pa environment digest jan. 24, 2011

8/7/2019 Pa Environment Digest Jan. 24, 2011

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PA Environment DigestAn Update On Environmental Issues In

PA

Edited By: David E. Hess, Crisci Associates

Winner 2009 PAEE Business Partner Of The Year Award

Great American Cleanup PA

Harrisburg, Pa January 24, 2011

Gov. Corbett Outlines Themes Of New Administration

Pointing to the unease of Pennsylvania's founders over "government

exploitation and excess," Gov. Corbett called on all citizens this week to

open this new chapter of the state's history by beginning a new kind of

debate which does "not confuse acrimony with passion or partisanship with

principle."

His 12 minute Inaugural Address laid out themes for the new

Administration, but was not a laundry list of "to-dos" like some previous

governors included their inaugural speeches.

Noting it wasn't only the chill of the January wind everyone feels,

he said it is the uncertain economic times when small businesses can't hire

and large employers can't invest and a "government (that) has spent beyond its means and

individual corrupt acts have eroded an essential element of leadership-- the public's trust."He said his new course for Pennsylvania first includes being responsive to the fiscal

realities state government finds itself in and taking on, rather than passing on, the financial

burdens of government.

"Today, Pennsylvanias tradition of character and courage carries on in the single mother

who works an extra job so she can send her children to a better school; in the researchers who

have taken a nugget of an idea and turned it into viable nanotechnology; and in the third

generation farmer who is as committed to the environmental integrity of his land as he is to

keeping the family farm going."

On government reform, Gov. Corbett said, "We must restore transparency, accountability

and fiscal discipline. But we will move forward with government and legislative reform

because, without it, there is no good government."I see a promising future; one that breathes new life into our existing economies such as

agriculture and manufacturing. I see a future that embraces innovation in emerging frontiers of

energy, life sciences and biotechnology. I see a future that sets free the kind of creativity and

competition that will make Pennsylvania the envy of our nation."

"All of this will take time," he said. "The challenges we face were not created overnight,

nor will they be solved in a 24-hour news cycle or an arbitrarily conceived deadline. It is more
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important to lead with decisive action that is accurate and precise. This is a generational

moment. Our childrens grandchildren deserve our focused attention on doing only what is right

to bring about this generational change."

The full text of his speech is available online.

NewsClips: Corbett Vows Government Reform

Corbett Sworn In, Citing Pending Storm Of Budget DeficitLawmakers Praise Corbett's Thoughtful Inaugural Address

Drilling Critics Protest At Inauguration

Drilling Protesters Chant During Corbett's Speech

Column: Corbett's Silence Over Marcellus Protests

Editorial: How Will Governor Protect Environment?

Corbett Names Interim Acting Secretaries For 5 Agencies

There are now five Cabinet agencies remaining where new Secretaries have not been named by

the Corbett Administration. These agencies all have interim Acting Secretaries from the

previous Administration---- Department of Aging - Ray Prushnok

-- Department of Agriculture - Michael Pechart

-- Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Cindy Dunn

-- Department of Labor & Industry - Pat Beaty

-- Adjutant General of Military & Veterans Affairs - Maj. Gen Stephen Sischo

Some other major appointments yet to be made--

-- Gaming Control Board (Chair)

-- Liquor Control Board (Chair)

-- Public Utility Commission (Chair)

Renew Growing Greener Coalition Lobby Day At The Capitol January 24

On January 24, the Renew Growing Greener Coalition will be

hosting a series of events starting at noon at the Capitol in

Harrisburg to lobby for the renewal of the Growing Greener

Program.

It is imperative that we provide the information to our policy-makers necessary to

elevate this issue to the highest priority. Funding for Growing Greener is not a luxury, it is

essential for the future economic vitality of the state, and for the future of our rich natural

heritage, said Andrew Heath, Executive Director of the Coalition.

The Coalition will host displays in the Capitol Rotunda starting at noon to highlight thetremendous success of the Growing Greener Program over the last 10 years.

At 4:30 there will be a presentation for legislators and staff in the Room 60 East Wing.

From 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. there will be a reception in the Capitol Rotunda.

Pennsylvania faces the imminent end of Growing Greener a popular initiative that has

provided investments in farmland preservation, conservation of open space, restoring and

protecting Pennsylvanias streams and rivers, improving and expanding state and local parks,

preserving historic resources, and developing new trails and greenways. Unless action is taken
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in the near future, funds available for Growing Greener will be all but gone within a year, said

Heath.

Even with such a comprehensive record of success, the commonwealth faces a variety of

pressing problems that threaten our communities, our rich natural and cultural heritage, and our

quality of life:

-- Pennsylvania is losing three times as much forest, wildlife habitat, farmland and other openspaces to development as we are able to conserve;

-- The Commonwealth currently has 16,000 miles of streams that are unsafe for fishing or

swimming;

-- Abandoned mines scar almost 190,000 acres in 44 counties and are the cause of over 5,000

miles of dead streams;

-- More than 2,000 family farms remain on a statewide waiting list requesting protection from

encroaching development so that they may continue Pennsylvanias rich agricultural legacy.

A Legislative Budget and Finance Committee report released in March 2010 reveals

Growing Greener funding is all but depleted. Soon, as much as three-fourths of the Growing

Greener I funds will be used for debt service on Growing Greener II bonds. Funding for

Growing Greener programs are expected to drop from $200 million in 2007-2008 to as little as$15 million as soon as 2012.

The Renew Growing Greener Coalition is a coalition of the states leading conservation,

preservation, revitalization, recreation and environmental organizations and is working towards

the renewal of funding for Growing Greener.

For more information on the Renew Growing Greener Coalition, contact its Harrisburg

office at 717-230-8044 extension 23.

Take Advantage Of All The Information Resources From Crisci Associates

Also take advantage of these related services from Crisci Associates--

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newsclips, coverage of key press conferences and more. Sign up and receive as they are posted

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you to new items posted on this blog.
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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--

Session Schedule

Here is the Senate and House schedule--

Senate

January 24, 25, 26

February 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 28

March 1, 2, 7, 8, 9

April 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 26, 27

May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 23, 24

June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30

House

January 24, 25, 26

February 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 28

March 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9, Budget Hearings Weeks of 14th, 21th & 28th

April 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, (25 NV), 26, and 27

May 2, 3, 4, 9. 10, 11, 23, 24, and 25

June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, and 30

Bill Calendars

House Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committees

House: the Tourism and Recreational Development Committee informational meeting on

DCNR's Bald Eagle State Park lodge and Elk County Visitor Center. Click Here for full House

Committee Schedule.

