Pa Environment Digest March 30, 2015

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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 March 30, 2015

DEP Budget Hearing: Pennsylvania Not Meeting Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Commitments

Acting DEP Secretary John Quigley told the Senate AppropriationsCommittee Wednesday Pennsylvania is not meeting its commitments toclean up the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and that a “reboot” is needed to

get the program back on track.He said there is a lack of resources for the program and he isworking directly with Acting Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding totake a fresh look at the program.

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Major Chair of the SenateEnvironmental Resources Committee, expressed skepticism about theneed for funding wind mill and solar projects when they cannoteconomically stand on their own without taxpayer support.

He said Pennsylvania would be better off to devote those resources to cleanup theChesapeake Bay Watershed.

Asked about the need for 50 additional staff for the Oil and Gas Program as proposed in

the Governor’s budget, Qu igley said DEP is now inspecting each of the Marcellus Shale wellstwice when they should be getting to each well six times during critical parts of the drilling

process.Quigley noted, as he has in the past, over the last six years DEP has lost 14 percent of its

employees and the agency has been “hollowed out,” compared to the average staff reductions of6 percent in other state agencies.

In response to a question from Sen. Yaw, Quigley said he would consider an extension ofthe public comment period for the Chapter 78 and Chapter 78A proposed final drillingregulations.

Dana Aunkst, DEP Deputy Secretary for Field Operations, accompanied Quigley to the budget hearing

Many of the questions asked at the Senate budget hearing were discussed previously inthe House budget hearing March 11 . Here’s a summary of some of the key issues brought upduring the hearing.-- Chesapeake Bay Watershed Cleanup: Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks), Minority Chair of theSenate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, asked what the follow up will be to the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency report on agriculture programs needed to cleanup theChesapeake Bay Watershed.

Quigley said Pennsylvania is not on track to meet the Chesapeake Bay cleanup

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milestones for nitrogen and sediment. There is also not enough funding for the effort. He saidhe is working with Russell Redding, Acting Agriculture Secretary, to reboot the whole program.

Quigley said they need to reach farmers with technical help and incentives to put bestmanagement practices on the ground. It’s also about counting what we are now doing, he added,and getting more boots on the ground to deal with this issue.

[In fact, Pennsylvania has just 641 days to install the practices to meet the 2017Chesapeake Bay cleanup milestones.]-- Chesapeake Bay Watershed: Sen. Yaw noted the Governor’s proposal included morefunding for solar and wind power projects that could not exist on their own without taxpayersupport, and suggested Pennsylvania would be better off to devote those resources to cleanup theChesapeake Bay Watershed.

In response to a follow-up question from Sen. Yaw about how to get more resources tocleanup the watershed, Quigley said all options are on the table, but technical assistance are a big

part of responding to this issue.--Natural Gas Severance Tax: Sen. Yaw asked where the floor price of $2.97 of natural gascame from in the Governor’s severance tax proposal . He said the price of natural gas is $1.20 ora little more now. Quigley said that was the minimum amount needed to yield the funding Gov.Wolf thought was necessary to properly fund education.

Quigley added that he thought the price of natural gas had no where to go but up, notingthat the 12 or so proposed major pipeline projects will result, when built, in increased use andavailability of natural gas. He noted in his meeting with Sen. Yaw he said DEP would do what itcan to shepherd these projects through the process.

Sen. Yaw later commented that Pennsylvania was actually leading the nation by adoptingthe Act 13 drilling impact fee and other states are missing out with the severance tax.-- Severance Tax Would Caused 15 Percent Increases In Taxes: Sen. Randy Vulakovich

(R-Allegheny) said there has been an estimate the severance tax proposal would increases taxeson the drilling industry by 15 percent and asked if that is accurate. Quigley said he was notfamiliar with the 15 percent number, but the intent is to model the proposal after the tax imposed

by West Virginia. Sen. Vulakovich commented he thought it is the wrong time to put a tax onthe industry and Pennsylvania needs to look at the big picture.-- Capping Local Share Of Impact Fees: Sen. Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) commented thatthe cap on local grants in the Governor’s severance tax proposal is like a taking, taking it awayfrom areas of the state where drilling is occurring to other areas of the state. Quigley said theintent was to cap the funding at the highest level and provide funding for education programs.-- Prohibiting Passing On Severance Tax To Landowners: Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne) saidthe oil and gas leases she has reviewed call for a portional share of any taxes between andlandowner and drillers, inspite of the provisions in the Governor’s severance tax proposal for the

landowner not to pay the tax.Quigley said DEP was not involved in drafting the severance tax proposal and deferred tothe Department of Revenue on that issue, but the intent is to protect landowners.-- Additional Oil And Gas Staff: Sen. Yaw asked what the 50 new positions DEP proposes inthe budget will be doing related to the Oil and Gas Program.

Acting Secretary Quigley said right now the average well is inspected twice and theadditional staff would be used to increase the well inspections to six times per well.

Sen. Yaw said the number of drill rigs is now down by about one-third and asked why

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additional inspectors are needed. Quigley said the number of wells drilled in Pennsylvania haveactually increased. In 2013 were 1,207 wells were drilling and in1,372 in 2014.

Sen. Ward asked if there have been any instances of things “slipping through the cracks”in oil and gas well inspections that required the increase in staff.

Quigley noted over the last six years DEP has lost 14 percent of its employees and the

agency has been “hollowed out,” compared to the average staff reductions of 6 percent in otherstate agencies. He said they took a look at what their needs were in the Oil and Gas Program andmade a recommendation based on that need.

In terms of environmental impact, Quigley said the number of violations has gone down,and with additional staff DEP can make sure that trend continues. He added Pennsylvania hasthe largest number of inspection staff of any state.-- New Chapter 78 Drilling Regulations: Sen. Yaw said his Committee has not yet received acopy of the changes to the Chapter 78 and Chapter 78A drilling regulations as it was required toreceive. Quigley said the regulatory process is ongoing and a final regulation has not yet beencompleted. A draft final regulations will go out on April 4 for 30 days of public comment.

Sen. Yaw followed-up by asking if DEP plans a public hearing on the proposal.Quigley said there are now no plans for a hearing, explaining the proposal will have been

out for about 60 days by the end of the planned comment period. He noted the process started inApril 2011 on the regulations and in that timeframe other states have passed new laws andregulations and implemented them.

He said there is a sense of urgency to get the regulations done.Sen. Yaw asked DEP to extend the comment period in light of the previous 24,000

comments on the proposed regulation. Quigley said he would consider it.-- Conventional Oil And Gas Regulation: Sen. Ward said there are differences betweenconventional and unconventional (Marcellus Shale) drilling that should be recognized in DEP’sregulations.

Quigley said DEP has differentiated between the two types of drilling and created aspecial Conventional Oil and Gas Advisory Committee just dealing with conventional drilling.-- Natural Gas Pipeline Siting: Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery) asked if the $25 million setaside for the “last mile” of natural gas line will involve better communication with landownerson pipeline projects, expressing a concern about communication in existing projects.

Quigley said there will be 25-30,000 miles of natural gas pipelines that will be built overthe next few years and noted DEP has created a Task Force to deal with pipeline siting and

planning issues much like he did while DCNR Secretary on siting wind farms.He said he has communicated directly with several pipeline companies, passing along the

concern over the apparently lack of communication with landowners and communities.In response to a follow-up question from Sen. Yaw, Quigley said there is no interest at

DEP in taking over the inspection roles of the Public Utility Commission.Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), Majority Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee,underscored the need to deal more effectively with public concerns on the safety of the newnatural gas pipelines. Quigley said safety is not a primary responsibility of DEP, but has metwith several pipeline companies and passed along concerns about the need for more communityengagement.-- Health Impacts Of Drilling: Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R-Montgomery) asked about doing astudy of the health impacts of natural gas drilling. Quigley said the Governor supports the

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development of a Health Registry and will have discussions with the Secretary of Health and thePhysician General on the issue.-- Crude Oil Train Safety: Sen. Browne asked if DEP is involved in the issue of crude oil trainsafety. Quigley noted the Governor has written to the President and the Governor is focused onthis issue. DEP is partnering with the PUC and PA Emergency Management Agency on

emergency planning and response to a rail safety issue.Sen. Browne said Pennsylvania’s rail freight industry has had a comeback and said one of

the reasons for downturns in the past were because of government overreach. He said he hopedDEP and other agencies would respond to specific issues and not overreach.-- Accuracy Of Oil And Gas Data: Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna) noted there have beenconcerns about accuracy of data on the Oil and Gas Program and asked where that now standswith the agency.

