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 25, 2013

DEP Secretary Mike Krancer Leaving For Blank Rome Law Firm Energy Practice

Gov. Tom Corbett Friday announced Department of Environmental ProtectionSecretary Mike Krancer will step down April 15 to return home toMontgomery County to practice law.E. Christopher Abruzzo, deputy chief of staff for Gov. Tom Corbett, will serveas acting secretary. Abruzzo, who works closely with Krancer and the DEPstaff in his position as deputy chief of staff, will hold both positions until Corbettnames Krancer’s successor.“Secretary Krancer has been an invaluable member of our team and I amgrateful for his service,’’ Corbett said. “His impressive efforts at DEP havetaken the agency back to basics, protecting the environment and making the

permitting process more efficient.“His guidance on a variety of issues related to the environment has been vital,” Corbett said.

“DEP has been in good hands under his leadership.”Corbett appointed Krancer to his cabinet in January 2011, where Krancer oversaw many

major initiatives, including the reorganization of the agency, which created an Oil and Gas deputate andimproved consistency statewide in enforcing that industry’s regulations.

Krancer also oversaw the Permit Review Process and Permit Decision Guarantee, which havebrought timeliness and consistency to the permitting process for all agency­regulated activities.

In April 2011, Krancer and the governor issued a call to Marcellus Shale operators to stopdelivering shale gas drilling wastewater to plants that were not equipped to fully treat it, which resulted ina sea change overnight and improved the health of Pennsylvania’s waterways.

Krancer also made brownfields redevelopment and abandoned mine reclamation projectsaround the state a priority and oversaw the implementation of the Covered Device Recycling Act.Krancer and his agency were also instrumental in facilitating new investments and potential investmentsaround the state, including his role in Governor Corbett’s team efforts to save the three southeasternPennsylvania refineries and attract to them new environmentally responsible investors, employers andprojects.

Krancer also had the opportunity to testify as an expert before several U.S. Congressionalcommittees on many topics.

“Serving Gov. Corbett and DEP has been the greatest honor of my career,’’ Krancer said.“Pennsylvania is well on its way to becoming the focal point of an American energy revolution, and I am

grateful to the governor for giving me this role in assuring that natural gas and energy developmenthappen in an environmentally sound and responsible manner.

“I owe a tremendous amount of thanks and appreciation to all of the talented, dedicated,hard­working professionals at DEP with whom I have been privileged to work as their Secretary,” hesaid.

DEP has 2,633 employees and a $655 million budget.Krancer will rejoin his former law firm, Blank Rome LLP, an international law firm based in

Philadelphia.In addition to his previous legal work at Blank Rome, Krancer, 55, of Bryn Mawr,

Montgomery County, served as a judge on the state’s Environmental Hearing Board for 10 years,including four years as chief judge and chairman. He has also worked as an attorney for Exelon Corp.

A graduate of the University of Virginia, Krancer earned his law degree from Washington andLee University.

“I appreciate Mike’s unwavering commitment to this job, knowing that it took him away fromspending quality time with his wife and children,’’ Corbett said. “While I am sorry to lose his expertise inthe administration, I am glad this is an opportunity for him to go back home.”

In an email to DEP employees announcing he was moving on, Secretary Krancer said:Dear Colleagues,

It is with mixed emotions that I tell you that I am leaving this great agency as of mid­April to goback to my home in Southeastern Pennsylvania. I will be rejoining the law firm that I left in 1999 when Ientered into my first stint in government service.

It has been the utmost privilege and honor to lead you and to work along side with you in ourmost important mission of protecting human health and the environment. For over two years I havewitnessed first­hand the hard work, passion and commitment to excellence the employees of this agencydisplay on all fronts every day. I feel that no leader of any organization has been as blessed as I havebeen over the past two plus years with the greatest of teams.

I want to personally give each and every one of you a heartfelt thank you for everything youhave done during my time here. I will miss all of you as colleagues but I feel a kinship and affectiontoward each of you that will never die.

­­ MikeBlank Rome AnnouncementThe Blank Rome law firm put out this announcement on Secretary Krancer­­Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection Michael L. Krancer is re­joining

Blank Rome LLP as a partner in the firm's Philadelphia office. With more than two decades of energyindustry and public policy experience, Mr. Krancer will chair the firm's Energy, Petrochemical andNatural Resources Practice, enhancing the firm's existing energy and public policy talent and advisingUS and global energy clients in the full range of legal, public policy, government relations, state andfederal regulatory, financial, corporate, and labor matters.