Senate: the Senate Republican Policy Committee holds a hearing on local impacts of MarcellusShale drilling. Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Other: Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee

Environmental Issues Forum featuring a presentation by Marci Mowery, PA Parks and Forests

Foundation on the Goddard Legacy Projectby the Joint Legislative Air and WaterPollution

Control and Conservation Committee.
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Consumer Affairs: (R)-- Godshall - Chairman, Delozier, DiGiroiamo, Ellis, Evans, J, Farry,

Harhart*, Kampf*, Kauffman, Payne*, Perry, Pickett, Reichley, Stephens*, Toepel*

(D)-- Preston- Chair, Brennan, Burns*, DePasquale, Hornaman*, Kotik, Matzie, Neuman*,

Parker*, White

Environmental Resources & Energy: (R)-- Hutchinson - Chairman, Bloom*, Causer*,

Christiana*, Evankovich*, Everett, Gabler, Harper, Krieger, Metzgar, Pyle, Ross, Saccone*,

Vulakovich

(D)-- George- Chair, Barbin, Carroll, Conklin, DePasquale, Harhai, Hornaman, Kortz*,

Santarsiero, Vitali

NewsClip: Lone NE Lawmaker On House Environmental Panel

Senate Names Standing Committee Members

Senate Republicans and Democrats named members of all standing Committees. Here is a list ofkey committee assignments. (* means new member or new to position)--

Agriculture & Rural Affairs: (R)-- Vogel*, Chair, Waugh, Vice Chair, Brubaker, Eichelberger,

Robbins, Yaw

(D)-- Boscola*, Chair, Kitchen, Solobay*, Dinniman

Appropriations: (R)-- Corman, Chair, Tomlinson, Vice Chair, Argall, Baker, Brubaker,

Gordner, Greenleaf, Mensch*, Pippy, Rafferty, Smucker, Vance, Waugh, White, M.J.

(D)-- Hughes*, Chair, Ferlo*, Boscola, Farnese, Tartaglione, Wozniak, Blake*, Yudichak*,

Fontana*

Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure: (R)-- Tomlinson, Chair, Gordner, Vice

Chair, Erickson, Greenleaf, Piccola, Rafferty, Ward, White, M.J.

(D)-- Boscola, Chair, Solobay*, Kasunic, Ferlo, Wozniak

Environmental Resources & Energy: (R)-- White, M.J., Chair, Erickson, Vice Chair, Baker,

Vogel, White, D., Yaw

(D)-- Yudichak*, Chair, Dinniman, Solobay*, Leach*

Rep. Harper Reintroduces Energy-Efficient Building Bill

Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) is reintroducing legislation aimed at promoting the

construction of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings in the Commonwealth.

UnderHouse Bill 193, the design, construction and renovation of state-owned or leased

buildings receiving state funding would have to be built using high-performance standards.

"When we build a new government building in this Commonwealth, we expect it to serve

present and future generations," Rep. Harper said. "These are not buildings with a short shelf life,

and they should be designed for long-term efficiency and performance."
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Specifically, the bill would require the application of high-performance construction

standards to be applied where:

-- A state-owned new building construction project is larger than 10,000 gross square feet; and

-- A new construction project is larger than 10,000 square feet and a Commonwealth agency has

agreed to lease no less than 90 percent of the gross square feet.

The bill requires a minimum set of criteria for the high-performance buildings standardsto be used to ensure compliance. These would include being consensus-based, employ third-

party post construction review and verification, and have a track record of certified green

buildings in the United States. Additionally, projects would have to achieve a U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star Program rating of 85 or above.

"Pennsylvania government must lead by example to help make green building the rule

rather than the exception," Rep. Harper said. "Green building is friendlier to the environment

because it saves energy, and saving energy saves money. This is a very worthwhile investment in

our Commonwealth's future."

A similar measure passed the House by a 180-17 vote last session, but the bill was not

taken up by the Senate.

News From Around The State

Get A Sneak Peek At The 2011 Great American Cleanup Pennsylvania Website

Get a sneak peek at the plans for the 2011 Great American Cleanup

Pennsylvania by going to the brand new websiteput together by

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and its partners.

Remember, registered events can get free cleanup supplies

like bags, gloves and vests donated by the Department of

Transportation and Keep America Beautiful.During the special Pick It Up PA Days from April 16 to 30

sponsored by the Department of Environmental Protection,

Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association and participating landfills will also have access to

free waste disposal.

Since the inception of this event in 2004, over one million volunteers have pick up 54

million pounds of litter and waste, 93,000 miles of road have been cleaned, and 73,000 trees,

bulbs, and flowers have been planted.

Primary sponsors of the event include: Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association,

Pennsylvania Waste Industry Association, Pennsylvania Beverage Association, American

Chemistry Council, Keystone Sanitary Landfill, Steel Recycling Institute, Waste Management in

addition to the departments of Environmental Protection and Transportation.

Keeping Our Greenways Clean Grade School Publication Now Available
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Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful recently notified grade schools across

the state about a creative new anti-littering publication now

available for Grades 4 to 6.

"Open Your Eyes To Litter: Keeping Our Greenways

Clean" is 34 pages long and teaches how litter and illegal dumping

impact greenways and why it is important to keep our environmentclean.

The book highlights eight greenways across Pennsylvania, provides activities throughout,

and details the functions and benefits that greenways provide. This book can also be used to help

teach Department of Education Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology and

Geography.

Other educational resources are also available on litter prevention. Click Here to order

your classroom copies.

WREN Community Watershed, Source Water Protection Education Grants Now Available

Looking to make a difference in your community? Want to go greener in your town for 2011with solutions that will help keep Pennsylvania water resources clean and healthy?

The Water Resources Education Networkhas funding available up to $5,000 to help

launch community projects that build awareness and educate Pennsylvania citizens and local

officials about their role as environmental stewards, encourage behavior change, and improve

public policies that will protect PA water resources.

WREN gives priority to projects that incorporate social marketing concepts and

encourage individual or public policy actions that will protect and improve local water resources.

Since 1992, LWVPA-CEF has provided over $1.8 million in funding to over 277

community partnerships working to safeguard Pennsylvania water resources.

See the terrific projects we've already funded to get some creative ideas in our onlinesuccess stories. Use these ideas to develop your own project - no need to re-invent the wheel!

For the 2011 round, WREN offers two separate funding tracks:

-- A Watershed Protection Education Project track that builds awareness, educates

Pennsylvania local officials about their role as environmental stewards and offers specific actions

that citizens can take at home, at work, and within the community to protect, improve, or

remediate the watershed from the impacts of polluted runoff, also known as nonpoint source

pollution. To encourage connection to local land use decisions, a municipality is required to be

an active partner in the project.

Nonpoint source pollution includes: drainage or runoff from resource extraction,

abandoned coal mines, oil or gas wells; inadequate erosion control practices during constructionand urban runoff; improper agricultural practices (erosion and sedimentation, nutrient

management, pesticide application); improper timber harvesting practices; failing on-lot septic

systems or other abandoned waste disposal sites; or altered hydrology (changing the way water

flows through an area) due to impervious surface area, stormwater, and floodplain management,

riparian buffers, wetlands, natural stream channels. Grant award: up to $5,000 per project.
http://www.keeppabeautiful.org/http://www.keeppabeautiful.org/PreventIt/EducationResources.aspxhttps://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/pacw/product.jsp;jsessionid=EAC8DDE9AFD1B5DF3B4F935479A7E839?product=6http://wren.palwv.org/index.htmlhttp://wren.palwv.org/grants/grants_wren.htmlhttp://wren.palwv.org/local.htmhttp://wren.palwv.org/local.htmhttp://wren.palwv.org/local.htmhttp://wren.palwv.org/local.htmhttp://wren.palwv.org/grants/grants_wren.htmlhttp://wren.palwv.org/index.htmlhttps://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/pacw/product.jsp;jsessionid=EAC8DDE9AFD1B5DF3B4F935479A7E839?product=6http://www.keeppabeautiful.org/PreventIt/EducationResources.aspxhttp://www.keeppabeautiful.org/http://www.keeppabeautiful.org/


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-- The WREN Source Water Protection Education Grant Program seeks to develop a

network of Source Water Environmental Education Teams (SWEETs) to help Pennsylvania

communities and public water suppliers conduct grass roots public education and to implement

prevention actions at the local level that will reduce risks to public water sources.

