PaEnvironmentDigest May 28, 2018

Issue #726 Crisci Associates, Harrisburg, PA May 28, 2018
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Carmichaels Area High School, Greene County Wins 35th PA State Envirothon
The first place winners of the 35th Pennsylvania

Envirothon held this week is the team from
Carmichaels Area High School in Greene County
with a score of 546 points out of a possible 600.
The Greene County team earned the honor to
represent Pennsylvania at the NCF-Envirothon
international competition to be held at Idaho State
University July 22-28.
Pennsylvania teams have won the now international
Envirothon competition in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991,
1994, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2017.
(No pressure here.)
Completing the top 10 winners are--
-- Second Place: Palmyra High School, Lebanon County, with a score of 523.67;
-- Third Place: Penncrest High School, Delaware County, with a score of 512.67;
-- Fourth Place: Bangor Area High School, Northampton County, with a score of 506;
-- Fifth Place: MMI Preparatory School, Luzerne County, with a score of 500.33;
-- Sixth Place: York Home School Association, York County, with a score of 489.67;
-- Seventh Place: Bradford Area High School, McKean County, with a score of 482;
-- Eighth Place: Blue Mountain High School, Schuylkill County, with a score of 479.67;
-- Ninth Place: Conneaut Area High School, Crawford County, with a score of 473; and
-- Tenth Place: West Perry High School, Perry County, with a score of 462.
The Pennsylvania Envirothon awarded scholarships to the first through fifth place teams.
The scholarships were sponsored by Pennsylvania’s County Conservation Districts and Shell Oil.
Each of the top ten teams received a plaque and other prizes.
This year’s Pennsylvania Envirothon state competition was held at the Susquehanna
University and Camp Mount Luther on May 22 and 23. High school students from 65
Pennsylvania counties participated in this year’s event.
At the Envirothon, five-member teams participate in a series of field station tests that
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focus on five topic areas – soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and
environmental issues.
The 2018 current environmental issues focused on The Benefits of Grassland and
Pastureland Management.
The teams also prepare and deliver oral presentations to panels of judges who evaluate
each team on its problem-solving capabilities, oral presentation skills and recommendations to
help solve the specific environmental challenge, which relates to the current environmental issue.
The high station winners, with scores, include:
-- Soils/Land Use: Palmyra High School, Lebanon County, with a score of 96;
-- Aquatic Ecology: Penncrest High School, Delaware County, with a score of 93;
-- Forestry: Carmichaels Area High School, Greene County, with a score of 97;
-- Wildlife: Carmichaels Area High School, Greene County, with a score of 85;
-- Current Issue: Conneaut Area High School, Crawford County, with a score of 90;
-- Oral Presentation Component: Carmichaels Area High School, Greene County, with a score
of 100.
Teams participating represent the best and the brightest of the thousands of high school
teens who have competed in county Envirothon competitions sponsored by conservation districts
from across the state and the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation.
At the state level, the Envirothon is sponsored by Pennsylvania’s sixty-six county
conservation districts, the State Conservation Commission, and the Pennsylvania Association of
Conservation Districts. The program is managed by a board of directors representing those
sponsors.
Technical expertise is provided by the following partners: Department of Agriculture,
Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,
Game Commission, Fish and Boat Commission, and U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation
Service.
Sponsors and partners of the 2018 Envirothon are Department of Environmental
Protection, Department of Education, Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance (KEEA), Shell Oil
Company, PPL, The Hershey Company, EQT Foundation, Weis Markets, Chief Oil & Gas LLC,
UGI Utilities, Smithfield, and National Conservation Foundation Envirothon.
More than 47 states, eight Canadian provinces, one Canadian territory, and two Chinese
provinces have initiated Envirothon contests based on the program that was originally developed
by Pennsylvania’s conservation districts.
For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Envirothon website, call 814-310-3271 or
contact Lorelle Steach by sending email to: lsteach@envirothonpa.org. You can also contact
your county conservation district.
NewsClips:
Elementary School Students Work To Protect Stream That Runs By School
STEAM Day Sends Optimistic Message To Latrobe Students
Columbia Gas Introduces Girls To Engineering Careers
Hitting The Pittsburgh Garden Trail In 1 Whirlwind Day
Related Stories:
Students Invited To Paddle CBF-PA's Susquehanna River Canoe Classic June 2 Columbia,
Lancaster County
Register Today For Lacawac's Student Conservation & Leadership Academy June 24-29
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DEP Blog: Coco The Chameleon Shares His Air Quality Story With Students In Norristown
[Posted: May 24, 2018]
PUC Judge Issues Order To Shut Down Mariner East 1, 2, 2x Pipelines, Sunoco To Appeal
Public Utility Commission Administrative Law

Judge Elizabeth Barnes Thursday issued an
Order to Sunoco to shutdown the operation of the
Mariner East 1 Pipeline and construction of the
Mariner East 2 and 2x Pipelines in response to a
petition filed April 27 by Sen. Andy Dinniman
(D-Chester).
Sunoco said in a statement later Thursday
they would ask the full PUC to review the Order.
The next scheduled meeting of the PUC is June
14.
“I find there to be an imminent risk to the public and a need for immediate relief and
further study to be done on ME1, ME2 and ME2X for the Commission and its Bureau of Safety
Engineers to evaluate before construction should resume on ME 2 or ME2X in West Whiteland
Twp. [Chester County] and before a potential catastrophic event occurs on ME 1,” said Judge
Barnes in the Order. “Additionally, local and state government needs time to create emergency
evacuation and notification plans and to educate the public before operations should resume.”
“The rupture of a hazardous liquid pipeline at the welds of an 8-inch pipe in an HCA
such as West Whiteland and the ignition of such a potential vapor cloud could have catastrophic
results,” said Judge Barnes. “It would be injurious to the public to not slow down this project for
further safety and pipeline integrity tests and the development of as much a public integrity
management plan as possible within the confines of Act 156 of 2006 - The Public Utility
Confidential Security Information Disclosure Protection Act.
She added, “A stay of operations would also provide needed time to develop and train
Sunoco personnel, emergency responders, and State Agencies such as the Commission’s Bureau
of Investigation and Enforcement, Pipeline Safety Section, Pennsylvania Emergency
Management Agency (PEMA), Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Safety,
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and other relevant agencies.”
“Any financial harm to Sunoco, a foreign for-profit corporation, or its shipper(s) is
outweighed by the by the potential harm the public may sustain without Commission
intervention at this critical juncture and prior to the completion and start of ME2 and 2X.
“Sunoco has made deliberate managerial decisions to proceed in what appears to be a
rushed manner in an apparent prioritization of profit over the best engineering practices available
in our time that might best ensure public safety.”
The Order calls for Sunoco to, among other things--
-- Fully assess the condition, adequacy, efficiency, safety and reasonableness of the integrity of
welds and welding processes used;
-- Fully assess the condition, adequacy, efficiency, safety and reasonableness of distances from
residences, schools, hospitals, malls and other large gathering places;
-- Report its emergency response plan, practices and procedures, including whether its personnel
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will assist in evacuations;
-- Submit a plan to train personnel on the identification of leaks and related emergency
procedures;
-- Determine whether it is willing to provide emergency responders with devices to detect leaks
and other related equipment;
-- Conduct geophysical and geotechnical studies related to Mariner East 2 and 2x and submit
them to the PUC and the parties within 30 days;
-- Report to the PUC within 30 days showing its internal procedures for finding and reporting
violations of state and federal regulations; and
-- Establish a public integrity management program, risk analysis and other information required
to warn and protect the public from dangers.
Click Here for a copy of the Order.
Additional information on DEP enforcement actions can be found on DEP’s Mariner East
2 Pipeline webpage.
NewsClips:
Sunoco To Ask Full PUC To Review Mariner East 1, 2, 2x Shutdown Order
Mariner East 2 Pipeline Construction Drilling To Resume In Lebanon County
Hurdle: Mariner East 1, 2 Pipelines Shutdown Again In Chester County
AP-Scolforo: PUC Judge Shuts Down Work On Sunoco Mariner Pipeline, Cites Danger
Maykuth: PUC Judge Halts Sunoco’s Mariner East Pipelines, Yet Again
PUC Judge Orders Mariner East 1, 2 Pipelines Shutdown Again As A Result Of Petition By Sen.
Dinniman
Cusick: Why Are So Many Natural Gas Pipelines Being Built (Video)
Penn Twp Hopes To Fund Flood Project With Mariner East 2 Pipeline Penalties
Divided FERC Restricts Climate Impacts In Pipeline Reviews
Hurdle: NJ Asks Appeals Court To Review FERC’s PennEast Pipeline Approval
Trump’s Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Has Its Day In Court
Related Stories:
Sen. Dinniman Files Complaint Asking PUC To Halt Mariner East 2 Pipeline Construction
DEP Fines Mariner East 2 Pipeline Additional $355,000 For Violations
PUC Allows Restart Of Mariner East 1 Pipeline Operations Following Compliance With
Emergency Order
Commonwealth Court To Hear Mariner East 2 Pipeline Case Challenging Eminent Domain On
Environmental Rights Amendment Grounds
Senate Committee Reports Out Pipeline Safety, Construction Bills
DEP Establishes New Water Quality Project Grant Program With $12.6 Million Mariner East 2
Pipeline Penalty
Senate Passes Bill Making It A Felony To Simply Trespass Or Attempt To Trespass On Pipeline,
Under Power Lines Or On Other Critical Infrastructure Property
Trout Unlimited Pipeline Water Monitoring Training June 3 In Lehigh County
PUC Chairman Gladys Brown Named To DOE Natural Gas Infrastructure Modernization
Partnership
Bay Journal: Exelon Sues Maryland Over Unfair Burden Posed By Conowingo Dam
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Requirements
By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal
The owner of Conowingo Dam on Friday challenged

conditions Maryland placed on the hydroelectric
facility’s continued operation, saying the pollution
cleanup ordered by the state imposes an “unfair
burden” that would cost “orders of magnitude” more
than the dam is worth.
Exelon Corp. filed an appeal asking the Maryland
Department of the Environment to reconsider its
decision in late April requiring the company to pay
up to $172 million annually to reduce nutrient and
sediment pollution flowing past the dam and to make other changes in the dam’s operation to
improve fish habitat and water quality in the lower Susquehanna River and Upper Chesapeake
Bay.
The Chicago-based energy company simultaneously filed suit challenging the MDE
decision in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the Maryland Circuit Court of
Baltimore City. Exelon said it went to court at the same time it asked the MDE to reconsider its
decision because of the “seriousness of the issues at hand.”
“The dam itself does not produce any pollution,” Exelon said in a statement issued
Friday. “Rather, the science clearly shows that the pollutants that travel down the Susquehanna
River, from New York and Pennsylvania, are the source of the nutrients and sediments that flow
into the Bay.”
At issue is how to resolve one of the more intractable problems facing Bay restoration
efforts. For most of the past century, the 94-foot dam has been trapping sediment and nutrients
that would otherwise reach the Chesapeake.
But the reservoir behind the structure has reached its capacity, and the once-trapped
pollutants now flow into the Bay just 10 miles downstream.
The state-federal Bay Program partnership has estimated that it will require an annual
reduction of 6 million pounds of nitrogen and 260,000 pounds of phosphorus to offset the impact
of the dam’s lost trapping capacity.
That would be roughly an additional 5 percent reduction for a river where nutrient control
efforts are far behind schedule.
Bay Program partners plan to write a new cleanup plan to offset that additional pollution,
but they have not indicated how those reductions — which come on top of the obligations states
already face to meet cleanup goals — would be paid for, or who is responsible for implementing
them.
Exelon is seeking a new 50-year operating license from the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission to continue generating power from Conowingo, one of five hydroelectric facilities
along the lower Susquehanna River.
But as part of the licensing process, Maryland has to issue a certification that operation of
the dam will not degrade water quality.
Maryland issued that certification April 27, but it imposed numerous conditions it said
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were needed to mitigate water-quality impacts from the dam.
Along with the requirement that Exelon fund nutrient pollution control practices, it called
for other actions, such as additional efforts to curb debris that flows downstream and changes to
dam operations that the state says affect downstream habitats for fish and wildlife.
In issuing the water quality certification, MDE Secretary Ben Grumbles said that the
requirements were part of “a holistic approach, working with Exelon and our fellow watershed
states, to meet our Bay restoration goals and help launch a restoration economy.”
But in its filings Friday, the utility countered that the state’s nutrient reduction
requirement alone could cost more than $7 billion during the 50-year license period, expenses
that “exceed, by orders of magnitude, the economic value of the Conowingo Project as an
operating asset.”
Exelon contends that requiring a dam owner to remove pollution originating from
upstream sources would have “precedent-setting implications for the hydroelectric industry.”
The company called it “unprecedented” for a state to make such demands on a hydro facility.
“The health of the Chesapeake Bay is a shared responsibility, and we need to engage
multiple states and stakeholders in an effective long-term solution,” Exelon said in its statement.
The utility also objected to additional requirements sought by Maryland for the control of
trash and debris at the dam, which it also asserts comes from upstream sources.
In response, the MDE issued a statement saying it will “vigorously defend our
comprehensive Conowingo plan to restore the river and the Bay. The Hogan administration is
committed to using science, law and partnerships for environmental progress throughout the
entire Chesapeake Bay watershed and the Conowingo plan is at the heart of our multi-state
strategy to deliver the results Marylanders expect and deserve.”
Alison Prost, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s acting vice president for environmental
protection, defended the state’s action.
“For decades, the Conowingo Dam has generated millions of dollars for its owners, who
benefit from a public resource,” she said. “It is completely reasonable that Maryland now require
them to help mitigate the pollution caused by the dam’s operation.”
For more information on Pennsylvania’s water quality cleanup plans, visit the
Chesapeake Bay Steering Committee webpage.
NewsClips:
TMI Fails To Sell Its Power For 4th Year, Premature Closing Date Approaches
Cusick: Three Mile Island’s Future Looks Bleaker As It Fails At Power Auction
Crable: Three Mile Island Again Fails To Sell Electricity At Power Auction
Op-Ed: PA Can’t Afford To Lose Nuclear Power Plants And Their Jobs
Op-Ed: It’s Time To Recognize Nuclear As A Clean Energy Source
NJ OKs $300M Annually To Rescue Nuclear Industry
NJ Governor OKs $300 Million Annual Bailout From Ratepayers For Nuclear Plants
PJM Capacity Auction Will Not Stop Nuclear Power Plants From Retiring: Analysts
Related Stories:
Inside Pennsylvania's Strategy For Healthier Local Streams In The Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Exelon: Three Mile Island Did Not Clear PJM Capacity Auction
Nuclear Energy Caucus Hearing: The Federal Government Is Not Going To Act In Time To
Save Nuclear Power Plants
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(Reprinted from the Chesapeake Bay Journal.)
Senate, House, Gov. Wolf Recognize 125th Anniversary Of Pennsylvania’s State Parks,
Forests
The Senate, House and Gov. Wolf this week all came together to
recognize the 125th Anniversary of the formation of Pennsylvania’s
State Park and Forest system which formally began on May 23, 1893
when Gov. Robert E. Pattison signed a bill into law creating the
Pennsylvania Forestry Commission and a few days later on May 30
signed another bill enabling the purchase of the first State Park at
Valley Forge.
The Senate passed Senate Resolution 366 introduced by Sen. Lisa
Baker (R-Luzerne) and the House passed House Resolution 901
introduced by Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery). Both resolutions
were co-sponsored by Senate and House members of both parties.
Gov. Wolf issued a formal proclamation designating the week of May 23 to 30
Pennsylvania State Park and Forest Week.
The PA Parks and Forests Foundation created a special webpage devoted to the 125th
Anniversary with historical features, fun facts about State Parks and Forests and links to special
events.
Both the Senate and House resolution contain a history of Pennsylvania’s State Parks and
Forests worth reading--
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 125th anniversary of the State forest system and establishment
of the first State park in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, On May 23, 1893, Governor Robert E. Pattison signed Act No. 68, which
established the Pennsylvania Forestry Commission, and on May 30 of the same year, Governor
Pattison signed Act No. 130, which enabled the Commonwealth to purchase and establish the
first State park at Valley Forge; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Joseph T. Rothrock, the first forestry commissioner, and other visionary
leaders of the Commonwealth understood that forest lands stripped and denigrated by
unsustainable timbering and industrial activity could be restored through modern conservation
practices and careful stewardship; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth began to establish a State Forest Reserve with the
purchase of 7,500 acres in Clinton County to be used to "furnish timber, protect the water supply
of Young Woman's Creek, and to provide recreation for citizens"; and
WHEREAS, Mira Lloyd Dock, considered to be the mother of forestry in this
Commonwealth, assisted in acquiring the first million acres of the State forest system and
educated future foresters; and
WHEREAS, Governor Gifford Pinchot had the vision to create a network of forestry
work camps that served as a model for the formation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC);
and
WHEREAS, Governor Pinchot made extensive use of the CCC in reforesting this
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Commonwealth and building trails, pavilions, bridges, dams, cabins and other recreational
amenities in our State parks and State forests; and
WHEREAS, The Bureau of State Parks was formed in 1929 for the "purpose of
promoting outdoor recreation and education, and making available for such use natural areas of
unusual scenic beauty, especially such as provide impressive views, waterfalls, gorges, creeks,
caves, or other unique and interesting features"; and
WHEREAS, In 1955, the appointment of Maurice K. Goddard as Secretary of Forests
and Waters led to his proposal for locating a State park within 25 miles of every resident in this
Commonwealth, culminating in the number of State parks nearly doubling; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Goddard spearheaded the passage of Act No. 256 of 1955, known as the
Oil and Gas Lease Fund Act, which earmarked royalties from oil and gas leases from
State-owned lands for conservation and land acquisition; and
WHEREAS, Statutes enacted in the 1960s authorized Project 70 and Project 500 bond
measures that provided funding for parks, forestry, recreational facilities, conservation, land
acquisition, water quality and pollution control; and
WHEREAS, The passage of Act No. 50 of 1993, known as the Keystone Recreation,
Park and Conservation Act, has funded hundreds of State parks and State forest improvement
projects in this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, From 2009 to 2011, the Bureau of State Parks was awarded the nation's top
honor, the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, by
the American Academy of Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National
Recreation and Park Association; and
WHEREAS, State forests in this Commonwealth are certified as "well-managed" by the
Forest Stewardship Council, assuring consumers from across the globe that wood products are
harvested in an environmentally responsible manner; and
WHEREAS, The recent enactment of the Growing Greener I and II programs has
provided valuable investments in hundreds of State park and State forest projects, including
modernization and improvement of infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, Today, the State forest system is managed by the Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources, whose central location is housed in a building named after
Rachel Carson, a driving force of the national conservation movement in the middle of the 20th
century; and
WHEREAS, Currently, the State forest system is comprised of 121 State parks and
conservation areas in 20 districts with more than 2.2 million acres of forest land located in 48 of
the 67 counties of this Commonwealth; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives and the Senate of Pennsylvania
recognize the 125th anniversary of the State forest system and establishment of the first State
park in Pennsylvania.
For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit
DCNR’s website, Click Here to sign up for the Resource newsletter, Visit the Good Natured
DCNR Blog, Click Here for upcoming events, Click Here to hook up with DCNR on other
social media-- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.
To learn more about the Commonwealth's conservation heritage, visit the PA
Conservation Heritage Project website.
Resource Links:
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PA Parks & Forests Foundation: Celebrating 125 Years Of State Parks, Forests (Video)
PA Parks & Forests Foundation: 125 Years of Stewardship & Conservation
125 Facts On Pennsylvania State Parks And Forests
NewsClips:
May 25 Take Five Fridays With Pam From PA Parks & Forests Foundation
Thompson: PA Expands Number Of Smoke-Free Beaches In State Parks
Related Stories:
Feature: A Legacy You Can Take Pride In Continuing - 125 Years Of State Parks & Forests
DCNR To Hold 20 Meetings Seeking Public Input On State Forest Districts Across PA
Registration Now Open For Women And Their Woods Educational Retreat On Sept. 6-9
South Mountain Partnership Speakers Series: May 31 Women Who Built The Appalachian Trail
DCNR Announces More Smoke-Free Beaches At State Parks, Enhanced Reservation System
Keep PA Beautiful, DCNR Partner On Cigarette Litter Prevention Program With Keep America
Beautiful Grant
DCNR Approves Submerged Lands Lease For $340,000 In Lycoming County
2019 Pennsylvania State Parks Calendar Now Available
Department of Conservation and Natural

Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn
Tuesday announced DCNR will hold a
series of 20 public meetings across the
state to help the agency chart the future
course of Pennsylvania’s state forest
districts.
“In creating its comprehensive management plan for more than 2.2 million acres of state
forestland, the Bureau of Forestry changed management techniques, updated forest inventories
and, most importantly, listened to the public,” said Dunn. “This accent on public involvement
continues as the bureau kicks off a series of public meetings tailored to address district topics of
local interest and significance.”
The meetings scheduled so far include--
-- May 31: Sproul State Forest District, Durrwachter Alumni Conference Center, Main
Ballroom, of Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, 10 Susquehanna Avenue in Lock Haven,
Clinton County. 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.
-- June 13: Elk State Forest District, Elk State Forest Resource Management Center, 258
Sizerville Road in Emporium, Cameron County. 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Click Here for the dates and locations of other forest district public meetings as they are
scheduled. The meetings will also be announced locally.
“Paramount in these sessions is an effort to address the uniqueness of each of our 20
forest districts across Pennsylvania,” Dunn said. “Development encroaches on Pocono state
forest tracts, for instance, while in the Southcentral counties, state forests are feeling the pinch of
mushrooming public usage. In Northcentral counties, we address the vital economic worth of the
timber industry; in the southwest, there is the value of increased tourism.”
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The public meetings will focus on district specifics of the plan and aid the bureau in
revising its District State Forest Resource Management Plans (DSFRMP). A DSFRMP is
written for each of the Bureau’s twenty forest districts across the state.
Individual DSFRMPs can be found on forest district webpages
“This district planning revision process provides a great opportunity for the public to
learn more about their local state forest and to get involved in district state forest management
priorities,” Dunn said. “I invite our state forest visitors to take advantage of this opportunity, and
make their feelings known.”
Both the district-level and statewide plans are designed to provide bureau staff a
framework for work and management decisions; and to communicate to stakeholders how their
forest is being managed.
District plans build upon the foundation of the statewide plan, while providing a greater
level of detail and more focus on district-level priorities.
In 2016, the bureau revised its State Forest Resource Management Plan, the primary
instrument used to plan, coordinate and communicate management of the state forest system. It
provides management principles, goals, and objectives that apply at a statewide level, regarding
various uses and values of state forestland.
The bureau will be collecting public comment on draft versions of district plans at
upcoming meetings. Also, it invites input by way of mail, email or an online survey. Questions
or comments about upcoming public meetings can be directed to district offices hosting them.
For more information, visit DCNR’s State Forest Resource Management Plan webpage.
NewsClips:
Wright Twp Residents Team Up To Battle Gypsy Moths
Hopey: Forest Study Targeting Ash Borer Tree Infestation In Allegheny National Forest
Op-Ed: Ticks, Mosquitoes Bringing More Diseases. What Can We Do?
NYT: Lanternflies Eat Everything In Sight, The U.S. Is Looking Delicious
Related Stories:
Senate, House, Gov. Wolf Recognize 125th Anniversary Of Pennsylvania’s State Parks, Forests
Beautiful Grant
Agriculture Issues More Detailed Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine Order For 13 Counties
The Department of Agriculture published notice in the

May 26 PA Bulletin of a revised, much more detailed
Spotted Lanternfly quarantine order covering the same 13
counties as before.
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The counties include Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon,
Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, and Schuylkill.
This new quarantine order replaces all previous orders issued by the Department,
including the original 13 county quarantine order in November.
The order provides more details on the permit requirements for moving regulated articles
out of the quarantine area, establishes employee training requirements and covers treatment and
monitoring requirements.
The order also outlines responsibilities of property owners for controlling or eliminating
any life stage of Spotted Lanternfly on their property.
Click Here to read the complete order.
For more information on the Lanternfly, visit the Department of Agriculture’s Spotted
Lanternfly webpage, the U.S.D.A. Spotted Lanternfly webpage and the Penn State Extension
Spotted Lanternfly webpage.
(Photo: Spotted Lanternfly nymphs, Penn State Extension.)
NewsClips:
Related Stories:
Dept. Of Agriculture Joins USDA, Penn State To Combat Spotted Lanternfly
Penn State Extension, Agriculture Officials Look To Slow Spread Of Spotted Lanternfly
Gifford Pinchot’s Grey Towers Hosts May 30 Program On Spotted Lanternfly In Pike County
Winners Of Western PA Environmental Awards, Lifetime Award Celebrated
The winners of this year’s Western PA Environmental Awards and