"Secretary Krancer is one of the country's most prominent and forward­thinking leaders inenergy policy, development and regulation," said Alan J. Hoffman, Blank Rome co­chairman andmanaging partner. "Michael's practical experience at the highest levels of strategic state and federalgovernment policymaking and government relations will significantly enhance our capabilities, particularlyregarding the Marcellus and Utica Shale Plays and, accordingly, we expect he will be spending a lot of

time in western Pennsylvania.""The rapid move towards American energy self­sufficiency has created new opportunities for

our nation," said Mr. Krancer. "The eyes of the world are on Pennsylvania and Appalachia in particularas a focal point of this paradigm shift in the energy landscape. Blank Rome understands the new energyand natural resources reality in Pennsylvania and throughout the world, and it has tremendous intellectualassets with which to help clients navigate this complicated and evolving industry landscape.

"A key asset of Blank Rome's energy industry practice is our ability to leverage the expertise ofpractitioners in all of our offices to form cross­border, cross­practice teams," added Mr. Krancer. "Ourlawyers and policy specialists in Houston and Philadelphia, for example, have enabled us to advise arange of Texas­based oil and gas firms making substantial investments in Pennsylvania. In New York,we advise energy businesses on the structuring of financial derivatives to manage their risk, and inWashington, DC, the firm advises clients on the gamut of federal industry regulation and public policyissues. From every point of our international footprint, from Blank Rome's offices in China and LosAngeles to our presence in Texas, in New York, and in Pennsylvania, where so much of the energyindustry is focused on developing new resources, we are well­situated to serve energy clients.

"I deeply appreciate the opportunity that Gov. Corbett gave me to lead the Department ofEnvironmental Protection. I am also truly excited to return to Philadelphia and my friends and partnersat Blank Rome," concluded Mr. Krancer.

NewsClips:DEP Secretary Krancer Leaving To Join Law FirmDEP Secretary Krancer Stepping DownDEP Secretary Mike Krancer Is Stepping DownDEP Secretary To Return To Law PracticeKrancer To Resign As DEP SecretaryDEP Secretary Stepping Down April 15Krancer On Why He’s Leaving DEP

Analysis: Ironic Statement By Former DEP Secretary Hanger On Krancer’s Leaving

John Hanger, former Secretary of DEP under Gov. Rendell and announced Democratic candidate forGovernor, released a statement Friday on the resignation of DEP Secretary Mike Krancer overflowingwith irony.

He said, in part, “DEP’s ability to carry out its mission of protecting public health and theenvironment has been severely compromised by budget cuts to an already spare budget. But Corbett’sideological opposition to adequate government funding also prevented DEP from moving forward withincreases to fees for reviewing permit applications.

“Corbett’s DEP has failed to adequately regulate gas drilling and taken combative stances whencitizens present the agency with legitimate concerns and problems. The agency has been hostile torenewable energy and has failed to take action to clean up pollution in the Susquehanna River.”

And finally, “Morale at DEP is at devastatingly low levels.”During the tenure of Gov. Rendell and his two DEP Secretaries, DEP was given jobs that

strayed significantly from its core mission of clean air, pure water and protecting the natural resources of

the Commonwealth and focused almost entirely on promoting alternative energy.For eight straight years Gov. Rendell's proposed budget included cuts for the departments of

Environmental Protection and Conservation and Natural Resources. A total of $1.3 billion was cut ordiverted from environmental programs to balance the General Fund budget or given to programs thatcould not get funding on their own.

The FY 2009­10 budget cuts alone required DEP and DCNR to furlough or eliminate 333 fulltime positions. DCNR had to eliminate or reduce hours for 1,131 seasonal workers, puttingappropriations for DEP at 1994 levels and for DCNR at 1995­96 levels. And Gov. Rendell braggedabout those funding levels.

Complement levels at DEP were reduced from 3,211 in FY 2002­03 to 2,835 now (January2011), even less if you take out the 105 positions DEP added for the Marcellus Shale drilling inspectionand permit program. 2,591 of the present 2,835 are now filled positions, the others are vacant.

In addition, over 100 DEP Air, Waste and Water Quality field staff use all or part of their timeto act as managers for federal stimulus projects, projects funded by the Energy Harvest and PA EnergyDevelopment Authority programs taking time away from permit reviews, inspections and complianceactivities.

Complement levels at DCNR were 1,391 in FY 2002­03 to 1,389 positions of which 1,289positions are filled.

During the last eight years of the Rendell Administration, DEP's General Fund budget has beencut by 40.9 percent ($245.6 million to $147 million), DCNR by 23.7 percent ($108.8 million to $82.4million) and the Department of Agriculture by 35.2 percent ($76.1 million to $62.8 million) from the FY2010­11 to FY 2002­03 budget.