The goal of the WREN Source Water Protection (SWP) Education Grant Program is to

encourage local partnerships to conduct community education and help residents and businessesimplement practical, step by step solutions to reduce risk of contamination and to protect the

rivers, steams, lakes, and aquifers Pennsylvanians rely on for their public drinking water.

Local source water protection programs helps provide an extra margin of safety to water

coming out of the tap, and offer the best line of defense to protect public health, ensure high

quality drinking water for future generations, and keep treatment costs down.

Grants of up to $5,000 per project for local source water protection projects that

concentrate on a specific community public water supply protection area. One regional project

will be awarded up to $8,000 that will focus aquifer wide (groundwater systems) and/or

watershed protection efforts (surface water), which includes multiple public water systems, and

addresses cross-jurisdictional issues.Applications are due by March 25. Grantees to be announced by mid May 2011, with

project activities to be completed July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012.

Guidance and application forms are available online. Get all the details, and download

the Grant Guidance and Application at the WREN website. Questions? Call Julie Kollar,

WREN Program Director at 267-468-0555 or send email to:[email protected].

DEP Soliciting Coastal Zone Land Conservation Grant Proposals

The Department of Environmental Protection Coastal Zone Management Programpublished

notice soliciting proposals for the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program. Proposalsare due March 1.

The geographic areas covered by CELCP are the designated Delaware Estuary Coastal

Zone Watershed, select Chesapeake Bay Watersheds and the Lake Erie Coastal Zone

Watershed.

Grant applications may be made for the purchase of land acquisitions or interests; these

may be in fee-simple title or as conservation easements.

A major condition of the CELCP is that the title or easement must be held by a

governmental/ public entity. Further, grant awards must be matched dollar-for-dollar (may

include in-kind match but not other Federal funds) and are capped at $3 million each (Federal

share). Land trusts may hold subeasements for management and stewardship on CELCP-funded

properties and may assist in the development of proposals, but they may not hold title to anyproperty acquired with CELCP funds.

Each coastal state may nominate up to three candidate projects to NOAA for this

National, competitive process. The Department will select the three candidate projects from this

Commonwealth for submission to NOAA by employing the guidelines issued by the Federal

agency. NOAA will develop a ranked list of projects eligible for funding.

Once NOAA receives final appropriations from the United States Congress, the agency

will make final determinations as to which projects are selected for funding within amounts
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available. Federal funding awards, based upon the final CELCP funding appropriated, are

expected to be made between June 1, 2012, and October 1, 2012.

For more information, contact Chris Linn at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning

Commission, 215-238-2873 or send email to: [email protected]; Julia Donahue at the Erie

County Planning Department, 814-451-6018 or send email to:

[email protected]; or J. Samantha Burton at the Department's Water PlanningOffice, 717-772-5635 or send email to:[email protected].

March 11 Turtle Creek Watershed Workshop On Keeping Rain Out Of The Drain

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council and its partners are sponsoring a workshop on March

11 entitled, "Keep the Rain Out of the Drain!" in the Turtle Creek Watershed.

Participants will learn how to conduct a site evaluation, disconnect a downspout, install a

rain garden and rain barrel and create a municipal disconnection program for your community.

This is the first of several workshops to be held around Allegheny County on this topic.

Workshop presenters include: Lisa Brown, Director of Operations and Outreach, Nine

Mile Run Watershed Association, Mary Ellen Ramage, Manager, Borough of Etna, Lisa KunstVavro, RLA, ASLA, Sustainable Landscape Coordinator, Penn State Center Engaging

Pittsburgh

Don Newman, P.E., Etna Borough Engineer and Janie French, Director of Green Infrastructure

Programs, Pennsylvania Environmental Council.

Code enforcement officers, public works employees, and engineers are encouraged to

attend. This workshop is being offered by Penn State University for 1.5 CEUs for landscape

architects and professional engineers.

The workshop will be held from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. at the Wilkins township Community

Center, 110 Peffer Road, Turtle Creek, Pa.

For more information, visit the Workshop webpage, download a registration form orcontact the PA Environmental Council at 412-481-9400 or send email to: [email protected].

March 8 Dirt & Gravel Roads Workshop In McKean County

The McKean County Conservation District is hosting a workshop on Environmentally Sensitive

Maintenance of Dirt and Gravel Roads Workshop on March 8 in Smethport.

This 1-day course has been developed Pennsylvanias Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance

Program to promote practices that reduce maintenance costs and sediment pollution from

unpaved roads. The intent of this course is to share the lessons learned and practices developed

through Pennsylvanias Program with other road maintenance professionals.

For more information, visit the McKean District website, call 814-887-4001 or sendemail to: [email protected].

Making Conservation Pay, Chesapeake Bay On-Farm Network Conference Feb. 24

With growing pressure to protect and improve water quality, there is a real need for effective

strategies and tools that deliver documentable benefits and are economically viable for growers.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.pecpa.org/sites/pecpa.org/files/downloads/Rain_Drain_Registration_form.dochttp://www.pecpa.org/event/keep-rain-out-drain-workshop-disconnecting-downspouts-your-community-0http://www.pecpa.org/sites/pecpa.org/files/downloads/Rain_Drain_Registration_form.docmailto:[email protected]://www.mckeancountypa.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.mckeancountypa.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.pecpa.org/sites/pecpa.org/files/downloads/Rain_Drain_Registration_form.dochttp://www.pecpa.org/event/keep-rain-out-drain-workshop-disconnecting-downspouts-your-community-0http://www.pecpa.org/sites/pecpa.org/files/downloads/Rain_Drain_Registration_form.docmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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The Making Conservation Pay Conference offers farmers strategies for helping to achieve

environmental goals.

The Conference will be held February 24 at the Farm & Home Center of Lancaster

County from 8:00 to 12:30 p.m.

The conference is for farmers; farm advisors and consultants; local, state, and federal

agency and conservation district staff; and other interested stakeholders. It will feature apresentation by former Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding.

The On-Farm Networkoffers a variety of strategies for farmers. This voluntary and well-

coordinated initiative uses a variety of tools, including remote sensing, GPS and yield monitors,

to collect data in real world conditions and use that information to help growers improve

management benefiting the environment and their bottom line.

The program has more than 125 farmers in PA, 75 in VA, and 75 in DE, with a total of

almost 1,000 farmers participating across ten states.

On average, farmers participating for more than two years are reducing nitrogen

applications by 20-25 percent while maintaining or improving yields. This generates an

economic benefit of about $12/acre in nitrogen fertilizer savings.

The Conference will feature timely topics such as: the On-Farm Network What it is,where is it going; What the Data Shows: Using Strip Trials to Make Decisions; Programming for

Adaptive Management Changes at NRCS; On-Farm Utility of Using Aerial Imagery;

Implementing PA Watershed Implementation Plan and the Role of the On-Farm Network.

For more information and to register, contact Jean Zentz at TeamAg Inc at 717-721-6795

or by sending email to:[email protected].

Penn State: Stormwater Management And the Role Of Trees, Forests Webinar Jan. 26

On January 26 the Penn State Cooperative Extension and School of Forest Resources will host a

webinar on Stormwater Management and the Role of Trees and Forests starting at 1:00 p.m. aspart of its continuing Water Resources Extension series.

As our landscapes change, it has an impact on the health of our streams and rivers. What

to do on the land, or what we cover it with, affects the quantity (volume) and quality (pollutant

levels) of the rainfall that enters our waterways - what many call stormwater.