Lifetime Achievement Award were celebrated at a special awards
ceremony in Pittsburgh Thursday.
Five environmental programs from throughout Western
Pennsylvania will share $25,000 from Dominion Energy and the
Pennsylvania Environmental Council for innovation and effectiveness
in making a positive impact on the environment--
-- Allegheny County Conservation District (Pittsburgh, Allegheny
County)
-- Allegheny Outfitters Warren (Warren County)
-- Casselman River Watershed Association (Somerset, Somerset County)
-- Edinboro Lake Watershed Association (Edinboro, Erie County)
-- Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Shelters Restoration Project
In addition to these five organizations, the PA Environmental Council presented a
lifetime achievement award to Dr. Jared Cohon, the former president of Carnegie Mellon
University.
These winning programs reflect many of the environmental priorities of the region as
they address watershed conservation and stewardship, urban land contamination, and public park
conservation.
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With these awards, each winner will designate a $5,000 cash prize to be used in support
of a nonprofit environmental program of their choice.
Here is more on each of the winners--
-- Allegheny County Conservation District: There are thousands of vacant and abandoned
parcels in Pittsburgh and the outlying municipalities and many are contaminated with lead,
arsenic, and other heavy metals. So the Allegheny County Conservation District launched an
Urban Soils program that works with resource-strapped Pittsburgh communities to address the
significant environmental concerns around urban soils.
To date, ACCD has offered over $150,000 in testing services and hundreds of hours in
free technical assistance, towards community and greenspace projects. ACCD has also raised
awareness of soil health and contamination issues in communities around the county and given
guidance on sustainable practices to improve environmental and public health.
In addition to providing free services that allow for environmental project funds to be
used efficiently, ACCD has begun conducting its own mapping and research efforts, seeking to
better understand the nature and extent of legacy contamination across the urban environment.
Contact: Jessie Albright jalbright@accdpa.org, 412-241-7645 (ext. 8009)
-- Allegheny Outfitters (Warren County): In the Allegheny National Forest in northwest
Pennsylvania, Allegheny Outfitters is serving as public advocate and conservation educator to
mitigate the impacts of increased human traffic on waterways and forest land.
Allegheny Outfitters formed the Allegheny River Clean-Up, a week-long annual event
that draws hundreds of volunteers and community sponsors each year to clean up 30-plus miles
of the Allegheny River and two of its tributaries. Since then, nearly 3,000 volunteers have
donated almost 23,000 hours in support of this effort.
Additionally, Allegheny Outfitters has adopted a stretch of the North Country National
Scenic Trail in the Allegheny National Forest, and regularly hosts volunteer staff trail work
events. It also provides financial support for conservation of public land and waterways and has
created commemorative trail posters of land and water trails in the region with a portion of each
sale going back to the organization that maintains it. Contact: Piper VanOrd,
piper@alleghenyoutfitters.com, 814-730-2428 cell.
-- Casselman River Watershed Association (Somerset County): Over the past 30 years,
volunteers of the Casselman River Watershed Association, Inc., have dedicated countless hours
to seek grants and construct treatment systems to address the water quality issues resulting from
abandoned mine drainage degradation that the Casselman River suffered after the Industrial
Revolution devastated the once, pristine watershed.
CRWA has partnered with local, state, federal agencies, along with other non-profit
organizations on a number of projects.
Water quality in the river and tributaries improved through the use of innovative lime
dosing and AMD treatment systems. And the CRWA works with the Western Pennsylvania
Conservancy to secure easements along the Great Allegheny Passage and the Casselman River to
preserve the aesthetics of its breathtaking landscapes.
Through the efforts of the Casselman River Watershed Association, watersport activities
have increased, local businesses have benefited economically, and the potable water quality for
local communities has improved.Contact: Susan J. Moon, sue-scd@wpia.net, 814-289-4246
work, 814-233-5238 cell
-- Edinboro Lake Watershed Association (Erie County): The economic and ecological benefits
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of Edinboro Lake have been compromised by its advanced state of eutrophication, which
depletes oxygen in water and impacts aquatic life. A management plan completed by the
Edinboro Lake Watershed Association determined that 81 percent of the phosphorus entering the
lake is from nonpoint sources with over 27 percent of the total being derived from stormwater
runoff from land development.
In 2017 the Edinboro Lake Watershed Association completed a project to design and
install stormwater Best Management Practices on the campus of General McLane High School
and Middle School in Edinboro. These stormwater methods capture runoff from approximately
38 acres resulting in approximately 24 pounds per year reduction in phosphorus and 10,000
pounds per year reduction of total suspended solids entering Edinboro Lake. Contact: Brian
Zimmerman, edinborolake@edinboro.edu, 814-732-1575
-- Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Shelters Restoration Project (PA Parks & Forests
Foundation): For the 40 three-sided Adirondack shelters of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail,
the passage of time and harsh ridge winters had taken their toll on the masonry and stonework of
the chimneys that are the shelters’ best feature. The mortar began to crumble and the stones to
shift.
The shelters are not only an important feature of the trail but they are in essence also
historic structures. A mason with a heightened appreciation for the work had to be located. He
photographed each stone and disassembled each chimney, numbering the pieces of stone as they
were removed, then cleaned and scraped them and put them back together in order.
An initial REI grant of $3,000 to the project was matched by the Friends of Laurel Hill.
Thanks to the overwhelming support of REI, the R.K. Mellon Foundation, and individual donors
from nine states, funding was secured to complete the project.Contact: Marci J. Mowery,
mmowery-ppff@pa.net, 717-236-7644
-- Lifetime Achievement Award - Dr. Jared Cohon: Dr. Jared Cohon served as the President
of Carnegie Mellon from 1997 until 2013. Before that he was Dean of Forestry and
Environmental Studies at Yale and on the faculty and in the administration at Johns Hopkins
University. He serves on the board of five non-profit organizations and two corporations.
Among his extensive service for the U.S. government and the National Academies, he
chaired the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, co-chaired the Commission to Review
the Effectiveness of the National Laboratories, and currently chairs the Academies’ Board on
Energy and Environmental Systems.
Professor Cohon is interested in environmental systems analysis, especially the
development and application of optimization tools for large-scale natural resource and
environmental problems.
Most of his theoretical work has focused on algorithms for multi-objective programming
problems and systems methods for integrating engineering, economics and policy in public
environmental decision making. He has worked most on water resource, energy and waste
problems.
Among his many contributions to environmental policy-making in Western Pennsylvania,
Dr. Cohon chaired the Sewer Regionalization Review Panel representing local government,
foundations, academia, legal, environmental, water and sewer authorities, nonprofit and private
organizations to identify a true regional approach to wastewater and stormwater management for
Allegheny County.
The Western PA Environmental Awards, are presented annually to local organizations
13
that demonstrate leadership, effectiveness, and results in making an impact on the environment.
The winners were chosen by a group of independent judges, environmental experts, and PEC
staff in response to a call for entries earlier this year.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the PA
Environmental Council website, visit the PEC Blog, follow PEC on Twitter or Like PEC on
Facebook. Visit PEC’s Audio Room for the latest podcasts. Click Here to receive regular
updates from PEC.
(Photo: Dr. Jared Cohon.)
Related Stories:
Greater Philadelphia Sustainable Business Network Recognizes Green Infrastructure Projects To
Reduce Stormwater Pollution
Germantown’s Community-Driven Green Infrastructure Upgrade Wins Philadelphia Water’s
Pioneers’ Award
Greater Philadelphia Sustainable Business Network Recognizes Green Infrastructure

Projects To Reduce Stormwater Pollution
On May 17, the Sustainable Business Network of

Greater Philadelphia hosted the The Excellence in
GSI Awards Ceremony, the region’s only award that
celebrates and elevates green stormwater
infrastructure projects and innovations, the triple
bottom line (TBL) benefits of a nature-based
approach to stormwater management, and the partners
who bring these projects to life in the Greater
Philadelphia Area.
SBN’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure Partners,
VIPs and influential industry leaders convened to celebrate excellence in GSI in the following
categories: Public Projects, Private Projects, and Innovation.
Marc Cammarata, P.E., Deputy Water Commissioner for Planning, Philadelphia Water
Department, served as keynote speaker for the event.
The project winners were--
-- Public Project: Linwood Park, Linwood & Athens Avenue, Ardmore, Delaware County:
Home to beautifully scaled residential streets, an ethnically diverse population, and blocks of
historic buildings, Ardmore surprisingly lacked sufficient public green space.
As a result of persuasive and collaborative efforts between a dedicated group of
neighbors and the township, Ardmore was awarded an Open Space Grant from Montgomery
County in 2009.
This was used to purchase the one-acre private parking lot at Linwood & Athens Avenue,
and transform it into a public park.
A community-driven process yielded a design to reconnect the site with its former
hydrology, topography, and habitats, while simultaneously making a place that cultivates play as
a more naturalistic experience.
Using water as a driving force for design, the park features two meandering dry streams
14
and a bold, mounding landform that articulates and directs stormwater runoff.
The highly collaborative nature of this project, allowed the Design Team to identify
relevant public institutions and organizations – including Lower Merion Conservancy, Belmont
Hills Elementary and Household of Faith Church – as partners for fundraising, community
outreach and educational campaigns.
With the assistance of the Township and other partner organizations, the neighbors
established a “Friends of Linwood Park” group, registered as a nonprofit organization to ensure
future funds for future park management.
What once was an impervious, barren site is now the green, social nexus of the
neighborhood. Linwood Park is a lively community center, theatrical venue, outdoor classroom,
and versatile recreational setting.
-- Planning/Design Team: Salt Design Studio, Studio Gaea, Yerkes Associates
-- Client: Township of Lower Merion
-- Construction/Maintenance: Puhl’s Landscaping, Inc., Lower Merion Township, Friends of
Linwood Park
-- Private Project: College Settlement, Horsham, Montgomery County. The College
Settlement in Horsham, PA provides camp experiences that help young people develop a lifelong
appreciation and respect for the environment, each other, and themselves.
As such, it is fitting that leadership at the camp would issue a call for renovations when a
location on its campus was identified as a site that could protect a tributary of the Pennypack
Creek from untreated stormwater runoff from a nearby 1940s subdivision.
In addition to managing stormwater runoff, the renovations addressed erosion issues and
the proliferation of non-indigenous invasive plants while creating a wetland in an area that had
no wetlands.
The GSI has reduced the uncontrolled stormwater runoff flows to downstream areas,
allowing the channels to heal and more water to infiltrate.
The planning and design team, made up of individuals from MRNenvironmental, Inc.,
and Wetlands & Ecology, Inc. initiated a diverse plant community that provides campers and
students the opportunity to see and experience a habitat and flora that do not exist anywhere else
on the grounds.
The site will serve as an educational tool for not only the students and campers. Horsham
Township and Upper Moreland Township (both provided funding for the project) intend to use
this renovation to teach constituents about the benefits of nature-based solutions to stormwater
management.
This project demonstrates the kind of win-win outcomes that result from inventive
public-private partnerships.
-- Planning/Design Team: MRN Environmental, Inc., Wetlands & Ecology, Inc.
-- Client: Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust
-- Construction/Maintenance/Monitoring: Berg Construction, LLC, Enviroscapes, Inc.,
Wetlands & Ecology, Inc., Villanova University
-- Innovation - Two Winners
-- Cira Green, Philadelphia: As Philadelphia’s first elevated public park and first blue-green
roof, Cira Green represents an evolutionary innovation in design, particularly for shallow
landscapes. This project casts a vision for the region in which challenging surfaces can inspire
revolutionary design solutions.
15
Its novel design optimizes the horizontal shallow hydrologies of urban spaces and typifies
the kind of cutting edge design that could inspire future development of vertical neighborhoods
and sites for biophilic play and community gatherings.
The park sits atop a parking garage originally designed to be a 3-floor semi-public facility
with a subsurface stormwater cistern. Brandywine Realty Trust (BRT) and its design team
conceived of a dynamic elevated amenity space that would also comply with stormwater
regulations.
The fusion of intensive green roofs, permeable paving, and “pancake cisterns” results in a
hydrologically integrated site that provides a higher level of stormwater performance than
conventional green roofs.
Its topography engages visitors, offering both passive and active recreational space. BRT
has developed an informational tour program, which attracts designers, students, engineers, and
policy-makers from around the country.
By artfully integrating an innovative and unobtrusive stormwater management strategy
into this extensively paved, high-traffic park, BRT and the design team created a new standard
for city living which leverages the roof plane for unparalleled amenity spaces that also
aggressively manage stormwater.
Developing workable solutions for implementing GSI on shallow rooftops opens up new
possibilities for vertical living and foreshadows the future of urban design.
-- Primary: Roofmeadow
-- Client: Brandywine Realty Trust
-- Partners: Erdy McHenry Architecture, Hunter Roberts Construction Group, Sean’s
Landscaping, Inc., EDA Contractors, Inc., Roofmeadow Services, Inc.
-- Parcel Viewer, Philadelphia: The scalable and replicable nature of Azavea’s innovative
stormwater management software tools makes their use by other municipalities across the nation
and beyond easily implemented, demonstrating how data and software technologies can
dramatically improve the implementation, and therefore success, or stormwater management
plans.
The three applications assist the Philadelphia Water Department uphold a transparent
billing system and the public to explore opportunities for stormwater credit opportunities and
aggregated property retrofits in the region.
The Philadelphia Parcel Viewer application was developed to support the Philadelphia
Water Department’s new non-residential stormwater billing system that relates a property’s
burden on the sewer system directly to its stormwater charge by using the property’s impervious
surface cover as the basis for the fee.
The initial version of the public web application displayed billing information and
impervious surface data during the four-year phase-in, and then enabled users to appeal their bill
and apply for credits when they implemented BMPs.
Now, several years later, a new version of the application is about to be rolled out that
will provide both new data sources and new features for the public.
The Credits Explorer application, launched in 2015, enables the public to explore ways to
reduce their stormwater costs by adding green roofs, permeable pavement, rain gardens,
stormwater basins, or subsurface storage to their properties.
Property owners can simply draw the extent of each potential remediation on the
interactive map and their stormwater savings are calculated based on the proposed changes.
16
This year, Azavea will launch The Greened Acre Retrofit Program (GARP)
Aggregator-Property Manager that will provide a similar planning canvas for contractors,
companies, or project aggregators who want to apply for grant funding for large-scale
stormwater retrofit projects that extend across multiple properties and total at least ten acres in
project size.
The development of these technologies resulted from significant stakeholder engagement
facilitated by both Azavea and PWD.
-- Primary: Azavea
-- Client: Philadelphia Water Department
-- Partners: Philadelphia Water Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
For more information on programs, initiatives and other upcoming events, visit the
Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia website.
(Photo: Linwood Park, Ardmore, Delaware County.)
NewsClips:
Pittsburgh Bioswale Project Helps Reduce Stormwater And Is Beautiful
Letter: Go Green, Not Gray With Sewer Infrastructure
Compliance With Stormwater Requirements To Top $6.2M Over 5 Years In Blair
Easton Facing $7-8M Cost To Help Clean Up Impaired Lehigh River
North Lebanon Twp Supervisors Set Stormwater Management Fee
Allentown Airport To Sue City Over Stormwater Fee
Related Stories:
Pioneers’ Award
Communities Look For Dig Once Opportunities To Integrate Green Infrastructure To Reduce
Stormwater
Scientists Monitor New Wetland Designed For flood Control, Improved Stream Habitat In
Chester County
Susquehanna River Rally June 9 In Harrisburg To Highlight Environmental Budget Issues
PA Highlands Coalition Multi-Functional Riparian Buffer Webinar June 12
DEP Now Accepting Applications For Growing Greener Plus Watershed Restoration Grants
CFA Accepting Applications For Act 13 Water-Related, Recreation Grants Until May 31
Penn State Center For Nutrient Solutions To Present Results Of Research On Meeting Nutrient
Reduction Goals June 12
New Statewide Partnership Launches Major Effort To Plant 10 Million Trees To Cleanup
Pennsylvania’s Streams, Rivers
Germantown’s Community-Driven Green Infrastructure Upgrade Wins Philadelphia

Water’s Pioneers’ Award
On Thursday Historic Germantown was recognized by

the Philadelphia Water Department with a 2018
Stormwater Pioneers Award for their new rain garden,
17
redesigned courtyard space, and commitment to the community and health of our waterways.
When leadership at Historic Germantown first began making plans to replace their
asphalt courtyard with a natural green space, the opportunity to turn it into a showcase for
stormwater management wasn't exactly at the top of the organization's list of priorities.
In fact, the idea of a green stormwater project wasn't on their list of ideas at all.
Despite being in the dark at the beginning, the nonprofit is getting a major spotlight in
Philadelphia’s sustainable development community as this year's Stormwater Pioneer. That
distinction will be made official during a May 24 ceremony at their Germantown Avenue
headquarters featuring City officials, community members, and project partners.
The Path To Becoming Pioneers
Trapeta Mayson, who served as Executive Director of Historic Germantown throughout
the planning and construction process, notes that there already had been a fundraising effort
underway, including the creation of a GoFundMe page, to help the organization raise resources
needed to transform the property.
“Originally, we had an idea of what we wanted to do with the space, but we had not
researched the costs involved for an overall construction program. We also had some discussions
with other community organizations in the area, including Friends of Market Square Park,
because what we were thinking about could also be considered an extension of Market Square
Park.”
“Frankly, when we started planning this project to revitalize the courtyard space, the last
thing on our minds was SMIP,” says Mayson, referring to the Philadelphia Water Department’s
Stormwater Management Incentives Program. “We were simply looking for ways to take this
existing asphalt courtyard and turn it into a more functional, inviting space that the entire
community could benefit from.”
SMIP was launched in 2012 to help the City of Philadelphia achieve federally mandated
cuts to pollution from stormwater runoff and related overflows in combined sewers. An older
portion of the wastewater collection system, combined sewers carry sewage and water from
storms.
About $90 million in SMIP grant funding has encouraged green stormwater
improvements at 160 nonresidential properties in the city, including schools, nonprofits and
faith-based organizations.
SMIP To The Rescue
At first, it didn’t appear Historic Germantown would be eligible for the SMIP program.
But after several discussions with Erin Williams, program manager for Stormwater Billing &
Incentives at the Water Department, the path began to clear.
“She told us they take applications on a quarterly basis, and end up doing about 16 sites a
year of all different sizes,” Mayson says.
Historic Germantown was one of the smallest.
“We ended up having to tweak our application a couple of times before we were able to
get it approved. We started with some rather grandiose ideas—for example, we wanted to use
pavers to cover the interior of the courtyard. They would be pervious, so water would be able to
infiltrate through the soil. But the pavers were very expensive, more than what the SMIP grant
would cover.”
Other details also needed to be worked out. From submitting proposals to working out
details and issues and finally getting approval, the process ended up taking about eight months.
18
A Community-Powered Project
According to Mayson, the fact that this turned out to be a truly a community-based and
community-supported project is one of its most important and rewarding aspects.
“The relationship of the site to the community was very important. Historic Germantown
is a very visible and important amenity and space in the neighborhood,” she says. “It’s a real
treasure for members of the surrounding community, many of whom have a very strong interest
in gardening and horticulture, which has always been part of the history of Germantown.”
According to Claudia Levy, a landscape architect who did the design for the project
through Levy DiCarlo Partners, Germantown has a longstanding horticulture and landscape
history that the new project resonates with nicely.
Some of the early pioneers in the horticulture trade created magnificent nurseries and
gardens in the Germantown and Mount Airy neighborhoods that continued into the early 20th
century, she says.
Volunteers and supporters have been very active in maintaining the landscapes of several
Historic Germantown sites and contributed several work days to help reduce costs during the
courtyard makeover. Community members also contributed to the GoFundMe campaign to pay
for trees, shrubs, and other plants now thriving in the courtyard and rain garden.
Because of the nature of the project, Mayson notes, it was important to get the rain
garden in first. The parking lot, in particular, was very much a community-involved work effort.
“We had approximately 15 members from our organization helping to clear the area
between the parking lot and the street. It took about three clearing days and then three planting
days to complete. It literally changed the streetscape,” she says. She adds that the result is
earning a flood of positive comments from neighbors and visitors.
Building A Team For The Future
Apparently, the positive reception planted the seeds for more community support in
Germantown.
“As the landscape architects, we find the enthusiasm of the volunteers to be an added
benefit because you can see how it contributes to the overall quality of life of the surrounding
community,” Levy says. “People take a lot of pride in that.”
That’s a sentiment that the folks at Historic Germantown are hoping to keep tapping into.
“One of our long-term goals that came about as a result of the rain garden project is the
establishment of a volunteer Green Team,” explains Mayson. “We’re hoping to build on the
enthusiasm that our neighbors and volunteers have shown as they’ve come together to help
maintain and weed the rain garden.”
In the end, though, it’s more than just a Historic Germantown project, she says.
“It’s really come to serve the purpose of bringing together the entire community—staff,
volunteers, neighbors—everyone involved seems to feel invested in this project and in
maintaining the majesty of this wonderful community asset.”
Pioneers Of Days Past
Introduced in 2014, the Stormwater Pioneers award puts a spotlight on stormwater
management projects spearheaded by private property owners. These projects showcase
innovation, excellence, the ability to overcome technical challenges and a true dedication by the
property owners, developers, engineers and designers to improve the environment and reduce
stormwater runoff.
Previous Pioneers include Popi’s, a small South Philadelphia Italian restaurant where the
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family ownership used a SMIP grant to build lush rain gardens in the parking lot, and the
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Highlighted in 2017, the CHOP project involved a high-tech system of
computer-controlled stormwater retention tanks and a therapeutic green roof garden where
healing families unwind.
The inaugural award went to Stanley’s Hardware in Roxborough.
As SMIP participants, Historic Germantown, Popi’s and Stanley’s are eligible to save
significantly on monthly stormwater fees charged to nonresidential properties in Philadelphia.
Learn more about Stormwater Pioneers and stormwater grant opportunities in
Philadelphia.
For more information on Philadelphia’s green infrastructure initiatives to address
stormwater pollution, visit the Philadelphia Water Department’s Green City, Clean Waters
webpage.
NewsClips:
Related Stories:
Stormwater
Chester County
(Reprinted from the Philadelphia Water Department Blog.)

Bills On Governor's Desk
The following bills were given final approval by the Senate and House and are now on the
Governor's desk for action--
20
Local Clean Energy Funding: Senate Bill 234 (Blake-D-Lackawanna), Property Assessed
Clean Energy Financing Program, that authorizes local governments to create energy
improvement districts to help fund energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation
projects for commercial, agricultural and industrial buildings to reduce their operating costs
(Senate Fiscal Note and summary).
Senate/House Bills Moving Last Week
The following bills of interest saw action last week in the House and Senate--
House
Local Clean Energy Funding: Senate Bill 234 (Blake-D-Lackawanna), Property Assessed
Clean Energy Financing Program, that authorizes local governments to create energy
improvement districts to help fund energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation
projects for commercial, agricultural and industrial buildings to reduce their operating costs
(Senate Fiscal Note and summary) was referred into and out of the House Appropriations
Committee and was passed by the House 163 to 28. The bill now goes to the Governor for his
action.
Native Plants: House Bill 2131 (Quigley-R-Montgomery) encouraging PennDOT to plant native
vegetation along highways was amended and reported from the House Transportation Committee
and is now on the House Calendar for action.
125th Anniversary: House Resolution 901 (Harper-R-Montgomery) recognizing the 125th

anniversary of the State Park and State Forest systems was adopted by the House (sponsor
summary).
Lyme Disease: House Resolution 941 (R.Brown-R-Monroe) designating May as Lyme and
Tick-borne Disease Awareness Month in Pennsylvania was adopted by the House (sponsor
summary).
Rainforest Month: House Resolution 895 (Donatucci-D-Delaware) recognizing May as

