Mardy fish

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published notice in the October 29 PA Bulletin that it has leased 176 acres of Susquehanna River streambed to SWN Natural Gas Production Company in Great Bend Township, Susquehanna County for $704,000. The lease allows for the development of oil and natural gas below and between the ordinary low water marks of the Susquehanna River solely by means of directional, including horizontal, drilling on a nondevelopment basis that will not disturb the river or its bed. Click Here for a copy of the lease amendment. Questions should be directed to the Department's Bureau of Forestry, Minerals Division, (717) 787-2703. Visit Explore PA Trails and Get Outdoors PA for recreation areas near you.   For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s website, Visit the Good Natured DCNR Blog,  Click Here for upcoming events, Click Here to hook up with DCNR on other social media-- Facebook, Twitter...

The Delaware River Basin Commission will hold a hearing on water requests on November 9 and its next quarterly business meeting December 7.  Both will be held via Zoom. The November 9 hearing will begin at 1:30.  Items to be heard include 19 draft dockets for withdrawals, discharges and other projects that could have a substantial effect on the Basin's water resources, all of which are listed below. The business meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. Click Here for detailed agenda information and instructions on how to join the hearing and meeting. For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Delaware River Basin Commission website.  Click Here to sign up for regulator updates.  Follow DRBC on Twitter.  Visit them on YouTube.[Posted: October 27, 2022]  PA Environment Digest

Are You Telling Your Story? Warning! Last Voting Days This Session!  Hold Onto Your Butts! (And Tax Money!) Senate returns to session October 24, 25, 26, November 15 [Adjourn for year]      -- Committee Schedule House returns to session October 24, 25, 26, November 14, 15, 16 [Adjourn for year]      -- Committee Schedule TODAY’s Calendar Of Events    -- DEP/SRBC Permit Notices -- Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities [PaEN]    -- Southwestern PA Grassroots Town Halls Hosts Oct. 24 Virtual Program On Eyes On Shell Ethane Plant Campaign In Beaver County  [PaEN]   -- House Committee Meets Oct. 24 To Consider Gas Royalty, Diesel Engines In Coal Mines Bills  [PaEN]   -- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: York County Creek Worst In The Country For PFAS ‘Forever Chemical’ Pollution, Study Says   -- Post-Gazette: Allegheny County Health Dept. Responds To Air Quality Warnings    -- DEP Posted 52 Pages Of Permit-Related Public Notices In Oct. 22 PA Bulletin [PaEN]   -- PennFutur...

Are You Telling Your Story? Senate returns to session October 24, 25, 26, November 15 [Adjourn for year]      -- Committee Schedule House returns to session October 24, 25, 26, November 14, 15, 16 [Adjourn for year]      -- Committee Schedule TODAY’s Calendar Of Events    -- DEP Posts Formal Notice Of Availability Of Abandoned Mine Land, Mine Drainage Grants   -- DEP Begins Accepting Applications For $103.4 Million In Abandoned Mine Reclamation Grants Starting Oct. 24  [PaEN]   -- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Award $3.5 Million In Grants To Restore, Protect Habitats In Chesapeake Bay Watershed; 4 In PA Totalling $1.48 Million  [PaEN] -- Celebrating 10 Years Of Volunteers Impact - Greening The Lower Susquehanna - By Kristen Koch, Penn State Agriculture & Environment Center  [PaEN] -- East Lampeter Twp. First Municipality To Partner With Lancaster Revolving Water Fund On Pay-For Performance Contract On Improving Water Quali...

Are You Telling Your Story? Senate returns to session October 24, 25, 26, November 15 [Adjourn for year]      -- Committee Schedule House returns to session October 24, 25, 26, November 14, 15, 16 [Adjourn for year]      -- Committee Schedule TODAY’s Calendar Of Events  -- City & State PA Recognize The 2022 Pennsylvania Nonprofit Power 100 Leaders, Including 7 Conservation Leaders  [PaEN] -- Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Plants Its 5-Millionth Tree In Franklin County Park; Thousands Of Volunteers Were Critical To Reaching This Milestone  [PaEN] -- WeConservePA Visits Award-Winning Headwaters Restoration Project By Wissahickon Trails In Montgomery County  [PaEN] -- DCNR Blog: New Resources Available For Forest Landowners And Managers For Climate Change Resilience  [PaEN] -- York Daily Record: York County Creek Samples Show Highest Levels Of PFOA ‘Forever Chemicals’ In The Country  -- Senate Confirms Three PUC Commissioners Bringing 5-Member Panel Up To Full...

