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PA Environment Digest

An Update On Environmental Issues In PA


Edited By: David E. Hess, Crisci Associates
Winner 2009 PAEE Business Partner Of The Year Award Harrisburg, Pa August 8, 2011

New Poll Shows Voter Support For Marcellus Shale Drilling Fee Increasing A new poll released Wednesday by Quinnipiac University shows Pennsylvania voters support the economic benefits of drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale outweigh environmental concerns 59 32 percent, compared to 63 20 percent support in a June 14 survey. The poll also found support for drilling is 79 16 percent among Republicans and 55 35 percent among independent voters. Democrats split 44 45 percent. Voters support 63 28 percent, including 53 38 percent among Republicans, a new tax on companies drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale. By an even larger 78 17 percent, voters support a proposed fee on drilling companies, with proceeds used to reimburse local communities for the impact of drilling. Support is high among all groups and in every region of the state. By almost 2-1 margins, Pennsylvania voters remain convinced of the benefits of tapping the natural gas reserves in the Marcellus Shale, said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. And by overwhelming margins, they want to tap the financial resources of the companies doing the drilling. The same poll found Pennsylvania voters like their governor as a person 48 15 percent, with 37 percent still undecided. But voters say 43 40 percent that they dont like Gov. Corbetts policies. Voters disapprove 45 41 percent of the way Corbett is handling the state budget, but that is a better score than many governors are getting during these difficult economic times. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, who had a 39 percent job approval in each of our first three polls this year, might be seeing some daylight, said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. Hes doing better than his Republican neighbors, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who had a negative 35 50 percent approval in our July 20 survey, and New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie, who had a negative 44 47 percent score June 21. Both of those governors suffer from big negatives among women voters. More detailed polling results are available online. Corbett: Drilling Fee Could Cap Old Gas Wells; But They Aren't A Priority The Tribune Review reported this week, Gov. Tom Corbett said in an interview for the first time he would support using Marcellus Shale impact fee revenue for a statewide purpose: plugging abandoned oil and gas wells.

"We have thousands of uncapped shallow (oil and gas) wells, and they're an environmental hazard," the Governor said. "If you're looking for a statewide use of funds, capping shallow wells-- which we have across the state-- is a logical use." Pennsylvania may have as many as 100,000 abandoned oil and gas wells, but the question is are they an environmental hazard? According to the 2010 PA Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report prepared by the Department of Environmental Protection, "petroleum activities" rank number 27 out of 35 sources of primary impairment of Pennsylvania's 16,547 miles of polluted streams. DEP said 52 miles of streams have petroleum activities as their primary source of pollution, just below golf courses at 53 miles. Based on science and actual stream quality assessments done by DEP, the most serious threat to water pollution and the environment in Pennsylvania are abandoned mine drainage-5,546 miles-- and agriculture-- 5,484 miles. For more background on the DEP report, visit "80 Percent of Streams, Rivers Meet Standards, 16,547 Miles Do Not." Visit the Renew Growing Greener Coalition website for more information on funding priority environmental restoration programs in Pennsylvania. NewsClips: Corbett: Shale Gas Fee Could Cap Abandoned Wells Corbett Suggests Marcellus Shale Drilling Fee To Plug Old Wells Scarnati: PA Senate's Top Leaders Finds The Middle Ground Growing Greener, Other Programs Bite The Dust In State Budget Op-Ed: Lt. Gov. Cawley: Marcellus Industry Doesn't Need Extraction Tax Op-Ed: Tax Drillers? No They Are Paying Their Way Analysis: Marcellus Commission Leaves Door Open On Fee, Pooling Bumsted: Shale Fee, Price Of Privatization? Editorial: Tax The Shale Gas Industry? Yes DEP Declares Drought Watches, Warnings In 44 Counties The Department of Environmental Protection Friday issued a drought warning for four Pennsylvania counties and a drought watch for 40 counties. "With the hot, dry summer, our statewide monitoring network indicates a need to take this first step, which is aimed at alerting the public and water suppliers that it makes sense to take some voluntary common sense steps to conserve," DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. "We recommended this to Pennsylvania's Drought Task Force, and the members agreed." A drought watch declaration is the first and least severe level of the state's three drought classifications. It calls for a voluntary five-percent reduction in non-essential water use and puts large water consumers on notice to begin planning for the possibility of reduced water supplies. A drought warning asks residents to voluntarily reduce water use by 10 to 15 percent. Precipitation deficits over the past 90 days are as great as 4.1 inches below normal in Elk County and 4.4 inches below normal in Chester County. DEP is sending letters to all water

suppliers in the affected areas, notifying them of the need to monitor their supplies and update their drought contingency plans as necessary. The agency monitors a network of groundwater wells and stream gauges across the state that provides comprehensive data to the Commonwealth Drought Coordinator. In addition to precipitation, groundwater and stream flow levels, DEP monitors soil moisture and water supply storage and shares this data with other state and federal agencies. Individuals can take a number of measures around the home to conserve water, including: -- Install low-flow plumbing fixtures and aerators on faucets. -- Check for household leaks. A leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water each day. -- Take short showers instead of baths. -- Replace older appliances with high-efficiency, front-loading models that use about 30 percent less water and 40 to 50 percent less energy. -- Run dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads. -- Keep water in the refrigerator to avoid running water from a faucet until it is cold. For more information, visit DEP's Drought webpage for water conservation recommendations and water audit procedures for commercial and industrial users, such as food processors, hotels and educational institutions. You can also monitor current drought conditions in your area for surface and groundwater. NewsClip: Allegheny, 4 Counties Under Drought Conditions Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Bills Introduced Here are the Senate and House Calendars and Committee meetings showing bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced-Session Schedule Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House-Senate September 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 October 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 31 November 1, 14, 15, 16 December 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14 House September 26, 27, 28 October 3, 4, 5, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 31 November 1, 2, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 December 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14 Bill Calendars House (September 26): Senate Bill 303 (MJ White-R-Venango) providing for the disposition of fines under the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act; Senate Bill 304 (MJ White-R-Venango)

requiring the posting of the state air quality implementation plan on the Internet; House Resolution 70 (Harhart-R-Lehigh) requesting the Department of Transportation to study the potential use of quarry and other mining waste in highway and civil engineering projects. <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar. Senate (September 19): <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar. Committees House: <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule. Senate: <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule. Bills Introduced The following bills of interest were introduced this week-Gas Line Maintenance: Senate Bill 1213 (Solobay-D-Washington) further providing for gas line maintenance and ownership. Alternative Energy: Senate Bill 1219 (Solobay-D-Washington) making additions to the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards. LIHEAP Study: Senate Resolution 165 (Fontana-D-Allegheny) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the effectiveness of the LIHEAP Program.