One result of these cuts was a backlog of 11,000 permits left on DEP’s desks when Gov.Rendell left office.

These are the deep holes the Corbett Administration found when they came into office twoyears ago.

In addition, the Corbett Administration did not dismantle or divert the renewable energyprograms put in place by Gov. Rendell, unlike what the Rendell Administration did to dismantle anddilute the Growing Greener Program which was making real, lasting improvements in the environmentacross the Commonwealth.

Hijacking the Growing Greener Program to help fund parking garages in Scranton, among othernon­environmental cleanup expenditures, set back the state’s efforts to address pollution in theSusquehanna River and every stream and unnamed tributary in the Commonwealth.

Morale of not only DEP staff, but the whole environmental community engaged in watershedrestoration and real environmental cleanups were devastated by the actions of the RendellAdministration.

Some of the Growing Greener Program was, in fact, restored with the adoption of Act 13 andthe imposition of Marcellus Shale well fees in 2012 by the General Assembly and Gov. Corbett.

The Corbett Administration also carried forward each and every permit fee increase proposedin the waning days of the Rendell Administration, except for some fees under the drinking waterprogram. There were some changes, yes, but by­and­large they were all finalized.

DEP is also reviewing the adequacy of the current Marcellus Shale drilling permit fee this yearand will likely propose an increase there as well.

Let’s not forget, it was also the Rendell Administration that dismantled the citizen watermonitoring program and the PA Senior Environment Corps which at its peak involved 11,000volunteers across the state to check water quality.

The Rendell Administration also dismantled the PA Center for Environmental Education whichcoordinated and promoted environmental education efforts across the state.

It was also the Rendell Administration which threw away 18,000 requests within weeks oftaking office from citizens trying to learn how they could recycle more, save energy, prevent pollutionand cleanup their local watersheds.

No administration’s environmental record is perfect, but the truly historic scale of the budgetcuts, staff reductions and the dismantling of real environmental cleanup programs by the RendellAdministration is the worst rollback of real environmental programs the Commonwealth has ever seen.

Click Here for a review of the Rendell Administration’s environmental record.

NewsClips:DEP Secretary Krancer Leaving To Join Law FirmDEP Secretary Krancer Stepping DownDEP Secretary Mike Krancer Is Stepping DownDEP Secretary To Return To Law PracticeKrancer To Resign As DEP SecretaryDEP Secretary Stepping Down April 15Krancer On Why He’s Leaving DEP

Center Formed To Provide Independent Certification Of Drilling Best Practices

A group of leading environmental organizations, philanthropic foundations, and energy companies havecollaborated to form a unique center to provide producers with certification of performance standardsfor shale development.

The Center for Sustainable Shale Development has established 15 initial performance standardsdesigned to ensure safe and environmentally responsible development of the Appalachian Basin'sabundant shale gas resources. These standards will form the foundation of the CSSD's independent,third­party certification process.

"CSSD is the result of an unprecedented effort that brought together a group of stakeholderswith diverse perspectives, working to create responsible performance standards and a rigorous,third­party evaluation process for shale gas operations," said Robert Vagt , president of The HeinzEndowments. "This process has demonstrated for us that industry and environmental organizations,working together, can identify shared values and find common ground on standards that areenvironmentally protective."

CSSD's founding participants are: Chevron, Clean Air Task Force, CONSOL Energy,Environmental Defense Fund, EQT Corporation, Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), HeinzEndowments, Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture), Pennsylvania Environmental Council,Shell, and William Penn Foundation.

Technical support has been provided by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, ICFInternational, and the law firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott.

"While shale development has been controversial, everyone agrees that, when done, producersmust minimize environmental risk," said Armond Cohen, Executive Director, Clean Air Task Force."These standards are the state of the art on how to accomplish that goal, so we believe all Appalachianshale producers should join CSSD, and the standards should also serve as a model for national policyand practice."

Through discussions over the past two years, CSSD participants established a shared vision ofperformance and environmental risk minimization for natural gas development in the Appalachian region.The group's participants have worked to adopt a set of progressive and rigorous performance standardsbased on today's understanding of the risks associated with natural gas development and thetechnological capacity to minimize those risks.

"CSSD is focusing on the establishment of standards that will initially address the protection ofair and water quality and climate, and will be expanded to include other performance standards such assafety," said Nicholas J. DeIuliis , President, CONSOL Energy. "Fundamentally, the aim is for thesestandards to represent excellence in performance."

Companies can begin seeking certification in these areas later this year. CSSD also plans todevelop programs to share best practices.