When it rains in urban and suburban areas, rainwater washes pollutants such as nutrients,

chemicals and heavy metals off paved surfaces, lawns or bare soils into storm drains that lead to

streams and rivers.

Because of the increased amount of paved or impervious surfaces, larger quantities of

rainwater reach the streams quickly causing flash flooding, streambank scouring and

sedimentation of stream beds.

Stormwater from urban and suburban areas has become a major pollutant in Pennsylvaniaimpairing 4,170 miles of streams and accounting for one third of the problem facing our

waterways.

Learn how trees and forests are one of the most cost effective ways to reduce stormwater

runoff and the pollution associated with it. Explore how trees intercept, infiltrate,

evapotranspire and remove pollutants and can be incorporated into new "green" stormwater

BMPs.

Upcoming Webinars
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The next webinars in this series will be:

-- February 23 Household Water Treatment Systems; and

-- March 30 - Management of Nuisance Aquatic Plants and Algae in Ponds and Lakes.

The live webinar will occur from noon to 1 PM and is accessible online.

To participate in the live webinar you will need to have registered and received a "Friend

of Penn State" ID and password. To learn more about registration and additional details aboutthe webinar series online.

Taped versions of each webinar in the series are available to anyone. A link to the

presentation video along with a PDF copy of the presentation slides, links to relevant

publications, and a copy of the question/answer session are posted online.

Spotlight

Promoting Forest Buffers In The Lower Susquehanna

By Matt Royer

Penn State Agriculture and Environment Center

Dr. Bern Sweeney, Executive Director of the Stroud Water

Research Centerin Avondale, Pa, was the keynote presenter at a

Stream Ecology and Forest Riparian Buffers Workshop sponsored

by AEC (Agriculture and Environment Center) on November 15 in

Elizabethtown, Lancaster County.

Over 100 attendees learned more about the ecological

function and value of buffers, programs and incentives for

restoring buffers, and toured a buffer restoration site in the neighboring Conewago Creek

watershed.

Attendees were primarily from Lancaster, Lebanon, and Dauphin Counties, andrepresented a wide variety of interests and organizations, including Penn State Cooperative

Extension, Penn State undergrad environmental majors, County Conservation Districts, state

agencies such as the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of

Conservation and Natural Resources, federal agencies such as the U.S.D.A. Natural Resource

Conservation Service and USGS, municipalities and county planners, private environmental

consultants, engineers, landscape professionals, watershed groups, and others.

Forest riparian buffers are areas along streams where native trees and shrubs have been

protected or planted. They have long been recognized as one of the preferred best management

practices for addressing nonpoint sources of pollution to rivers and streams. Forest buffers filter

pollutants, cool water temperatures, help prevent stream bank erosion, and provide stormwater

management and flood control.In recent years, Dr. Sweeneys research has also shown that forest buffers increase the

instream processing of pollutants up to several times greater than grassed buffers. They do this

by creating a greatly improved instream ecological system, with increased stream widths, diverse

and higher quality substrate, and more food in the form of leaves and woody debris.

Consequently the organisms living in forested streams are far more abundant and active

than streams that do not have the benefit of a forest buffer. This instream processing means that
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forest buffers can play an even greater role in addressing nonpoint source pollution, and can play

a role in addressing point source pollution as well.

After Dr. Sweeneys presentation on the ecology of forest buffers, David Wise,

Watershed Restoration Program Manager for the Pennsylvania Office of the Chesapeake Bay

Foundation, presented information on the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program.

CREP, a highly successful program in Pennsylvania for the restoration of forest buffers,pays 100 percent of the cost of planting forest buffers, as well as an annual financial payment to

the landowner over the life of the contract (usually up to 15 years). It also covers some of the

cost of the maintenance that is so critical in the first several years after trees are planted, so that

landowners can hire a contractor to assist with maintenance.

After lunch, attendees visited the nearby John Hertzler farm for a tour of a CREP buffer.

John talked about his project, which totals over a dozen acres along Brills Run, a tributary to the

Conewago Creek. The project was planted with the help of volunteers and a contractor, but John

has opted to do the maintenance himself.

While the maintenance keeps him busy, John really enjoys the project and has voluntarily

added several hundred trees since planting his buffer in November 2008. The trees are growing

well, and in years to come this project and many others like it will help bring cleaner water tolocal Pennsylvania streams like the Conewago, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

Video Blog: Streamside Forest Buffers Preserving Water Quality-GreenTreks

Matt Royeris Director, Lower Susquehanna Initiative,Agriculture and Environment Center,

Penn State Cooperative Extension. You can reach him by sending email to: [email protected].

Central PA Conservancy Guide To Community-Supported Forest Product Businesses

The Central Pennsylvania Conservancy this week released a new guide to South MountainCommunity-Supported Forest Businesses.

This 32-page publication has listings of forest consultants, cabinet makers, millworks,

lumber suppliers, wood working companies and many other diverse economies that utilize local

forest resources.

The publication will help people make informed decisions that improve their own well-

being and ensure clean water, viable populations of native wildlife, recreational opportunities,

attractive communities, and the sustainable production of wood and paper products.

Like small farms, small forest product operations serve a vital role in our communities.

When you buy locally, your money stays within the community, bolstering the local economy.

Community Supported Forests in the South Mountain landscape is an effort to build a

region-wide focus on forests and the role they play in our quality of life. South Mountain, thenorthern terminus of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a dominating and important feature in Adams,

Cumberland, Franklin, and York Counties.

The Mountain has played a significant role in the regions history and development.

Communities surrounding the Mountain have thrived because of the fertile limestone agricultural

lands, the timber that fed the iron furnaces, the plentiful game and wildlife, and the abundance of

pure spring water captured in the highlands and released into the valleys.
http://www.creppa.org/http://paenvirodigestvideo.blogspot.com/2011/01/learn-how-forested-buffers-can-improve.htmlhttp://www.aec.cas.psu.edu/mailto:[email protected]://www.centralpaconservancy.org/http://www.centralpaconservancy.org/files/FINISHEDSouthMountaindraft.pdfhttp://www.centralpaconservancy.org/files/FINISHEDSouthMountaindraft.pdfhttp://www.centralpaconservancy.org/node/327http://www.centralpaconservancy.org/node/327http://www.centralpaconservancy.org/files/FINISHEDSouthMountaindraft.pdfhttp://www.centralpaconservancy.org/files/FINISHEDSouthMountaindraft.pdfhttp://www.centralpaconservancy.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.aec.cas.psu.edu/http://paenvirodigestvideo.blogspot.com/2011/01/learn-how-forested-buffers-can-improve.htmlhttp://www.creppa.org/


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By working together the South Mountain Landscape forests will be here for generations

to come and they too will pass on a forest that meets the needs of generations forward.

Community Supported Forests reflect a community shared land ethic. We know we want

to protect the character and quality of life that Central Pennsylvanias scenic woodlands and

ridges provide us. Abundant, clean water, unfragmented habit for wildlife and diverse

recreational opportunities are all enjoyed in our forested landscape.Additionally, when we connect our healthy forests and the marketplace, by harvesting

and converting wood into quality products, more value is sent back to the forest and forest

stewards, keeping local forests healthy, beautiful, and productive.

This new publication is a project of the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy in partnership

with Penn State School of Forest Resources, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

and the Capital Resource Conservation and Development Area Council.