Quigley said DEP has been doing “heroic work” with inadequate systems and DEP needsto invest more broadly upgrading data management systems. He said DEP needs to get off paperrecords and look to develop a strategic IT plan which will not be cheap. He said one of hisobjectives is to be able to tell the public what is and is not a real issue.-- Susquehanna River Impairment: Sen. Rob Teplitz (D-Dauphin) asked if DEP has a different

position on the issue of designing the lower Susquehanna River as water quality impaired.Quigley said he DEP is partnering with the Fish and Boat Commission on a study of the

river to determine, based on science, what the status of the river should be. He said a report andrecommendation is due at the end of this year.-- Delaware River Basin Commission: Sen. Baker said the budget proposed a $316,000increase in Delaware River Basin Commission funding and commented some feel Pennsylvaniashares an unfair burden on supporting the Commission.-- Act 162 Stream Buffer Law: Sen. Baker asked who was consulted in developing thetechnical guidance needed to implement the Act 162 setting new stream buffer requirementswhich are now out for public comment.

Dana Aunkst, DEP Deputy for Field Operations, said DEP was under a 60 day deadlineto implement the law and developed the guidance to use until the regulations themselves arechanged.

Sen. Baker asked if the waivers now in the regulations would be preserved. Aunkst saidtheir interpretation of the law is that the law eliminates those waivers by direct action of the law.Sen. Baker said that is “troubling.”

Sen. Mario Scavello (R-Monroe) asked for a clarification on the elimination of thewaivers now in the regulations and Quigley said they were following the letter of the law indeveloping the implementing guidance, but would like to discuss the issue further.-- Stormwater/Flooding Improvements: Sen. Matt Smith (D-Allegheny) noted stormwater and

flooding issues are a major concern in Allegheny County and noted multi-municipal authoritiesare a good way to address this issue. Specifically, he asked about funding for these two programs.

Quigley said DEP is funding some projects “creatively,” but there is tremendous need,especially for stormwater management. He noted DEP is also now updating the drinking waterand wastewater needs report done about five years ago.

At the end of the day, he said, someone has to pay for infrastructure improvements. Hesaid DEP is working with Pittsburgh to introduce green infrastructure to address stormwater

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issues.-- Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation: Sen. Blake asked about the status of federal fundingfor abandoned mine land reclamation. Quigley said DEP is working constantly to make surePennsylvania gets the most it can from available federal funding.-- Old Forge Borehole: Sen. Blake said there is a federal effort to address the pollution coming

from the Old Forge Borehole and asked Quigley to support it.-- EPA Section 111(d) Clean Power Rule: Sen. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver), Majority Chair of theSenate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, asked about the status of Section 111(d) carbonreduction regulation. Quigley said DEP is now designing the public participation/stakeholder

process, in response to the law passed last year on the issue to be ready for when EPA finalizesthe regulation. He said Pennsylvania has been selected by the National Governor’s Associationto receive additional technical assistance to meet the Section 111(d) requirements.

Sen. Sean Wiley (D-Erie) asked specifically about the deadlines in the Section 111(d)Clean Power rule. Quigley said the proposed EPA rule requires states to reduce carbonemissions by 30 percent by 2030.

He said Pennsylvania has to do it our way to protect the coal industry, but we have tolook at new technologies to meet the requirement. Quigley said they are also evaluating toolslike the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative or other regional mechanisms that might help themcomply.-- Coal Waste Power Plants: Sen. Vulakovich expressed concern about the Section 111(d)Clean Power Plan impact on coal waste power plants.-- FirstEnergy Coal Ash Disposal: Sen. Vogel asked about the closure of the FirstEnergy BlueRun Coal Ash Disposal Facility and permitting a new disposal facility saying the new facility isneeded by the Bruce Mansfield Power Plant.

Quigley said he met with FirstEnergy last week and said DEP is on track to meet thetarget construction dates laid out by the company.-- Preserving Coal-Fired Power Plants: Sen. Vogel asked about protecting coal-fired power

plants in Pennsylvania to preserve a vital part of the state’s economy. Quigley said the Governoris committed to protect the position of coal in generating electricity and to meeting federal air

pollution limits in a “Pennsylvania-centric” way. He also said he was also pursuing initiativeswith the industry to perfect carbon capture technology, like he did when he was DCNRSecretary.-- Anthracite Coal: Sen. David Argall (R-Schuylkill) asked what the state can do better tomaintain jobs and protect the environment in the anthracite coal industry, noting Russian andUkrainian coal could be sold in the United States cheaper than it can be mined here.

Quigley said he had a meeting with anthracite coal industry and heard first-hand aboutthe issues they face and is now in “listening-mode” to see if there are actions the state can take to

address the issue.-- Alternative Energy Proposal: Sen. John Eichelberger (R-Blair) asked for an overview of thealternative energy proposal in the Governor’s budget.

Quigley said the $225 million proposal covers all forms of energy, including the restart ofthe Pennsylvania Sunshine Program, natural gas “last mile” pipelines and reviving the windindustry. The proposal looks to capture the economic benefits of the investments as well as theenvironmental benefits.

Sen. Eichelberger said he does not see the value of wind energy, based on experiences in

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his district, and said he does not think it is a prudent use of tax money.-- Capacity Of Windmills: Sen. Vulakovich asked for the generation capacity of windmills.Quigley said there are 127 windmills in the state that generate enough electricity to serve350,000 homes.

Sen. Wiley said in the Erie area there is interest in wind energy sources and appreciated

the alternative energy initiatives in the Governor’s budget. Quigley said unfortunately there hasnot been any major wind farms built in Pennsylvania in the last several years.-- Green Building: Sen. Matt Smith (D-Allegheny) asked if there is a role for DEP in promotinggreen building and energy efficiency projects, noting PNC is now completing what it says is thegreenest skyscraper in the world.

Quigley said part of the Governor’s budget would support energy efficiency projects. Inaddition, DEP is in the process of refocusing and reorganizing its energy programs within theagency.-- Alternative Fuel/Natural Gas Vehicle Conversions: Sen. Greenleaf asked about alternativefuel and natural gas grant programs. Quigley said the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program is on-going, but would follow up with more specific information.-- Brownfields Redevelopment: Sen. Browne said one of the most successful environmental

programs in recent years has been the brownfields redevelopment program and asked if DEPwould help promote DCED’s Keystone Special Sites Program.-- Hazardous Sites Cleanup Funding: Sen. Rafferty expressed concern about level funding forthe Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program. Quigley said there will be a question of funding the

program in the future with the phaseout of the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax, but for now the proposed funding will cover the costs of the program.-- Keystone Landfill Expansion: Sen. Blake commented DEP needs to be transparent in the

process of considering a Keystone Landfill expansion and asked if the current landfill standardsare adequate to the task.

