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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

Harrisburg, Pa January 3, 2011

Thanks To These Winners, Pennsylvania's Environment Had A Good Year In 2010

Hundreds of businesses, nonprofit groups, local governments and individuals were honored this

year for their environmental leadership. Here are just some of those winners the PA

Environment Digest covered in 2010--

Feature- PA Environmental Council Turns 40

DCNR Names Lackawaxen 2010 River Of The Year 

 North Penn School District Recognized By EPA For Indoor Clean Air 

Letterkenny Receives Army Environmental Award For Sustainability Project

Hempfield Home School Co-Op Wins Regional Future City Competition

Carnegie Science Center Announces 2010 Carnegie Science Award Winners

PA Parks & Forests Foundation Honors 2010 Award Winners May 4

Eastern Sports And Outdoor Show Presents Conservation Awards To Individuals, ProgramsFeature- Watershed Volunteers Create A Legacy Of Cleaner, Healthier Rivers And Streams

EPA Recognizes Leaders In Energy Efficiency Including 8 In PA

Scott Weidensaul To Receive First John James Audubon Center Award April 24

Lancaster Farmland Trust Executive Director Named One Of 25 Women of Influence

PAEE Announces Environmental Education Award Winners

State College Regional Technology Program Recognized For E-Recycling Program In 2009

Mifflin County PA CleanWays Honored By Planning Commission

Cong. Holden Receives Zimmermann Award From Susquehanna River Basin Commission

Montgomery County Park Wins Inaugural DCNR/PRPS Green Park AwardPPL Energy Achievement Program Helps Schools Obtain Energy Star Rating

Wexford Giant Eagle, GetGo Receive Green Building Certification

Winners Of Governor's Environmental Awards To Be Featured At April 20 Dinner 

PA Universities Take Top 3 Spots In EPA Green Power Competition

Winners Of 2010 PA CleanWays Litter Hawk Youth Awards Announced

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Wildlands Conservancy Receives Excellence In Programming Award

PA Farmers Recognized For Improving Streams Destined For The Chesapeake Bay

Presque Isle Habitat Documentary Receives Award

Duquesne University Selected As One of Nation’s Top Green Colleges

Academy of Natural Sciences Honors Naturalist Scott WeidensaulPhiladelphia Nursing Student Wins National Award On Greening Hospitals

EPA Announces Winners Of Student Earth Day Poster Contest

Kim Pizingrilli Honored With James McGirr Kelly Award

DCNR Receives Four PA Parks & Recreation Society Awards

Maurice K. Goddard Recognized With Historical Marker 

10.6 Million Pounds Collected In EPA Mid-Atlantic RecycleMania College Competition

DCNR Recognizes Schools Earning Honorable Mention In Earth Day 40 Challenge

PA American Water Awards Stream Of Learning Scholarships To Ten High School Seniors

Illick’s Mill Project Wins Presidential Environmental Education AwardDCNR Salutes Employees’ Award-Winning Efforts

PA Environmental Professionals Announce 2010 Member Awards

10,000 Friends Of PA Honors Smart Growth Projects

Children's Museum Of Pittsburgh Hosts U.N. Young Environmental Artists Competition

Butler County Middle School Becomes Park for a Day For Winning Earth Day 40 Challenge

Author Jean Stull Honored With John C. Oliver Environmental Stewardship Award June 23

ClearWater Conservancy Honored By Leadership Centre County

Conewago Creek Designated USDA Showcase For Voluntary Conservation Practices

More Than 125 Attend West Branch Susquehanna Symposium, Awards Presented

DEP's Scott Roberts Earns Mayfly Award, 250+ Attend Joint Mining Reclamation Conference

State Parks' Estelle Ruppert Receives National Award For Teaching

HeritagePA Receives Highest Honor From Keystone Society For Tourism

PEC Presents Lifetime Achievement Awards To Jane G. Pepper, J. Blaine Bonham Jr.

Scranton State Office Building Earns Prestigious Energy Efficiency Award

15th Anniversary Of The Department of Conservation And Natural Resources

DCNR's Terry Brady Honored By National Outdoor Writers

Pottstown Borough Water Plant Rejoins Partnership For Safe Water 

State Conservation Commission, Districts Recognize Excellence In Protecting PA's ResourcesEPA Announces Nation’s Top 50 Green Power Organizations

Joy Best Wins Sue Wiseman Scholarship From PA CleanWays-Keep PA Beautiful

Dickinson College Named Second Greenest, Coolest School In U.S, 6 Others In PA Named

Penncrest High School Places 14th In National Envirothon, But Gets 5th Place Awards

Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Honors Environmental Leaders At October 21 Dinner 

 Northeast Environmental Partners Name 2010 Award Recipients

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PEC Recognizes 40 Under 40 Environmentalists In Pennsylvania

CBF's Matthew Ehrhart Named Outstanding Alumnus By Penn State College Of Ag Sciences

PA Green Power Award Winners Honored At Philadelphia Luncheon

EPA Names Swarthmore Church Energy Star Award Winner 

Weis Markets Wins 3 EPA Environmental Achievement Awards

Students in 26 PA K-12 Schools Earned Energy Star Recognition

Warwick Township Honored As CBF 2010 Conservationist Of The Year 

PEC Announces Winners Of 40th Anniversary Photo Contest

Fish & Boat Commission Presents Awards During Community Meeting

Senate Lauds PA Companies Aiding In Chilean Mine Rescue

Western PA Conservancy Gardens, Others Win 2010 Community Greening Awards

 Northeast Environmental Partners Recognize 2010 Award Recipients

5 Pennsylvania Colleges Rank High In College Sustainability Report Card

DCNR Conservation Landscape Initiatives Recognized By Harvard UniversityWestmoreland County Conservation Awards

Elm Street Program Recognized By Harvard University

Dickinson Earns Climate Leadership Award For Institutional Excellence

PA Resources Council Announces Winners Of 2010 Environmental Awards

Cherry Valley Partnership Receives National Conservation Award

Young Scholars Of Central PA Charter School Win Statewide Recycling Competition

Keep PA Beautiful Announces Presidents Award, Legacy Award Winners

Pittsburgh, Norristown Named Pathways to Green Schools Pilot DistrictsPittsburgh's Phipps Conservancy Director Honored By U.S. Green Building Council

East Resources Receives IOGCC Award For Support Of SRBC Water Monitoring Network 

EPA Recognizes SEPTA For Its Energy Efficient Headquarters

PA Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Groups Honored By U.S.D.A.

Wildlands Conservancy Tops PALTA’s Land Conservation Accomplishment List

Carlisle Drinking Water Treatment Plant Wins Top Honors

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Honored By Keep America Beautiful

Keep America Beautiful Presents PennDOT With Partner Award

 National Trout Unlimited Conservation Awards To Deb Nardone, Valley Forge Chapter 

Rendell, General Assembly Leave 2010 With Environmental Work Unfinished

The General Assembly and Gov. Rendell left dozens of environmental initiatives on the table

when they finished the legislative session this year, chief among them reneging on a commitment

in law to adopt a Marcellus Shale natural gas severance tax.

But there were also dozens of other environmental initiatives which passed either the

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House or the Senate during the last two years which failed to see final action, including an

expansion of the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards and transportation funding. Many of 

those bills are likely to return next January when all legislation must be reintroduced and start

over.

Here's a quick summary of the items left undone.

$4.5 Billion Budget Deficit

Gov. Rendell said FY 2010-11 should end June 30 with a $63 million shortfall while Senate

Democrats said incoming Gov.-Elect Tom Corbett and the next General Assembly will face a

$4.5 billion budget deficit.

Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-

Philadelphia), Minority Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee said the loss of federal

stimulus money, the new pension legislation and a projected case load increase of 3 to 5 percent

in the case loads at the Department of Public Welfare will result in a $4.5 billion budget deficit

the incoming Corbett Administration must handle.

Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre), Majority Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee,said there is at least a $3.8 billion structural deficit the new General Assembly and Governor will

have to deal with. He agreed, however, the deficit could easily top $4 billion and said, "The

next budget will be rough."

Marcellus Shale Severance Tax

The General Assembly and Gov. Rendell made a commitment in the Fiscal Code bill-- Senate

Bill 1042-- passed as part of the budget in July to pass a Marcellus Shale natural gas severance

tax by October 1 and to allocate the revenue between the Commonwealth, counties and

municipalities and environmental initiatives.As everyone knows, no severance tax made it to the Governor's desk.

Where the issue goes from here is in considerable doubt.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) told a PCN interviewer there is no

 point in passing a severance tax next year in the face of very clear opposition by the new

Governor Tom Corbett. On the other hand, he said, the needs of the communities being

impacted by drilling and for funding environmental programs remain.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) publicly floated the idea of a

drilling impact fee to help communities cope with the costs imposed by drilling as one way to

deal with the opposition of Gov.-Elect Corbett.

The proposal would not fund environmental programs like Growing Greener which ran

out of money this year. There is also some concern drilling companies would look to an impactfee to pay for some of the repairs they pay for directly now.

Other Unfinished Legislative Initiatives

Click here for a list of other environmental legislative initiatives which were pending at the end

of the 2010 legislative session.

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Click here for a list of environment-related bills signed into law in 2010.

Rendell Environmental Legacy-- Renewable Energy Initiatives, Budget Cuts

Over the last eight years the Department of Environmental Protection was

given jobs that strayed significantly from its core mission of clean air, purewater and protecting the natural resources of the Commonwealth and

focused almost entirely on promoting alternative energy.

Rendell Environmental Initiatives

Since 2003, DEP has invested $387 million to fund over $2.6

 billion in alternative energy projects, including funding 393 MW of 

additional renewable general capacity and annual energy efficiency

savings of more than 170 million kWh.