Rainforest Awareness Month was adopted by the House (sponsor summary).
Senate
Critical Infrastructure Protection: Senate Bill 652 (Regan-R-Cumberland) increasing

penalties for trespass on critical infrastructure facilities was amended and reported from the
Senate Appropriations Committee, amended on the Floor and was passed by the Senate by a vote
of 28 to 20. The bill now goes to the House for action.
Farm Animal Advisory Board: Senate Bill 1171 (Brooks-R-Crawford) establishing the Farm
Animal Advisory Board from the Nutrient Management Advisory Board and expanding its
21
ability to review regulations [no mention how this Board would relate or be duplicative of the
existing DEP Agricultural Advisory Board] was amended and reported from the Senate
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Agritourism: Senate Bill 819 (Aument-R-Lancaster) amending the Agricultural Security Law to
provide for agritourism uses on protected land was amended and reported from the Senate
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.
125th Anniversary: Senate Resolution 366 (Baker-R-Luzerne) recognizing the 125th

anniversary of Pennsylvania’s State Parks and Forests (sponsor summary) was adopted by the
Senate.
Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Gov’s Schedule
Here are the Senate and House Calendars for the next voting session day and Committees
scheduling action on bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--
Bill Calendars
House (June 4): House Bill 1401 (DiGirolamo-R-Bucks) which amends Title 58 to impose a
sliding scale natural gas severance tax, in addition to the Act 13 drilling impact fee, on natural
gas production (NO money for environmental programs) and includes provisions related to
minimum landowner oil and gas royalties; House Bill 1446 (Quinn-R- Bucks) encouraging
infrastructure for electric and natural gas fueled vehicles; House Bill 1284 (Peifer-R-Pike)
directs DCED to develop a one-stop-shop online permitting portal for business (sponsor
summary); House Bill 2154 (Causer-R-Forest), the Conventional Oil and Gas Act to regulate
conventional drilling operations and weaken environmental protection standards on fracking
based on the original 1984 Oil and Gas Act; House Bill 2131 (Quigley-R-Montgomery)
encouraging PennDOT to plant native vegetation along highways; House Resolution 284
(Moul-R-Adams) urging Congress to repeal the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s MS4
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (sponsor summary). <> Click Here for full House Bill
Calendar.
Senate (June 4): Senate Bill 819 (Aument-R-Lancaster) amending the Agricultural Security
Law to provide for agritourism uses on protected land; Senate Bill 835 (Dinniman-D-Chester)
requiring the registration of land agents working for pipeline companies (sponsor summary);
Senate Bill 930 (Dinniman-D- Chester) sets notification requirements related to pipeline
emergencies (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 931 (Dinniman-D-Chester) requires the installation
of automatic or remote controlled safety values in natural gas pipelines in densely populated
areas; Senate Resolution 104 (Bartolotta-R- Washington) resolution urging the Governor to end
the moratorium on new non-surface disturbance natural gas drilling on state forest land (sponsor
summary); House Bill 544 (Moul-R-Adams) further providing for liability protection for
landowners opening their land for public recreation; House Bill 913 providing for the adoption of
stormwater fees by incorporated towns; House Bill 914 providing for the adoption of stormwater
fees by boroughs; House Bill 915 providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by first class
22
townships; and House Bill 916 providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by Cities of the
Third Class. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.
Committee Meeting Agendas This Week
House: <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.
Senate: <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.
Bills Pending In Key Committees
Check the PA Environmental Council Bill Tracker for the status and updates on pending state
legislation and regulations that affect environmental and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.
Session Schedule
Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--
Senate
June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
House
June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
Governor’s Schedule
Gov. Tom Wolf's work calendar will be posted each Friday and his public schedule for the day
will be posted each morning. Click Here to view Gov. Wolf’s Weekly Calendar and Public
Appearances.
News From The Capitol
House Sends Local Clean Energy Funding Bill To Save Energy, Money To Governor
By a vote of 163 to 28, the House passed and sent to the Governor Senate Bill 234
(Blake-D-Lackawanna; Reschenthaler-R-Allegheny), a clean energy financing bill to enable
local government Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy, or C-PACE, programs in
Pennsylvania.
“The passage of Senate Bill 234 marks a major step forward for Pennsylvania’s energy
efficiency industry,” said Julian Boggs, policy director for the Keystone Energy Efficiency
Alliance (KEEA). “With C-PACE financing coming to Pennsylvania, we’re going to see more
investment in energy efficiency, more energy savings for Pennsylvania businesses, and more
energy efficiency jobs.”
Energy efficiency is booming business in Pennsylvania, accounting for more than 62,000
jobs and growing at 7-10 percent each year. These jobs include a broad array of professionals
23
such as electricians, engineers, trained technicians, financial analysts, construction workers,
facility managers, software developers, and other specialists.
KEEA applauded Senators John Blake (D-Lackawanna) and Guy Reschenthaler
(R-Allegheny) for their leadership in introducing the bill and in building bipartisan support for
C-PACE.
KEEA further applauded House Commerce Committee Chairman Brian Ellis (R-Butler)
for his leadership shepherding Senate Bill 234 through the House, Senate Community Economic
and Recreational Development Committee Chairman Mario Scavello (R-Monroe) for his work to
bring stakeholders together, and Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) for her work on companion
legislation in the House.
Matt Elliott, executive director of KEEA, said, “Bringing C-PACE to Pennsylvania has
been a true team effort. Every Senator who co-sponsored this legislation, House member who
supported it, and organization who endorsed it can share the pride of knowing they’ve had a
direct impact in quality, family-wage job growth in the Commonwealth. The business
community in our state will see lasting savings and electric ratepayers will benefit from this
forward-thinking collaboration for years to come.”
“Commercial PACE will modernize our commercial buildings, reduce electricity costs,
and create jobs,” said Jacquelyn Bonomo, President and CEO of PennFuture. “We urge
Governor Wolf’s swift action in signing SB 234 so that municipalities can begin implementing
this program and commercial building owners can begin lowering their electricity costs.”
“Commercial PACE will provide wide-ranging benefits for Pennsylvania residents and
businesses,” said Joanne Kilgour, Director of Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter. “Improving
energy efficiency for commercial and industrial buildings is an effective way to reduce carbon
emissions and local pollution, while also saving businesses money on their energy bills. C-PACE
also has the ability to expand the use of renewable energy and improve water conservation across
Pennsylvania, measures which will improve the quality of our environment.”
“The BlueGreen Alliance is excited by today’s advancement of C-PACE legislation
because this program will create local jobs for skilled laborers in communities across our state
and bolster Pennsylvania’s economy,” remarked Khari Mosley, the Pennsylvania Regional
Programs Manager for the BlueGreen Alliance. “From manufacturing to installation,
Pennsylvania has the workforce to implement the important money-saving upgrades to
commercial properties that C-PACE will help to incentivize.”
Once C-PACE is signed into law, local governments may opt to launch their own
C-PACE program or join an existing program. KEEA is working with other Pennsylvania
stakeholders to develop a model C-PACE program that local governments can easily adopt and
implement to drive energy efficiency investments in their communities.
A Senate Fiscal Note and summary is now available.
NewsClips:
New PA Conservative Energy Forum Seeks Diversified Energy Portfolio
Philadelphia Introduces Affordable Route To Rooftop Solar
Windmill Catches Fire At Locust Ridge Wind Farm In Schuylkill County
Pittsburgh Aims To Cut Water, Energy Use Under Latest Climate Plan
PennFuture Applauds Pittsburgh Leadership On Clean Energy, Efficiency
State Awards $1.7M Energy Grant For Corl Street School Renovation In State College
Villanova Gets $955K State Grant For Energy Use Reduction Project
24
Related Stories:
CFA Awards 9 Grants Totalling $16.1 Million For Energy Efficiency, Clean Energy, Energy
Infrastructure Projects
Reinford Farms, Juniata County, Wins U.S. Innovation Center 2018 Dairy Sustainability Award
For Renewable Energy Projects
Conservative Leaders Launch PA Conservative Energy Forum In Support Of Diverse Energy
Policy
Mid-Atlantic, Western PA Solar Energy Associations Honor Sen. Scavello For New Solar
Energy Law
Nuclear Energy Caucus Hears Testimony On Jobs, Environmental Impacts Of Closing Nuclear
Power Plants
FirstEnergy Nuclear Power Plants Fail To Clear PJM Power Auction
Pittsburgh Council Adopts 100% Renewable Energy, Zero Waste Goals
UGI Energy Efficiency Program Saves State Prison In Luzerne $16,000 In Annual Electricity
Costs
Kleinman Energy Center: Reimagining Pennsylvania’s Coal Communities
Senate Passes Bill Making It A Felony To Simply Trespass On Pipeline, Or On Other

Critical Infrastructure Property
The Senate voted 28 to 20 to pass Senate Bill 652 (Regan-R-Cumberland) making it a felony to
simply trespass on the right-of-way of pipelines, electric power lines, railroad tracks, refineries
or on the property of any of 21 critical infrastructure facilities outlined in the bill.
Specifically, the bill says an individual commits an offense if they do the following (it’s
listed first)-- “Enters or attempts to enter property containing a critical infrastructure facility,
knowing that the person is not licensed or does not have the permission of the owner or lawful
occupant of the property to do so.” There are no other qualifiers like causing any damage.
Republicans generally supported the bill, although Senators Greenleaf (R-Montgomery),
Killion (R-Delaware), McGarrigle (R-Delaware), McIlhinney (R-Bucks), Mensch
(R-Montgomery) and Rafferty (R-Montgomery) all voted against. (Click Here for the final
vote.)
Democratic members of the Senate generally voted against the bill expressing concerns
that it would limit the First Amendment rights of people to express their opinions about a
facility. In other cases, the bill language was noted as overly broad to the point of being
unworkable, like in the case of “trespassing” on electric power line or railroad track
rights-of-way.
Sen. Larry Farnese (D-Philadelphia) compared the proposal to his efforts to outlaw
SLAPP suits where developers and others file lawsuits against citizens and community groups in
hopes of intimidating them to drop their opposition. Sen. Farnese’s bill-- Senate Bill 95-- passed
the Senate overwhelmingly 42 to 8 in April of last year.
Like Senate Bill 652, Sen. Scott Martin (R-Lancaster) introduced Senate Bill 754 last
year that would impose any public costs for dealing with any public assembly or gathering
entirely on the individuals doing the protesting, if they are convicted of a felony or misdemeanor
25
in connection with that demonstration. The bill is still in the Senate State Government
Committee.
“It is important to understand that trespassing and damaging facilities is currently
illegal,” said Sen. Mike Regan. “This legislation is not banning activity that is already against the
law, but instead it specifies exactly what level of crime a person can be charged with when they
partake in such illegal activities.”
Senate Bill 652 would make trespassing on a critical infrastructure facility a third degree
felony and doing damage or inhibiting business a second degree felony. Each would carry a
maximum prison term of one year and a minimum fine of $5,000.
“Businesses that operate critical infrastructure facilities simply want to be able to do so
without the interference from trespassers,” said Sen. Regan. “In the event that someone does
trespass – despite signage or fences- they want Pennsylvania law to have teeth in order to hold
those individuals accountable.”
Twenty-one types of facilities are included in the definition of “Critical Infrastructure
Facility”--
-- Natural gas or natural gas liquids transmission, distribution facility or pipeline, pipeline
interconnection, metering station, pipeline compressor station, terminal or storage facility, gas
processing, treatment or fractionation of natural gas or natural gas liquids;
-- Oil and gas production facilities, well sites, separation and dehydration facilities, storage and
meter stations;
-- Electric power generating facility, substation, switching station, or electrical power lines and
any energy facility involved in the production, storage, transmission or distribution of electricity,
fuel or other form or source of energy or research, development, or demonstration facilities
regardless of whether the facility is still under construction or is otherwise not functioning,
except a facility subject to the jurisdiction of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (18 USC
Section 1366(c));
-- Water intake structure, water treatment and distribution structure or wastewater treatment and
collection infrastructure;
-- Dam regulated by the state or federal government;
-- Petroleum or alumina refinery; crude oil or refined products storage and distribution facility,
chemical, polymer or rubber manufacturing facility, a facility identified and regulated by the
Department of Homeland Security Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Program;
-- Telecommunications switching station, remote terminal, wireless telecommunications
infrastructure, radio or television transmission facilities;
-- Port, railroad switching yard, railroad tracks, trucking terminal;
-- Steelmaking facility using an electric arc furnace; and
-- Any equipment and machinery stored on location or at a storage yard used to construct critical
infrastructure.
“Pennsylvanians rely on many of these facilities for electricity, telephone service, clean
water, natural gas, and delivery of goods,” said Sen. Regan. “Halting operations not only affects
the business but the people of this Commonwealth and its economy. Damage to facilities can do
the same but can also be harmful to people’s health – or even life-threatening.”
The bill now goes to the House for action.
Related Stories:
Sen. Farnese Pushes Bill To Prevent Lawsuit Meant To Intimidate Citizens Groups
26
Sen. Martin’s Bill Could Impose The Public Costs Of Any Protest On The Protesters
PUC Judge Issues Emergency Order To Shut Down Mariner East 1, 2, 2x Pipelines
Partnership
House Committee Reports Out Bill To Encourage Use Of Native Vegetation Along
Highways
The House Transportation Committee Thursday amended and reported out House Bill 2131
(Quigley-R-Montgomery) encouraging PennDOT to plant native vegetation along highways
(sponsor summary).
“(This legislation encourages) the Department of Transportation to plant vegetation,
which has been identified by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, as being
native to Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Tom Quigley. “In this way, native vegetation planted along
highways will thrive because those plants are better adapted to local conditions. Native
vegetation is also more likely to support wildlife, while discouraging invasive plant species in
our fair Commonwealth.”
Under the bill PennDOT is required to consult with DCNR to develop a list of particular
species of vegetation that can be used for roadside plantings.
The amendment added a provision about also coordinating with the Controlled Plant and
Noxious Weed Committee. (Click Here for a copy of the amendment.)
The bill also includes a process for PennDOT to allow for planting nonnative species
where it is no feasible, provided they are deemed not invasive or detrimental to the environment.
The bill now goes to the full House for consideration.
Rep. John Taylor (R-Philadelphia) serves as Majority Chair of the Committee and can be
contacted by calling 717-787-3179 or sending email to: jtaylor@pahousegop.com. Rep. William
Keller (D-Philadelphia) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-5774
or sending email to: wkeller@pahouse.net.
Related Story:
Native Plants In The Landscape Conference June 6-9 At Millersville University
Nuclear Energy Caucus Hears Testimony On Jobs, Environmental Impacts Of Closing

Nuclear Power Plants
The bipartisan Senate-House Nuclear Energy Caucus Wednesday heard from several labor
leaders on the impact prematurely closing nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania would have on
labor, the economy and the environment.
Martin Williams, Boilermakers Local Lodge 13 in Philadelphia, noted Pennsylvania’s
nuclear power plants provide nearly 16,000 direct and indirect jobs, including 1,400 full-time
workers employed at Three Mile Island and Beaver Valley plants, two plants that have been
slated for closure unless action is taken.
Collectively, the five nuclear plants in Pennsylvania contribute $2 billion to the state’s
27
economy and pay over $400 million in state and federal taxes.
“For years, Boilermakers have acknowledged the realities of climate change and have
successfully advocated at the state and federal level for solutions which simultaneously allow for
the responsible use of all of our domestic energy resources, maintenance of a diverse energy
portfolio, and job creation.
“We were very pleased to see expansion of the federal 45Q carbon capture tax credit,
which incentivizes investment in carbon capture utilization and storage projects, included in the
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 and believe it will lead to wider deployment of state-of-the-art,
low carbon energy projects.
“Consistent with our position, we also believe that preservation of existing nuclear
generation is essential to any plan to reduce carbon emissions.
“Pennsylvania's five nuclear plants are responsible for over 90 percent of the state's zero
emission energy and helps avoid 37 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, which is
the equivalent to taking 8 million passenger cars off the road.'
“A recent report from the NorthBridge Group' stated that replacing Pennsylvania's
nuclear fleet with other carbon dioxide-emitting sources would increase carbon dioxide
emissions by 52 million metric tons per year and reverse all of the reductions Pennsylvania has
experienced over the past ten years.
“Moreover, the same report estimates that replacing Pennsylvania's nuclear fleet with
zero emissions renewables would require 24x the current amount of wind and solar in
Pennsylvania and cost at least $4 billion per year over the next 20 years to maintain current
carbon dioxide emission levels.
“The challenges facing Pennsylvania's nuclear power plants are part of a larger, national
problem of energy market shifts and low electricity prices placing nuclear power at a
disadvantage and must be addressed soon.
“Recognizing the potential negative economic and environmental impacts to their states,
Illinois, New York, and recently, New Jersey all took action to preserve their existing nuclear
power- generating assets, and we urge the Pennsylvania General Assembly to do the
same—especially given Pennsylvania's current status as the second largest nuclear
power-producing state.”
Joe Gusler, President Central Pennsylvania Building & Construction Trades Council,
noted Three Mile Island employs 675 people directly through Exelon.
“These are highly-skilled, good paying jobs with benefits. Add the thousands of
tradesmen and women who do maintenance and outage work at TMI. Many of these skilled and
well-trained workers also live locally.
“These employees support our local communities. Their children go to school here. They
shop in local stores. They eat at local restaurants. They give back to their communities. Losing
these jobs alone would have a huge, negative impact on local economies.
He pointed to the closure of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Generating Station closure as a
“cautionary tale.”
“When Vermont Yankee closed, the jobs and the tax revenue disappeared and have not
returned. Employees were forced to retire or move to find similar jobs in other states. Housing
prices dropped.
“Also, in response to the closure, property taxes were raised by 20 percent to help replace
lost tax revenue. The municipal budget was cut by 20 percent, including the elimination of the
28
town’s local police department.
“Economic impact studies can forecast the nature and scale of losses, but there are no
targeted programs or funding that exist to support nuclear host communities after a plant closure.
Community leaders in Vermont realized that it was up to the region to take action because no
help would be offered.
“You may have heard this before, but I bet the members of the PA House and Senate
would jump at the opportunity to help if I said we were creating 16,000 new jobs in
Pennsylvania. What we are asking for is your help in saving 16,000 good paying jobs in
Pennsylvania.”
Kris Anderson, International Representative IBEW Third District, said, “The IBEW
represents men and women who work in all phases of the nuclear industry. Whether it be the
men and women who man the plant on a daily basis, where the IBEW represents about 500
members at the Beaver Valley plant, the members who go to the plant during scheduled outages
to perform maintenance, LU 712 supplied about 50,000-man-hours in 2016 alone, or the
hard-working individuals at various manufacturing plants throughout the Western Pennsylvania
area.
“Throughout the area, the IBEW represents roughly 500 men and women at several
manufacturing plants. This doesn’t include the several other International Unions that represent
people as well.
“All told, these nuclear plants have played an integral part to Western Pennsylvania for
the better part of the last 60 years. We have developed some of the best technologies still in use
today. The jobs and skills that have been developed in response to nuclear industry’s demands
have made the quality of life better for everyone in the Commonwealth.
“As a lifelong resident of the Western Pennsylvania, I can attest that we do not need a
case study of what happens when a large industry exits an area. From the banks of the Ohio river,
to all along the Susquehanna, these nuclear generation stations have been great neighbors in our
communities.”
Steve Knoebel, President IBEW representing workers at the Talen Energy Susquehanna
Nuclear Power Plant, also provided comments at the hearing saying state help was urgently
needed to preserve good-paying jobs.
Click Here to watch a video of the hearing (when posted) and for written testimony.
Senators Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster) and John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) along with
Representatives Becky Corbin (R-Chester) and Rob Matzie (D-Allegheny) serve as co-chairs of
the Nuclear Energy Caucus.
For more information on past hearings and actions, visit the Senate-House Nuclear
Energy Caucus webpage.
NewsClips:
29
Related Stories:
Policy
Energy Law
Costs
House Committee Hears Testimony On Legislation To Pay For Lead Water Line
Replacement
The House Consumer Affairs Committee Wednesday held a hearing on House Bill 2075
(Charlton-R-Delaware) authorizing the replacement of customer-owned lead water line and
damaged sewer laterals by water and wastewater systems regulated by the Public Utility
Commission (sponsor summary).
Dr. Christopher Crockett, Chief Environmental Officer for Aqua PA, testified in support
of the legislation saying it will help replace lead service lines for an estimated 3,000 water
customers in their systems. Crockett pointed to an educational video and other information the
company has provided to customers to educate them about this issue.
David Kauffman, PA Chapter National Association of Water Companies & PA American
Water, also supported House Bill 2075, adding his company has filed a request with the PUC
seeking permission to replace customer-owned lead water service lines for 18,000 customers.
Tanya McCloskey, Acting Consumer Advocate (PUC), supported replacing
customer-owned lead service lines, but disagreed with the ratemaking treatment under the bill.
While she generally supports requests like PA American Water made to replace
customer-owned lines, she said there needs to be a sharing of costs between the utility and the
customer. She pointed to a recent settlement with the York Water company as an example.
John Evans, Small Business Advocate (PUC), said he supports the policy goal in House
Bill 2075, but suggested ratepayers should not be responsible for the costs for replacing
customer-owned sewer laterals because it does not constitute a public health concern.
PUC Commissioner David Sweet said the Commission was not taking a position on the
bill, but offered some input on the “technical aspects.”
“The real nub of the issue here,” Commissioner Sweet said, “Is whether you’re going to
allow recovery not only of the expense,” but on an ongoing basis for improvements made on
non-jurisdictional property. He said that is a policy issue for the Legislature to decide. He noted
30
ratepayer money has been allowed to be used for individual circumstances.
Timothy Schaeffer, DEP Deputy Secretary For Water Programs, provided an overview of
the state’s Drinking Water Program and the lead and copper rule regulations designed to prevent
heath-threatening levels of lead and copper in drinking water.
He said DEP supports House Bill 2075 as another tool in the long-term effort to solve this
problem that may affect as much as 40 percent of Pennsylvania’s housing stock built before the
1950’s.
Schaeffer also pointed to the best practices and tools developed by the Lead Service Line
Replacement Collaborative, a diverse group of public health, water utility, environmental, labor,
consumer and housing organizations as very helpful to the process of addressing this difficult
issue.
Click Here to watch a video of the hearing on May 23.
For more background on the lead issue, visit DEP’s Lead In Drinking Water webpage
and the Department of Health’s Lead Poisoning webpage.
Rep. Robert Godshall (R-Montgomery) serves as Majority Chair of the Committee and
can be contacted by calling 717-783-6428 or sending email to: rgodshal@pahousegop.com. Rep.
Thomas Caltagirone (D-Berks) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling
717-787-3525 or sending email to: RepCaltagirone@pahouse.net.
NewsClips:
AP: Pittsburgh Will Add Chemical To Water to Reduce Lead Risk
Additive To Pittsburgh Water Authority Water Could Reduce Lead Levels Within Months’
Peoples Gas Still Pursuing Pittsburgh Water Authority
Lehigh Water Authority Hikes Rates Despite Outcry
Philly Water Plan To Stop Water Shut-Offs Sputters As Rate Hike Looms
Shedding Light On The State Of U.S. Water Infrastructure
Related Stories:
PA American Water Files With PUC To Replace Lead Water Service Lines For 18,000
Customers
Aqua America Offers Customers Video, Tips To Minimize Lead Exposure
Groundwater Facts, Fiction Highlighted At 2018 PA Groundwater Symposium
Call For Papers: PA Water & Wastewater Technology Summit To Be Held Nov. 1-2
Susquehanna River Basin Commission Meets June 15 On Water Withdrawals, Fee Schedule
Joint Senate-House Budget & Finance Committee To Release Water Use Fee Report June 6
The Joint Senate-House Legislative Budget & Finance

Committee is scheduled to meet on June 6 to release a
report on the Feasibility of Establishing a Water Use Fee
In Pennsylvania.
Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming), one of
Pennsylvania’s representatives on the interstate
Chesapeake Bay Commission, first formally suggested
the Committee study the adoption of a water use fee to
support a Water Quality Improvement Fund in House
31
Resolution 908 in 2016.
The resolution called on the Joint Committee to do a study on a fee on consumptive and
nonconsumptive uses of water, as well as--
-- Examine how other states assess water fees and establish dedicated funds for environmental
and water quality protection projects;
-- Evaluate legislation already introduced to establish a water use fee [like House Bill 20
introduced by Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster), another member of the Chesapeake Bay
Commission];
-- Identify potential minimum thresholds for a fee and its revenue generating potential; and
-- Make recommendations on an entity to administer a fee and the revenue generated.
Proposed PA Clean Water Fund
On January 24, 2017, all 5 Pennsylvania Senate and House members on the Chesapeake
Bay Commission wrote to all members of the Senate and House to outline the need to address
the state’s water pollution cleanup problems and propose a potential solution - a dedicated Clean
Water Fund for Pennsylvania.
The letter proposes, as one solution, a water use fee to finance Pennsylvania’s water
pollution cleanup effort that would raise an estimated $245 million. They noted water fee
proposals were introduced in the 2015-16 session-- Senate Bill 1401 (Alloway-R-Franklin) and
House Bill 2114 (Sturla-D-Lancaster).
The letter to members was signed by Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of
the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Sen. Rich Alloway (R-Franklin),
Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming), Rep. Keith Gillespie (R-York) and Rep. Mike Sturla
(D-Lancaster).
Their cover note to colleagues said--
“Clean water is fundamental to public health and our economy. Unfortunately, almost
one quarter of Pennsylvania’s streams and rivers are not safe for either drinking, swimming,
fishing or aquatic life.
“The enclosed report, Water Rich & Water Wise, describes the extent of the impact and
potential solutions.
“As legislative members of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, we know that practices to
improve water quality are not without cost. Our state and local governments have already spent
significant dollars to upgrade wastewater treatment plants and farmers are implementing best
management practices.
“Unfortunately, much more needs to be done, not just for the Bay, but more importantly
for our own local waters.
“The good news is that these practices work, and much of the remaining effort can be
achieved with some of the most cost-effective practices available. Investment in clean water
directly benefits local governments and landowners, and provides local jobs.
“By taking care of our own local waters, we also reduce regulatory uncertainty that can
arise from pollution of downstream neighbors, whether in the Chesapeake, Ohio, Delaware or
Great Lakes watersheds.
“Please take a moment to read the enclosed report. We hope that you will join us in a
thoughtful conversation about legislation to address this important issue.”
A Clean Water Fund For Pennsylvania
Here’s the discussion of funding water pollution cleanup from Water Rich & Water Wise.
32
In Pennsylvania, a water use fee has been proposed.
It would support water protection programs across the Commonwealth, in every part of
the state, including the Ohio, the Genesee, the Susquehanna, the Delaware, the Erie and the
Potomac watersheds.
Currently, 5.9 billion gallons of the commonwealth’s water are used each day, statewide,
without compensation. By instead charging only one-hundredth of a cent per gallon for all
withdrawals over 10,000 gallons per day, and one-tenth of a cent for all consumptive uses over
10,000 gallons per day, an estimated $245 million per year could be generated.
This is even after municipal water systems and agricultural production are exempted and
existing fees charged by the Susquehanna and Delaware River Basin Commissions are deducted.
The average individual uses only 100 gallons a day, so a 10,000 gallon threshold would
include only large-scale commercial uses. At least 12 other states have some form of water fee,
providing for both the oversight and protection of their water.10 Funding water quality is a good
investment.
Studies of the Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes and Everglades have estimated at least a 2:1
benefit to cost ratio for water quality restoration.11 In other words, for every dollar spent on
water quality improvement, two dollars of benefit, such as economic activity, ecosystem services
and increased property values are realized.
The jobs created by restoration activity are often in the high-value STEM professions,12
and the quality of life in healthy watersheds helps to attract employers and retain employees.
Pennsylvania is at a turning point. A robust investment in clean water today will help
Pennsylvania comply with its current federal mandate for the Chesapeake Bay.
It will also prepare the Commonwealth for any future regional efforts such as Great
Lakes or Gulf of Mexico restorations. Most importantly, it will help the Commonwealth meet its
own constitutional duty, as a trustee of natural resources for the benefit of all,13 by investing in
the prosperity of Pennsylvania citizens and communities.
Establishing a Pennsylvania Water Fund makes sense. It provides a logical approach to
protecting local water quality while addressing regional concerns. It will help to make the
Commonwealth both water rich and water wise.
A copy of Water Rich & Water Wise is available online. Click Here for a copy of the
cover letter.
Follow Up Action
Since January 2017, the House and Senate and the Governor’s Office have not identified
and taken action on specific sources of funding for a PA Clean Water fund or other proposals to
help Pennsylvania meets its statewide and Chesapeake Bay water pollution cleanup obligations.
Earlier this month, Sen. Yaw, Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Minority Chair of the
Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, and Rep. Everett announced plans to
introduce legislation creating a $3 Keystone Tree Fund checkoff on driver and vehicle
registrations to support tree planting efforts statewide along impaired waters.
The initiative is designed to help support the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership
which has a goal of planting 10 million trees along streams by 2025.
A PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee is now in the middle of
drafting a clean water plan to meet Pennsylvania’s obligations to reduce water pollution in the
43-county Chesapeake Bay drainage area of the state.
One Committee workgroup is looking at funding issues. The workgroup is being led by
33
Rep. Everett, Brion Johnson, Executive Director of the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority,
and Marel King, PA Director, Chesapeake Bay Commission.
The Joint Committee meeting will be held in Room 8E-B of the East Wing starting at
9:45.
Sen. Bob Mensch (R-Montgomery) serves as Chair of the Committee and Sen. James
Brewster (D-Allegheny) serves as Vice Chair.
NewsClips:
Op-Ed: Don’t Let Severance Tax Distract From Real Environmental Issues
Op-Ed: A Natural Gas Tax Will Work In Pennsylvania
Editorial: Natural Gas Industry Is Healthier, But Be Careful With Tax
Op-Ed: Congress Has To Find Long-Term Fix For National Park Repairs
Related Stories:
PA Chesapeake Bay Commission Members Spotlight Need For Clean Water Fund In PA
Rep. Sturla Reintroduces Water Use Fee Bill To Fund Clean Water Programs
PA To Pilot County-Level Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Planning Process In 4 Counties This
Summer
Senators Yaw, Yudichak, Rep. Everett To Introduce Bills Creating Keystone Tree Fund
Checkoff
New Statewide Partnership Launches Major Effort To Plant 10 Million Trees To Cleanup PA’s
Streams, Rivers
House Committee To Hold June 11 Hearing On Delaware River Basin Commission
The House State Government Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing

June 11 on issues related to the Delaware River Basin Commission.
The hearing announcement said the purpose of the hearing was to,
“receive testimony from individuals and entities that are regulated by the
Delaware River Basin Commission and to investigate concerns of the
impact of DRBC policies and actions on business growth and economic
vitality in the basin and the rights of property owners within the basin
[referring to the proposed natural gas fracking moratorium, no doubt].
“Also highlight findings from the committee's 2017 hearings on
the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and identify common issues
involving both entities.”
This is one of a series of hearings and actions taken by Republicans on the Committee
related to what they see as “regulatory overreach” by DRBC and SRBC.
The Committee hearings led to House Republicans passing a series of “regulatory
reform” bills and to propose the introduction of House Bill 2222 in April to have DEP take over
the groundwater regulation functions of the two river basin commissions.
The hearing will be held in Room 205 of the Ryan Building starting at 10:00. Committee
34
meetings are typically webcast through the House Republican Caucus website.
Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) serves as Majority Chair of the Committee and can be
contacted by calling 717-783-1707 or sending email to: dmetcalf@pahousegop.com. Rep.
Matthew Bradford (D-Montgomery) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling
717-772-2572 or sending email to: mbradford@pahouse.net.
NewsClip:
Delaware RiverKeeper May 25 RiverWatch Video Report
Related Stories:
Bill Would Require DEP To Replace Delaware, Susquehanna River Basin Commissions In
Regulating Groundwater
House Passes Bills Changing Regulation, Permit Process In Ways That Puts Politics Ahead Of
Science, Adds More Bureaucracy
DRBC: No Timetable For Finalizing Fracking Ban, Makes Comments Available
House Republican Policy Committee Hears Testimony On Proposed Delaware Watershed
Drilling Ban
News From Around The State
Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award To Recognize PA Farmer With $10,000 Prize
The Sand County Foundation, in partnership with the

Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and Heinz Endowments, will
present the Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award and its
$10,000 prize to a farmer or forester to recognize voluntary
conservation practices on private working lands.
The deadline for applications is August 15.
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President Rick Ebert said the
award is “another occasion to recognize and reward farmers,
who are going above and beyond in adopting Best
Management Practices on their farms to protect the
environment.”
The inaugural award will be presented at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in January, 2019,
along with the prize and a crystal award depicting Aldo Leopold.
Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes those
who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife habitat management on
private, working land.
The Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award is made possible through the support of
platinum sponsor, Heinz Endowments, and the assistance and support of Pennsylvania Farm
Bureau, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Center for Dairy Excellence,
and Dairymen’s Association.
Click Here for the application and all the details.
NewsClips:
Saving Farms, Downtowns Requires Lancaster’s 60 Municipalities To Work Together
35
Thompson: Cumberland Valley Schools Unveils Plans For McCormick Farm Site
Residents Speak Out Against Cumberland Valley Plan To Take Farm
PA Dairy Farmers Struggling To Find Greener Pastures In Tough Milk Market
3-Year Old Boy Rescued From Manure Pit In Chester County
Op-Ed: Would Rachel Carson Eat Organic?
Related Stories:
Pioneers’ Award
Stormwater
Chester County
Communities Look For Dig Once Opportunities To Integrate Green Infrastructure To

Reduce Stormwater
By Donna Morelli, Chesapeake Bay Journal
Along the streets of Carlisle, PA, Mark Malarich

looks for opportunities to squeeze in some green.
The borough is home to 18,500 people
concentrated in a 5.5-square-mile area filled with
historic homes and paved spaces.
Malarich, the borough public works
director, manages stormwater in a community
that has been steadily gaining hardened surfaces
since it was settled in 1751. In everything his
department does, from repaving parking lots to
tearing up streets, his staff is trained to think
about where a nice swale or a rain garden can be
installed.
36
“It is part of our requirements now, to think that way,” Malarich said. “When scheduling
maintenance projects or beginning any municipal public works project, we automatically look
for the potential to incorporate some type of green infrastructure.”
Carlisle has found that integrating green infrastructure into existing projects makes sense,
saves money and smooths out the process of meeting its pollution reduction requirements. The
borough has been working to control stormwater for a long time; it’s had time to figure out a
system that works.
How to streamline that process for communities was the subject of a workshop offered by
the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Local Government Advisory Committee and the Alliance for the
Chesapeake Bay last fall that brought together municipalities, and state and federal regulators as
well as funders to explore what successful communities have done.
That workshop is compiled in a report, Streamlining Integrated Infrastructure
Implementation: Dig Once.
As the report’s name implies, integrating stormwater infrastructure with other capital
projects for roads, utilities, parks and schools provides an opportunity to save time and money,
but successfully doing so requires planning and coordination from government departments that
are not necessarily accustomed to working together.
Streamlining that work is important to the bottom line: There are 552 Municipal Separate
Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits in the Chesapeake Bay region, and all are facing new
regulatory challenges, including meeting goals set under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum
Daily Load, or “pollution diet.”
Green infrastructure refers to spots of green within an urban community designed to
mimic natural systems — such as rain gardens or vegetated swales — that collect and slow
rainwater, thereby allowing it to slowly seep into the ground, filtering it through layers of soil
and plant roots as it makes it way to a river or stream.
They may still require a lot of human engineering, but the finished result in many cases
can be less expensive and more environmentally beneficial than gray infrastructure.
These actions may also provide secondary benefits such as parking lots interspersed with
islands of green that treat stormwater while providing shade and cleaner air. Brightly colored
native wildflowers in rain gardens on a main street filter sidewalk runoff while welcoming
visitors to a town.
Staff at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which funded the workshop and
report, have helped hundreds of communities and nonprofits implement green infrastructure
projects, and have seen firsthand the obstacles that even experienced communities face.
As these projects become more common, the actual digging up of pavement and the
installation of gardens, soil and trees in areas where utilities, and “hard” infrastructure such as
pipes already exists — sometimes for hundreds of years — continues to offer surprises.
“We continue to see a lot of projects that encounter unforeseen consequences related to
public infrastructure,” said Jake Reilly, director of Chesapeake Bay Programs at the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation. “Some have significant delays and need another year to finish —
in extreme cases, they can’t get beyond the issues.”
Green infrastructure is still a new concept to local governments — and only one item on a
very long list of responsibilities from running police departments to making sure the trash is
picked up.
“It’s expensive to get grants and it’s expensive to install green infrastructure, no matter
37
the funding source,” said Mary Gattis, coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Local
Government Advisory Committee and the lead author for the project. “We want to get ahead of
processes that prevent the loss of funds, loss of projects and loss of time. We can’t make a
perfect world, but we can make a better world so you’re not wasting resources.”
Here are some of the suggestions outlined in the report as well as advice from successful
communities.
Better Communication
Long before a shovel hits the ground, someone has to be a leader — or a champion of
green infrastructure in the community to provide coordination and improve communication.
If a public works director is excited about rain gardens and swales, but the city manager
could care less and the parks director doesn’t want a blade of grass changed, projects will be
stalled, if they happen at all.
“None of those things sound like finance but they are hugely important components,”
said Jennifer Cotting, associate director of the Environmental Finance Center at the University of
Maryland. “They can have the best plan in the world, but without a champion, the investment in
water quality isn’t going to happen.”
The center, which is part of the University of Maryland, has worked on 50 stormwater
finance projects across all of the Bay states.
Carlisle Borough hired a champion in Malarich. He’s trained as an environmental
engineer and worked with several municipalities on their stormwater permits before coming to
the borough.
His advice to built-out communities with little space for projects is to look to areas where
there’s more turf than pavement — places like colleges, business parks, school districts and
churches — and talk to them early in the process.
“Hold an outreach meeting with partners where land is available,” Malarich said. “For us,
it was the school district and the [Dickinson] college. We identified projects we could do there
and put it into the Capital Improvement Plan.”
The City of Lancaster is a national leader for its green infrastructure program. The city
and its staff have received accolades for individual projects as well as its 2011 citywide Green
Infrastructure Plan.
Ruth Hocker, stormwater program manager for Lancaster City, stressed the importance of
making sure a government communicates with its public works crew — the people that dig the
soil, vacuum the pervious pavement and weed the gardens.
“Lots of communities talk about the importance of educating their elected officials,” she
said. “That is important, but it’s just as important to educate the people who are maintaining all
of these structures throughout the city.”
Pool Your Resources
The Eastern Shore of Maryland is known for its charming towns that mix history with
Bay views, quaint farms and vacation spots. Some of the more rural communities on the Eastern
Shore were struggling with cleaning their local streams and creeks and the Chesapeake Bay.
A Healthy Waters Roundtable, led by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation brought these
communities together to brainstorm solutions. The answer was to work together and share
limited resources.
Recently, the CBF was awarded a $316,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation to set up a formal structure between counties and small communities. Funds will be
38
used to hire a regional technical service provider and as seed money for restoration projects.
The collaboration includes Talbot and Queen Ann counties, the towns of Easton and
Oxford and the cities of Salisbury and Cambridge. Depending on size and needs, each
community contributed $6,000 to $37,000 to the effort. It also got funding from the state of
Maryland and nonprofit partners. Combined, the entire effort is funded at $630,000.
“Half of these communities are regulated and half not,” said Alan Girard, Eastern Shore
director for the CBF. “This is a way to pay a little bit of money in and get more benefit than they
would if they were to do it on their own.”
Similarly, in rural Blair County, PA, 14 municipalities decided to form an
intergovernmental committee and hire a regional MS4 coordinator to help them implement a
joint Chesapeake Bay Pollution Reduction Plan as well as each community’s individual permit
needs.
The plan, required by the state’s MS4 permit for communities within the Bay watershed,
outlines green infrastructure projects throughout two impaired watersheds.
“She will facilitate the Intergovernmental Stormwater Committee and will be assisting
each municipality as their individual needs dictate,” said Donna Fisher, director of the Blair
County Conservation District, where the position is based. “The increased level of management
on a regional basis will serve all municipalities and although it will not lessen their
responsibilities, it may lessen their workload.”
Funding & Financing
The first thing Cotting, of the Environmental Finance Center, does when working with a
new community is tell them “grants aren’t going to get you there.” The center, which is part of
the University of Maryland, has worked with 50 communities in Pennsylvania, Maryland and
Virginia on financing stormwater programs.
EFC staff will pore over the capital improvement plans of a municipality to find cost
savings before looking at financing or funding mechanisms.
“What we’re looking for is [already funded] projects that don’t necessarily sound like
stormwater management but where there are opportunities to add green infrastructure,” Cotting
said.
Even when grants are part of the strategy, their timing doesn’t always line up with the
long process of planning, development and public outreach required for a large-scale
infrastructure project.
In some cases, communities have had to return money to foundations and state offices
when the grant period ended long before the project was finished.
Lori Yeich, a regional supervisor with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources, regularly advises communities how they can “dig once” by adding green
infrastructure to their community parks as well as playground and sports facilities when they are
seeking grant funds for upgrades.
“The first thing I do with a municipality is have them write a list of all of the grants
available with their deadlines for application,” Yeich said. “That way we can match up when
they can apply for [funds] before they submit a proposal to our programs.”
Combine Efforts
Small communities with a high percentage of paved areas can combine their efforts and
lower costs by using the talents and skills their employees possess — and borrowing skills from
their neighbors.
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The Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority, which has managed the wastewater systems of
35 communities since 1962 in Pennsylvania’s Luzerne County — a former coal-mining region of
cash-strapped municipalities — is taking responsibility for stormwater permits in those
communities.
“It’s a lot of work to do in five years, but it’s the right thing to do,” Tomaine said,
speaking of the five-year lifespan of the permit. “We felt we could be more efficient than each
individual community taking on the program on their own. This is a regional problem. And we
can handle it.”
Luzerne County has to reduce 3 million pounds of sediment in five years, and the
complex infrastructure needed to set up a program is overwhelming to the individual
communities.
“Some of these municipalities don’t even have a secretary to answer their phone,”
Tomaine said.
Through combining their resources, the 35 communities with a collective population of
200,000 could save $57 million to $274 million over the next two decades.
“We all have a responsibility to clean up the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay
because no single municipality could meet this obligation alone,” said Sen. John Yudichak, a
Democrat who serves two counties in northern Pennsylvania [and is Minority Chair of the Senate
Environmental Resources and Energy Committee]. “The regional stormwater project —
designed to improve water quality and wildlife habitats throughout the watershed — represents
the most comprehensive environmental project in northeast Pennsylvania in the last 40 years.”
As smaller communities come together to meet their obligations it is a matter of
economies of scale, said the CBF’s Girard of the Eastern Shore effort.
“It’s expensive, it’s difficult and it’s not going to get done if somebody doesn’t ask the
questions, he said. “However small the slice of the pie, it’s still a slice. To be fair, everybody has
to address their own sources.”
Click Here for a copy of the Streamlining Integrated Infrastructure Implementation: Dig
Once report.
Visit DEP’s How To Be Stormwater Smart webpage to learn more about managing
stormwater with green infrastructure.
(Photo: Bioretention basin at Sporting Hill Elementary School, Cumberland County.)
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Pioneers’ Award
Scientists Monitor New Wetland Designed For Flood Control, Improved Stream Habitat In
Chester County
(Reprinted from the Chesapeake Bay Journal.)

Chester County
By Diane Huskinson, Stroud Water Research Center
A newly constructed wetland designed to reduce

flooding downstream of White Clay Creek is
showing promise.
“We had our first flooding event since the project
was finished, and the data look good. It clearly
helped hold some of the water from that flood,” says
Melinda Daniels, Ph.D. “Of course, we will need to
collect more data to conclusively quantify the
wetland’s impact.”
Because of flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy, the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation provided Stroud Water Research Center with a $3 million
grant to reduce flooding across the 1,800-acre White Clay Creek watershed by 40 percent.
The new wetland was constructed downstream of Spencer Road in Avondale, Chester
County, an area that floods regularly, contributing to hazardous road conditions, as well as
bridge and other infrastructure damage.
Daniels, the principal investigator for the project, says, “This is typical of the entire
Brandywine-Christina watershed. For example, the local school district will cancel school during
big floods because the buses have to cross these bridges; they just wouldn’t be safe to cross. It’s
more than an inconvenience: There is a public safety and economic impact from flooding. It’s a
real problem, and it’s because of land cover changes.”
Historically, this heavily farmed region would have been a mosaic of mostly bottomland
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hardwood forests with some open wetlands and beaver meadows. “Of course, we don’t want to
get rid of our farms because we need to eat, and they provide economic and cultural value,” says
Daniels.
“This project seeks to reduce flooding and secondarily improve the health of aquatic
ecosystems by restoring the hydrology of the watershed without changing the land cover all that
much.”
Princeton Hydro designed the wetland and brought in subcontractor RiverLogic Solutions
to undertake its installation last fall.
The area designated for the wetland was narrow, so the team excavated some of the
buildup of sediments within the floodplain, as well as part of the hill slope to widen the
floodplain and lower its surface to make room for as much storage as possible.
During a storm when White Clay Creek rises, the wetland fills first before the stream
spills over its banks and floods the actual floodplain surface. Then, after peak flood conditions
have passed, the wetland slowly releases the water, which it has naturally purified by absorbing
nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus.
Daniel says, by reducing nutrients and contributing organic matter, wetlands enhance
freshwater ecosystems. “Rivers and streams that are connected to wetlands are highly productive
— in other words, healthy — ecosystems with lots of fish and biodiversity.”
As part of the Hurricane Sandy project, the Stroud Center also expanded the riparian
buffer and put in level-lip spreaders to control stormwater runoff.
Monitoring of the wetlands effectiveness will continue for two more years with funding
provided by the Department of Environmental Protection’s Growing Greener program.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Stroud Water
Research Center website, Click Here to subscribe to UpStream. Click Here to subscribe to
Stroud’s Educator newsletter. Click Here to become a Friend Of Stroud Research, Like them on
Facebook, Follow on Twitter, include them in your Circle on Google+ and visit their YouTube
Channel.
(Photo: The project will help address this kind of flooding in the White Clay Creek Watershed.)
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Pioneers’ Award
Stormwater
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Inside Pennsylvania's Strategy For Healthier Local Streams In The Chesapeake Bay
Watershed
By Deborah Klenotic, Department of Environmental Protection
On April 10, more than 160 Pennsylvanians met in

Harrisburg to talk for six hours about one very
important subject: how to improve the health of local
waters in Pennsylvania’s part of the Chesapeake Bay
watershed.
The participants, comprised of government officials,
environmental advocates, business owners, academics,
farmers and community leaders, produced about 30
pages of suggestions in how to better engage with the
43 counties that lie in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
when developing their Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP).
This dialogue speaks volumes about the new energy, ideas and level of collaboration
Pennsylvania is bringing to its planning process for reducing nutrient and sediment pollution.
WIPs are detailed plans developed by the seven Chesapeake Bay watershed jurisdictions
(Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West
Virginia) to help guide them in meeting their pollution reduction goals under the Chesapeake
Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (Bay TMDL).
In the latest iteration of the WIPs—Phase III—each jurisdiction is asked to engage with
their local stakeholders in their development.
Here are three key innovations energizing Pennsylvania’s Phase III WIP planning
process.
-- We're taking a bottom-up approach and involving multiple stakeholders. More than half
of Pennsylvania lies within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including all or part of 43 counties
that face different challenges.
“Because what makes sense in one county may not work in another, we’re working hard
to create a truly bottom-up planning process,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “We’re
engaging stakeholders who bring diverse views and terrific expertise to the table and are in a
position to change behavior and make decisions to allocate resources. Our aim is to support and
build on local priorities and initiatives. This is how we’ll ensure an implementable plan.”
-- Stronger state agency partnership sends a clear message of commitment. Since Governor
Tom Wolf took office in 2015, his administration has brought a new degree of state agency
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partnership to Phase III WIP planning.
Both Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn have joined DEP
Secretary McDonnell in leading the steering committee for plan development, and are dedicating
some staff resources to the cause.
Committee membership was further expanded to other partners to tap into a wealth of
knowledge and ensure diverse viewpoints.
-- Seven work groups are tackling the multiple facets of improving local stream health. The
steering committee is made up of seven work groups. Four are sector-focused, and are
developing nutrient reduction strategies for agriculture, forestry, stormwater and wastewater.
The other three work groups build and support countywide planning. The Local Area
Goals Work Group developed a Community Clean Water Toolbox that gives counties the tools
they need to create a countywide plan.
The Funding Work Group aims to develop a fiscally responsible, sustainable funding
strategy to support plan implementation, including recommendations for legislative or
administrative actions.
The Local Engagement and Communications Work Group is developing ways to educate
stakeholders on countywide goals and collaborating with those stakeholders in crafting effective
strategic messages and engagement plans.
-- Planning for accuracy. As well as enlisting over 100 stakeholders in the steering committee
and work groups, we’ve obtained broader public input from the start of the planning process.
In addition to the April 10 stakeholder discussion on the countywide approach, we held a
kickoff event on June 5, 2017, where a capacity crowd of 230 stakeholders provided their
knowledge of the challenges and opportunities in cleaning up local streams and rivers.
They generated and discussed 32 topics, and more than 50 people provided input online.
-- We’re using fine-grained data and analytical tools to break down Pennsylvania’s
enormous challenge by county. Thanks to a dramatic increase in the amount of high-quality,
localized data and technical support from the Chesapeake Bay Program, DEP Bureau of Clean
Water and Susquehanna River Basin Commission, DEP can break down its statewide
pollution-reduction goals into manageable, county-sized pieces.
Based on reductions attained as of 2016, Pennsylvania anticipates further reductions in
nitrogen and phosphorus levels to meet the Bay TMDL planning targets by 2025. Using the
Chesapeake Bay Program’s analytical and modeling tools, we’ve broken down these amounts
geographically by county. Further, we’ve grouped counties and tiered the groups by their
collective impact on the Bay.
-- We’re putting it all together to equip county stakeholders to take action. The Phase III
WIP process harnesses the collective power of strong partnerships, strategic data and analytical
tools to equip local stakeholders to develop action plans in their county.
-- The Community Clean Water Toolbox. The Local Area Goals Work Group, with input from
other work groups and stakeholders, compiled the essential data and information for each county
to enable planning to reduce nutrients and sediment in local streams and rivers.
Called the Community Clean Water Toolbox, this guide presents:
-- Reductions already achieved, progress that may be expected through state programs and
remaining reductions that require local initiatives.
-- Current stream conditions and sources of nutrients and sediment by sector.
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-- Maps of water monitoring stations and explanations of the trends that monitoring data are
showing.
-- Suggestions for relevant, cost-effective reduction methods.
-- Recommendations for planning and engagement resources.
-- A template to record planning actions, track progress and report to DEP.
“The Community Clean Water Toolbox is a starting point to use to improve local water
quality,” said Lisa Schaeffer, director of Government Relations at the County Commissioners
Association of Pennsylvania and co-chair of the Local Area Goals Work Group. “Stakeholders
aren’t required to use every tool; they can customize to meet their individual goals in partnership
with the state and are encouraged to add other tools as fits their local situation.”
Before it’s rolled out to all counties, the toolbox is being piloted this summer in
Lancaster, York, Franklin and Adams counties. Lancaster and York represent 25 percent of
Pennsylvania’s needed pollutant reductions and are in the Susquehanna River basin.
With Franklin and Adams counties in the Potomac River basin, the pilot covers a good
range. The counties’ plans are due to DEP in October.
“The Clean Water Toolbox is a great one-stop shop of our water quality accomplishments
and how far we still need to go, with a useful guide to resources that can help us meet our goals,”
said Felicia Dell, director of the York County Planning Commission and co-chair of the
Stormwater Work Group.
-- Partnering to tackle water pollution together, county by county. While the toolbox is a
lynchpin to the local process and has generated positive interest, it’s part of an important broader
context of partnership that offers other resources to local stakeholders too.
“Developing a Countywide Action Plan for Clean Water” provides an overview and steps
to developing an action plan, beginning with forming a County Planning Team. Team leaders
can come from government or from any organization with the commitment, credibility and
capability to develop consensus.
Any county planning team can request a professional facilitator, at no charge, to help run
needed meetings.
In addition, an outreach group for each county provides the help of a representative from
each of the seven work groups as well as technical staff from DEP, the Susquehanna River Basin
Commission, the Interstate Commission of the Potomac River Basin and Chesapeake Bay
Program.
The Local Engagement and Communications Work Group is developing a helpful
presentation of economic and community benefits that go along with the environmental benefits
of improving local stream health.
With this innovative countywide approach, Pennsylvania forges ahead with a new sense
of momentum and real possibility to meet its local water quality goals.
For more information on Pennsylvania’s water quality cleanup plans, visit the
Chesapeake Bay Steering Committee webpage.
(Photo: Chickies Rock County Park, Lancaster County.)
Deborah Klenotic is Deputy Communications Director at DEP. She can be contacted by calling
717-787-1323 or send email to: dklenotic@pa.gov.
NewsClips:
45
Related Stories:
PA To Pilot County-Level Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Planning Process In 4 Counties This
Summer
Lancaster County
Pioneers’ Award
Stormwater
Chester County
(Reprinted from the Chesapeake Bay Program Blog.)

