the plant was restarted and will provide a baseline for readings taken by the MAU after the plant resumes operations.

The MAU will employ a sensitive testing apparatus, the open path Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer, to detect very small changes in air quality. The testing tool also has the ability to sample for a large number of compounds.

Specifically, DEP will be looking for changes in volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, emissions associated with coke oven batteries. DEP will also conduct additional ambient air sampling in the vicinity of the plant.

After all samples have been analyzed, DEP’s Air Quality staff will consider the need for permanent air monitoring around the coke plant.

The Monessen plant last operated in May 2009. It has been in “Hot Idle” status since then. The plant has the capacity to produce 370,000 tons of coke per year and provide nearly 160 jobs. NewsClip: Monessen Coke Plant Set To Resume Production Keep PA Beautiful Participates In Great American Cleanup Of PA Kick­Off Event The Great American Cleanup of PA Kick­Off event was celebrated in Philadelphia on April 5 where Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful joined Keep Philadelphia Beautiful, the Philadelphia Streets Department and Mayor Michael A. Nutter at the 7th annual Philly Spring Cleanup, one of the largest single­day cleanups in the country.

Mayor Nutter encouraged residents to “Keep Up the Sweep Up” at a morning celebration at Gideon School. Volunteers painted schoolyard games on the blacktop, removed graffiti from the playground, and cleaned litter from the schoolyard and surrounding area.

“I was honored to join Mayor Nutter, Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Jennifer Jehn and Eagles Linebacker Connor Barwin for Keep Philadelphia Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup national kick­off,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “It’s inspiring to work with students who are engaged in the stewardship of their community. It’s a lesson that will stand the test of time.”

For Earth Day activities you can get involved in, visit DEP’s Earth Day Central webpage or volunteer for a Great American Cleanup of PA cleanup event. NewsClips: Earth Day Events In Central PA Earth Day Activities In Lehigh Valley Watershed Cleanup Day April 26 In Centre County Perkiomen Watershed Cleanup Set For This Saturday More Than 300 Trees To Be Planted At Wilson College Volunteers Needed To Plant Trees At Flight 93 Memorial

(April issue of Beautiful Resources newsletter available from Keep PA Beautiful.) Study: Waste, Recycling Industries Contribute $4.2 Billion To PA Economy The municipal waste collection, recycling, and disposal industry in Pennsylvania contributes more than

$4.2 billion a year to the state’s economy and supports more than 26,000 jobs, according to a new research report prepared by the Philadelphia consulting firm Econsult Solutions, Inc., for the Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association.

PWIA is the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Waste & Recycling Association and represents private­sector recyclers, haulers, and landfill operators.

The report’s conclusions are based on accepted economic methodology, using official state and national data and information collected in a survey of Pennsylvania landfill operators, haulers, and recyclers.

PWIA President Mark Pedersen said the municipal waste industry collects, hauls, and disposes of 8.6 million tons of Pennsylvania municipal solid waste annually.

“Along with that, we have also evolved into the ‘front end’ of recyclingin Pennsylvania,” he said. “Our members collect, haul, separate, and process recyclables that become the feedstock for re­use and re­manufacture into new products. Recycling has become the fastest­growing component of our industry.”

The amount of materials recycled in Pennsylvania grew from 4.8 million tons in 2006 to 5.85 million tons in 2011, an increase of 20 percent, according to the report. About 30 percent of Pennsylvania’s recycled commodities are exported, which brings new money into the state economy.

Chris Abruzzo, secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, said the PWIA report confirms that Pennsylvania is leading the way in recycling and reaping significant benefits.

“Pennsylvanians are working together and employing innovative technologies to reduce waste while continuing to protect the environment,” Abruzzo said. “From our recycling law passed 25 years ago to the electronic waste law that took effect last year, Pennsylvania has come a long way, and this report highlights the many benefits of our hard work.”

Pedersen said private­sector companies in the industry have helped make recycling more attractive and effective by investing heavily in single­stream processing technology. In just the period of 2010 to 2012, the report shows, the industry has invested $400 million in capital improvements.

The report found that single­stream recycling increased by almost 150 percent between 2006 and 2011 and now accounts for 43 percent of all materials recycled in Pennsylvania.

Single­stream generates higher participation in recycling because it doesn’t require consumers to separate materials such as glass, paper, and aluminum. Separation is done at a processing facility, often by machines with sophisticated sorting devices. This leads to significant increases in recycling rates, even within communities that already provide curbside collection of recyclables.

According to the report, about half of the industry’s $4.2 billion statewide annual economic contribution is in the form of direct annual operating expenditures and employment within the municipal waste industry—roughly $2.3 billion. The industry directly provides jobs to about 12,000 people at an average wage of $55,000 per year.

The other half of the economic contribution occurs in the form of indirect and induced impacts—ripple economic activity and employment “across a multitude of industries” that do business with and provide services to the municipal waste industry.

The report noted that Pennsylvania has more than 2,200 operations involved in the collection and processing of recyclables, about 500 manufacturers that use recycled materials, and another thousand enterprises involved in reuse and remanufacturing.

“This kind of ‘downstream’ activity is an important part of the contribution the industry is making to the economy,” Robert Bylone, president of the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center, said. “I’m glad to see the documentation in this report about the growing emphasis on recycling in relation to

disposal that, in part, is occurring in response to the expansion of private markets. We continue to develop the efforts of the RMC and its partners producing results that greatly benefit the economy of Pennsylvania.”

The report also said the municipal waste industry annually generates about $250 million in various taxes and fees to state and local governments, including about $80 million a year in state disposal, recycling, and environmental fees and about $60 million a year in payments to municipalities that host disposal facilities.

The full study will be available on the PWIA website.

PA Environmental Council Spring Forum Newsletter Now Available The Spring issue of the Forum newsletter from the PA Environmental Council is now available featuring articles on the PA Supreme Court Act 13 drilling law decision, the Tidal Delaware River Water Trail, the historic Sheepskin Trail, PEC involvement in the William Penn Foundation Delaware Watershed Initiative and the new Trail Planning Technology Tool. Click Here to read more.

DEP Announces April 13 Earth Day Event At Erie Explosion Football Home Game The Department of Environmental Protection announced that football fans can celebrate Earth Day on April 13 during the Erie Explosion home game at the Erie Insurance Arena.

“This Earth Day event is a fantastic, fun opportunity for the residents of Erie to learn about what the department and its partners are doing to protect our environment and how they can join in on the effort,” Acting Northwest DEP Regional Director Staci Gustafson said.

DEP’s Coastal Resources Management Program will team up with Environment Erie and other local environmental groups, organizations and agencies to showcase environmental projects and programs in the Erie area.

During the game, 22 presenters will be on hand to demonstrate the environmental work they do to benefit the Erie community and explain how residents can get involved.

The Erie Explosion Earth Day event will also include a Lincoln Recycling Frisbee toss out, a fly fishing demonstration by the Pennsylvania Steelhead Association and halftime t­shirt toss by the J. Thomas Tree Service. Erie Explosion fans will also be able to participate in a trivia contest, recycling bag toss and compete for many door prizes.

The Erie Explosion Indoor football team will play Port Huron at Sunday’s game. Gates open at 1 p.m. and the game begins at 2 p.m.

Earth Day is an annual observance, held on April 22, to remind residents to do their part and take care of Pennsylvania’s air, land and water.

For more information, visit DEP’s Earth Day Central webpage or volunteer for a Great American Cleanup of PA cleanup event. For more information on the Erie event, contact Jacob Moore at 814­217­9634 or send email to: jacmoore@pa.gov.

For Earth Day activities you can get involved in, visit DEP’s Earth Day Central webpage or volunteer for a Great American Cleanup of PA cleanup event. NewsClips: Earth Day Events In Central PA Earth Day Activities In Lehigh Valley Watershed Cleanup Day April 26 In Centre County

Perkiomen Watershed Cleanup Set For This Saturday More Than 300 Trees To Be Planted At Wilson College Volunteers Needed To Plant Trees At Flight 93 Memorial DEP Fines Range Resources­Appalachia LLC $75,000 For Lycoming County Brine Spill The Department of Environmental Protection Friday announced it has fined Range Resources­ Appalachia LLC of Fort Worth, Texas, $75,000 for a July 2012 manufactured brine spill of 3,066 gallons at its Cornwall Mountain Hunting Club Unit A well pad in Lewis Township, Lycoming County.

“This was a significant spill that Range reported to the department but did not properly remediate until nearly a year later,” DEP Director of District Oil and Gas Operations John Ryder said.

The department’s investigation determined that a leak from the manhole cover on a manufactured brine storage tank caused the brine to flow off the well pad, over an access road and into an unnamed tributary leading to Trout Run, a high quality stream. However, there is no evidence the brine reached Trout Run.

Range reported the leak occurred during a rainstorm, resulting in a mixture of brine solution and rainwater entering stormwater swales, trenches and retention basins around the well pad. Due to the volume of the solution that leaked and mixed with heavy rainfall, the structures were overwhelmed, allowing the fluid to travel down to the unnamed tributary.

Range submitted a final closure report to DEP on June 21, 2013, which was approved by the department on July 9, 2013. The company removed 1,294 tons of contaminated soil from the impacted area, which was properly disposed at the Wayne Township Landfill in Clinton County.

DEP staff documented existing contamination and remediation issues at the site in eight inspections between July 24, 2012 and March 28, 2013. Three Notices of Violation were issued to Range. All violations noted during this time were included in the penalty agreement.

For more information call 570­327­3636. NewsClips: DEP Fines Gas Driller $75,000 For Marcellus Well Pad Spill Chevron Blocked DEP Access To Greene County Well Fire Site DEP Looking Into Chapin Natural Gas Dehydration Station Incident Boback Calls For Investigation Of Wyoming Dehydration Station Eco­Groups Seek Enforcement Action Against Tioga Driller Lackawanna College Announces $2.5 Million Gift From Cabot Oil & Gas Lackawanna College Friday announced a gift of $2.5 million from Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation that will directly fund the School of Petroleum & Natural Gas located in New Milford, Susquehanna County.