Among the energy and environmental initiatives were--

-- Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards mandate enacted in 2004 requiring 18 percent of 

electricity sold to be from alternative energy sources by 2021;

-- Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority provided over $65 million in funding for 144alternative energy projects;

-- The $650 million Alternative Energy Investment Fund includes $500 million to fund

alternative energy projects, $150 million for energy conservation projects;

-- Energy Harvest: created in 2003 to provide funding for renewable energy projects by taking

money from the Growing Greener Program. The program funded over $36 million in 179

 projects.

-- Penn Security Biofuels Mandate: required diesel fuel to contain 2 percent biofuels starting in

May 2010;

-- Energy Conservation: Act 129 of 2009 mandating a reduction in total electricity consumption

 by 3 percent and peak demand by 4.5 percent by 2013; and-- Growing Greener II: The $625 million Growing Greener II bond issue which expanded the

Growing Greener Program beyond environmental restoration, infrastructure, farmland

 preservation and recreation project funding to include alternative energy development projects,

downtown redevelopment, historic preservation, funding for an energy efficient appliance tax

holiday and funding for the first time to the Game and Fish and Boat Commissions. In addition,

each county was provided with funding to do local projects in each of these and the original

Growing Greener categories.

As a result of the changes made in 2005, Growing Greener project funding was capped

and 2010 with the spending of the last of the bond issue funds. Most of the remaining funds

from the fee enacted in 2002 to finance the original Growing Greener Program are being used to

 pay off the bond issue.8 Years Of Environmental Cuts

For eight straight years Gov. Rendell's proposed budget included cuts for the departments

of Environmental Protection and Conservation and Natural Resources.

The FY 2009-10 budget cuts alone required DEP and DCNR to furlough or eliminate 333

full time positions. DCNR had to eliminate or reduce hours for 1,131 seasonal workers, putting

appropriations for DEP at 1994 levels and for DCNR at 1995-96 levels.

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Complement levels at DEP were reduced from 3,211 in FY 2002-03 to 2,835 now, even

less if you take out the 105 positions DEP added for the Marcellus Shale drilling inspection and

 permit program. 2,591 of the present 2,835 are now filled positions, the others are vacant.

In addition, over 100 DEP Air, Waste and Water Quality field staff use all or part of their 

time to act as managers for federal stimulus projects, projects funded by the Energy Harvest and

PA Energy Development Authority programs taking time away from permit reviews, inspectionsand compliance activities.

Complement levels at DCNR were 1,391 in FY 2002-03 to 1,389 positions of which

1,289 positions are filled.

During the last eight years of the Rendell Administration, DEP's General Fund budget

has been cut by 40.9 percent ($245.6 million to $147 million), DCNR by 23.7 percent ($108.8

million to $82.4 million) and the Department of Agriculture by 35.2 percent ($76.1 million to

$62.8 million) from the FY 2010-11 to FY 2002-03 budget.

One result of all these cuts is the  permit review backlog DEP said was already building

in 2009 and in truth the last 7 years, delaying hundreds of millions of dollars in economic

development projects across the state.

Record Of Funding Cuts/Diversions

A total of $1.3 billion has been diverted or cut from environmental programs to help

 balance the state budget or to fund programs that could not get funding on their own over the last

eight years.

-- $428 million in Act 339 grants intended to support wastewater plant operations over the last

eight years were eliminated to balance the budget;

-- $143 million diverted from the DCNR Oil and Gas Fund to balance the FY 2008-09 budget;

-- $79 million cut from the DEP and DCNR General Fund budget during FY2009-10;

-- $60 million diverted from the DCNR Oil and Gas Fund to balance the FY 2009-10 budget;

-- $100 million in 2002 from the Underground Storage Tank cleanup insurance fund to balance

the budget (although this is slowly being repaid over 10 years);-- $52.7 million “one-time” diversion from the Keystone Recreation, Parks and Conservation

Fund in 2006 to balance the budget;

-- $50 million in 2007 and 2008 from the Environmental Stewardship Fund, which supports mine

reclamation and watershed restoration, to fund the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program because

there was no agreement on how to fund that program;

-- $121.8 million in FY 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 from the Environmental

Stewardship Fund to pay debt service on the Growing Greener II bond issue and taking funding

away from restoration projects each year for the next 25 years – reflecting a pattern of only

environmental programs being required to address their own bond debt service;

-- $15 million from the Recycling Fund in to balance the FY 2008-09 budget;

-- $18.4 million put into budgetary reserve in 2008-09 from the Department of EnvironmentalProtection and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources;

-- $5 million reduction in Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) farm conservation tax

credit program in FY 2009-10;

-- $102.8 million cut from the DEP and DCNR General Fund budget in proposed FY 2010-11

 budget;

-- $180 million diverted from the DCNR Oil and Gas Fund to General Fund in proposed FY

2010-11 budget;

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-- $5.5 million reduction in Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) farm conservation

tax credits in FY 2010-11;

-- $5 million in additional cuts to the agencies to balance the FY 2010-11 budget; and

-- $3.9 million in across-the-board cuts to help fill gaps caused by reduced federal Medicaid

appropriations-- $2.4 million from DEP, $1.5 million from DCNR.

Crisci Associates Adds PA Capitol Digest Blog To Online Services

Crisci Associates is starting the New Year with a new PA Capitol Digest Blog where the public

can get updates every day on Pennsylvania State Government, including newsclips, coverage of 

key press conferences and more.

Feel free to log on, put the blog's web address in your RSS Reader or subscribe to the

once-a-day email summarizing postings up to about 11:00 a.m. every day.

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

Twitter Instant Updates: On Twitter, sign up to receive instant updates from : PAEnviroDigest.

PA Environment Daily: 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 Environment Digest Video Blog: showcases original and published videos from

environmental groups and agencies around the state. Sign up to receive as they are posted

updates through your favorite RSS read. You can also sign up for a once daily email alerting

you to new items posted on this blog.

Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule

Senate and House formally organize on January 4, new Governor takes office January 18

Session Schedule

Here is the Senate and House schedule for early 2011--

Senate

January 4, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26February 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 28

March 1, 2 (Budget presentation first full week in March)

House

January 4, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26

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

March 1, 2

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Calendars

The Senate and House convene for the first time on January 4 to start the new session.

Committees

 No Committee meetings of interest are scheduled.

News From The Capitol

Sen. Michael O'Pake, Longest-Serving Legislator, Passes

Sen. Michael O'Pake (D-Berks), the longest-serving member of the

General Assembly, died this morning at Reading Hospital from

complications from heart-bypass surgery. He was 70 years old.

Sen. O'Pake was re-elected as Senate Democratic Whip for the

2011-12 session and served as Minority Chair of the Senate Agriculture

and Rural Affairs Committee.

Sen. O'Pake represented the city of Reading and surrounding areas.

He was elected to the General Assembly in 1968, when he defeated the

incumbent Representative for his House District in Reading, and entered

the Senate in 1972.

He had dedicated his life to the Jesuit missing of serving others. Growing up in a federal

house project, Senator O’Pake saw the problems faced by the poor at an early age and entered

 public service to try to make government responsive to the needs of the powerless and

marginalized in our society.As the first chairman of the Senate Aging and Youth Committee, Senator O’Pake wrote

the Child Protective Services law in Pennsylvania to help the victims of child abuse. He fought

for legislation creating the Department of Aging with Offices of Aging in all 67 counties to help

senior citizens, and for property tax and rent rebates and prescription assistance for the elderly.

He also led legislative efforts on juvenile justice reform that removed youthful offenders

from adult prisons, and, for our youngest children, was a leading advocate of the state’s

landmark Children’s Health Insurance Program.

To promote volunteerism and civic involvement, Sen. O’Pake authored the law that

created PennSERVE, a permanent office of citizen service in state government and helped to

 provide financial and other assistance for economic development and educational opportunity

throughout the region.Sen. O’Pake’s most recent legislation in the 2009-2010 General Assembly was signed

into law by Gov. Rendell last month, establishing the Missing Endangered Person Advisory

System for encouraging public involvement when Alzheimer victims and other vulnerable

 persons are missing and need to be found.

NewsClips: Sen. O'Pake Dies At Age 70

O'Pake Recalled As Senate Titan

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Sen. O'Pake, Longest-Serving Legislator, Dies

Obituary: Sen. Michael O'Pake

Friends Say O'Pake Worked Hard For Reading

News From Around The State

EPA Issues Final Chesapeake Bay TMDL

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week established a

final TMDL watershed plan to restore clean water in Chesapeake

Bay and the region’s streams, creeks and rivers. The TMDL is

driven primarily by jurisdictions’ plans to put all needed pollution

controls in place by 2025 and EPA will hold jurisdictions

accountable for results along the way.

The pollution diet, formally known as the Chesapeake Bay

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), identifies the necessary reductions of nitrogen,

 phosphorus and sediment from Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West

Virginia and the District of Columbia.

The TMDL is shaped by an extensive public and stakeholder involvement effort during

the past two years, coupled with detailed plans by jurisdictions for how they will achieve

 pollution reductions.

To address deficiencies in draft plans submitted by jurisdictions in September, EPA

worked closely with the jurisdictions during the past several months. As a result of this

cooperative work and through strong state leadership, the final plans were significantly

improved.

EPA was able to reduce and remove most federal backstop measures that were in the

draft TMDL, while still maintaining rigorous accountability through enhanced oversight and theavailability of contingency actions. The result is a TMDL that is primarily shaped by the

 jurisdictions’ plans to reduce pollution, which has been EPA’s goal from the outset.

"Today is an historic day for the decades-long effort to restore Chesapeake Bay. In the

 past two years we have made huge strides that will yield real results for millions of people who

rely on the Bay for their livelihood and way of life. Now we begin the hard work of 

implementing this pollution diet and building on the last two years,” said EPA Administrator 

Lisa P. Jackson. “We're very pleased with efforts of state officials that helped get us to this point.

We will continue to provide strong oversight and transparency to ensure accountability and

ensure progress continues."