Quigley said the process will be transparent and said he believes the current landfillstandards are up to the task. He said DEP is in the process of scheduling another public meetingon the issue to gather more public comments. Quigley said the agency is about a year or soaway from making a decision on the application.-- Waste Tire Cleanup: Sen. Argall asked about the status of waste tire dump cleanup in thestate. Quigley said DEP has cleaned up 35 million waste tires and is continuing the same level ofeffort.-- Agency Complement Fee Supported: Sen. Baker asked about how much of DEP’s staff issupported by fees on the industry, for example the blue stone industry. Quigley said 21 percentof DEP’s budget is General Fund, 28 percent is federal funding, 51 percent is special funds--fees, fines penalties. He noted Water Quality programs are supported by the General Fund and

have seen some of the biggest cuts in recent years.-- Permit Delays: Sen. Eichelberger said he has concerns about permit delays within DEP.Quigley said the Permit Decision Guarantee Program has resulted in having 92 percent of the

permit decisions on time. He added even if an application is deficient, DEP makes its decisionson time in 82 percent of the cases. He said his staff is now doing a “deep dive” on how these

problems come about and hopes to correct the issues to raise those percentages higher.-- DEP Inspection Procedures: Sen. Scott Wagner (R-York) made a number of statementsduring his question time. For example, said he was opposed to giving DEP any additional

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inspectors until the agency improves its operations, like making appointments for inspectionsand upgrading its management procedures. He noted in 30 years in the waste collection industryhe has never had an inspector make an appointment. He also asked if the inspectors areunionized and how many lawyers DEP has and whether they were unionized.

Quigley noted about 30 percent of DEP staff are unionized, but would have to provide

additional information.-- Relationship With Municipalities: Sen. Schwank asked how DEP would be changing itsrelationship with local officials. Quigley noted he is the former mayor of Hazleton and isfamiliar with many of those issues. He said DEP has to work with communities as a partner,

particularly on Act 537 sewage issues and for stormwater management (MS4), both of whichhave been “chronically underfunded.” He noted the example of York County where the countyand municipalities have gotten together on stormwater management as a good example of

partnership in dealing with water issues.-- Accommodating Additional Growth: Sen. Browne asked about the capacity of DEP to dealwith growing communities through the sewage facilities permitting and other programs. Quigleysaid he hopes to move toward all-electronic process of permitting programs, but that will requireinvestment in technology.-- Poaching Industries By Other State: Sen. Argall noted the Governor of Florida came toPennsylvania and said he can process environmental permits through his state faster thanPennsylvania.

Quigley said he would like to understand where the Governor of Florida got his statistics because he would stack DEP’s record against Florida’s any day.

Click Here for a copy of Quigley’s written testimony. Click Here for a summary of theGovernor’s proposed environmental budget.

Next WeekThe Senate budget hearing for the Department of Agriculture is March 31 at 3:00 and the

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is April 1 at 11:00.Written testimony and a video of each House hearing will be posted on the Republican

House Appropriations Committee webpage. Information about Senate budget hearings are posted on the Senate Republican Caucus website.NewsClips:Counties Seek To Keep Drilling Impact Fee Lawmakers Dig In On Natural Gas Severance Tax Marcellus Shale Coalition Blasts Severance Tax Poll: 59% Of Voters Support Wolf’s Tax Plans, 35% Him

PA Must Install Practices To Meet 2017 Stream Cleanup Milestone In Next 641 Days

Pennsylvania has 641 days to put the best management practices on the ground needed toeliminate 10 million pounds of nitrogen and 212 million pounds of sediment from going into ourrivers and streams to meet the 2017 Chesapeake Bay cleanup milestones.

Simple math shows Pennsylvania will not have a chance to meet those milestones withthe current level of effort to improve water quality.

Last June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported Pennsylvania exceeded its2013 Chesapeake Bay cleanup milestone for phosphorus by 242,000 pounds, but fell short in

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meeting the nitrogen goal by 2 million pounds and sediment reduction milestone by nearly 116million pounds.

If Pennsylvania does not meet the 2017 milestones, EPA has the authority to imposeadditional reduction requirements directly on wastewater treatment plants and set additionalcontrols on farmland and stormwater runoff.

For more information, visit the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint webpage.

5 Things We Learned From Senate And House Hearings On DEP’s Budget

The Senate and House Appropriations Committee hearings on Gov. Wolf’s proposed budget forthe Department of Environmental Protection are now complete. Here are five things we learnedas a result of those hearings--1. Pipeline Task Force: DEP is in the process of forming a Task Force to look at ways of

promoting cooperation and reducing the environmental impacts of the 25,000 to 30,000 miles ofnatural gas pipelines expected to be developed in Pennsylvania over the next few years. DEP isnot looking at expanding its regulatory role over pipelines, or taking over the responsibilities ofthe Public Utility Commission on safety. The logical questions now are: Who will be on theTask Force? What will their specific charge be? Will their meetings be open to the public?2. Pennsylvania Not Meeting Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Commitments: An open secret forthe last six years or more, Acting DEP Secretary John Quigley acknowledged, to his credit,Pennsylvania is not meeting the commitments the Commonwealth made to cleanup our ownrivers and streams that will result in a cleaner Chesapeake Bay. He said more resources, moretechnical help and a “reboot” of the entire program are needed and promises a new plan to dealwith the issue. Several House and Senate members suggested money proposed for an alternativeenergy initiative would be better spent on cleaning up Pennsylvania’s own waterways.3. DEP Has Been “Hollowed Out” With Staff Reductions: Again, to his credit, Quigleyacknowledged what has been obvious, for the last six years [actually beginning in the first yearof the Rendell Administration ], DEP’s budget and staff has been subject to cuts far and abovewhat other state agencies have suffered. This is particularly true of programs to protect waterquality, he said. He noted over the last six years agency staff has been cut 14 percent while otheragencies have been cut 6 percent.4. Republicans Upset Over Handling Of Drilling Regulations: Republican members of boththe Senate and House are upset over DEP’s replacement of all the members of the Oil and GasTechnical Advisory Board and about the short, 30 day comment period with no hearings toreview major revisions to the proposed final versions of the Chapter 78 and Chapter 78A drillingregulations. At a minimum, Sen. Yaw suggested extending the comment period.5. DEP Had No Role In Shaping Severance Tax Proposal: Quigley acknowledged he and

DEP had no role in drafting the Governor’s proposed natural gas severance tax, even thoughsignificant environmental funding issues were at stake. While the proposal ended up preserving$76 million in existing environmental funding under a reenacted impact fee, environmentalgroups in Pennsylvania are nearly unanimous in their belief any new severance tax shouldinclude significant funding for environmental restoration of one type or another, particularlywatershed cleanup and abandoned mine reclamation. It is now absent from the proposal.

The question now is, what is the General Assembly and the Wolf Administration going todo about the holes in DEP’s budget identified by the budget hearings?

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Click Here for a copy of Acting Secretary Quigley’s written testimony.Click Here for a summary of the March 11 House budget hearing on DEP. Click Here

for a summary of the March 25 Senate budget hearing on DEP.Written testimony and a video of each House hearing will be posted on the Republican

House Appropriations Committee webpage. Information about Senate budget hearings are

posted on the Senate Republican Caucus website.NewsClips:Counties Seek To Keep Drilling Impact Fee Lawmakers Dig In On Natural Gas Severance Tax Marcellus Shale Coalition Blasts Severance Tax Poll: 59% Of Voters Support Wolf’s Tax Plans, 35% Him

What’s The Status Of Governor’s Nominees For DEP, DCNR, Agriculture?

The Senate has 25 session days (not calendar days) to take a vote on the Governor’s nominees tofill cabinet positions.

The Executive Calendar of the Senate shows that on April 13, the next scheduled sessionday, the nominations for John Quigley at DEP, Cindy Dunn at DCNR and Russell Redding atAgriculture will be on day 9. (Officially, the paperwork for each nomination was accepted bythe Senate on February 4.)

This means the Senate, based on the schedule of session days, has until June 9 to take avote on the nominees.

Each of the Governor’s nominees are now in the process of meeting with each of the 49members of the Senate, which is a traditional part of the “advise and consent” process with theSenate.

When a nominee completes a sufficient number of meetings with Senators, usually all ofthem, the oversight committee, in this case the Senate Environmental Resources and EnergyCommittee for DEP and DCNR and the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee for Agriculturewill hold a public hearing with the nominee.

No confirmation hearings have yet been scheduled by either committee.

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Governor’s Schedule

Gov. Tom Wolf's work calendar will be posted each Friday and his public schedule for the daywill be posted each morning. Click Here to view Gov. Wolf’s Weekly Calendar and PublicAppearances.