"Raising the bar on performance and committing to public, rigorous and verifiable standardsdemonstrates our companies' determination to develop this resource safely and responsibly," said BruceNiemeyer , President of Chevron Appalachia. "Throughout the development of CSSD, thecollaborative effort of environmental organizations, foundations and energy companies has been the keyto achieving consensus on regional performance standards."

"This initiative is an important complement to strong regulatory frameworks. It's also a model ofthe regional collaborations recommended by the Shale Gas Production Subcommittee of the U.S.Secretary of Energy's Advisory Board to help drive a process of continuous improvement," said JaredCohon , president of Carnegie Mellon University and a member of CSSD's Board of Directors.

"While the potential economic and environmental benefits of shale gas are substantial, the publicexpects transparency, accountability and a fundamental commitment to environmental safety and theprotection of human health from the companies operating throughout the region. CSSD is a sound steptoward assuring the public that shale development is being done to the requisite standards ofexcellence," said Paul O'Neill, former Secretary of the Treasury and retired Chairman ofPittsburgh­based Alcoa and a member of CSSD's Board of Directors.

Members of CSSD's Board of Directors are:­­ Armond Cohen , Executive Director, Clean Air Task Force;­­ Jared Cohon , President of Carnegie Mellon University;­­ Nicholas Deluliis , President of CONSOL Energy;­­ Paul Goodfellow , Vice President, U.S. Unconventionals, Shell;­­ Paul King , President, Pennsylvania Environmental Council;­­ Fred Krupp , President, Environmental Defense Fund;­­ Jane Long , Principal Associate Director/Fellow, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (retired);­­ Bruce Niemeyer , President, Chevron Appalachia;­­ Paul O'Neill, former Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department and former CEO of Alcoa;­­ David Porges , President and CEO of EQT Corporation;­­ Robert Vagt , President, The Heinz Endowments; and

­­ Christine Todd Whitman , former Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency andformer Governor of New Jersey.

For more information, visit the Center for Sustainable Shale Development website.

NewsClips:Both Sides Agree On Tough New Fracking StandardsEnvironmentalists, Drillers Become Unusual BedfellowsNew Initiatives Sets Standards For Marcellus DrillingCenter To Create PA Shale Drilling StandardsDrilling Companies, Environmental Groups Push AccountabilitySierra Club Blasts Plan To Improve Drilling Operations

Keystone Fund Champions Celebrate 20th Anniversary, Cite Benefits

Keystone Fund partners from across Pennsylvania along with Department of Conservation and NaturalResources Secretary Richard Allan and the original 1993 legislative champions Monday celebrated the20th Anniversary of the Keystone Recreation, Park & Conservation Fund at a special event in theCapitol Rotunda.

“Since 1993, grant investments through the Keystone program have worked to bolster ourvision for the strength of our economy, the vibrancy of our communities, the health of our families andour quality of life in Pennsylvania,” Allan said. “The legacy of the Keystone program is that it allows usto partner with communities so that they can expand and improve the wonderful assets that make theplaces we call home vital and attractive.”

The anniversary celebration included the presentation of the Keystone 20th AnniversaryAwards, designed to recognize successful Keystone projects throughout the Commonwealth, and therelease of a new report by The Trust for Public Land finding that every $1 invested by the KeystoneFund in land and water conservation returns $7 in economic value of natural goods and services.

Benefits Of The Keystone Fund Investments“Some of the key economic benefits of land conservation through programs like Keystone come

in the form of natural goods and services,” said Jessica Sargent, director of conservation economics forThe Trust for Public Land. “Protected parks and open space remove air pollutants, protect and enhancewater quality and supplies, provide fish and game habitat, produce food, manage stormwater, andprovide flood control and other necessary functions.”

Moreover, the new report, detailed various other economic benefits of investments in theKeystone Fund.

Not only do investments in programs such as Keystone help create jobs and generate revenue,they also increase the value of nearby properties, boost spending at local businesses, make communitiesmore attractive places to live, influence business location and relocation decisions, reduce medical costsby encouraging exercise and other healthy outdoor activities, provide low or no­cost recreation tofamilies, stabilize local taxes in the communities in which they are located and help revitalize depressedareas.

The report was funded with support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and theFoundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds in partnership with Richard King Mellon Foundation.

A copy of the report is available online.Keystone Fund AwardsIn recognition of the contributions of the Keystone Fund, the celebration included the

presentation of the Keystone 20th Anniversary Awards. The awards recognized exemplary projects insix categories – library, recreation, trail, historic preservation, state park and conservation.