Among the significant improvements in jurisdiction plans are:

-- Dramatically increasing enforcement and compliance of state requirements for agriculture.(Pennsylvania);

-- Committing state funding to develop and implement state-of-the-art-technologies for 

converting animal manure to energy for farms. (Pennsylvania);

-- Committing to more stringent nitrogen and phosphorus limits at wastewater treatment plants,

including on the James River in Virginia. (Virginia, New York, Delaware);

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-- Pursuing state legislation to fund wastewater treatment plant upgrades, urban stormwater 

management and agricultural programs. (Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia);

-- Implementing a progressive stormwater permit to reduce pollution. (District of Columbia); and

-- Considering implementation of mandatory programs for agriculture by 2013 if pollution

reductions fall behind schedule. (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New York).

CBF Reaction“EPA’s actions today reflect a historic change in how government will restore water 

quality in local rivers, streams, and the Chesapeake Bay and protect the hundreds of thousands of 

 jobs that rely on clean water," said Chesapeake Bay Foundation President William C Baker said.

"This plan includes science-based limits, clear expectations, and accountability, and is the result

of years of public involvement and close cooperation between EPA and the Bay jurisdictions.

“It is clear, however, that the hardest work is still to come. The states and the District of 

Columbia must implement the plans through new laws, regulations, funding, and enforcement,

and EPA must hold all jurisdictions accountable.

“As we saw in the development of the Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs), EPA’s

threat of serious consequences resulted in significant improvements to the state plans. It is

essential that EPA stand firm and impose consequences if the states and the District of Columbiado not achieve the 2009 milestones due to be met by 2011, as EPA stated they would in a

 briefing today.

“If EPA and the jurisdictions implement the WIPs and the TMDL, history will record

December 29, 2010 as the turning point in the restoration of this national treasure.”

CBF's Pennsylvania Agriculture Program Manager Lamonte Garber added, “The Bay

TMDL offers the new Administration an opportunity to place Pennsylvania in a leadership role

 by ensuring compliance with PA's comprehensive pollution control laws. By making this a

 priority, as reflected in the state's TMDL clean-up plan, Governor-Elect Corbett can dramatically

reduce pollution not only to the Bay but also the Commonwealth’s rivers and streams.”

Additional DetailsThe TMDL still includes targeted backstops for those jurisdictions that did not meet all of 

their target allocations or did not meet EPA’s expectations for providing reasonable assurance

that they will achieve the necessary pollution reductions. These included backstop allocations

and adjustments for the wastewater sector in New York, the urban stormwater sector in

Pennsylvania and the agriculture sector in West Virginia.

In addition, EPA will provide enhanced oversight of Pennsylvania agriculture, Virginia

and West Virginia urban stormwater, and Pennsylvania and West Virginia wastewater. If the

 jurisdictions don’t make sufficient progress, EPA may utilize contingencies that include

additional controls on permitted sources of pollution, such as wastewater treatment plants, large

animal feeding operations and municipal stormwater systems.

EPA will also regularly oversee each of the jurisdictions’ programs to make sure theyimplement the pollution control plans, remain on schedule for meeting water quality goals and

achieve their two-year milestones. This oversight will include program review, objecting to

 permits and targeting compliance and enforcement actions as necessary to meet water quality

goals.

The pollution diet calls for a 25 percent reduction in nitrogen, 24 percent reduction in

 phosphorus and 20 percent reduction in sediment. The TMDL - which sets Bay watershed limits

of 185.9 million pounds of nitrogen, 12.5 million pounds of phosphorus and 6.45 billion pounds

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of sediment per year – is designed to ensure that all pollution control measures to fully restore

the Bay and its tidal rivers are in place by 2025, with at least 60 percent of the actions completed

 by 2017.

EPA has also committed to reducing air deposition of nitrogen to the tidal waters of the

Chesapeake Bay from 17.9 to 15.7 million pounds per year. The reductions will be achieved

through implementation of federal air regulations during the coming years.Federal agencies will contribute to restoration efforts, particularly through

implementation of the federal strategy created under President Obama’s Executive Order. Eleven

federal agencies have committed to a comprehensive suite of actions on the same 2025 timeline

as the TMDL. As part of this work, federal agencies will be establishing two-year milestones that

directly support the jurisdictions’ activities to reduce water pollution.

During the 45-day public comment period on the draft TMDL, EPA received more than

14,000 comments – most of which supported the TMDL – and conducted 18 public meetings.

The agency’s response to those comments is included as an appendix to the TMDL.

Despite all of the extensive restoration efforts during the last 25 years, the TMDL was

 prompted by insufficient progress in restoring the Bay. The TMDL is required under federal law

and responds to consent decrees in Virginia and D.C. dating back to the late 1990s.The TMDL, as well as evaluations of the state plans and EPA backstops and

contingencies are available online.

EPA Comments On PA WIP

EPA posted separate comments on each state Watershed Implementation Plan, including

Pennsylvania. EPA's comments on DEP's plan include--

Pennsylvania meets its nutrient and sediment allocations for each basin in the final

TMDL. After adjusting for EPA-approved nitrogen and phosphorus exchanges, Pennsylvania’s

WIP input deck resulted in statewide loads that are 2 percent over for nitrogen and phosphorus,

and 5 percent under for sediment allocations.

EPA and the Commonwealth have reached agreement on further nonpoint sourcereductions in order to achieve allocations both statewide and in each basin, as documented in the

final TMDL. The further reductions are supported by contingencies included in the WIP and

EPA’s commitment to track progress and take any necessary federal actions to ensure these

reductions are achieved and maintained.

Agriculture

Key improvements since draft WIP:

-- Pennsylvania has outlined a very detailed strategy for significantly increasing compliance with

agricultural regulations and for advancing manure technologies.

-- The WIP details a specific approach for tracking agricultural conservation to develop

verification protocols for crediting non-cost shared practices in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Model.EPA actions: Enhanced oversight and actions

-- Based on Pennsylvania's ability to demonstrate near-term progress implementing the

agricultural section of its WIP, including EPA approval for its CAFO program and enhanced

compliance assurance with state regulatory programs, EPA will assess in the Phase II WIP

whether additional federal actions, such as shifting AFO loads from the load allocation to the

wasteload allocation or 

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establishing more stringent wasteload allocations for WWTPs, are necessary to ensure that

TMDL allocations are achieved.

-- EPA will use its national review of CAFO State Technical Standards in 2011 and beyond to

identify any deficiencies in the State Technical Standards for protecting water quality, including

Pennsylvania’s phosphorus management program. EPA reserves its authority to object to

 permits if they are not protective of water quality. EPA will continue to engage Pennsylvaniaabout ways to phase out the practice of winter spreading of manure.

Urban Stormwater

Key improvements since draft WIP:

-- The WIP provides a strong description of Chapter 102 regulations and what Pennsylvania can

enforce and regulate for no net change in stormwater runoff.

-- A “no net increase” provision is required to maintain existing hydrology or demonstrate that at

least 20 percent of a previously disturbed site has the hydrologic conditions of meadow or 

 better.

Key areas for improvement:

-- Pennsylvania DEP continues to assert that the scope of the MS4 program is limited to the

conveyance system only, and does not include the construction and post-constructionrequirements.

-- Pennsylvania has not demonstrated a high level of compliance assurance activities nor 

enhanced the

field resources available to support an enforcement of urban stormwater programs.

-- The requirement for an MS4 to have a TMDL Implementation Plan does not include the

Chesapeake Bay TMDL, and lacks supporting documentation to quantify how local TMDL

implementation plans will meet Chesapeake Bay nutrient and sediment allocations.

-- Pennsylvania’s WIP lacks clear strategies to achieve the almost 40% reduction in urban loads

that the Commonwealth includes in its WIP input deck.

EPA actions: Backstop allocations, adjustments and actions-- EPA will transfer 50 percent of the urban stormwater load that is not currently subject to

 NPDES permits from the load allocation to the wasteload allocation. EPA is doing this to signal

that it is prepared to designate discharges as requiring NPDES permits to ensure nutrient and

sediment reductions are achieved and maintained. Urban areas would only be subject to NPDES

 permit conditions protective of water quality as issued by the Commonwealth upon designation.

EPA will consider this step if Pennsylvania does not achieve reductions in urban stormwater 

loads as identified in the WIP. EPA may also pursue designation activities based on

considerations other than TMDL and WIP implementation.

-- Based on Pennsylvania's ability to demonstrate near-term progress implementing the urban

stormwater section of its WIP, including the reissuance of PAG-13 and PAG-2 general permits

for Phase II MS4s and construction that are protective of water quality, EPA will assess in thePhase II WIP whether additional federal actions, such as establishing more stringent wasteload

allocations for WWTPs, are necessary to ensure that TMDL allocations are achieved.

Wastewater

Key improvements since draft WIP:

-- The WIP includes permit numbers for additional non-significant facilities covered under the

PAG-04

and 05 general permits.

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-- Pennsylvania added language on a process for granting 25 lb/yr credit to POTW’s for each

septic system retired, and on implementation schedules for significant WWTP upgrades.

EPA actions: Enhanced oversight and actions

-- EPA is establishing individual wasteload allocations for significant wastewater plants in the

TMDL to increase assurance that permits are consistent with the overall wasteload allocation.

Individual allocations do not commit wastewater plants to greater reductions than what the jurisdiction has proposed in its WIP. Provisions of the TMDL Report allow for allocation

modifications within a basin to support offsets and trading opportunities.

-- EPA may consider federal actions such as revisiting wastewater allocations if the Phase II WIP

does not demonstrate adequate progress toward implementing WIP strategies for agriculture and

stormwater.

-- EPA will review NPDES permit conditions to ensure that they are consistent with the loads

and assumptions of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL.

General Note on EPA Actions

EPA will assess annual progress and track 2-year milestone commitments. EPA may

take additional actions beyond those listed above, as described in its December 29, 2009 letter, to

ensure that nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment reductions identified in the WIP and needed tomeet TMDL allocations are achieved.