The publication will be available through the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau,

Franklin County Visitors Bureau, Appalachian Trail Office in Boiling Springs, Pine Grove

Furnace State Park, DCNR, RC&D and CPC office as well as some of the local mills and

woodworking shops.

If you would like a copy, please contact the Central PA Conservancy ordownload acopy.

Grade 6-9 Entries Invited For National Write On! Wetlands Challenge

Each yearEnvironmental Concern sponsors the national Write On! Wetlands Challenge a

literary and arts competition that challenges youth to write and illustrate a childrens book about

wetlands.

Environmental Concern publishes the new book in May, to celebrate American Wetlands

Month.

The Writer's Challenge has begun. This year's theme is "World Wide Wetlands."Students in grades 6-9 are welcome to enter their stories by February 1.

The Illustrator's Challenge begins in March when children are invited to illustrate a page

of the story. Illustrations are chosen from among the entries and the winning words and art are

combined to create a book whose quality, emotion and enthusiasm is truly inspiring.

Children love these books. Not only do they foster an appreciation for wetlands, they also

empower all who read them or have them read to them to create.

For more information, visit the 2011 Write On! competition webpage.

Penn State Profs To Benefit From New Product To Frack Marcellus Gas Wells

Professors Hellmann and Scheetz, who work in Penn State Universitys College of Earth andMineral Sciences and College of Engineering, have developed an innovative process for

manufacturing proppants used to stimulate oil and gas production in the fracking process.

Proppants, which are not currently manufactured in Pennsylvania, are used to prop

open rock fractures that occur during the drilling process. Proppants create a pathway for the

transmission of hydrocarbons and maintain the porosity needed to allow the flow of oil and gas.

The new company plans to call its first product PennProp and is on track to be producing

commercial quantities by year end.
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Using various sources of mineral and waste-glass found in Pennsylvania, the team has

developed manufacturing processes that allow the use of low-cost, widely available industrial

and domestic waste materials in the production of high-quality proppants. The technology offers

the additional prospective benefit of diverting millions of tons of minerals from landfills.

Pennsylvania is expected to be the largest producer of natural gas via extraction from the

Marcellus Shale project, the worlds second largest natural gas deposit. The ability tomanufacture cost effective proppants here in the state represents a very significant commercial

opportunity.

We saw this as a great opportunity to assist the Commonwealth in generating a large-

scale manufacturing opportunity, to complement the excellent work of Penn State in promoting

responsible development of the Marcellus Shale resource, and to co-invest with a group of

experienced technology developers, said Ben Franklin President and CEO, Stephen Brawley.

The company has entered into an exclusive license with Penn State University and has

agreed to sponsor product-development research within Dr. Hellmanns lab. The initial activities

are to scale up the manufacturing process from laboratory quantities to multi-ton lots of material.

Using the resources of an industrial partner, the company has already successfully manufactured

its first multi-ton test batch in a high-temperature processing facility.We still have a lot of analytical work to conduct on the resulting product, said Dr.

Hellmann, but the initial results appear promising. Current activities are aimed at producing

sufficient quantities, in excess of one hundred tons, in order to conduct a pilot-scale field

demonstration in a hydrofractured gas well in Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern Pennsylvania recently

invested $167,600 in a start-up company called Nittany Extraction Technologies, to

commercialize the work of Penn State University professors John Hellmann and Barry Scheetz.

An executive-in-residence from the Ben Franklin program, Martin Bradley, has signed on

to help the professors in managing their new company. Rounding out the team are Dr. Ryan

Koseski, co-inventor of the technology, and Timothy Hurley, an experienced developer of newproducts and processes.

NewsClip: Professors Hope To Open Path To Success With Marcellus

Oil & Gas Industry Groups Collaborate On Marcellus Shale Education

Two major energy trade associations announced the creation of an alliance to create a better

understanding of the important issues related to the safe development of Pennsylvanias domestic

energy resources.

The American Petroleum Institute and the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas

Association have formed a partnership that will serve as a forum for factual information about

the vast energy resources found in Pennsylvania.API and PIOGA are expanding their education campaign on the benefits being realized

through the development of Pennsylvanias natural gas reserves in the Marcellus Shale, in new

jobs for workers, economic growth for the state and energy security for our nation. The

educational effort focuses on Pennsylvania and is part of APIs coordinated nationwide program

on oil and natural gas priority issues.

This partnership will increase informed dialogue among Pennsylvanians and promote a

strong local economy through energy development, said Rolf Hanson, executive director of the
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Associated Petroleum Industries of Pennsylvania. API is continuing to work with

Pennsylvanians who are committed to improving the public's understanding of, and support for,

the many opportunities presented by the Marcellus Shale natural gas reserves in the

Commonwealth.

This collaboration builds on the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Associations

commitment to our members and Pennsylvanians to create an environment favorable to creatingindustry jobs for our neighbors, said PIOGAs Executive Director Lou DAmico. We are a

solution-oriented organization, and working with the American Petroleum Institute will help our

members educate a larger number of Pennsylvanians.

The partnership will serve as the educational arm of API and PIOGA regarding the

Marcellus Shale Play in Pennsylvania.

Hanson and DAmico said that specific details on the partnership will be announced in

the coming weeks.

Penn State Will Convert Power Plant To Natural Gas From Coal

Penn State's Board of Trustees this week approved the conversion of its power plants from coalto natural gas for its East and West Campus steam plants.

"For several years the University has been focused on the issue of energy, particularly

sustainable energy, as it relates to the operation of our facilities," said Al Horvath, senior vice

president for finance and business/treasurer. "We discussed options for complying with

upcoming federal regulatory changes, the age and capacity of the East and West Campus steam

plants that heat most buildings on campus, and our commitment to meeting our sustainability

goals.

After considering all variables, the most viable solution to continue to heat the campus

is to convert our coal-fired steam production systems to natural gas."

The coal to gas conversion will impact the operation of both the West and East Campussteam plants. This project is part of an ongoing modernization strategy under consideration since

2005 as part of the University's Office of Physical Plant's energy master plan.

The West Campus steam plant, constructed in 1929, provides heat and power to 270

campus buildings. It houses four 1960s-era coal-fired boilers and one 1947 boiler already

converted to natural gas. The East Campus plant on Porter Road opened in 1972 and provides

steam during peak heating demands. It already operates a natural gas component.

University officials have long indicated that a decision for steam plant modifications

would be guided by reliability of the solution, cost effectiveness, compliance with new U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency regulations, and the University's commitment to

environmental sustainability. These modifications are estimated to cost $20-35 million.

In March 2010 University officialspresented information to the Board of Trusteesregarding energy production and distribution at University Park.

"We will continue to evolve toward more renewable sources of energy as the technology

matures and solutions prove to be scalable for a University the size of Penn State," explained

Horvath, adding that the steam plant's modifications should be considered first steps in a long-

term move toward energy solutions that address the four criteria of reliability, cost, compliance

and sustainability.
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The keynote speaker Sunday evening will be former Philadelphia Flyer Bill Clement,

now a hockey commentator on NBC.

Educational sessions will cover a variety of topics, from programming to sustainability

and more. Attendees will learn about the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources'

"Get Outdoors PA" initiative and have the opportunity to participate in mobile trail workshops

and other offsite education sessions.The conference will also include many networking opportunities and an exhibit show

with more than 80 vendors.

For more information, download the Conferencebrochure and registration packet or call

814-234-4272.

DCNR Proposes Land Exchange In Adams County

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resourcespublished notice of a proposed change

of land between the Bureau of Forestry and ISP Minerals, Inc. in Adams County.