Capitol News
House Consumer Affairs Committee Briefed On Electric, Gas Competition Competition in the electric and natural gas industries were the topics of discussion this week during public hearings held by the House Consumer Affairs Committee. "It's always good to take a periodic look at any law that was enacted with the premise of helping consumers to save money. The committee heard some interesting comments during these two days of hearings and I'm sure we will be examining if any changes to the laws are necessary," said Rep. Joseph Preston (D-Allegheny), Minority Chair of the Committee. Electric choice in Pennsylvania began 15 years ago in 1996, when Act 138 was signed into law. At the time, statewide average electric rates were among the highest in the country, and customers were forced to purchase all services from one supplier, Rep. Preston said. The 1996 act restructured the electric system by maintaining regulated distribution services but giving customers the ability to select power suppliers. The law was amended in 2008 by Act 129, which expanded oversight and responsibilities of the Public Utility Commission, as well as imposed new requirements on electric distribution companies. Because of this change to the law, every electric customer in Pennsylvania is receiving service through competitive

generation sources, whether it is through an alternative generation supplier or through their default service provider. As of July, more than 1.2 million (20 percent) Pennsylvania customers have switched to an alternative energy supplier. Additionally, according to the PUC, there are 271 approved electric generation suppliers offering competitive rates to Pennsylvania electric consumers. Rep. Preston said issues discussed at Tuesday's hearing included: -- The current status of the "electric choice" market in Pennsylvania; -- Reliability of service to customers; -- Default service providers and the rates they offer to customers; -- Public awareness and public education of electric retail competition; -- The ramifications of maintaining the "status quo"; -- The future of default service, and whether that should change; -- The impact of "electric choice" on large, industrial customers. Pennsylvania has had a natural gas choice program in place since the Natural Gas Choice and Competition Act became law in 1999. Still, only 7 percent of residential customers in the Commonwealth are being served by an alternate supplier, according to the latest statistics from the Office of Consumer Advocate. The price of natural gas from a customer's Natural Gas Distribution Company is approved by the Public Utility Commission. The price may change on a quarterly basis depending on what is happening in the wholesale market, according to Rep. Preston. He said issues discussed at Wednesday's hearing included: -- Factors affecting the wholesale price of natural gas; -- Residential "shopping" statistics; -- Gas Choice Programs in other states; -- PUC and legislative remedies to expand competition; -- Barriers to entry for natural gas marketers; -- Marcellus Shale and the price of wholesale natural gas. Copies of testimony from both hearings is available on Rep. Preston's Consumer Affairs Committee website.

News From Around The State


EPA Administrator Highlights Warwick Twp. Watershed Restoration Efforts U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, traveled to Lititz, Lancaster County., Wednesday where she toured a local dairy farm and held a roundtable discussion with local farmers and leaders. She was joined by Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster) and EPA Regional Administrator, Shawn Garvin. Administrator Jacksons visit to Lititz is part of President Obamas Administration-wide commitment to an economically strong and healthy rural America. EPA is working closely with rural communities to protect air and water quality and the health of their residents. Administrator Jackson has recently travelled to rural areas in central California and northwestern Iowa to highlight sustainable farming practices and innovative farming techniques.

"In recent years Warwick Township and Lancaster County as a whole have served as models for conserving natural resources and building sustainable rural communities. We're here to talk with the area farmers, business owners and local leaders about how we work together to strengthen their environment, their health and their economy," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "The livelihoods of the people here depend on clean air, safe sources of water and healthy lands. Hearing directly from farmers and the people who work with them about commonsense solutions is essential to ensuring the viability of farming operations and protecting soil and water quality." Administrator Jackson visited Jeff Balmer, owner of a 60-head dairy farm that is using a variety of best management practices to protect water quality in the community and further downstream, while making the farm more efficient. The Administrator also participated in a roundtable discussion with State Sen. Brubaker and other local farmers and leaders where they discussed the common goal of clean and healthy water. The Administrator pledged to continue communicating directly with farmers and other stakeholders in communities like Lititz to protect the water all Americans rely on as parties work together to ensure the success and health of rural communities. The town of Lititz is part of Pennsylvanias Warwick Township, an area that was recognized by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation as Conservationist of the Year last year due to efforts to protect water quality in their community. The township continues to be very active in working with the farming community to protect ground water supplies and has undertaken steam restoration projects. For more information, visit EPA's Agricultural Initiatives webpage. Penn State: Preserving Habitat Within Watersheds One Yard At A Time Adopting watershed-friendly practices in urban and suburban yards is increasingly important because development is the fastest growing land use in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. And it is not the only one. Biodiversity, habitat, fragmentation, parcelization, development - all sorts of words and terms but what do they mean to us and our water? Parcelization is a result of land being divided on paper. If a landowner has 200 acres of forested land and four children, each child may receive 50 acres of land as part of an estate. This is not a problem as long as they share common land use objectives, for example leaving it as the family farm or for hunting and camping. Habitat fragmentation results when there is a change in land use, such as selling the parcels for development. Development results in the breaking up of habitat, the space in which the wildlife living there find resources they need to live. When habitat is lost, we often reduce biodiversity, a measure of the richness of the different species in an ecosystem. This also reduces ecosystem services, the ability of natural processes to clean up pollutants and recycle natural waste like leaves and other plant and animal matter. So what does this have to do with me? Everyone can help to provide habitat, preserve biodiversity and protect the watershed within our own yards, no matter what size. Actions can be

as simple as growing native plants in a planter on the patio or choosing to use native trees, shrubs and flowers in urban and suburban landscaping. Planting native trees and shrubs, and creating raingardens and unmowed meadow areas enhance the ability of our yards to infiltrate precipitation through cleansing soil and into groundwater. If someone is fortunate enough to have a wooded area, removing invasive species, preserving native species and planting or preserving woodland all help maintain habitat that protects the watershed and wildlife in it. Research from the University of Delaware and the Stroud Water Research Institute, have demonstrated better ecosystem health, increased biodiversity and better survival of native insects in both streams and land habitats when native plants are the majority of the plants present. This translates to better pollution removal in buffered streams, better water infiltration, better pollinator survival, and better habitat for birds and other wildlife. Two programs that promote habitat preservation in our backyards are the Audubon Bird Habitat Recognition Program and Penn States Pollinator Friendly Certification Program. Both programs require such watershed-friendly actions as reducing or eliminating unnecessary pesticide and synthetic fertilizer use, creating or preserving areas with native plants and trees, providing water source(s), and supplying shelter and nesting opportunities. This benefits not only the birds, butterflies and moths that are enjoyable to watch, but local agriculture. Native pollinators are in trouble, and they are extremely efficient at pollinating local fruit and vegetable crops. By creating backyard habitat, we help our farmers and local vegetable gardens. These activities can be a neighborhood or community effort as well. Audubon has a program to create bird-friendly communities through Bird Town Pennsylvania. The Woods in Your Backyard discusses creating and enhancing natural areas around your home. This is an excellent workbook that combines how-to information to assist landowners with sufficient land to create natural areas that are not routinely maintained, such as unmowed meadow, wooded or streamside sections. Combining efforts with your neighbors can also increase the overall natural area and may serve to provide more connected habitat for improved aesthetics and ecosystem services. To learn more about creating habitat in your yard, visit the PA Audubon Audubon At Home. the PA Trees and Woods In Your Backyard webpages. Note: The Penn State Extension Service may have to close some offices to meet state budget cuts. NewsClip: Penn State Extension Offices May Face Layoffs (Written By: Diane Oleson, Extension Educator, York County, and reprinted from the Watershed Winds Newsletter of the Penn State Cooperative Extension.)