NewsClips: EPA Outlines Details Of Chesapeake Bay Plan

EPA Lays Out Major Cheanup For Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay Pollution Limits Target Farmers, Stormwater 

Pollution Diet For Chesapeake Bay Impacts NE

 New Plan May Help Cut Pollution To Chesapeake Bay

Blog: Chesapeake Bay, Marcellus Shale, Living In Harmony?

Report Shows Trouble Still Ahead For Chesapeake Bay

CBF Report: Chesapeake Bay Improving, But Still Critical

Report: Chesapeake Bay Improving, But Gets D-PlusReport Finds Chesapeake Bay Improved, But Still Out Of Balance

Chesapeake Better, But Still In Real Trouble

PA's Benefit From Changing Tide In Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay TMDL To Take Effect January 1

Feds To Determine Fate Of Chesapeake Bay

Sewer, Water Rates To Rise In Altoona

Communities Sharing Sewage Costs Of Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

Column: More Than Water Running Into Streams

Related Stories

DEP, Agriculture Say PA Ready To Help Cleanup Chesapeake BayCBF Report: Chesapeake Bay Health Improving, But Still Critical

DEP, Agriculture Say PA Ready To Help Cleanup Chesapeake Bay

 Now that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has outlined its final "pollution diet" for 

states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, Pennsylvania's top environmental and agriculture

officials say the state is ready to do its part to improve water quality.

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Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger and Agriculture Secretary Russell

Redding said Pennsylvania's plan provides a reasonable assurance that it can clean up the water 

flowing into the bay while keeping industries in the watershed viable.

Secretary Hanger said that while the state has already reduced its nitrogen contributions

to the bay by 28 percent, phosphorus by 46 percent, and sediment by between 38 and 46 percent,

more work remains to be done.The total maximum daily load, or TMDL, the EPA imposed today, he added, specifies

the additional pollution reductions that are necessary to bring the bay back to good health. The

EPA's final, enforceable allocations call for Pennsylvania to reduce by 2025 annual nitrogen

discharges to 76.8 million pounds; phosphorous discharges to 2.7 million pounds; and sediment

to between 0.95-1.05 million tons per year.

"Pennsylvania has long been committed to doing its part to restore the bay's health," said

Secretary Hanger. "We've reduced the pollution flowing into the Chesapeake from our waters by

millions of tons. While wastewater treatment operators, developers and farmers can share some

credit for these successes, there's still work to be done. Our plan makes sure we do it in a way

that keeps industries viable in the state, creates new opportunities, and is attainable and

measurable."Pennsylvania's plan, referred to as a watershed implementation plan, or WIP, calls for 

continuing existing programs that have proven effective and, in some cases, improving the

capacity to track and expand those efforts; implementing new programs that take advantage of 

advanced and innovative technologies; and enhancing common sense compliance efforts,

 particularly for nonpoint sources such as agriculture and stormwater runoff from development.

Secretary Hanger noted that the state is not requiring wastewater treatment plants to make

further reductions in line with a commitment DEP made in 2006 with its point source strategy.

That strategy was incorporated into the state's WIP.

"Wastewater treatment plants have made considerable investments to upgrade facilities

and cut discharges," said Secretary Hanger. "This plan does not place additional expectations onthose facilities; it lays out a framework for ensuring other sectors of our economy are making

their share of reductions.

"Every sector of our economy that has had a stake in this matter has had a seat at the table

in developing this plan. We're convinced we can achieve what's expected of us."

Pennsylvania will improve its ability to track nutrient and sediment reductions made by

farmers and other land managers through the plan. Until now, usually only those best

management practices, or BMPs, that were associated with a federal or state grant program were

reported to the Bay Program, which meant many improvements went unnoticed.

"Many farmers voluntarily install conservation BMPs without state or federal financial

assistance simply because they are good management decisions," said Secretary Redding. "It is

vitally important that these privately funded BMPs be identified and reported to ensure that theagricultural community's nutrient and sediment reductions are fully credited."

Improving communications and cooperation with farmers and partners like county

conservation districts will be critical to the success of this effort, Secretary Redding added.

DEP recently funded a pilot tracking project in Lancaster and Bradford counties to better 

assess the type and level of BMPs farmers are implementing, and to explore the effectiveness of 

various tracking and reporting methods. The results will then be used to develop a uniform

reporting tool to better capture the pollution reductions from these previously unreported efforts.

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Pennsylvania's plan also calls for using new and innovative technologies to reduce

 pollution. The state has proposed creating a $100 million program—funded by the federal

government, states within the bay watershed and other key stakeholders—that would finance

four to eight manure-to-energy projects, for example, each year. Each project could remove close

to 1 million pounds of nitrogen from the Chesapeake Bay.

DEP and the Department of Agriculture have been working with a number of companiesto look for ways to install technologies like manure treatment, methane digesters and electrical

co-generation equipment on dairy, poultry and hog farms. These technologies can help reduce

nutrient pollution while also producing electricity and marketable soil products that create

additional revenue streams for farmers and rural communities.

For more information, visit DEP's Chesapeake Bay webpage.

NewsClips: EPA Outlines Details Of Chesapeake Bay Plan

EPA Lays Out Major Cheanup For Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay Pollution Limits Target Farmers, Stormwater 

Pollution Diet For Chesapeake Bay Impacts NE

 New Plan May Help Cut Pollution To Chesapeake Bay

Blog: Chesapeake Bay, Marcellus Shale, Living In Harmony?Report Shows Trouble Still Ahead For Chesapeake Bay

CBF Report: Chesapeake Bay Improving, But Still Critical

Report: Chesapeake Bay Improving, But Gets D-Plus

Report Finds Chesapeake Bay Improved, But Still Out Of Balance

Chesapeake Better, But Still In Real Trouble

PA's Benefit From Changing Tide In Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay TMDL To Take Effect January 1

Feds To Determine Fate Of Chesapeake Bay

Sewer, Water Rates To Rise In Altoona

Communities Sharing Sewage Costs Of Chesapeake Bay CleanupColumn: More Than Water Running Into Streams

Related Stories

EPA Issues Final Chesapeake Bay TMDL

CBF Report: Chesapeake Bay Health Improving, But Still Critical

CBF Report: Chesapeake Bay Health Improving, But Still Critical

There is good news and bad, according to the Chesapeake Bay

Foundation. The Bay is showing encouraging signs of rebounding, but

is still in critical condition as a result of pollution according to a newreport issued this week.

Click here to see comments by CBF President Will Baker.

The numeric index of the Bay's health jumped three points from

2008 to 2010, with eight of 15 indicators rising. The indicator for the

health of the blue crab population spiked 15 points, as the Bay's

 population increased significantly last year. Also, underwater grasses

showed steady progress for the fourth year in a row.

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But the overall health index of the Bay is 31 out of 100, which means it is still a system

dangerously out of balance.

The report is a comprehensive measure of the Bay's health, evaluating 13 indicators:

oysters, shad, crabs, striped bass (rockfish), underwater grasses, wetlands, forested buffers,

resource lands, toxics, water clarity, dissolved oxygen, and phosphorus and nitrogen pollution.

CBF scientists compile and examine the best available historical and up-to-date information for each indicator and assign it an index score and letter grade. Taken together, these indicators offer 

an assessment of Bay health.

“Let’s celebrate actions taken by Pennsylvanians as we witness signs of improvement,

while concurrently rededicating efforts to fully restore the Bay - which still operates at only a

third of its potential - to ensure healthy waters and a vigorous economy,” said CBF’s

Pennsylvania Executive Director Matt Ehrhart. “We will achieve a clean Bay and healthy

streams and rivers here in Pennsylvania if the Commonwealth holds itself accountable to

achieving the goals of the Watershed Implementation Plan and complies with the Bay pollution

diet (TMDL). With leadership and commitment from both public and private sectors, good news

stories such as the return of the blue crab population in the Bay and the success of the streamside

forest buffer program in Pennsylvania can continue.”CBF pointed to the potential impact of Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling as a concern

for the future.

"No one disputes the need for clean, efficient energy resources right here at home. Found

5,000 to 9,000 feet below the surface, the Marcellus Shale formation—lying beneath parts of 

 New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia—holds huge supplies of 

clean-burning natural gas.

"Activity in the Marcellus Shale increased dramatically beginning in 2009 and is

continuing to accelerate. Today, there are approximately 5,000 drilled or permitted wells in

Pennsylvania alone, and some estimate there could be as many as 60,000 wells drilled by 2030 if 

trends continue."There is increasing debate about drilling in the Marcellus Shale. Much of it focuses on

drilling methods. Called hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” this method uses a combination of 

water, sand, and chemicals to drill through the shale until the layer of gas is reached. Drilling

advocates claim the process is safe, but a number of scientists and public health experts have

called the claim into question. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is studying

the issue and intends to publish its findings by the end of 2012.

"There is also concern about compliance. The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association

reported last summer that since 2008 there have been 1,641 permit violations, of which 1,056

were deemed 'likely to harm the environment.' Preliminary studies by the Philadelphia Academy

of Natural Sciences suggest that water quality may be degraded simply by the sheer number of 

well pads within a given region."Also of concern are drinking water contamination; habitat and forest fragmentation;

water withdrawal; management and treatment of waste water; costly stress on roads, bridges, and

other infrastructure; siting of drill pads on pristine public lands; and the Pennsylvania General

Assembly’s failure to pass a severance tax, which would pay for the public costs of gas

extraction.

"Natural gas offers tremendous promise. At the same time, being vigilant about

 protecting our natural resources is everyone's responsibility."

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Later this week, the Environmental Protection Agency must issue a pollution diet for the

Bay watershed called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). The TMDL is required under the

federal Clean Water Act and court rulings.

This diet will require Maryland and other Bay states, and ultimately each local

 jurisdiction, to ratchet down pollution to local creeks, rivers, and the Bay from all sources,

including farms, sewage treatment plants, urban and suburban streets, parking lots and lawns.State and local governments will be held responsible for those reductions or potentially lose

federal funding and be denied federal permits.

CBF will be there every step of the way, focusing on ensuring full and fair 

implementation of the TMDL, which will reduce pollution and create jobs.