The exchange would involve 110 acres of State Forest land transfered to ISP Minerals,

Inc. and ISP will covey approximately 60 acres to DCNR.Public comments are due February 21.

Bluebird Nest Boxes Help Connect People To Wildlife

If you are interested in connecting with wildlife in your own backyard, beginning January 24, the

Game Commission will be selling bluebird nesting boxes at its Harrisburg headquarters at 2001

Elmerton Avenue.

The boxes sell for $7, and customers can select from assembled boxes or kits that can be

assembled as a wood-working project.

Bluebirds are early nesters, so now is the time put up new nest boxes, as well as to cleanand repair existing boxes, said Dan Brauning, Game Commission Wildlife Diversity Division

chief. These bluebird boxes enable Pennsylvanians to help wildlife in a natural way.

Also, building nesting boxes is a great project for individuals, families or civic

organizations interested in connecting with wildlife. These box designs are proven to attract

bluebirds and other native species, such as tree swallows and house wrens.

Bluebirds live in open country, and are a beautiful songbird native to Pennsylvania.

Bluebirds are cavity nesters and have become less common due to a lack of suitable nest sites.

Many nest sites have been lost through changing land-use practices, as well as to urban and

suburban sprawl.

But the introductions of house sparrows and starlings in 1851 and 1890 have been the

primary reasons for the bluebirds decline, as these non-native species took over native bluebirdnesting cavities.

The bluebird boxes offered by the Game Commission include an opening that is the

prescribed one-and-one-half inches in diameter. This precludes starlings from being able to enter.

However, house sparrows still may be able to enter the boxes. If this occurs, the house sparrow

nests should be removed immediately.

Boxes should be erected on a free-standing pole three to five feet above the ground

facing south, if possible and facing a nearby tree or fence where young birds can safely land on
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their initial flights from the box. To reduce predation and competition from other species, no

perch should be placed on the box; bluebirds do not need one. Boxes placed in pairs, about 20

feet apart, may help reduce competition from swallows.

The Game Commissions Howard Nursery has been manufacturing bluebird nest boxes

and box kits for more than a quarter century. Each year, about 9,000 boxes are manufactured

there and sold or provided to Pennsylvanians to help bluebirds. That annual influx of new nestboxes helps ensure Pennsylvania remains a keystone state in bluebird conservation.

Sales will continue while supplies last, and office hours are Monday-Friday from 7:45

a.m. until 4 p.m. The Game Commissions headquarters is at 2001 Elmerton Ave., just off the

Progress Avenue exit of Interstate 81 in Harrisburg.

To order by phone, call the Game Commissions Harrisburg office at 1-888-888-3459. If

ordering by phone, shipping and handling costs will apply depending on how many boxes are

ordered.

For more information, visit the Game Commissionbluebird webpage. Also download the

wildlife homes order form.

Game Commission Offers Tree Seedlings For Landowners

While much of Pennsylvania's landscape is frozen, now is the time for landowners to begin

making plans to help wildlife by planting tree and shrub seedlings offered by the Game

Commission's Howard Nursery, which is accepting orders until April 22.

Order forms and information are available on the agency's website.

The order form can be completed and submitted online, or printed out and faxed or

mailed. Payments are not due until the order is confirmed by Howard Nursery. For those without

internet access, order forms can be obtained at Game Commission offices or various displays or

booths at shows in which the agency participates through the spring or by sending a self-

addressed, stamped envelope to: Howard Nursery, 197 Nursery Road, Howard, PA 16841."Landowners may purchase seedlings for wildlife food and cover, watershed protection,

soil erosion control, and for reclamation of disturbed areas, such as surface mine site and utility

right-of-ways," said Cliff Guindon, Howard Nursery superintendent.

"The goal of the Howard Nursery is to provide the finest available tree seedlings that best

provide for the various needs of wildlife, including food and shelter. All of our stock is

inspected annually by the state Department of Agriculture and certified to be disease-free."

Guindon noted that the nursery sells seedlings in units/bundles of 25. Orders of 12 more

total units receive discounted pricing. Prices are as low as $3.75 per unit of 25 seedlings (15

cents each).

Some species have already sold out.

The following species remain available: Eastern white pine; red pine; white spruce;Norway spruce; Douglas fir; Canada hemlock; Arborvitae/Northern white cedar; common

elderberry; red elderberry; graystem dogwood; blackhaw viburnum; American highbush

cranberry; buttonbush; scrub oak/bear oak; pin oak; Northern red oak; white oak; black walnut;

shagbark hickory; American hazelnut; Chinese chestnut; black locust; American mountain ash;

Washington hawthorne; assorted crabapple; American sweet crabapple; and assorted standard

apple.
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Those interested in red spruce, arrowwood viburnum and gobbler sawtooth oak should

call Howard Nursery 814-355-4434, as these species are in limited supply.

Guindon noted that, for evergreens, 1,000 seedlings planted at the recommended tree

spacing of eight feet by eight feet will occupy 1.5 acres. Planting space for hardwood trees

should be a minimum of eight feet by eight feet and up to 15 feet by 15 feet, depending on

species. For hardwoods, 100 trees will occupy one-quarter acre, and 1,000 seedlings will occupy2.5 acres. The various shrub species can be planted on a six foot by six foot or eight foot by eight

foot pattern.

A description of each species available, along with size information, is available on the

website. Some of the new native shrubs are available in limited quantities and are expected to

sell out quickly. The selection of native trees and shrubs is being expanded annually. With the

exception of black locust, all of our hardwoods are grown from seed collected and processed by

Game Commission personnel from Pennsylvania sources.

The preferred method of delivery is by United Parcel Service. Shipping and handling

charges do apply. This is very efficient and most orders are received next day. Orders are

shipped only Monday through Wednesday to assure delivery for weekend planting. However,

orders also may be picked up in person at the nursery once notified the order is ready."Due to conditions beyond our control, such as ice and snow, wet weather, frozen

ground, we may not be able to ship trees as early as we would like," Guindon said. "We will do

everything we can at the nursery to ensure timely shipping and arrival of trees. Generally,

seedlings ship in the month of April."

For more information, contact Cliff Guindon at the Howard Nursery, 197 Nursery Road,

Howard, PA 16841, telephone 814-355-4434. Hours of operation are Monday thru Friday 7 a.m.

to 3:30 p.m.

Landscaping For Wildlife Book By Marcus Schneck Offered By Game Commission

Landowners interested in developing "backyard habitats" beneficial to wildlife are encouraged to

check out the "Landscaping for Wildlife in Pennsylvania," available from the Game

Commission.

Written by Marcus Schneck, a noted outdoor and nature writer from Hamburg, Berks

County, the 160-page book comes complete with descriptions, drawings and photos of ideal

habitat for a variety of species, from hummingbirds to bats, as well as construction plans for a

number of wildlife nesting boxes.

The book also contains a chapter on nuisance wildlife and steps to address certain

situations, as well as the importance of planting native species and a listing of recommended

plants.

"While spring garden plantings may be several weeks away, now is the time to begindrawing up plans," said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. "If you are

interested in seeing and helping wildlife on your property, then this book is a must. It can help

guide any first-time backyard habitat planner, as well as an experienced hand, in helping to

create an oasis for wildlife."