Spotlight
Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition Turns Rust Into Useful Products

Since 1995 the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition has installed 12 passive mine drainage treatment systems treating over 500 million gallons of abandoned mine drainage every year removing 190 tons of acidity, 8 tons of aluminum and 150 tons of iron each year. The removal of iron accumulated during the treatment process is required as part of a regular maintenance program, but presented a problem for project sponsors. The above photograph July 28 provides a very visual illustration of iron solids accumulating at low pH on a pipe in an old pond. As seen in the picture, the feature is about 5 feet in height and the original diameter of the PVC pipe appears to be 12 inches. The acidic mine drainage, with a typical pH of 2.9 and a flow rate of over 20 gpm, has been untreated for about 17 years and contains, on average, about 230 mg/L of total iron. For more background, go to the McIntire Site page of the Datashed website which catalogs the results about 173 of the approximately 300 passive treatment systems treating 14.2 billion gallons of abandoned mine drainage every year removing 3.5 million tons of iron, 152,000 pounds of aluminum and 164,000 pounds of acidity During the installation of a new treatment system on this site, the construction crew from Quality Aggregates Inc. discovered this iron-encrusted pipe. The site, which drains to Blacks Creek, has the worst AMD in the Slippery Rock Creek Watershed. Even though the pipe with the fragile iron-encrustation is to remain for illustration during education and outreach efforts, the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition, with assistance from project partners, is recovering the iron solids that have accumulated along the sides of this old pond for use in pottery glazes by local artisans. Visit the Clean Creek Products website for some great products you can buy made with this glaze. The second photograph taken August 3 shows summer interns Ryan Mahony (left) and Quinten Cameron (right) from Slippery Rock University recovering, by hand, the low-pH iron solids from the banks of the old pond. This project would not have been possible without the funding that was provided by the Department of Environmental Protection through Section 319 of the Federal Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. We very much appreciate the team-work approach on this project and we are glad that we can share this interesting feature. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email us at: sri@streamrestorationinc.org. PA American Water Joins Mon River Stakeholders To Protect Water Quality Pennsylvania American Water said Thursday the newly formed Monongahela River Users Group is a collaborative approach to address environmental issues related to the river, such as the need for increased monitoring and analysis of water quality.

The overall health of the Monongahela River watershed is vital to the quality of water we provide to our customers, as well to the many industries that rely on it to support their businesses, said Paul Zielinski, Pennsylvania American Waters Director of Water Quality and Environmental Compliance. Weve organized this group to examine the effects of increased activity that could play a role in compromising the health of the Monongahela River watershed and the quality of this regional source of supply. The group, which was established in September of 2010, meets on a quarterly basis and includes the Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the River Alert Information Network (RAIN), the Allegheny County Health Department, other water utilities, various industrial users, Marcellus Shale gas drillers and power companies. Each of these organizations brings a unique perspective to the importance of this river, said PA DEP Assistant Southwest Regional Director Ron Schwartz. These meetings provide attendees with insights into non-reported events within the watershed and offer the opportunity to have a more complete picture of factors that might affect water quality. According to Zielinski, Pennsylvania American Waters focus is to develop better collaboration among stakeholders to recommend strategies and coordinate actions to address complex challenges within the watershed. The effort includes coordinating with stakeholders located along the lower Monongahela River in West Virginia. Together, we can closely examine and protect the Monongahela River Watershed to ensure drinking water quality for our customers and its availability to support the many businesses and industries that depend on it, added Zielinski. Experience The Delaware Estuary Celebration October 13 The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary will hold its annual dinner and auction on October 13 at the World Cafe Live in the historic Queen Theatre in Wilmington, DE. For more information on the event and sponsorship opportunities, contact Karen Johnson Forst by sending email to: KJohnson@DelawareEstuary.org. Video Blog: What Are Vernal Pools? Western PA Conservancy Staff Explains The PA Natural Heritage Program staff at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy explain the significant of their work while conducting a species sampling in a vernal pool. Click Here to watch video. Friends Of The Wissahickon Host Free Ice Cream Social August 24

The Friends of the Wissahickon invites everyone to the Fifth Annual Ice Cream Social on August 24 on the lawn outside their office at 8708 Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill from 3 to 6 p.m. This event features free ice cream, music, activities for the whole family, and the chance to meet with FOWs staff and volunteers. Members of the Friends of the Wissahickon are encouraged to wear their FOW t-shirts and hats! The Friends of the Wissahickon, founded in 1924, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the Wissahickon Valley. FOW works in partnership with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation to restore historical structures throughout the park, eliminate invasive plant species, monitor watershed management issues, and restore trails throughout the Wissahickon Valley Park with its Sustainable Trails Initiative. (Photo: here are CeCe Mulcahy, and Jane and Sadie Mills of Chestnut Hill learning more about how to care for the environment (and eating ice cream).) For more information, visit the FOW website. Nearly 160,000 Volunteers Pick Up 7 Million Pounds Of Trash In Great American Cleanup 159,922 volunteers in this year's Great American Cleanup of PA collected 354,267 bags, or 7,085,340 pounds of trash, cleaning 13,140 miles of roads, railroad tracks, trails, waterways, and shorelines, and 5,887 acres of park and/or wetlands in 4,222 separate cleanup events. In addition, volunteers planted 3,321 trees, bulbs, and plants in an effort to keep Pennsylvania beautiful. These statistics reflect results reported to Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and for PennDOTs Adopt-A-Highway Program. This annual event is in partnership with support from the Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT, PA Waste Industries Association, and partnering agencies and local businesses including the American Chemistry Council, Keystone Sanitary Landfill, Pennsylvania Beverage Association, Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association, Steel Recycling Institute, and Waste Management. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania were represented in the Great American Cleanup of PA in 2011. We are so grateful to the nearly 160,000 volunteers that pitched in to help keep Pennsylvania beautiful. said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. It is their commitment to community stewardship that makes this program successful year after year. The 2011 Great American Cleanup of PA began on March 1st and ended on May 31st. During this period, registered events could get free bags, gloves, and vests from PennDOT District offices. Events included litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, beautification projects, special collections, and educational events. Events were required to be registered through the Great American Cleanup of PA website to get these free cleanup supplies. As part of this event, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association sponsored Lets Pick It Up PA Everyday. During the Pick It Up