The Bay states and the District of Columbia were required to submit a Watershed

Implementation Plan (WIP) to EPA specifying how it planned to meet the new pollution diet.

Preliminary versions of the each jurisdictions' plans were deficient in specific details, the agency

concluded.

CBF has urged the EPA to stand firm in its expectations and to impose consequences on

 jurisdictions that fail to establish and fully implement plans that meet pollution reduction goals

on schedule.The Bay is at a tipping point. If EPA stands firm, and the states deliver on their 

commitments, the Bay will become resilient and bountiful.

A full copy of the report is available online.

NewsClips: Report Shows Trouble Still Ahead For Chesapeake Bay

CBF Report: Chesapeake Bay Improving, But Still Critical

Report: Chesapeake Bay Improving, But Gets D-Plus

Report Finds Chesapeake Bay Improved, But Still Out Of Balance

Chesapeake Better, But Still In Real Trouble

PA's Benefit From Changing Tide In Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay TMDL To Take Effect January 1Feds To Determine Fate Of Chesapeake Bay

Sewer, Water Rates To Rise In Altoona

Communities Sharing Sewage Costs Of Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

Column: More Than Water Running Into Streams

EPA Outlines Details Of Chesapeake Bay Plan

EPA Lays Out Major Cheanup For Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay Pollution Limits Target Farmers, Stormwater 

Pollution Diet For Chesapeake Bay Impacts NE

 New Plan May Help Cut Pollution To Chesapeake Bay

Blog: Chesapeake Bay, Marcellus Shale, Living In Harmony?

Related Stories

EPA Issues Final Chesapeake Bay TMDL

DEP, Agriculture Say PA Ready To Help Cleanup Chesapeake Bay

Trout Unlimited Coldwater Conservation Corps Training Schedule

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 National Trout Unlimited and the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited have teamed up to

develop and implement a stream surveillance program called the Coldwater Conservation

Corps which will offer training to volunteers over the next three months.

The training will be held--

-- January 15- Winnie Palmer Environmental Center (Latrobe, PA) Host: Forbes Trail TU

Chapter -- January 29- Dubois Dinner Banquet Facility (Dubois, PA) Host: Allegheny Mountain TU

Chapter 

-- February 12- Charier's Twp. Municipal Social Building (Charier's Twp., PA) Host: Chestnut

Ridge TU Chapter 

-- February 26- The Citizen's Hose Company (Lock Haven, PA) Host: Lloyd Wilson TU Chapter 

-- March 19- St. Joseph's Church (Lucinda, PA) Host: Iron Furnace TU Chapter 

Volunteers will be trained to monitor water resources, conduct visual assessments, and

report violations of state laws to appropriate state agencies.

Coldwater Conservation Corps volunteers provide an extra set of eyes and ears on the

ground, making sure special watersheds and our coldwater resources are protected.

For more information about TU's stream surveillance program, to register for any of the below trainings, or to schedule a presentation for your local TU chapter, please contact David

Sewak, TU's Pennsylvania Marcellus Field Organizer, by sending email to: dsewak@tu.org or 

calling 814-535-5030.

Learn About Protecting The Environment, Agriculture At Farm Show January 8 to 15

The annual Farm Show in Harrisburg January 8 to 15 will feature

great food, agricultural displays and this year information about the

role agriculture plays in Pennsylvania's growth and how visitors

and better protect the environment.Young visitors to the 2011 Pennsylvania Farm Show can

 become "Farm Show Detectives" exploring the agriculture industry

 by investigating where milk comes from, learning about food

safety or discovering the important role farmland preservation plays in our food production,

Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding said this week.

"It is important that our youth understand where their food comes from and how

agriculture plays a role in Pennsylvania's growth," said Secretary Redding. "As 'Farm Show

Detectives,' children can learn about where and how their food is made through fun and

interactive learning stations staffed by industry experts."

Secretary Redding said the stations will feature topics such as alpacas, apples, beef and

veal, bees, the butter sculpture, dairy, dogs, edible nuts, family living center, farm equipment,farmland preservation, food safety, goats, horses, mushrooms, pigs, poultry, rabbits, sheep, the

WoodMobile, vegetables and veterinary medicine. The stations will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 6

 p.m. each day and are marked with a lamppost and sign.

Environmental Education

Learn about a variety of environmental topics such as water, waste management,

recycling, and radon protection at the 95th Pennsylvania Farm Show. DEP's Environmental

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Education and Information Center will have its "Green Trailer" exhibit on display featuring

information and hands-on activities.

The Pennsylvania Farm Show is the largest indoor agricultural event in the nation, with

24 acres under one roof that feature nearly 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits and 290

commercial exhibitors. Admission is free and parking is $10.

For more information, visit the 2011 Farm Show website.

Spotlight

Slippery Rock Watershed Student Symposium Packed With Future Scientists

The annual Westminster College-Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition Student Symposium was

held on December 2 at the McKelvey Campus Center at Westminster College.

Keynote Speaker Andy McAllister, Western Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation,

spoke on, "Western Pennsylvania's Abandoned Mine Legacy: Understanding Our Past To Help

Shape Our Future."

Many bright young minds were excited to participate in the event to showcase their 

scientific research on a variety of topics.

Oral presentations included:

-- "The Role Of Knowledge, Attitudes and Responsibility in Predicting Prosocial Ecological

Behavior Intentions," Cassie Treshok, Westminster College;

-- "Fabricated Soil for Cold Frame Cultivation of Vegetables and Wood Cuttings," Rayan

Yarington, Slippery Rock High School;

-- "Characterization and Possible Sustainable Sorbent Use of Iron oxides From Abandoned Mine

Drainage Discharge," Cody "Buck" Neely, University of Oklahoma (currently with BioMost,

Inc.);

-- "Results From the Initial 'ELF' Inter-Mine Poll Transfer Tests," Bryan Page, BioMost, Inc.;-- "Half Moon At Checkerboard Mesa: Fantasy for Oboe, Crickets and Coyotes," performed by

David Cushman, Westminster College Department of Economics and Business.

Posters and displays included:

-- "Warm Fall Day," artwork by Carissa O'Connor, Westminister College;

-- "Art and Nature Course Projects and Journals," Peggy Cox, ART 105 Art and Nature Course,

Westminster College;

-- "Gladje Av Naturen," artwork by Caitlin Roberts, Westminister College;

-- "Biological Test Of Four Crop Cultures for the Determination of the Gray Water Quality After 

Papyrus Cleaning," Elyse Lapham, Taylor Graves and Daniel Verbene, Robert Morris

University;

-- "Field Station Going Off the Grid With Solar Power," Ashley Durham, Westminister College;-- "Evaluating the Effect of Photoperiod on the Offspring Sex Ration of the Parasitoid Wasp,

 Nasonia Vitripennis," Karen Humphries, Westminster College;

-- "Potentiometric Measurement of Sulfides," Travis Q. Battiest, Youngstown State University;

-- "Recharging Your Environment: Technology Recycling Initiatives," Katie Farley, Nicole

Jodikinos, Kelly Matune and Rachel Hoffman, Westminister College;

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--"Regenerative Cycle in Biomass Formation and Bio-Fuel Production," Shari Mastalski,

Slippery Rock University; and

-- "Solar Energy Education Display," Cassie Treshok, Nicole George and Zach Smith,

Westminister College.

Rayan Yarington, a student at Slippery Rock High School and Justin White received

honorable mention for oral presentations. Rayan and Justic have worked closely with SlipperyRock Watershed Coalition soil scientist Dr. Valentine Kefeli. Congratulations to Rayan and

Justin, and to all of the student participants. You each did a tremendous and professional job!

(Reprinted from January 2011 issue of The Catalyst, Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition )

NHL Green Introduces Parking Lot Recycling At Winter Hockey Classic In Pittsburgh

Hockey fans tailgating before the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter 

Classic in Pittsburgh will “clear the zone” of recyclables in Heinz

Field parking lots.

On New Year’s Day, the Pennsylvania Resources Counciland its partners will collect aluminum cans, glass containers, and

 plastic bottles and cups in six designated stadium parking lots.

The recycling effort in Pittsburgh marks the first time in the

Winter Classic’s four-year history that the National Hockey League has collaborated with a local

environmental organization to collect recyclables at tailgate parties.

“We’re excited to introduce tailgate recycling at the 2011 Winter Classic as an extension

of our ‘NHL Green’ initiative,” said Bernadette Mansur, NHL Senior Vice President of Public

Affairs. “Partnering with the Pennsylvania Resources Council enables the NHL to expand its

year-round commitment to making the League and its Member Clubs more ecologically

responsible while educating our fans and raising awareness of environmental issues.“Partnering with the Pennsylvania Resources Council enables the NHL to expand its

year-round commitment to making the League and its Member Clubs more ecologically

responsible while educating our fans and raising awareness of environmental issues,” said

Mansur.

On January 1, Alco Parking attendants will distribute blue recycling bags to fans as they

enter six designated parking lots located along General Robinson Street. Tailgaters will be

encouraged to place all bottles, cans and plastic containers in the bags during their pre-game

 parties, tie up the filled bags and leave them next to their vehicles before heading to the game.

A recycling team will circulate throughout the lots to provide additional blue bags, help

collect filled bags and generally encourage fans to recycle.

“Sporting events provide a great opportunity to reinforce the importance of recycling, andeducation is a key component of this campaign,” said Dave Mazza, Regional Director of the

Pennsylvania Resources Council. “PRC and its campaign partners are encouraging people to

recycle when they’re away from home by making the activity easy and convenient.”

According to Mansur, “Pittsburgh is the perfect place to introduce such a new ‘green’

activity since the Penguins demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to preserving the

environment. CONSOL Energy Center has achieved LEED Gold certification, becoming the first

 NHL arena to reach that standard of sustainability.”

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The Winter Classic tailgate recycling campaign is sponsored by PRC and the Alcoa

Foundation in partnership with the National Hockey League, Pittsburgh Penguins, Alco Parking,

City of Pittsburgh Environmental Services, Greenstar, Heinz Field and the Sports & Exhibition

Authority.