The School of Petroleum & Natural Gas was established in 2009 at the beginning of Marcellus Shale industry operations in the area and has developed its curriculum to meet the specific needs of the growing industry. The current job placement rate for graduating students is 90 percent.

"Lackawanna College saw an opportunity a few years ago and took a leap into education in support of the oil and natural gas industry," explained Mark Volk, President of Lackawanna College. "Our partnership with Cabot enhances tremendously the ability of the School of Petroleum & Natural Gas to provide a world­class education designed to prepare a ready workforce that fits the needs of the multiple companies across the industry. Beyond just an investment in Lackawanna College, through this

collaborative effort Cabot is making an investment in our students and our community." The gift will assist the School of Petroleum & Natural Gas in its goal to become a

nationally­recognized, first in class program in the field of petroleum and natural gas technology. Funds will be directed toward creating a $1 million endowment that will provide continuing

support for student scholarships and help meet the long term needs of the school. An additional $1.5 million will be used for state­of­the­art equipment, training, staff and faculty development, and student interactive experiences and internships.

Phil Stalnaker, Vice President of the North Region for Cabot, expressed the company's interest in becoming invested in the program at the School of Petroleum & Natural Gas.

"Cabot is pleased to announce this historic gift to Lackawanna College, a leading institution that has fully embraced the opportunity to train its students locally to become members of the global natural gas industry," he explained. "This opportunity will ensure that qualified, hardworking individuals can get a solid education and be prepared for employment in this robust, expanding industry."

This marks the largest single private donation in the history of Lackawanna College. The School of Petroleum & Natural Gas currently offers two associate degrees in Petroleum &

Natural Gas Technology and Natural Gas Compression Technology. Degree offerings will expand in the Fall 2014 semester with the addition of the Petroleum & Natural Gas Measurement and Petroleum & Natural Gas Business Administration degrees. Case Studies: Shale Drilling’s Mixed Legacy, New Jobs & Community Costs The Multi­State Shale Research Collaborative set out to document the local impacts of shale gas drilling in Greene and Tioga counties, as well as in Carroll County, Ohio, and Wetzel County, West Virginia. Click Here to view a summary and copies of the full case studies.

Greene, in the Southwest corner of Pennsylvania, and Tioga, along the Northern Tier bordering New York State, are both small rural communities that witnessed a dramatic growth in shale development in recent years.

“The impact of shale drilling in Greene and Tioga has been mixed,” said Sharon Ward, Director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, a member of the shale collaborative. “Communities benefited through higher incomes and employment but paid a price, in terms of reduced quality of life, higher costs for police and emergency services, higher rents, and more crime.”

Both counties had many similar experiences after drilling expanded, including an influx of out­of­state workers and a climate in which companies operated without much local oversight. There were notable differences too, particularly as the industry shifted its focus from drilling for methane, or dry, gas in Tioga to more lucrative wet gas and shale oil in Greene and parts of Ohio and North Dakota.

“The story in Tioga is one of a boom and bust,” Ward said. “The community was largely unprepared for the sudden overwhelming presence of the industry, with few tools to manage or plan for growth and change. And then just as suddenly, the industry packed up and left town, taking many of the jobs with them.

“In Greene, we found a community that is no stranger to mineral extraction, with a history of coal mining and conventional gas drilling. While employment has increased, the county is now even more dependent on extractive industries, which could put the local economy at risk in the event of a slowdown.”

The Greene and Tioga case studies, along with those in Carroll County, Ohio, and Wetzel County, West Virginia, draw on publicly available data, press reports, and local interviews to identify

both the benefits and the costs of drilling, and the ways in which these communities have been transformed as a result.

Below are the key findings from the Greene and Tioga case studies: ­­ Leases, Signing Bonuses, and Royalties: Residents benefited from signing bonuses and royalties, but benefits have not been shared equally. A significant share of property in both counties is owned by out­of­state residents and businesses or by a handful of landowners. ­­ Employment and Economic Benefits: Both Greene and Tioga reported growth in oil and gas drilling jobs, but overall shale­related employment is still a small share of total county employment. Greene County experienced the most significant growth in employment and a decline in unemployment, while the jobs and other economic benefits proved to be temporary in Tioga, and unemployment once again rose above the state average. ­­ Housing: With the influx of out­of­state gas workers, both counties faced an increased demand for housing, making it less affordable. Greene, which faced a shortage of quality rental housing before the boom, was particularly hard hit. Both counties reported an increased demand for housing assistance and an increase in homelessness. Low­income families in Greene, unable to find affordable housing, were separated as children went into the foster care system. ­­ Roads and Infrastructure: Drilling activity has increased truck traffic on roads that were not designed for heavy truckloads. This has caused greater wear and tear on the roads and increased motor vehicle accidents and road repair costs. ­­ Crime: In both counties, we were able to document an increase in crime as drilling activity increased. ­­ Health Care: Emergency room visits increased in both Greene and Tioga. ­­ Education: School enrollments, for the most part, remained stable or continued to decline. The dropout rate grew in Greene, exceeding the state average, as some students left school to take high­paying jobs in industry. Both counties reported an increase in the need for special education services. ­­ Government Revenues: Pennsylvania’s tax structure provides little direct revenue to local governments from this economic activity. The impact fee authorized in Act 13 of 2012 has provided them with new resources to mitigate some impacts of drilling, but in the first year most local governments put the funding into reserves.

Both case studies recommend that communities with increased drilling create local oil and gas taskforces to coordinate discussions between government agencies, local stakeholders, and companies, and that local landowners establish a landowners group to help each other navigate the growth of the industry.

The studies also recommend the state replace its local impact fee with a severance tax and that more investments be made in fixing and policing the roads and making affordable housing more available in hard­hit communities.

“Our studies show that there are localized benefits from gas development, and substantial costs, for low­income residents, through increased crime and in costs to local governments,” Ward said. “Communities potentially facing new gas development would do well to greet the development with as much caution as enthusiasm, and to be prepared as much for the bust as the boom.”

The Multi­State Shale Research Collaborative brings together independent, nonpartisan research and policy organizations in five states to monitor employment trends and the community impacts of energy extraction in the Marcellus and Utica Shale.

Member organizations include the Fiscal Policy Institute of New York, Policy Matters Ohio, Keystone Research Center/Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal

Analysis in Virginia, and West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy. Copies of the full case studies are available online.

PennDOT Accepting Applications For Multimodal Transportation Projects PennDOT Monday announced it is accepting applications for funding for transportation improvement projects under the Multimodal Transportation Fund created by Act 89. The deadline for applications is June 30.

Eligible projects include: intercity bus and rail service improvement, bus stops, transportation centers, park and ride facilities, rail freight sidings, land acquisition for eligible airport development, land interests required for air approach and clear zone purposes, sidewalk ­ crosswalk safety improvements, bicycle lanes, rout designation, in­fill development by assisting with traffic impact mitigation, develop local highways, highway noise and sound barriers and bridge which will benefit state system and local economic development and greenways.

PennDOT can make available $20 million in Fiscal Year 2014­15 to distribute to successful applicants. Eligible projects can cost between $100,000 and $3 million and they require a 30 percent match from local sources.

PennDOT will evaluate the applications and make selections based on such criteria as safety benefits, regional economic conditions, the technical and financial feasibility, job creation, energy efficiency, and operational sustainability.

Besides the $20 million in unrestricted funds to be distributed, PennDOT may award grants from the dedicated budget categories in the Multimodal fund for aviation, rail freight, ports and bicycle­pedestrian projects.

“Our new transportation plan, Act 89, benefits the entire sweep of the transportation landscape,” said PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch. “This PennDOT­managed grant program set up in the Act will allow us to support a wider array of improvements that can reach far down into our communities.”

For more information, visit PennDOT’s Multimodal Transportation webpage. DEP Submits White Paper To EPA On Regulating CO2 Emissions From Power Plants On Thursday the Department of Environmental Protection submitted a white paper containing comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection suggesting a new framework for regulating carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal­fired power plants under Section 111(d) of the federal Clean Air Act.

“Under Gov. Tom Corbett’s leadership, Pennsylvania is continuing to make great progress in its efforts to position the state as a world leader in the new energy economy while ensuring that we continue improving our air quality and protecting public health,” DEP Secretary Chris Abruzzo said. “A key part of this plan is maintaining the stable and diverse supply of electricity vital to our economy and national security.”

“Pennsylvania is committed to achieving the goals that would be established under a flexible CO2 program in a fashion that allows us to best serve the needs of our citizens,” Abruzzo said. “We believe the best way to achieve these goals is to implement a plan that focuses on state leadership, provides flexibility and takes advantage of a wide range of energy sources and technologies towards building a cleaner power sector.”

Specifically, DEP requested EPA to:

— If EPA develops emissions guidelines, it should be done under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act; — Emissions guidelines should be developed in close consultation with the states; — EPA should establish targets for reductions, rather than mandate pathways to achieve them; — States must be allowed to join with other states in multi­state or regional programs; — EPA should recognize the different makeup of existing power generation fleets in each state; — EPA should recognize the differences inherent in regulated versus competitive energy markets and the need to provide for electric grid reliability; and — Changes to major New Source Review regulations should be considered to encourage efficiency improvements.

In his letter to EPA, DEP Secretary Chris Abruzzo said­­ “Pennsylvania is making great progress in its efforts to position the state as a world leader in the

new energy economy. A key part of this plan is maintaining the stable and diverse supply of electricity that is vital to our economy and national security.

“To that end, I am pleased to provide you with a copy of a new Pennsylvania white paper that presents an innovative and flexible framework for achieving lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from existing fossil fuel­fired power plants.