PA Days, registered events were able to take the trash collected during their cleanup to participating landfills for free disposal. The Lets Pick It Up PA Everyday event began on April 16th and ended on April 30th. The focus day was April 23rd. Since the inception of this event in 2004, over 61 million pounds of litter and waste have been removed from Pennsylvanias landscape, and tens of thousands of trees, bulbs, and flowers have been planted. The Great American Cleanup of PA is sponsored by Keep America Beautiful. The 2011 national sponsors were The Dow Chemical Company, Glad Trash Bags, LG, Lowes, Nestl Pure Life Purified Water, Pepsi-Cola Company, ScottsMiracle-Gro Company, Solo Cup Company, Troy-Bilt, Waste Management, and Wrigleys. A copy of the 2011 Great American Cleanup of PA report is available online. Keep PA Beautiful: Delaware Coast Cleanups Collect Over 7 Tons Of Trash Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and the DEP Coastal Resource Management Program have teamed up with local nonprofit organizations and local volunteers to remove 15,800 pounds of trash and debris, 1,000 pounds of recyclables, 1,000 pounds of scrap metal and 80 tires from the Delaware Estuary from January through May. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and The Friends of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail organized a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service cleanup on January 17, along the Schuylkill River at The Cynwyd Heritage Trail. Two hundred and thirty volunteers braved temperatures in the teens to prepare the area for the trail. The volunteers removed 8,000 pounds of trash and recycled 1,000 pounds of scrap metal. The trail is a proposed two-mile urban linear park that is being converted from the old SEPTA R6 line. The trail, when completed, will wind through quaint residential areas and traverse between two large historic cemeteries along the Schuylkill River and eventually cross over the Schuylkill into the Manayunk section of Philadelphia. Phase I of construction on the trail started this spring and each day the trail site is changing, looking better and better. Friends of the Cynwyd Heritage trail are planning for a September 30th ribbon cutting date. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, Greenbelt Overhaul Alliance of Levittown, and Silver Lake Nature Center organized Great American Cleanup of PA cleanups on April 30th and May 1st on Magnolia Lake and Silver Lake in the Silver Lake County Park. The 460 acre park encompasses 4.5 miles of hiking trails that wander leisurely through Pennsylvanias best example of a Coastal Plain Forest. The cleanup removed 7,800 pounds of trash and 1,000 pounds of recyclables from this unique coastal ecosystem. Silver Lake County Park and the Silver Lake Nature Center are natural treasures in Bristol Township section of lower Bucks County. Working with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful for our Earth Day Work Days event was a great pleasure. Our partnership was a huge success because of the hard work of Michelle Dunn and because of the generosity of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. We produced amazing results for the cleanup of our local waterways and the preservation of our natural habitat. Thank you! said Jennifer Bilger, coordinator of volunteers, Silver Lake Nature Center.

Through their partnership with the DEP Coastal Zone Resource Program, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful has been working throughout the Delaware Estuary with community volunteers and with the help of local businesses removing 426,000 pounds of trash, 20,000 pounds of scrap metal and more than 280 tires from the estuary. This has been accomplished by over 850 volunteers who put in over 3,800 hundred volunteer hours to improve the estuary for the residents, visitors, and the wildlife of the region. Consider Joining, Supporting Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful One piece of litter thrown out of a car window doesnt seem consequential to the environment. But combined with every discarded gum wrapper, take-out bag, or soda can, pretty soon the effect on our natural world and local communities is significant. We hope you will consider being a part of positive change today. Consider this: Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful has identified 5,386 dumpsites with an estimated 16,367 tons of trash. That is more than 32 million pounds of litter and debris degrading our watersheds and impacting our communities. It almost seems overwhelming, however, as each of those individual tires rolled down a hillside adds up, so do individual contributions. Now you can be a part of the new I Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful annual membership campaign! You may have received a letter in the mail about this new campaign recently (and if your check is already in the mail, thank you!). Your contribution, combined with those from people just like you, could help our efforts to clean and beautify communities and reduce the harmful influence of litter and illegal dumping. Youve helped to empower us in the past through your volunteer efforts and were hoping you will consider contributing today. Use this link to join. For your contribution, well send you an I Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful window decal to acknowledge your support. Youll also receive our regular newsletters, annual report and an invitation to vote for incoming Directors at our annual meeting. First and foremost, your membership dollars will allow us to continue and even expand our programming efforts promoting our core focus areas of Prevent It! Clean It! and Keep It! across Pennsylvania. Our collective efforts resulted in 6,668,400 pounds of trash collected by more than 155,000 volunteers during this years Great American Clean-Up alone! Your support will allow us to continue these activities as we work towards our vision of a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania. For more information, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website. DEP Provides Notice Of Electronic Device Recycling Requirements The Department of Environmental Protection published notice August 6 of the initial requirements for the recycling of electronic devices under the 2010 Covered Device Recycling Act starting January 1, 2012. (PA Bulletin page 4254) For more information, visit DEP's Electronics Management Program webpage.

Your School Could Win Dream Machine Recycle Rally Contest Pennsylvania schools (K-12) are invited to become part of the Dream Machine Recycle Rally and make their green dreams come true! Participating schools may be eligible to win prizes throughout the year to be used for Green Improvements, ranging from $500 to the $50,000 Dream Green School Makeover Grand Prize. The Dream Machine Recycle Rally is an exciting multi-year program that aims to raise awareness of the importance of recycling among students. Participating schools capture the nonalcoholic plastic bottles and aluminum cans that would otherwise wind up in the trash, and help keep our Earth clean. For all the bottles and cans recycled through the Dream Machine Recycle Rally, PepsiCo will make a donation to the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities, a national program that offers free education in entrepreneurship and small business management to post-9/ 11 veterans with disabilities. Click Here for more information. Save The Date: PA Resources Council Annual Awards Dinner November 9 The PA Resources Council Annual Awards & Wine Tasting Dinner will be held on November 9 at a new location this year: The Desmond Hotel Great Valley, One Liberty Boulevard, Malvern. The keynote speaker is Richard J. Allan, Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and a former PRC Board Member. Each year, the annual dinner offers a great networking opportunity, delicious food and an interesting selection of wines for tasting, an exciting silent auction and much much more. Don't miss this zero waste event! For more information or to reserve your table early, please contact Carol Butler 610-353-1555 x230 or send email to: butler@prc.org. Applications For Business In Our Sites Brownfield Funding Accepted Through October 31 The Commonwealth Financing Authority is now accepting applications for its Business In Our Sites Program and the PennWorks Programs through October 31 for brownfield and other business site development. (formal notice) Funds may be used to acquire land, conduct environmental assessment and remediation, and perform demolition. The funds may also be used for site preparation activities and installation of infrastructure, including but not limited to, sewer, water, storm water, utilities and telecommunications, both on site and as needed to bring service to the site. They may also be used for access roads or other necessary on-site and off-site transportation improvements. These include rail, costs associated with engineering, legal and other professional services; and any other activities necessary to make a specific site ready for reuse. The CFA plans to make available approximately $38.5 million in funds that are available from loan repayments and projects that either did not use all of the awarded funding or did not proceed. Within the $38.5 million there is approximately $25 million in BOS loan repayments

that can be reloaned and approximately $13.5 million in unused PennWorks funds that can be loaned or granted to projects for water and sewer improvements. The CFA intends to use the BOS and PennWorks funds in tandem to help finance the construction of high-impact projects in regions of this Commonwealth where there is a significant need for developed business sites. The CFA is not intending to fund stand alone water or sewer projects with the limited PennWorks funds, but rather use the available funds to compliment the BOS funds for projects where there are water or sewer components. If applying for both BOS and PennWorks funding for a project, indicate that in the application narrative and budget sections. Where application addendum information is the same for both the BOS and PennWorks applications, only submit that information as part of the BOS application. Only the application fee for BOS is applicable if applying for both programs. Review the BOS and PennWorks guidelines thoroughly before applying. Eligible applicants are encouraged to contact Brian Eckert at 717-720-1400 or Scott Dunkelberger at 717-720-1418 to discuss potential projects before beginning the application process. Dickinson College Receives Highest Possible Score On Green Honor Roll The Princeton Review's Green Honor Roll Wednesday gave Dickinson College in Cumberland County a 99, the highest possible score, for its environmental policies. Dickinson was one of only three liberal-arts colleges on the 2012 list of 16 highereducation institutions receiving a score of 99. Some of the other colleges and universities named to the Green Honor Roll include American University, College of the Atlantic, Harvard College, University of Washington, Northeastern University, University of CaliforniaSanta Cruz, Virginia Tech and Warren Wilson College. Unsustainable consumption of resources, environmental degradation, injustice and poverty are critical challenges of the 21st century, said Neil Leary, director of the Center for Sustainability Education. At Dickinson, we are tackling these challenges to help create a sustainable society by rethinking what we teach and how we teach, as well as by conserving energy, water and other resources; switching to smarter and cleaner energy sources; and collaborating with community partners to promote positive change. Now in its fourth year, the Green Honor Roll measures colleges and universities environmental responsiveness, based on practices, policies and academic offerings. This includes evaluations of students quality of life on campus; how well the college prepares students for employment and citizenship in a world defined by environmental challenges; and the colleges overall commitment to environmental issues. The survey measured 768 schools, which were rated on a scale of 60-99. Dickinsons environmental-studies department is considered one of the best-established in the country. The college offers students more than 200 classes with sustainability content on renewable energy, environmental justice, environmental science, climate change and more. And Dickinson's Center for Sustainability Education infuses sustainability into all facets of college life by linking classroom learning with co-curricular programs, the greening of campus operations and civic engagement. The majority of environmental efforts at Dickinson are student-led. Students may work at the colleges organic farm and live a sustainable lifestyle in alternative housing known as the

Treehouse. They also may work as interns at the Center for Sustainability Education or Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM); serve on Dickinsons Socially Responsible Investment Committee; and take part in a spectrum of related campus organizations and events. Applications For Solar Energy Program Due October 31 Starting September 1, the Commonwealth Financing Authority will begin accepting applications for its Solar Energy Program. (formal notice) The deadline for applications is October 21. About $10 million will be available for new projects, however, that number may be revised upward in December if more funds become available from previously funded projects that fell through. The CFA plans to deploy funds that are (or will be) available from projects that either did not use all of the originally awarded funding or will not proceed. As a result of previous approvals through the Solar Energy Program, there are currently completed or started projects representing almost 25 megawatts of solar power installed across this Commonwealth. Previously submitted applications for still viable projects that were not approved by the CFA in the past must be updated and resubmitted following Solar Energy Program guidelines. It is possible to request an application fee waiver for those projects. The CFA anticipates acting on Solar Energy Program applications at the January 2012 board meeting. It is important to note that CFA contracts extended to newly approved projects will be 12 months in length. Applications should be submitted with this in mind and should represent projects ready to move forward within 6 months of application submission. Review the Solar Energy Program Guidelines thoroughly before applying. Eligible applicants are encouraged to contact Tigh Savercool at 717-720-1401 to discuss potential projects before beginning the application process. State Park Benefits: Lace-Up For Leah 5 K Memorial Run/Walk, Wine & Cheese Reception Please participate in the Wine and Cheese Reception and Silent Auction on August 14 and the Lace-Up For Leah 5K Run/Walk on September 18 organized by the PA Parks and Forests Foundation. Proceeds from the events will go to help fund a memorial playground at Samuel Lewis State Park in York County for two-year old Leah Vogel who passed away on June 26. The Leah Vogel Memorial Playground Fund was established to build a playground at Sam Lewis State Park. This fund is the start of a larger effort on behalf of the Foundation to bring playgrounds to parks across the commonwealth in memory of Leah and of all children who found, and find, happiness in play. Leah enjoyed the outdoorsher playground, the sandbox, watching birds and insects, picking flowers, and playing with her brother and dog. Help build memoriessupport the playground. DCNR Awards Rural Firefighting Grants

More than $669,000 will be awarded to help firefighters in Pennsylvanias rural communities guard against the threat of fires in forests and other undeveloped areas, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Richard J. Allan announced Thursday. These funds will be distributed to 160 volunteer fire companies in rural areas and communities where forest and brush fires are common, Allan said. To understand the importance of readiness, equipment and training, one only has to look back to spring of 2010 when dry, windy conditions spawned smaller fires in every county, along with several larger forest fires. Local firefighting forces in rural areas or communities with fewer than 10,000 residents qualify for the aid. Last year, the grant program awarded $666,553 to 172 fire companies statewide. The readiness of these volunteers is demonstrated even further every spring and summer when they routinely answer assistance calls coming from other states, Allan said. These federal grants allow firefighters from smaller companies to concentrate more on public safety and training while easing their fiscal constraints. Grant recipients were named following review of fire company applications meeting a May 2011 deadline. Grants and other assistance are provided through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry, with funding supplied by the U.S. Department of Agricultures Forest Service through the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978. The key objective is to better equip and train volunteers to save lives and protect property in unprotected or inadequately protected rural areas. Grant recipients are selected based on vulnerability and adequacy of existing fire protection. In reviewing applications, the state placed priority on applications seeking funds for projects that included purchasing wildfire-suppression equipment and protective clothing. Grants were also awarded for mobile or portable radios, dry hydrant installations, wildfire prevention and mitigation, wildfire-fighting training, and to convert and maintain federal excess vehicles used for fire suppression. Grants for any project during a fiscal year cannot exceed 50 percent of the actual expenditures. The maximum grant awarded was $7,500. Aid is granted on a cost-share basis, with recipients supplying matching funds. The bureau will begin accepting 2012 applications next spring. For more information, visit DCNR's Volunteer Fire Assistance webpage. DEP Proposes Changes To Permits Related To Disposal Of Marcellus Shale Well Fluids The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of proposed changes to three Waste General Permits-- WMGR119, WMGR121 and WMGR123-- related to the handling of drilling fluids, flowback and produced water generated from Marcellus Shale gas wells. Copies of the proposed changes will be available on the Proposals Currently Open for Comment webpage. Marcellus Shale Coalition Sponsors Community Discussion In Philadelphia

Local residents joined Philadelphia area leaders and industry representatives Tuesday for a community discussion on natural gas training programs, the impact of workforce development and the industrys development in the Marcellus Shale. The Marcellus Shale Coalition and Americas Natural Gas Alliance hosted the public event at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. The Marcellus Shale, one of the largest sources of natural gas in the United States, brought the natural gas industry to Pennsylvania, which has led to a flurry of investment in the region and created economic and job opportunities across the state. This event focuses on benefits for local business, educational programs to build the local workforce, and the industrys commitment to operating in the interest of the community through safe and responsible development. Representatives from the natural gas community are on hand to discuss the industrys commitment to safe and responsible development and to environmental stewardship in the communities where they operate. As part of this commitment, companies are working alongside community organizations and representatives to protect the environment, maximize job creation and bring an economic boost to the region. It is critical for the natural gas industry to work with elected officials, chambers of commerce and other stakeholders to ensure that the benefits and opportunities from natural gas development are maximized, said Mark Scheuerman, director of government relations at Talisman Energy and the lead for the three-state ANGA Appalachia region. Natural gas development in Pennsylvania will continue to provide our country with important opportunities for energy independence and a stronger economy. Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley, Penn College Executive Director of Workforce Development and Continuing Education Larry Michael, and Jim Ladlee from Penn State Cooperative Extension are participating in a panel discussion on the Marcellus Shale Advisory Commissions Recommendations to Gov. Corbett and natural gas workforce training programs. Other panel members include Tyler Emrich, a Chesapeake Energy employee from Manayunk, and Phil Kithcart, a Talisman Energy employee and graduate of Lackawannas two-year training program. Organizations and institutions across the Commonwealth are responding to the positive impact the Marcellus is having on our workforce through new and innovative training programs that prepare men and women for careers in this highly sophisticated industry and across a diverse supply chain of related industries, said Kathryn Z. Klaber, president and executive director of the Marcellus Shale Coalition. With seven in 10 hires into the Marcellus hailing from Pennsylvania and 93 percent coming from the five-state Marcellus region, it is imperative that we continue to support quality workforce training programs, while working in a collaborative way to maximize the economic potential of clean-burning, abundant natural gas, continued Klaber. This community discussion is the second of three to be held in Pennsylvania this summer. Transportation Funding Advisory Commission Report Delivered To Governor Transportation Secretary Barry J. Schoch, P.E., Monday delivered the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission final report on long-term transportation funding options to Gov. Corbett.

The commission presented multiple funding ideas to the governor, who will decide what course of action will balance the best interests of Pennsylvania consumers and the need for state transportation funding over the next several years. I want to thank the commission members for their expert analysis and dedication in serving on this important volunteer panel, Schoch said. The commission has produced a report that considers the transportation needs and realities of 12 million Pennsylvanians who expect and deserve to have a safe and efficient transportation infrastructure. TFAC, formed by the governors executive order in April, was tasked with finding an additional $2 billion to $2.5 billion annually for the states transportation infrastructure needs. The panels 40 members, all experts in transportation, finance, local government and other fields, spent the last few months discussing new and innovative ways to meet Pennsylvanias transportation funding needs. The TFAC plan also includes modernization and efficiency changes that will improve many of the ways in which PennDOT conducts business. Some of the modernization strategies include vehicle registration renewals every two years instead of annually, changing to an eightyear drivers license instead of the current four years and reducing the number of drivers licensing centers from 71 to 60. TFAC recognized that if its going to ask the public to change the way Pennsylvania transportation is funded, Pennsylvanians in return expect and deserve to have a modern PennDOT that excels at customer service and delivers quality products, said Schoch. Thats what these modernization strategies are expected to produce. The full report is available online. NewsClips: Panel Shows How To Raise $2.7 Billion For Transportation Drivers Could Pay For Road Improvements Corbett Wants To Improve Transportation Without Tax Hike Transportation Commission Recommends Removing Tax Cap Recommendations: More Costly To Get Around NE Lawmakers Assess Transportation Funding Proposals House Transportation Committee Waiting For Corbett Green Light

Feature
Travel Bugs From PA Wilds Like Bass A. Beck Go Far And Wide

Basse A. Beck is now in South West England, UK, spreading his message of cleaning up acid mine drainage and restoring migrating fish to Pennsylvanias rivers. He began his journey from the Coke and Hollywood geocache in Tyler, PA, on October 9, 2010. Even though Mr. Beck passed away in 1974, his legacy lives on in the form of a Legacy of Conservation hero card travel bug. This travel bug was launched with 29 other Pennsylvania environmental hero travel bugs as part of the DCNR Legacy of Conservation Geotrail in the Pennsylvania Wilds. The idea behind the geotrail is to put geocachers on some of the best sites the Pennsylvania Wilds has to offer on state lands (State Parks, State Forests, and State Game Lands) and significant conservation locations. Each geocache on this trail has a collectible Legacy of Conservation card, featuring one of Pennsylvanias notable environmental heroes/heroines. Collect all 30 cards, and the geocacher will be eligible to receive the coveted DCNR Legacy of Conservation coin at one of three validation locationsParker Dam State Park, Lyman Run State Park, or Chapman State Park. The trail has been popular with the geocaching community and the travel bugs (one card from each cache was turned into a travel bug) have been on the move, Beck in particular, whose goal was to visit geocaches along the Susquehanna River. He did that and then some: Tracking History (7938.4mi): -- 10/9/10 Knapaholic Grabbed this a week or so ago. Gonna take it out on the road to spread the word about this great new trail! -- 10/10/10 Event cache 10 10 10 near Pittsburgh many discovered the travel bug at this event. -- 11/14/10 We found him traveling on Rt 30 in Pittsburgh. He's been teaching us a bit about migrating fish and the river ecosystem. We'll try to leave him at a nice cache location near some water. -- 1/3/11 Another event cache PAGA Social # 29: Christmas in Hawaii Jumped into a few caches, and then was picked up. -- 3/12/11 BananaWhammers dropped it in: Education Cache near Grove City, PA - A cache devoted to combining geocaching and education. Teachers, there are great benefits to introducing geocaching to your students. By teaching them about this worthwhile sport, you are giving them an activity that can be shared with friends and family regardless of their age. By clicking on the link, "View in Google Earth" for a tracking bug, you can teach geography. Giving your students the gift of geocaching is one that will be with them long after they leave your classroom. If you have any suggestions for how geocaching can be incorporated in education, please leave them with your post. Have a nice day and keep caching! -- 3/20/11 jbc finders: grabbed this on my way through from Erie. Will drop it off on my way to Virginia. Redrock Wilderness Overlook cache Virginia. -- 4/9/11 JimBob n QB picked it up The TB is now in my possession, and if RedBat doesn't mind, I'll hold on to it until I get to the Susquehanna in about a month or so. I know of some great caches on and in the river.

-- 4/10/11 to 5/7/11 dipped in several caches in Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Arizona, Virginia, and then back into Pennsylvania to caches along the Susquehanna River. -- 5/7/11 JimBob n QB: Well, I got him to the Susquehanna River; however, the cache is too small to put him in. I'll drop him off a little down river at a cache that is big enough, yet a little inland. -- 5/7/11 Catch-n-Release cache along the Susquehanna River between York and Lancaster. Cache is close to a fly-fishing catch and release only stream. The cache is a catch and release for trackables. -- 6/23/11 TigglePig: Passed to us by a friend visiting family in the US. Now in the UK and will be placed in a cache over the next week :-) -- 7/10/11 FalMouth SAR grabbed it: Found in a cache in Charlestown, Cornwall, UK. The TB has now visited the Peg Leg Pascoe and Master Yoda caches in South West England, and now (7/26/11) resides (temporarily) in the ELECTRIC BRIDGE cache in the same general area. I wonder where Basse A. Beck will visit next, and who will hear his message of stewardship. If you are a geocacher, perhaps you will discover him, or one of the other Legacy of Conservation travel bugs, in the next geocache you bag. Keep your eyes open. (Written By: Eric Rensel, a DCNR natural resource specialist, and reprinted from DCNR's Resource online newsletter.) PA Bulletin: Catalog Of Nonregulatory Documents The Governor's Office Saturday published its annual Catalog of Nonregulatory Documents-statements of police, guidance manuals, decisions, rules and other written materials that provide compliance related information pursuant to Executive Order 1996-1. The documents are listed by agency. (PA Bulletin page 4285) Nonprofit Governing Boards, Risks, Opportunities Workshop October 3 The PA Economic Development Association will hold a workshop October 3 entitled "Governing Boards: Avoiding Risks and Maximizing Opportunities," in State College. One of the greatest weaknesses across the nonprofit sector is the understanding of fiduciary and legal responsibilities that professionals assume in joining a board. In recent years, the IRS has been putting greater focus on the role of the board. It is the shared responsibility of managers and board members to understand best practices, to direct board development and to ensure compliance and active engagement of the board. For all these reasons, along with finding efficient and effective ways to handle board management, this program will benefit board members and staff. For more information, visit the PEDA website.

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. August-- EPA/American Rivers Potomac Highlands Restoration Grants August 15-- Keep PA Beautiful Greenways Mini-Grants August 26-- Foundation for PA Watersheds Grants August 26-- DEP Growing Greener/319/Local Mine Reclamation Grants August 29-- DEP Small Business Pollution Prevention, Energy Efficiency Grants September 1-- TKF Foundation Open Space Sacred Places Grants September 1-- PEMA Volunteer Fire Company Grants September 2-- Natural Biodiversity: Earth Friendly School Grant September 4-- Chester County Green Business Awards September 6-- Coca-Cola America Is Your Park Recreation Voting/Grants September 16-- EPA Apps For The Environment Challenge October 17-- DEP Coastal Zone Management Grants October 31-- NEW. CFA Business In Our Sites, PennWorks Funding October 31-- NEW. CFA Solar Energy Program Funding November 30-- iConservePA CSI Pennsylvania Super Sleuth Sweepstakes! December 30-- DEP Recycling Performance Grants December 31-- President's Environmental Youth Awards -- Visit the DEP Grants and Loan Programs webpage for more ideas on how to get financial assistance for environmental projects.

Quick Clips
Here's a selection of NewClips on environmental topics from around the state-Budget Scarnati: PA Senate's Top Leaders Finds The Middle Ground Growing Greener, Other Programs Bite The Dust In State Budget Corbett: Shale Gas Fee Could Cap Abandoned Wells Corbett Suggests Marcellus Shale Drilling Fee To Plug Old Wells Op-Ed: Lt. Gov. Cawley: Marcellus Industry Doesn't Need Extraction Tax Op-Ed: Tax Drillers? No They Are Paying Their Way Analysis: Marcellus Commission Leaves Door Open On Fee, Pooling Bumsted: Shale Fee, Price Of Privatization? Editorial: Tax The Shale Gas Industry? Yes Strings On Drilling Fees Concern Western PA Communities Corbett Wants To Improve Transportation Without Tax Hike Transportation Commission Recommends Removing Tax Cap NE Lawmakers Assess Transportation Funding Proposals House Transportation Committee Waiting For Corbett Green Light

Commission Will Hand Governor Transportation Funding Ideas Panel Shows How To Raise $2.7 Billion For Transportation Drivers Could Pay For Road Improvements Recommendations: More Costly To Get Around Blog: July State Revenue About Same As Last Year Other Blog: Prison Healthcare, State Park Services Could Be Privatized Corbett: Privatize The State ParksKingston Will Join Compost Commission Nearly 90 Tons Of Trash Found At 61 Dumps In Monroe Cameras Help Philly Nab Illegal Dumpers Schuylkill County Plans Annual County Fall Cleanup Editorial: Let's Try To Reduce Dumping Fire Destroys Plastics Recycling Plant Consumers Losing Money By Not Switching Electric Suppliers NE Wind Farm: Protest And Promise Proposed Wind Farm Stirs Passion Lehigh Engineers Study Potential Uses For New Solar Cell York Convenience Store Gets Environmental Certification Erie Crawford Tires-To-Energy Plant Update DEP Plans Meeting To Settle Appeal Over Jeannette Plant Governor Signs Clean And Green Mining Exemption Bill Into Law Op-Ed: It's Time To Rein In The EPA Center Sets Butterflies Free In Greensburg Trails An Economic Driver In PA Wildlife Leadership Academy Sets Bar High For Whitehall Girl Ned Smith Center For Nature & Art Packs Millersburg Park Park Service Prepares Flight 93 Memorial Dedication Obamas Will Visit Flight 93 Site On 9/11

Marcellus Shale NewsClips


Here are NewsClips on topics related to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling--Lt. Gov. Tells Gas Industry To Fight Back Tom Ridge, Marcellus Shale Coalition Split Ridge's Shale Coalition Pact Expires Ridge's Job With Marcellus Shale Coalition Ends Scarnati: PA Senate's Top Leaders Finds The Middle Ground Corbett: Shale Gas Fee Could Cap Abandoned Wells Corbett Suggests Marcellus Shale Drilling Fee To Plug Old Wells Op-Ed: Lt. Gov. Cawley: Marcellus Industry Doesn't Need Extraction Tax EPA Found Fracking Fouled Well Water In WV In 1987 EPA Probe Of Fracking Contamination Includes Retrospective Does Old EPA Fracking Study Provide Proof Of Contamination?

EPA Asked To Test Drilling Chemicals Leaked PennDOT Paper Warns Of Road Damage From Drilling Strings On Drilling Fees Concern Western PA Communities Analysis: Marcellus Commission Leaves Door Open On Fee, Pooling Bumsted: Shale Fee, Price Of Privatization? Op-Ed: Tax Drillers? No They Are Paying Their Way Editorial: Tax The Shale Gas Industry? Yes Op-Ed: Can Hunting, Fishing Thrive Despite Drilling? Editorial: Report Suggests Balanced Approach To Drilling Editorial: Are Tougher Regulations Coming To PA Marcellus Shale? Worries Over Water As Natural Gas Fracking Expands SRBC Seeks Quicker Review Of Gas Water Plans Susquehanna Water Withdrawal Rules Anger Drilling Opponents DEP: Drilling Mud From PA Pipeline Enters Creek Safety, Legislature Consume Meeting On Marcellus Shale Group Leads Tour Of Drilling Sites Gas Fields Get Up Close Look Official: Gas Pipeline Deal Back On Chief Gathering Seeks Alternative Routes for Pipeline Pipeline Company Slams EPA PA Pipeline Project Remains Shut Down After Spill DEP: Drilling Mud From PA Pipeline Enters Creek Bradford County Maps Gas Drilling, Pipelines Natural Gas Pipeline Crossing Underway On Lackawaxen Murrysville Drilling Rules Hang Up On Park Issue Chesapeake Energy Sues Wyoming County Recorder Of Deeds Group: Drilling Leases May Be Illegal Pittsburgh Council OKs Gas Production Referendum Onorato Orders Legal Review Of Pittsburgh Shale Gas Vote Onorato Questions Drilling Referendum's Legality Editorial: Drilling Ban Has No Place In Pittsburgh Charter Municipalities Worry About Selling Soul To Shale Industry Op-Ed: Marcellus Commission Takes Easy Way Out Editorial: New Surprise In Gas Boom, Mortgages Editorial: EPA Sets Rules For Drillers To Cut Pollution Drilling Truck Overturns, Kills Susquehanna County Man Man Dies On Job At Gas Well Site Casey Urges Renewed Focus On Job Creation Judge Finds EQT Misled VA Landowners In Shale Leases Court: EQT Misled Property Owners In Virginia On Shale Leases Rex Energy, Landowners Settle Marcellus Case More Controversy Over NY Times Shale Reporting Billboard Depicting Contaminated Water And Drilling Comes Down Other States Bill Banning Fracking On NJ Governor's Desk

NY Gas Drilling Review Pushed Back A Month NY Gas Drilling Review Pushed Back A Month Environmental Groups File Suite Over Gas Rules In NY Environmentalists File Lawsuit To block NE PA Drilling Europe Looks To PA For Clues On Gas Fracking Dominion's WV Gas Processing Plant Moves Ahead

Watershed NewsClips
Here are NewsClips on watershed topics from around the state-Allegheny, 4 Counties Under Drought Conditions Statewide Conference To Focus On Restoring Mine Land State Budget Cuts Mean Extension Offices Scaled Back Trout Creek Makeover Bicycling For The Chesapeake Bay Penn State Millennium Science Complex Sports Green Roof Penn State: Preserving Habitat In Watersheds One Yard At A Time Penn State Extension Offices May Face Layoffs American Rivers Gets $1 Million To Improve Waterways Zebra Mussels In Conneaut Lake Riverfront Hopes In Pittsburgh Might Unite Communities SE Town Feels Snowed By Flood Insurance Mandate

Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits


The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of proposed changes to three Waste General Permits-- WMGR119, WMGR121 and WMGR123-- related to the handling of drilling fluids, flowback and produced water generated from Marcellus Shale gas wells. Copies of the proposed changes will be available on the Proposals Currently Open for Comment webpage. Pennsylvania Bulletin - August 6, 2011 Proposed Regulations Open For Comment - DEP webpage Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods - DEP webpage Rolling Regulatory Agenda - DEP webpage

Technical Guidance & Permits


The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of the availability of a modified Chapter 105 Water Encroachment Permit application and supporting documents related to the

PA State Programmatic General Permit 4. DEP published a second notice proposing changes to Water Quality General Permit BWQO-15 relating to Private Residential Construction in Wetlands related to the PASPGP-4. DEP also published notice of proposed nutrient credit trades and a separate notice renewing the Department of Transportation's statewide NPDES MS4 Individual Permit. The Fish and Boat Commission published notice of additions to the Class A Wild Trout Waters list. The State Conservation Commission published notice of FY 2011-12 Dirt and Gravel Road Program allocations to county conservation districts. The Governor's Office Saturday published its annual Catalog of Nonregulatory Documents-statements of police, guidance manuals, decisions, rules and other written materials that provide compliance related information pursuant to Executive Order 1996-1. The documents are listed by agency. (PA Bulletin page 4285) Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines - DEP webpage Copies Of Draft Technical Guidance - DEP webpage Copies of Final Technical Guidance - DEP webpage

Calendar Of Events
Upcoming legislative meetings, conferences, workshops, plus links to other online calendars. Meetings are in Harrisburg unless otherwise noted. NEW means new from last week. Go to the online Calendar webpage. Click on Agenda Released on calendar entries to see the NEW meeting agendas published this week. August 10-- NEW. DCNR Wild Resource Conservation Fund Applications Hearing. 9th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice) August 16-- NEW. Senate & House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee informational meeting by Penn State College of Agricultural Science Dean Bruce McPheron. Nittany Lion Inn, State College. 4:30. August 16-- CANCELED. Environmental Quality Board meeting. The next scheduled meeting is September 20.. (formal notice)

August 17-- CANCELED. DEP Agricultural Advisory Board meeting. Next scheduled meeting is October 19. (formal notice) August 23-- CANCELED. DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice) (formal notice) August 25-- DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:30. (formal notice) September 13-- NEW. House Finance Committee informational meeting on Marcellus Shale industry. Holiday Inn, Warren. 10:00. September 16-- CANCELED. DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice) October 21-- NEW. DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice) December 6-- DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice) DEP Calendar of Events Environmental Education Workshop/Training Calendar (PA Center for Environmental Education) Senate Committee Schedule House Committee Schedule

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

Stories Invited
Send your stories, photos and videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com. PA Environment Digest is edited by David E. Hess, former Secretary Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and is published as a service to the clients of Crisci Associates, a Harrisburg-based government and public affairs firm whose clients include Fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations. For more information on Crisci Associates, call 717-234-1716. PA Environment Digest was the winner of the PA Association of Environmental Educators' 2009 Business Partner of the Year Award.

Supporting Member PA Outdoor Writers Assn./PA Trout Unlimited


PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, Pennsylvania Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.

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