On October 19, the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority announced the investment of $236 million in 23 drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and nonpoint pollution reduction projects in 15 counties. “I’m encouraged to see continued, increased investments in our clean water infrastructure across the Commonwealth, and these awards mark a historic occasion,” said Gov. Tom Wolf. “This round of water quality funding will deliver the first dollars from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, signed by President Biden in November of 2021. This funding will create generational change in improving our environment and planning for future growth.” “Clean water is the lifeblood of any community. These projects will help children grow and families thrive by providing safe drinking water and improving water infrastructure to protect public health,” said US Senator Bob Casey. “I’m proud to say that this is just the beginning of water infrastructure funding coming to Pennsylvania thanks to ...

Are You Telling Your Story? Senate returns to session October 19, 24, 25, 26, November 15 [Adjourn for year]      -- Committee Schedule House returns to session October 24, 25, 26, November 14, 15, 16 [Adjourn for year]      -- Committee Schedule TODAY’s Calendar Of Events  -- Federal Office Of Surface Mining Recognizes DEP Anthracite Outdoor Adventure - Bear Valley Mine Reclamation Project In Northumberland County With National Award  [PaEN] -- National Wildlife Federal Blog: Mine-Scarred Land And Orange Rivers - A Story Of Land Degradation And Reclamation In Pennsylvania -- Nominations Now Being Accepted For 2023 Governor’s Award For Environmental Excellence  [PaEN]   -- TribLive Editorial: State Fines Should Be Higher Than Tax Cuts To Penalize Environmental Leaks [PaEN]   -- Republican Herald Editorial: State Lawmakers Should Adopt Rules That Preclude State Taxpayers From Subsidizing Pollution From Oil & Gas Industry  [PaEN]   -- Republican Herald Editorial: Da...

Are You Telling Your Story? Senate returns to session October 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, November 15 [Adjourn for year]      -- Committee Schedule House returns to session October 24, 25, 26, November 14, 15, 16 [Adjourn for year]      -- Committee Schedule TODAY’s Calendar Of Events    -- Caren Glotfelty Recognized As A 2022 Distinguished Daughter Of Pennsylvania  [PaEN]   -- CBF Blog: Franklin Kury: Two Jars Of Water, And A Lasting Environmental Legacy For Pennsylvania - By B.J. Small, Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA  [PaEN]   -- Interfaith Partners For The Chesapeake Bay Host Oct. 22 Susquehanna Summit - A Day Of Creation Care Collaboration In Lancaster County  [PaEN]   -- Wilkes-Barre Times: Wilkes-Barre ‘Worker Bees’ To Plant Trees   -- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Holds Nov. 3 Hearing On Water Withdraws, Including 3 Natural Gas Development Proposals  [PaEN]   -- TribLive: Shell Pipeline, Contractor Fined $670,000 For Repeated Pipeline Chemical Releases   -- DE...

On October 14, Gov. Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf recognized 11 women as this year’s Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania, highlighting their extraordinary achievements and contributions to the Commonwealth at an event at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg on Wednesday. Among the honorees is Caren Glotfelty who has worked to conserve, protect and improve the environment for nature and people for more than 50 years.  She most recently served as the Executive Director of the Allegheny County Parks Foundation, where she is a strong partner with Allegheny County government to maintain the county parks system as a world-class asset for southwestern Pennsylvania.  Her past professional positions include Environment Program Director for The Heinz Endowments, Maurice K. Goddard Chair in Environmental Resource Conservation at The Pennsylvania State University and Deputy Secretary for Water Management in the Pennsylvania Department Environmental Resources under Gov. Bob Casey.  ...