For more information, download a special event flyer or visit the PA Resources Council

website or call 412-488-7490, x 243.

EPA's Recyclemania 2011 College Recycling Competition Starts In February

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency RecycleMania college recycling competition will

 begin in February.

Colleges and universities can register to reduce, reuse and recycle the most campus waste

in a 10-week period. Registration is free and can be completed online on the Forms page.

Last year, 607 participating campuses collectively recycled or composted more than 84.5

million pounds of waste during the 10 weeks.

To register, visit the How Schools Can Register for Recyclemania webpage. For 

information on waste reduction visit the EPA WasteWise Program.

Southwest PA Air Quality Partnership Celebrates 15th Anniversary

The Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership will celebrate its 15th Anniversary at its

annual meeting from 9 a.m. until noon on January 7 in Botany Hall at the Phipps Conservatory, 1

Schenley Park in Pittsburgh.

The festivities will begin at 8:15 a.m. with registration and a continental breakfast. The

meeting will begin at 9 o'clock. Michael Dawida of Scenic Pittsburgh will speak on "Perceptions

of Pittsburgh, Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow." Don Hopey and David Templeton from the

Pittsburgh Post Gazette will speak about their series entitled "Mapping Mortality."For more information, contact Jayme Graham of the Allegheny County Health

Department at 412-578-8129 or send email to: jgraham@achd.net, or visit the Southwest Air 

Quality Partnership website.

EPA Recommends Testing Your Home, Schools For Radon In January

January is national Radon Action Month and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

encourages everyone to test their homes for radon. January is an especially good time to test

homes and schools because windows and doors are closed tightly and people spend more time

indoors.

Unsafe levels of radon can lead to serious illness. The Surgeon General has warned thatradon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Only smoking causes

more lung cancer deaths. By making simple fixes in a home or building people can lower their 

health risks from radon.

Radon testing is the only way to know if radon is present, since it is a colorless, odorless,

tasteless gas. Test kits are available in home improvement centers and hardware stores and cost

approximately $20. The kits are simple to use and they include instructions for how to mail them

to a lab for the results.

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For more information, visit the EPA Radon webpage or the DEP Radon webpage.

Allegheny Land Trust Earns National Recognition

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance,

announced recently the Allegheny Land Trust has been awarded accredited status. ALT is one of 10 accredited land trusts in Pennsylvania to receive this status.

Allegheny Land Trust was awarded accreditation on December 15, and is one of 113 land

trusts out of a national membership of 1700 that has been awarded accreditation since the fall of 

2008. Accredited land trusts are able to display a seal indicating to the public that they meet

national standards for excellence, uphold the public trust and ensure that conservation efforts are

 permanent. The seal is a mark of distinction in land conservation.

“Accredited land trusts meet national quality standards for protecting important natural

 places and working lands forever,” said Commission Executive Director Tammara Van Ryn.

“The accreditation seal lets the public know that the accredited land trust has undergone an

extensive, external review of the governance and management of its organization and the

systems and policies it uses to protect land.”ALT’s accredited status demonstrates our commitment to the highest standards of 

 professional practice,” says Roy Kraynyk, Executive Director of ALT. “Our land trust is a

stronger organization today by participating in the rigorous accreditation program.”

Allegheny Land Trust is an independent Pennsylvania nonprofit 510(c)(3) organization

incorporated in 1993 to protect land of natural value in and adjacent to Allegheny County. ALT

helps local people save local land that contributes to the scenic, recreational, educational and

environmental well-being of communities in Allegheny County and its environs. ALT has

 protected more than 1,500 acres in Allegheny and Washington Counties.

Across the country, local citizens and communities have come together to form land

trusts to save the places they love. Community leaders in land trusts throughout the country haveworked with willing landowners to save over 37 million acres of farms, forests, parks and places

 people care about. Strong, well-managed land trusts provide local communities with effective

champions and caretakers of their critical land resources, and safeguard the land through the

generations.

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission awards the accreditation seal to community

institutions that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and

working lands forever. The Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance

established in 2006, is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit

management experts from around the country. The Alliance, of which ALT is a member, is a

national conservation group based in Washington, D.C. that works to save the places people love

 by strengthening conservation throughout America.“Being awarded accreditation required a huge effort by the staff and Board of ALT and

we are very proud of this achievement, says Kraynyk. Accreditation empowers ALT to advance

our mission with confidence and gives our stakeholders the same confidence that their support is

well-invested. I would like to thank everyone who helped to make this achievement possible,

including The Heinz Endowments for their generous support.”

The Endowments awarded $25,000 to Allegheny Land Trust to participate in the

accreditation process which supports the Endowments efforts to make southwestern

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Pennsylvania a premier place to live and work, a center for learning and educational excellence,

and a region that embraces diversity and inclusion.

For more information, visit the Allegheny Land Trust website.

Western PA Conservancy Acquires Scenic Land Along Lake Erie Shoreline

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy acquired one of the last remaining sections of 

undeveloped coastline along Lake Erie, to permanently conserve the land as a refuge for wildlife

and a recreational destination.

The Conservancy has purchased approximately 113 acres from a private landowner in

Springfield Township, Erie County and will convey the parcel to the Game Commission. The

 property will become a permanent addition to the 3,214-acre David M. Roderick Wildlife

Reserve/State Game Land 314, which was established by the Conservancy in 1991.

”This property is one of Northwest Pennsylvania’s gems. It has dramatic, tall bluffs along

the lake, forested wetlands on the interior parts, and it expands the giant state game land just

west of it that the Conservancy had protected in the past,” said Thomas Saunders, president and

CEO of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.“We are so glad we can make this area available to the public for hiking, fishing, cross-

country skiing, and just walking on the beach.”

Due to its location along Lake Erie and its scenic beauty, this land was at risk to be

developed in a manner that would have harmed its recreational and ecological value. A longtime

conservation priority for WPC, the newly protected property will now safeguard beautiful views

of Lake Erie from the Pennsylvania Seaway Trail, a state and national scenic byway.

The property includes steep bluffs above the Lake Erie beach, coastal wetlands, and rare

geological features known as scarp seeps. It is home to endangered plants such as variegated

scouring-rush and small-headed rush. In addition, the land falls within a priority Erie County

Greenway, an international Bird Conservation Region and a Pennsylvania Important Bird Area.Birds that have been observed in the area include bald eagles, peregrine falcons, bank 

swallows, American woodcocks, willow flycatchers, yellow-breasted chats, wood thrushes and

scarlet tanagers.

“This acquisition, with its early successional and wetlands habitats in immediate

 proximity to the lake, will add valuable habitat to the existing Important Bird Area at Roderick 

Reserve,” said Audubon Pennsylvania Important Bird Area Coordinator Sarah Sargent.

“December is always an exciting time of year at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy,

 because many of our land protection acquisitions close at year-end,” said Saunders. “Last week,

we added 135 acres to Laurel Hill State Park in Somerset County; today this property is being

 protected along the Erie Shore; and before the month ends, we expect to protect a beautiful

forested property in Bedford County with a donated conservation easement, and also protectmore properties in the Ligonier Valley.”

This Erie County acquisition was made possible through grants from the Erie Community

Foundation, the Community Conservation Partnership Program administered by the Department

of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Joint

Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection Program. Funding is also anticipated from the Game

Commission.

NewsClips: Western PA Conservancy Secures 113 Acres Along Lake Erie

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Western PA Conservancy Announces Bedford Tract

Land Trusts In Region Preserve Green Spaces

Sen. Costa Secures Funding To Complete Great Allegheny Trail

Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) announced $750,000 in state redevelopmentassistance grant money has been awarded to complete the Great Allegheny Passage project.

Until now, a one-mile long gap in the trail in West Homestead and the City of Pittsburgh

has been a missing link in the 135 mile trail.

"We've worked hard to revitalize the area that was hit so hard by the departure of the

Homestead Works. These efforts are paying off, and completion of this trail is a huge win for the

folks who work and play here," said Sen. Costa. "Not only is this a valuable resource for those

who will be able to spend quality time outdoors, but the economic impact this trail has on the

area can't be understated. It attracts over 700,000 visitors every year, who spend millions of 

dollars and help to fuel the area's turnaround."

It is estimated that over $40 million in indirect spending is seen in trail towns annually.

88 businesses have been created over the past several years because of GAP."The completion of the Great Allegheny Passage is a transformational moment for our 

region, both economically and recreationally," said Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato.

"This trail has been improving the economy and quality of life in towns throughout the Laurel

Highlands and Southwestern Pennsylvania, and now its benefits will spread north through the

Mon Valley and into the City of Pittsburgh."

"I want to thank the Commonwealth, especially Gov. Ed Rendell and Sen. Jay Costa, for 

continued support of this project. With the help of our generous foundation community and

enthusiastic trail users, we have come a long way toward the completion of this incredible trail.

But, we wouldn't be on the home stretch without the state's support."

Linda McKenna Boxx, president of the Allegheny Trail Alliance, was enthusiastic in her thanks to the Governor, Sen. Costa and Allegheny County for this important funding.

"Only one mile remains to finance to complete the Great Allegheny Passage" Boxx said.

"There will be a significant jump in traffic once the last link to Pittsburgh is completed. The trail

is truly having an economic impact in the communities through which it passes, and we look 

forward to revitalization in the Mon Valley communities. Pittsburgh will truly become a biking

Mecca. We are thrilled to have this commitment through RACP to jump start the campaign for 

the last mile."

The Great Allegheny Passage is a 135 mile hiking and biking trail that will connect

Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland. The trail system has been 35 years in the making and

funding has come from individual trail users, local governments, private foundations and

corporations, and state and federal grants.Work is expected to be completed, offering hikers and cyclists full use of the facilities in

January 2012.