To order the book, which costs $9.43 (plus state sales tax and shipping and handling),

visit the Game Commission's website. Orders also are being accepted at 1-888-888-3459.
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HACC Offers Wildlife Conservation Officer Certification Course

Outdoor enthusiasts with an interest for Pennsylvanias wildlife and natural habitats may find a

career path starting with a new wildlife conservation certificate program.

Harrisburg Area Community College and the Game Commission have collaborated on

the two-semester, noncredit program that will be offered beginning in May at the GameCommission headquarters at 2001 Elmerton Ave. in Harrisburg. An elective course will be

offered at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, 100 Museum Road, Stevens, Pa.

An information session 9 a.m.-noon January 29, at the commission headquarters. The

cost to attend is $10.

Professionals speaking at the session include Jack Hubley, host of Outdoor Editor on

WGAL-TV 8; Gary San Julian, Ph.D., professor of wildlife resources at Penn State; and Kermit

Henning, past president of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association.

Coursework is required in bird and mammal identification, habitat/plant identification

and wildlife conservation, management and history. Electives include hiking/orienteering,

hunter/trapper education, wildlife damage management, basic target archery and wildlife outdoor

photography, backyard habitat management and the field trip to Middle Creek.Those who complete the program will have a better understanding of managing

Pennsylvania wildlife that can serve as a stepping stone to a career in conservation.

To register for the information session, contact HACCs Continuing Education office at

717-780-2414.

For more information, contact Lori Coffey in Continuing Education at HACC,

717-221-1378 or send email to: [email protected], or Bob Wesoloskie at the Game

Commission, 717-787-4250, ext. 3623 or send email to: [email protected].

Emissions Data from Animal Feeding Operations Study Now Available

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is making data publicly available from a two-year

study of air emissions from animal feeding operations.

AFOs, which house large numbers of animals for production of meat, dairy products and

eggs, were monitored for the following air pollutants: ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, particulate

matter and volatile organic compounds.

The data available today are from the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study, which

resulted from a 2005 voluntary compliance agreement between EPA and the AFO industry. The

study was funded by industry and conducted by Purdue University researchers with EPA

oversight. Throughout the studies, participating AFOs made their operations available for

monitoring and worked closely with the researchers, industry experts and EPA.

Researchers monitored emissions at AFOs that raise pigs and broiler chickens, at egg-laying operations, and at dairies, with a total of 24 monitoring sites in nine states. A separate

industry study monitored emissions from a broiler chicken operation in Kentucky.

EPA will use data from the studies to help develop improved methodologies for

estimating AFO emissions. Such methodologies are commonly used to estimate emissions from

industries where site-specific monitoring data are not available.

At the request of the agriculture industry, EPA also is issuing a Call for Information

seeking data from other monitoring studies of AFO emissions. Submitting this information is not
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required; however, it will help the agency ensure that its emissions estimating tools are based on

the best scientific data available.

EPA is requesting quality-assured data on emissions of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide,

particulate matter and volatile organic compounds, along with information about how animals

are housed or managed, and how manure is stored and treated at the monitored operations.

The agency is asking for this information for operations that raise pigs, chickens, turkeysand beef cattle, and for egg-laying and dairy cattle operations. Once the Call for Information is

published in the Federal Register, there will be a 45-day comment period.

EPA will make draft methodologies available for public review and comment on a rolling

basis, beginning in spring 2011.

Information on submitting data and data from theNational Air Emissions Monitoring

Study is available online. Information about the voluntary air compliance agreement is also

available online.

FirstEnergy Solutions Offers Low-Cost Electric To Penn Power, Duquesne Customers

FirstEnergy Solutions, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. is now offering Pennsylvania Power(Penn Power) residential electric customers a fixed price of 6.19 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh)

on electric generation until December 2012.

FirstEnergy Solutions is also offering Duquesne Light's residential electric customers a

fixed price of 7.19 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) on electric generation through December 2012.

Penn Power

"FirstEnergy Solutions is offering the lowest price on electric generation in Penn Power's

service area," said Tony Banks, vice president of Product & Market Development for

FirstEnergy Solutions. "However, it's important for residents to act now since this price is

limited to the first 15,000 customers who respond by February 28, 2011."

The utility will continue to deliver the electricity, maintain the poles and wires, andrespond to power outages.

Residential customers interested in learning more about the FirstEnergy Solutions offer

should contact the company at 1-866-430-4410 or online. All that is needed is a recent electric

bill. Discounts and savings for small commercial and industrial businesses are also available

online.

Duquese Light

"FirstEnergy Solutions is offering the lowest price on electric generation in Duquesne's

service area," said Tony Banks, vice president of Product & Market Development for

FirstEnergy Solutions. "However, it's important for residents to act now since this price is

limited to the first 15,000 customers who respond by February 28, 2011."

The Duquesne Light price is a 15 percent savings over Duquesne's current averagegeneration rate of 8.87 cents per kWh. Over the two-year term of the contract, a residential

customer (using approximately 9,000 kWh a year) could save up to $275.

Residential customers interested in learning more about the FirstEnergy Solutions offer

should contact the company at 1-866-430-4409 or online. All that is needed is a recent electric

bill. Discounts and savings for small commercial and industrial businesses are also available

online.
http://www.epa.gov/airquality/agmonitoring/index.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/airquality/agmonitoring/index.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/agreements/caa/cafo-agr.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/agreements/caa/cafo-agr.htmlhttp://www.fessave.com/easyhttp://www.fes.com/http://www.fes.com/http://www.fessave.com/lowpricehttp://www.fes.com/http://www.fes.com/http://www.fes.com/http://www.fes.com/http://www.fessave.com/lowpricehttp://www.fes.com/http://www.fes.com/http://www.fessave.com/easyhttp://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/agreements/caa/cafo-agr.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/agreements/caa/cafo-agr.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/airquality/agmonitoring/index.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/airquality/agmonitoring/index.html


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FirstEnergy Solutions provides competitive electric generation supply and other energy-

related products and services, and is a licensed supplier in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey,

Maryland, Michigan and Illinois.

NewsClip: FirstEnergy Seeks Duquesne Light Customers

PJM Solar Renewal Energy Certificates Auction Timeline Increases Flexibility

PJM EnviroTrade has expanded the bid and offer period in its monthly Sage auction of solar

renewable energy certificates to provide greater flexibility to market participants. Additionally,

sellers can offer currently eligible certificates from any year.

"The change results from our market participants' feedback, which we appreciate," said

Adrien Ford, president of PJM EnviroTrade. "We're affording participants more liberty regarding

placing their bids and making their offers, and we're excited to include additional products and

enhance our service offerings by adding more vintages of certificates to the Sage auction."

The Sage auction now will be executed on the third Wednesday of the month, instead of

the second Wednesday of the month, with results posted the following day at 10 a.m.

Additionally, the seller offer window will open immediately following the end of the priormonth's auction, which provides sellers with several more days to enter solar renewable energy

certificates into the upcoming auction.

The buyer bid window will open immediately following the end of the sell volume

window allowing buyers several days to post bids. The auction timeline is posted on the PJM

EnviroTrade website under Sage Auction Information.

In addition, all currently eligible vintages of SRECs now can be offered in the Sage

auction rather than just from the current year. For example, in a state where an SREC has a three-

year lifetime, any SREC that has been generated in the most recent three vintage years would be

eligible for sale in that state. SREC eligibilities will be noted so that buyers are aware of the

vintages they are purchasing.The price and volume offer window for the auction conducted in February 2011 will be

open for sellers from 12:00 a.m. on January 20, until 11:59 p.m. February 10. Sellers may update

the price of existing offers from 11:59 p.m. February 10 until 11:59 p.m. February 15. The Sage

auction bid window for buyers will be open from 12:00 a.m. February 11 until 11:59 p.m.