“At the heart of this plan is the preservation of states’ authority and discretion in the development and implementation of flexible emission control programs. EPA should establish targets for reductions, rather than mandate pathways to achieve them. A flexible approach avoids picking “winners and losers” and empowers states to design the most cost­effective compliance options for their constituents.

“As stated in our white paper, Pennsylvania believes that a key to the success of any effort to reduce CO2 is optimizing and maximizing the benefits of energy efficiency projects. For that to occur, it is critical for EPA to endorse, adopt and implement our proposal to modify the New Source Review applicability test. If this change is made, a paradigm shift would be accomplished that would result in considerable investment in energy efficiency efforts not just in the fossil fuel­fired electric generating sector but throughout the entire U.S. economy.

“Companies paying to make energy efficiency improvements would benefit economically through lower operating costs, which results in lower prices for consumers while achieving lower CO2 emissions. This change would provide an incentive to companies to make investments that would result in emissions reductions, including CO2, from all emitting sources without the need of a regulation to force the reduction.

“Pennsylvania is committed to achieving the goals that would be established under a flexible CO2 program in a fashion that allows us to best serve the needs of our citizens. We look forward to hearing your feedback on our proposal and pledge our commitment to work in partnership with your staff as you craft a plan to meet President Obama’s directive to build on state leadership, provide flexibility and take advantage of a wide range of energy sources and technologies towards building a cleaner power sector.”

A copy of the White Paper and Letter are available online. NewsClips: Poll: Less Than Half Of Americans Believe Humans Cause Climate Change Editorial: More EPA Climate Overreach Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Workshops In Southwest April 22, 29

The Department of Environmental Protection, along with Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities, invites fleet managers, school districts, municipalities, nonprofit entities, and for­profit businesses to attend one of two Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant workshops being held in Greene and Cambria counties.

DEP is hosting these workshops to assist potential applicants in learning more about AFIG grant program requirements, and how they can join others in making the switch to alternative fuel vehicles.

The Greene County workshop, which is co­hosted by Greene County Commissioners and the Department of Economic Development, is scheduled for April 22 in the upper level of Building 10, Greene County Fairgrounds, 107 Fairground Road, Waynesburg.

The Cambria County workshop, which is co­hosted by Sen. Wozniak (D­Cambria), Johnstown Area Regional Industries, and Peoples Gas, will be held on April 29 at JARI, 245 Market Street, Suite 200, Johnstown.

Both workshops have the same content and will be held from 10 a.m. until noon. The workshops are free and open to eligible applicants only, as seating is limited. Please

provide attendee’s name and organization when registering by contacting Southwest Energy Manager Margaret Hall by sending email to: mahall@pa.gov or by calling 412­442­4137.

An estimated $8 million is available under the AFIG program to help pay up to 50 percent of the incremental purchase or conversion costs of natural gas vehicles with gross vehicle weight ratings of 26,000 pounds or less. There is no weight restriction for the conversion or purchase of all other types of alternative fuel vehicles.

The deadline for applications is May 30. The AFIG fund was established under Act 166, and is administered by DEP through its Office

of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance. For more information, visit DEP’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant webpage.

Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Workshop In Allegheny County April 23 The Department of Environmental Protection, along with Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities, invites fleet managers, school districts, municipalities, nonprofit entities, and for­profit businesses to attend an Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant workshop being held in Allegheny County.

DEP is hosting this workshop as part of PRCC’s stakeholder meeting, to assist potential applicants in learning more about AFIG grant program requirements.

This free workshop is scheduled for April 23 from 10 a.m. until noon at the Community College of Allegheny County – West Hills Center, 1000 McKee Road, Oakdale.

To register, contact PRCC Coordinator Rick Price by sending email to: rprice5705@aol.com and provide attendee name and organization.

An estimated $8 million is available under the AFIG program to help pay up to 50 percent of the incremental purchase or conversion costs of natural gas vehicles with gross vehicle weight ratings of 26,000 pounds or less. There is no weight restriction for the conversion or purchase of all other types of alternative fuel vehicles.

The AFIG fund was established under Act 166, and is administered by DEP through its Office of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance.

For more information, visit DEP’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant webpage. Corbett Visited Aqua America CNG Fueling Station In Delaware County

Gov. Tom Corbett Tuesday visited Aqua America Inc.’s compressed Natural Gas fueling station in Springfield, Delaware County, to see the company’s growing fleet of vehicles that use CNG, a clean­burning fuel alternative, and discussed how revenues from Act 13 have been benefitting local communities and protecting the environment.

“We are building a stronger Pennsylvania by leveraging our energy resources to create jobs for working families, grow our economy, and make sure we are protecting our environment for generations to come,” Corbett said. ”Act 13 not only strengthened oversight of the drilling industry, it allows us to continue growing jobs while cleaning the air at the same time.”

In March 2014, Aqua was awarded a $225,000 Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) grant from the Department of Environmental Protection’s Act 13 fund. The grant is being used to fund the purchase of nine additional CNG­fueled dump trucks.

“By partnering with companies like Aqua, we are helping companies reduce their environmental impacts and investing a strong economic future for Pennsylvania,” Corbett said. Aqua intends to use these CNG dump trucks throughout Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties as they provide construction services for Aqua customers.

“At Aqua, we led the charge with a small pilot program to ensure efficiency, safety and reliability because we believe this is the right thing to do,” Aqua Chairman and CEO Nick DeBenedictis said. “With the assistance of grants like those the governor will speak about today, we continue to add new vehicles to our fleet and plan to expand our van and dump truck fleet of CNG­fueled vehicles in Pennsylvania within the next five years. We thank Governor Corbett for his strong commitment to cleaner fuel alternatives.”

Last month, Gov. Corbett awarded $7.7 million in Act 13 funding to 25 companies and organizations making the switch to natural gas for their heavy­duty fleet vehicles. Aqua provides water and wastewater services to approximately 3 million people in 10 states. Aqua’s Pennsylvania operations involve more than 600 employees who provide water and wastewater services to 1.4 million people in 31 counties.

Act 13 of 2012 was the single largest step in modernizing the state’s Oil and Gas Law in nearly three decades. It increased protections for private water supplies, empowered the Department of Environmental Protection to issue larger fines and included one of the most progressive hydraulic fracturing fluid disclosure laws in the nation.

The Act also authorized DEP to develop and implement the Natural Gas Energy Development program, funded by impact fees paid by natural gas operators. The program distributes up to $20 million in grants over three years, to help pay for the incremental purchase and conversion costs of heavy­duty natural gas fleet vehicles.

Since 2012, Act 13 impact fee revenues have surpassed $630 million. For more information, visit DEP’s Natural Gas Vehicle Program webpage.

PennSave Energy Performance Contracting Workshop For Schools, Municipalities April 24 PennSave will host a video conference workshop at five locations around the state April 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for school districts and municipal officials on the nuts and bolts of performance contracting for installing building and HVAC upgrades that reduce energy use.

The video workshop will originate at the Capital Area Intermediate Unit in Summerdale near Harrisburg and will by simulcast to other Intermediate Unit offices in Archbald, Clarion, Greensburg and Norristown.

PennSave is a coalition effort between PennFuture, the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Energy Services Coalition, and the Pennsylvania Energy Partnership to develop a statewide education and outreach program on energy savings performance contracts.

PennSave is developing sample procurement documents and easy­to­understand materials that will focus on consumer education and protection in order to promote high­quality performance contracting in Pennsylvania.

Click Here for details and registration information for the April 24 event. Click Here for an earlier webinar on PennSave 101: The Basics, Opportunities and Challenges of Energy Savings Performance Contracting. Click Here to sign up for future PennSave energy conservation programs. EPA: Philadelphia 9th In U.S. With Most Energy Star Green Buildings The Environmental Protection Agency Thursday announced the sixth annual list of the top 25 U.S. metropolitan areas with the most Energy Star certified buildings, with Philadelphia coming in ninth on the list.

The cities on this list demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits achieved by facility owners and managers when they apply a proven approach to energy efficiency to their buildings.

The Top 10 cities on the list are: Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; New York; San Francisco; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Philadelphia; and Houston.

"Not only are the Energy Star top 25 cities saving money on energy costs and increasing energy efficiency, but they are promoting public health by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions from commercial buildings,” said Administrator Gina McCarthy. “Every city has an important role to play in reducing emissions and carbon pollution, and increasing energy efficiency to combat the impacts of our changing climate.”

Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for 17 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. Energy Star certified office buildings cost $0.50 less per square foot to operate than average office buildings, and use nearly two times less energy per square foot than average office buildings.

The data also show that more than 23,000 buildings across America earned EPA’s Energy Star certification by the end of 2013. These buildings saved more than $3.1 billion on utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use from 2.2 million homes.

First released in 2008, the list of cities with the most Energy Star certified buildings continues to demonstrate how cities across America, with help from Energy Star, are embracing energy efficiency as a simple and effective way to save money and prevent pollution.

Los Angeles has remained the top city since 2008 while Washington, D.C. continues to hold onto second place for the fifth consecutive year. Atlanta moved up from the number five to number three.

For the first time, Philadelphia entered the top 10, ranking ninth. Commercial buildings that earn EPA’s Energy Star must perform in the top 25 percent of similar

buildings nationwide and must be independently verified by a licensed professional engineer or a registered architect. Energy Star certified buildings use an average of 35 percent less energy and are responsible for 35 percent less carbon dioxide emissions than typical buildings.

Many types of commercial buildings can earn the Energy Star, including office buildings, K­12 schools, hotels, and retail stores.

Products, homes and buildings that earn the Energy Star label prevent greenhouse gas emissions

by meeting strict energy efficiency requirements set by the U.S. EPA. In 2013 alone, Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved an estimated $30 billion on their utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use of more than 38 million homes.