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--

Bill Calendars

House (March 30): Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (April 13): Senate Bill 289 (Fontana-D-Allegheny) funding for sewage lateral lineimprovements and repair ( sponsor summary ); Senate Bill 307 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) providingfor an independent counsel for the Environmental Quality Board ( sponsor summary ); Senate Bill385 (Pileggi-R- Delaware) will modernize the Pennsylvania Transit Revitalization InvestmentDistrict (TRID) Act ( sponsor summary ). Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

House: the Insurance Committee meets to consider House Bill 717 (Pickett-R- Susquehanna)eliminating the annual report of the flood insurance program ( sponsor summary ); the ConsumerAffairs Committee holds an informational meeting to hear presentations from the electric andnatural gas industries on priorities; the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee informational meeting to receive a presentation by the Secretary of Agriculture on his budget andother priorities. Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/CO/HM/COHM.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=17455http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=0717http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/SC/0/RC/CAL.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=15491http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0385http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0385http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=16407http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0307http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=15457http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0289http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/HC/0/RC/SCHC.HTMhttp://www.governor.pa.gov/Schedule/Pages/schedule.aspx#.VNVGE0K4lBxhttp://www.twitter.com/PaCapitolDigesthttp://www.crisciassociates.com/category/capitol-blog/http://www.crisciassociates.com/category/environment-blog/


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Senate: the Appropriations Committee holds a budget hearing on the department ofAgriculture and Conservation and Natural Resources. Click Here for full Senate CommitteeSchedule.

Bills Pending In Key Committees

Here are links to key Standing Committees in the House and Senate and the bills pending ineach--

HouseAppropriations EducationEnvironmental Resources and EnergyConsumer AffairsGaming OversightHuman ServicesJudiciaryLiquor ControlTransportationLinks for all other Standing House Committees

SenateAppropriationsEnvironmental Resources and EnergyConsumer Protection and Professional LicensureCommunity, Economic and Recreational DevelopmentEducationJudiciaryLaw and JusticePublic Health and WelfareTransportationLinks for all other Standing Senate Committees

Bills Introduced

The following bills of interest were introduced this week--

Green Building Standards: Senate Bill 615 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) sets energy efficiencystandards for state-owned or leased buildings ( sponsor summary ).

Water Well Standards: Senate Bill 653 (Vance-R-Cumberland) setting drinking water wellconstruction and decommissioning standards ( sponsor summary ).

Variable Rate Electric Contracts: House Bill 844 (Godshall-R-Montgomery) further regulates

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=844http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=16901http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0653http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=15891http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0615http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/StandingCommittees.cfm?CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=19&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=33&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=29&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=39&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=23&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=31&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=7&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=9&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=3&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/StandingCommittees.cfm?CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/StandingCommittees.cfm?CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=38&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=28&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=24&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=56&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=54&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=10&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=8&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=12&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=4&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/CO/SM/COSM.HTM


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variable rate residential and small business electric contracts and imposes a 30 percent cap on prices ( sponsor summary ).

Session Schedule

Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--

Senate

April 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30

House

March 30, 31April 1, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

News From The Capitol

Game Commission Delivers Annual Report To General Assembly

Game Commission Executive Director R. Matthew Hough Tuesday presented the agency’s 2014Annual Report to the General Assembly, and delivered testimony before the House Game and

Fisheries Committee .The reported updated legislators on key Game Commission issues and programs,

including chronic wasting disease in deer, white-nose syndrome in bats, management of stategame lands- which reached 1.5 million acres in 2014, hunter education and deer management.

Hough also reported the Commission undertook more than 1,500 environmental reviewsfor threats to endangered species, including 226 for energy development projects, noting mostwere completed in 10 days or less.

The Game Commission also requested an increase in its hunting license fees sayingrevenue from leasing Marcellus Shale drilling rights on Game Lands has made it possible toavoid an increase over the last few years.

A copy of the annual report is available online .

NewsClips:Western PA Audubon Forms Advisory Panel For Nature Center Eggs Hatching? Watch Via Bald Eagle Cam Bald Eagle Egg Hatched On Webcam Social Media Alive With Snow Geese This Weekend

News From Around The State

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/social-media-is-alive-with-snow-geese-this-weekend/article_122324c6-d0ce-11e4-a44c-8300f6e17707.htmlhttp://blog.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2015/03/bald_eagle_egg_in_nest-cam_bal.html#incart_m-rpt-2http://blog.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2015/03/is_hatching_under_way_at_the_n.html#incart_riverhttp://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourallekiskivalley/yourallekiskivalleymore/8040315-74/nature-audubon-camp#axzz3VTg7ULlnhttp://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/1477368/2014_pgc_annual__legislative_report_pdfhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=18&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=18&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/1477368/2014_pgc_annual__legislative_report_pdfhttp://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/1477368/2014_pgc_annual__legislative_report_pdfhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=15592


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DEP Declares Drought Watch For 27 Northeast, Northcentral, Western Counties

Below-average groundwater levels have caused theDepartment of Environmental Protection to issue adrought watch for 27 counties across Pennsylvania

Tuesday.Despite the recent surge of surface water caused bysnow melt, low groundwater levels could cause well-fedwater supplies, both private and public, to go dry.The very dry fall and below-normal precipitation inJanuary and February have contributed to lowgroundwater levels in the northeast and central portionsof the state. The increasing temperatures and melting

snow have helped, but groundwater levels may not be back to normal before the summer.The 27 counties under the drought watch issued today are Berks, Bradford, Cambria,

Carbon, Clinton, Columbia, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean,Mercer, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan,Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Wayne, Westmoreland, and Wyoming.

All Pennsylvanians are advised to heed this drought watch by conserving their water useand consumption.

To reduce their water use, residents can: — Run water only when absolutely necessary; and avoid keeping water flowing while brushingteeth, or turning on the shower many minutes before use;

— Check for household leaks – a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water each day; — Run dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads; — Replace older appliances with high-efficiency, front-loading models that use about 30 percentless water and 40 to 50 percent less energy; and

— Install low-flow plumbing fixtures and aerators on faucets.DEP is notifying all water suppliers in the affected areas of the need to monitor their

supplies, particularly those that rely upon groundwater, and update their drought contingency plans as necessary.

A drought watch declaration is the first and least-severe level of the state’s three droughtclassifications. It calls for a voluntary five percent reduction in non-essential water use and putslarge water consumers on notice to begin planning for the possibility of reduced water supplies.

Through a cooperative program with the U.S. Geological Survey, DEP helps fund astatewide network of gauges to monitor groundwater levels and stream flows. This network

provides the state’s drought coordinator with comprehensive data that is used to determine

drought classifications.In addition to precipitation, groundwater and stream flow levels, DEP monitors soilmoisture and water supply storage. This data is shared with other state and federal agencies.

DEP also offers water conservation recommendations and water audit procedures forcommercial and industrial users, such as food processors, hotels and educational institutions.

These recommendations, drought-related fact sheets and other drought information areavailable by visiting DEP’s Drought Watch webpage.NewsClips:

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/drought_information/21263


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Drought Watch Issued For 27 PA Counties Northeast PA Under Drought Watch EPA Gives Poor Marks To PA On Chesapeake Bay Cleanup PA Farms Damaging Chesapeake Bay ALCOSAN Wants More Time To Deal With Sewer Overflows

Allegheny County Scramble To Prepare For Sewage Upgrade Editorial: Push Forward On Allegheny Sewer Upgrades Trout Unlimited Keeps Eye On Shale Gas Drilling Impact Feds OK Plan To Raise Water Level Behind Safe Harbor Dam 5 Spectacular Views Of Susquehanna River Proposal Targets Lake Erie Algae Clears Ohio Committee Lake Erie Could See Resurgence In Sturgeon

Conservation Districts Award 30 Grants For NonPoint Pollution Prevention Projects

Pennsylvania’s County Conservation Districts Friday were awarded more than $55,000 for 30 projects in 26 counties.

The projects promote water pollution prevention activities through the Non-point SourcePollution Prevention Educational Mini-Grant Program . The projects will take place over the next13 months.