On October 13, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it has executed a $670,000 consent assessment of civil penalty with Shell Pipeline Company LP and its contractor, Minnesota Limited LLC, for violations of its permit and Pennsylvania laws and regulations that occurred in 2019 and 2020 during construction of the company’s Falcon pipeline project.  Between March 14, 2019, and April 9, 2021, DEP and the Allegheny, Beaver, and Washington County conservation districts, on DEP’s behalf, conducted at least 67 inspections of the pipeline construction sites to determine compliance by Shell Pipeline Company and Minnesota Limited with permits as well as state laws and regulations.  DEP and the conservation districts observed violations resulting in sediment pollution from pipeline construction sites entering waters of the Commonwealth as well as violations that had the potential to cause sediment pollution into waters of the Commonwealth. However, no visual aquatic impacts were...

On October 12, the Department of Transportation announced resources are now available to help businesses and organizations to prepare in advance of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Notice of Funding Opportunity announcement, which is anticipated for late December/early January. As part of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), PennDOT will receive and distribute $171.5 million in formula funds for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure over the next five years.  The NEVI funding available for the first federal fiscal year is $25.4 million. NEVI grants will require the grantee to provide a minimum 20% match. "The NEVI program will help Pennsylvania build out its EV charging infrastructure," said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. "As this is a new program for Pennsylvania and the nation at large, we want to give our partners and businesses as much opportunity as possible to prepare for application submission to support our efforts of...

Conservation professionals of color in the Delaware River Watershed region can join a one-year cohort led by Institute for Conservation Leadership.  The deadline to apply is October 19. Since BIPOC communities in environmental organizations operate in a space with lower representation and higher barriers to advance their careers, this pilot program is intended to create and support a cohort of young professionals in their work.  There will be special emphasis on staff from organizations in the Delaware River Watershed Initiative and other William Penn Foundation Watershed Protection Program grantees.  The cohort will have opportunities for career development, network building, and skills development to enhance and advance their professional pursuits. Click Here to apply and for all the details. (Courtesy WeConservePA.) [Posted: October 8, 2022]  PA Environment Digest

On October 7, the Department of Environmental Protection announced the award of $3 million in grant funding to local governments and organizations to restore the health of local watersheds around the state by reducing water pollution. “Reducing current and future nonpoint source pollution is critical to restoring the health of the water ecosystems Pennsylvanians depend on,” said DEP Acting Secretary Ramez Ziadeh. “It requires painstaking work based on understanding the impact that activities on land have on our streams and rivers. DEP is pleased to support communities across Pennsylvania who are working to improve their watersheds one stream segment, one land parcel, one best-practice project at a time.” The grants target nonpoint source pollution, or pollution that enters streams and rivers from widespread sources, rather than from a single specific discharge point, such as a pipe.  About 95% of water-quality-impaired watersheds in Pennsylvania are affected by the following types o...

The PA Sea Grant Program and the Department of Environmental Protection will host an October 25 Lake Erie Environmental Forum webinar on Climate Hazard Mitigation and Climate Migration online from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Climate change is already taking a toll in the Great Lakes region. Record breaking high temperatures and unpredictable extreme weather events have many cities around the Great Lakes preparing for future sustained impacts.  These hazards present an opportunity to work together and create a future for people and nature to thrive.  Join this webinar to learn what has been done and what is to come for cities around Lake Erie.  Invited speakers from the University of Buffalo, Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative at Kent State University, Pennsylvania Sea Grant, and JH Consulting will come together to talk about hazard mitigation around the Great Lakes and Erie in the face of a changing climate.  Discussions will occur around projects completed in Cleveland and Buffalo as wel...

On October 5, the Department of Environmental Protection provided an update on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan efforts in its latest Healthy Waters Partnership newsletter.  Articles include-- -- DEP Forming General Permit PAG-13 Workgroup -- DCNR Hires 5 New Regional Watershed Forestry Specialists -- Alliance For Chesapeake Bay 24-Hour Tree Planting Oct. 28-29 -- DEP, Partners Showcase Stream Restoration Projects In Lancaster County -- 2023 Countywide Action Plan Implementation Grant Round Announced -- NFWF Innovative Nutrient & Sediment Reduction Grants Program Open -- DCNR Special Fall Grant Round Open - Community & Watershed Forestry -- PACD Accepting Applications For New Round Of CREP Mini-Grants -- DEP Chesapeake Bay Office Is Now The Bureau Of Watershed Restoration & Nonpoint Source Management -- And much more…. The newsletter also includes updates from Adams, Columbia, Dauphin, Lancaster, Montour, Susquehanna counties. Click Here to r...