From the first Energy Star qualified computer in 1992, the Energy Star label can now be found on products in more than 70 different categories, with more than 4.5 billion sold. Over 1.5 million new homes and 23,000 commercial buildings and industrial plants have earned the Energy Star label. Carnegie Mellon Develops Dashboard To Help Reduce Energy Use In Office Buildings A team at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Architecture has developed a dashboard that helps people to see how much energy they use at work and how to reduce this use to help the environment.

Ray Yun, a doctoral student in the School of Architecture, has developed an Intelligent Dashboard to evaluate plug load energy savings in the workplace. Plug load, he explained, refers to how many things are actually plugged into outlets at your desk and, as a result, use energy.

By helping building occupants see their actual energy use, see recommendations for ways to save energy, and allow the online ability to control plug loads at each desk, Ray and the Center for Building Performance team are proving that dashboards save energy.

"What I am most proud of is helping people to see energy saving opportunities," Yun said. "Office workers have no big incentive to put any effort into conserving energy at work, since they don't pay the bills. Without providing rewards or penalties or forcing workers to use our dashboard, we have successfully assisted them in voluntarily acting on behalf of the environment."

The field testing of the Intelligent Dashboard for Occupants (ID­O) engages 80 employees at a major Pittsburgh corporation in online communication, consultation and control supported by plug­in devices manufactured by Plugwise that measure the energy consumption of each device and provide digital on­off control. Office occupants were divided into four groups to evaluate the effectiveness of different interfaces being developed.

Group A served as the control group and was just monitored. Group B participants could see their ongoing energy usage on a dashboard but had no online control ability. Group C could see their energy use and had the ability to control their usage online, while Group D was given energy use monitors, online controls and the ability to use their work schedule on a calendar to control unnecessary plug loads.

After six weeks, Group D participants averaged a 35.4 percent savings in their plug load energy consumption in the workplace. Without the calendar automation, Group C averaged 20.2 percent energy savings, while Group B with information but no online control averaged 9 percent energy savings.

Even the group with no dashboard saved 3.6 percent energy, likely through heightened awareness.

"Energy dashboards for plug load savings in the workplace are critical to saving electricity in a nation scrambling to produce electricity without environmental damage," said Vivian Loftness, a University Professor and former head of the School of Architecture at CMU.

"Buildings consume about 40 percent of all energy used in the U.S. and about 70 percent of the nation's electricity. As a nation, we have a huge obligation to clean up our act. So let's start by asking ourselves what can we do without changing our quality of life," she said. "The Intelligent Dashboard is about empowering the building's occupants to achieve positive change."

The team's work has received both national and international attention. The Wall Street Journal

published an article on September 22, 2013, and the Dashboard has been presented to audiences in Switzerland, Singapore, Sydney and Philadelphia. Presentations are now scheduled for Toronto and Crete.

Yun's research team members in the School of Architecture are Vivian Loftness, Azizan Aziz, Bertrand Lasternas, Chenlu Zhang, Yunjeong Mo and Jie Zhao, and Peter Scupelli in the School of Design.

This team joins more than 100 CMU faculty members working together across disciplines to solve the world's toughest energy challenges through the university's Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation. Regional Keystone Energy Education Program Workshop In Huntingdon May 20 The Department of Environmental Protection invites middle school teachers, administrators and building managers to a May 20 training workshop in Huntingdon, Juniata County, on the Keystone Energy Education Program (KEEP) to teach and track energy efficiency in school buildings and homes.

The workshop is offered free of charge and will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Juniata College at 1700 Moore St. in the von Liebig Center for Science, 1098 Neff Lecture Hall. Lunch will also be provided free of charge by Juniata College’s Science in Motion Program.

KEEP is geared to teachers of grades 4 through 8, administrators and building maintenance managers. Workshop participants will learn about and explore energy issues, including fundamentals and impacts, electricity generation, transportation fuels, careers, energy conservation, student teams and school building energy benchmarking through presentations, tours and hands­on activities.

Participants will have the opportunity to integrate high level, standards­based energy education into their formal curriculum. This could include lesson plans, curricular modules and ongoing benchmarking through EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager, resulting in energy efficiency assessments leading to improvements that reduce energy consumption.

The workshops are based on Pennsylvania’s Academic Standards and Assessment Anchors for Environment and Ecology, Science and Technology, and Engineering Education. Participating teachers will receive background information, standards­based curricular materials and energy conservation material kits.

Participating teachers will be eligible for seven Act 48 credit hours. Please register in advance for the workshop. Space is limited, so registrations will be accepted

on a first­come, first­serve basis. Register by contacting the KEEP Coordinator Susan Gove at 412­431­1010 or send email to: sgove@gove.org. Treasurer McCord Helps Launch National Home Energy Loan Partnership Pennsylvania State Treasurer Rob McCord, along with businesses and organizations from the public and private sectors, Wednesday announced the creation of a groundbreaking national partnership to bring low­cost financing on a large scale to home energy efficiency improvement.

The Warehouse for Energy Efficiency Loans (WHEEL) will fill a long­standing void by creating a new asset class of energy efficiency­related securities. By making it easier to aggregate individual residential energy improvement loans and sell them on the secondary market, WHEEL will result in additional inexpensive capital becoming available for more loans to homeowners.

Pennsylvania Treasury and the financial firm Citigroup will provide capital to launch the

program, having worked closely with Renewable Funding LLC of California and the non­profit Energy Programs Consortium of Washington DC to establish WHEEL.

Others who collaborated in the effort are the U.S. Department of Energy, AFC First Financial Corporation of Allentown, and Kentucky Housing Corporation.

“WHEEL demonstrates that innovative thinking by government, especially in partnership with the private investment sector, can save homeowners money, help the economy, create jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” McCord said during a press conference at Carnegie Mellon University. “WHEEL, which will increase access to low­cost capital for energy efficiency investments, is the culmination of a careful strategy by the Pennsylvania Treasury to develop a national capital market for energy efficiency loans. Capital market resources will now provide more loans to homeowners to improve their homes, save money, and reduce their energy bills.”

Pennsylvania’s Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP), created by Treasury in 2006, served as the basis for WHEEL.

Keystone HELP has made more than 13,000 low­cost loans in Pennsylvania for high­efficiency furnace or boiler replacements, geothermal heating and cooling units, insulation installations, door and window replacements, and other measures.

Last year, Treasury sold about 4,700 HELP loans worth more than $28 million to investors in the first such transaction of its type in the country. Many industry experts at the time viewed the sale as a milestone in national efforts to develop a secondary market for such loans, and thus make additional low­cost capital available for residential energy conservation upgrades.

“We recognized that there is tremendous growth potential in home energy efficiency, but public sector investors such as the Pennsylvania Treasury cannot meet the demand for capital ourselves. We were hopeful that our approach to the loan sale would serve as a national pilot,” McCord said. “It did, and it also furnished important data that aided the design and creation of WHEEL.”

Allentown­based AFC First Financial originates and services Keystone HELP loans and will serve as loan originator and servicer for WHEEL.

“I’m pleased a Pennsylvania company will continue as an important partner as we take the next steps and expand this program to other states around the country,” McCord said of AFC First Financial.

“I’m also proud to have the excellent work done by the Pennsylvania Treasury in the home energy improvement field now serve the rest of the nation. WHEEL sets up national standards for what constitutes eligible improvements, and for the underwriting of loans and management of contractors. These will ensure quality service and equipment for homeowners throughout America when they upgrade – all based on standards for a reliable contractor network that were developed here in Pennsylvania,” he added.

McCord also acknowledged the involvement of the Department of Environmental Protection, which has worked with Treasury to apply federal funds from the U.S. Department of Energy and make Keystone HELP loans more effective, less expensive, and available to more homeowners.

Renewable Funding, which specializes in financing for clean energy upgrade programs, will purchase loans that AFC First Financial originates, using WHEEL capital provided by Citigroup and the Pennsylvania Treasury, each of whom have made an initial commitment of $12.5 million.

The loans will be aggregated in diversified pools, and securitized for sale to secondary market investors to replenish the capital for consumer loans. Kentucky also plans to sell its energy efficiency loans to WHEEL, becoming the second state to participate.

Within Pennsylvania, the loan program will continue to operate under the Keystone HELP

banner, but will be part of WHEEL. “This nationwide financing platform offers several added advantages for our already successful

state program,” McCord said. With the participation of Citigroup, he noted, more capital will be available for borrowers in

Pennsylvania. The state Treasury has provided the capital for HELP, but faced limitations on the resources it could devote to the program.

He also pointed out that while HELP loans have historically proven sound, the multistate system will diversify state Treasury risk because the initial capital for loans will come from multiple investors, and the investment will be spread across a larger number of loans. The collateral support structure will also change and diversify.

Another benefit to homeowners should come over the long term as more bidders to provide capital for loans ultimately results in cheaper capital market financing.

For more information, visit the WHEEL website. NewsClip: Program To Expand Home Energy Improvement Loans PUC Video Teaches Electricity Shoppers What To Do At End Of Contracts Public Utility Commission Commissioner Pamela A. Witmer Thursday announced a roughly two­minute video available on the PUC’s Educational Videos webpage to further educate electricity customers about what their options are at the end of their contract.

Commissioner Witmer announced the new piece during her testimony at the House Consumer Affairs Committee hearing on variable electric rates.

During January’s cold snap, some variable rate customers saw steep increases in their electric bills. This was largely due to electric generation suppliers (EGSs) passing on increased wholesale market prices.

“It appears that some customer contracts had no ceiling on the variable rate that could be charged by the EGS,” said Commissioner Witmer during her testimony. “It is important for consumers on variable rates to carefully review the terms and conditions of their contracts to determine if they are at risk for large rate increases at any given time.”

The new video can be found on the PUC website on the Educational Videos webpage, the PAPowerSwitch website’s Understanding Fixed & Variable Rates page, and on the PUC’s YouTube Channel.