ClearWater Conservancy Holds Love Of Art & Chocolate Event January 28

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All you care to eat chocolate, art and music, could there be anything sweeter? What about a

combination of all three to help the ClearWater Conservancy in State College protect

Pennsylvania’s land and water resources?

On January 28 from 7 – 9:30 pm at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel the

nonprofit will host an evening of chocolate, art and music at its 12th annual For the Love of Art

and Chocolate event. Tickets cost $30 each and are available by calling 814-237-0400 or sending email to: sarah@clearwaterconservancy.org. Tickets will also be sold at the door.

ClearWater Conservancy executive director Jennifer Shuey hopes that people’s love of 

chocolate and art will bring them out to the event.

“For the Love of Art and Chocolate is ClearWater’s signature fundraising event,” said

Shuey. “I personally believe that artistry and beauty is a wonderful way to reach out to people

that complements the science of conservation.”

Delicacies from Chocolate Madness, Sweet Indulgence and The Penn State Berkey

Creamery are just some of the locally-made sweets that will be featured at the event. There will

 be a silent auction featuring the work of local artists as well as three special raffles. Local jazz

 band Jazza-Ma-Phone will provide live music for the evening.

Over fifty items will be featured in the nature-themed art silent auction. Oil paintings, pastels, watercolors, mixed media, wood and clay sculpture, pottery, jewelry, quilting, felting,

and much more were generously donated by talented local artists. The event catalogue featuring

 photos of the silent auction items will be posted online at approximately one week before the

event for people to preview.

Much of the art will also be displayed in downtown State College during First Night.

While enjoying the festivities, check out the exhibits at Appalachian Outdoors, Moyer Jewelers,

Freeze Thaw Cycles, Woodring’s Florals, the Penn State Downtown Theatre, and the State

Theatre.

Three exciting prizes will also be raffled at the event. Raffle tickets may be purchased

for $10 each, and the winner need not be present at the main event. The first raffle item will bean oil painting by local landscape artist Jennifer Kane. The 30” x 40” painting features the

Barrens to Eagle Wildlife Corridor, an area protected this year by ClearWater Conservancy. This

 painting is valued at $3,000 and is the fourth painting in a series of works by Kane based on

ClearWater’s conserved lands.

The second raffle item is an authentic Persian rug from the Desert Rug Company.

Handmade and the “gold standard” of all other rugs, this Persian rug is durable art for the floor.

The final raffle item is a retreat package from the C. Barton McCann School of Art that

includes a weekend stay for two at their Hemlock Cottage, along with admission to their 

"McCann Cooks" cooking class featuring Mike Benjamin and a couple’s massage provided by

Jason Narbor.

For more information, visit the For the Love of Art and Chocolate webpage.

Spotlight

Bringing Back The Mighty Giant-- American Chestnut

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The PA Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation held its fall meeting at the Mercer 

County Cooperative Extension building and Shaun Busler of Stream Restoration, Inc. and the

Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition were excited to attend!

The meeting began with opening remarks from Alex Day, retired manager of Penn

 Nursery and continued with an interesting talk by Dr Lynn K. Rieske-Kinney, Professor of 

Forest Entomology at the University of Kentucky.Lynn's presentation, "Chestnuts and the Gall Wasp," went over information regarding

another new threat to the American Chestnut by an exotic species. The Asian or Oriental gall

wasp first was observed infecting Chinese Chestnut trees in Georgia in 1974 and has spread to

Pennsylvania.

The gall wasp has been in Mercer and Erie counties for more than 3 years, with

significant numbers of galls appearing on many American Chestnuts in Mercer County in the

spring of 2009.

The effect of the galls was a severe decline in tree vigor and decreased production of 

chestnuts. It is hoped that "Citizen Science," a volunteer observation and reporting organization,

will aid in monitoring and overcoming this new threat.

Two additional speakers led talks before the lunch break of the meeting. Dr. UmaRamakrishnan, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Studies at Juniata College,

spoke on the topic, "The American Chestnut as a Service Learning Project."

It is great to see the college contribute to the Foundation and to provide hands-on

learning opportunities for the students.

After lunch was a presentation by Dr. Brian McCarthy called, "Chestnuts and Strip Mine

Reclamation." This presentation provided a lot of great information on establishing hardwoods,

 particularly the American Chestnut, on strip mines. American Chesnnuts are well-suited to

rocky, well-drained, acidic strip mine soils, which are abundant in the Slippery Rock Creek 

Watershed.

The last event of the meeting was a tour of the Haun Orchard, one of more than 150chestnut research and demonstration orchards maintained by PA-TACF volunteers and citizen

scientists to help support the regional tree breeding program. At the orchard, attendees were

shown how the blight has affected the trees and the resulting sucker growth that still produces

nuts every year.

Shaun was quite interested to learn more about the new and exciting things going on

through TACF, including information on the layout of a chestnut demonstration orchard and the

role chestnuts can play on AMD remediation sites. Hopefully, someday, the Slippery Rock 

Watershed Coalition can partner with the Foundation to bring back American Chestnuts to the

watershed.

Since 1983, TACF's scientists have worked to create a blight-resistant species by

 backcrossing the American Chestnut with the blight-resistant Chinese Chestnut. Now TACF is planting and testing its potentially blight-resistant trees called, "Restoration Chestnuts."

If you would like to learn more about the "mighty giant," or get involved, just visit the

PA-TACF website or send email to: mail@patacf.org.

(Reprinted from January 2011 issue of The Catalyst, Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition )

Treasurer McCord: Finance Whole Home Energy Improvements

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Pennsylvania Treasurer Rob McCord announced new, innovative financing options available

through the Keystone Home Energy Loan Program.

Qualified Pennsylvania homeowners can now take advantage of lower-rate, fixed-term

loans for whole home energy efficiency projects – upon completion of a home energy audit

designed to identify the most effective energy conserving improvements in each home."Keystone HELP is a national model for sustainable lending to retrofit existing homes

with efficient equipment," Treasurer McCord said. "We are adding this new financing option to

an existing suite of loans to save homeowners money, conserve energy, and create demand for 

green-certified installers and manufacturers."

The new Conservation Audit and Performance Protocol Loans can be used for qualifying

activities such as insulation and air sealing, as well as other Energy Star improvements involving

heating and cooling equipment.

Unsecured loans up to $15,000 are available under CAPP for 3, 5, or 10 year terms at an

interest rate of 2.99 percent, the lowest rate HELP has ever offered for unsecured loans.

Loans for single measure Energy Star improvements remain available, at rates starting from 7.99

 percent. Homeowners can also choose a low-interest secured loan of up to $35,000. These loansare offered at rates as low as 3.875 percent for 10, 15, or 20 year terms. The secured loan portion

of the HELP program is supported by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.

This enhancement of the Keystone HELP program will encourage more comprehensive

energy efficiency improvements by offering lower rates to homeowners who make multiple,

whole home improvements based on the results of their home energy audit. This approach will

lead to larger energy reductions and greater savings on energy bills for Pennsylvania

homeowners.

"Energy conservation is the first step to energy independence," Treasurer McCord said.

"The more we can do to encourage affordable energy efficiency, the closer we get to the world

we all want – clean and less reliant on foreign and carbon-emitting energy sources."Keystone HELP loans are available to one or two unit owner-occupied homes located

anywhere in Pennsylvania. To be eligible for Keystone HELP loans, all audits, installation and

other work must be performed by an approved contractor. Keystone HELP and the program

administrator, AFC First Financial Corporation, maintain a network of over 1,600 approved

contractors.

Created by the Pennsylvania Treasury and AFC First Financial Corporation of 

Allentown, Keystone HELP is an innovative, nationally recognized program that provides low-

interest loans to homeowners for energy conservation improvements.

Keystone HELP began offering loans with even lower interest rates in 2009, when

Treasury partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to expand the

 program's impact by using funds appropriated under Pennsylvania's Alternative EnergyInvestment Act.

This latest HELP enhancement also continues Treasury's partnership with DEP.

Treasury's investment will provide capital for the loans, which are also supported by funds

granted to DEP under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Keystone HELP has helped over 7,000 homeowners finance over $45 million in money-

saving home improvements.

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Opinion

Straight Talk: PA Water Withdrawals

By John A. Arway

Executive Director Fish & Boat Commission

My dad always taught me that if you borrowed something you should

always return it in a better condition than when you received it.

Unfortunately, this isn't the case for some of our Commonwealth property

that is being borrowed and, in some cases, outright stolen without

compensation.

The Fish and Boat Commission is a Commonwealth agency with

the responsibility of protecting, conserving and enhancing our 

Commonwealth's fish and aquatic resources and providing fishing and

 boating opportunities.

Consistent with our State Constitution, we hold our resources in

 public trust for you,our anglers, boaters and conservationists, as well as other members of the

general public. We are fortunate that we have always been water rich in Pennsylvania, and

therefore, as a society, we haven't paid much attention to those using our water resources,

 because they are so abundant.

In fact, it has been estimated that we have more than 83,000 miles of streams, nearly

4,000 lakes and 80 trillion gallons of groundwater. However, the demand for our water 

continues to grow. In 2003, it was estimated that over 10 billion gallons per day were being

withdrawn from surface and ground waters.

Activities such as power plant use, bottled water withdrawals, Marcellus natural gasdrilling and other industrial activities take water directly from our streams, lakes and rivers, and

it is not returned. These water uses are called consumptive uses. Water is evaporated out of 

large smokestacks, shipped away in plastic bottles or left deep underground to possible never be

seen again.

Water is literally being taken without compensation, and it makes me mad. It should also

make yo made, because it is your property, too. It has an impact on our aquatic resources and

your quality of life.

We currently share revenue with the Department of Environmental Protection for the

sand and gravel extracted from the riverbeds of the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers, because that

material is also Commonwealth property. It is submerged lands under navigable water, and the

Commonwealth gets compensated for its value through a royalty fee. We have a law thatrequires it. We use that money to fund programs consistent with our mission. Shouldn't we have

a similar law and the same hold true for the water that we all own?