The Choose Clean Water Coalition and other partners

will hold the 2nd Annual Susquehanna River Rally on
June 9 in Harrisburg to call attention to environmental
budget issues from 1:00 to 3:30 on City Island.
Heading into budget negotiations, Pennsylvania’s
waterways need a strong, unified voice to speak up and
remind state legislators that the core funding
supporting our state resource agencies’ clean water
programs cannot afford cuts.
Now is the time to invest more in Pennsylvania’s
waterways, not less.
46
In Pennsylvania, we have world class trout streams, thrilling white water, and tranquil
creeks that provide respite, recreation, and wonderful memories for so many of us. Yet, our
waterways and drinking water are severely threatened.
19,000 miles of Pennsylvania’s waterways are classified as unfit for fishing, swimming,
safe play for children and pets, and in many cases for sustaining life of native aquatic species.
With failing infrastructure, Pennsylvania ranks third in the nation – behind Texas and
Florida- for most reported drinking water safety violations. This is unacceptable.
Join the Susquehanna River Rally to raise your voice, your rally signs, and your paddles
high with the Pennsylvania Capitol as our backdrop to hold our legislature accountable to
addressing our clean water crisis.
We will celebrate the mighty Susquehanna River and leverage its location and abundance
to remind our legislators that clean water in Pennsylvania must be a priority.
Click Here to watch highlights from last year’s River Rally.
Other partners include the National Parks Conservation Association, PennFuture, Sierra
Club - PA Chapter and the Susquehanna River Trails Association.
For more information and to register, visit the Susquehanna River Rally webpage.
NewsClips:
Lancaster County
Area high school students are invited to

paddle for fun and prizes when the
Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s
Pennsylvania Student Leadership Council
hosts its Third Annual Canoe Classic on
the Susquehanna River June 2, from 10:00
to 3:00 p.m.
CBF-PA will provide all gear for
the timed competition. The free event at
the Columbia Crossing River Trails
Center, 41 Walnut St., Columbia,
Lancaster County..
This year’s event will be part of the Riverlands Trail Festival and Lancaster Water Week.
In addition to the canoeing competition, there will be educational exhibits, live music, and an
awards ceremony.
47
Students ages 14-18 can register by visiting the Canoe Classic webpage. Questions can be
directed to: SLCoordinator@cbf.org.
For more on Chesapeake Bay-related issues in Pennsylvania, visit the Chesapeake Bay
Foundation-PA webpage. Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left
column). Click Here to support their work.
(Photo: Columbia Crossing River Trails Center.)
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The Trout Unlimited Pennsylvania Pipeline

Construction Monitoring Program will hold a
training session for water monitoring volunteers on
June 3 in Emmaus, Lehigh County in partnership
with the Wildlands Conservancy.
The goal of the program is to establish
water monitoring efforts along the proposed
PennEast Pipeline route in Luzerne, Carbon,
Northampton and Bucks counties.
Focusing on potential erosion and
sedimentation impacts, the goal of this workshop is
to train volunteers to effectively monitor water quality on high priority streams along proposed
pipeline routes before, during, and after pipeline construction.
The objective of the program is a data collection effort and does not engage in
advocacy-related activities.
The deadline for registration is May 30. Directions to the training session and an agenda
will be provided the week of the training.
Click Here to download a flyer on the training program. Please register for the training by
contacting Jake Lemon by sending email to: jlemon@tu.org or call 814-779-3965. Provide your
name, email address, phone number and mailing address.
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the PA Council
of Trout Unlimited website.
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48
Dinniman
Related Stories:
Partnership
(Reprinted from PA Council of Trout Unlimited Spring newsletter. Click Here to sign up for
your own copy (top of page).)
The PA Highlands Coalition will host a webinar June 12 on

Multi-Functional Riparian Buffers from 10:30 to Noon.
Multi-functional riparian buffers provide opportunities for
harvesting products such as berries, woody florals, and nuts
in the riparian zone. By combining agroforestry and water
protection strategies, these buffers allow for a collaborative
solution to water quality and land management questions.
Join DCNR's Agroforesty Coordinator Tracey Coulter and
Austin Unruh of Crow and Berry Land Management as they
discuss the recent DCNR grants for multi-functional riparian buffers and the realities of utilizing
these tools on the ground.
Click Here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing
information about joining the webinar.
For more information on riparian buffers, visit DCNR’s Forest Buffers webpage.
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49
DEP Invites Comments On TMDL Water Quality Plans For Watersheds In 5 Counties
The Department of Environmental Protection published notices in the May 26 PA Bulletin

inviting public comments on Total Maximum Daily Load watershed plans for streams in five
counties. The streams include--
-- Armstrong County: South Branch, South Fork of Pine Creek (PA Bulletin page 3168);
-- Centre County: Halfmoon Creek (PA Bulletin page 3166);
-- Fayette County: Poplar Run (PA Bulletin page 3167);
-- Indiana County: Ross Run (PA Bulletin page 3168);
-- Juniata County: Markee Creek (PA Bulletin page 3166);
Copies of the TMDL plans are available on DEP’s TMDL webpage. Questions should be
directed to Scott Alexander, Bureau of Clean Water, 717-772-5670 or send email to:
salexander@pa.gov.
Groundwater professionals from across Pennsylvania

gathered on May 7-8 in State College, Centre County
for the 2018 Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium
hosted by Penn State Extension and the Department of
Environmental Protection.
The symposium was again held in recognition of
National Drinking Water Week to highlight the
importance of groundwater to both public and private
drinking water supplies across Pennsylvania.
This year's symposium theme: Groundwater Science
and Fiction provided a forum for a record crowd of
over 260 researchers, students, professionals and educators working in the groundwater field to
exchange information and promote protection of groundwater resources throughout the state.
Secretary Russell Redding from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture provided
opening remarks for the symposium followed by keynote speakers who addressed important
groundwater issues related to groundwater science, interpretation, modeling, and watershed
delineation.
Fourteen concurrent presentations along with ten exhibitors also presented information on
emerging groundwater studies and tools. This year, a half-day pre-conference field trip was
offered to a limited number of registrants on May 7 to several sites of groundwater interest in
Nittany Valley near State College.
The Symposium was also sponsored by the PA Ground Water Association, Penn State
50
Extension Master Well Owner Network, and the Pennsylvania Water Resources Research
Center.
Plans are already underway for the 2019 Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium to be
held in May 2019 in State College, PA.
(Photo: Field trip to see the Birmingham Thrust Fault near State College.)
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House Committee Hears Testimony On Legislation To Pay For Lead Water Line Replacement
Susquehanna River Basin Commission Meets June 15 On Water Withdrawals, Fee

Schedule
The Susquehanna River Basin Commission will meet June 15 on water withdrawal requests, the
proposed FY 2019 fee schedule and budget and other issues. (formal notice)
Also on the agenda is the proposed Water Resources Program for FY 2019 through 2021
and amendments to the Comprehensive Plan for the Water Resources of the Susquehanna River
Basin.
The meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Baltimore Downtown-Inner Harbor,
Carroll Room, 105 W. Fayette Street in Baltimore starting at 9:00 a.m.
For more information on the agenda, visit the SRBC Public Participation Center
webpage.
Related Stories:
The organizers of the PA Water and Wastewater Technology

Summit have issued a call for papers. The deadline for
submissions is June 15.
The PA Section of the American Water Works Association,
PA Water Environment Association, and PA Municipal
Authorities Association recognize the important role of
technology to meet water quality goals better, cheaper, and
safer and are soliciting abstracts to share your successes.
New technology can add value to the facilities including faster efficiency of inspections,
reduced cost, and increased safety of workers.
The PA Water and Wastewater Technology Summit is a great opportunity to showcase
those technologies.
The Summit will be held November 1-2 at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in
State College, Centre County.
Click Here for all the details on submitting proposals.
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NewsClips:
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The Lacawac Environmental Education Center in Wayne

County is now accepting registration for its Summer High
School Residential Program for students age 13 to 17
running from June 24 to 29.
Join Conservation Leaders in Pike and Wayne Counties for
a week of fun, adventure and hands-on learning. High
school students will be immersed in a week long resident
camp at the beautiful and historic Lacawac Sanctuary and
Field Station. Campers will experience science along-side
local environmental professionals and resident university
researchers.
This is a residential program. Students live at Lacawac Sanctuary. Tuition covers
housing, meals and activities. Scholarships are available for Wayne and Pike County Students.
Click Here for all the details and to register. For more information contact Jamie Reeger
at 570-689-9494 or send email to: jamie.reeger@lacawac.org.
For more information on programs, initiatives and other upcoming events, visit the
Lacawac Sanctuary website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates (right panel). Follow on
Twitter. Like on Facebook. Click Here to support their work.
NewsClips:
Related Stories:
Lancaster County
52
DEP Blog: Coco The Chameleon Shares His Air Quality Story With Students In
Norristown
By Andrea Fuchs & Jillian Gallagher, DEP Southeast Regional Office Air Quality
During the warmer months, ground level

ozone is created when sunlight reacts to
nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic
compounds (VOC) in the air. This ground
level ozone is dangerous for everyone, but
can be especially dangerous to children, the
elderly, and people with asthma.
Because children and people with asthma
are at an increased risk, it is important for
these groups to be educated on how to
safely enjoy the outdoors during these periods of increased risk.
At the beginning of ozone season each year (in Pennsylvania, ozone season runs from
May 1 to October 31), health and environmental organizations endeavor to get the word out
about the hazards of ground level ozone during Air Quality Awareness Week.
From April 30 through May 2, 2018, representatives from the Southeast Regional
Office’s Air Quality Program visited three elementary schools in Norristown, Montgomery
County to share Coco the Chameleon’s story and bring an important message to third graders.
Coco has a problem.
He’s a chameleon, but he can’t change colors! Coco and his friends at Lizard Lick
Elementary discover that Coco’s asthma is acting up because of poor air quality.
The students learned how the daily Air Quality Index provides important information on
the proper way to play outside in order to ensure the safety of all students.
The Air Quality Index utilizes different colors (green, yellow, orange, red, or purple) to
designate how clean or dirty the air is on a given day.
On days when the Air Quality Index is orange, students are encouraged to take it easy
while playing outdoors, whereas, when the Air Quality Index is red, students are encouraged to
play outside in the morning before the ozone reaches harmful levels.
Fortunately, Pennsylvania does not experience purple days.
In addition to sharing Coco’s story with the third graders in Norristown, DEP staff
conducted an exercise activity with the students and facilitated an Air Quality Game Show.
DEP staff provided each classroom with two copies of the book "Why Is Coco Orange"
(one in English and one in Spanish) and each child was provided with a "Where’s Mike?" air
quality activity book.
Schools were also provided with information on EPA’s Flag Program. EPA is offering a
free set of colored flags to any school that commits to posting the flag corresponding to the Air
Quality Index color each day.
DEP is thrilled to announce that after hearing the presentation about Coco, both
Whitehall Elementary School and Hancock Elementary School signed up for the flag program!
If you or someone you know is interested in signing up for this program, please visit the
flag program website or contact Lorna Rosenberg at EPA Region 3 for additional information by
53
sending email to: Rosenberg.Lorna@epa.gov.
DEP Southeast Regional Office Air Quality is looking forward to continuing and
expanding this program in the years to come!
For information on Air Quality Action Days in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s Air Quality
Partnership webpage.
NewsClips:
Related Stories:
Lancaster County
(Reprinted from DEP’s Blog: Our Common Wealth. Click Here to subscribe.)
DEP Environmental Justice Advisory Board To Hear Presentation On Environmental

Rights Amendment May 29
On the agenda for the May 29 meeting of DEP’s Environmental Justice Advisory Board is a
presentation on Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment by Franklin Kury, the author
of the legislation that resulted in the Amendment.
Also on the agenda are updates on the Environmental Justice Program and the Draft
Environmental Justice Policy, the Driving PA Forward VW Settlement Funding Program, a
presentation on the PA Solar Future initiative and DEP’s update to the Climate Action Plan.
The meeting will be held in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg
starting at 9:00. Click Here to register to attend the meeting by Webex.
For more information and available handouts, visit DEP’s Environmental Justice
Advisory Board webpage. Questions should be directed to: John Brakeall, 717-783-9731 or send
email to: jbrakeall@pa.gov.
Keep PA Beautiful, DCNR Partner On Cigarette Litter Prevention Program With Keep
America Beautiful Grant
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Tuesday announced it has received a

$20,000 grant from Keep America Beautiful to continue their work with
the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources on the KAB
Cigarette Litter Prevention Program.
This is the eighth year that KPB received funding from the national
organization.
Keep PA Beautiful and DCNR will work in six Pennsylvania State Parks
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that offer recreational lakes, whitewater rafting, canoeing, kayaking as well as and thousands of
miles of hiking trails.
The parks participating in the 2018 CLPP Grant are: Point State Park (Allegheny
County), Linn Run (Westmoreland County), Laurel Summit (Somerset County), Laurel Ridge
(Cambria, Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland counties), Oil Creek (Venango County) and Yellow
Creek (Indiana County) State Parks.
To combat litter, the program advocates that participating communities use four
approaches: encourage enforcement of litter laws, including cigarette litter; raise awareness
about the issue; place ash receptacles in places like entrances to public buildings; and distribute
portable ashtrays to smokers.
In 2017, Keep PA Beautiful and DCNR to implemented the CLPP program at Cook
Forest, Clear Creek, Kinzua Bridge, Maurice K Goddard, Ohiopyle and Raccoon Creek. Click
Here for more.
The combined initial survey was 4,303 cigarette butts with a final survey of 478 cigarette
butts, a reduction rate of 89 percent. The final survey is evaluated after the installation of ash
receptacles, education implementation and the distribution of portable ashtrays.
“The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program is a proven tool to address the number one
littered item in America. We could not think of a better place to implement the program, given
that 38 million people visit our state parks each year,” explained Shannon Reiter, President of
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “Thanks to Keep America Beautiful, we can continue to invest in
this highly effective program.”
“The 2018 grant recipients are charged with moving the program forward to help educate
and inspire smokers to do the right thing,” said Helen Lowman, president and CEO at Keep
America Beautiful, in a statement. “The new marketing assets, which any community can
localize and use, will enable affiliates, local governments and other community groups to teach
adult smokers about the negative impacts related to littering and the role they can play in
improving their community.”
Since its establishment, the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program has consistently cut
cigarette butt litter by approximately half based on local measurements taken in the first four
months to six months after program implementation.
Survey results also demonstrate that as communities continue to implement and monitor
the program those reductions are sustained or even increased over time. Keep America Beautiful
has distributed nearly $3.3 million in grant funding since 2006 to support local implementation
of the program in more than 1,700 communities.
Keep America Beautiful provides a variety of resources to help communities reduce
cigarette litter.
The "Guide to Cigarette Litter Prevention" provides information about starting and
maintaining a Cigarette Litter Prevention Program in any community. Click Here to view the
Cigarette Litter Prevention Program PSA video, as well as the Cigarette Litter in America
Infographic.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep
Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to become a member. Click Here to sign up for
regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on
Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.
Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up
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communities and keep them clean and KPB’s Electronics Waste website.
Sign up now for the 2018 Great American Cleanup of PA and volunteer or set up your
own cleanup and beautification event through May 31.
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DEP Holds June 7 Hearing On Rolling Hills Landfills Expansion In Berks County
DEP Holds June 7 Hearing On Rolling Hills Landfill Expansion In Berks County
The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday announced it will hold a hearing June 7
the Delaware County Solid Waste Authority’s Major Permit Modification Application to
increase the capacity of the Rolling Hills Landfill, located in Earl Township, Berks County.
The hearing will be held from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Earl Elementary School, 22 School
House Road, Boyertown, Berks County. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m.
The application is for a lateral and vertical expansion of 14.9 million cubic yards. The
expansion, if granted, would add an additional 17.3 years of capacity to the life of the landfill.
Individuals will have the opportunity to present up to five (5) minutes of verbal
testimony. Comments must be limited to the conditions of the permit application. Groups are
asked to designate one speaker. Relinquishing of time to other speakers will be prohibited. All
presenters should bring at least one copy of their comments and exhibits tor submission to DEP.
Those who wish to present testimony are asked to register in advance by contacting John
Repetz by sending email to: jrepetz@pa.gov or call 717-705-4904. Registration will be taken
through June 6.
Individuals will be called to testify in the order they registered. Time permitting, those
who did not register in advance will be given the opportunity to testify. The hearing may
conclude earlier if all testifiers in attendance have spoken prior to the designated end time.
Written comments may also be submitted until June 15 They may be mailed to John
Oren, DEP Waste Management Program, 909 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110, or
emailed to: joren@pa.gov. All comments, oral and written, will be considered by DEP during its
review of the permit application.
The permit application is available for public review at the DEP Southcentral Regional
Office, 909 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m.
and 4:00 p.m.. Please call 717-705-4732 to make an appointment., It can also be accessed on
DEP’s Southcentral Community Information webpage.
Individuals who need an accommodation for the hearing as provided for in the American
with Disabilities Act should contact John Repetz at the number listed above, or make
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accommodations through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at 1-800-654-5984.
Questions should be directed to John Repetz, DEP Southcentral Regional Office,
717-705-4904 or send email to: jrepetz@pa.gov.
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PA Municipal League Sustainability Conference June 5 In State College
The PA Municipal League and Sustainable Pittsburgh will host the
3rd Annual Municipal Sustainability Conference at the Hyatt Place
in State College from 9:00 to 4:00.
This year’s day-long Sustainability Conference is packed with
exciting and informative sessions running the gamut of sustainable
community development, including conversations about community
planning, local food, social and racial equity, and the electrification
of local vehicles.
The Conference is in support of the statewide performance
recognition program, Sustainable Pennsylvania Community
Certification.
The event kicks off with a discussion on how to energize and activate the community
development process in your municipality using a new model for comprehensive planning.
You will be introduced to the idea of an implementable comprehensive plan, a method
that includes defined, resourced, and actionable steps for moving your sustainable development
work forward.
Following the discussion, you will discover the benefits of expanding and encouraging
local food production.
Topics covered include a story of a Borough that created a shared garden space, which
became an important community asset, and a newly released guide and model ordinance for
urban agriculture illustrating how you too can encourage local food production.
During lunch, Jim Price, Sustainable Community Manager for Sustainable Pittsburgh will
share the nuts and bolts of earning certification in the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community
Certification (or improving your score) and some of the key actions to take for a deeper dive into
sustainability, positioning your community for the best possible outcomes.
Conference organizers are excited to welcome participants of the National League of
Cities (of which PML is an affiliate), program on Race, Equity, And Leadership (REAL) from
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Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and State College.
They will discuss their work as the inaugural cohort of the National Municipal Learning
Community for Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation.
The 18-month program is designed to provide leaders with an opportunity to learn from
their peers and national experts, and gain understanding of how they can implement and
strengthen efforts to advance racial equity.
The jam packed day will end with two presentations about how to reduce your
community’s energy consumption and how to leverage vehicle charging stations to revitalize
your community.
There has been considerable buzz about VW’s payment to Pennsylvania and how
communities might take advantage of the Driving PA Forward initiative.
Featured speakers include: Feyisola Alabi, Office of Mayor William Peduto; Jonathan
Burgess, Allegheny County Conservation District; Cathy Dauler, State College Borough
Council; Thomas R. King, Borough of State College; Majestic Lane, Office of Mayor William
Peduto; Bernadette Onyenaka, Race, Equity, and Leadership; Jim Pashek, Pashek + MTR;
James Price, Sustainable Pittsburgh; Denny Puko, Dept. of Community & Economic
Development; Mary Ellen Ramage, Borough of Etna; Stacy Richards, Stacy Richards &
Associates; Matthew Shortall, Constellation Energy; and Nefertiri Sickout, Office of Mayor
James F. Kenney.
Click Here for more information and to register. For more information on municipal
sustainability initiatives, visit the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification webpage.
Reinford Farms, Juniata County, Wins U.S. Innovation Center 2018 Dairy Sustainability
Award For Renewable Energy Projects
Land O'Lakes, Inc. dairy member-owner Reinford

Farms, a second-generation, family-owned dairy
farm located in Mifflintown, Juniata County, in the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed, is a winner of the
Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy's 2018 U.S. Dairy
Sustainability Award.
Reinford Farms has invested in innovative
technologies to turn food waste and manure
generated on-farm into renewable energy.
Partnering with local businesses, including 15
grocery stores and food manufacturing companies, Reinford Farms diverts between 6,000 and
12,000 gallons of food waste from landfills each day.
Through this partnership, Reinford Farms generates 1.5 million kWh of renewable
electricity each year – enough to power their entire farm, as well as 100 area homes.
Since they started recycling food waste ten years ago, Reinford Farms has kept more than
35,000 tons of food waste out of landfills, capturing 133 million pounds of greenhouse gases that
would have otherwise gone into the atmosphere.
"At Reinford Farms, we take a comprehensive approach to incorporating environmental,
economic and social sustainability," said Brett Reinford, owner of Reinford Farms. "From the
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emphasis we place on animal welfare, to the way we treat our employees, to our partnership with
local businesses to generate a common good – clean, renewable energy – and preserve our
shared land, air and water resources, it's all interconnected. We're honored to receive this award
and this opportunity to showcase our approach to feeding people in a sustainable way."
"This year's winners exemplify how a drive toward the vision of dairy as economically
viable, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable is at the heart of our dairy industry,
from farm to table," said Barbara O'Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.
"Each winner showcases what is possible and how innovation and drive can take a vision and
make it a reality."
"At Land O'Lakes, we believe meaningful sustainability is farmer-owned and
farmer-driven. We are proud to recognize farmers like the Reinford family who are on the
cutting edge of conservation and sustainability," said Matt Carstens, senior vice president of
Land O'Lakes SUSTAIN. "Together, we are creating stronger connections between consumers
and those who work hard to feed them, where consumers understand and trust that the food that
they're eating is being grown in a way that's good for the planet and for the farmer."
Click Here for a fact sheet about Reinford Farms sustainability efforts. For more
information, visit the Reinford Farms website.
(Photo: Reinford Farms anaerobic digester, BioCycle, The Renewable Energy Generation.)
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CFA Awards 9 Grants Totalling $16.1 Million For Energy Efficiency, Clean Energy,
Energy Infrastructure Projects
Gov. Tom Wolf Tuesday announced $16.1 million in funding was approved by the
Commonwealth Financing Authority for nine projects to promote energy efficiency, clean energy
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and energy infrastructure for homes and commercial buildings.
The projects were funded through CFA’s Alternative and Clean Energy, Pipeline
Investment (PIPE) and Renewable Energy programs.
“Development of our energy infrastructure – whether through expanding access to natural
gas, boosting the efficiency of buildings, or harnessing renewable energy resources like wind –
are all vital to Pennsylvania’s economic health,” Gov. Wolf said. “These projects approved today
won’t just support our business sector, but it will also help residents by improving school
buildings, enabling access to gas energy in homes, and creating jobs, bringing countless benefits
to communities.”
The approved projects include grants to support the purchase and installation of
combined heat and power (CHP) systems, the renovation and construction of highly
energy-efficient school buildings, the implementation of environmentally-friendly and
economical manufacturing technology, and the purchase of wind turbines to harness renewable
wind energy.
The projects also include installation of pipelines that will bring Pennsylvania’s abundant
natural gas energy resources to more than 500 residential and commercial customers, boosting
economic development in the areas where the projects are located.
The following nine projects were approved:
-- Centre County: State College Area School District was approved for a $1,737,720 grant
through the Alternative and Clean Energy (ACE) program to assist with the costs of significant
energy efficiency renovations at the Corl Elementary School in State College Borough. The
24,203-square-foot school, originally built in 1952, will be mostly demolished and reconstructed,
with the undemolished portion of the building renovated. The result will be a 64,086-square-foot
school with a high-efficiency geothermal HVAC system, LED lighting, efficient thermal
envelope, daylight sensors, and low-flow plumbing fixtures. The new building is anticipated to
reduce energy consumption by 633 MMBtu and reduce water use by 255,464 gallons annually.
The total project cost is $17,377,208.
-- Chester County: OxiCool, Inc., a manufacturer of air conditioners, was approved for a
$730,000 grant through the ACE program to incorporate a manufacturing line for the company’s
TruckCool line of products, which uses molecular sieve-based technology to create air
conditioning units for sleeper cabs of heavy-duty trucks. The sieve-based technology, created in
a joint venture between OxiCool, Inc. and the U.S. Navy, will reduce truck idling for continued
cooling of the cab by utilizing a small amount of diesel fuel or an alternative energy like solar
panels as a source for power. The TruckCool unit will reduce the use of diesel fuel during engine
idling by 90 percent, resulting in a reduction of 2,268 gallons per unit annually, and it will also
enable the unit to use water in place of chemicals as a refrigerant, thus further reducing chemical
emissions. The ACE funding will be used to purchase the remaining equipment needed for the
new manufacturing line. The increase in production capacity is expected to create 73 new jobs
over the next three years. The total project cost is $2,551,715.
-- Cumberland County: Mechanicsburg Area School District was approved for a $1,589,234
grant through the ACE program for renovations and 46,600 square feet of new construction on
the Shepherdstown Elementary School. The project will include a new high-efficiency heat
pump HVAC system, installation of LED lighting and daylight sensors and existing building
thermal envelope upgrades. The project is anticipated to reduce energy consumption by 584
MMBtu annually. The total project cost is $15,985,431.
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-- Delaware County: LCP Generation Partners was approved for a $965,000 grant through
the ACE program for the purchase and installation of a 2,000 kW CHP system on Villanova
University's campus. The CHP project will offset approximately 17,520 MWhs per year of
electricity and the waste heat from the system will produce steam and domestic hot water, a
savings of 108 MMBtu annually. The electrical and thermal production offset will reduce
Villanova University's usage by a combined 24 percent. The total project cost is $3,559,993.
-- Lebanon County: Bayer Healthcare, LLC was approved for a $1,171,000 grant through the
ACE program to purchase and install a 2,000 kW CHP system at its operations facility in
Myerstown. The CHP system will offset approximately 16,300 MWhs per year, which amounts
to about 55 percent of anticipated annual electric use. The waste heat from the system will
produce steam and domestic hot water, a savings of 117 MMBtu annually. The total project cost
is $4,867,824.
-- McKean County: McKean County Commissioners was approved for a $1 million grant
through the Pipeline Investment Program (PIPE) on behalf of International Wax Incorporated
(IWI) for the construction of a natural gas pipeline to its refinery located in Keating Township.
IWI is looking to convert its steam generation system at that facility from coal to gas, which will
require the construction of the 8.5-mile pipeline. The total project cost is $2,512,549.
-- Philadelphia County: The School District of Philadelphia was approved for a $2 million
grant through the ACE program for the construction of a new, highly-efficient 140,000-square
foot elementary school in the city of Philadelphia. The project includes the demolition of the
current Solomon Solis-Cohen Elementary School, originally constructed in 1948, and the
construction of the new building, which will include a high-efficiency HVAC system, LED
lighting, an efficient thermal envelope, daylight sensors, and low-flow plumbing fixtures. The
new building is expected to reduce energy consumption by 2,268 MMBtu and water
consumption by 477,047 gallons annually. The total project cost is $57,659,505.
-- Somerset County: Mason Dixon Wind LLC was approved for a $7 million grant through
the Renewable Energy Program to purchase 25 wind turbines for the construction of an 80 MW
wind farm. The Mason Dixon Wind Farm will consist of seventeen 3.465 MW T84 turbines and
eight 2.625 MW turbines, with an annual production of 229,852 MWh. The project will also
include the installation of interconnection equipment, an access road, crane pads, and an
operations building to house monitoring equipment. The total project cost is $103,663,658.
-- Wayne County: Wayne Economic Development Corporation was approved for a $1
million grant through the PIPE program to install more than 27,000 feet of natural gas pipeline
from the existing line in Canaan Township that serves the federal penitentiary on Canaan Road
to Waymart Borough. This extension will make natural gas available to 52 commercial and 451
residential customers, including the area’s largest employers, bringing a significant economic
boost to the region. The total project cost is $2,031,900.
Applications for the CFA’s Alternative and Clean Energy, Pipeline Investment (PIPE)
and Renewable Energy programs are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. The next
deadlines for applications are July 20 and September 15.
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Policy
Energy Law
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Conservative Leaders Launch PA Conservative Energy Forum In Support Of Diverse