The video is the second in a series of short videos highlighting key aspects of choosing and staying with a competitive supplier, and recent actions taken by the Commission to enhance the shopping experience for consumers.

The first video, released on March 20, provided information explaining the difference between fixed rates when compared to variable rates. Future videos will feature what to look for on a disclosure statement, using the sorting and filtering functionality of the online shopping tool, explaining cancellation fees and ways to save energy, among other things. PUC staff produced the video with existing Commission resources.

The video highlights the fact that before a contract ends, customers should receive two notices from their supplier – first, an Initial Notice, followed by an Options Notice. The Options Notice includes: — Reminder of contract expiration or a summary of specific changes to the terms of service being offered;

— Information on new prices; — An explanation of the customer’s options; — How and when to exercise those options; and — The telephone numbers and website addresses for the PUC as well as the Office of Consumer Advocate.

“If you choose to take an action with your renewal and options notices, your rate may change once the contract expires,” a PUC consumer educator says in the video. “For example, your current fixed rate may change to a different fixed or even a variable, month­to­month rate.”

The release of this video follows Commission actions last week, which approved two rulemakings to require EGSs to list contractual terms and conditions more prominently on bills and to accelerate the process for consumers to switch suppliers, reducing the time from 11 to 45 days to as few as three business days.

Additionally, the Commission has enhanced www.PAPowerSwitch.com and added new information related to electric shopping and fixed and variable rates. NewsClips: Editorial: New Rules On Electric Choice State Extends LIHEAP Deadline Exelon Calls For Energy Policy, Market Reforms To Ensure Clean, Reliable Energy Supply In a keynote address to the 29th Annual Platts Global Power Markets Conference, Exelon Generation President and CEO Kenneth W. Cornew said that competitive market rules and state and federal energy policies need immediate reforms to ensure a diverse, clean, reliable and affordable energy supply.

Cornew said the energy industry has experienced seismic shifts in how energy is produced and consumed, with an influx of low­cost natural gas, rapid expansion of subsidized renewable generation, smart grid deployment, behind the meter technologies and low demand growth combining to reshape the energy landscape. Market rules have failed to keep pace, he said.

“Rules that are in place today were designed for a fundamentally different energy market,” Cornew said. “They need to be reformed to reflect our current environment and recent changes in how we produce and use energy.”

The urgent need for changes that support a diversity of generation sources was on display this past winter, Cornew explained. Demand for energy surged during a series of cold snaps that blanketed much of the country in January.

But grid operators struggled to keep up with demand as many resources had high forced outage rates or were otherwise unable to perform. A large number of natural gas plants across the country were unable to get access to fuel, highlighting the consequences of an over reliance on gas generation.

Cornew noted that during the height of the polar vortex, nuclear plants, which have 18 months to 24 months of fuel on site, performed at a 95 percent capacity factor, a key measure of reliability.

“The extreme cold highlighted for many what Exelon has known all along – that a diverse fleet of generation that includes high­performing baseload power plants that have firm fuel, such as nuclear, is critical to grid reliability,” Cornew said.

However, flawed market rules and the current patchwork of state and federal energy policies subsidizing renewable energy do not properly compensate nuclear for its unrivaled reliability and 24/7 emissions­free energy, Cornew said. The problem is exacerbated in regions where low load growth and

an oversupply of subsidized wind generation are driving wholesale energy prices even lower. The combination of competitive market forces and artificial price suppression resulting from well

intended but poorly designed energy policies could force some highly efficient nuclear plants to shut down, threatening grid reliability and setting back efforts to meet the nation’s carbon reduction goals, Cornew said.

“The economic viability of these highly reliable, low­carbon generation sources is at risk, not because they can’t compete in the marketplace, but because they can’t compete when the playing field is uneven,” he said.

Exelon has long advocated for market­based policies that treat all carbon­free resources equally, regardless of technology, Cornew said.

“We need to better align our energy policies with our competitive market rules to ensure we have a clean, reliable and economic energy supply going forward,” he said. NewsClips: Editorial: New Rules On Electric Choice Nuclear Power Under Siege FirstEnergy Exec Warns Berwick Nuclear Plant Status Could Be Upgraded After Inspection NRC Won’t Expand Safety Buffer Around Nuclear Plants Resident Inspectors Serve As Nuclear Plant’s Eyes, Ears Poll: Less Than Half Of Americans Believe Humans Cause Climate Change Editorial: More EPA Climate Overreach PPL Stock Rises On More Power Plant Spinoff Talk Editorial: PPL Storm Fees Mandate Lower Rates State Extends LIHEAP Deadline 10th Annual Gardeners Gathering To Celebrate Spring April 26 In Cumberland County The Lower Allen Recreation and Parks Board are proud to announce the 10th annual Gardeners Gathering Event on April 26, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Lower Allen Community Park, 4075 Lisburn Road in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County.

The event includes several free workshop sessions focused on hands­on gardening tips and methods for home gardeners as well as a “plant swap” that’s sure to please new and avid gardeners alike.

This year’s workshops include “Perennials, Friends & Foes” with Ann Hofmann of Black Landscape Center, focusing on both attracting and repelling certain wildlife species the natural way; “How to Build Your Own Fairy Garden” with B. Green Garden Designs, during which participants can pay a nominal fee to walk away with a beautiful handmade garden from nature (pre­registration required to make a garden, but all are welcome); and “Keys to Rain Garden Maintenance” with Cumberland County Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners.

Each of the sessions will provide valuable information on interesting ways to enhance your home garden or local community.

Our annual Plant Swap is always a big hit, too. How does it work? Bring your divided perennials (please provide a pot or container) between 10:00 a.m. ­ 12:00 p.m. and receive a numbered ticket per plant that you bring; at 12:15, we’ll start “raffling off” each plant­ you get to take one home for every one you give away!

According to Township Manager, Tom Vernau, “Our Gardeners Gathering has become known

in the area as a fun springtime event with local experts giving our area residents excellent information on how we can work together to build a better community.”

Again, all workshops are free and open to local residents. There will be drawings for plant and product giveaways as well as plenty of friends and neighbors to share ideas with, so don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy some springtime fun!

The above programs are sponsored by the Lower Allen Township Recreation and Parks Board, with generous support provided by local garden businesses.

For more information or to pre­register for our special fairy garden workshop, visit the Lower Allen Township website or call 975­7575, ext. 1402. NewsClip: Master Gardener Records Spring Unfolding In South Whitehall Volunteer Trail Day At Lackawanna College Environmental Center A Success More than 40 volunteers participated in Trail Day at the Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center, 93 MacKenzie Rd., Covington Township, Lackawanna County, on April 5 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Volunteers spent the day constructing, marking and pruning trails that will be used for community programs on the 211­acre property.

The Covington Township property is home to the state­of­the­art LEED Gold certified education center that serves as a living model of sustainability.

(Photo: L­R, From Gregory the Great Academy; Thomas Urgo, Mark Grenier, Vincent Audino, Dominic Valentine, Anthony Mioni.) NewsClips: Luzerne County May Help Fund Warrior Trail Extension York County Heritage Rail Trail Cleanup Almost Done Appalachian Trail Conservancy Seeks Volunteers For Visitors Center Wildlife Leadership Academy Extends Deadline For Student, Teacher Course Registration The Wildlife Leadership Academy has extended its deadline for accepting applications for their 2014 summer field schools from youth ages 14­17 and adults to April 30.

The Wildlife Leadership Academy, administered by the PA Institute for Conservation Education in Union County, is year­round program that focuses on wildlife/fisheries conservation and leadership development. The mission of the Academy is to empower youth to become ambassadors for wildlife conservation in order to ensure a sustained wildlife legacy for future generations.

For more information, visit the Wildlife Leadership Academy webpage or contact Institute Director, Michele Kittell by sending email to: mkittell@piceweb.org or 570­245­8518. You can also connect with the Academy on Facebook. PA Master Naturalist Program Seeks Participants For Fall Training In Southeast Pennsylvania Master Naturalist Program is partnering with three organizations in Southeastern

Pennsylvania to offer 55­hour training courses this Fall. The Pennsylvania Master Naturalist program prepares citizens to become volunteer leaders

reaching out to their communities through natural resource conservation education, citizen science, and stewardship and consists of three key components: an initial volunteer training course, annual volunteer service, and continuing education in the natural sciences.

Master Naturalist volunteers design and pursue a wide variety of service projects from habitat restoration and native plantings to designing education programs and interpretative displays or publications on natural history to water quality monitoring and supporting natural resource conservation efforts of partnering organizations.

From 2010 to 2013, Pennsylvania Master Naturalist volunteers in Southeastern Pennsylvania have: engaged in 4,117 hours of conservation service; contributed $90,296 in conservation value and impact to 80 regional partners; reached over 4,000 people through outreach service; and improved 257 acres of habitat through stewardship service.

Seeking New Applicants Individuals interested in the Pennsylvania Master Naturalist Program are invited to apply by

visiting Pennsylvania Master Naturalist’s website. The application deadline for fall training is June 2. This initial training for the Pennsylvania Master Naturalist will be offered at three locations in

Southeastern Pennsylvania in the Fall of 2014: ­­ Bucks County: Silver Lake Nature Center, Bristol (September ­ November) ­­ Chester County: The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County, Bucktoe Creek Preserve, Kennett Square (August ­ November) ­­ Lancaster County: Lancaster County Conservancy, Lancaster (August ­ November)

For more information, visit the PA Master Naturalist website or contact Andrea Stevens by sending email to: progcoord@pamasternaturalist.org or calling 570­764­7628 or Michele Richards by sending email to: michele@pamasternaturalist.org or calling 570­441­3364. Game Commission Prepares For Controlled Burns On State Game Lands In Centre County The Game Commission plans to resume controlled burns on the Scotia Barrens on State Game Lands 176 in Patton, Ferguson and Halfmoon townships, Centre County, to improve habitat conditions within this unique ecosystem.