The second part of this story applies to the billions of gallons of water that is being

 borrowed by industry every day for industrial processes and is returned to our streams in a

degraded condition.

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This has occurred for centuries in Pennsylvania and around our country. It is legal to do this and

industries receive a permit called a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

 permit from DEP, which protects our water resources against pollution and allows degradation.

 Now, this may not seem like a bid deal to some but how would you feel if someone

 borrowed your car and then returned it with a dented fender? The car would still be functional,

 but it would be damaged. You would certainly expect the person who borrowed it to pay for thedamage.

This is exactly what I expect industry to do for the water we allow them to use, but they

degrade. Our streams, rivers and lakes are being taken advantage of, and we should demand just

compensation. Some of this cost is currently being born by many of us when we pay our water 

 bills.

When this degraded water flows downstream and enters the pipe of a public water 

supply, the additional treatment that is necessary to treat the water to drinking water standards is

 passed on to the public that pays to drink it.

This is one of my ideas that I told you about to generate alternative funding for 

conservation programs and perhaps lower the cost of your fishing license, but I need your help.

Speak out, and let your elected officials know that you are mad too and expect to becompensated for the damages I have discussed in this article.

The fish are depending on it.

(Reprinted from the January/February 2011 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater magazine.)

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 3-- Vote For Pennsylvania River Of The Year 

January 7-- NRCS Conservation Stewardship Grants

January 7-- PA Conservation Corps Grants

January 7-- PALTA Land Trust Conservation Leadership Award

January 14-- Colcom Foundation Marcellus Shale Environmental Grants

January 31-- PHMC Historic Preservation Grants

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

February 15-- PennVEST Water Infrastructure Funding

February 25-- Foundation for PA Watersheds Grants

March 1-- Schuylkill Action Network Schuylkill Stories Contest

March 1-- Schuylkill Action Network Drinking Water Scholastic Award ContestJanuary 14-- Colcom Foundation Marcellus Shale Environmental Grants

April 20-- DCNR Community Conservation Partnership Grants

June 30-- DEP Nitrogen Tire Inflation System Grants

August 26-- Foundation for PA Watersheds Grants

Other Funding Programs

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-- DEP PA Sunshine Solar Energy Rebates

-- CFA High Performance Building Financing (Program Link )

-- CFA Solar Energy Financing (Program Link )

-- CFA Geothermal, Wind Energy Projects (Program Link )

-- Visit the DEP Grants and Loan Programs webpage for more ideas on how to get financialassistance for environmental projects.

Quick Clips

Here's a selection of NewClips on environmental topics from around the state--

Budget

Corbett Will Face Uphill Battle With Health Care Costs, Budget

Stimulus Cash Continues To Fuel Regional Weatherization Program

Federal Stimulus Projects, Services Across Central PA

Rendell Transition Reports Show Woes For New PA Leaders

 No Extension Of State Employee Contract Sets Up Showdown

Corbett Will Review Rendell's Last-Minute Spending Spree

Rendell Doles Out Millions In Late Grants

Other

Green Boat's Debt, Design Flaw Threaten To Scuttle RiverQuest

Students Get A Chance To Go Green

DEP Sends Notice On Local Controlled Burns

 NJ Battle To Clean Up PA Coal-Fired Plant May Pay Off 

Op-Ed: Clean Air, Pittsburgh Has Done It Before

 New Book On PA Coal And CommunitiesSafety Concerns After South Union Twp. Surface Mining

Complaint: Mining Firms Alerted Workers Of Inspections

Official; Call State For Help On Heat

More Rate Caps Expire January 1

Complaints Against Most Utilities Drop

ARAMARK Services Introduces Hybrid Electric Vehicles To Fleet

Energy Companies Depending On Tax Incentives

Solar Panel Regulations Challenge Local Governments

Op-Ed: Legislature Should Repeal Costly Renewables

Editorial: Warming Debate, Congress' New Climate

Editorial: Global Warming, Education Must ImproveEditorial: EPA Acts On Greenhouse Gas Limits

Western PA Conservancy Secures 113 Acres Along Lake Erie

Land Trusts In Region Preserve Green Spaces

Western PA Conservancy Announces Bedford Tract

Column: Caring For Forests Is Key To Sustainability

Grant From Pirates Helps Uniontown Park Renovation

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For The Birds, Winter Care For The Critters

Crows, Gulls Top Annual Bird Count

Get Out And Enjoy Nature With Wildlands Conservancy

Presque Isle, Ridge Center Offer Winter Fun

State Gives $750,000 To Finish Great Allegheny Passage Trail

Costa: State Funds Help Build Last Section Of Bike Trail

Marcellus Shale NewsClips

Here are NewsClips on topics related to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling---

 Note: DEP has not published the Marcellus Shale Examiner newsletter since election day.

Two Approaches To Drilling-- PA, NY

Other Shale Gas Developments Possible In PA

Marcellus Shale Gas Fueling Bradford County Boom

Local Drilling Bans Raise Concerns Energy Lawyers Say

Ban On Murrysville Marcellus Shale Drilling Explored

Residents Often In Dark On Proximity To Gas Lines

 Newton Twp. Adopts Road Weight Limits To Protect From Gas Trucks

 Natural Gas Drillers' Damage To Roads Debated

Ford City May Lease For Marcellus Shale Drilling

Cost Break Forecast For Heating With Gas

Gas Rate Increases To Boost Bills 2 Percent

Drilling Threat Puts Eagles Mere On Endangered Places List

Ohio Gov.-Elect Eyes Gas Riches Of Marcellus Shale

Editorial: Corbett, Follow The Money

Watershed NewsClips

Here are NewsClips on watershed topics from around the state--

EPA Outlines Details Of Chesapeake Bay Plan

EPA Lays Out Major Cheanup For Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay Pollution Limits Target Farmers, Stormwater 

Pollution Diet For Chesapeake Bay Impacts NE

 New Plan May Help Cut Pollution To Chesapeake Bay

Blog: Chesapeake Bay, Marcellus Shale, Living In Harmony?

Report Shows Trouble Still Ahead For Chesapeake Bay

CBF Report: Chesapeake Bay Improving, But Still Critical

Report: Chesapeake Bay Improving, But Gets D-Plus

Report Finds Chesapeake Bay Improved, But Still Out Of Balance

Chesapeake Better, But Still In Real Trouble

PA's Benefit From Changing Tide In Chesapeake Bay

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Chesapeake Bay TMDL To Take Effect January 1

Feds To Determine Fate Of Chesapeake Bay

Sewer, Water Rates To Rise In Altoona

Communities Sharing Sewage Costs Of Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

Column: More Than Water Running Into Streams

Road Salt: Good For Safety, Bad For EnvironmentDelco Unveils Greenway Plan For Darby Creek Watershed

What's Next For The Wissahickon?

Brandywine River Museum Director Retires

Survey: Pittsburgh Water High In Chromium-6

Cold Helping Great Lakes

Keeping Asian Carp Out Of Great Lakes

Empty Rail Containers Could Be In River For A While

Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits

 No new regulations were published this week. Pennsylvania Bulletin - January 1, 2011

Proposed Regulations Open For Comment - DEP webpage

Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods - DEP webpage

Rolling Regulatory Agenda - DEP webpage

Technical Guidance & Permits

The Public Utility Commission formally published a final order on natural gas supplier competition recommendations from the SEARCH stakeholder committee.

Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines - DEP webpage

Copies Of Draft Technical Guidance - DEP webpage

Copies of Final Technical Guidance - DEP webpage

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.

Note: The 2011 DEP advisory committee meetings are now included in Upcoming Events.

Click on Agenda Released on calendar entries to see the NEW meeting agendas published this

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week.

January 4-- NEW. Senate and House formally organize for 2011-12 session.

January 6-- Agenda Released. DEP Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board meeting. 16th

Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.

January 11-- DEP Certification Program Advisory Committee meeting. (formal notice)

January 12-- NEW. DEP Coastal Zone Advisory Committee meeting. 10th Floor Conference

Room, Rachel Carson Building. 9:30.

January 12-- NEW. DEP Technical Advisory Committee on Diesel-Powered Mining

Equipment meeting. Fayette County Health Center, Uniontown. 10:00.

January 13-- NEW. DEP Solid Waste Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson

Building. 10:00.

January 18-- NEW. Gov.-Elect Tom Corbett takes office.

January 19-- NEW. Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson

Building. 9:00.

January 19-- NEW. DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson

Building. 11:00.

January 20-- NEW. DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 RachelCarson Building. 10:00.

January 21-- Agenda Released. DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room

105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.

January 24-- Environmental Issues Forum featuring a presentation by Marci Mowery, PA Parks

and Forests Foundation on the Goddard Legacy Project by the Joint Legislative Air and

Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee. Room G-50 Irvis Building. Noon.

January 26-- NEW. DEP Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee meeting. 12th

Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.

January 27-- Public Utility Commission Solar Project Working Group meeting. Hearing Room

1, Keystone Building. 1:00. (  formal notice page 7312 )

February 8-- NEW. DEP Environmental Justice Advisory Board meeting. 16th Floor 

Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 8:30.

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February 9-- NEW. DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel

Carson Building. 9:30.

February 15-- NEW. Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson

Building. 9:00.

February 15-- NEW. DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson

Building. 11:00.

February 15-- 2011 PA Recycling Industries Congress by the PA Recycling Markets Center and

PA Waste Industries Association. Email: info@parmc.org.

DEP Calendar of Events

DEP Calendar of Events

Environmental Education Workshop/Training Calendar (PA Center for EnvironmentalEducation)

Senate Committee Schedule House Committee Schedule

You can watch the Senate Floor Session and House Floor Session live online.

Stories Invited

Send your stories, photos and 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 to the clients of Crisci Associates, a

Harrisburg-based government and public affairs firm whose clients include Fortune 500

companies and non-profit organizations. For more information on Crisci Associates, call

717-234-1716.

PA Environment Digest was the winner of the PA Association of Environmental Educators'

2009 Business Partner of the Year Award.

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.