Energy Policy
Members of Pennsylvania’s conservative community Thursday

announced the launch of the Pennsylvania Conservative Energy Forum
(PennCEF).
PennCEF seeks to provide a conservative voice in the state energy
policy debate, supporting common-sense, all-of-the-above energy
solutions that are good for the economy, grid and national security,
and the conservation of our state’s natural resources.
The announcement comes as the state Legislature considers updates to
Pennsylvania’s clean energy standards.
Chad Forcey, a seasoned conservative grassroots leader in
Pennsylvania, serves as PennCEF’s executive director, and argues that support for a diverse
energy portfolio is hardly a new concept for conservatives.
“Historically, conservatives have led our country’s efforts to protect and preserve our
natural resources,” Forcey said. “When it comes to the energy debate, the issue has become
polarizing, and often dominated by the left. We founded PennCEF because we believe an
all-of-the-above approach to energy policy is key to the future success of our state, nation, and
world.”
Forcey said that the group’s members respect the historic role played by oil and
petroleum in Pennsylvania’s economy, but also feel a responsibility to address a changing world
with conservative values based in faith, economic growth, innovation and free market principles.
PennCEF seeks to be a forum for individuals, organizations, and businesses to join the
conservative conversation about the state’s energy future to pursue a diversified energy portfolio.
By increasing the use of homegrown, clean, renewable and efficient energy sources,
Pennsylvania can make use of cost-effective and innovative technologies that create local jobs,
increase economic investment in the state, improve grid security and reliability, and conserve
62
natural resources for generations to come.
PennCEF will educate the public and policymakers on the economics, reliability, and
affordability of clean energy, while serving as a voice for conservative solutions and ratepayer
protection.
“Pennsylvania is a national leader in energy,” said James Seif, PennCEF leadership
council member and former PA secretary of environmental protection. “We want to increase the
use of wind, solar, biomass and other clean technologies so that Pennsylvania becomes a leader
for the all-of-the-above category as well. This will place the Keystone State at the forefront of
renewable efforts, and position our citizens as economic development leaders for job growth,
national security, and domestic production.”
“When we take care of God’s creation, by producing our own clean energy, we are
leaving an infrastructure of sustainable renewable development for our children,” said Rev.
Mitch Hescox, PennCEF leadership council member and president/CEO of the Evangelical
Environmental Network. “As citizens and people of faith, we are celebrating the word ‘conserve’
which is inherent in the word ‘conservative.’ This is the land God gave us, and we want to make
it more productive so that it lasts for the future.”
The PennCEF Leadership Council members include:
-- John Easoz, president of Solar PV Consulting and CEO of Direct Gain Consulting, LLC
-- Tom Stevenson, partner, Green Roads Solar Energy & Iceburgh Associates
-- Rev. Mitch Hescox, president & CEO, the Evangelical Environmental Network
-- Ron Gdovic, president & CEO, WINDSTAX Inc.
-- Brian Kennedy, SVP for Operations and Government Affairs, Pittsburgh Technology Council
-- David Jason, partner, Green Roads Solar Energy & Iceburgh Associates
-- Mark DeSantis, CEO, RoadBotics, and
-- Jim Seif, former DEP Secretary, consultant and board member of BioChem Technology Inc.
For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Conservative Energy Forum website, follow
them on Twitter @penncef or like them on Facebook. Questions can be directed to Chad Forcey,
Executive Director, 717-645-9055 or send email to: chad.forcey@penncef.org.
NewsClips:
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Costs
Energy Law
Sen. Mario Scavello (R-Monroe) was honored Wednesday by the Solar

Unified Network of Western Pennsylvania and the PA Chapter of
Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Industries Association for his efforts to boost
the use of clean energy in the Commonwealth.
Sen. Scavello championed two key measures in the current
legislative session, Clean Energy Jobs legislation and Property Assessed
Clean Energy financing programs-- Senate Bill 234.
Provisions from Sen.Scavello’s Clean Energy Jobs Act, Senate
Bill 404, were amended into Act 40 of 2017, the 2017-18
Administrative Code bill last year. (Click Here for more.)
The law requires that electric distributors will have to purchase
their Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) from within the
Commonwealth, protecting Pennsylvania-based solar credits and putting Pennsylvania in line
with many neighboring states.
The measure ensures that PA ratepayers are supporting jobs, investment and tax revenue
in Pennsylvania.
“Solar energy is a key component of our diverse energy portfolio, which is driving 21st
century job creation,” said Sen. Scavello. “I am proud to receive this recognition, which reflects
my commitment to promoting clean energy and economic development it provides to rural and
urban communities.”
Senate Bill 234 lays the groundwork for counties and municipalities to create Property
Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing programs. PACE financing allows business owners,
contractors, and private investors to arrange long-term loans that are repaid through the property
taxes on a building, allowing for limited or no upfront cost for the business.
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Policy
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Power Plants
Costs
Exelon Corporation Thursday announced its

Three Mile Island and Dresden nuclear plants did
not clear in the annual PJM capacity auction, and
all but a small portion of its Byron nuclear plant
also failed to clear.
The results underscore the urgent need for policy
reforms to resolve acknowledged flaws in market
rules that fail to properly value the resilient,
zero-emissions power provided by nuclear plants.
This marks the fourth consecutive year that TMI
has failed to clear. Across all of PJM, 10,643
megawatts of nuclear capacity did not clear in the auction, compared with 3,243 megawatts that
failed to clear last year.
This represents the largest volume of nuclear capacity ever not selected in the auction.
“Now, more than ever, we need federal, regional and state policymakers to urgently take
action to preserve the benefits that our nation’s largest and most resilient source of
emissions-free energy provides to our customers,” said Kathleen Barrón, Exelon’s Senior Vice
President of Government and Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy. “PJM has acknowledged the
long-standing market flaws that put nuclear energy at risk, and the time to implement solutions is
running out.”
TMI, Dresden and Byron are economically challenged because the way energy prices are
set in PJM does not compensate them for their unique contribution to grid resiliency and their
ability to produce large amounts of energy without harmful carbon and air pollution.
Nuclear produces more emissions-free energy than solar and wind combined, and is the
only emissions-free power source that can operate reliably for up to two years without refueling.
TMI has not been profitable for six years as a result of persistently low wholesale energy
prices and market rules that treat polluting plants the same as emissions-free sources of power.
Exelon continues to work with stakeholders on state policy solutions, while also
advocating for broader market reforms at the regional and federal level. Those efforts have yet to
produce any solutions that will prevent the planned premature retirement of TMI in October of
2019.
Quad Cities cleared the capacity auction as a result of Illinois legislation that fairly
compensates certain nuclear plants for their environmental attributes. In addition to supporting
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the continued operation of Quad Cities, the Future Energy Jobs Act provides significant
environmental, economic and consumer benefits, as well as the creation of thousands of clean
energy jobs and training programs for the future energy workforce.
While Dresden and all but a small portion of the Byron nuclear plant did not clear in the
auction, they are not at risk of early retirement at this time. Both plants have capacity
obligations that continue through May 2021 and May 2022, respectively.
Exelon’s other nuclear plants in PJM cleared in the auction for the 2021-2022 planning
year. Oyster Creek in New Jersey did not participate in the auction, as the plant will retire by
October 2018.
Capacity auctions are held annually by grid operator PJM to ensure enough power
generation resources are available to meet demand in its region covering all or part of 13 states
and the District of Columbia. The auction results take effect June 1, 2021.
(Photo: Three Mile Island, Dauphin County.)
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FirstEnergy Solutions Thursday announced none

of its nuclear power plants-- including Beaver
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Valley in Pennsylvania-- cleared the PJM capacity auction.
"The auction results that PJM announced on Wednesday are as unfortunate as they are
unsurprising," said FES President Don Moul.
He noted that none of FES's three nuclear plants – with combined capacity of 4,048
megawatts – received a commitment in the auction, and that a total of 7,400 megawatts less
nuclear capacity cleared in this year's auction than last year's.
"That is 7,400 megawatts of highly-reliable, resilient, clean nuclear power, the majority
of which will be replaced with a mix of generation that is less resilient and more
carbon-intensive," Mr. Moul said.
The result of the current auction reveals that there will be "constraints," and thus higher
prices, in the ATSI (American Transmission Systems Inc.) zone in Ohio, where FES has
announced plans to deactivate two major nuclear power plants – the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power
Station, in 2020; and the Perry Nuclear Power Plant, in 2021.
The base clearing price in the auction was $140 per megawatt-day. The clearing price in
the ATSI zone was $171.33.
"This situation is a call to action for policy makers in Ohio and Pennsylvania to take
effective action to support these important base-load nuclear power plants that can and should
operate for many years into the future," Mr. Moul said. FES has also announced the deactivation
of its nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, the Beaver Valley Power Station, in 2021.
"Other states in the PJM region and elsewhere have developed policy solutions to keep
their nuclear plants in operation – most recently, New Jersey," Mr. Moul said, adding, "FES is
committed to working with policy makers to find creative solutions to make this happen in Ohio
and Pennsylvania as well."
PJM has previously stated that the deactivation of the FES nuclear power plants in Ohio
and Pennsylvania will have no effect on the reliability of the electric power grid to provide
sufficient power when needed.
"While that finding may address the mere availability of bulk power sources in PJM, it
fails to address other key attributes of these plants, such as fuel resilience, an issue PJM is
separately reviewing" Mr. Moul noted.
This auction, importantly, tells a story of how electric power customers will be affected
by the loss of these major electric power generation assets.
Deactivating more than 2,000 megawatts of reliable and resilient power generation from
the Ohio plants because they do not receive fair and adequate compensation for the power they
produce will produce the effects this auction is showing in the ATSI zone.
The loss of these nuclear power generating plants will have a range of adverse impacts:
-- Higher costs for electric power capacity in ATSI, as demonstrated by this auction;
-- Need for upgraded and/or new transmission lines to bring replacement power into the
constrained region, ATSI – facilities that will earn a guaranteed rate-of-return paid by ratepayers;
-- Replacement power that will almost surely come from fossil fuel plants that, unlike the nuclear
plants, are not emission free; and from power plants outside Ohio, substantially increasing Ohio's
dependence on out-of-state electric power supplies; and
-- Loss of large numbers of high-paying jobs and revenue for the communities in which these
plants operate.
(Photo: Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Plant.)
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Partnership
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners

has appointed 14 commissioners to the NARUC-U.S.
Department of Energy Natural Gas Infrastructure
Modernization Partnerships, including Pennsylvania PUC
Chairman Gladys Brown.
The NARUC-DOE Natural Gas Infrastructure Modernization
Partnership was established in 2016, its membership was
assigned two primary goals.
The first is to facilitate the exchange of information on
emerging technologies and investments in natural gas
infrastructure modernization. The second goal is to serve as a
repository of information on the pipeline replacement and
expansion mechanisms available to distribution networks.
It is a cooperative effort that convenes state regulators, federal agencies and other natural
gas stakeholders to discuss natural gas pipeline leak detection and measurement tools and
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identify new technologies and cost-effective practices for enhancing pipeline safety, efficiency
and deliverability.
Click Here for the full announcement.
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Dinniman
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Pittsburgh City Council Tuesday voted to approve the city's Climate Action Plan 3.0, which
commits Pittsburgh government to a series of climate-friendly goals through 2030.
The goals include:
-- 100 percent renewable energy use
-- 100 percent fossil fuel free fleet
-- Divestment from fossil fuel companies
-- 50 percent energy & water use reduction
-- 50 percent transportation emission reduction
-- Zero Waste
The draft 3.0 plan was introduced last year after more than 100 meetings, workshops, and
events to help gather input and content. More than 300 people representing 90 different
organizations, businesses, nonprofits, and government entities participated in writing the draft.
More hearings and public meetings followed, leading to Council's vote.
"Community engagement and the extended community process yielded additional
support and insights that we will be using to create more community-climate connections and
improved communications with community organizations," said Grant Ervin, the city's Chief
Resilience Officer.
Click Here for a copy of the Plan presentation.
NewsClips:
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Easton Goes Green With Commitment To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Op-Ed: Shale Industry Letting An Important Resource Go Up In Smoke
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UGI Energy Efficiency Program Saves State Prison In Luzerne $16,000 In Annual
Electricity Costs
UGI presented an Energy Efficiency and Conservation rebate check Thursday to the Department
of Corrections for installing new lighting equipment at State Correctional Institution--
SCI-Retreat, located in Hunlock Creek, Luzerne County.
SCI-Retreat received the rebate, totaling $17,341.68, through the Custom Program
provision of UGI’s Electric EE&C Program. SCI-Retreat converted 47 of their perimeter security
lighting stations to LED lighting.
The project is expected to save SCI-Retreat more than 144,500 kilowatts of electric usage
annually, with a reduction of nearly $16,000 on their annual electric bill.
“UGI is pleased to provide this check to the Department of Corrections for the investment
made at SCI-Retreat,” Robert Stoyko, UGI vice president of customer relations, said.
“Installation of innovative, energy efficiency technology at this government facility and other
similar projects at state facilities across UGI’s service territory translates to taxpayer savings.”
This LED project is the second phase of SCI-Retreat’s lighting retrofit. The first phase
converted 21 perimeter security lighting stations to LED lighting in 2016.
“Energy Incentive projects like this are very helpful in an environment of operating
budgets that are constantly scrutinized,” Kip Tutorow, Corrections Facility Maintenance
Manager II, said. “The long-term savings coupled with the rebates that are provided strengthens
the justification for the purchase of modern energy-efficient equipment. The lighting upgrade at
SCI Retreat not only reduces our energy consumption but creates a safer and more secure work
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environment. It was a pleasure working with UGI throughout this project. Their staff was very
helpful and made the application submittal process very easy.”
The UGI EE&C program is designed to achieve lower energy usage and lower overall
costs for customers.
The program includes residential customer rebates for fuel switching from electric to
natural gas for space heating, water heating and clothes drying and a recycling program for older
refrigerators and freezers.
Residential and commercial customers are eligible for rebate programs that include fuel
switching from electric to natural gas water heaters and the installation of high-efficiency electric
appliances.
Commercial customers are eligible for rebates for combined heat and power projects, as
well as custom projects such a lighting retrofits.
UGI also offers an EE&C program focused on natural gas efficiency. UGI’s Gas EE&C
program is available for customers of UGI Utilities Inc. – Gas Division and UGI Penn Natural
Gas.
For more information on this and other energy savings programs for homes or businesses,
visit UGI’s Save Smart webpage.
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The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the

University of Pennsylvania Wednesday published a
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report-- Reimagining Pennsylvania’s Coal Communities-- making recommendations on
economic development strategies to help the people and places involved in the coal industry.
The report captures current information from on-the-ground stakeholders—surveys with
small business owners, outreach for interviews with more than 125 stakeholders, and two
regional meetings in coal producing areas of the state.
This input is augmented with research into Pennsylvania’s demographics, coal market
data and trends, unfunded programs proposed in grant applications, and grant-funded programs.
The report was written and researched by Christina Simeone, Theodora Okiro and
DeShaun Bennett.
Executive Summary
Pennsylvania’s coal mining industry began in the mid-1700s and grew to warm countless
homes, power the nation, and fuel the steel industry and the industrial age.
In turn, coal’s importance to Pennsylvania’s economy grew, as homes, businesses, and
towns developed around coal mines—much like factory towns.
But over time, as is typical in manufacturing, technology improves and enables machines
to more efficiently and cost effectively do the work of people. Slowly, the coal mining industry
also began using more machines and employing fewer laborers.
This employment reduction trend has been occurring for decades, even as the amount of
coal mined increased. The U.S. steel industry began to slow in the late 1970s into the early
1980s, as economic recessions softened steel demand, and competition from foreign steel
producers increased.
Scientists learned more about the public health and environmental impacts of coal mining
and combustion, which led to increased regulations.
Appalachian coal is buried deep underground, making it more expensive to mine than
coal in other parts of the country. As regulations and market factors changed, production of
cheaper coal from other areas of the country increased and Appalachian coal production
declined.
These trends contributed to the ongoing erosion of coal mining employment, further
depressing Pennsylvania’s small, rural coal towns.
While coal mining unemployment and the depression of Pennsylvania’s coal towns has
been gradually occurring for decades, the rise of Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale natural gas
resource resulted in rapid decline.
Cheap and abundant natural gas extracted from the earth by machines—aided by a
comparably small number of workers—quickly reduced coal demand, production, and
employment, sending economic shockwaves through already struggling coal communities.
And while Pennsylvania’s natural gas development has lowered energy costs for
consumers and created new economic development opportunities, it has been devastating for the
people, businesses, and towns still dependent on coal mining.
Pennsylvania’s coal industry is unique because it produces two types of coal that are used
in two different sectors. Bituminous coal in the west and northeast is used as fuel to produce
electric power, whereas anthracite coal in the northeast is used by the iron and steel industry.
The persistent national downturn in coal demand primarily affects bituminous coal, while
anthracite coal is exposed to a large, international export market. The future demand for coal is
unknown.
As such, the strategies in this report focus on economic diversification to enable the
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potential for success, regardless of coal industry dynamics.
In 2015, direct coal mining represented less than 0.1 percent of total non-farm
employment in Pennsylvania.
But the coal industry supports additional indirect jobs (e.g. supply chain businesses) and
induced jobs (e.g. stores or restaurants) that support individuals and communities.
While each community is unique, many of these distressed coal communities share
similar characteristics, including high unemployment, aging populations, deteriorating or
insufficient infrastructure, and educational attainment levels that are lower than state and
national averages.
As people born, raised, and educated in these communities are moving out, new,
educated populations are generally not moving in, leading to a “brain drain” of educated
workers. These and other factors make it difficult to attract new business into these communities.
What can be done to help these people and places? This report attempts to capture and
categorize local and regional strategies being pursued to assist distressed workers, businesses,
and communities.
The report captures current information from on-the-ground stakeholders—surveys with
small business owners, outreach for interviews with more than 125 stakeholders, and two
regional meetings in coal producing areas of the state.
This input is augmented with research into Pennsylvania’s demographics, coal market
data and trends, unfunded programs proposed in grant applications, and grant-funded programs.
The report captures many, not all, strategies being employed or proposed in
Pennsylvania. Some of these strategies are still in the planning phase; others are in development;
a few have been recently implemented. Most projects, however, are too early in their infancy to
determine their long-term efficacy.
It goes without saying that financial resources available to assist people and places
impacted by the coal downturn are scarce. This reality often hinders the ability to implement
revitalization or redevelopment strategies.
Exploring, evaluating, and leveraging multiple strategies may be the best way to test for
success, prior to deploying capital. When exploring development strategies, communities should
weigh key place-specific variables to determine strategic leverage points—such as county
location, resource availability, pre-existing strengths and weaknesses, and others.
Assistance strategies in Pennsylvania tend to fall under five key categories:
-- Planning and Development – using planning and development efforts to convert community
liabilities into assets that can be leveraged for broader economic benefit.
-- Training – providing education and workforce development strategies, including promotion of
entrepreneurship, to enhance and diversify employment opportunities.
-- Technology – enabling the greater use of technology to enrich business opportunities.
-- Financing Options – employing innovative approaches to increase the availability of financial
resources that target coal community revitalization.
-- Exploring Other Industries – encouraging individuals, businesses and communities to
diversify into new opportunities in growth industries or industries where there is a potential local
competitive advantage.
The report provides a review of the above categories, and outlines related sub-categories.
For each sub-category strategy identified, the report highlights foreseeable implementation
challenges, though additional challenges should be expected.
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Examples of implemented or proposed programs are provided for most identified
strategies. Insight boxes are included throughout the report to provide complementary data or
perspectives to enable a deeper understanding of issues.
The report concludes by identifying key principles to employ when determining the best
portfolio of strategies to implement, including developing a community-specific approach,
emphasizing stakeholder collaboration and cooperation, leveraging financial resources, and
promoting organizational connections and individuals who are skilled connectors.
Applying these four principles to local governments and economic development
organizations, four specific next steps are identified to help these entities lead coal community
transition and diversification.
These steps include: complement regional economic development planning with
community-specific plans, promote a culture of collaboration (not competition) among
leadership organizations, develop partnerships to identify and secure economic development
resources, and serve as matchmakers to make connections within, across, and beyond target
communities.
The process of reimaging lives, enterprises, and communities must by definition be
forward-looking, embracing change as an opportunity. For Pennsylvania’s coal regions, any
vision of the future and plan for transition must respect and honor the past.
For many people, the changes underway are not opportunities; they are real-life crises.
Coal mining jobs pay large wage premiums, and although these are difficult jobs that present
health hazards, they are often some of the best paying jobs around (when available).
More fundamentally, coal and coal mining served as the foundation for the initial
development of these coal towns. It is a proud part of the history and culture of these places and
the generations of people who’ve lived there.
Between honoring the past and envisioning the future, comes the painful reality of
transition.
The most powerful messages heard from stakeholders concerned the agonizing human
experience of transition.
Stories of prolonged unemployment, crushing financial debt, plummeting home values,
and inability to relocate, understandably went hand-in-hand with stories about unhealthy levels
of stress, deteriorating mental health, and even substance abuse.
Revitalization is a long-term goal that may or may not be realized, but transition is
underway and the needs are immediate.
The various strategies identified have short, medium, and long term horizons to
realization, but do not fully explore the transitional needs of Pennsylvania’s hardest-hit coal
dependent populations.
This report brings together important information—connecting on-the-ground
stakeholder input, coal market trends, coal country demographics, regional economic
development strategies, and supportive research on current and proposed initiatives to improve
distressed coal community economics—in order to identify a menu of diverse strategies to
potentially revitalize Pennsylvania’s struggling coal communities.
Click Here for a copy of the full report.
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Dozen Coal Barges Break Loose On Monongahela River Spilling Coal (Video)
Bridges Reopen After Barges Break Loose On Monongahela River
Homestead, Rankin Bridges Reopen As Crews Clear Barges
250th Anniversary Of Anthracite Salute To Miners
Anthracite 250: A Civil War That Led To The Discovery Of PA Anthracite
How Can Existing Coal Plants Run Better? DOE Wants To Know
New Studies Confirm A Surge In Coal Miners’ Black Lung Disease
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Sustainable Economic Development Task Force of Indiana County Receives EPA Support
For Food Co-Op
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joined

other federal partners Thursday in announcing
assistance to the Sustainable Economic
Development Task Force of Indiana County,
Pennsylvania, to further diversify the local
economy by creating a plan to help a new co-op in
downtown Indiana become an effective outlet for
local producers.
The co-op will provide access to healthy,
locally-produced foods for people at all income
levels and improve the local economy by
supporting county producers, especially those employing sustainable farming methods.
Indiana is one of 16 communities chosen by EPA to revitalize downtowns, boost the local
economy, improve public health, and protect the environment through local food enterprises.
The assistance is provided through Local Foods, Local Places (LFLP), a federal initiative
that helps communities reinvest in their neighborhoods and improve quality of life as they
75
develop the local food economy.
“America’s farmers and ranchers are some of the nation’s first environmentalists,” said
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “We look forward to helping our community partners develop
local food enterprises that support local farmers, improve public health, protect the environment,
and grow local economies.”
“EPA is pleased to play a leading role in Local Foods, Local Places, which helps cities
and towns like Indiana protect the environment and human health by engaging with local
partners to reinvest in existing neighborhoods as they develop local food systems,” said EPA
Regional Administrator Cosmo Servidio. “By supporting locally led, community-driven efforts,
this program helps boost economic opportunities while improving access to healthy local food,
and promoting wellness in rural communities.”
Through LFLP, partner communities work with a team of experts to identify local assets
and opportunities that can support local food enterprises, and set goals for leveraging those
resources in ways that spur revitalization.
They then develop an implementation plan and help identify potential resources from the
participating federal agencies to support implementation.
In 2018, LFLP is supported by EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Delta Regional Authority.
Since its launch in 2014, LFLP has helped 78 communities across the country develop
local food enterprises—such as farmers markets, community gardens, and cooperative grocery
stores—that improve environmental, economic, and health outcomes.
The 16 communities receiving assistance in this round were selected from more than 75
applications.
EPA is also releasing a new report to help other communities interested in growing their
local food economy.
Lessons from Community Leaders on Using Local Foods to Revitalize Downtowns
summarizes experiences, successes, and challenges from LFLP partners who participated in a
national LFLP Summit in Washington, D.C. in July 2017.
An update on results from 2017 LFLP community projects is also now available.
For more information and other resources, visit EPA’s Local Foods, Local Places
webpage. Click Here for a copy of the Local Foods, Local Places Toolkit.
(Photo: Indiana Gazette.)
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DCNR Announces More Smoke-Free Beaches At State Parks, Enhanced Reservation
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System
With the Memorial Day holiday weekend kicking off