Depending on conditions, the Game Commission plans to burn up to five units totaling 340 acres. The potential burn window is approximately April 7 to May 24.

The purpose is to restore the pitch pine/scrub oak ecosystem on the Scotia Barrens. Controlled burns are used by the Game Commission on game lands statewide to improve plant and wildlife habitats, and reduce the chance of wildfire.

Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Habitat Management director William Capouillez noted that residents might see or smell smoke emerging from the Scotia Barrens during the burning.

“People become upset when there is smoke in the air if they don’t know the reason for the fire,” Capouillez said. “That’s why we’re trying to get the word out about controlled burning. If we carefully plan and conduct a burn when weather conditions favor smoke dispersal, this reduces smoke­related problems. Dealing with a little bit of smoke now is infinitely better than dealing with a wildfire later.”

Local media contacts will be made within 24 to 48 hours of potential burn days to keep local residents informed.

State Game Lands 176 currently contains 6,231 acres in Ferguson, Half Moon and Patton

townships. NewsClips: Game Commission Board Summary Of Quarterly Meeting Game Commission Seeking To Move Past Roe Dispute Stork Has Arrived At Harmar Eagle Nest iConservePA Video: April­May Great Time To Plant Trees April and May are the best times to plant trees and you can learn how to do it right through this new video from iConservePA.org. Jeff Woleslagle from DCNR Bureau of Forestry takes you through these easy planting steps. Click Here to watch the video. PA Horticultural Society Hosts Tree Tender Training Workshops In Southeast The PA Horticultural Society will host a series of Tree Tender Training Workshops this year in the five­county Philadelphia Region.

The PHS Tree Tenders Program offers hands­on tree care training covering tree biology, identification, planting, proper care and working within your community.

The training sessions will be held­­ ­­ Montgomery County: May 6, 13 and 20 – 6:00­9:00 p.m. Jarrett Nature Center at Simmons Elementary School, 411 Babylon Road, Horsham; ­­ Philadelphia County: April 30, May 7 & 14 ­5:45­9:00 p.m., PHS ­ 100 North 20th Street, Philadelphia; ­­ Bucks County: September 11, 18 & 25 ­­ 6:00­9:00 p.m. Milford Township, 2100 Krammes Road, Quakertown; ­­ Delaware County: October 2, 9 and 16 ­­ 6:00­9:00 p.m. Middletown Township, 27 North Pennell Road, Lima; and ­­ Philadelphia County: October 8, 15 & 21 ­­ 5:45­9:00 p.m. PHS ­ 100 North 20th Street, Philadelphia.

Click Here to register for these workshops. For more information, visit the PHS Tree Tenders Program webpage. DCNR Warns Anglers, Others Of High Woodland Fire Danger Pennsylvania's statewide trout season begins on April 12, prompting the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Friday to urge anglers and other woodland visitors to take steps to prevent wildfires.

"We ask trout anglers and other visitors to be extremely careful because fire danger ranges from high to very high across much of the state," DCNR Secretary Ellen Ferretti said. "One act of carelessness could prove disastrous among tinder­dry conditions in some of our forests, where wildfire dangers climb with each day of sun and wind."

Open fires are forbidden on state forestland when the fire danger is listed as high, very high or extreme.

"Many large destructive wildfires occurred on Thursday across Pennsylvania, damaging buildings and hundreds of acres of forest land," said Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry Chief Forest Fire

Warden Randy White. "We remind folks to be careful with campfires and take the proper precautions." Precautions include:

— Clear the area around the fire prior to starting it; — Keep the fire small and never leave it unattended; — Before you strike a campfire match, first consider if it is too warm, dry or windy for a fire and if the surrounding area is free of leaves and other combustibles; — Make sure there is a ready source of water nearby and a rake to extinguish any embers that might escape; and — When you are done with the fire put it out with water until all ashes are cold to the touch.

White cautioned that despite rain on Friday in some areas, lack of green foliage in the spring, low humidity and sunny, windy days all increase chances of forest and brush fires spreading. Such fires are almost always traced to human carelessness, he said.

Nearly 10,000 acres of state forest are burned by wildfires each year, and nearly 85 percent of all fires in Pennsylvania woodlands occur during the months of March, April and May. Almost all of these fires threaten people and their homes, as well as trees and wildlife.

State forestry officials urge landowners to check with local municipalities to see if outdoor burning is allowed, and to avoid entirely or use extreme caution when burning trash and debris – one of the most common causes of wildfires.

County wide burn bans are currently in place in Montour and Schuylkill counties. Residents also are advised to create "safe zones" around homes and cabins by removing leaves

and other debris from the ground and rain gutters, stack firewood away from structures and trim overhanging branches.

The Bureau of Forestry is responsible for the prevention and suppression of wildfires on Pennsylvania's 17 million acres of private and state­owned woodlands.

For more information on wildfire prevention, contact local district foresters; call the Bureau of Forestry at 717­787­2925; or visit DCNR’s Wildland Fire webpage. NewsClip: Fishing Opens Statewide This Weekend April 17 South Mountain Speaker Event To Focus On African­American Burial Grounds Protecting historic African­American burial grounds in the region will be the topic of the next lecture in the South Mountain Speakers Series on April 17 at Shippensburg University.

“Over the last 250 years, African American churches and organizations have established dozens of burial grounds in communities throughout the South Mountain region,” said Jon Peterson, a planner with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy who is coordinating the committee on the speaker series. “These historic cemeteries provide remarkable sites for documenting the rich African American history of the region, including African­American military service in the United States Civil War.”

"Hallowed Grounds, Endangered History: Preserving the Historic African­American Burial Grounds of the South Mountain Region,” will be held at 7 p.m. at the Old Main Chapel at 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg. It is free and open to the public.

Today, many of the historic burial grounds have vanished, or they are threatened by a combination of neglect, vandalism and development.

Dr. Steven Burg, professor of history at Shippensburg University, will discuss the ways that the historic burial grounds of the South Mountain can be used to discover the region’s rich African­American history.

Following his presentation, a panel will discuss the threats posed to these sites and a variety of efforts that are currently underway to preserve them, and protect and share the stories of these hallowed grounds.

The panel includes Larry Knutson, president of Penn Trails; Lenwood Sloan, former director of Pennsylvania's Cultural and Heritage Tourism Program; and Barbara Barksdale, founder of Friends of Midland, an organization that is restoring Harrisburg's Midland Cemetery, a pre­Civil War African American cemetery.

This event is supported by the Pennsylvania Hallowed Ground Project and Shippensburg University.

The annual South Mountain Speakers Series is envisioned as a revival of the talks given by Joseph Rothrock in the late 19th century as part of his work to preserve and restore Pennsylvania’s forests and natural landscape. The fifth season of the Speakers Series is sponsored by the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau.

Two additional lectures this year will include: ­­ “The Changing Face of Agriculture in the South Mountain Region: Re­creating the Cider Industry,” October 4­5 and 11­12 at the National Apple Harvest Festival, Arendtsville; and ­­ “Changing Climate and the South Mountain Region,” November 13 at Dickinson College in Carlisle.

The South Mountain Partnership was sparked by DCNR’s effort to engage communities, local partners and state agencies and identify funding opportunities to conserve high­quality natural and cultural resources while enhancing the region’s economic viability.

It is a public­private partnership between DCNR and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and has grown into a coalition of citizens, businesses, non­profit organizations and government representatives in Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York counties, working together to protect and enhance the South Mountain landscape.

South Mountain is at the northern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Communities in the 400,000­acre region have thrived off fertile limestone agricultural lands, the timber that fed iron furnaces, plentiful game and wildlife, and abundant pure spring water that is captured by the mountains’ permeable soils and released into the valleys.

For more information, South Mountain Speakers Series Blog or call the Appalachian Trail Conservancy at 717­258­5771. Some of the earlier lectures in the speaker series can be found on YouTube. Hawk Mountain Hires Erin Brown As First Full­Time Director Of Education In 2 Decades Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County Friday named Erin Brown as its first full­time Director of Education in nearly two decades.

Brown will lead the organization’s strategic work to build education programming to a leadership level, including to provide the highest quality public and school programs and resources, and to encourage educators from all areas and backgrounds to use raptors and raptor migration as a focus for learning.

Hawk Mountain President Jerry Regan is excited to have her join the team. “This new position expands our education staff, and with our capital vision and newly­opened Irma Broun­Kahn Education building, now we can expand our educational outreach and connect even more people of all ages to the mountain and the migration,” he says.

Board member Scott Weidensaul led the national search, which began late autumn and attracted

more than 100 qualified candidates stretching from Florida to Utah to New York. "It was an exhaustive review that involved multiple interviews from a large pool of finalists, but in the end, we found a superb new director of education," says Weidensaul.

Only by luck would the final contender reside in Berks County, Pennsylvania, be a former 20­year resident of Schuylkill County, and also be a long­time member of the Sanctuary.

Local ties aside, Brown brings to the Mountain experience in both the public school system where she worked as a Life Science Teacher at the Parkland Area School District, as well as the state park system, where she held positions as an environmental educator and volunteer coordinator.

Her broad­based experience includes leading teacher workshops, developing science­based curriculum, directing eco camps, and work within the school system to develop new science curriculums and create STEMM­related activities.

A major goal of the new position is to fully integrate science and education into the Hawk Mountain experience, and to boost education materials, activities and curricula that combine real science with teacher needs.

Fittingly, Erin brings a variety of outdoor teaching certifications that include the Project WILD, Project WET and WOW!, the Project WILD Aquatic, the PA Songbirds, and the WWF PA Biodiversity curriculums, as well as ten years of hands­on experience in handling and caring for live raptors and using them as tools for learning.

A long­time education volunteer and member of the Carbon County Environmental Center, Brown is also a senior Girl Scout leader in Douglassville, and has received awards for professional excellence from the Carbon County Conservation District, the Schuylkill County Visitor’s Bureau, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Kutztown University College of Education.