“This funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection allowsconservation districts to address priorities locally. This furthers the conservation district missionof ensuring there is enough clean water and healthy soil for future generations,” said ShannonWehinger, Director of Communications for the PA Association of Conservation Districts .

Projects include field days for farmers, rain barrel workshops, stormwater tours andmore.

Funding for the grants, up to $2,000 each, is provided through the PennsylvaniaDepartment of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act,administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

The following projects were funded as a part of the 2015 – 2016 NPS PollutionPrevention Educational Mini-grant round:-- Blair: Rain Garden Series for the Public and Municipalities-- Bradford: Bradford County Nutrient Management Education and Outreach Program-- Bucks: Project Wet Teacher Training-- Cameron: Cameron County Conservation District Watershed Awareness Workshop Series-- Centre: Centre County NPS Pollution Tour in the Bald Eagle Creek Watershed-- Columbia: First Annual Women in Agriculture Conference

-- Cumberland: Creek Friendly Landscape Makeover Program-- Elk: Minimizing Non-Point Source Pollution Through Education & Outreach-- Erie: Mill Creek Flood Tour-- Fulton: Soil Health, Soil Erosion and Water Quality-- Jefferson: Adaptive Grazing: Taking Soil Health to a New Level-- Juniata: Fayette Area Lion's Den Streamside Buffer and Rain Garden NPS PollutionPrevention Educational Signage-- Lackawanna: Sweeney “Beach” Environmental Education Center Rain Garden

http://pacd.org/http://pacd.org/education/nps-section-319-education-office/2014-15-nps-mini-grant-program/http://pacd.org/education/nps-section-319-education-office/2014-15-nps-mini-grant-program/http://pacd.org/http://www.post-gazette.com/news/environment/2015/03/25/Lake-Erie-could-see-a-resurgence-in-sturgeon/stories/201503250129http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268748/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=zxObLg54http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/spectacular-views-of-the-susquehanna-river-in-two-hours/article_da3a5510-d0f1-11e4-b957-13b75b912703.htmlhttp://lancasteronline.com/news/local/despite-birders-protests-feds-approve-plan-to-raise-water-level/article_dc81e444-d260-11e4-b4fe-b704da259294.htmlhttp://www.poconorecord.com/article/20150317/NEWS/150319465/0/SEARCHhttp://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2015/03/26/Stay-on-track-It-s-important-to-push-forward-on-sewer-upgrades/stories/201503260020http://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2015/03/26/Pittsburgh-Allegheny-County-scramble-to-prepare-for-sewage-upgrade/stories/201503260108http://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2015/03/25/Pittsburgh-Allegheny-County-plead-for-more-time-to-plan-sewer-overflow-compliance/stories/201503250140http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-pa-chesapeake-bay-pollution-report-card-20150324-story.html#navtype=outfithttp://www.post-gazette.com/news/environment/2015/03/23/EPA-gives-poor-marks-to-Pa-on-protecting-Chesapeake-Bay-watershed/stories/201503230007http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/nepa-under-drought-watch-1.1853495http://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2015/03/24/Drought-watch-issued-for-27-Pennsylvania-counties/stories/201503240190


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-- Lehigh: Rain Barrel Workshop-- McKean: Improving Water Quality & Healthy Watersheds-- Mifflin: Mifflin County Agricultural Water Quality Field Days, Mifflin County Rain BarrelWorkshops-- Montgomery: Perkiomen Demonstration Rain Garden and Workshop

-- Northampton: FUNdamentals of Stream Ecology”-- Potter: Erosion & Sedimentation Educational Workshops, 2016 PennYork Ag Expo-- Schuylkill: "Woods in Your Backyard"-- Snyder: AG BMP Tour, Soil Health Informational Meetings-- Somerset: Rain Barrel Workshop-- Tioga: Tioga County Stream BMP Demonstration and Training, Tioga County AgricultureEducation-- Venango: Agricultural Field Day-- Washington: Washington County Conservation District Equine Environmental StewardshipWorkshops-- Westmoreland: After the Storms – Homeowner Driveway Program

A description of the 2014-15 funded projects is available online . Questions? ContactShannon Wehinger, PACD, by sending email to: [email protected] or call717-238-7223.

March 31 Meeting To Outline Water Quality Results On Brodhead Creek, Monroe County

Would you like to know what the Brodhead Watershed Association in Monroe County has foundin your streams?

Pollution levels in the lower Brodhead watershed have made the streams unsafe forswimming or other water contact.

BWA will present a report to municipal partners and the community at 7 p.m. March 31,at the Stroud Township Municipal Building on North Fifth Street.

The meeting will cover information regarding the health of the Brodhead, McMichael,and Pocono Creeks as they flow through the municipalities of Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg andStroud Township. The BWA has received funding to track sources of the pollution and develop

plans to reduce pollution in these streams.The Monroe County Planning Commission and Monroe County Conservation District

have assisted BWA volunteers in stream studies over the years. Data collected over the summerof 2014 includes water sampling for fecal coliform at 20 sites throughout the lower watershedand identification of storm drain outfalls and other inflows to the streams.

All municipal officials and community members are invited to attend the meeting to learn

about data collected and discuss projects that will improve water quality in the watershed.For more information, visit the Brodhead Watershed Association website.

Chester-Ridley-Crum Watershed Seeks Volunteers To Clean Up 30 Sites April 25

The Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association is seeking enthusiastic volunteers for its 18thAnnual CRC Streams Cleanup on April 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at thirty sites throughoutthe watersheds in Chester and Delaware counties. The cleanup event engages over 500

http://www.crcwatersheds.org/http://www.brodheadwatershed.org/http://www.brodheadwatershed.org/mailto:[email protected]://pacd.org/webfresh/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/NPSMini-GrantsFunded2014-15.pdf


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volunteers annually and has removed nearly 600,000 pounds of trash from our streams andstreamside lands.

The aim of the event is not only to pick up trash but to show how our everyday decisionsaffect the health of our creeks and the watersheds surrounding them. Healthy communities startwith healthy streams.

By volunteering to clean our streams, you are providing trash-free streams that result incleaner, safer waters and healthier environments for all to enjoy.

Pre-registration is requested for volunteers who would like to contribute to healthierstreams. A free picnic for volunteers will follow at Ridley Creek State Park .

For more information, visit the Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association website orcontact CRC at 610-359-1440 or send email to: [email protected] .

Keep PA Beautiful Affiliates Host Tire, HHW Collection Events In 5 Counties

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s local affiliates Keep Cambria County Beautiful, Tri-CountyCleanWays (Butler, Lawrence, Mercer counties) and Keep Washington County Beautiful areholding special collections this spring, sponsored in part by the Department of EnvironmentalProtection’s Household Hazardous Waste/Small Business Hazardous Waste Collection Program.

“This program allows our affiliates to provide convenient, low cost collections for theirresidents for otherwise hard to dispose of items. The tires and appliances that are collected atthese events won’t end up over the hill where they would be difficult and costly to remove,” saidShannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “I applaud our affiliates for

providing this annual service. It allows residents to plan for proper disposal.”Upcoming special collection events include:

— Keep Cambria County Beautiful , Appliance and Tire Collections, April 25 at CroyleTownship, May 2 at Patton Borough and May 9 at Cambria Township, all from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m..For more information contact Mark Stockley at 814-472-2120.

— Keep Washington County Beautiful , Tire Collection, May 30. Contact Jason Theakston formore information at 724-228-6811.

— Tri-County CleanWays (Butler, Lawrence, Mercer Counties) , Tire Recycling Event, May9 at the Forward Township Municipal Building, Butler County from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.. This eventis open to all residents, regardless of County. Contact Jerry Zona for more information at724-658-6925.

Check the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Calendar of Events page often, as events will be posted as they are scheduled or contact your local County affiliate for more information by goingto KPB’s Affiliate webpage.NewsClips:

Planning A Future For Mount Trashmore Quigley Responds To 2nd Keystone Landfill Meeting Request Drama Continues At 2nd Keystone Landfill Zoning Hearing Column: Casey Stand On Keystone Landfill Heroic Act Editorial: Put Next Keystone Landfill Meeting On TV Editorial: Casey’s Bully Pulpit On Keystone Landfill Letter: Harrisburg Incinerator Site Looking Great Recycling Electronics Simple, Good For Planet

http://citizensvoice.com/news/recycling-electronics-simple-good-for-planet-1.1851819http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2015/03/new_owners_of_harrisburg_incin.htmlhttp://thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/bully-pulpit-still-crucial-1.1852262http://thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/put-next-dep-meeting-on-live-ectv-secretary-s-point-raises-hope-for-landfill-expansion-foes-1.1853715http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/chris-kelly-casey-s-landfill-stand-a-heroic-act-leading-by-example-1.1851479http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/drama-continues-at-second-keystone-landfill-zoning-hearing-1.1854526http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/quigley-responds-to-second-landfill-meeting-request-1.1853464http://citizensvoice.com/news/planning-a-future-for-mount-trashmore-1.1851540http://www.keeppabeautiful.org/AboutUsAffiliates/AffiliateNetwork.aspxhttp://www.keeppabeautiful.org/CalendarOfEvents.aspxhttp://www.keeppabeautiful.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.crcwatersheds.org/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/ridleycreek/http://www.crcwatersheds.org/streams-cleanup.html


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EPA Funds Temple University To Help Revitalize Philadelphia’s North Kensington Area

Funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to Temple University will help plan forhealth, environmental and economic improvements for Philadelphia’s Kensington area residents

through the cleanup and reuse of brownfield properties in a 161-acre area which is part of the North of Lehigh neighborhood.

EPA awarded a $200,000 Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Grant to Temple Universityto develop the project.

“I’m pleased to announce that Temple is the first university to receive an EPABrownfields area-wide planning grant,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin.“Helping build healthy and resilient communities is an EPA priority. This funding to Templeunderscores the University’s environmental leadership and commitment to improving the healthand future of its neighboring communities.”

With the EPA funding, Temple University’s Center for Sustainable Communities willcollaborate with New Kensington Community Development Corporation and leaders fromcommunity and city organizations including the Philadelphia City Planning Commission,Conrail, and SEPTA Police Department to engage the community in planning and designingfuture uses of brownfield properties.

“Temple University strongly believes in university-community partnerships,” said Dr.Jeffrey Featherstone, Director of the Center for Sustainable Communities. “With generoussupport from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Area-Wide Planning grant

program, we will work with the New Kensington Community Development Corporation onnumerous community outreach and visioning exercises, including participatory photo mapping,focus groups and design workshops. We will also arrange a number of community meetingsthroughout the project period. Community involvement and participation is integral to this

project.”The Center will develop an area-wide plan for a key portion of Philadelphia’s Lower

North Delaware Industrial District, focusing on brownfield sites adjacent to the Lehigh Viaduct,a freight rail corridor located along Lehigh Avenue, between Kensington Avenue and I-95.

The primary focus will be between Kensington Avenue and Tulip Street, according to Dr.Mahbubur Meenar, Assistant Director of GIS Operations and Research for the Center forSustainable Communities and an adjunct faculty member in Temple’s Department ofCommunity and Regional Planning.

“The project area exemplifies the cumulative detrimental effects of a formerly industrialneighborhood -- a distressed community left behind with significant social, public health andenvironmental justice concerns. There are also striking public health concerns within the

community, including lack of healthy food availability and accessibility to open space,” saidMeenar. Nationwide this year, EPA awarded approximately $4 million in area-wide planning

grants to 20 communities in 16 states. The funds will be used to engage communities andconduct planning for Brownfields revitalization.

Strategies for site reuse often lead to increased opportunities to leverage public and private investment and strengthen local economies. Since 1995, EPA has awarded 13 brownfields grants totaling $4.6 million to assess and cleanup sites and provide job training in

http://www.nkcdc.org/http://www.temple.edu/ambler/csc/http://epa.gov/brownfields/areawide_grants.htm


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Philadelphia.In addition to the collaboration of local efforts, the partners and Temple will be able to

benefit from of state and federal collaboration with transportation, housing, employment andeconomic development agencies.

For more information, visit EPA’s Partnership for Sustainable Communitie s webpage.

CFA To Accept Applications For Business In Our Sites, Including Brownfields

Department of Community and Economic Development Acting Secretary Dennis Davin Fridayannounced the Commonwealth Financing Authority will open the Business in Our Sites Program for applications beginning April 1.

“This program is an important tool in allowing us to compete for business expansions andrelocations,” Davin said. “Gov. Wolf’s proposed budget includes an economic growth plan for

jobs that pay, which increases investments in our proven programs, such as Business in OurSites. This brings a fresh start to spur investment and economic prosperity.”

Administered by the CFA, the Business in Our Sites provides loans for the acquisitionand development of key sites for future use by businesses. The program is a vital catalyst foreconomic development in the state, providing Pennsylvania with an arsenal of ready-to-go sitesfor development opportunities.

This program can be used to do environmental assessments and site remediation for brownfields sites.

Gov. Wolf’s 2015-16 Executive Budget launches a $675 million investment program,funded by revenue from the severance tax on gas drilling, to support economic developmentinitiatives that leverage private sector funds to create jobs, including a $250 million investmentin the Business in Our Sites program.

The CFA plans to deploy more than $20 million in funds that are available from loanrepayments and projects that either did not use all of the awarded funding or did not proceed.

The CFA will begin accepting applications for the Business in Our Sites program startingApril 1 through July 3. Applications are expected to be considered at the November 2015meeting.

For more information, visit the CFA’s Business in Our Sites Program webpage.

DEP Supports New Ozone Standard At 70 ppb Or Below

The Department of Environmental Protection sent comments to the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency on March 17 formally supporting setting a new ozone pollution standard at 70

ppb or below, but noted EPA’s studies do not show adverse impacts at the 60 ppb level.

DEP’s comments also recommend EPA adopt methane emission standards to address background levels of ozone pollution saying adoption of such standards is “necessary to assiststates and tribes in making significant progress to attain the ozone standards….”

The comments conclude by saying, “EPA’s analysis shows that a level of 65 ppbachieves nearly three times the health benefits than the 70 ppb level.”

A copy of the letter is available online .NewsClip: DEP Supports New EPA Ozone Standard

http://powersource.post-gazette.com/powersource/policy-powersource/2015/03/24/Pennsylvania-regulators-support-EPA-smog-limits-but-meeting-them-will-be-a-challenge/stories/201503240016http://goo.gl/4BIxgShttp://goo.gl/4BIxgShttp://www.newpa.com/find-and-apply-for-funding/funding-and-program-finder/business-our-sites-bos-loanshttp://www.newpa.com/find-and-apply-for-funding/funding-and-program-finder/business-our-sites-bos-loanshttp://www.sustainablecommunities.gov/


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DEP Names Members Of Conventional Oil And Gas Advisory Committee

The Department of Environmental Protection Monday announced the members of theConventional Oil and Gas Advisory Committee . COGAC's mission is to increase transparencyand communication about regulating the conventional oil and gas drilling industry.

COGAC will advise DEP in the development of regulations relating to conventional oiland gas extraction. COGAC will be given the opportunity to review and comment on allregulations of a technical nature prior to submission to the Environmental Quality Board.

COGAC consists of voting and non-voting members, all of whom are residents ofPennsylvania. All members were chosen by the Acting Secretary of the Department ofEnvironmental Protection.