the traditional start of the camping season, DCNR
Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Friday announced that
the 2018 camping and swimming season will usher
in new “Smoke Free Beaches” at six state parks in
Pennsylvania.
“Success of our initial goals, as well as
feedback from park visitors across the state,
encouraged us to continue expanding the
‘Smoke-Free’ Beach areas this season,” Dunn said.
“With addition of the six, we now have smoking restrictions at 48 of our 54 state parks with
swim beaches.”
Latest state park additions are: Clear Creek, Jefferson County; Presque Isle, Beach No.
11, Erie County; Pymatuning, Jamestown Campground Beach, Crawford County; Raccoon
Creek, Beaver County; Yellow Creek, Indiana County; and Shawnee, Bedford County.
Surveys, feedback to park managerial staff, and reservation information all played a key
role in the department’s decision to continue expanding a policy that began in 2013. Beach
restrictions consistently have been hailed by visitors for significantly improving air quality and
reducing cigarette-butt litter, Dunn said.
“It was this same ongoing bid to gauge the pulse of the public that led our Bureau of State
Parks to also expand its ‘pet-friendly’ camping policy,” Dunn noted. “From the outset of this
program in 2001, with nine parks participating, we now have included campsites and cabins to
the point where all of our state parks that provide camping now have sections designated for
pets.
Dunn also said park campers can expect improved RV accessibility, new facilities, and
other major improvements at many state parks. An online, enhanced reservation system helps
them find exactly what they are seeking.
Park beach visitors are reminded smoking constraints at designated parks eliminate
smoking on beaches and at swimming areas. For visitors who smoke and still want to use these
beaches, designated areas adjacent to the beach are provided.
Restrictions include cigarettes, pipes, cigars, and the increasingly popular e-cigarettes.
Staff at newly affected parks have been preparing for the change by purchasing and installing
butt disposal units; installing new signage; establishing designated smoking areas with seating;
and informing park user and support groups.
Visit the Bureau of State Parks' Rules and Regulations page for more information on pets
and smoking regulations, as well as participating parks. Reservation information is also
available.
(Photo: Shawnee State Park, Bedford County.)
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Erie: Shark-Free, Fun And Open For Tourism
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Beautiful Grant
The 2019 Pennsylvania State Parks Calendar is now

available featuring award winning photographs from the PA
Parks and Forests Foundation.
The Calendar will no doubt put you in the mood to get
outdoors! And as an added bonus, there are four extra
months so you can start using it in 2018.
The cost, with shipping is $12.26. Proceeds from the sales
directly support maintenance at Pennsylvania’s State Parks.
Click Here to order yours online. Click Here to see all the
photos in the Calendar.
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Beautiful Grant
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published notice in the May 26 PA
Bulletin it has approved a submerged lands lease for $340,000 plus royalties with Seneca
Resources natural gas drilling company in Lewis Township, Lycoming County.
The agreement covers 85 acres of submerged lands under Lycoming Creek. Click Here
for a copy of the agreement.
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Nature Abounds Seeking Volunteers For Juniata River Sojourn June 14-17
Nature Abounds is seeking volunteers to be part of the

upcoming Juniata River Sojourn to be held June 14 to
17.
Volunteers are needed to help with registration tables,
food preparation, and boat safety. Volunteers receive
one day of free paddling, not to mention the benefit of
connecting with nature.
Questions about volunteering should be directed to
Doug Beri at 814-765-1453 or send email to: doug@natureabounds.org.
More information on the sojourn, visit the Juniata River Sojourn webpage.
For more information on the programs, initiatives and other upcoming event, visit the
Nature Abounds website.
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Rainfall Hits 50% Higher Than Normal In Pittsburgh Area For Year
Cameron County Chamber Hosts June 2 Hike Celebrating National Trails Day
The Cameron County Chamber of Commerce will

host a hike on June 2 to celebrate National Trails
Day.
Nelson Haas will lead individuals on a trek
to see the longest beaver ponds in Cameron County.
Haas describes the three miles as a “trip back 100
years.” The trail is flat but one half of it is called
“over country” by Haas. The area in May Hollow
offers bird watchers the opportunity to see
numerous species.
The free event begins at the Cameron County Chamber of Commerce Office, 34 East
Fourth Street in Emporium at 10:00 a.m. Participants should pack a lunch and wear appropriate
clothing.
Click Here to register or for more information, contact Tina Johns Solak, Executive
Director at 814-486-4314 or send email to: cameronchamber@gmail.com.
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Native Plants In The Landscape Conference June 6-9 At Millersville University
Millersville University and Bowman’s Hill

Wildflower Preserve will host the Native
Plants In The Landscape Conference in
Lancaster June 6 to 9.
The purpose of the Conference are to—
-- Increase the knowledge, propagation,
cultivation and use of native plants in the
Mid-Atlantic and New England regions;
80
-- Promote methods of land management and design that respect “sense of place” by preserving
and restoring native species and natural processes; and
-- Engender an appreciation of regionally appropriate landscapes that are harmonious for people
and nature.
While the subject of the conference pertains to native plant communities, the spirit of the
conference is to build human communities among a broad range of participants by designing a
conference affordable to all, encouraging formal and informal exchanges of information, and
providing opportunities for social interaction.
Click Here for a copy of this packed Conference agenda, including workshops, field trips,
a native plant sale and much more.
For more information and to register, visit the Native Plants In The Landscape
Conference website.
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House Committee Reports Out Bill To Encourage Use Of Native Vegetation Along Highways
Women across the mid-Atlantic region who own,

care for, or are interested in learning more about
forestland are invited to apply now to attend the
Delaware Highlands Conservancy’s Women and
Their Woods Educational Retreat from September
6-9 at the Highlights Foundation Workshop
Facility, Milanville, Wayne County.
The biennial retreat is an in-depth, fun, engaging,
and thought-provoking workshop on caring for
your woodlands now and into the future. No matter
the size of your woodlands or if you’re not yet an owner, join us for learning, networking, and
applying new knowledge about good forest stewardship.
Workshops are led by resource professionals including Penn State’s Center for Private
Forests, cooperative extension, state and federal forest agencies, in addition to local land trusts,
private consultants and legal experts.
Attendees gain information on forest stewardship and legacy planning while learning the
basics about mentoring other women landowners.
Topics and activities in indoor and outdoor sessions and field trips include forest plant
identification, forest ecology, wildlife habitat improvements, measuring the value in your forest,
finding professional assistance, forest plant identification, estate and financial planning, and
more.
The event this year will be held at the Highlights Foundation Workshop Facility. Cabins
and lodge rooms have modern facilities and wireless Internet access. Farm-style meals are
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prepared by a top-notch chef and are a time for lively discussion, while snacks are always
available for late-night or early morning sessions.
The intimate and inspiring setting features serene walking trails, a 1,300-acre forest, and
a creek that runs to the nearby Delaware River.
The cost to attend the four-day retreat is $300; this covers lodging for the three nights,
three meals per day with snacks, and all workshop resources and materials. The application
deadline is August 1. Space is limited. Submit your application today to secure your spot.
Women and Their Woods is sponsored by the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, the U.S.
Forest Service at Gifford Pinchot’s Grey Towers National Historic Site, the Penn State College
of Agricultural Sciences, and the William Penn Foundation.
For more information on Women and Their Woods or for an application to attend the
Retreat, visit the Women and Their Woods Educational Retreat webpage. Questions should be
directed to Amanda Subjin, Delaware Highlands Conservancy, by sending email to:
amanda@delawarehighlands.org, or call 570-226-3164 ext. 2.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Delaware
Highlands Conservancy website or call 570-226-3164 or 845-583-1010. Click Here to sign up
for regular updates from the Conservancy, Like on Facebook and Follow on Twitter. Learn about
the Green Lodging Partnership initiative. Click Here to support their work.
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South Mountain Partnership Speakers Series: May 31 Women Who Built The Appalachian
Trail
The 9th annual South Mountain Partnership

Speakers Series kicks off May 31 with an
exciting look at some relatively unknown
historical figures who helped make the
Appalachian Trail what it is today.
The program will be held at the Appalachian
Trail Museum, 1120 Pine Grove Road in
Gardners, Adams County starting at 6:30..
While Benton MacKaye and Myron Avery are
widely recognized as the “founding fathers” of the A.T., the women who contributed to the Trail
project are mostly unknown – until now.
82
Three women – Jean Stephenson, Ruth Blackburn and Margaret Drummond – will join
the ranks of MacKaye and Avery as Appalachian Trail “giants” who carried their vision and
work forward to preserve the trail we all know and love today.
Stephenson was inducted into the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame in 2012, Blackburn in
2013 and Drummond in 2015.
Gwen Loose, Vice-President of the Museum, will share stories about these pioneering
women and their dedication to the Appalachian Trail. The event is free and open to the public.
The South Mountain Speakers Series is an annual lecture series hosted by the South
Mountain Partnership. Each event highlights a specific topic or challenge, such that over the
course of the year, the Series features a diversity of topics central to the Partnership’s mission
and goals of protecting and promoting landscape resources.
The Series also provides a vehicle for engaging the public in on-going, informed dialogue
about conservation challenges facing the South Mountain landscape.
The South Mountain Speakers Series is presented as a revival of the Michaux Lectures, a
series of talks given by Joseph Rothrock to build a groundswell of public support for his work to
preserve and restore Pennsylvania’s forested landscape.
The late 19th century Michaux Lectures were an educational mission that catalyzed real
change in Pennsylvania’s environmental history.
As we face the challenges of the 21st century, the South Mountain Speakers Series is
intended to encourage a new generation to find in the past a positive vision for the future of the
South Mountain landscape.
Click Here for the 2018 Speakers Series schedule.
For more information on programs, initiatives and other upcoming events, visit the South
Mountain Partnership Speakers Series website.
(Photos: Jean Stephenson, Ruth Blackburn and Margaret Drummond.)
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Hawk Mountain Wraps Up Spring Hawk Watch, Numbers 40% Lower Due To Weather
The 2018 Spring Migration Hawk Watch at Hawk

Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County came to a close
on May 15, after a six week observation period that
began April 1.
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Hawk Mountain Conservation Science Trainees, assisted by volunteers and staff, tallied a
total 567 migrating raptors during this time.
The total count for this year is about 40 percent lower than the 10-year average, mostly
due to weather during peak migration times. A great number of rain days in April and May
affected the count, and southeast winds in late April may have pushed migrating birds to the
west.
In addition, an early string of warm days may have caused short distance migrants, such
as red-tailed hawks and sharp-shinned hawks, to move north before the official April 1 start date
of the Hawk Watch.
Broad-winged hawks were the most numerous migrant, followed by osprey, sharpshins,
and redtails. Every species came in under the 10-year average, except for the peregrine falcon, of
which 3 were seen during the count season. Daily counts are available online.
Other migrants spotted included common loon, barn and tree swallows, and
double-crested cormorants. Migrating raptors and other avian wildlife may continue to be seen
soaring past the Lookouts in the coming weeks.
The Autumn Migration Hawk Watch will take place August 15 through December 15.
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Hawk
Mountain Sanctuary website or call 610-756-6961. Click Here to sign up for regular updates
from the Sanctuary, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, visit them on Flickr, be part of
their Google+ Circle and visit their YouTube Channel. Click Here to support Hawk Mountain.
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Game Commission: Springtime Alert - Do Not Disturb Young Wildlife
Game Commission: Springtime Alert - Do Not Disturb Young Wildlife
Whether in their backyards or high on a

mountain, it’s almost certain Pennsylvanians will
encounter young wildlife this time of year.
While some young animals might appear
to be abandoned, usually they are not. It’s likely
their mothers are watching over them from
somewhere nearby.
So when encountering young deer, birds,
raccoons or other young wildlife, the best thing
people can do is leave the animals alone.
“People want to help wildlife that appears to be in trouble, but what they often don’t
realize is that when they encounter a young wild animal by itself in the spring, it’s usually not
alone nor in need of rescue; its mother is nearby,” said Matthew Schnupp, the Game
Commission’s wildlife management director. “Leaving such an animal alone so it can reunite
with its mother is the best, most-caring thing you can do for it. It ensures the young animal has
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the chance to grow up as intended.”
Adult animals often leave their young while they forage for food, but they don’t go far
and they do return.
Wildlife also often relies on a natural defensive tactic called the “hider strategy,” where
young animals will remain motionless and “hide” in surrounding cover while adults draw the
attention of potential predators or other intruders away from their young.
Deer employ this strategy, and deer fawns sometimes are assumed to be abandoned
when, in fact, their mothers are nearby.
The Game Commission urges Pennsylvanians to resist the urge to interfere with young
wildlife or remove any wild animal from its natural setting.
Such contact can be harmful to both people and wildlife. Wild animals can lose their
natural fear of humans, making it difficult, even impossible, for them to ever again live normally
in the wild. And anytime wildlife is handled, there’s always a risk people could contract diseases
or parasites such as fleas, ticks and lice.
Wildlife that becomes habituated to humans also can pose a public-safety risk.
A few years ago, a yearling, six-point buck attacked and severely injured two people. The
investigation into the incident revealed that a neighboring family had illegally taken the deer into
their home and fed it as a fawn, and they continued to feed the deer right up until the time of the
attack.
It is illegal to take or possess wildlife from the wild. Under state law, the penalty for such
a violation is a fine of up to $1,500 per animal.
Under no circumstances will anyone who illegally takes wildlife into captivity be allowed
to keep that animal, and under a working agreement with state health officials, any “high risk”
rabies vector species confiscated after human contact must be euthanized and tested; it cannot be
returned to the wild because the risk of spreading disease is too high.
Animals infected with rabies might not show obvious symptoms, but still might be able
to transmit the disease. Though any mammal might carry rabies, the rabies vector species
identified in the agreement are: skunks, raccoons, foxes, bats, coyotes and groundhogs.
People can get rabies from the saliva of a rabid animal if they are bitten or scratched, or if
the saliva gets into the person’s eyes, mouth or a fresh wound.
Only wildlife rehabilitators, who are licensed by the Game Commission, are permitted to
care for injured or orphaned wildlife for the purposes of eventual release back into the wild. For
those who find wildlife that truly is in need of assistance, a listing of licensed wildlife
rehabilitators can be found on the Pennsylvania Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators website.
If you are unable to identify a wildlife rehabilitator in your area, contact the Game
Commission region office that serves the county in which the animal is found so that you can be
referred to the appropriate licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Click Here for Game Commission regional office contact information.
NewsClips:
Venesky: Fish Commission Boss Offers Grim Financial Outlook During Luzerne Visit
Crable: Lancaster County’s Bill Nolan Takes Vets Fly-Fishing For Therapy
Tiny Snapping Turtle Thrills Southmoreland Middle School Students
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House Rejects Bill Legalizing Hedgehogs, Sugar Gliders As Pets
Editorial: Don’t Lawmakers Have More Important Things To Worry About Than Hedgehogs,
Sugar Gliders?
Reilly: PA Hunters Barred From Bringing Deer Back From Other States Due To CWD
State Trying To Give Massasauga Rattlesnake More Space
Nale: What To Watch For Outdoors As Seasons Transition
Warmer Weather Increases Odds of Snake Encounters
Answer For Controlling Stink Bug Population May Rest With Other Pests
Related Story:
Hawk Mountain Wraps Up Spring Hawk Watch, Numbers 40% Lower Due To Weather
Lee Ann Murray Takes Position With House Democratic Caucus Legal Staff
Lee Ann Murray has taken a Senior Legal Counsel position with
the House Democratic Caucus legal staff after serving since May
1, 2017 as Executive Director of DEP’s Citizens Advisory
Council.
Between 2010 and 2017, Murray served as the Assistant
Director and Staff Attorney for the Pennsylvania Office of the
Chesapeake Bay Foundation helping to set office priorities and
serving as an advocate for Bay policies with the General
Assembly, state agencies and other groups.
She also previously served as Legal Counsel to the House Environmental Resources and
Energy Committee and in the Office of Chief Counsel for the Majority Leader and the
Democratic Caucus in the House.
Murray was also Assistant Counsel in the Department of Environmental Protection’s
Southcentral Regional Office for five years and as a private attorney in the firm of McNees,
Wallace & Nurick in Harrisburg.
She also served as Project Coordinator for the PA Wildlife Federation of Sportsmen’s
Clubs Important Mammal Area Project.
Murray received her law degree from The Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle and has a
Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.
CAC Contact
Neil Bakshi, from DEP’s Policy Office will serve as a contact for the CAC until a new
Executive Director can be appointed. He can be contacted by sending email to:
nebakshi@pa.gov.
Act 7 signed into law in February of 2016 gives the Council independent authority to hire
its own Executive Director.
For more information, visit the DEP Citizens Advisory Council webpage.
Help Wanted: 10,000 Friends Of Pennsylvania President
10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania is seeking a dynamic
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individual to serve as President to lead its day to day operations while creating an exciting future
together with our staff, Board of Directors and or funding partners.
10,000 Friends is a leading statewide voice for creating great places to live, work and
visit. They work with citizens, organizations, public officials and business to foster equitable
land use decisions, strategic infrastructure investments and new governance policies and
practices that build strong, healthy communities, protect our environment and strengthen our
economy.
Click Here for all the details.
Public Participation Opportunities/Calendar Of Events
This section lists House and Senate Committee meetings, DEP and other public hearings and
meetings and other interesting environmental events.
NEW means new from last week. [Agenda Not Posted] means not posted within 2 weeks
of the advisory committee meeting. Go to the online Calendar webpage for updates.
Note: DEP published the 2018 meeting schedules for its advisory committees and boards.
May 29-- Agenda Posted. DEP Environmental Justice Advisory Board meeting. Room 105
Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. DEP Contact: John Brakeall, 717-783-9731 or send email to:
jbrakeall@pa.gov. Click Here to register to attend the meeting by Webex. (formal notice)
-- Environmental Justice Program Update
-- Draft Environmental Justice Policy
-- Driving PA Forward VW Settlement Funding
-- Environmental Rights Amendment, Franklin Kury
-- Climate Action Plan
May 30-- Agenda Posted. DEP State Board for Certification of Sewage Enforcement Officers
meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Kristen Szwajkowski,
717-772-2186 or send email to: kszwajkows@pa.gov. Conference call number is 855-734-4390
PIN 355592.
-- Update On Potential Changes To SEO Certification & Training Guidance
-- Advance Soils Training
-- Update on Learning Management System
May 30-- Public Utility Commission. Combined Heat and Power Working Group meeting.
Forest Room, Keystone Building, 400 North Street, Harrisburg. 1:00. A call-in number will be
published, Click Here. Contact: Joe Sherrick 717-787-5369 or send email to:
josherrick@pa.gov. (formal notice)
May 30-- Pike County Conservation District. Northern Tier Hardwood Association. Spotted
Lanternfly Program. Grey Towers National Historic Site, Milford, Pike County. 2:00 to 5:00.
Click Here for more.
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May 30-31-- Penn State Energy Days. Penn Stater Conference Center, State College, Centre
County.
May 31-- Philadelphia Air Management Services Public Hearing [If Requested] On Proposed
State Air Quality Implementation Plan Revisions RACT Controls For VOCs, NOx. Spelman
Building, 321 University Avenue, 1st Floor Conference Room, Philadelphia. 6:00.
May 31-- NEW. DCNR Sproul State Forest District Public Meeting. Durrwachter Alumni
Conference Center, Main Ballroom, of Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, 10 Susquehanna
Avenue in Lock Haven, Clinton County. 6:30 to 9:00.
May 31-- NEW. South Mountain Partnership Speakers Series. Women Who Built The
Appalachian Trail. Appalachian Trail Museum, 1120 Pine Grove Road, Gardners, Adams
County. 6:30.
May 31-- 3 Rivers Wet Weather. How Does Your Rain Garden Grow Workshop. Green Tree
Municipal Building, 10 West Manilla Avenue, Pittsburgh. 9:00 to 11:00.
May 31-- Keep PA Beautiful. Elk County Solid Waste Authority. Municipal Waste, Recycling &
Enforcement Forum. Fox Township Volunteer Fire Department, Fire Hall, 381 Main Street,
Kersey, Elk County. 10:00 to 3:00
June 1-2-- Brodhead Watershed Association. Native Plant Sale. Pocono Township Fire
Company's Carnival Building, Route 611, Tannersville, Monroe County.
June 1-9-- Lancaster County Water Week.
June 2-- NEW. Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA. 3rd Susquehanna Student Canoe Classic.
Columbia Crossing River Trails Center, 41 Walnut St., Columbia, Lancaster County. 10:00 to
3:00.
June 2-- Delaware Highlands Conservancy. Lacawac Sanctuary. Money Grows On Trees
Workshop. Lacawac Sanctuary, Lake Ariel, Wayne County. 10:00 to Noon.
June 2-- NEW. Cameron County Chamber Hike Celebrating National Trails Day. Cameron
County Chamber of Commerce Office, 34 East Fourth Street, Emporium. 10:00
June 3-- NEW. Trout Unlimited PA Pipeline Construction Monitoring Program. Volunteer
Water Monitor Training. Emmaus, Lehigh County.
June 5-- House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee holds a hearing on Senate Bill
792 (Alloway-R-Adams) regulating the application of lawn fertilizer. Room 205 Ryan Building.
9:00. Committee meetings are typically webcast through the House Republican Caucus website.
Click Here for more.
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June 5-- Agenda Posted. DEP Board Of Coal Mine Safety meeting. DEP Cambria Office, 286
Industrial Park Road, Ebensburg. 10:00. DEP Contact: Peggy Scheloske 724-404-3143 or send
email to: mscheloske@pa.gov.
June 5-- CANCELED. DEP Storage Tank Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel
Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Kris Shiffer 717-772-5809 or send email to:
kshiffer@pa.gov. (formal notice)
June 5-- NEW. PA Municipal League. Sustainable Pittsburgh. 3rd Annual Municipal
Sustainability Conference. Hyatt Place, State College. 9:00 to 4:00.
June 6-- NEW. Joint Legislative Budget & Finance Committee meets to release reports on
Feasibility of Establishing a Water Use Fee In PA [similar to House Resolution 908
(Everett-R-Lycoming], Game Commission Compliance With Strategic Plan (annual report).
Room 8E-B East Wing. 9:45. Click Here for more.
June 6-- DEP Coastal Zone Advisory Committee meeting. 10th Floor Conference Room,
Rachel Carson Building. 9:30. DEP Contact: Stacey Box 717-772-5622 or send email to:
sbox@pa.gov.
June 6-- DEP Webinar On Clean Diesel Grant Program. 10:30 to Noon. Click Here to register.
June 6-9-- NEW. Millersville University. Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve. Native Plants In
The Landscape Conference. Millersville University, Lancaster.
June 7-- CANCELED. House Game and Fisheries Committee holds a hearing on Chronic
Wasting Disease. Rescheduled for June 14.
June 7-- Agenda Posted. DEP Solid Waste & Recycling Fund Advisory Committees meeting.
Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Laura Henry 717-772-5713 or send
email to: lahenry@pa.gov.
-- Revisions To DEP’s Management Of Fill Policy
-- Update On Mercury Thermostat Recycling
-- Responsibilities of County Recycling Coordinators
-- Recycling Market Developments
June 7-- NEW. DEP Hearing On Rolling Hills Landfill Expansion Berks County. Earl
Elementary School, 22 School House Road, Boyertown, Berks County. 6:00.
June 9-- NEW. Choose Clean Water Coalition. 2nd Annual Susquehanna River Rally. City
Island, Harrisburg. 1:00 to 3:00.
June 10-14-- Rails-To-Trails Conservancy. Delaware & Lehigh Trail Sojourn. Eastern
Pennsylvania.
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June 11-- NEW. House State Government Committee holds a hearing on the Delaware River
Basin Commission to hear from entities regulated and to investigate concerns about the impact of
DRBC policies and actions on economic vitality and property rights. Room 205 Ryan Building.
10:00. Committee meetings are typically webcast through the House Republican Caucus
website. Click Here for more.
June 12-- Penn State Center For Nutrient Solutions Presentation Of Research Results. Radisson
Hotel Harrisburg, 1150 Camp Hill Bypass, Camp Hill, Cumberland County. 8:00 to 4:00.
June 12-- DEP Weathering The Storm Stormwater Education Workshop. Alumni Room of the
Waldron Campus Center, Gannon University, 109 University Square, Erie. 8:30 to 3:30.
June 12-- NEW. PA Highlands Coalition. Multi-Functional Riparian Buffer Webinar. 10:30 to
Noon.
June 12-- Sustainable Pittsburgh. Renewable Energy Procurement, Opportunities For PA

Businesses, Institutions Webinar. 2:00 to 3:00.
June 13-- DEP State Board For Certification of Water and Wastewater Systems Operators. 10th
Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Edgar Chescattie,
717-772-2814 or eschescattie@pa.gov.
June 13-- DEP Weathering The Storm Stormwater Education Workshop. Winnie Palmer Nature
Reserve, Saint Vincent College, 744 Walzer Way, Latrobe, Westmoreland County. 8:30 to 3:30.
June 13-- Delaware River Basin Commission business meeting on a variety of policies and
water withdrawal requests. West Trenton Volunteer Fire Company, 40 West Upper Ferry Road,
West Trenton, NJ. 10:30. (formal notice) Click Here for more details.
June 13-- NEW. DCNR Elk State Forest District Public Meeting. Elk State Forest Resource
Management Center, 258 Sizerville Road in Emporium, Cameron County. 6:00 to 8:30.
June 13-- Penn State Agriculture & Environment Center. Stream Stewardship Workshop Part 1.
Milanof-Schock Library, 1184 Anderson Ferry Road, Mount Joy, Lancaster County. 6:30. Part
2 is June 20.
June 14-- House Game and Fisheries Committee holds a hearing on Chronic Wasting Disease.
Room 60 East Wing. 10:00. Committee meetings are typically webcast at the House Republican
Caucus website.
June 14-- DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 9:15. DEP Contact: Kirit Dalal, 717-772-3436, kdalal@pa.gov. (formal notice)
June 14-- PUC En Banc Hearing On Supplier Consolidated Billing By Electricity Suppliers.
Hearing Room 1, Keystone Building, 400 North Street, Harrisburg. 1:00. Note: Second hearing
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on this topic July 12.
June 15-- Agenda. Location Added. Susquehanna River Basin Committee business meeting.
Crowne Plaza Baltimore Downtown-Inner Harbor, Carroll Room, 105 W. Fayette Street,
Baltimore. 9:00. (formal notice) Click Here for more.
June 16-- PA Resources Council. Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. Bethel Park High School,
Allegheny County. 9:00 to 1:00.
June 18-- NEW. House Consumer Affairs Committee holds a hearing on competitive energy
supplier sales and marketing practices. Room B-31 Main Capitol. 11:00. Committee meetings
are typically webcast through the House Republican Caucus website.
June 19-- Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. DEP
Contact: Laura Edinger, 717-772-3277, ledinger@pa.gov.
June 19-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.
DEP Contact: Neil Bakshi, DEP Policy Office, nebakshi@pa.gov.
June 20-- Penn State Agriculture & Environment Center. Stream Stewardship Workshop Part 2.
Little Chiques Park, 229 Park Ave., Mount Joy, Lancaster County. 6:30. Part 1 is June 13.
June 20-21-- Registration Open. 20th Anniversary PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation

Conference. Ramada Conference Center, State College.
June 21-- DEP Hearing [If Needed] On RACT II Air Quality Plan For Fiberglass Reinforced
Plastic, Shirley Township, Huntingdon County. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909
Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg. 10:00. (PA Bulletin, page 2972) Click Here for more.
June 22-- 3 Rivers Wet Weather. Stream Restoration Workshop. McFadden Hall, 1520 Butler
Plank Road, Glenshaw, Shaler Township, Allegheny County. 9:00 to 3:00.
June 23-- Audubon Society of Western PA. Backyard Habitat Flowers And Feathers, The
Connection Between Plants and Birds Workshop. Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, 614
Dorseyville Road, Pittsburgh. 10:00.
June 26-- DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: John Krueger, 717-783-9264, jkrueger@pa.gov.
June 27-- DEP Hearing [If Needed] On RACT II Air Quality Plan For DuPont Plant, North
Towanda Township, Bradford County. DEP Northcentral Regional Office, 208 West Third
Street, Williamsport. 10:00. (PA Bulletin, page 3009) Click Here for more.
June 30-- PA Resources Council. Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. Quaker Valley High
School, Leetsdale, Allegheny County. 9:00 to 1:00.
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July 11-- DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 9:30. DEP Contact: Diane Wilson, 717-787-3730, diawilson@pa.gov.
July 11-- DEP Technical Advisory Committee On Diesel Powered (Mining) Equipment. DEP
New Stanton Office, 131 Broadview Road, New Stanton. 10:00. DEP Contact: Peggy Scheloski,
724-404-3143 or mscheloske@pa.gov.
July 12-- PUC En Banc Hearing On Supplier Consolidated Billing By Electricity Suppliers.
Hearing Room 1, Keystone Building, 400 North Street, Harrisburg. 1:00.
July 17-- Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. DEP
Contact: Laura Edinger, 717-772-3277, ledinger@pa.gov.
July 17-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.
DEP Contact: Neil Bakshi, DEP Policy Office, nebakshi@pa.gov.
July 25-- DEP Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee meeting. 12th Floor
Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Nancy Herb, 717-783-9269 or
nherb@pa.gov. (formal notice)
July 25-27-- Registration Open. Professional Recyclers of PA. 28th Annual Recycling &
Organics Conference. Best Western Premier Hotel, Harrisburg.
July 28-- PA Resources Council. Recycling Bin Distribution Event In Pittsburgh. Point Breeze
Distribution Event, URA’s Parking Lot on Meade Street. 8:00 to 2:00. Click Here to register.
July 28-- Audubon Society of Western PA. Backyard Habitat Gardening for Pollinators and
Butterflies Workshop. Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, 614 Dorseyville Road, Pittsburgh.
10:00.
August 1-- DEP Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel
Carson Building. 9:00. DEP Contact: Michael Maddigan, 717-772-3609, mmaddigan@pa.gov.
August 8-- DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Todd Wallace, 717-783-9438, twallace@pa.gov.
August 11-- PA Resources Council. Recycling Bin Distribution Event In Pittsburgh. Fairywood
Distribution Event, B Keppel Trucking, 100 Beechnut Drive, Pittsburgh. 8:00 to 2:00. Click Here
to register.
August 15-- DEP State Board for Certification of Sewage Enforcement Officers meeting. 11th
Floor, Conference Room B, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Kristen
Szwajkowski, 717-772-2186, kszwajkows@pa.gov.
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August 15-- DEP State Board For Certification of Water and Wastewater Systems Operators
meeting. 10th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Edgar
Chescattie, 717-772-2814, eshescattie@pa.gov.
August 20-23-- U.S. Biochar Initiatives Conference. Chase Center on the Riverfront,
Wilmington, Delaware.
August 21-- Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00.
DEP Contact: Laura Edinger, 717-772-3277, ledinger@pa.gov.
August 25-- PA Resources Council. Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. Century III Mall, West
Mifflin, Allegheny County. 9:00 to 1:00.
August 28-- DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: John Krueger, 717-783-9264, jkrueger@pa.gov.
September 4-- DEP Board Of Coal Mine Safety meeting. DEP Cambria Office, 286 Industrial
Park Road, Ebensburg. 10:00. DEP Contact: Peggy Scheloske 724-404-3143 or send email to:
mscheloske@pa.gov.
September 6-9-- Registration Open. Delaware Highlands Conservancy. Educational Retreat For
Women Forest Landowners. Highlights Workshop Facility in Boyd’s Mill, Milanville, Wayne
County.
September 20-- DEP Solid Waste Advisory Committee & Recycling Funding Advisory
Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Laura Henry
717-772-5713 or send email to: lahenry@pa.gov.
September 22-- Joint meeting of DEP Recycling Fund Advisory Committee and Solid Waste
Advisory Committee. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Laura Henry,
717-772-5713, lahenry@pa.gov.
September 23-- Audubon Society of Western PA. Backyard Habitat Trees and Shrubs,
Supporting Wildlife In Winter Workshop. Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, 614 Dorseyville
Road, Pittsburgh. 10:00.
September 28-- DEP Low-Level Waste Advisory Committee meeting Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. DEP Contact: Rich Janati, 717-787-2147, rjanati@pa.gov.
October 1-3-- Engineers’ Society of Western PA. PA Brownfield Conference. Sands Bethlehem
Casino, Bethlehem.
October 6-- PA Resources Council. Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event. Settlers Cabin Park,
Robinson Township, Allegheny County. 9:00 to 1:00.
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October 17-21-- Passive House Western PA. North American Passive House Network 2018
Conference. David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh.
October 18-- DEP Radiation Protection Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel
Carson. 9:00. DEP Contact: Joseph Melnic 717-783-9730 or send email to: jmelnic@pa.gov.
November 1-2-- PA Water And Wastewater Technology Summit. Penn Stater Conference
Center Hotel, State College.
Visit DEP’s Public Participation Center for public participation opportunities. Click Here to sign
up for DEP News a biweekly newsletter from the Department.
Sign Up For DEP’s eNotice: Did you know DEP can send you email notices of permit
applications submitted in your community? Notice of new technical guidance documents and
regulations? All through its eNotice system. Click Here to sign up.
DEP Regulations In Process

Proposed Regulations Open For Comment - DEP webpage
Submit Comments on Proposals Through DEP’s eComment System
Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods - DEP webpage
Recently Finalized Regulations - DEP webpage
DEP Regulatory Update - DEP webpage
March 3, 2018 DEP Regulatory Agenda - PA Bulletin, Page 1374
DEP Technical Guidance In Process

Draft Technical Guidance Documents - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
Copies of Final Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
DEP Non-Regulatory/Technical Guidance Documents Agenda (February 2018) - DEP webpage
Other DEP Proposals For Public Review

Other Proposals Open For Public Comment - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Other Proposals - DEP webpage
Other Proposals Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
DEP Facebook Page DEP Twitter Feed DEP YouTube Channel
Click Here for links to DEP’s Advisory Committee webpages.
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DEP Calendar of Events DCNR Calendar of Events
Senate Committee Schedule House Committee Schedule
You can watch the Senate Floor Session and House Floor Session live online.
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.
May 31-- SustainPHL 2018 Sustainability Awards

May 31-- CFA Act 13 Watershed Restoration Grants
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Abandoned Mine Drainage Abatement, Treatment Grants
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Orphaned Or Abandoned Well Plugging Grants
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Baseline Water Quality Data Grants
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Sewage Facilities Program Grants
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Flood Mitigation Grants
May 31-- CFA Act 13 Greenways, Trails & Recreation Grants
June 1-- DCNR Youth Ambassador Program At State Parks, Forests
June 1-- REAP Farm Conservation Tax Credits
June 1-- South Mountain Partnership Land Conservation, Recreation Mini-Grants
June 3-- Goddard Student Leadership Legacy Institute Camp Program
June 8-- Keep PA Beautiful Great American Cleanup Of PA Video Contest
June 8-- Keep America Beautiful National Youth Advisory Council
June 8-- PA Horticultural Society Gardening & Greening Contest
June 15-- Southern Alleghenies Regional Greenways, Recreation Mini-Grants
June 21-- DEP Mariner East II Pipeline Water Quality Project Grants
June 29-- Anthracite Power Producers’ Mine Reclamation Grants
June 30-- DEP Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebates (first come, first serve)
June 30-- FirstEnergy Utilities All-Electric Vehicle Rebate From Nissan
July 6-- DEP Clean Diesel Grants (VW Settlement)
July 13-- DEP Growing Greener Plus Watershed Grants
July 13-- DEP Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants
July 20-- CFA Alternative & Clean Energy Funding
July 20-- CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal & Wind Funding
July 20-- CFA Solar Energy Funding
July 20-- CFA High Performance Building Funding
August 15-- NEW. PA Leopold Farm Conservation Award $10,000
August 31-- OSMRE Not-For-Profit Acid Mine Drainage Watershed Grants
September 5-- PA Parks & Forests Foundation Photo Contest
September 15-- CFA Alternative & Clean Energy Funding
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September 15-- CFA Renewable Energy-Geothermal & Wind Funding
September 15-- CFA Solar Energy Funding
September 15-- CFA High Performance Building Funding
September 28-- DEP Calendar 2017 Recycling Performance Grants
October 31-- PA Resources Council Gene Capaldi Lens On Litter Photo Contest
December 14-- DEP Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants
December 31-- DEP County Act 101 Waste Planning, HHW, Education Grants
-- Visit the DEP Grant, Loan and Rebate Programs webpage for more ideas on how to get
financial assistance for environmental projects.
-- Visit the DCNR Apply for Grants webpage for a listing of financial assistance available from
DCNR.
Environmental NewsClips - All Topics
Here are NewsClips from around the state on all environmental topics, including General
Environment, Budget, Marcellus Shale, Watershed Protection and much more.
The latest environmental NewsClips and news is available at the PA Environment Digest Daily
Blog, Twitter Feed and add PaEnviroDigest Google+ to your Circle.
Air
Jaramillo: Jobs, Economy v. Environment At Air Permit Hearing For Marcus Hook Energy Hub
Op-Ed: Danger! Jobs! Sunoco Arguments Go Round And Round On Marcus Hook Facility
Op-Ed: Air Pollution Widens Gap Between The Two Pittsburghs
Why PA’s Dirt Roads Might Be Dustier This Summer
Emissions
Alternative Fuels
PA Offers Funding For Alternative Fuels, Vehicles
Trillium Opens 3rd CNG Station In PA: New Castle
Utilities Pressure Trump To Spur Sales Of Electric Vehicles
EIA: Electric Cars Not Catching On With U.S. Buying Public
Biodiversity/Invasive Species
Budget
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Chesapeake Bay
Citizen Action
Letter: StreamKeepers Work To Protect Our Local Creeks
Group Collects Water Samples To Check Darby Creek Water Quality
Climate
Easton Goes Green With Commitment To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Coal Mining
Emissions
Dozen Coal Barges Break Loose On Monongahela River Spilling Coal (Video)
Bridges Reopen After Barges Break Loose On Monongahela River
Homestead, Rankin Bridges Reopen As Crews Clear Barges
New Studies Confirm A Surge In Coal Miners’ Black Lung Disease
Delaware River
Drinking Water
Economic Development
Shell Ethane Plant Looking To Hire Military Veterans
Want A Job At The Shell Ethane Plant? The Chance Is Finally Here
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Op-Ed: Danger! Jobs! Sunoco Arguments Go Round And Round On Marcus Hook Facility
Education
Energy
Conservatives Join Forces, Seek A Voice In Energy Issues Debate
Editorial: PUC Cuts In Consumers On Utility Tax Cuts
Emissions
EIA: Electric Cars Not Catching On With U.S. Buying Public
Energy Conservation
Environmental History
Farming
PA Dairy Farmers Struggling To Find Greener Pastures In Tough Milk Market
3-Year Old Boy Rescued From Manure Pit In Chester County
Op-Ed: Would Rachel Carson Eat Organic?
Flooding
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Wilkes-Barre Selects Contractor For Solomon Creek Flood Wall Project
Rainfall HIts 50% Higher Than Normal In Pittsburgh Area For Year
Op-Ed: A Conservative Fix To National Flood Insurance Is Needed, But Time Is Running Out
Forests
Green Infrastructure
Hazardous Sites Cleanup
Hurdle: 13 U.S. Lawmakers Call On EPA To Release Toxic Chemical Study At Military Sites
Hurdle: EPA Will Weigh Regulation Of Chemicals Contaminating Military Sites
EPA Releases Remediation Plan For Foster Wheeler Site In Luzerne
Land Conservation
500 Acres Of Lehigh River Headwaters Opened To Public
90-Acre Tract With Wildflower Field, Pond, Walking Path Preserved In Northampton
Oil & Gas
Frazier: Wolf’s Fracking Health Record Hammered By New Industry Opposition Group
Hopey: DEP Revokes Permission To Dump Brine On Dirt Roads
Ruling Hasn’t Changed Hold On Brine Use On Dirt Roads
Kiski Schools Hope Natural Gas Lease Can Help With Budget Crunch
UGI’s Residential Natural Gas Rate To Drop 12.1% By Year End
Op-Ed: Lawmakers Should Say No To Conventional Oil & Gas Drilling Bill
Trillium Opens 3rd CNG Station In PA: New Castle
Shell Ethane Plant Looking To Hire Military Veterans
Want A Job At The Shell Ethane Plant? The Chance Is Finally Here
Drilling Services Company Weathers Financial Storm
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Conference On Appalachian Gas Storage Hub To Be Held In PA June 7
No Evidence Of Natural Gas From Fracking In Ohio Drinking Water
ExxonMobil, Employees Contribute $2.8+M To PA Colleges, Universities
Pipelines
Dinniman
Radiation Protection
Philadelphia Emergency Office: How To Survive A Nuclear Attack Or Accident
Recreation
Philadelphia Gains Ground In National Park Ranking
Perfect River Level Thrills Paddlers At Stonycreek Rendezvous (Video)
Canoeing On High Water In The Poconos
Frye: Float Plans Key To Making Sure On-The-Water Emergencies End Well
6 Stuck On Lehigh River In Inner Tubes Are Rescued
Rainfall Hits 50% Higher Than Normal In Pittsburgh Area For Year
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New Garden, Artwork Installed At Pottstown Riverfront Park
Flight 93 Tower Of Voices Taking Shape In Somerset County
AP: Woman Taking Photos On Top Of State Park Waterfall Injured In Fall
Philly Hits Pause On Digital Billboard In Fairmount Park
Op-Ed: Bikes v. Cars v. Pedestrians: How Philly Can Win Transportation War
Op-Ed: Temporary Bike Grids In Philly, Ideas We Should Steal
Editorial: Philly Council: Quit Stalling On Funds To Fix Parks, Rec Centers, Libraries
Recycling/Waste
Renewable Energy
Stormwater
Wastewater Facilities
Editorial: ALCOSAN Plant Expansion Good First Step
Court Says Hegins, Hubley Joint Sewage Plan Can Move Forward
Watershed Protection
Letter: StreamKeepers Work To Protect Our Local Creeks
101
Group Collects Water Samples To Check Darby Creek Water Quality
Click Here to subscribe to the Chesapeake Bay Journal
Wildlife
Venesky: Fish Commission Boss Offers Grim Financial Outlook During Luzerne Visit
Crable: Lancaster County’s Bill Nolan Takes Vets Fly-Fishing For Therapy
Tiny Snapping Turtle Thrills Southmoreland Middle School Students
House Rejects Bill Legalizing Hedgehogs, Sugar Gliders As Pets
Editorial: Don’t Lawmakers Have More Important Things To Worry About Than Hedgehogs,
Sugar Gliders?
Reilly: PA Hunters Barred From Bringing Deer Back From Other States Due To CWD
State Trying To Give Massasauga Rattlesnake More Space
Nale: What To Watch For Outdoors As Seasons Transition
Warmer Weather Increases Odds of Snake Encounters
Answer For Controlling Stink Bug Population May Rest With Other Pests
West Nile/Zika Virus
Other
SLAPP Suit Bill Would Protect Groups From Lawsuit-Happy Developers
Wildfires
Judge: Teen Must Repay $37 Million For Starting Oregon Wildfire
Hurricanes
Puerto Rico Officials Say They’re Ready For Hurricane Season, But Worries Mount
Corps Of Engineers To Leave Puerto Rico With Hurricane Recovery Unfinished
Federal Policy
U.S. Senate Report: EPA’s Losing Litigation Record So Far
Emissions
Op-Ed: Why EPA’s Secret Science Proposal Alarms Public Health Experts
Op-Ed: A Conservative Fix To National Flood Insurance Is Needed, But Time Is Running Out
EPA’s Aggressive Rollback Campaign Hits Speed Bump
EPA Blocks AP, CNN From Water Contamination Summit, Then Reverses Course
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Click Here For This Week's Allegheny Front Radio Program
Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits
No new regulations were published this week. Pennsylvania Bulletin - May 26, 2018
Sign Up For DEP’s eNotice: Did you know DEP can send you email notices of permit
applications submitted in your community? Notice of new technical guidance documents and
regulations? All through its eNotice system. Click Here to sign up.
DEP Regulations In Process

Proposed Regulations Open For Comment - DEP webpage
Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods - DEP webpage
Recently Finalized Regulations - DEP webpage
DEP Regulatory Update - DEP webpage
March 3, 2018 DEP Regulatory Agenda - PA Bulletin, Page 1374
Technical Guidance & Permits
Note: The Department of Environmental Protection published 68 pages of public notices related
to proposed and final permit and approval/ disapproval actions in the May 26 PA Bulletin - pages
3101 to 3169.
DEP Technical Guidance In Process

Draft Technical Guidance Documents - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
Copies of Final Technical Guidance - DEP webpage
DEP Non-Regulatory/Technical Guidance Documents Agenda (February 2018) - DEP webpage
Other DEP Proposals For Public Review

Other Proposals Open For Public Comment - DEP webpage
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Other Proposals - DEP webpage
Other Proposals Recently Finalized - DEP webpage
Visit DEP’s Public Participation Center for public participation opportunities. Click Here to sign
up for DEP News a biweekly newsletter from the Department.
103
DEP Facebook Page DEP Twitter Feed DEP YouTube Channel
Click Here for links to DEP’s Advisory Committee webpages.
DEP Calendar of Events DCNR Calendar of Events
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Issue #726 ​Crisci Associates​, Harrisburg, PA May 28, 2018

PA Environment Digest Blog​ ​Twitter Feed​ ​PaEnviroDigest Google+

The first place winners of the 35th Pennsylvania

Public Utility Commission Administrative Law

By Karl Blankenship, ​Chesapeake Bay Journal

The owner of Conowingo Dam on Friday challenged

Department of Conservation and Natural

The Department of Agriculture ​published notice in the

The winners of this year’s Western PA Environmental Awards and

Greater Philadelphia Sustainable Business Network Recognizes Green Infrastructure

On May 17, the ​Sustainable Business Network of

Germantown’s Community-Driven Green Infrastructure Upgrade Wins Philadelphia

On Thursday ​Historic Germantown​ was recognized by

(Reprinted from the ​Philadelphia Water Department Blog​.)

Bills On Governor's Desk

Senate/House Bills Moving Last Week

125th Anniversary: ​House Resolution 901​ (Harper-R-Montgomery) recognizing the 125th

Rainforest Month:​ ​House Resolution 895​ (Donatucci-D-Delaware) recognizing May as

Critical Infrastructure Protection:​ ​Senate Bill 652​ (Regan-R-Cumberland) increasing

125th Anniversary:​ ​Senate Resolution 366​ (Baker-R-Luzerne) recognizing the 125th

Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Gov’s Schedule

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

House:​ <> ​Click Here​ for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate:​ <> ​Click Here​ for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Pending In Key Committees

News From The Capitol

Senate Passes Bill Making It A Felony To Simply Trespass On Pipeline, Or On Other

Nuclear Energy Caucus Hears Testimony On Jobs, Environmental Impacts Of Closing

The ​Joint Senate-House Legislative Budget & Finance

House Committee To Hold June 11 Hearing On Delaware River Basin Commission

The ​House State Government Committee​ is scheduled to hold a hearing

News From Around The State

Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award To Recognize PA Farmer With $10,000 Prize

The ​Sand County Foundation​, in partnership with the

Communities Look For Dig Once Opportunities To Integrate Green Infrastructure To

By Donna Morelli, ​Chesapeake Bay Journal

Along the streets of Carlisle, PA, Mark Malarich

(Reprinted from the ​Chesapeake Bay Journal​.)

By Diane Huskinson, ​Stroud Water Research Center

A newly constructed wetland designed to reduce

By Deborah Klenotic, Department of Environmental Protection

On April 10, more than 160 Pennsylvanians met in

(Reprinted from the ​Chesapeake Bay Program Blog​.)

Susquehanna River Rally June 9 In Harrisburg To Highlight Environmental Budget Issues

The ​Choose Clean Water Coalition​ and other partners

Area high school students are invited to

Trout Unlimited Pipeline Water Monitoring Training June 3 In Lehigh County

The ​Trout Unlimited Pennsylvania Pipeline

PA Highlands Coalition Multi-Functional Riparian Buffer Webinar June 12

The ​PA Highlands Coalition​ will host a webinar June 12 on

The Department of Environmental Protection published notices in the May 26 PA Bulletin

Groundwater Facts, Fiction Highlighted At 2018 PA Groundwater Symposium

Groundwater professionals from across Pennsylvania

Susquehanna River Basin Commission Meets June 15 On Water Withdrawals, Fee

The organizers of the PA Water and Wastewater Technology

The​ Lacawac Environmental Education Center​ in Wayne

During the warmer months, ground level

DEP Environmental Justice Advisory Board To Hear Presentation On Environmental

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful​ Tuesday announced it has received a

PA Municipal League Sustainability Conference June 5 In State College

Land O'Lakes, Inc​. dairy member-owner ​Reinford

Conservative Leaders Launch PA Conservative Energy Forum In Support Of Diverse

Members of Pennsylvania’s conservative community Thursday

Sen. Mario Scavello (R-Monroe) was honored Wednesday by the ​Solar

Issue #726 Crisci Associates, Harrisburg, PA May 28, 2018

PA Environment Digest Blog Twitter Feed PaEnviroDigest Google+

By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal

The Department of Agriculture published notice in the

On May 17, the Sustainable Business Network of

On Thursday Historic Germantown was recognized by

(Reprinted from the Philadelphia Water Department Blog.)

125th Anniversary: House Resolution 901 (Harper-R-Montgomery) recognizing the 125th

Rainforest Month: House Resolution 895 (Donatucci-D-Delaware) recognizing May as

Critical Infrastructure Protection: Senate Bill 652 (Regan-R-Cumberland) increasing

125th Anniversary: Senate Resolution 366 (Baker-R-Luzerne) recognizing the 125th

House: <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate: <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

The Joint Senate-House Legislative Budget & Finance

The House State Government Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing

The Sand County Foundation, in partnership with the

By Donna Morelli, Chesapeake Bay Journal

(Reprinted from the Chesapeake Bay Journal.)

By Diane Huskinson, Stroud Water Research Center

(Reprinted from the Chesapeake Bay Program Blog.)

The Choose Clean Water Coalition and other partners

The Trout Unlimited Pennsylvania Pipeline

The PA Highlands Coalition will host a webinar June 12 on

The Lacawac Environmental Education Center in Wayne

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Tuesday announced it has received a

Land O'Lakes, Inc. dairy member-owner Reinford

Sen. Mario Scavello (R-Monroe) was honored Wednesday by the Solar

Exelon Corporation Thursday announced its

FirstEnergy Solutions Thursday announced none

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners

The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the

The 2019 Pennsylvania State Parks Calendar is now

Nature Abounds is seeking volunteers to be part of the

The Cameron County Chamber of Commerce will

Millersville University and Bowman’s Hill

The 9th annual South Mountain Partnership

The 2018 Spring Migration Hawk Watch at Hawk

10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania is seeking a dynamic

June 1-9-- Lancaster County Water Week.

June 12-- Sustainable Pittsburgh. Renewable Energy Procurement, Opportunities For PA

June 20-21-- Registration Open. 20th Anniversary PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation

DEP Facebook Page DEP Twitter Feed DEP YouTube Channel

Click Here for links to DEP’s Advisory Committee webpages.

Senate Committee Schedule House Committee Schedule

PA Environment Digest Blog Twitter Feed PaEnviroDigest Google+

May 31-- SustainPHL 2018 Sustainability Awards

PA Environment Digest Blog Twitter Feed PaEnviroDigest Google+

Click Here for links to DEP’s Advisory Committee webpages.

DEP Calendar of Events DCNR Calendar of Events

PA Environment Digest Blog Twitter Feed PaEnviroDigest Google+

PA Environment Digest is edited by David E. Hess, former Secretary Pennsylvania Department

PA Environment Digest weekly was the winner of the PA Association of Environmental

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

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers