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PA Environment DigestAn Update On Environmental Issues In PAEdited By: David E. Hess, Crisci Associates

Winner 2009 PAEE Business Partner Of The Year Award

Harrisburg, Pa April 18, 2011

Sen. Scarnati Supports Conservation Districts In Marcellus Shale Impact Fee Proposal

The PA Association of Conservation Districts this week applauded SenatePresident Pro Tempore Senator Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) for his supportof conservation districts by dedicating a portion of his proposed impact fee

legislation to help fund them.Sen. Scarnati recently reported his intent to introduce legislation

creating an impact fee for Marcellus shale activities at a Tioga CountyConservation District legislative meeting.

“Conservation district activities and assistance are vital to the localcommunities in the counties I represent and all other areas of the

Commonwealth,” Sen. Scarnati concluded. “My proposal to fund conservation districts througha portion of an enacted impact fee will serve Pennsylvania citizens well.”

“We need to support conservation districts as they strive to protect and preserve our natural resources,” Sen. Scarnati added .

Conservation districts help people and communities by offering technical assistance andeducational guidance on the wise use of natural resources. Districts work with privateindividuals and organizations as well as public agencies to implement practices intended to

protect soil, water and air.“Sen. Scarnati understands the importance of the local conservation districts in 66

Pennsylvania counties," said Robert Maiden, PACD Executive Director. "His support of fundingfor these important organizations in his impact fee proposal will help ensure our Commonwealth’s natural resources for generations to come.”

Rep. Harper To Introduce Marcellus Shale Severance Tax To Support Growing Greener

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Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) this week announced she will beintroducing a new Marcellus Shale natural gas production severance taxshe says will answer many of the criticisms other proposals have attracted.

Monies collected from the severance tax would be used to supportthe Environmental Stewardship Fund (Growing Greener Program),

distributed to counties and municipalities affected by drilling, used tosupport community colleges and higher education in the Commonwealth,fund county conservation districts and for other purposes.

"As we continue to experience the growth of his industry inPennsylvania, this new source of revenue will provide important fundingfor a variety of programs that continue to face difficult economic conditions," said Rep. Harper in a memo to House members inviting co-sponsors for the new bill.

The legislation uses a tax formula similar to that of Arkansas and would assess a tax of 1.5 percent of the gross value of units severed at the wellhead during the first 60 months of

production and a 5 percent gross value of units during reporting periods thereafter for wells producing in excess of 90,000 cubic feet of gas per day.

Revenue collected through the tax would be distributed into the Natural Gas SeveranceTax Account to be distributed as follows:-- 32 percent to the Education Supplemental Account whereby 2/3 would be used to support

basic education and one-third would be to support community colleges and higher education inthe Commonwealth;-- 29.6 percent to the Environmental Stewardship Fund (Growing Greener);-- 32 percent to the Local Government Services Account, to be further distributed to counties andmunicipalities affected by natural gas drilling, as well as ten percent to the PennsylvaniaEmergency Management Agency;-- 1.6 percent to the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund;

-- 1.3 percent to the Conservation District Fund for distribution to county conservation districts pursuant to guidelines established by the State Conservation Commission;-- 1.4 percent to the Fish and Boat Commission;-- 1.3 percent to the Department of Public Welfare to provide cash and crisis grants to low-income households under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program; and-- 0.8 percent to the Department of Environmental Protection for State dam removal, restorationand repair projects.

Rep. Harper can be contacted through her website .

Opinion

Pennsylvania Can’t Afford To Stop Growing Greener

Since 1999, the Growing Greener Program has improvedmore miles of streams, preserved more farmland andallowed for more job growth than any other environmental

program of its kind. It has proven, without a doubt, thatyou can protect and repair our environment without preventing economic growth.

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Growing Greener has become the barometer of the health of Pennsylvania’senvironmental quality.

In the last four years alone, Growing Greener has reduced flooding and pollution of our water through 400 watershed protection projects and more than 100 drinking and waste water improvements; restored more than 1,600 acres of abandoned mine lands; and provided more than

$66 million to help counties address their local environmental priorities.In 2002, a dedicated source of revenue for the Environmental Stewardship Fund that

supports Growing Greener was identified through increased in the tipping fee charged atlandfills. A $625 million bond approved by the voters in 2005 called Growing Greener II thensupplemented the tipping fees. However, the debt service on the Growing Greener bonds comesout of the Environmental Stewardship Fund.

This fiscal practice of robbing Peter to pay Paul to pay for the debt on the GrowingGreener II bonds will leave the Environmental Stewardship Fund essential empty and the futureof the program in jeopardy. The environmental and fiscal consequences of letting GrowingGreener lapse increase exponentially as Pennsylvania enters the natural gas drilling boom.

There is a solution.Pennsylvanians have been saying for months they want a fee for natural gas drilling to

protect communities from the environmental consequences associated with the industry.In fact, a poll in March by Susquehanna Polling and research showed 70 percent of

Pennsylvanians support the idea.We have the mechanism through Growing Greener to continue to repair, protect and

monitor our environmental quality at the local level. Using funds from an impact fee, severancetax, future leases or even royalties to fund the Environmental Stewardship fund ensures thatGrowing Greener will continue to maintain the environmental health of our communities.

The work of Growing Greener is far from finished. The Commonwealth currently has16,000 miles of streams that are unfit for swimming or fishing. Abandoned mines scar 189,000

acres in 44 counties and are the cause of 5,300 miles of dead streams.And while we have made good progress on preserving farmland to safeguard our foodsupply, more than 2,000 families remain on a waiting list to protect their farms.

Natural gas drilling presents untold economic opportunities for Pennsylvania, similar tothe untold economic opportunities the coal and steel industries presented for our grandparents.But generations later, we are still working to repair the scars of acid mine drainage.

If we have learned any lessons from our great past, it is that we need to be environmentalstewards of our future. By sustaining Growing Greener, we will not leave the sameenvironmental legacy for our grandchildren that our grandparents left for us.

For more information, visit the Renew Growing Greener Coalition website.

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Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Bills Introduced

Here are the Senate and House Calendars and Committee meetings showing bills of interest aswell as a list of new environmental bills introduced--

Session Schedule

Here is the Senate and House schedule

Senate

April 26, 27May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 23, 24June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30

HouseApril (25 NV- canceled ), 26, and 27May 2, 3, 4, 9. 10, 11, 23, 24, and 25June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, and 30

Bill Calendars

House (April 26): House Resolution 87 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) calling on the Region III office of the U.S. Environmental Protection to cease the unlawful review of NPDES water quality

permits. <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (April 26): Senate Bill 263 (Erickson-R-Delaware) requiring proposed regulations to besupported with empirical, replicable and testable data. <> Click Here for full Senate BillCalendar.

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Committees

House: the Consumer Affairs Committee holds a hearing on House Bill 1294 (Godshall-R-Montgomery) further providing for valuation of water and wastewater system property and

providing alternative ratemaking mechanism (DSIC) for natural gas and other utility distribution

systems; the House Republican Policy Committee hearing with Rep. Evankovich on water safety and Marcellus Shale drilling in Murrysville; the House Democratic PolicyCommittee holds a hearing on chemical leaks and air quality issues involving oil refineries(agenda ) in Philadelphia. <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate: the Senate Democratic Policy Committee holds a hearing on energy, economicdevelopment and job creation initiatives ( agenda ) in Scranton. <> Click Here for full SenateCommittee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

The following bills of interest were introduced this week--

Halogenated Emissions: Senate Bill 956 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) further providing for thecontrol of halogenated solvent cleaning facility emissions.

Drilling Notification: House Bill 1346 (Boback-R-Columbia) amending the Oil and Gas Act tofurther provide for notification of water supplies and private water supplies owners.

Small Business Impacts: House Bill 1349 (Pickett-R-Bradford) requiring a small businessimpact statement on any proposed regulation.

Natural Gas Vehicle Tax Credit: House Bill 1083 (Saylor-R-York) establishing a natural gasfleet vehicle tax credit.

Oil & Gas Lease Fund Transfers: House Bill 1084 (Moul-R-Franklin) transfers monies fromthe Oil and Gas Lease Fund to establish a program to convert transit vehicles to natural gas;House Bill 1085 (Watson-R-Bucks) transferring monies from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund tocreate a loan program to convert large mass transit bus fleets to natural gas.

NewsClips: Rep. Pickett Applauds Marcellus Works ProposalFill'er Up With Natural Gas?

Transit Vehicle Conversions: House Bill 1086 (Marshall-R-Beaver) requiring the conversion of mass transit vehicles to natural gas.

Natural Gas Corridor Tax Credit: House Bill 1087 (Denlinger-R-Lancaster) establishing anatural gas corridor tax credit.

Alternative Fuels-Biomass: House Bill 1088 (Pickett-R-Bradford) amending the AlternativeFuels Incentive Fund to provide biomass-based diesel production incentives.

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Clean Vehicles Program: House Bill 1089 (Perry-R-Cumberland) amending the Air PollutionControl Act to establish a PA Clean Vehicles Program.

Senate/House Bills Moving

The following bills of interest saw action this week in the House and Senate--

House

Coal Mining/Gas Well Drilling: Senate Bill 265 (MJ White-R-Venango) further providing for the coordination of coal mining and gas well drilling was reported from the House of Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and was Tabled.

Severance Tax: House Bill 33 (Vitali-D-Delaware) providing for a Marcellus Shale natural gas production severance tax. A resolution to discharge the bill from House Finance Committee.

Shooting Ranges: House Bill 754 (Gabler-R-Clearfield) directing DCNR not to transfer or utilize a shooting range for any purpose other than a shooting range was reported from the HouseGame and Fisheries Committee. The bill was then re-referred to the House EnvironmentalResources and Energy Committee.

Earth Day 2011: House Resolution 191 (Briggs-D-Montgomery) designating April 16 as "EarthDay-Pennsylvania" was adopted by the House. (Actually, April 22 is always Earth Day.)

Senate

Nominations: The Senate this week approved, as a group on one vote, the first of Gov. Corbett'snominees for four agencies-- C. Alan Walker , Secretary of the Department of Community andEconomic Development; Barry Schoch as Secretary of Transportation; Sheri Phillips asSecretary of General Services; and Frank Noonan as State Police Commissioner. (see separatearticle)

Senate Committees also reported out five other nominees: the Senate State GovernmentCommittee approved the nomination of Carol Aichele as Secretary of the Commonwealth; theJudiciary Committee reported out the nomination of John Wetzel as Secretary of Corrections;the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee approved Major General WesleyCraig as Adjutant General of Pennsylvania; the Aging and Youth Committee reported out thenomination of Brian Duke as Secretary of Aging; the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committeeapproved the nomination of George Greig as Secretary of Agriculture. All the nominations goto the full Senate for consideration.

NewsClips: Senate OKs Corbett Nominees For Police, TransportationCoal Mogul Gets Position With Corbett

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Supporting Data: Senate Bill 263 (Erickson-R-Delaware) requiring proposed regulations to besupported with empirical, replicable and testable data was reported out of the Senate StateGovernment Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Earth Day: Senate Resolution 91 (Hughes-D-Philadelphia) designating April 22 as Earth Day in

Pennsylvania was adopted by the Senate.

Drinking Water Week: Senate Resolution 89 (MJ White-R-Venango) designating May 1-7Drinking Water Week in Pennsylvania was adopted by the Senate.

News From The Capitol

First Four Corbett Cabinet Nominees Approved By Senate

The Senate this week approved the first of Gov. Corbett's nominees for four agencies--Community and Economic Development, Transportation, General Services and the State PoliceCommissioner.

The Senate voted unanimously for these four nominees in a package:-- C. Alan Walker, Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development;-- Barry Schoch as Secretary of Transportation;-- Sheri Phillips as Secretary of General Services;-- Frank Noonan as State Police Commissioner.

These nominees have had Committee hearings---- Dr. Eli Avila as Secretary of Health;-- Michael Consedine for Insurance Commissioner;-- John Wetzel as Secretary of Corrections;

-- Ronald Tomalis as Secretary of Education;-- Michael Krancer as Secretary of Environmental Protection;-- Carol Aichele as Secretary of the Commonwealth;-- Glenn Moyer as Secretary of Banking;-- Brian Duke as Secretary of Aging;-- Major General Wesley Craig as Adjutant General of Pennsylvania.-- George Greig as Secretary of Agriculture; and-- Daniel Meuser, Secretary of Revenue;

Nominations yet to come before a Committee---- Gary Alexander as Secretary of Public Welfare;-- Richard Allan as Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources; and-- Julia Hearthway as secretary of Labor and Industry.

The only major nomination left is for the new Department of Drug and Alcohol Programswhich comes into existence in May.

NewsClips: Senate OKs Corbett Nominees For Police, TransportationCoal Mogul Gets Position With Corbett

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Joint Conservation Committee Evaluates Waste Tire Recycling

The Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee this week held a hearing on Pennsylvania’s Waste Tire Recycling efforts.

The Joint Committee heard Pennsylvanians currently generate roughly 12 million scraptires each year, which is enough to stretch from Harrisburg to Los Angeles, and back.

“The hearing was very informative to hear the progress on a state law I first introduced in1995,” said Sen. David Argall (R-Schuylkill). “I was pleased to learn that 93 percent of wastetire piles throughout the state have been effectively removed as a result of that law, reducing thenumber of waste tires from 36 million in 1996 to roughly 2.43 million tires today. This hearingserved as an opportunity to hear about what is working and what needs to be improved with theWaste Tire Recycling Act.”

The Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee public hearing focused predominately on working with the Department of Transportation toimplement cost savings measures to use waste tires in asphalt.

Several testimonies focused on the effectiveness and long-term benefits that rubberizedasphalt provides both travelers and taxpayers, noting that rubberized asphalt could require 60

percent less maintenance after 10 years of service. This will result in a cost-savings to thetaxpayer of approximately $900 per lane mile.

Sen. Argall concluded, “Testimony by the Rubber Manufacturers cited our tire recyclingefforts as ‘an extraordinary environmental victory.’ As a scout leader, I have pulled waste tiresout of creeks and rivers in Schuylkill County. I remember black smoke with toxic fumes and aterrible odor from a waste tire pile catching fire outside of Pottsville. Now, our children enjoy

playing soccer where the waste tire pile once littered the landscape. Our next step is to keep the pressure on to clean up the last waste tire piles in Pennsylvania, once and for all.”

For more information, visit DEP's Waste Tire Program webpage.

Sen. Judy Schwank Appointed To Senate Agriculture Committee Chair

Senate Democratic Leaders announced newly-elected Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) will serve as Democratic Chair of the Senate AgricultureCommittee.

Sen. Schwank, who was sworn in last week to complete the term of the late Sen. Michael O’Pake, said the Committee is an opportunity tocontinue to boost Pennsylvania’s largest industry.

“I am pleased to chair this very important committee,” Sen.

Schwank said. “Agriculture is so very critical to Pennsylvania’s economywith approximately $6.1 billion in annual revenue. I will continue to foster initiatives that invest in agriculture and boost economic development and stability inPennsylvania’s rural communities.”

Sen. Schwank has a long history of agriculture experience. She received her B.S. andM.Ed. in agricultural education from Penn State University. Schwank then worked as a BerksCounty horticultural agent with the Penn State Cooperative Extension for 19 years, during whichtime she established the Master Gardener Program.

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In 1991, she became the first female director of the Berks County Cooperative ExtensionProgram, a position she held until 1999. In January 2010, she was appointed Dean of Agricultureand Environmental Sciences at Delaware Valley College.

“In the midst of such financial difficulties, it is imperative that we continue to consider new and innovative ways to enhance agriculture in the state,” Sen. Schwank said. “It is also

imperative that we continue to protect our food sources and our citizens with strict foodinspection policies and regulations.”

Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, (D-Allegheny), said Sen. Schwank brings amagnitude of knowledge and experience to the committee.

“Sen. Schwank has had a long career in the agriculture industry which gives her a unique perspective into the needs of Pennsylvania,” Sen. Costa said. “Her leadership will help createnew opportunities to boost agricultural economic development and ensure the protection of thehealth and safety of Pennsylvania citizens through smart food inspection policies.”

Sen. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver) serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Agriculture andRural Affairs Committee.

Rep. Freeman: Bill Would Provide Tax Incentives For Historic Preservation Projects

Rep. Bob Freeman (D-Northampton) this week announced the introductionof House Bill 1354 to provide grants and tax incentives for residential andcommercial historic preservation projects.

The bill would establish the Historic Preservation Incentive GrantProgram within the Department of Community and EconomicDevelopment. The program is designed to provide tax credits for certainhistoric commercial projects – up to $500,000, and grants for certainresidential external rehabilitation or restoration projects – up to $15,000.

"These tax incentives and credits can act as a form of economicstimulus for older communities, creating restoration and construction jobs while also preservinghistoric buildings and improving the look of older communities," said Rep. Freeman, MinorityChair of the House Local Government Committee.

Under the program, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission would reviewrequests within 45 days of application, with priority given to properties located within Elm Streetand Main Street communities, enterprise zones and historic districts. All projects would have to

be completed within two years."In order to preserve historic buildings, it is vital that we provide assistance to renovate

and preserve them," Rep. Freeman said. "These buildings are sometimes very costly to renovateand, because of that, can fall into disrepair. This bill can make a difference in renovating our

older communities."Rep. Freeman said that he believes his bill is particularly relevant in today's economy."With the current economic downturn, this bill will provide relief for those who want to

preserve historic locations and turn buildings into environmentally friendly ones. The bill is goodfor owners, good for the community, from both a historical and environmental perspective, andgood for the economy."

Rep. Boback Reintroduces Marcellus Shale Drinking Water Safety Bill

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environment. I think that it’s appropriate to have this hearing in the town where commercialnatural gas began.”

“We want to make sure we have policies in place that balance our economic needs withour environmental responsibilities,” said Rep. Dave Reed (R-Indiana), Chair of the HouseRepublican Policy Committee.

This hearing will be open to the public. The Murrysville Community Center is located at3091 Carson Avenue, in Murrysville.

News From Around The State

Philadelphia High School Student Wins President's Environmental Award

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week presented high school senior Joy Best of Philadelphia with the EPA mid-Atlantic Region’s 2010 President’s Environmental Youth Awardfor coordinating a highly successful environmental awareness festival at a local library.

“Energetic students like Joy Best and all the young people who competed for the PEYAawards demonstrate the enthusiasm EPA needs to promote awareness of our nation’senvironment,” said Shawn M. Garvin, regional administrator for EPA’s mid-Atlantic region.“Her community festival at the Wyoming Branch of the Philadelphia Library is just one of

numerous inspirational projects from young environmental stewards throughout the mid-Atlanticregion.”

Best designed and coordinated the Environmental Awareness Festival for students andadults in the Feltonville section of Philadelphia. The innovative project used youth-led research,displays, arts and crafts, and experiments to educate and inspire the community aboutenvironmental issues including water protection, solar energy, urban forestry and communitygardens.

Best’s environmental festival was chosen from applications in the mid-Atlantic regionthat includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Applications were evaluated by a regional awards panel of EPA employees. Allstudent participants receive a certificate signed by the President honoring them for their efforts to

protect human health and the environment.Best and 11 other students who assisted her, were recognized during the annual EPA-

sponsored awards ceremony at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.The deadline for applying for the 2011 award is December 31. For more information on

how to apply, visit the President’s Environmental Youth Award webpage. Visit EPA'sEnvironmental Education webpage for more curriculum and activity ideas.

EPA Names Regional Environmental Achievement Award Winners, 5 In PA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic region this week announced 11winners of its annual Environmental Achievement Awards , including five from Pennsylvania.

“People and organizations throughout our region are making great strides inenvironmental protection, and these awards recognize some of the shining stars who are doing

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more than their share to keep our planet healthy and inspiring others to do the same,” said ShawnM. Garvin, regional administrator for EPA’s mid-Atlantic region.

The Mid-Atlantic Environmental Achievement Awards recognize groups, agencies,individuals and businesses making extraordinary contributions to improving the environment inthe mid-Atlantic region, which includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West

Virginia and the District of Columbia. The winning entries were selected from among more than30 nominations.

The Pennsylvania award winners include:-- Upper Merion School District in King of Prussia, Pa . for being a 2010 Energy Star leader and for reducing its energy consumption by more than 30 percent, an achievement reached byonly about a dozen of the nation’s 15,000 school districts. All six of Upper Merion’s schoolshave earned the Energy Star rating and several buildings have energy reductions near 50 percent.The district has also embarked on an aggressive recycling program that has resulted in about 50

percent of its solid waste being recycled instead of going to the landfill.-- Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership in Philadelphia for its energeticdevotion to improve the health of the Tacony Creek and its boundaries. With a small staff, thisnon-profit organization along with volunteers has reached more than 8,700 watershed stewardsface-to-face; taught more than 60 lessons to local school children; restored more than 20,000square feet of developed land into native habitat; installed more than 230 rain barrels whichkeeps 16,500 gallons of rainwater out of overloaded sewer systems each time it rains; andassisted its partners in restoring more than 13,000 feet of stream to native habitat.-- Construction Specialties Inc. , has a long and consistent record of environmental leadership atits Muncy Pennsylvania facility in Lycoming County, seeing environmental protection as a"journey - not a destination." Since 1995, they have taken a "Compass Approach" to implementand achieve their long-range environmental vision and plan.

Construction Specialties’ facility upgrades and sustainable practices include the purchase

of existing manufacturing buildings in lieu of constructing new buildings on-site; installingwaterless urinals and flow sensors in the company’s buildings resulting in savings of about800,000 gallons of water in the past two years; energy-saving upgrades to windows and lightingfixtures; installing motion sensor lights in warehouses and offices; using green cleaning practicesand biodegradable food-service products; and adding a three-quarter mile walking trail at theMuncy site. The company reports having reduced CO2 emissions by almost 3 million poundsover two years.-- Carroll Citizens for Sensible Growth , a non-profit group in Northern York County, Pa. Byrecruiting volunteers to pick up trash and by organizing trash collection events, Carroll Citizensfor Sensible Growth has collected nearly 130,000 tons of debris and recycled 75 tons of scrapmetal. The group has rallied more than 460 people, contributing more than 2,000 volunteer

hours to clean up neighborhoods in Carroll Township.-- Veronica B. Kasi of the Department of Environmental Protection has tirelessly worked to promote sustainability at water and wastewater systems in the Pennsylvania, and has played akey role in programs which provide funding for drinking water and water quality needs.

Kasi’s efforts included developing Pennsylvania’s Operator Certification Program, a newand sophisticated program that provides varying types of certification for operators of water andwastewater systems. She has helped reduce problems associated with old and outdated water and sewer systems despite limited resources. By advocating the use of federal EPA principles

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for water and wastewater operations, Kasi has established a standard to be met for sustainablewater infrastructure in Pennsylvania.

EPA presents awards in three categories: non-profit or volunteer organization; businessand industry; and state, local or other federal government agency.

The full list of of Award Winners is available online .

Winners Of Western PA Environmental Awards Announced, Dinner May 26

The Winners of the 2011 Western PA Environmental Awards will be honored at an awardsdinner on May 26 at Stage AE on Pittsburgh's North Shore hosted by the PA EnvironmentalCouncil and supported by Dominion and other benefactors.

The emcee for this special event will be Sally Wiggin, WTAE Channel 4. The keynotespeakers invited to attend will be: Richard Allan, acting Secretary Department of Conservationand Natural Resources and David Raphael, Chief Counsel, Department of EnvironmentalProtection.

The winners of the Western PA Environmental Awards are:

-- Allegheny Valley Trails Association, Franklin : The Allegheny Valley Trails Association’smission as an all-volunteer non-profit is the acquisition of abandoned railways in the AlleghenyRiver watershed and their rehabilitation into multipurpose, non-motorized recreational trails.

Protection of the riparian corridor of a Wild and Scenic river, protection of large areas of open space and important habitat, protection of the viewshed and corridor from development and

perhaps most importantly, connecting people with these outdoor resources are all essential intoday’s economy that is pushing for development.

AVTA began by researching rail bed ownership and obtaining rights to rail corridors, along tedious process. Success in developing the trails also required the cooperation of property

owners adjacent to the trails, which demanded a great deal of work to communicate with theowners and convince them of the benefits of the trails. AVTA now owns and operates the 34.2mile Allegheny River Trail along the Allegheny River, the 12 mile Sandy Creek Trail alongSandy Creek and a total of over 330 acres.

Through AVTA’s efforts, agreements with other landowners and partnerships withrelated organizations, over 40 miles of riparian corridor are protected from development. And,regionally through AVTA and others, there are over 60 miles of trails that are connecting nearly160,800 trail users per year with the great outdoors. A healthy, fully accessible recreationalamenity has led to a renewed attention to the local waterways, conservation easements,restoration projects and the development of regional organizations focused on more extensivegreenways efforts.

As the trail has developed, the economic benefits to the trail communities have becomemore apparent and significant. In 2010 the city of Franklin was designated as a Bicycle FriendlyCommunity through the League of American Bicyclists. Emlenton and Foxburg, just off Interstate 80, are rapidly becoming hubs for the trail with new businesses opening.

New residents have moved to or retired to this area because of the trail system and thenatural environment they can enjoy here. To be sure, the availability of trails has made

Northwestern Pennsylvania a travel destination.

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A recent trail utilization study found that 75 percent of trail users cited these trails as their main reason for coming to the area and approximately 160,792 users frequented the trail systemthroughout the 2006 calendar year, creating an estimated overall economic impact of roughly$4.3 million.

As the trail system has grown and connected to other communities, these numbers have

only grown showing how such amenities connect people to the outdoors.Partners working with the Trails Association include the Allegheny Valley Conservancy.

-- Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Trail and Sign Improvement Project, Pittsburgh : ThePittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s recent improvements through the Trail and Sign ImprovementProject are creating safer trails for park users as well as improving water flow within the parks,removing invasive species, and planting native trees.

Pittsburgh’s trails are some of the most popular amenities in the city parks, but time andurban development took their toll on these assets. Pittsburgh’s urban parks were designed at theturn of the century, before the introduction of asphalt brought about challenging issues for theCity’s Department of Public Works maintenance crews.

The historic parks were also filled with crumbling terracotta drainage pipes dating to the1930s that began to fail in recent years. These issues changed the path of water flow in the parks,causing multiple problems including trail washouts and pollution from nearby cityneighborhoods.

In 2010, the Parks Conservancy and City of Pittsburgh improved almost six miles of trails throughout the City of Pittsburgh’s four regional parks. The improvements were part of a$3.8 million project managed by the Parks Conservancy and the City of Pittsburgh’s Departmentof Public Works.The project connected broken trail segments, including rebuilding several bridges.

Significant engineering went into the trail and bridge reconstruction. Trail surfaces were

repaired while storm water inlets and drainage pipes were cleaned, repaired or replaced. PublicWorks crews and Parks Conservancy field staff worked closely with a local contractor to clear fallen, dangerous, and dead trees along the trails that were reconstructed.

Invasive, non-native trees were removed along with dead and fallen trees. Native treesand plants were added to the landscapes, improving stormwater absorption. All of the woodfrom the downed trees was used to help stabilize the soils on the steep slopes.

Installation of 100 new signs throughout the four regional parks was also completed as part of the project. In addition to directional signs, new interpretive signs will provideinformation about park history, wildlife, and restoration projects that have improved the parks.

In 2009, the Parks Conservancy commissioned a survey of registered voters within theCity of Pittsburgh and found that the improvement to park trails and signs was of significant

importance. Approximately 40 percent of voters said that they use the parks for exercise or taking a walk and 53 percent indicated their support of park trail improvements.

Although park user experience is of ultimate importance to the Parks Conservancy, thetrail improvements will have a long-lasting effect on the parks’ ecological health. Theimprovements also decrease maintenance costs for the City of Pittsburgh by decreasing washoutsand damage from storm events.

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-- Greater Labrobe Senior High School, Latrobe : It’s not unusual to see conservation groupstackle a project to address habitat loss, erosion, and loss of riparian vegetation. It’s a lot lesscommon to see this task being undertaken by a group of senior high school students just learningabout the environmental science for the first time.

The Greater Latrobe Senior High School environmental program does exactly that.

Teachers at Greater Latrobe saw an opportunity to combine the need to educate students abouthabitat, ecology, and water pollution with the clear need to protect, preserve, and restore NineMile Run , which had been identified as a priority watershed for restoration by the LoyalhannaCreek Watershed Assessment and Restoration Plan.

Starting in 2007, teachers coordinated a student-driven conservation project that takes place on Nine Mile Run as it flows through Latrobe Rotary Park in Youngstown, Pennsylvania,close to the senior high school. Nine Mile Run had been plagued by erosion, habitat loss, andlack of riparian vegetation.

As a result of this project, a diverse group of 500+ students since 2007 have had theopportunity to experience environment and ecology concepts as they observe fish being caughtduring biological sampling, identify highly eroded areas, design stabilizing structures, poundrebar to anchor habitat forming structures in place, and select native trees to plant as a stream

buffer. With the assistance and support of a strong community partnership, students have thus far restored 2000 feet of stream bank.

Not only does this project address environmental and education needs, it addresses acommunity need. Rotary Park, once underutilized, today has become the focal point for agrowing environmental education program serving Greater Latrobe students from kindergarten to12th grade.

In planning the project, it was apparent that an effective experience for students wouldonly occur if they were completely immersed in the process of making a significant change to thestream. To date, 21 log veins, mudsills, and deflectors have been installed along Nine Mile Run

where it flows through Rotary Park.Prior to any work being done on the stream, a survey found only nine species of fish.According to results from a September 2010 biological survey, this count has since increased to

22 species, including brown trout, rainbow trout, and small mouth bass that were previouslyscarce or absent in this stream section.

Now in its 4th year, this project has become an integral part of the environmental sciencecurriculum at Greater Latrobe Senior High School. Since this project began, class enrollment inall environmental programs at has increased from 90 to 140 students. Previously disengaged,

problematic students have a renewed interest in science as a result of this project and the class.Partners for the program include: Westmoreland County Conservation District, Western

Pennsylvania Conservancy, Loyalhanna Watershed Association, Fish and Boat Commission,

Rotary Club of Latrobe, McKenna Foundation, McFeely Rogers Foundation, and Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.

-- DCNR Yellow Creek State Park, Penn Run : Yellow Creek State Park in Indiana County isone of Pennsylvania’s 118 State Parks and was created to provide opportunities for healthfuloutdoor recreation as well as to protect our state’s natural resources.

Since 1990 environmental education has played a major role in our efforts to increaseenvironmental awareness, particularly among young people. As issues such as global warming,

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urban sprawl, habitat loss, and invasive species have come to the forefront in recent years, theDepartment of Conservation and Natural Resources found that there was a need to take the leadin providing park visitors with information that would help them make real change in their lifestyle choices as they try to sift through the wealth of often confusing “green” advertised

practices and products currently being marketed.

DCNR took a multi-tiered approach that would reach all levels of constituents. Not onlydid the program provide education and information, but also included actual examples that hadreal application to those individuals interested in lifestyle changes meant to help theenvironment.

Park officials sought to identify specific items that they could change about their own practices and procedures that would set an example and have application outside the park, and toconvince park visitors to make behavioral changes that would result in a much wider impact.

They began by installing a 10KW wind turbine in 2007, which produces electricity for the park’s Environmental Education classroom building to show an example of alternate energy.

Installation of a 2 KW solar panel followed in 2010.Changes in our mowing practices by planting native meadows and installing a native

wildflower garden in front of the Environmental Learning classroom Building provided anopportunity to show alternatives to mowing, and demonstrate the beauty and effectiveness of landscaping with native species.

An invasive species control component was added to the park’s resource management program to highlight the danger that invasive species pose to native habitats and wildlife. Use of programmable thermostats, tank-less water heaters, building renovations with windoworientation for passive lighting and heating were all implemented in our older buildings.

Their goal to effect real change led to a climate survey tool developed by the U.S. National Park Service called Climate Leadership in Parks. Data related to all aspects of park operations was collected to measure the greenhouse gas emissions and criteria air pollutant

emissions generated at the park.Changes implemented in park operations began to show a reduced impact in the CLIPtool almost immediately. The initial goal was to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 20

percent within five years. That goal was accomplished in just three years.The success of Yellow Creek State Park’s green initiative has resulted in a mandate that

all 118 State Parks in Pennsylvania complete the climate survey by the end of 2011 and reducetheir emissions 20 percent within five years.

Partners in the Yellow Creek projects include the Indiana County Master Gardeners.

-- Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority, Ebensburg : The Barnes-

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Watkins Refuse Pile was located in Barr Township, CambriaCounty and for nearly a century had occupied approximately 18acres on property owned by the Cambria CountyConservation and Recreation Authority, just a few short miles fromthe headwaters of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.

Once mining industry activity ended in the region, thisrefuse pile was left and little could be done to clean it up or removeit. Over the years, the pile caught fire and smoldered, emittingtoxic fumes throughout the valley and adversely affecting publichealth.

So much refuse had been dumped along and in the river that it changed the natural course of the river. Estimated at1,172,000 cubic yards in size, the waste coal was at the same time potentially useable as a fuel for electricity production in a modern fluidized bed boiler, andreject material consisting of acidic materials which could not be used as fuel and which should

be remediated at a permitted site.With a $4.4 million Growing Greener grant from the Department of Environmental

Protection, the CCCRA hired a contractor remove and remediate the coal refuse pile. Over a period of nearly 18 months, more than 320,000 cubic yards were removed, of which 180,000tons of usable coal waste was shipped to nearby power plants for future use. Refuse that wasn’tsuitable for fuel was taken to a permitted site.

As refuse was removed and burned, the ash was returned to the site, mixed and graded toengineered finish elevations in preparation of a second phase of the project. By mixing thereturned ash on the site, the polluting materials were permanently sealed and could no longer

pollute the environment.In Phase II, an additional 862,000 cubic yards of refuse was removed, more than 778,000

tons of which were shipped for use in a power plant and the remainder sent to a permitted site.Again, the ash was graded on site, and an appropriate conservation grass seed planted and thesite revegetated.

Once completed, a total of 1,183,000 cubic yards of material was removed, 960,000 tonsof usuable fuel was shipped for use as fuel for electricity, 18 acres of land were remediated andreturned to usable acreage, and the water quality of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River’sfirst several miles were drastically improved.

Through this project, a serious environmental problem that once choked the air and riverswith pollution has been transformed into a beautiful recreation area with abundant green space.

Partners include Robindale Energy Services, Inc.

The PA Environmental Council wishes to thank the benefactors for the Western PAEnvironmental Awards Program and awards dinner: Babst Calland, CTC Foundation on behalf of CTC and its affiliates, Dominion Foundation, EQT Corporation, Foundation for PennsylvaniaWatersheds, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation, KoppersInc., Pennoni Associates Inc., Range Resources, United States Steel Corporation, and WesternPennsylvania Conservancy.

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For tickets, visit the Awards Dinner webpage or call PEC at 412-481-9400 or send emailto: wpea@pecpa.org .

Groups Begin To Outline Issues At Marcellus Shale Work Group Meetings

The Governor's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission work groups on infrastructure, publichealth, safety and environmental protection, local impact and emergency response and economicand workforce development met for the first time this week to begin the process of sortingthrough the specific issues they plan to address and heard presentations on topics related to thegroups.

Environmental Protection Work GroupLt. Gov. Jim Cawley attended a portion of the Environmental Protection Work Group

meeting, which was chaired by Acting DEP Secretary Michael Krancer and Cynthia Carrow,Western PA Conservancy.

In response to a question by Commission member Ron Ramsey, The NatureConservancy, about the recent directive to have enforcement and permit activities related toMarcellus Shale development approved by the Secretary, Krancer said recent statements andnews articles have generated more heat than light on this issue and created a misapprehension.

Krancer said he does not want to sign off on every notice of violation saying field staff should do what they need to do. He said consistency between field offices was important, and sois having NOVs the agency can defend when they are appealed. The goal is more robustenforcement that can withstand a challenge he said.

He noted DEP has taken action within the last two weeks to shutdown facilities that didnot meet requirements.

Krancer also explained the Oil and Gas Act itself requires the Secretary to sign off oncertain enforcement actions. He said there had already been in place a policy of notifying the

Secretary of major actions-- permit and enforcement-- for all programs when he took over theagency in January.Ramsey also outlined what he thought were important environmental issues the work

group and the Commission should address, including---- Strengthening the permit review process, establishing industry best management practices andlooking at the cumulative impacts of thousands of new Marcellus Shale gas wells;-- Looking at forest and wildlife impacts, and opportunities to reduce footprint and avoid or minimize impacts of well pads, pipelines and other infrastructure;-- Providing better protection for sensitive lands within State Forests;-- Improving protection of water resources, including drinking water supplies and ecologicalflows in streams, encouraging frack water recycling and looking at aquatic impacts;

-- Identifying and addressing air quality impacts from full range of Marcellus activities;-- Characterizing baseline environmental and wildlife habitat conditions in Marcellus Shaleareas, providing for ongoing monitoring of these conditions;

--- Looking at the capacity of State agencies and localgovernments to handle impacts and responsibilities;-- Looking at the options for a severance tax or impact fee to fund Growing Greener and other environmental programs; and

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Jack Ubinger, senior vice president of the Pennsylvania EnvironmentalCouncil , testified this week before the U.S. Senate Committee on theEnvironment and Public Works in Washington, D.C. on Marcellus ShaleDevelopment in Pennsylvania.

"There is widespread agreement that "business as usual" in

Marcellus Shale natural gas operations, as well as its current regulatoryoversight, is not equal to the scale and scope of this development, and thatsimply applying conventional solutions to these significant challenges willresult in adverse consequences to all stakeholders in the process," saidUbinger.

"Our fundamental position is that development of the Marcellus Shale need not producewinners and losers," said Ubinger. "If done right, the industry, the people of Pennsylvania, andthe environment can all benefit from the combined effects of government regulation that is equalto the task at hand and the enforcement of best management practices in an industry that hasalready demonstrated its capabilities in this regard."

Ubinger said a fundamental change in the permitting process is required because theexisting process does not provide for the acquisition of sufficient information to make well-informed well pad siting decisions.

Later this month PEC will present a package of proposed amendments to thePennsylvania Oil and Gas Act, which will include a section that will fundamentally alter theexisting permit application process. The revised application process is designed to gather moreinformation on site conditions and focus more attention on the siting of well pads and associatedinfrastructure.

PEC will advocate that the permit application process for unconventional wells involvingdevelopment by high volume hydraulic fracturing be split into two distinct phases.

The first phase will be limited to the identification and assessment of site conditions for

the purpose of determining whether a well pad should be authorized and, if so, the sitingconditions that must be taken into account for selecting the precise location of the well pad andancillary infrastructure.

The second phase will focus on construction authorization of the well pad and thedrilling, casing and development of the wells.

A copy of the testimony is available online . A copy of PEC's " Developing The MarcellusShale " policy paper is also available online.

Groups Urge DRBC Don’t Drill the Delaware, Industry Says Rules Exceed Legal Authority

Groups representing residents of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware gathered to

deliver more than 35,000 public comments to the Delaware River Basin Commission , urgingthem not to move ahead with gas drilling in the River Basin until such drilling is proven safe.

The groups expressed strong concern that DRBC proposed rules without first conductinga cumulative impact study.

At the same time, the Marcellus Shale Coalition , a group representing businessesinvolved in Marcellus Shale development said while they support the state mission of DRBC toensure proper environmental controls on drilling, "we believe (the rules) exceed DRBC's legal

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authority and duplicate member state jurisdiction and existing DRBC programs in several criticalrespects."

Environmental GroupsThe groups delivered more than 35,000 public comments from four states, including from

public health professionals and academics, in advance of the April 15th deadline, breaking the

record for the most number of comments ever delivered to DRBC, and demonstrating extreme public concern over gas drilling’s impacts on the Delaware River and its surrounding watershed.

More than 15 million people rely on water from the Delaware River for drinking andother everyday uses.

“It’s clear today, with more than 35,000 comments submitted, that the public isdemanding protection to their health, environment and drinking water from dangerous gasdrilling that’s been proposed near the Delaware River,” said Erika Staaf of PennEnvironment .“Considering the gas industry’s track record of pollution in Pennsylvania, the DRBC should heedthe cries of these residents and extend the moratorium on gas drilling that has so far protected theDelaware and its inhabitants from this hazardous practice.”

“Never before have so many stood up to demand action by the Delaware River BasinCommission," said Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper. “This unprecedented andoverwhelming demand for protection from the DRBC demonstrates just what a major threat gasdrilling is to our region and should put the Governors on notice that if they don’t ensure theDRBC protects the public, instead of continuing to act as servants for the gas drillers, the publicwill hold them accountable.”

Since 2004, companies have drilled more than 4,300 hydraulic fracturing wells inPennsylvania and the state has issued permits for thousands more. New York could also expecthydrofracking to begin soon. Incidents and accidents that damage the environment and put

public health at risk have already occurred:-- In September 2009, Cabot Oil and Gas caused three spills in Dimock Township, Pennsylvania,

in less than a week, dumping 8,000 gallons of fracturing fluid components into Stevens Creek and a nearby wetland.-- A 2010 EOG well blowout in Clearfield County spilled 35,000 gallons of wastewater, some of which reached the Little Laurel Run, a stream that feeds the Susquehanna River.-- The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection recorded more than 1,000violations of regulations intended to protect water quality at gas drilling sites between 2008 andAugust 2010.

Specifically, the coalition expressed concerns that the rules do not restrict the use of toxicchemicals drillers use while drilling and fracking in the watershed, regulate how to dispose of toxic drilling wastewater, prevent drilling and associated development and waste pits near theriver and streams – which could occur as close as 500 feet, and do not stop the forested upper

Delaware from becoming a devastated industrial landscape.“We are urging President Obama, through his representative on the commission, to keep

the moratorium on drilling in place in the Delaware River Basin and to call for preserving theDelaware, a national treasure and the source of drinking water for five percent of the country.Fuel production is not 'clean' when it damages our water, air and eco-systems,” said KarinaWilkinson, Regional Organizer for Food & Water Watch, a national consumer advocacy group.

The Delaware River watershed, which extends through New York, Pennsylvania, NewJersey and Delaware, supplies drinking water to more than 15 million people – over 5 percent of

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the U.S. population, – provides recreational opportunities and pumps millions of dollars into theregion’s economy each year, and provides habitat for hundreds of critical wildlife species.

Marcellus Industry“The MSC ( Marcellus Shale Coalition ) supports DRBC in its stated mission of ensuring

that proper environmental controls are provided to safeguard the water resources of the Delaware

River Basin, and of establishing a regulatory scheme within the scope of DRBC authority thatcomplements state and federal requirements,” said Kathryn Klaber, president of the MSC.“However, the MSC has significant concern regarding the scope of the draft regulations, whichwe believe exceed DRBC’s legal authority and duplicate member state jurisdiction and existingDRBC programs in several critical respects.”

Specifically, the MSC’s comments , in part cite the following areas of paramount concern:-- Requirements for the Siting, Design and Operation of Well Pads : The Draft Regulationscontain very detailed and far-reaching land use requirements pertaining to the siting, design,construction and operation of well pads for natural gas activities – representing a significant andunnecessary departure from the agency’s role of managing water resources in the basin. These

proposed regulations contain a host of new construction and operational standards that are either not required by or inconsistent with state regulatory requirements.-- Exceed the Scope of DRBC authority : DRBC’s regulatory authority is derived from, andthus limited by, the Delaware River Basin Compact, which established DRBC in 1961 as aregional agency to manage and control the water resources of the Delaware River Basin. TheCompact does not grant DRBC review and approval authority over land use as outlined in thedraft regulations.-- Duplicative of State Requirements : Both New York and Pennsylvania have comprehensiveoil and gas regulatory programs. DRBC should defer to the member state programs in all areaswhere they regulate, and thereby avoid unnecessary, duplicative requirements and administrativecosts.

-- Natural Gas Development Plan (NGDP) is Unworkable : A requirement to submit a 5-year NGDP for review and approval, which would compel operators to prepare detailed, forward-looking information about the development of all of their leasehold areas in the Basin, isunworkable and demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the manner in which naturalgas development occurs. This level of detail – over the entirety of an operator’s lease holdings to

be developed in 5-years – would be impossible to assemble with any meaning or accuracy inadvance.-- Water Related to Natural Gas Development : The Draft Regulations addresses water sourcesfor uses related to natural gas development. Much of this section is unnecessary, since DRBCalready has a well-established program for review and approval of water withdrawals. DRBCshould utilize its existing program for Project Review under Section 3.8 of the Compact and

should not adopt a special water source program for water used in natural gas operations. Noother industry is singled out by DRBC with an industry-specific water source regulation.

In addition to submitting formal comments, the MSC, partnering with AmericanPetroleum Institute, requested an independent analysis of the draft regulations by ALLConsulting, a professional consulting firm specializing in water management, planning andenergy development.

The complete analysis was submitted to the DRBC for review and consideration.Following are several key findings of the analysis:

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-- The consumptive water use requirements for natural gas development at full build-out, ascompared to other water uses within the Basin, are relatively minor. The nuclear power industryuses more than 10 times the amount of water that would be used for natural gas development;golf course maintenance uses more than 20 times the amount; and thermoelectric power generation and agriculture use more than 45 times the amount.

-- The land footprint for natural gas development, as compared to other land uses, is relativelyminor. -- The footprint for natural gas development would be less than the footprint for golf courses in the Basin and 50 times less than the footprint for homes in the Basin;-- Absent a variance, the siting restrictions and setbacks contained in the Draft Regulationswould preclude natural gas development in more than half of the land area overlying theMarcellus Shale formation in the Basin;-- Many of the submittals, reporting requirements and notices required by the Draft Regulationsare duplicative of host state requirements; and-- The process of applying for and obtaining approval to develop natural gas wells pursuant tothe Draft Regulations is likely to take as long as 24 months.

A complete copy of the MSC comments is available online .A copy of DRBC's proposed rules is available on the DRBC website .NewsClips: 35,000 Oppose Gas Drilling Near Delaware River

MSC: Draft DRBC Regulation Duplicative, Exceeds Legal AuthorityEnvironmentalists Deliver 30,000 Anti-Drilling Comments To DRBCGroups Urge Extension Of Delaware Gas Drilling Moratorium

Penn State Extension Webinar On Marcellus Shale Trends April 21

Penn State Extension, College of Agricultural Sciences , is sponsoring another in its series of Marcellus Shale webinars on April 21 which shares two attorneys' observations of trends in

leasing, royalties and production. The next webinar in the series is May 19.April 21 WebinarLes Greevy, of Greevy and Associates in Williamsport and Kris Vanderman, of

Vanderman Law in Charleroi, Pa. -- both firms that specialize in representing clients withMarcellus Shale natural-gas interests -- will make presentations in the webinar.

"We started with Extension in 2005-06, doing educational programs for landowners, andwe represent many people with gas-drilling leases," Greevy said. "We have been dealing withissues such as going from the lease stage to the production stage, estate planning, protectingassets and tax issues."A lot of leases are starting to run out, so we are starting a whole new cycle of leases. We'll bediscussing that, as well as pipeline-property issues and trends in contract addenda, royalty

payments and cash-bonus payments."Greevy noted that business dealings with gas-drilling companies have changed somewhat

in north central Pennsylvania."The trend that we are seeing now in leasing is less competition between companies," he

said. "Previously you had any number of companies competing for leases and there was rapidgrowth in leasing."Now, the gas companies have pretty much staked out geographic areas thatthey're interested in and are not competing quite as much, and as a result, prices are down a little,and the ability to get protective addenda in leases is diminished."

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The Coldwater Heritage Partnership this week announced over $60,000 in grants have been awarded to local organizations to protectand conserve Pennsylvania’s coldwater stream habitats.

CHP is a cooperative initiative among DCNR, PennsylvaniaTrout Unlimited, the Fish and Boat Commission, and the Foundation

for Pennsylvania Watersheds.The next grant round opens in September."This type of grassroots conservation work is vital for the

future of the state's coldwater streams and wild trout fisheries,” said PFBC Executive Director John Arway. “Coldwater conservation plans help to build local awareness and support for thelong-term stewardship of coldwater streams and their surrounding watersheds.”

Grants have been made to the following organizations:-- Chester Ridley Crum Watershed Association , Chester County: $8,000 to construct threeselected buffer and one stormwater project on the West Branch of Crum Creek. Also continueworkshops, mailings, and on-site landowner technical assistance to help landowners implementcoldwater conservation plan recommendations.-- Clearfield County Conservation District , Clearfield County: $6,038 to create a coldwater conservation plan for Snyder and Spring Run, which will provide invaluable baseline water quality data for these streams as Marcellus Shale gas well drilling activity increases in the area.The plan will also identify possible future projects and educate the public about this veryimportant natural resource.-- Allegheny Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited , Clearfield and Jefferson Counties:$3,260 to perform a comprehensive analysis of the Irish Run watershed in order to create aconservation plan.-- Trout Unlimited Eastern Abandoned Mine Program , Clinton and Centre Counties: $6,000to determine the extent and causes for the apparent declines in brook trout populations in Wolf

Run and Eddy Lick Run.-- Columbia County Conservation District on behalf of the Briar Creek Association for Watershed Solutions, Columbia County: $5,788 to conduct physical biological and chemicalassessment and to use known data to generate a plan for conservation action on Briar Creek.-- Huntingdon County Conservation District, Huntingdon County: $7,975 to enhance native

brook trout populations in Miller Run by replacing a stream crossing that is currently a barrier tofish migration and conducting aquatic surveys on the stream to guide future enhancement

projects.-- Lehigh County Conservation District, Lehigh County: $6,000 to carry out a watershed andstream assessment for the Trout Creek Watershed.-- Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation , Luzerne County: $6,000 to

conduct a preliminary coldwater heritage conservation watershed assessment plan and projectimplementation recommendation plan for Solomon Creek that will lead to future enhancement

projects related to the native brook trout populations within the watershed.-- Somerset County Conservation District , Somerset County: $5,628 to assess the WhitesCreek watershed in order to obtain baseline data on the watershed that will assist in ecologicallysafe future development.-- Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited , Westmoreland, County: $6,000 to beginreconnecting Mill Creek, the largest source of coldwater and summer trout habitat, to the delayed

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harvest section of the Loyalhanna Creek, by teaming with the municipal recreation board in their approved Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative Rails-to-Trails stream crossing

project.“Pennsylvania Trout Unlimited is excited to award grants to worthy organizations for the

conservation and protection of their local streams,” stated Ken Undercoffer, President of the

Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited .This year the CHP awarded planning and implementation grants. Organizations funded

by a planning grant will be responsible for creating a “Coldwater Conservation Plan” that gathersexisting data about the coldwater ecosystem; identifies potential impacts, threats, problems andopportunities to our coldwater streams; formulates a plan of action for proposed conservationand protection strategies; and builds community awareness and support for the conservation of our coldwater streams.

Besides offering grants, the Coldwater Heritage Partnership works to provide technicaland educational assistance to organizations interested in protecting coldwater ecosystems.

For additional information, please contact Samantha Kutskel at 814-359-5233 or sendemail to: c-kutskel@state.pa.us or visit the Coldwater Heritage Partnership website.

Spotlight

Discovery Watersheds: Pennsylvania 4-H Water Project Curriculum Series

Are you looking for an excellent, hands-on curriculum to teach youthabout water? Consider using the Pennsylvania 4-H Program’s Water Project Series.

This series of three books make teaching water issues to youthfun and experiential, covering a variety of important topics that not

only promote water stewardship, but also help to enhance teaching thestate’s academic standards related to water.

Lesson types in these activity books include youth experiments,group demonstrations, and field experiences. Each activity can be doneduring a single group meeting.

The lessons in this book are based on the principle that children learn best by doing.Some home exercises are included to allow the children to build on the concepts they learn inmeetings and to encourage family involvement. The lessons were constructed so that they buildupon each other, but various sections and/or activities could be used as stand-alone lessons.

Each of the activity books in this series, along with guide books for the leader/helper can be accessed on the Penn State Extension 4-H website. You can also get printed copies of theyouth activity books by contacting the 4-H Educator in your county’s Penn State ExtensionOffice. ( Find your county office .)

Unit 1 of the 4-H Water Project , Water Conservation with the Water Lion, is designed toteach youth about water conservation in their communities. Completing the Water Conservation

project will open youth’s eyes to the realization that every living thing depends on water, andthat it is important for everyone to appreciate and conserve it.

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The goal of the curriculum is to help each youth develop “water consciousness” - anawareness of water’s vital importance in our everyday lives. Youth will learn about the manydifferent ways we utilize water each day and the amount of water available on Earth.

Youth will also learn specific ways that they can conserve water including encouragingfamily involvement in learning about water conservation.

Unit 2 of the 4-H Water Project , Incredible Water with the Water Lion, is designed toteach youth about water itself; it’s existence, properties, states of matter, cycles, and more. Water is a major part of the Earth’s system, which is constantly changing as air, soil, and rocks interactwith water every day.

Understanding the basics of water is the key to understanding many of the other thingsgoing on in our world, whether that’s our own body systems and those of our pets, livestock, or wildlife; how plants grow to produce food, building materials, fabrics, shelter, and oxygen; howhills and valleys form, glaciers are made, lakes are filled and rivers flow; or how clouds, snow,fog, and rainbows form in the atmosphere.

Completing the Incredible Water project will open youth’s eyes to just how much water affects their everyday lives.

Unit 3 of the 4-H Water Project , Water Quality Matters!, is designed to teach youth aboutthe condition, or degree of cleanliness of water, which is referred to as water quality. Youth willlearn about water standards used to set limits for water quality. Youth will investigate whatinfluences water quality and how these substances get into streams and rivers. They will look atthe difference between point-source pollution and non-point source pollution.

As youth continue in Water Quality Matters! they will explore where their drinking water comes from, identify different land uses in their watershed, and consider possible pollutants

based on land use. With hands on activities youth will use monitoring techniques while learningabout the physical, chemical, and biological criteria of water.

Completing the Water Quality Matters! project book will promote interaction of youth in

a common effort to increase environmental learning and stewardship of their watersheds.For more information on protecting your watershed, visit the Penn State ExtensionDiscovery Watersheds webpage.

(Written by: Jennifer Fetter , Extension Educator, Penn State Cooperative Extension in DauphinCounty)

Earth Day Sale At Clean Creek Pottery Products

Clean Creek Products is offering special Earth Day discounts for thosewho purchase pottery and other products from pigments using

manganese reclaimed from systems treating abandoned minedischarges in Western Pennsylvania.

Click Here to order online and enter code "EARTH15" atcheckout to save 15 percent on every order.

Earth Day: Rachel Carson Homestead Sense Of Wonder Plant Sale, Garden Party April 21

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The Rachel Carson Homestead is hosting a Sense of Wonder Plant Sale and Garden Party onApril 21 from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Homestead in Springdale, Allegheny County.

Please join Joy Braunstein, Executive Director in celebrating Earth Day with a veryspecial guest, Doug Oster . This Emmy Award winning documentary film maker, Post Gazettecolumnist, author, radio personality and environmental activist will be on hand at the plant sale

from 4:00 p.m. He will sign books, tell stories, and provide advice to gardeners of all experiencelevels. Early bird plant sale shoppers should arrive at 2:00 p.m. for the best selection.

At 5:00 p.m. we welcome our members, and encourage those who would like to bemembers that evening, to join us for light hors d'oeuvre and wine while we present The Sense of Wonder Award and announce our raffle winners. of a in home Master Gardner consultation.

Dress in casual garden attire and comfortable foot-wear so that you can enjoy all of whatthe Homestead has to offer. Parking is available on Marion Avenue.

Master Gardeners will be on hand as well to share their advice and experience and to helpus find a Sense of Wonder in designing, planting, and tending our own gardens.

For more information, visit the Rachel Carson Homestead website.

Earth Day: York County Conservation District Bundles 500 Trees For Sale

The PA Association of Conservation Districts ' Executive Director,Robert Maiden, visited York County on April 13 to see first-handhow the conservation district runs its annual seedling sale. Alongwith twenty-seven other volunteers, staff and board members,Robert helped bundle 500 trees for the sale.

“This was a great opportunity to get out and observe aconservation district fundraiser. It gave me an appreciation and

understanding of the difficult task of raising money for special projects as well as the amount of

work that goes into holding a native plant sale,” said Maiden.York County Conservation District has been holding its seedling sale for more thanthirty-five years. The sale features sixteen different varieties of ground cover, seedling shrubsand trees like magnolia and Canadian hemlock, and larger fruit trees like elderberry and redhaven peach.

This year 475 orders were placed. The proceeds from the sale support educational programs and discretionary expenses. The Districts anticipates raising around $10,000 in the salethis year.

York County Conservation District Manager Mark Kimmel said, “The conservationdistrict was grateful to have Robert come and help out with preparations for our seedling saleworking shoulder to shoulder with our staff and directors. It gave him first-hand experience

getting his feet wet and his hands dirty helping with a successful fundraising project.” Next, Robert will visit Chester and Berks Counties to meet with district staff and

directors to listen to their priorities and concerns as well as discussing the goals of theAssociation.

Earth Day: Rachel Carson's Books Released As eBooks For Earth Day

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Open Road Media this week announced the publication of Rachel Carson’sUnder the Sea Wind, The Sea Around Us, and The Sense of Wonder asebooks in time for Earth Day 2011.

Award-winning author Rachel Carson (1907–1964) is consideredone of the greatest American natural history writers of the twentieth

century.In addition to her environmental classic Silent Spring, her books

include The Sense of Wonder, Under the Sea Wind, and The Sea AroundUs—which has sold more than one million copies, been translated intotwenty-eight languages, and won the National Book Award and John Burroughs Award.

Environmentalists of all generations cite Carson as a source of inspiration and guidance;her work helped shape the modern environmental movement. Now, seventy years after Carson

published her first book and brought conservation and environmentalism to the forefront of thecultural conversation, readers can buy three of her seminal works in the environmentally friendlye-format.

Click Here for more information.

Earth Day: Wissahickon Creek Cleanup Set For April 20

The Friends of the Wissahickon and Wissahickon ValleyWatershed Association are teaming up once again to clean theWissahickon Creek from top to bottom on April 30 beginning at 9a.m.

This spring marks the 41st anniversary of WissahickonValley Watershed Association’s annual Creek Clean Up, and thesecond year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA to clean the

Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom—all 21 miles of it! Volunteers of all ages will clean theCreek, the surrounding trails, and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek.Armed with gloves and bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek to

collect anything from plastic bags and swing sets, to mattresses and tires.Sponsors for the Creek Clean Up include Merck; Dow; MSS- Movers Specialty Service,

Inc.; North Wales Water Authority; Caddick Construction Co.; Aqua Pennsylvania; Colorcon;BBD, LLP; Moyer Indoor/Outdoor; Rotary Club of Blue Bell; First Priority Bank; RussellRoofing; North Penn Water Authority; Manufacturers’ Golf and Country Club, PhiladelphiaCricket Club and many more civic-minded companies. REI is a promotional partner for theevent.

Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWA’s picnic in Fort Washington

State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is locatedon Mill Road in Flourtown.

To help in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of theWissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA Director of Stewardship, at215-646-8866 ext. 14 or send email to: bob@wvwa.org .

Earth Day: Partners Aim To Scrub Schuylkill River Clean

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Environmental groups throughout Southeast Pennsylvania have teamed up to promote river cleanups during a campaign called the Schuylkill Scrub on April 15 to May 31.

Organizers created the Schuylkill Scrub to gather information about litter cleanupsscheduled in the Schuylkill River Watershed. Its purpose is to increase public participation incleanups, as well as create new ones. In doing so, they hope to measure and increase the amount

of litter being removed, preserve clean drinking water, and protect wildlife.“Community groups have cleaned up small areas near the Schuylkill for many years.

However, most have little time or money to promote their events,” said Coordinator TomDavidock of the Schuylkill Action Network . “This campaign provides volunteer recruiters witha means to unite and improve their efforts so they are more effective, visible, and accountable tofunders.”

Those working to organize a cleanup are encouraged to register their event online .Individuals interested in volunteering can also visit this website to find registered events in their community.

Organizers of the Schuylkill Scrub are coordinating their efforts with the Great AmericanCleanup of PA , which also ends May 31. The Great American Cleanup of PA is organized byKeep Pennsylvania Beautiful , an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc.

The Schuylkill Scrub is a collaborative effort by nearly a dozen environmental groupswhose shared mission is protecting the Schuylkill River. Each organization committed funds tothe campaign, and more was acquired from Pennsylvania’s Drinking Water State RevolvingFund. This fund is provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help water suppliers improve sources of drinking water, like the Schuylkill River.

The Schuylkill Scrub was founded in 2010 when the Green Valleys Association and theHay Creek Watershed Association began coordinating their efforts near the border of BerksCounty and Montgomery County.

The Schuylkill River travels 130 miles through the cities of Pottsville, Reading,

Pottstown, Norristown, and Philadelphia. Its watershed spans approximately 2,000 square milesof land in Berks, Chester, Montgomery, Philadelphia and Schuylkill counties, among others.For more information and other cleanup events in the Southeast, visit the Partnership for

the Delaware Estuary website and the Schuylkill Scrub webpage.

Earth Day: Volunteers Needed For April 30 Tree Planting In York County

TreeVitalize volunteers are needed to help plant 680 tree seedlings on April 30 along Willis Runin York City’s Noonan Park as part of the WITF Woodland.

The event will begin with light refreshments at 9 a.m. The park is located north of Kiwanis Lake, between Atlantic Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue.

WITF provides funding for the seedlings through listener donations. The seedlings are provided by the DCNR, which also identifies the location and types of trees to be planted. York City is providing manpower and equipment to prepare the site, while the Conservation District ismanaging the event.

The goal of the project is to help protect water quality and improve the park’s naturalappeal. Once mature, the trees will help prevent runoff into Willis Run, shade the water to makeit healthier for aquatic life and add beauty to the park.

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TreeVitalize is an effort to plant one million trees in metropolitan areas in Pennsylvaniato turn around an alarming loss of tree cover over the past several decades. More than 230,000trees have been planted so far.

If possible, volunteers interested in participating in the seedling plant should bring:gloves; shovels; buckets for watering; a sledge hammer for pounding stakes; a pocket knife and

shears.Anyone who volunteers will receive a tree seedling following the planting to plant at their

own home compliments of the Conservation District.For more information about the Willis Run planting event visit the York

TreeVitalize webpage.

Earth Day: FundingFactory Salutes Ink Cartridge Recycling Champions

Imagine turning used ink cartridges into a playground, a classroom of laptops, even an entirecomputer lab! That's what six honorary recycling champions have done through returning usedink cartridges and cell phones with Erie-based FundingFactory , a fundraising through recycling

program specifically designed for schools and non-profit organizations."In the spirit leading up to celebrating Earth Day, we are celebrating some of our top

recycling partners and applauding them, and other participants like them, for their efforts," saidSean Michaels, President, FundingFactory. "We congratulate these champions for what they'redoing for their communities and the nation via this effort."

Champions like Kim Rosson, of Harrison, Arkansas. Kim, a Skyline Heights PTA parentvolunteer spearheaded her Funding Factory campaign nearly 10 years ago. To date, SkylineHeights PTA's efforts have earned $28,000, enough funds to build a playground and providelaptops for a classroom. All this, while saving these cartridges from going to our nation'slandfills.

"It's just so easy and it was something that the PTA could do and we ran with it! Now, wedo it for every school in the district. It has been amazing and it cost us nothing. You just watchyour points and your money grow," said Kim Rosson.

Laura Grimwood from the Lansing City Rescue Mission says the program has raised$37,000 for their organization.

"This has been a truly amazing program for us. It really runs itself. Our volunteers havereally taken it upon themselves to solicit their doctors' offices, workplaces, daycare facilities andanywhere they go regularly to ask them to recycle their cartridges. Sometimes, I almost feelguilty getting that big check because it is such an easy program," Grimwood said.

For the West Boylston Public School system in West Boylston, MA, FundingFactorytranslates to $40,000 worth of laptops, projectors, and entire multi-media curriculum otherwise

out of financial reach to them.Steve Pellowe, technology coordinator for the West Boylston Public Schools system

says, "At this point, this program is a no-brainer for any school district looking to increasefundraising."

FundingFactory's list of Recycling Champions includes a pediatric nurse, individualschools, even an entire school district and its communities. Most of the organizations have beenmembers of the recycling fundraising program since its inception.

For more information, visit the FundingFactory website.

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Earth Day: Community College Of Philadelphia Holds April 20-26 Special Earth DayEvents

As America gears up for Earth Day on April 22, Community College of Philadelphia will call

attention to sustainability, renewable energy, science and the environment, when it officiallyopens its $31 million, eco-friendly, newly expanded and refurbished Northeast Regional Center from 10:30 a.m.—12:30 p.m., April 20, at 12901 Townsend Road.

Federal, state and local officials, including Mayor Michael A. Nutter, will join CollegePresident Stephen M. Curtis for this landmark event. In addition, over the next two weeks, theCollege will hold a series of Earth Day-related events to highlight the new NERC and emphasizethe importance of sustainability, green technology, renewable energy and science.

The NERC has been transformed into a cutting edge, eco-sensitive education and trainingfacility where students witness sustainable design at work inside and outside the facility. A new60,000-square-foot wing melds seamlessly with the existing 60,000-square-foot structure thatalso has been extensively refurbished. The entire $31 million project is expected to receiveLEED gold environmental certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

"The College is incredibly proud of what it has accomplished by melding the old with thenew at the Northeast Regional Center, making the finished project much greater than the sum of its parts," President Curtis said of the 120,000-square-foot facility. "The end product is not just

bigger, it is better for students, and greener in ways that are better for the environment."Scheduled events include the following:

-- 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. April 20 – Northeast Regional Center Grand Opening – Federal, stateand local officials join President Curtis at the official opening of the College's eco-friendly

Northeast Regional Center.-- 2 p.m. April 20 – Dual Admissions Signing Ceremony – Presidents and representatives from

11 colleges and universities will participate in a signing ceremony marking the addition of twonew schools, Saint Joseph's University and Rosemont College, to the growing list of schools thathave joined the College in allowing graduates to transfer credits seamlessly to their four-year institutions. Guest Thomas G. Morr, president and CEO of Select Greater Philadelphia, willspeak along with students, presidents and officials from some of the partner schools.-- 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., April 25 – Philadelphia Science Festival Extravaganza in Partnership – Featuring workshops, laboratory experiments and speakers, such as Jonathan D. Essoka of theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region III, who will speak at 9 a.m. on the topic of "Energy and Sustainability." This event is part of the Philadelphia Science Festival—a citywidefestival being held April 15-28. Other speakers include: Dr. Veda Giri of the Fox Chase Cancer Center speaking at 10:30 a.m. on "Genetic Markers/Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer"; and Dr.

Carolyn Heckman of the Fox Chase Cancer Center speaking at 1 p.m. on "Skin Cancer Prevention."-- 3:30 p.m., April 25 – Pathways Magazine launch – Join Peter Longstreth, president and CEOof the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), and Katherine Gajewski,director of the Mayor's Office of Sustainability, as they unveil the latest issue of the College'sPathways magazine, which focuses on green technology and sustainability. Longstreth, Gajewskiand John Grady, PIDC's executive vice president, are featured in the cover-story. Gajewski andLongstreth will speak at this invitation-only reception.

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-- 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., April 26 – College for a Day (High School Recruitment & AdultStudent Recruitment) – In the morning, area high school students will tour the new NERC andlearn about the College's educational programs. In the evening, adult residents will be invited totour the NERC and learn about the College's educational and training programs.-- 6 p.m., April 27 – Alumni "Delicious Developments" Reception –Invitation-only reception

for alumni and supporters of the College featuring regional wine, cheese and chocolate tastingand music performed by students.-- 8 :30 a.m., April 29 -- Grand Chamber Event –An invitation-only breakfast for chamber of commerce members from the Greater Philadelphia, Greater Northeast Philadelphia, African-American, Hispanic, and Asian American chambers will showcase the new NERC, and allowleaders from each chamber to speak about the services they offer.

Community College of Philadelphia enrolls more than 39,000 students annually at itsMain Campus, three Regional Centers and various locations throughout Philadelphia. TheCollege offers day, evening and weekend classes, as well as classes on the Internet.

Annual Meeting, Awards Luncheon PA Chapter National Assn. Of Water Companies May3

The PA Chapter of the National Association of Water Companies will hold their annual awardsluncheon on May 3 in Hearing Room 1, Keystone Building beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Former Commissioner, Public Utility Commission, and Department of EnvironmentalProtection Secretary John Hanger will be honored at the luncheon.

The meeting will feature panel discussions with updates from the PUC, DEP and avariety of water company executives.

For more information, download the registration form , or contact Erik Ross by sendingemail to: eross@ggrgov.com or by calling 717-234-8525.

Centre County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event April 29-30

Here's your chance to rid your home of old or unwanted hazardous chemicals and be sure theyare properly disposed of by bringing them to the April 29-30 Centre County Solid WasteAuthority drop-off event.

Bring your insecticides, weed killers, pool chemicals, cleaners, poisons, corrosives,flammables, oil-based paints and many other household hazardous chemicals to the CentreCounty Solid Waste Authority on April 29, (10:00 am – 6:00 pm), and on April 30, (9:00 am – 3:00 pm).

We will not be accepting used motor oil, antifreeze, batteries, tires, latex paint,

radioactive or medical material, explosives or ammunition.For additional information about the event, visit the Centre County Solid Waste

Authority website or call 814-238-7005.

Dauphin County Sets Tire Recycling Event For April 23

The Dauphin County Recycling Center will accept unwanted passenger car and light truck tiresfor recycling from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. April 23. The cost is $1 per tire.

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The Recycling Center is located at 1620 S. 19th Street in Harrisburg on the site of theHarrisburg Resource Recovery Facility .

Waste Management Opens Philadelphia Materials Recovery Facility

Waste Management , Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, local and state officials and WMcustomers to celebrate the launch of its advanced Philadelphia Material Recovery Facility,located in Northeast Philadelphia.

This innovative, 60,000-square-foot single-stream facility exemplifies WasteManagement's commitment to recovering the value in waste.

Waste Management invested over $20 million to create one of the most advanced single-stream technology plants in operation at a former brownfield site.

The Philadelphia MRF is the largest such facility in the region and can sort and processmore than 20,000 tons of recyclable newspaper, cardboard, aluminum, glass and plastic eachmonth. The plant also captures materials that were historically discarded, such as film plasticand rigid plastics, expanding the range of materials that can be recycled.

Single-stream recycling streamlines and simplifies the process of collecting and processing recyclable materials, increasing recycling rates by up to 50 percent. In a single-stream system, residents and commercial customers place recyclables in a single container for

pickup and no longer need to separate these materials in their homes or workplaces.When recyclables arrive at WM's Philadelphia recycling facility, advanced technology

that includes magnets, screens and optical scanners is used to separate, sort and process thematerials, which are then shipped out for reuse.

"Waste Management is focused on recovering more of the valuable materials in wastethrough the use of advanced technologies such as single-stream recycling," said Patrick DeReuda, president, Waste Management Recycle America. "By making the process of handling

recyclables simpler for local residents and businesses, this facility has the potential tosignificantly increase local recycling participation rates, enabling us to further reduce waste,recover more material and improve the effectiveness of municipal and commercial recycling

programs."The Philadelphia MRF accepts materials from the City of Philadelphia's single-stream

residential collection program as well as from other communities and commercial customers inthe region. Once fully staffed, the facility will employ over 70 people, most of them hired fromthe Philadelphia area.

"Philadelphia's recycling program is good for the city environmentally and economically.Single-steam recycling makes keeping the city clean as easy as possible for our residents," saidMayor Michael A. Nutter. "I'd like to thank Waste Management for investing in Philadelphia

with this new recycling plant, and for the jobs that it will create."The Philadelphia MRF was constructed using sustainable building and design techniques

and has received LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The sidingand roofing of the processing building contain over 80 percent recycled content; advancedstormwater management systems, including a green roof on the office facility, treat stormwater to improve its quality prior to release.

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This project is part of Waste Management's sustainability initiative to nearly triple theamount of recyclable materials it recovers, from approximately 8 million tons today to over 20million tons by 2020.

"Waste is no longer something to get rid of – it's a resource. That's why WasteManagement is leading the way in adopting innovative solutions such as single-stream recycling

to benefit the communities and customers we serve," said James Fish, area vice president, WasteManagement. "We are proud to make this investment in this facility to help move Philadelphiaand the surrounding region to the forefront of recycling."

NewsClip: Sorting Out The Trash In Philadelphia

PROP: Apply Now For 2011 Waste Watchers Awards

The Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania is now acceptingapplications for the 2011 Waste Watcher Awards . Applications are due

by May 18.The Waste Watcher awards are given to recycling, waste

reduction, reuse and composting programs in Pennsylvania that haveexhibited exemplary performance.

Each year, nearly one hundred municipalities, counties, private businesses, individuals and community organizations from across the

state are recognized for going above and beyond what is mandated under Act 101 for their communities or programs.

The Award categories include: recycling, composting/organics, public education, specialevent recycling, special collections, reuse, environmental rehabilitation, recycling innovations,waste reduction, closing the loop and "tales from the trenches."

The Pennsylvania Waste Watcher program is open to municipalities, counties, businesses

and industries, schools, colleges, universities, community non-profit program groups andindividuals who have made a significant contribution in recycling, composting and wastereduction and reuse efforts during the 2010 calendar year.

Applicants must demonstrate that their efforts are above and beyond services normallyrequired or typically provided.

Act 101 - the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act - hashelped generate significant economic and environmental benefits since 1988. Recycling has

become a billion dollar industry in Pennsylvania.The amount of collected recyclables and the number of jobs created by the recycling

industry climbs each year. Recycling has saved precious resources and energy, limitedgreenhouse emissions and other air and water pollutants.

This growth and success is the result of a serious commitment to recycling byindividuals, businesses, government and those in the recycling industry like PROP WasteWatcher winners.

Download the application form and send completed applications to Amy Schirf, WasteWatcher Committee Chair c/o CCSWA by email to: amyschirf@uplink.net or via mail if electronic submission is not available to: 253 Transfer Road, Bellefonte, PA 16823 or via fax to814-238-3195.

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EPA Recognizes Leaders In Energy Efficiency, Including 4 In PA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week honored 111 Energy Star partners whohave demonstrated leadership and commitment in protecting American’s health and theenvironment through energy efficiency achievements.

Those organizations recognized included: Saint-Gobain , Valley Forge; Sunoco, Inc .,Philadelphia; Continental Refrigerator , Bensalem; and Energy CAP, Inc. , State College.

2011 Energy Star award winners include manufacturers, retailers, public schools,hospitals, real estate companies and home builders. Organizations are recognized in one of threeaward categories: Sustained Excellence, Partner of the Year, and Excellence.

“Year after year, Energy Star award winners reflect American ingenuity at its highestlevel,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “The innovations at work in the Energy Star

program are cost-effective ways to reduce pollution, improve our health and grow our economyall at the same time. Those who have invested in these energy saving technologies displayeconomically-sensible solutions that are good for our communities and our future.”

Last year alone, Americans, with the help of the Energy Star program and its 20,000 partners, saved approximately $18 billion on their energy bills while preventing greenhouse gasemissions equivalent to the annual emissions of 33 million vehicles.

To date, nearly 1.2 million new homes and more than 12,600 office buildings, schools,hospitals and public buildings have earned the Energy Star. Since 2000, approximately 3.5

billion Energy Star qualified products have been sold.A complete list of those recognized is available online .

Alternative Fuels Sustainability Summit June 2 In Hershey

The Alternative Fuels Renewable Energies Council will host a Sustainability Summit in Hershey

on June 2.The featured speaker will be Glenn Rice, President East Region UPS on balancingeconomic prosperity, social responsibility and environmental stewardship.

The event will also include an Achieving Corporate Sustainability panel discussion withDavid Lavery, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts, Bill Gregory, Turkey Hill, Mark Johnson,Gannett Fleming. The moderator is Michael Smith, Lutron Electronics.

For more information, visit the Sustainability Summit webpage.

Chatham University Hosts Anna Lappe, Small Planet Institute, May 14

Chatham University in Pittsburgh will host a free lecture by author and activist Anna Lappe of

the Small Planet Institute on May 14 at 5:00 p.m. in the Eddy Theatre at the University'sShadyside Campus.

Her lecture, “Firing-Up Food Activism, Cooling-Down the Planet,” promises to be aninspiring talk about sustaining communities and encouraging innovative and democraticsolutions to hunger, inequality, and environmental degradation.

Ms. Lappe’s journey through the global food system shows us where the problems resideand what people across the globe are doing in everyday actions to challenge and change our world. Her most recent books include “Diet for a Hot Planet” and “Hope’s Edge.”

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Anna and her mother, Frances Moore Lappe founded the Small Planet Institute in 2001 tohelp pursue examples of democracy as a rewarding way of life: a culture in which citizens infusethe values of inclusion, fairness, and mutual accountability into all dimensions of public life.

The Institute supports people and projects around the world who work to remake societalrules into shared values, focusing on collaborative public education, media programs, and

outreach campaigns.“Firing-Up Food Activism, Cooling-Down the Planet” is co-sponsored by the following

community partners: The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Grow Pittsburgh, SlowFood Pittsburgh, Just Harvest, The East End Co-op, and the Pittsburgh Food Forest.

DEP, Game Commission Host Teachers, Students At May 17 Falcon Banding Event

The Department of Environmental Protection and GameCommission will conduct the annual peregrine falcon bandingevent from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. on May 17 in the auditorium of theRachel Carson State Office Building in Harrisburg.

DEP invites teachers, non-formal educators and students toattend the event, where biologists will weigh and band the newly-hatched nestlings, called eyases. The event will also be streamedlive on DEP's website .

On May 17, biologists will retrieve the young peregrines from the nest located on the15th Floor of the Rachel Carson State Office Building and place a metal band with a falcon-specific code around the left leg of each of the eyases. The band code will be used by wildlifeofficials and bird enthusiasts to monitor the birds once they leave the nest. In addition, a U.S.Fish and Wildlife band will be placed on the eyases' right leg, registering each on a federal

banding database.

This event offers a unique opportunity to witness wildlife management techniques used toreintroduce and monitor endangered species.Since 1997, a pair of peregrine falcons has made their home on the 15th Floor of the

Rachel Carson State Office Building. While their numbers are increasing, peregrine falconsremain an endangered species in Pennsylvania.

Through reintroduction programs, peregrines have adapted to life in urban environmentslike Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Williamsport. Each year, DEP and the GameCommission track the activities of these birds and share their findings on the web.

The Rachel Carson nest site has been active and reproducing young peregrine falcons for the past eleven years. This year, there is a new female in the nest who arrived in September andhas laid a clutch of four eggs.

To register for the peregrine falcon banding event, mid-state educators should contactDEP's Environmental Education and Information Center at 717-772-1644 or by email atadevine@state.pa.us by May 3.

Because space is limited, registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basiswith priority given to educators and students who have not previously attended the event.

The banding event can be viewed live by visiting DEP's website . Viewers will be able tosee the banding of the eyases and will learn how biologists use alphanumeric bands to study

peregrine falcons as they migrate, pair with other peregrines and set up breeding territories.

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Fans also can follow the peregrines through Twitter .

Wildlands Conservancy Protects 172 Acres Along Blue Mountain

The Wildlands Conservancy recently secured 172 acres of land in East Penn Township, Carbon

County, for the purpose of protecting the habitat and scenic beauty of the Blue Mountain alongthe Kittatinny Ridge .

Noted for its unique grassland and woodland habitat, the property is home to severalinsect species of statewide concern as well as recovering stands of oak, birch and chestnut trees.

“This acquisition continues our legacy involvement in protecting land and natural habitatalong the Kittatinny Ridge,” remarks Christopher M. Kocher, president, Wildlands Conservancy.“Adjacent to the Appalachian Trail, the Lehigh Gap Nature Center and State Game Land 217,this property will protect an important wildlife corridor and migratory path for raptors.”

Millions of Pennsylvanians and hundreds of communities value the Kittatinny Ridge for its scenic beauty, recreational opportunities, water supplies, and wildlife habitat. The Ridge hasnational importance as a critical habitat link in the Appalachian Forest that stretches the length of the Eastern United States, and as a corridor for the world famous Appalachian Trail.

Wildlands Conservancy has entered into an agreement with the Game Commission totransfer the property so that this parcel can be managed as part of the overall state game landsnetwork for betterment of wildlife.

Since the organization’s beginning in 1973, Wildlands Conservancy has protected morethan 48,000 acres of land in 18 counties in eastern Pennsylvania.

For more information on this property and the organization’s land conservation efforts,contact Kent Baird, Director of Land Conservation and Planning, at 610-965-4397, ext. 119 or send email to: kbaird@wildlandspa.org .

Reminder: Apply Now For Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Mini-Grants

The National Road Heritage Corridor is now accepting applications for mini-grants fromnonprofit organizations, municipalities, and friends groups of state parks/forests who are in theLaurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative region. Applications are due April 21.

Projects located in communities and parks connected to the Laurel Ridge, ChestnutRidge, greater Johnstown area, and the Great Allegheny Passage will be given a priority.

Funding for this opportunity comes from the Department of Conservation and NaturalResources. Grant awards will be $1,500 to $15,000 and all will require a cash match. Theofficial Letter of Intent deadline is April 21. An invitation to submit a full application will beannounced May 10, with an application deadline of May 31. Grant awards will be announced

mid-June.The Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative is a Department of Conservation

and Natural Resources project. The initiative is a partnership that strives to raise the region’squality of life while crafting a model of sustainable development tied to the natural and culturalassets of the region. It connects communities with state agencies and funding partners toconserve and enhance the region’s economic viability.

To receive the map that identifies Mini-Grant eligible areas; the Mini-Grant Guidelines;and the Letter of Intent, please contact Olga Herbert at Lincoln Highway by email to:

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olga@lhhc.org or Donna Holdorf, Executive Director of The National Road Heritage Corridor by sending email to: donnah@nationalroadpa.org or call 724-437-9877.

Cultural Resource Management Workshop May 17 In Harrisburg

In partnership with the 2011 Statewide Conference on Heritage , leaders in cultural resourcemanagement will host a panel discussion on the changing regional and national landscape of CRM and NEPA consulting. Representatives from the transportation, energy development andcommunications fields will provide advice and resources for maintaining and growing your client base.

Based on attendee interest, Preservation Pennsylvania is negotiating with Jeanine R.Kingeter of HR Business Partners LLC in King of Prussia, one of the Middle Atlantic region'sleading marketing consultants, to provide a full afternoon of training in marketing strategies for consulting services.

Preservation Pennsylvania is actively soliciting support for this workshop to help cover the training costs and bring this important workshop to this year's conference. If your firm canhelp support this training, please contact Jennifer Horn by sending email to: jhorn@preservationpa.org .

To register and for a full workshop agenda, visit the Statewide Conference on Heritagewebsite.

Sustainable Landscapes Bus Tour Arrives in Lancaster County June 23

Township officials, landscape architects, planners, educators, park managers, and others – comesee six great examples of ways to plan and manage land in a healthier, more environmentallyfriendly way while saving money!

The 2011 Sustainable Landscapes Bus Tour kicks off at 7:30 a.m. on June 23 at the Farmand Home Center in Lancaster with a continental breakfast and keynote presentations.Two buses will then depart for sustainable sites around Lancaster County including:

Schaeffer Elementary School, Warwick Township Building, Mummau Park, Santo Domingodevelopment, Ethel Swan Park and Raymark (a former industrial site), and Brubaker Farm.These sites highlight native plantings, natural stormwater management, energy efficiencies, andmore.

The bargain price of the bus tour is $25 which includes breakfast, lunch, a spot on the busand handouts. Registration materials are available on the Department of Conservation and

Natural Resources website.This event is being organized by a Sustainable Lands Partnership, which consists of the

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Department of EnvironmentalProtection, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, the Capital RC&D, Lancaster CountyConservation District, Lancaster County Parks, Lancaster County Planning Commission,LandStudies, LIVE Green, the PA Landscape and Nursery Association, the PA Recreation andPark Society, and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission.

Only 100 seats will be available, so register early to secure your spot! For moreinformation about the event, and for information about sponsorships, call 717-214-7511.

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Overnight Guests Again Welcome At Ironmaster's Mansion Pine Grove Furnace StatePark

Visitors to Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Cumberland Countyare once again able to bunk down in the Ironmaster’s Mansion.

The Ironmaster’s Mansion—which features the only hostelin Pennsylvania’s system of 117 State Parks—was closed for ayear for much-needed renovations.

“Like many of the attractions at our State Parks, theIronmaster’s Mansion at Pine Grove is steeped in history,” DCNR Bureau of State ParksDirector John Norbeck said.

Many famous families in state history have lived in the mansion, including JudgeFredrick Watts, founder of Penn State University; Jackson Fuller, the namesake for Fuller Lake;and Jay Cooke, often called "the financier of the Civil War."

The Ironmaster’s Mansion is being leased by the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy,which completed the renovations through lots of volunteer work and private donations.Reservations are handled by the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau.

The mansion, built between 1827 and 1829, still embodies all the features from itsoriginal construction. Renovations included window replacements, a commercial kitchen, new

bunk beds and other furnishings, repainting, landscaping, and adding meeting space. Therenovations will allow the mansion to host weddings, meetings and other special events.

Rates are $25 plus tax per night and include dormitory lodging in bunk beds, linens, a pasta dinner the evening of arrival, and breakfast the morning of departure. Lodging is $20 if youopt not to have the meals.

A public grand reopening celebration will be held on May 6.For more information about the Ironmaster’s Mansion or to make a reservation, call

717-486-4108 or send email to: ironmasterspinegrove@gmail.com .

Game Commission Adds Over 9,000 Acres To State Game Lands

The Board of Game Commissioners this week – in one of the largest land purchases in agencyhistory – approved the purchase of 9,306 acres in Bell and Greenwood townships, ClearfieldCounty, adjoining State Game Land 87, from RLF Deemer Properties LLC, for a lump sum

payment of $5,583,600.The payment will be made using funds by third-party commitments for compensation of

habitat and recreational losses from previously-approved Board actions on oil/gas and mineralrecovery leases.

“Acquisition of this more than 14-square-mile property helps fulfill the GameCommission’s mission of protecting wildlife habitats for current and future generations,” saidBill Capouillez, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Habitat Management director. “A

purchase of this size is virtually unheard of these days anywhere within Pennsylvania, andcertainly exemplifies the Game Commission’s efforts to provide a legacy for future generationsto enjoy hunting and trapping opportunities, while helping to secure viable wildlife populationsfor years to come.

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“Additionally, this purchase fulfills our obligation to hunters and trappers to offsettemporary recreation and habitat losses from oil, gas and mineral extraction previously approvedon various State Game Lands throughout the state.”

The Board also voted to add 172 acres in Carbon County, a land exchange in CambriaCounty and oil and gas leases in Lycoming, Bradford and Tioga counties that will yield $18

million for the Commission.More background on each of these actions is available online .

Seasons And Bag Limits Set By The Game Commission Board

Board of Game Commissioners this week gave final approval to hunting and trapping seasonsand bag limits for 2011-12, including big and small game seasons and furbearer seasons.

The Board also adopted antlerless deer license allocations for the 22 WildlifeManagement Units.

A summary of the highlights from the Game Commission Board meeting is availableonline .

Fish And Boat Commission Finalizes Susquehanna River Bass Regulations

Fish and Boat Commission this week placed permanent catch-and-immediate-release regulationson smallmouth and largemouth bass in portions of the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers, a movedesigned to protect the rivers’ existing bass population.

At the same time, Commissioners at the quarterly business meeting approved publicationof proposed regulations which would, if adopted on final rulemaking, close bass fishing on thesame river segments during the spawning season and extend the catch-and-immediate-releaseregulations to portions of tributaries beginning in 2012.

For more information, visit the full announcement online .

John Giordano Named DCNR Deputy Secretary For Administration

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Acting Secretary Richard Allan this week announced John Giordano will lead the agency’s administrative operations.

“As deputy secretary for administration, John Giordano will assist me in managing thedaily managerial and organizational operations of the department,” Allan said. “John’s diverseknowledge of legal and environmental issues combined with his management experience makehim a good fit for this position.’’

In his new role, Giordano will be responsible for overseeing the department’s

administrative, human resource and information technology activities.Giordano comes to DCNR from the Atlantic Trailer Leasing Corp., where he was

executive vice president and chief legal officer. Giordano is a former federal prosecutor, havingserved in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and as counselor to theassistant attorney general for the Environment and Natural Resources Division at the JusticeDepartment.

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Giordano also previously served as a senior adviser and staff director at the U.S.Department of Energy and was a member of Gov. Corbett's Energy and EnvironmentalTransition Team.

Giordano earned his undergraduate degree from Villanova University and his law degreefrom Villanova University School of Law. He lives in Philadelphia.

Help Wanted: John James Audubon Center Environmental Educator Intern

Audubon Pennsylvania is seeking an environmental education summer intern for the John JamesAudubon Center in Audubon, Pa. Deadline for applications April 20. Click Here for moredetails.

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.

April 19-- 4-H, FFA Grassland Scholarship CompetitionApril 20-- DCNR Community Conservation Partnership GrantsApril 21-- NEW . Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Mini-GrantsApril 22-- EPA Student Environmental Development ProgramApril 22-- EPA Earth Day Student Poster ContestApril 25-- Pocono Northeast RC&D: Household Water Well Assistance ProgramApril 30-- Northeast Audubon Society College ScholarshipMay 1-- KPB Sue Wiseman College ScholarshipMay 1-- Dominion Foundation Education Partnership Grants

May 2-- ConocoPhillips/Penn State Energy PrizeMay 2-- EPA Environmental Education GrantsMay 2-- Audubon/Toyota Alliance Conservation Leadership/Project GrantsMay 2-- Common Waters Foundation Upper Delaware Forest Landowner GrantsMay 18-- NEW . PROP 2011 Waste Watcher AwardsMay 19-- DCNR Volunteer Fire Assistance ProgramMay 26-- EPA i6 Green Challenge GrantsMay 31-- Fish & Boat Commission Boating Facility GrantsJune 17-- DEP Alternative Fuels Incentive GrantsJune 30 -- DEP Nitrogen Tire Inflation System GrantsJuly 11-- PROP Annual Recycling FilmFest CompetitionAugust-- EPA/American Rivers Potomac Highlands Restoration GrantsAugust 26-- Foundation for PA Watersheds GrantsSeptember 4-- Chester County Green Business AwardsDecember 31-- NEW . President's Environmental Youth Awards

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

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Quick Clips

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

Blog: PA Recycling Report, Next Generation Recycling, Waste Reduction

BudgetA Tax That Dares Not Speak Its Name (Severance Tax)Shale Gas And The Severance TaxOp-Ed: Keep State Growing Greener Editorial: International (Severance Tax) GiveawayLegislative Payroll Is Bigger Than Ever OtherCoal Mogul Gets Position With Corbett

NE PA Cleanups Seek VolunteersAnnual Potomac Watershed Cleanup Yields Tons Of DebrisE-Waste Collection Set Saturday In East LibertyGarb Oil & Power Corp Will Build Tire Recycling Plant In ReadingKids Plant Philly's Trash Tree In Atlanta (Video)Geocachers Seek Treasure While Cleaning Up The WoodsRecycling Gets All Lathered Up At Fairmont HotelSorting Out The Trash In PhiladelphiaPlans For Saucon Valley Environmental Center DiscussedGreen Construction Offers Glimpse Of Employment FutureColumn: Browner Shade Of Green (Pittsburgh Convention Center)

Wayne County Project Gets State Funding For Alternative EnergyTurkey Hill Wind Turbines Power Production Of Beverages, Ice CreamEditorial: Stop The EPAEditorial: Mercury In CFL Bulbs Anyone?Mining Machinery Plants BusyDozens Of Firms Interested In Cleaning Up Erie GAF SiteEditorial: State Police Truck Inspection BlitzLancaster Project Gets National Brownfield AwardSteelStacks Venue Further Revives Former Steel SiteBristol Twp Will Try to Revive Environmental Advisory CouncilState Preservation Forum Slated In ScrantonLackawanna Forum To Hear Residents Preservation PrioritiesDogs Allowed To Stay With Owners In Some State Park CabinsPittsburgh Council Budget Change Funds Bike TrailLyme Disease A Risk Throughout Western PAJersey Shore Considers Boat Launch ProjectEaston To Be Part Of Shad Spawning ProgramLakeland Students Traverse Nature Trail

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Presque Isle Audubon Program On Hawks, PloversEagle's Nest Held Unexpected LessonsGreat Blue Herons, Bald Eagles Share Erie CountyGame Commission: Please Don't Feed The BearsGame Commission Considers Open Season On Porcupines

Game Commission Spars Over Deer Population New Fossil Show To Open At Tom Ridge Environmental Center Editorial: Keep Asian Carp Out Of Great LakesJapanese EarthquakeStill Within Safe Limits, Philly Water Shows Iodine SpikeRadioactive Iodine In Philly Water Spurs Enhanced TestingRadioactive Iodine Source In Philly Water An Elusive TargetPhiladelphia Radioactive Water In Schuylkill Not Related To JapanFEMA To Evaluate TMI Emergency PreparednessDrills At TMI Unconnected To Japanese Nuclear Disaster

Marcellus Shale NewsClips

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

Acting DEP Head Defends Marcellus NOV Policy ChangeEditorial: Enforcement Of Gas Drilling In Political HandsState Fire Commissioner: Drilling Impact Strains VolunteersDrilling Highlights PA Firefighter NeedDEP Accused Of Rubber-Stamping Marcellus Well PermitsDEP Staffers Quickly Process Drilling Applications

Column: A Pollution Fox Guards HenhouseSelling Natural Gas, Courtesy Of State GovernmentDEP May Limit Drilling Contaminated Sludge DisposalState's Treatment Of Fracking Water ControversialCBF Wants Feds To Take Closer Look At Drilling In WatershedOp-Ed: On Shale Policy, DEP Head Should Have Known Better Editorial: Permission To Enforce The Rules, Please?Editorial: An Unhappy Gas Drilling CoincidenceMarcellus Shale Working Groups Begin MeetingMSC: Draft DRBC Regulation Duplicative, Exceeds Legal AuthorityEnvironmentalists Deliver 30,000 Anti-Drilling Comments To DRBCEnvironmental Groups Urge Extension Of Delaware Gas Drilling Moratorium35,000 Oppose Gas Drilling Near Delaware River Brook Trout Can Keep Drillers From Polluting PA WatersEnvironmentalists Say Radiation Tests Not Often EnoughMore Jobs Than Workers In Marcellus Shale RegionMarcellus Shale Gas May Head OverseasRep. Pickett Applauds Marcellus Works Proposal

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Fill'er Up With Natural Gas?Panel: Caution Must Mix With Shale's PromiseWashington County Panel: Caution Must Mix With Shale's PromiseBell Acres Marcellus Shale Forum Attracts Large CrowdMarcellus Just Start Of Rich PA Reserves

Op-Ed: Marcellus Shale Key To Energy IndependenceEditorial: Shale Gas Could Change The WorldUSA Today PA Marcellus Shale Job AnalysisMarcellus Shale Gas Drilling Divides CommunitiesShale Art Imitates Life7 Wastewater Plants Refuse To Take Fracking Fluid700 Attend Pittsburgh Marcellus Shale Drilling ForumPenn State Seeks Water Well Owners For Gas StudyAttorneys: Marcellus Shale Litigation Sure To Boom

Natural Gas Metering Station Set For Adjacent PropertyCompanies Lining Up Gas Leases In Beaver CountyRegistry For Natural Gas Fracking Chemicals LaunchedCritics Say Drilling Chemical Registry Not EnoughVoluntary Online Registry Of Fracking Chemicals Draws PraiseLocal Controls Touted Under Proposed Drilling PlanFrack Water In Hanover Twp OpposedMarcellus Shale Symposium Held In Kidder TownshipGas Firm Withdraws Back Mt. Plans, Will ResubmitWyoming Valley Frack Wastewater Treatment InformationVolunteers Seek Out Trout Streams, Test Water Establishing Baseline Readings For Streams (Video)

Casey Testifies On Need To Protect Drinking Water In Fracking DebateDrilling Opponent Dan Volz To Leave Pitt PostPitt: Departing Shale Drilling Opponent Free To Speak His MindApology Sought From Former Pitt Marcellus Prof On Misleading ReportDrilling Water Treatment Plant Threatens Lawsuit Against VolzFormer Pitt Professor Continues To Blast DEP, DrillersActivist Nuns Bringing Fracking To VoteWashington County Residents Argue Shale Housing RuleOp-Ed: Marcellus Shale Drilling In The Sewickley AreaEmsworth Rejects Gas Drilling In Community Park Landscape Architects Find New Business In Marcellus Shale

Marcellus Wastewater Treatment Tech Fetches $18 MillionWyoming Chamber Gets Gas Company BoostKingston Twp. OKs Gas, Oil LawMultiple Drilling Lawsuits Expected In N. HuntingdonFire Levels Cabot Storage BarnChesapeake CEO: No Lasting Environmental Damage From FrackingU.S. Senators Question Safety Of Water Used In Gas DrillingOp-Ed: Our U.S. Senators Should Not Weaken The EPA

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April 20-- NEW . Senate Democratic Policy Committee holds a hearing on energy, economicdevelopment and job creation initiatives ( agenda ). Nazareth Student Center, MarywoodUniversity, Scranton. 12:30.

April 20-- Agenda Released . DEP Agricultural Advisory Board meeting. Susquehanna Room,

DEP Southcentral Regional Office. 10:00.

April 20-- Agenda Released . DCNR Conservation and Natural Resources AdvisoryCouncil meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. ( formal notice)

April 21-- NEW. DEP Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan meeting. DEPHarrisburg, Regional Office, Susquehanna Room, 909 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg. 12:30.( formal notice )

April 21-- NEW . House Democratic Policy Committee holds a hearing on chemical leaks and air quality issues involving oil refineries ( agenda ). Amando Recital Room of Irvine Auditorium,University of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia 10:00.

April 21-- House Republican Policy Committee hearing with Rep. Evankovich on water safetyand Marcellus Shale drilling. Murrysville Community Center, Murrysville. 9:00.

April 21-- Agenda Released . DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Room105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:15.

April 25-- NEW . Governor's Transportation Funding Advisory Commission meeting. Room105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. [ information will be published on the PennDOT

website .] ( formal notice )

April 26-- NEW . House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee holds aninformational meeting on water resources planning with DEP Executive Deputy Secretary JohnHines. Room B-31. 9:00.

April 27-- NEW . House Democratic Policy Committee holds a hearing on Marcellus Shaledevelopment. Harrisburg Area Community College, CV Tech Building, Glatfelter CommunityRoom. 10:30.

April 27-- NEW . Governor's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission meeting. Room 105

Rachel Carson Building. 10:00.

April 28-- NEW . House Democratic Policy Committee holds a hearing Marcellus Shale naturalgas drilling tax. Harrisburg Area Community College, CV Tech Building, Glatfelter CommunityRoom, 2010 Pennsylvania Ave., York. 10:30.

April 28- Agenda Released . DEP Mine Families First Response & Communications AdvisoryCouncil . Marion Center Mine Rescue Facility, Home, Pa. 10:00.

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May 2-- Environmental Issues Forum, Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control andConservation Committee , hears a presentation on the new electronics recycling law. Room G-50Irvis Building. 12:00.

May 4-- NEW . House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee holds aninformational meeting on emergency preparedness involving nuclear power plant facilities.Room G-50 Irvis Building. 9:00.

May 12-- NEW . House Democratic Policy Committee holds a hearing Marcellus shale naturalgas drilling tax. Bethlehem City Hall Town Hall, 10 East Church St., Bethlehem. 1:00.

June 10-- CANCELED . DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. ( formal notice )

August 23-- DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel CarsonBuilding. 10:00. ( formal notice )

September 16-- CANCELED . DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. ( formal notice )

December 6-- DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel CarsonBuilding. 10:00. ( formal notice )

DEP Calendar of Events

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

Senate Committee Schedule House Committee Schedule

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

Stories Invited

Send your stories, photos and videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com .

PA Environment Digest is edited by David E. Hess, former Secretary Pennsylvania Departmentof Environmental Protection and is published as a service to the clients of Crisci Associates , aHarrisburg-based government and public affairs firm whose clients include Fortune 500companies and non-profit organizations. For more information on Crisci Associates, call717-234-1716.

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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 WritersAssociation , Pennsylvania Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter TroutUnlimited .