The voting members consist of representatives of the PA Independent PetroleumProducers, PA Grade Crude Coalition, PA Independent Oil and Gas Association, PA CoalAlliance and the Citizens Advisory Council. These members are:-- Mark L. Cline, Sr., Production Supervisor & On-Site Manager, Cline Oil, Inc. (PIPP)-- David Ochs, Senior Geologist/Geology and Operations Manager, Kriebel Resources Co., LLC(PIOGA)-- A. Bruce Grindle, President, Oil & Gas Management, Inc. (PGCC)-- Dave Yingling, Engineer, Rosebud Mining (PCA)-- Burt A. Waite, Senior Geologist, Moody and Associates (CAC)

The non-voting members are:-- Jim Morrison, Chief Administrator, Municipality of Murrysville-- Doug D'Amore, DCNR Sproul State District Forester-- R. Keith Hite, Vice President of Public Relations, Blackford Ventures; Former ExecutiveDirector, PA State Association of Township Supervisors-- Sherry Tune, Forest Supervisor, Allegheny National Forest Service

For more information, visit DEP’s Conventional Oil and Gas Advisory Committee webpage.NewsClips:

New Rules For Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Draw Industry Ire Drilling Industry Criticizes DEP Regulations Quigley Responds To Criticism Over New Drilling Regulations Editorial: Still Work To Do On Gas Drilling Regulations

PEC Blog: Updating Oil & Gas Drilling Rules Is Everyone’s Business

The PA Environmental Council posted this article by John Walliser,

Vice President for Legal & Government Affairs, on its Blog Tuesdaycommenting on the first meeting of DEP’s revamped Oil and GasTechnical Advisory Board last week--

Last week the Pennsylvania Department of EnvironmentalProtection’s Oil & Gas Technical Advisory Board (TAB) met to reviewrevisions to a regulatory proposal for managing surface and aquaticimpacts from natural gas development.

PEC has been named to the TAB as a non-voting member, along

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/oil_and_gas_technical_advisory_board_(TAB)/18260http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/oil_and_gas_technical_advisory_board_(TAB)/18260http://pecpa.org/pec-blog/environmental-protection-is-everyones-business/http://pecpa.org/http://citizensvoice.com/opinion/still-plenty-of-work-to-do-on-state-gas-drilling-regulations-1.1852939http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2015/03/25/quigley-responds-to-criticism-over-new-drilling-regulations/http://powersource.post-gazette.com/powersource/policy-powersource/2015/03/21/Natural-gas-industry-criticizes-Pennsylvania-DEP/stories/201503210075http://powersource.post-gazette.com/powersource/policy-powersource/2015/03/27/New-Pennsylvania-DEP-rules-for-shallow-natural-gas-wells-draws-industry-ire/stories/201503270223http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/conventional_oil_and_gas_advisory_committee/21984http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/conventional_oil_and_gas_advisory_committee/21984


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with three others representing the public interest. This appointment has elicited a number ofremarks questioning their (and PEC’s) inclusion.

The TAB is an advisory board with no formal authority respective to the Department. Itdoes not have the ability to approve or reject any regulatory or policy proposal. Its purpose issolely to provide input to the Department, and that purpose is certainly not harmed by the

presence of new or additional members.While industry representatives on the TAB presented attentive questions and specific

commentary to the Department during the meeting, it was during the open comment period thatrepresentatives of two industry trade associations opted to pursue a less constructive route.

Their denunciations of the proposed regulations and the involvement of the publicinterest in the rulemaking process were unjustified.

Statements were made that the proposed regulations were designed “merely to increasecosts,” and that the Department should accommodate every judgment from the industry.

Meanwhile, like industry, PEC and a considerable number of other public interestorganizations submitted detailed comments on the earlier version of the regulatory proposal, andcertainly didn’t see every desired change adopted in the revisions discussed last week.

While there are still groups calling for a moratorium on unconventional gas development,PEC isn’t one of them. We support well-managed development in Pennsylvania, and are a proudmember of the Center for Sustainable Shale Development .

The revisions made by the Department to the regulatory proposal will help positionPennsylvania as a leader in safe development of this natural resource. This is as it should be, andit has been a very deliberate process.

Act 13 became law more than three years ago. During that time, through the TAB, publichearings, and prolonged occasion for comment, industry and the public have had ample time andopportunity to convey their perspective and concerns.

Other gas producing states have passed laws and implemented regulations in that space oftime. At current rate, Pennsylvania’s regulations won’t be finalized until mid-2016. That’s morethan four years.

Many of the recent proposed changes to the regulations are in response to incidents andongoing issues that have occurred since passage of Act 13. While the changes are significant,they too will be published for further public comment and review, and will be discussed inmultiple TAB meetings, before the Environmental Quality Board, and in other forums.

Despite the claims of some, it is clear that there is no blind rush behind the regulations –even though they are truly needed now.

PEC is honored to be part of the public process developing protections while recognizingthe economic realities of energy production. We look forward to continuing in that role and as amember of the TAB.

NewsClips: New Rules For Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Draw Industry Ire Drilling Industry Criticizes DEP Regulations Quigley Responds To Criticism Over New Drilling Regulations Editorial: Still Work To Do On Gas Drilling Regulations

(Reprinted from PA Environmental Council’s PEC Blog .)

http://pecpa.org/pec-blog/http://citizensvoice.com/opinion/still-plenty-of-work-to-do-on-state-gas-drilling-regulations-1.1852939http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2015/03/25/quigley-responds-to-criticism-over-new-drilling-regulations/http://powersource.post-gazette.com/powersource/policy-powersource/2015/03/21/Natural-gas-industry-criticizes-Pennsylvania-DEP/stories/201503210075http://powersource.post-gazette.com/powersource/policy-powersource/2015/03/27/New-Pennsylvania-DEP-rules-for-shallow-natural-gas-wells-draws-industry-ire/stories/201503270223https://www.sustainableshale.org/


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PUC Approves Peoples Gas Program To Promote Access To Natural Gas Service

The Public Utility Commission Thursday approved a pilot program that will change the wayPeoples Natural Gas Company LLC, Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC – Equitable Divisionand Peoples TWP LLC (collectively Peoples Companies) charge customers to extend natural gas

service to their homes.“Pennsylvania sits on top of one of the largest natural gas reserves in the world. As a

result, Pennsylvania consumers and businesses should have every reasonable opportunity to takeadvantage of this efficient and clean-burning natural resource,” said PUC Commissioner PamelaA. Witmer in a statement . “[We] continue to challenge other natural gas utilities operating inunderserved or unserved areas of the Commonwealth to begin thinking creatively on how they,too, can bring a homegrown fuel to more Pennsylvania businesses and homeowners.”

The Commission voted 5-0 to approve Peoples Companies’ implementation of theService Expansion Tariff (SET) program, a five-year pilot program intended to reduce theupfront financial barriers faced by potential customers who are interested in receiving natural gasservices in areas where gas is currently unavailable.

The joint settlement was reached among the Peoples Companies, the Commission’sBureau of Investigation and Enforcement, the Office of Consumer Advocate and the Office ofSmall Business Advocate.

Under most natural gas company tariffs, a customer who wishes to have natural gasservice extended to his or her property must pay the cost of that line extension as an upfront

payment, which can amount to thousands of dollars.The SET program allows eligible residential customers to pay the extension costs through

a monthly fixed fee of $55 until the outstanding principal balance is zero, for a maximum of 25years. If necessary, a customer may pay a portion of the extension cost upfront in order to bringthe financing period down to 25 years.

Residential customers also will have an option to pay the costs for the service linethrough an additional monthly fee of $15, until the outstanding principal balance of the serviceline cost is zero.

Similar pilot programs currently offered in the Commonwealth include UGI’sPennsylvania gas distribution utilities’ Growth Extension Tariff program, which allows eligiblecustomers to pay extension costs over 10 years as a monthly charge; and Columbia Gas ofPennsylvania’s New Area Service program, which allows eligible customers to pay extensioncosts over 20 years as a monthly charge.

Peoples Companies provide natural gas distribution, supply and transportation service toapproximately 700,000 customers in western Pennsylvania.NewsClip: New Program Makes It Easier To Add Peoples Gas Customers

Proposed PUC Rules On Natural Gas Supplier Disclosure Going Out For Comment

The Public Utility Commission Thursday issued for comment a proposed rulemaking that would provide natural gas shopping customers with greater detail in natural gas supplier disclosurestatements and more timely information on “contract renewal” and “change in terms” notices.The proposed rulemaking follows a regulation implemented last year for electric generationsuppliers.

http://www.puc.state.pa.us/http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/8054049-74/gas-peoples-servicehttp://www.puc.pa.gov/pcdocs/1337183.pdfhttp://www.puc.pa.gov//pcdocs/1349976.pdfhttp://www.peoples-gas.com/


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The Commission voted 5-0 to seek comments on a proposed rulemaking that wouldrequire NGSs to display key contractual terms and conditions more clearly for customers on bothfixed- and variable-rate products, provide historical pricing data on their products and

prominently mark customer notices prior to contract expiration or changes in terms.The changes are designed to provide additional information and greater protections for

residential and small business customers choosing a competitive supplier for their natural gasservice.

“We have seen success with a rulemaking implemented last year to ensure electricsuppliers are transparent and are consistent in educating their customers on contract details,

potential price fluctuations and changes in contract terms,” said PUC Chairman Robert F.Powelson. “After examining the benefits of that rulemaking to electric shopping customers, wedetermined it is not only beneficial, but necessary to apply similar standards to natural gassuppliers.”

Written comments shall be submitted within 30 days of publication in the PennsylvaniaBulletin. Further instructions on filing comments will be contained in the Final Order.

The proposed regulations include: — More contractual information on conditions of price variability, including whether there arelimits on variability;

— A clear statement of the price per unit for the first billing cycle of natural gas generation; — Customer access to historical pricing information; — Separate mailings for either fixed-term contracts that are expiring, or any changes to terms ofservice;

— A separate NGS contract summary along with the full disclosure statement to ensure NGSshighlight key terms and conditions in a uniform, consistent manner;

— New requirements for contract “Initial Notices” and customer “Options Notice” prior to theexpiration of a contract or change in terms;

— A renewed emphasis on highlighting changes in pricing or any terms and conditions –including a fixed rate becoming a month-to-month rate that includes a 30-day notice of any pricechange; and

— Prominent marking on front of the “Options Notice” envelope clearly stating that it containsimportant information regarding the expiration or changes in terms of a customer’s electricsupply contract.NewsClip: New Program Makes It Easier To Add Peoples Gas Customers

Study: PennEast Pipeline Could Save Consumers In PA, NJ Nearly $1 Billion Annually

Families and businesses in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey would have saved more than

$890 million in energy costs had the proposed PennEast Pipeline been in place during the2013-2014 winter, according to a key finding from a comprehensive energy market savingsreport and analysis released Tuesday by Concentric Energy Advisors, Inc. and PennEast PipelineCompany.

The approximately 114-mile, 36-inch diameter PennEast Pipeline will transportapproximately one billion cubic feet of clean, natural gas per day – enough to serveapproximately 4.7 million homes.

It would run from Dallas, Luzerne County, in northeastern Pennsylvania, to Transco’s

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pipeline interconnection near Pennington, Mercer County, New Jersey.“The potential savings to energy users – our families, small businesses, government

facilities and many others – thanks to the PennEast proposed capacity – is a game changer for theregion,” said Peter Terranova, chairman of the PennEast Pipeline board of managers. “Imaginehow the region could have benefited had nearly $900 million been injected into other parts of our

local economies last winter? It is precisely why we are pursuing this project – to help ensurereliability, stable energy prices and a local economic boost.”

The study, “ Estimated Energy Market Savings From Additional Pipeline InfrastructureServing Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey ,” examined what natural gas prices in the regionthat would be served by PennEast could have been in the winter of 2013-2014 if an additional 1Bcf/day of pipeline capacity had been available.

Concentric evaluated the relationship between natural gas prices that actually occurred ineastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey relative to the natural gas demand experienced in theregion each day, and the impact that additional pipeline capacity could have had by loweringnatural gas prices from what otherwise occurred.

Concentric examined four primary areas of potential savings associated with additional pipeline infrastructure and lower natural gas prices in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey: 1)consumer savings associated with lower electric prices due to lower fuel costs for naturalgas-fired electric generation; 2) savings due to natural gas electric generation displacing morecostly oil-fired electric generation; 3) savings by industrial customers purchasing natural gas;and, 4) savings by customers of local distribution companies.

The biggest savings would have come from lower electric prices due to the savingsachievable by natural gas-fired electric generation, where Concentric estimated electric savingsin excess of $400 million due to lower market area natural gas prices.

“Additional natural gas pipeline capacity, such as proposed by PennEast, has the potentialto provide significant value to energy consumers in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey bylowering natural gas prices during high price periods,” concluded Concentric.

Concentric’s analysis focused on the winter of 2013-2014 since this period mostaccurately reflects the current market dynamics, including the inclusion of Spectra ’s NewJersey ‐ New York Expansion project and Transco’s Northeast Supply Link – both completed inlate 2013.

The study also notes that absent additional infrastructure, and with growing natural gasdemand, the high natural gas prices experienced in the winter of 2013-2014, as well as those thiswinter, will continue.

“The findings of Concentric’s report underscore the enormous and broad positive impactsof the proposed PennEast Pipeline,” Terranova said. “When you combine the estimatedeconomic impact of $1.6 billion from construction with $23 million in annual operations, and

then add potential annual savings of nearly $900 million resulting from increased supply for the2017-2018 winter, PennEast’s value to the region is easily more than $2 billion. This augmentsour long-term vision of continued savings and support to the communities where we live andwork.”

The complete Concentric report is available online .NewsClips: PennEast Pipeline Route Likely To Avoid Flood Levee PennEast Pipeline Could Save Consumers In PA, NJ $893M

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/breaking-news/index.ssf/2015/03/penneast_pipeline_could_save_c.htmlhttp://citizensvoice.com/news/pipeline-route-will-likely-steer-clear-of-levee-1.1852381http://penneastpipeline.com/ConcentricEconomicStudyhttp://penneastpipeline.com/ConcentricEconomicStudyhttp://penneastpipeline.com/ConcentricEconomicStudy


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NE Pipeline Progress, To Some Landowner Dismay Landowners Leery Of Sunbury Pipeline

NE Pipeline Progress, To Some Landowner Dismay

DEP Sets May 5 Hearing On Air Permits For Shell Ethane Facility In Beaver County

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the March 28 PA Bulletinsaying it is now accepting public comments on the Air Quality permits required for the Shellethane facility in Beaver County. ( PA Bulletin page 1518 )

DEP will hold a public hearing on the permit on May 5 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at CentralValley High School, 160 Baker Road Extension, in Monaca. Written public comments on theapplication are due April 27.

Polyethylene pellets will be the final manufactured product of this facility. The pelletswill be produced from one of two gas phase or one slurry technology polyethylene productionlines. Combined design capacity for the three polyethylene production lines will be 1.6 millionmetric tons of polyethylene pellets per year.

Ethylene will be manufactured on site as an intermediate product at this facility. Ethylenewill be produced by cracking ethane feedstock received by pipeline. Design capacity for ethylene

production will be 1.5 million metric tons per year. The ethylene will be entirely used on site asthe primary feedstock for the polyethylene production lines.

Byproducts of the ethylene production process will include light gasoline, pyrolysis fueloil, coke residue/tar, and a mixture of propane and heavier hydrocarbons.

Three combustion turbines with duct burners and heat recovery steam generators will also be located at this facility to provide electricity and steam for use on site. Total electric generatingcapacity will be approximately 250 MW. Excess electricity will be sold to the grid in sufficientquantities to classify this facility as an electric utility.

DEP modeling has demonstrated the facility will not cause or contribute to air pollutionin violation of National Ambient Air Quality Standards for carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide or

particulates.The Department’s technical review concludes that Shell’s inhalation risk assessment was

conducted according to the Department-approved protocol and is acceptable. Furthermore, theDepartment’s independent inhalation risk assessment concludes that chronic cancer andnoncancer risks as well as acute noncancer risks do not exceed the Department’s benchmarks.

Shell’s Plan Approval application, the Department’s Air Quality Review Memorandum,and the Proposed Air Quality Plan Approval for this project are available for review by anyinterested party at the Department of Environmental Protection, Southwest Regional Off