She currently resides with her husband Eric and her three children in Birdsboro where the entire Brown family enjoys an active, outdoor lifestyle.

For more information on programs and activities, visit the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary website. NewsClip: Stork Has Arrived At Harmar Eagle Nest DEP Names Joel Koricich New District Mining Manager In California The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday announced the appointment of Joel Koricich as District Mining Manager for DEP’s California mining office in Washington County.

Koricich has been serving as acting mining manager for the past 16 months. He succeeds William Plassio, who now serves as bureau director for District Mining Operations for DEP.

“Joel is a registered professional engineer who brings a wealth of experience in all phases of surface and underground mining to the position,” said Plassio. “I am confident that he will continue to serve with diligence.”

As the mining manager in the California office, Koricich will oversee the review and processing of permits for underground mines, coal refuse and fly ash disposal facilities, coal preparation plants, mine treatment plants, stream encroachment issues and general air quality activities relating to mining.

Koricich served DEP, first, for 11 years as a senior civil engineer responsible for all aspects of surface mining and compliance. For the past 22 years, he has worked in a number of positions at the DEP California district mining office.

In addition to his DEP experience, Koricich was an environmental health engineer with the Allegheny County Health Department and a regional engineer manager with Chambers Development Corp.

Koricich is a graduate of Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering. He is currently chief of the Collinsburg Volunteer Fire Co. in Westmoreland County, strike team leader with the Pennsylvania Helicopter Aquatics Rescue Team, a state fire academy instructor and an instructor­trainer in swiftwater rescue for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Joel lives in Collinsburg with his wife Kelly and his two daughters. Opportunity To Bid On DCNR, DEP Projects The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published notice of an opportunity to bid on projects in Fulton and Northumberland counties. The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of an opportunity to bid on mine reclamation projects in Fayette County and Somerset County. Your 2 Cents: Issues On Advisory Committee Agendas This section gives you a continuously updated thumbnail sketch of issues to be considered in upcoming advisory committee meetings where the agendas have been released April 15­­ CANCELED. Environmental Quality Board meeting. The next scheduled meeting is May 21. (formal notice) April 15­­ Agenda Released. DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. ­­ Mine Subsidence Program Overview ­­ Draft DEP Act 54 Longwall Mining Brochure ­­ Onlot Sewage Disposal System Planning Overview ­­ CAC­DEP 2014 Priorities ­­ DEP April Report To CAC <> Click Here for available handouts April 16­­ DEP Agricultural Advisory Board meeting. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg. 10:00. April 16­­ Location Added. DCNR Natural Gas Advisory Committee meeting. Celebration Hall, 2280 Commercial Blvd, State College. 10:00. April 23­­ Agenda Released. DEP Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee meeting. 12th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. ­­ Draft Rulemaking for Fiberglass Boat Manufacturing Materials ­­ Draft Rulemaking for Industrial Cleaning Solvents ­­ Draft Rulemaking for Miscellaneous Metal Parts Surface Coating Processes ­­ Draft Rulemaking for Automobile and Light­duty Truck Assembly Coating Operations ­­ Update on Air Quality Rulemakings

<> Click Here for available handouts. April 24­­ DEP Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. April 24­­ DEP Radiation Protection Advisory Committee meeting. 12th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. May 6­­ DEP Environmental Justice Advisory Board meeting. City of Chester City Hall, Chester. 5:00 p.m. (formal notice) May 7­­ DEP hearing session on Hilcorp Energy Gas Well Spacing Units application. Albert P. Gettings Government Center Annex of the Lawrence County Government Center, Assembly Room, 349 Countyline St., New Castle. 10:00 a.m. May 8­­ DEP hearing sessions on Hilcorp Energy Gas Well Spacing Units application. Albert P. Gettings Government Center Annex of the Lawrence County Government Center, Assembly Room, 349 Countyline St., New Castle. 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. May 8­­ DEP holds a hearing on a air quality redesignation request for the Allentown Maintenance Area. DEP Regional Office, 2 Public Square, Wilkes­Barre. 1:00. (formal notice) May 14­­ DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:30. May 21­­ Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. May 21­­ DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. June 26­­ DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. Visit DEP’s new Public Participation Center for information on how you can Be Informed! and Get Involved! in DEP regulation and guidance development process. Click Here for links to DEP’s Advisory Committee webpages. DEP Calendar of Events Add Green Works In PA To Your Google+ Circle Grants & Awards This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other recognition programs. NEW means new from last week.

April 15­­ DCNR Student Careers ECO Camp April 16­­ DCNR Community Conservation Partnership Grants April 30­­ Northeast PA Audubon Society College Scholarship April 30­­ EPA President’s Green Chemistry Challenge Awards May 1­­ Dominion Energy, Environment Education Grants May 9­­ CFA Alternative and Clean Energy Program May 9­­ CFA Renewable Energy Program May 9­­ CFA High Performance Building Program May 14­­ PennVEST Water Infrastructure Financing May 15­­ Philadelphia Water Spokesdog Competition May 16­­ Fish & Boat Commission State Wildlife Grants May 16­­ CFA PA Small Water And Sewer Program May 22­­ DCNR Volunteer Firefighter Grants May 23­­ KPB Great American Cleanup Of PA Video Contest May 30­­ DEP Alternative Energy Vehicle Conversion Grants June 27­­ SRBC Consumptive Use Mitigation Project Proposals June 30­­ DEP Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebate Program June 30­­ NEW. PennDOT Multi­Modal Transportation Projects July 11­­ CFA Alternative and Clean Energy Program July 11­­ CFA Renewable Energy Program July 11­­ CFA High Performance Building Program July 21­­ CFA Sewage Facilities Program July 21­­ CFA Abandoned Mine Drainage Abatement July 21­­ CFA Watershed Restoration Protection July 21­­ CFA Baseline Water Quality Data Program July 21­­ CFA Greenways, Trails and Recreation July 21­­ CFA Orphan or Abandoned Well Plugging July 21­­ CFA Flood Mitigation Program September 22­­ CFA Alternative and Clean Energy Program September 22­­ CFA Renewable Energy Program September 22­­ CFA High Performance Building Program October 31­­ Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Digital Photo Contest October 31­­ PRC Lens On Litter Photo Contest ­­ Visit the DEP Grants and Loan Programs webpage for more ideas on how to get financial assistance for environmental projects. Add Green Works In PA To Your Google+ Circle Budget/Quick NewsClips Here's a selection of NewsClips on environmental topics from around the state­­ Earth Day Events In Central PA

Earth Day Activities In Lehigh Valley Watershed Cleanup Day April 26 In Centre County Perkiomen Watershed Cleanup Set For This Saturday More Than 300 Trees To Be Planted At Wilson College Volunteers Needed To Plant Trees At Flight 93 Memorial Budget Bipartisan Coalition Proposes Marcellus Shale Tax Bipartisan Group Of Lawmakers Calls For Severance Tax Republicans Join Call For Gas Severance Tax A Taxing Tale About Marcellus Shale Drillers Local Officials Voice Concern About Natural Gas Severance Tax Local Officials Worry New Shale Gas Tax Will Diminish Fee Revenue Franklin County To Use Drilling Impact Fees For Green Projects Other Improved Access No. 1 Goal Of Mon River Town Program Lancaster Landfill Performance As Good As It Gets Steelton Mayor Blames DEP Fine On Ex­Sewer Plant Operator At Earth Bread Brewery Password Is Sustainable Wohlsen Wins 2 Honors For Green Buildings Program To Expand Home Energy Improvement Loans Postgreen Development Features Market­Rate Affordable Units DOE Predicts Summer Gasoline Price To Dip Judge Tosses Environmental Challenge To Pittsburgh Project Pollution Still Exists At Former Precision National Plating Site Avoca Residents Exposed to Toxic Waste Await Settlement PPL Stock Rises On More Power Plant Spinoff Talk Editorial: PPL Storm Fees Mandate Lower Rates Editorial: New Rules On Electric Choice State Extends LIHEAP Deadline Poll: Less Than Half Of Americans Believe Humans Cause Climate Change Editorial: More EPA Climate Overreach Nuclear Power Under Siege FirstEnergy Exec Warns Berwick Nuclear Plant Status Could Be Upgraded After Inspection NRC Won’t Expand Safety Buffer Around Nuclear Plants Resident Inspectors Serve As Nuclear Plant’s Eyes, Ears Monessen Coke Plant Set To Resume Production Shenango Coke Plant Agrees To $300K Fine, Upgrade Air Controls DEP: Glodzik Failed To Maintain Exeter Twp Bridge Expert: Catastrophic Landslides Unlikely In PA Mt. Washington Landslide Stable For Now, Restaurant To Reopen Frigid Winter Won’t Impact West Nile Virus Master Gardener Records Spring Unfolding In South Whitehall PA’s National Parks Plan Special Events Mocanaqua Tract Added To Lackawanna State Forest Luzerne County May Help Fund Warrior Trail Extension