Hunters, hikers, fall foliage visitors and anyone going out to enjoy Penn’s Woods this fall are urged by former Department Of Environmental Protection Secretary David Hess to report the illegal road dumping of conventional oil and gas wastewater on roads. “The counties hunters, hikers and fall foliage enthusiasts visit to enjoy Pennsylvania’s forests are many of the same counties where conventional oil and gas operators are still illegally dumping their drilling wastewater on dirt, gravel and even hard roads,” said Hess.  “The more eyes and ears we have watching for this illegal activity, the more chances we have to catch them in the act.” The counties where road dumping has been reported include-- Butler, Cambria, Clarion, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Greene, Jefferson, Mercer, Potter, Venango and Warren. What To Look For The typical road dumping operation involves a tank or vac truck with a spreading bar in the back the width of the truck with holes in it to allow the liquid ...

The Fish and Boat Commission is now accepting applications for the Boating Facility and Erie Access Improvement grant programs.  The deadline for applications is December 30. Boating Facility The Boating Facility Grant Program provides grants for planning, acquisition, development, expansion, and rehabilitation of public boating facilities located on the waters of the Commonwealth.    The PFBC encourages townships, boroughs, and municipal and county governments to apply.  Nonprofit groups (501c3) including land trusts, conservancies, and watershed associations are also eligible to apply.  Private businesses and service clubs are not eligible for direct funding but are encouraged to partner with their local county or municipality.  "Interest in boating continues to remain high among families and individuals looking to get outdoors," said Tim Schaeffer, PFBC Executive Director.  "Many existing boating access points quickly reach their capacity with boaters eager to be ...

The following editorial first appeared in the Scranton Times October 1, 2022-- Throughout its history, Pennsylvania uniquely has been endowed with visionaries, from religious freedom advocate William Penn, to Benjamin Franklin and his fellow Founders who launched the American democratic experiment in Philadelphia, to environmentalist Maurice K. Goddard. Succeeding leaders have not always honored those visionaries’ dreams. Some, for example, try to restrict, rather than ensure, broad religious freedom and voting rights that undergird the republic. The state has been far more consistent, however, in honoring Goddard’s legacy.  Following World War II, as secretary of the Department of Forests and Waters, and later as secretary of the Department of Environmental Resources, he laid out an audacious proposal to vastly expand the state park system so that at least one would be within 25 miles of every Pennsylvania residence. The state did not reach that goal during his lifetime. But it ...

The Pennsylvania Resources Council Traveling Glass Recycling Bin Program provides a free recycling service that rotates through a variety of locations in western Pennsylvania.   This innovative program provides residents with a higher quality glass recycling option than typical curbside programs, ensuring that glass deposited into the bin meets the highest standards and can be fully recycled.  The locations for PRC Traveling Glass Recycling Bin weeklong engagements in October are--  -- October 1 – 6: Hermitage, Lawrence/Mercer Counties, 541 Mercer Avenue (across from Morefield Cemetery), Hermitage, PA 16148 hosted by City of Hermitage -- October 15 – 20: Findlay Township, Allegheny County, 1058 Clinton Road, Clinton, PA 15026 hosted by Findlay Township -- October 22 – 27: North Park, Allegheny County, Swimming Pool parking lot hosted by Allegheny County “The bin visits various locations on a weekly basis from Saturday through Thursday, typically from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and provide...

The PA Solar Center will host another of its Watts & Learn Webinar programs October 14 on FERC Rule 222 To Increase Electric Competition With Rooftop Solar Energy from Noon to 1:15 p.m. The PA Solar Center is teaming up with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to explore how distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar, energy storage, energy efficiency, and EVs can now compete with the big guys in the energy market. FERC Order No. 2222 will help usher in the electric grid of the future and promote competition in electric markets by removing the barriers preventing DERs from competing on a level playing field in the organized energy markets run by regional grid operators.  This rule enables DERs to participate alongside traditional resources in the regional organized wholesale markets through aggregations, opening U.S. organized wholesale markets to new sources of energy and grid services.  It will help provide a variety of benefits including: lower costs for ...