February 15. The Sage auction will run on February 16 with results posted February 17.

A training session will be held on February 1. Registration is available on the PJM

EnviroTrade website.

Joe Brake Named President Of PA Beverage Association
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Lehigh Valley resident and executive Joe Brake was named president of

the Pennsylvania Beverage Association, the statewide organization

representing the non-alcoholic beverage industry in the state.

Our organization is comprised of some of the most innovative and

well-respected companies in the world, and our members range in size

from large international companies to smaller, family-owned businesses,said Brake, who is the Vice-President and General Manager of Coca-Cola

Bottling Company of the Lehigh Valley. We provide good-paying jobs to

Pennsylvanians, were giving back to our communities, and were

committed to working with policymakers on issues that are important to

them and to our industry.

In his role as president, Brake will guide the industrys public policy agenda, while

working to raise awareness about the industrys positive impact in Pennsylvania.

Brake said the beverage industry in the state employs approximately 7,400

Pennsylvanians and helps support thousands more in restaurants, retail outlets and other

businesses. The industry paid approximately $852 million in state taxes, while employees and

member companies have contributed at least $38 million more to charitable causes acrossPennsylvania.

He also noted that his member companies are good stewards of the environment, using

recyclable containers for their products and launching other initiatives to reduce the companies

and their customers environmental impact.

The industry also has taken a leadership role to address the complex obesity challenge,

launching Clear on Calories commitment to make the number of calories on its products even

clearer and more consumer-friendly. Through this voluntary initiative, the industry putting

calorie information on the front of its packaging, vending machines and fountain machines, and

taking other steps to raise awareness about the importance of consumer education about caloric

intake. Across the country and right here in Pennsylvania, our industry is taking bold actions

that contribute to the well being of todays generation and generations to come, Brake said.

We are proud to have played a leadership role in helping solve serious challenges, and we look

forward to continuing that work in 2011.

The Pennsylvania Beverage Association represents bottlers, franchise companies and

suppliers in the beverage industry in the Commonwealth on issues pending before the General

Assembly and executive agencies. The Association also undertakes educational programs and

builds partnerships on behalf of members on issues such as litter control, recycling and healthy

diets.

For more information visit the PA Beverage Association website.

Howard Neukrug Appointed Water Commissioner In Philadelphia

Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced the appointment of Howard Neukrug as Commissioner of

the Philadelphia Water Department effective February 2.

I am thrilled that Howard has accepted the appointment as Water Commissioner, said

Mayor Nutter. He has been a key leader at the Department for decades and is recognized as a

national authority in the water industry. He is one of Americas great thinkers on environmental
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policy and regulation. He founded the Water Departments Office of Watersheds and is the

creator of its Clean Water, Green Cities initiative. I am excited to see what he will bring next to

the Department.

As the Water Commissioner, Mr. Neukrug will be responsible for providing integrated

water, wastewater, and stormwater services to the City of Philadelphia and greater Philadelphia

region. The utility's primary mission is to plan for, operate, and maintain both the infrastructureand the organization necessary to purvey high quality drinking water, to provide an adequate and

reliable water supply for all household, commercial, and community needs, and to sustain and

enhance the regions watersheds and quality of life by managing wastewater and stormwater

effectively.

I hold the deepest respect for the many dedicated PWD employees and their families

who have worked hard - even in these difficult economic times - to build great and strong

organization - one that works 24/7 to protect the health and safety of our citizens," said Howard

Neukrug.

I'd also like to express my appreciation to our many partners for their passionate

dedication to achieving clean water and a green city," said Neukrug. "Their examples give me

confidence that we can make PWD the most sustainable utility in the country -- supporting theMayor's vision of Philadelphia as the Greenest City in America and providing a model for

meeting the complex needs of a 21st Century water utility.

My thanks to Mayor Nutter and Deputy Mayor Cutler for their inspirational leadership

and for this opportunity to serve the needs of our city and communities in this expanded

capacity.

Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Utilities Rina Cutler said, The next five years are

critical for PWD, with an ambitious capital program, the loss of experienced and talented staff,

sewer overflows and pressures to meet pending consent orders and regulations. Howard will

provide the leadership needed to develop a 21st Century utility that provides improved

environmental and energy services and delivers the quality and reliability that Philadelphianshave come to expect.

Mr. Neukrug formerly served as Deputy Commissioner of Planning and Environmental

Services at the Philadelphia Water Department and founded the Departments Office of

Watersheds, an organization cited as a national model in watershed planning and partnership.

He has been a Philadelphia Water Department employee for 33 years. He graduated from

the University of Pennsylvania and has a B.S. in Civil and Urban Engineering.

Scott Roberts Joins L.R. Kimball To Work On Marcellus Shale Gas Operations
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L.R. Kimball has engaged J. Scott Roberts, P.G., former Deputy Secretary

for Mineral Resources Management at the Department of Environmental

Protection as an advisor. L.R. Kimball is part of CDI Engineering

Solutions, a division of CDI Corp.

Mr. Roberts will support L.R. Kimball's efforts to continue

expansion of its service offerings to the Natural Gas Industry and theMarcellus Shale operations currently underway in Pennsylvania, West

Virginia and New York.

"Adding Scott to our team provides our clients with direct access to

a true subject matter expert and furthers our commitment to this business

area," said L.R. Kimball President, R. Jeffrey Kimball. "He has been an industry leader in the

development of the Marcellus Shale area and the resurgence of the Natural Gas and Coal

industries in Pennsylvania. Scott's knowledge and background in regulatory matters will assist

our clients as they effectively develop this essential clean energy resource."

Mr. Roberts was employed by the Department of Environmental Protection for more than

25 years. He has vast experience in many facets of Pennsylvania's minerals industries, including

mine safety, oil and gas, abandoned mine reclamation, mining and reclamation and districtmining operations.

Mr. Roberts' career also includes notable accomplishments such as providing logistical

coordination for the successful 2002 Quecreek Mine rescue, working with Pennsylvania's

Federal Congressional delegation to secure the reauthorization of $1.4 billion in funding for

restoration of Pennsylvania's abandoned mines, negotiating the first major rewrite of

Pennsylvania's bituminous mine safety laws in over 100 years and spearheading efforts to

remove or reduce procedural roadblocks to the development of the state's unconventional shale

natural gas resources without sacrificing protection of other land, water or environmental

resources.

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.

January 31-- PHMC Historic Preservation Grants

February 1--NEW. 2011 Write On! Wetlands Challenge

February 11-- PA American Water Stream Of Learning College Scholarships

February 15-- PennVEST Water Infrastructure Funding

February 25-- Foundation for PA Watersheds Grants

February 28-- Philadelphia Water Department Spokesdogs ContestMarch 1--NEW. DEP Coastal Zone Land Conservation Grants

March 1-- PEC-Dominion Western PA Environmental Awards

March 1-- Schuylkill Action Network Schuylkill Stories Contest

March 1-- Schuylkill Action Network Drinking Water Scholastic Award Contest

March 4-- USDA Organic Producers Conservation Practices

March 22--NEW. EPA Community Action For A Renewed Environment Program
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March 25-- NEW. WREN Watershed, Source Water Protection Education Grants

April 20-- DCNR Community C

pa environment digest jan. 24, 2011

Documents