York County Heritage Rail Trail Cleanup Almost Done Appalachian Trail Conservancy Seeks Volunteers For Visitors Center Citizen Scientists Needed For PA Reptile Survey Game Commission Board Summary Of Quarterly Meeting Game Commission Seeking To Move Past Roe Dispute Stork Has Arrived At Harmar Eagle Nest Fishing Opens Statewide This Weekend ­­ DEP’s NewsClips webpage ­ Click Here Add Green Works In PA To Your Google+ Circle Marcellus Shale NewsClips Here are NewsClips on topics related to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling­­­ Bipartisan Coalition Proposes Marcellus Shale Tax Bipartisan Group Of Lawmakers Calls For Severance Tax Republicans Join Call For Gas Severance Tax A Taxing Tale About Marcellus Shale Drillers Local Officials Voice Concern About Natural Gas Severance Tax Local Officials Worry New Shale Gas Tax Will Diminish Fee Revenue Chevron Blocked DEP Access To Greene County Well Fire Site Editorial: DEP Must Tell Full Story On Drilling’s Impact Editorial: Vital Drilling Data Evaporate In Loophole Senate Acts On Gas Lease Royalty Bills, House Negotiates Full Refunds Demanded In Natural Gas Royalty Dispute Energy Firms Want Role In Next Phase Of Shale Case Court Blocks Use Of Eminent Domain On Lancaster Pipeline Legislative Hearing Focuses On Expanding State Oversight Of Pipelines DEP Fines Gas Driller $75,000 For Marcellus Well Pad Spill DEP Looking Into Chapin Natural Gas Dehydration Station Incident Boback Calls For Investigation Of Wyoming Dehydration Station Eco­Groups Seek Enforcement Action Against Tioga Driller Allegheny County Sets Meetings On Deer Lakes Drilling Gas Drilling Approaches Deer Lakes Park Entrance Residents Near Airport Drilling Pushing For Sites Further Away Economics May Hinder Berks Gas­To­Liquids Plant Seismic Mapping Battle Between Hempfield, Houston Company Franklin County To Use Drilling Impact Fees For Green Projects DCED Secretary Predicts Mon Valley’s Industrial Rebirth Financial/Other States Consol Nearly Doubles Marcellus Shale Gas Production Ohio Geologists Link Small Quakes To Fracking

Add Green Works In PA To Your Google+ Circle Flooding/Watershed NewsClips Here are NewsClips on watershed topics from around the state­­ Trib Reveals Gaping Holes In Water Pollution Oversight Watershed Groups Get $35 Million In Delaware NE Groups Win William Penn Foundation Watershed Grants Nature Conservancy Partners On Brandywine­Christina Project Meet Another Big Funder Freaking Out About Watersheds Watershed Cleanup Day April 26 In Centre County Perkiomen Watershed Cleanup Set For This Saturday HBG Area Homeowner Stormwater Best Practices Workshops CBF Program Takes Students On Midstate Waterways Lower Dauphin Teacher: 19 Years Taking Students On Outdoor Trips Editorial: EPA Rule Will Clarify Authority On Waterways WV Court To Decide Legality Of Lawsuit Over Dunkard Creek Add Green Works In PA To Your Google+ Circle Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits The Environmental Quality Board published notice of a final regulations on measuring and reporting condensable particulate matter emissions. Pennsylvania Bulletin ­ April 12, 2012 Proposed Regulations Open For Comment ­ DEP webpage Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods ­ DEP webpage DEP Regulatory Agenda ­ DEP webpage Technical Guidance & Permits The Department of Environmental Protection published notice for public comment on the application of Hilcorp Energy Company for well spacing units, notice of final Aquifer Testing Guidance for Public Water Systems and notice of changes to the list of certified radon testing forms (PA Bulletin page 2332). Final DEP ID: 394­2125­001. Title: Aquifer Testing Guidance for Public Water Systems. Description: Department regulations at 25 Pa. Code Chapter 109 (relating to safe drinking water) require an aquifer test for some proposed public water systems (PWS) that intend to utilize groundwater sources. An aquifer test and derivation of aquifer hydraulics are necessary for public health and compliance with the Pennsylvania Safe Drinking Water Act (35 P. S. §§ 721.1—721.17). This technical guidance

document outlines recommended aquifer testing procedures for systems that require a permit and for all other PWS's that intend to pump more than 100,000 gallons per day. Information provided in this technical guidance is a stand­alone document and replaces the corresponding procedures in Part II of the Public Water Supply Manual (Department ID: 383­2125­108) pertaining to aquifer testing. This policy reflects and supplements the Department's regulations in 25 Pa. Code Chapter 109. This guidance was published as draft at 43 Pa.B. 5660 (September 21, 2013) for a 30­day public comment period. Comments were received from one commentator. Subsequent to publication, the Department completed minor edits to account for the public comments and to improve readability and accuracy of the document. Revisions to the draft technical guidance document resulting from the public comments are described in the accompanying comment­response document. Contact: Questions regarding this action should be directed to Chad Reisch at 717­772­4061or creisch@pa.gov. Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines ­ DEP webpage Recently Closed Comment Periods For Technical Guidance ­ DEP webpage Technical Guidance Recently Finalized ­ DEP webpage Copies of Final Technical Guidance ­ DEP webpage Visit DEP’s new Public Participation Center for information on how you can Be Informed! and Get Involved! in DEP regulation and guidance development process. Add Green Works In PA To Your Google+ Circle Calendar Of Events Upcoming legislative meetings, conferences, workshops, plus links to other online calendars. Meetings are in Harrisburg unless otherwise noted. NEW means new from last week. Go to the online Calendar webpage. Click on Agenda Released on calendar entries to see the NEW meeting agendas published this week. April 14­­ House Republican Policy Committee holds a hearing on smart meter safety and installation. Room G­50 Irvis Building. 10:00. April 15­­ CANCELED. Environmental Quality Board meeting. The next scheduled meeting is May 21. (formal notice) April 15­­ Agenda Released. DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. April 16­­ DEP Agricultural Advisory Board meeting. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg. 10:00. April 16­­ Location Added. DCNR Natural Gas Advisory Committee meeting. Celebration Hall, 2280 Commercial Blvd, State College. 10:00.

April 23­­ Agenda Released. DEP Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee meeting. 12th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. April 24­­ Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on Senate Bill 1095 (Farnese­D­ Philadelphia) amending the anti­SLAPP lawsuit provisions­­ sponsor summary. Philadelphia Bar Association Office, 1101 Market­Frankford Line, Philadelphia. 9:30. April 24­­ DEP Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. April 24­­ DEP Radiation Protection Advisory Committee meeting. 12th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. April 29­­ Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee holds a hearing on electric reliability. Room 8E­A East Wing. 9:30. May 1­2­­ PA Land Conservation Conference. Crowne Plaza, Reading, Berks County. May 5­­ Environmental Issues Forum, Joint Conservation Committee featuring an overview of the TreeVitalize Program. LTBA. May 6­­ DEP Environmental Justice Advisory Board meeting. City of Chester City Hall, Chester. 5:00 p.m. (formal notice) May 6­8­­ PA Section American Water Works Association Conference. Sands Casino Resort, Bethlehem. May 7­­ House Professional Licensure Committee holds a hearing on House Bill 997 (Petri­R­Bucks) establishing a licensing program for soil scientists­­ sponsor summary. Room 60 East Wing. 9:30. May 7­­ 2014 Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium. Ramada Inn Conference Center in State College. May 7­­ DEP hearing session on Hilcorp Energy Gas Well Spacing Units application. Albert P. Gettings Government Center Annex of the Lawrence County Government Center, Assembly Room, 349 Countyline St., New Castle. 10:00 a.m. May 8­­ DEP hearing sessions on Hilcorp Energy Gas Well Spacing Units application. Albert P. Gettings Government Center Annex of the Lawrence County Government Center, Assembly Room, 349 Countyline St., New Castle. 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. May 8­­ DEP holds a hearing on a air quality redesignation request for the Allentown Maintenance Area. DEP Regional Office, 2 Public Square, Wilkes­Barre. 1:00. (formal notice) May 14­­ DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building.

9:30. May 15­18­­ PA Outdoor Writers Association Spring Conference. In and around Shippensburg University. Click Here to read an article on the conference in the POWA newsletter. Click Here for a registration form. May 21­­ Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. May 21­­ DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. June 26­­ DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. June 26­27­­ Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference. Ramada Inn and Conference Center, State College. July 23­25­­ PROP Recycling and Organics Conference. Double Tree­Pittsburgh Meadow Lands, Washington, PA. September 25­­ Penn State Extension Youth Water Educator’s Summit. The Central Hotel and Conference Center, Harrisburg. Visit DEP’s new Public Participation Center for information on how you can Be Informed! and Get Involved! in DEP regulation and guidance development process. Click Here for links to DEP’s Advisory Committee webpages. DEP Calendar of Events Note: The Environmental Education Workshop Calendar is no longer available from the PA Center for Environmental Education because funding for the Center was eliminated in the FY 2011­12 state budget. The PCEE website was also shutdown, but some content was moved to the PA Association of Environmental Educators' website. Senate Committee Schedule House Committee Schedule You can watch the Senate Floor Session and House Floor Session live online. Add Green Works In PA To Your Google+ Circle CLICK HERE To Print Entire PA Environment Digest CLICK HERE to Print The Entire PA Environment Digest. Stories Invited

Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com. 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, a Harrisburg­based government and public affairs firm whose clients include Fortune 500 companies and non­profit organizations. Did you know you can search 10 years of back issues of the PA Environment Digest on dozens of topics, by county and on any keyword you choose? Just click on the search page. PA Environment Digest weekly was the winner of the PA Association of Environmental Educators' 2009 Business Partner of the Year Award. Also sign up for these other services from Crisci Associates­­ Add Green Works In PA To Your Google+ Circle PA Environment Digest Twitter Feed: On Twitter, sign up to receive instant updates from: PAEnviroDigest. PA Environment Daily Blog: provides daily environmental NewsClips and significant stories and announcements on environmental topics in Pennsylvania of immediate value. Sign up and receive as they are posted updates through your favorite RSS reader. You can also sign up for a once daily email alerting you to new items posted on this blog. PA Capitol Digest Daily Blog to get updates every day on Pennsylvania State Government, including NewsClips, coverage of key press conferences and more. Sign up and receive as they are posted updates through your favorite RSS reader. You can also sign up for a once daily email alerting you to new items posted on this blog. PA Capitol Digest Twitter Feed: Don't forget to sign up to receive the PA Capitol Digest Twitter feed to get instant updates on other news from in and around the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Supporting Member PA Outdoor Writers Assn./PA Trout Unlimited PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, Pennsylvania Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.