“For more than two decades, the Keystone Fund has been helping communities protect openspace, develop community parks and recreation areas, support libraries, preserve historic sites, andprotect and improve our state game, forest, and park lands,” said presenter Robert Griffith, formerexecutive director of the PA Recreation & Park Society and one of the original Keystone champions.“These projects demonstrate that investments in the Keystone Fund help make real and lastingimprovements in our communities.”

Awardees received a special wooden plaque made entirely from hardwoods grown andharvested in the Pennsylvania Wilds to be displayed at the site of their project. A list of award winners isattached.

Griffith received special recognition for his leadership in the creation of the Keystone fund andhis decades of service advocating for parks and recreation throughout Pennsylvania.

The list of winners include:

­­ Trails – The D & L Trail in the Wyoming, Delaware and Lehigh Valley. Presented to theDelaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Inc. The D & L Trail provides convenient recreationfor 1.65 million residents in five counties and connects 60 communities from Wilkes Barre toPhiladelphia. The trail, which interprets one of the nation’s early transportation corridors, contributesnearly $20 million to the regional economy annually. The Keystone Fund has invested $1.3 million in thecreation of the trail.

­­ Parks and Recreation – Columbia River Park, Columbia Borough, Lancaster County.Presented to the Borough of Columbia, Lancaster County. Columbia River Park received $1.03 millionin Keystone funds for park revitalization and expansion. The project consists of an enlarged boat ramp,a canoe and kayak ramp and increased parking. The project also includes a new Park and TrailServices building complete with restrooms and kiosk area, porous paving and sidewalks, rain gardens, aboat dock, pavilion and a handicapped accessible dock, benches and picnic benches.

­­ Historic Preservation – Pearl S. Buck House, Perkasie, Bucks County. Presented to Pearl S.Buck International. Home to the Nobel Prize winning author and philanthropist, the Pearl S. BuckHouse in Perkasie served as her home and as the headquarters for her foundation Pearl S. BuckInternational. The author used her influence as a writer to help children across the world throughadoption, sponsorships and in­country programs. $115,000 of Keystone funds helped support the $2.8million preservation of the historic Pearl S. Buck House. The funds were instrumental in leveraging otherprivate and public funding to restore the house, which was at risk of closing its doors because of safetyissues, structural problems, significant water damage and general disrepair. The third and final phase ofthe restoration of the house is currently underway and a grand reopening is planned for June 26, 2013,also Pearl S. Buck’s 121st birthday.

­­ Library – Scottdale Public Library, Scottdale, Westmoreland County. Presented to ScottdalePublic Library. The Scottdale Public Library received $500,000 in Keystone funds to help build a new10,000 square foot, $1.3 million library in the heart of the downtown on the site of the former YMCA.Construction of the new and expanded building allowed the library to end an expensive lease foroutdated space and to begin serving two nearby townships that were unserved previously. The newhandicapped­accessible library—featuring 12 computer stations, a teen room, a community room and agarden—truly serves as the community center of Scottdale and the region.

­­ Conservation – White Rocks Acquisition, Cumberland County. Presented to Appalachian TrailConservancy. The Keystone Fund made possible the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's purchase of850 acres of unbroken forest along the South Mountain Ridge Line in Cumberland County. Theacquisition preserves wildlife habitat and stunning views for the public. It also protects drinking waterand greatly improves public access to the Appalachian Trail. The Keystone Fund investment of $1.6million leveraged a like amount in private contributions and federal money.

­­ State Parks – Ryerson Station State Park Swimming Pool, Richhill Township, GreeneCounty. Presented to Ryerson Station State Park Swimming Pool. The Ryerson Station project waschosen to show one example of how Keystone Funds were used to improve accessibility in state parksand state forests. Improvements at Ryerson Station included the installation of a pool lift to provideaccess to the water. The Ryerson Station pool is the only free swimming pool in Greene County.

The Keystone 20th Anniversary celebration was hosted by the PA Growing Greener Coalition,PA Land Trust Association, PA Library Association, PA Parks and Forests Foundation, PARecreation and Parks Society, and Preservation Pennsylvania.

Festivities concluded with a Keystone Cake cutting by original Keystone champions responsiblefor the creation of the program in 1993, including, former Lt. Gov. Mark Singel, former Sen. F. JosephLoeper (­Delaware) and former Rep. William Lloyd (D­Somerset).

For more information, visit the Keystone Fund website.

NewsClip: Columbia Officials Ecstatic Over Statewide Park Award

Sen. Scarnati Honored By PA Recreation And Park Society

The PA Recreation and Park Society Monday presented Sen. Joseph Scarnati(R­Jefferson) with its Governmental Award in recognition of his leadership andcontributions in protecting and enhancing the Commonwealth’s parks and naturalresources.

“Sen. Scarnati is a leader in working to ensure funding for parks and openspace,” said Karen Burke, PRPS executive director. “He is a champion of thePennsylvania Growing Greener program and fought hard to make sure a portion ofthe revenues from Act 13 were dedicated toward conservation and recreation.”

Sen. Scarnati also led efforts to stop cuts to the Keystone Recreation, Parkand Conservation Fund program in the 2012­13 state budget.

Additionally, his work has helped secure more than $12.5 million in conservation grants for hisdistrict since 2003, including $1.3 million in 2012 alone.

“I am honored to accept this award from the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society,” Sen.Scarnati said. “Our parks and open spaces are tremendous assets to our local communities. Not onlydo they attract visitors and boost our local economy, but they also add to our quality of life and helpprotect our natural resources for future generations.”

PA Environmental Educators Present Annual Awards

The PA Association of Environmental Educators presented its annual award during its Climbing theSummit of Environmental Education Conference last week. The award winners include:

­­ Keystone Award – Pat Lupo, OSB, Benedictine Sisters, Neighborhood Art House, Erie. Sr. PatLupo, OSB has been a leading influence in education, environment and conservation in Pennsylvania forover forty years. She has been recognized at the local, state, national and international levels for herwork in environmental education and conservation.

She has served and continues to serve on many boards of environmentally orientedorganizations. She also helped create the Erie County Environmental Coalition. This group getsinvolved in environmental issues that affect the Northwest Pennsylvania region.

The Keystone Award is the most prestigious award. It is presented to someone who hassuccessfully dedicated their time to advancing the quality and opportunities of environmental education inPennsylvania.

­­ Outstanding Environmental Educator – Pat McKinney, Schuylkill Conservation District. In his 23years with the Schuylkill Conservation District “Porcupine” Pat McKinney has been, and continues tobe, dedicated to educating others about the importance of the environment and protecting our naturalresources.

He is also focused on promoting Schuylkill County and the vast array of activities that it has tooffer. He does this through the many programs and activities that he coordinates, including teacher’sworkshops, school programs, educational walks, and various events that are held throughout the year.

Pat coordinates the County Envirothon and our Annual Conservation District AwardsCeremony, which honors individuals, organizations, and businesses throughout Schuylkill County thathelp to promote awareness of conservation and the environment. He is also co­coordinator of the BearCreek Festival (an environmental education event hosted by the SCD each May.) Every year we haveover 3,000 people who attend this event.

To be considered, the nominee must be "an individual who made a significant teachingcontribution to the environmental education field in a formal or non­formal setting, through eithercurriculum development or teaching."

­­ Daisy S. Klinedinst Memorial Award –Mary Jo Lisewski, Peace Valley Nature Center,Doylestown, Pa. Lisewski has worked at the Center for four years and prior to her hiring as a full­timeemployee she was an intern. She has and continues to show and demonstrate a strong ethicalcommitment to environmental education.

During her time at the Center she went back to school to gain her teaching certification anddecided to stay at the Center to teach environmental education to our citizens and ddoes so withenthusiasm and great knowledge.

The award recipient should be "an educator, new (less than five years) to the field, who isinvolved in environmental education and who seeks to continue to expand his/her involvement inenvironmental education."

­­ Outstanding Environmental Education Program Award –“Penn Diversity: Our Commonwealth,”Natural Biodiversity. Since conceptualization in 2008, Natural Biodiversity has committed to andfollowed through on its goal to educate Pennsylvania citizens, especially students, about biodiversity,what’s at stake, the threats, and what people can do to protect it for the benefit of all Pennsylvanians.

To date, Natural Biodiversity has accomplished the following “Penn Biodiversity: OurCommonWealth” projects: 1) BioBullies – a widely distributed and acclaimed curriculum forPennsylvania schools, teaching multiple academic subjects through the environmental issue of invasivespecies, one of five top threats to biodiversity; 2) BioBattles – a newly released set of educationallessons teaching multiple subjects through each of the five top threats to biodiversity; 3) Cosmo’sWorld: Part II, an Emmy Award winning set of 4 educational videos on top environmental subjects inPA: biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, water, and energy; and 4) Penn Biodiversity website, a new,creative, clearinghouse site for all Pennsylvanians to access biodiversity educational materials.

This award recognizes an exemplary environmental education program which could be used asa model program.

­­ Government Partner Award – Bill Mitchell, Director Parks and Recreation, Bucks County, Pa. AsExecutive Director, Mitchell has supported and assisted the three county nature centers­­ Churchville,Silver Lake, Peace Valley, actively purchased valuable wildlife, historic and recreation properties for thecounty and has overseen their development so they can be used by the public for education andrecreation purposes.

This award recognizes a government official who serves on a local, state or national level andhas demonstrated significant support for environmental education within the Commonwealth of PA.

For more information, visit the PA Association of Environmental Educators 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 as well as alist of new environmental bills introduced­­

Session Schedule

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

SenateApril 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 29, 30May 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14June 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

HouseApril 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24May 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15June 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

Bill Calendars

House (April 8): House Resolution 129 (Causer­R­Forest) directing the Legislative Budget andFinance Committee to investigate combining the Game and Fish and Boat Commissions. <> Click Herefor full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (April 8): Senate Bill 177 (Greenleaf­R­Montgomery) establishing a task force on Lyme

Disease and related diseases; Senate Bill 351 (Erickson­R­ Delaware) authorizing the formation ofstormwater management municipal authorities. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

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

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

Bills Pending In Key Committees

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

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

Marcellus Health Panel: Senate Bill 555 (Scarnati­R­Jefferson) establishing the Marcellus ShaleHealth Advisory Panel. Click Here for summary.

Critical Water Protection Zones: Senate Bill 723 (McIlhinney­R­Bucks) providing for thedesignation of critical zones for surface water intakes and well­head protection.

Senate/House Bills Moving

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

Senate

Non­Point Source Project Funding: Senate Bill 196 (White­R­ Indiana) further providing for fundingnon­point source pollution control projects was amended and reported out of the SenateAppropriations Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. A summary and SenateFiscal Note are available.

Capital Budget Projects: Senate Bill 680 (Corman­R­Centre) providing for an itemized list of CapitalBudget Projects for 2012­13 was amended and reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee.A summary and Senate Fiscal Note are available. The bill was then reported back into the SenateAppropriations Committee.

Ag. Security Areas: House Bill 84 (Miller­R­York) further providing for review of agriculturalconservation easements was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

News From The Capitol

Environmental Forum Highlights Work Of Conservation Districts

On Monday the Environmental Issues Forum hosted by the Joint Legislative Air and Water PollutionControl and Conservation Committee heard a presentation on the responsibilities and challenges ofcounty conservation districts.

Robert Maiden, executive director of the PA Association of Conservation Districts, provided anoverview of the state’s 66 conservation districts (one for each county except Philadelphia) and theprograms offered by the districts. He stated the conservation districts were created following the dustbowl of the 1930s and opined the fact that the country has not seen a dust bowl since then is due in partto the work of the conservation districts. He noted about 50 percent of conservation district employeesare county employees and the remainder are independent employees of the conservation district board.

Maiden highlighted the programs offered by conservation districts, stating the districts provideefficient, local conservation programs, including the dirt and gravel roads program. In the dirt and gravelroad program, he noted, 16,600 project sites of dirt and gravel roads have been identified.

The conservation districts construct and rebuild dirt and gravel roads to bring them up tostandard. The projects prevent the sediment from running off the roadways and into the waterways andalso make the roads accessible to more vehicles. He remarked these projects improve quality of life by

making the roads accessible and saving driving time for many.The projects also allow county conservation districts to build relationships with the

municipalities, he added. To date, 4475 million has been invested by the dirt and gravel roads program.Maiden also touched on a number of other programs offered by county conservation districts,

noting that each district is unique and only implement those programs needed to meet the individualcounty’s needs.

Maiden said conservation districts oversee the Chapter 102 Erosion and Sediment permittingand inspection program, which is active in all 66 conservation districts and explained this is a commonpermit which is needed for any disturbance over one acre in order to project the water.

Conservation districts administer the program for the Department of Environmental Protection,at no cost to the department, he said, with about half of the conservation districts also overseeing theChapter 105 stream encroachment permitting and inspection which includes projects such as removingtrees from streams to prevent flooding.

Other programs Maiden touched on include management of nutrients from farms, agriculturetechnical assistance, a Chesapeake bay technician is in each consideration district in the ChesapeakeBay watershed to provide education to farmers, stormwater management projects, acid mine drainageprojects, Marcellus Shale water quality testing (but not erosion and sediment control permitting),pipelines erosion and sediment control permitting, forestry, NPS PennVEST projects for farmers to dobest management practices, and consumer education.

Funding for conservation districts comes from a variety of sources, including two line items inthe General Fund budget, county governments, the Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling impact fee, andpermit fees, Maiden reported.

He said about 50 percent of allocated revenue from the impact fees is distributed equally to theconservation districts and the remaining 50 percent is allocated to the State Conservation Commission.

This amounted to $19,000 per district and $1.25 million to the state commission in 2012, whichis expected to increase in future years, he said. Maiden noted General Fund funding for conservationdistricts has been reduced in recent years, which has resulted in staff reductions of about 10 percent. Hestated county allocations vary widely by county and districts are able to charge permit fees for 102 and105 programs, which also vary by county.

Maiden concluded by reiteration that conservation districts are efficient, effective localresources. “Districts are a true value for the state and always looking for avenues to serve the needs oftheir communities further.”

In response to questions from the audience, Maiden confirmed conservation districts’responsibilities are “skyrocketing” in recent years and expressed concern with their ability to meet theseresponsibilities with the cuts in the two line items. He pointed out the work will need to be completedregardless and conservation districts are able to do it efficiently

Maiden explained each county board, consisting of county commissioners and communitymembers, determine the county’s fees on a permit by permit decisions. He noted permits in urban areasare more expensive.

At Maiden’s invitation, Steve Bloser, director of the Penn State Center for Direct and GravelRoad Studies, discussed funding issues for dirt and gravel road programs.

He explained the program has been funded at a level of $5 million since its inception and hasbeen able to complete 2,400 sites out of 14,000 identified. He stated there is a great need for funding

and indicate the prospect of increased funding, to as much as $15 million annually has been explored.He stated the program can complete 200 projects each year with $5 million and commented

“the real success” is when the conservation district practices are subsequently picked up by themunicipalities to implement on other roads.

Future Environmental ForumsThe Joint Committee has scheduled these Environmental Issues Forums in the next few

months­­­­ April 8: The PA American Water Company of Hershey, Rentricity, Inc. of New York, and theWestmoreland (PA) County Municipal Authority will make a presentation on a new technology that hasbeen implemented at two energy recovery demonstration projects in western Pennsylvania. Rentricity’sturbine generator system captures the hydrokinetic energy created when water flows through pipes fromthe water sources to the treatment plants, reducing electricity demand and cutting down on greenhousegas emissions. The Forum will be in Room 8E­B East Wing starting at Noon.­­ May 6: Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director John Arway will offer a presentation entitled“Fish and Boat Commission Fiscal Slope: Spending Reallocation Plan and Revenue GeneratingOptions.” The presentation will focus on the agency’s need to reduce operating costs, and to fundinfrastructure needs. Among potential revenue generating options to be discussed is a proposed fee forconsumptive use and degradation of water. The Forum start at Noon LTBD.­­ June 17: Dr. David J. Nowak, Ph.D, project leader for the USDA Forest Service’s NorthernResearch Station, will discuss the agency’s innovative “i­Tree” program. Nowak was the driving forcebehind development of i­Tree’s suite of software tools that helps users assess and manage urban treepopulations to make for effective urban forest management and better understanding of the ecosystemservices provided by community trees. The Forum starts at Noon LTBC.

Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R­Venango) Chairs the Joint Conservation Committee.

Senate Environmental Committee Holds Hearing On Subsurface Property Rights

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Tuesday held a hearing on Senate Bill 258(Yaw­R­Bradford) which would provide for action to quiet property titles involving subsurface mineralrights.

Click Here to listen to the Committee hearing and for links to testimony presented.Craig Mayer, Vice­President­General Counsel, Pennsylvania General Energy, said he believes

“Senate Bill 258 alters basic property law in Pennsylvania and would destabilize subsurface land titles”and would be found unconstitutional in regards to both state and federal abridgements.

Quiet title actions also concern Mayer, who said that the plaintiff in cases of finding living heirsof “abandoned” properties has no real incentive in finding those heirs. Mayer stated that the Act would“damage confidence in that stability and certainty of oil, gas, and mineral ownership.” He urged thecommittee to focus on improvements to the Dormant Oil and Gas Act (DOGA) as a way of dealingwith the remnant oil and gas interests rather than proceeding with SB 258.

Kevin J. Moody, Vice President Government Affairs and General Counsel, PennsylvaniaIndependent Oil and Gas Association, testified there are many members of PIOGA and there are manydifferent opinions on the bill. PIOGA has four suggestions to improve the bill, said Moody; two relate toDOGA and two relate to quiet title actions. Moody suggested that the Committee add to the bill “an

explicit statement that the purpose of the bill is to facilitate the development of subsurface rights.”Dale A. Rowekamp, Vice­President of Land and Marketing, Seneca Resources Corporation,

explained Seneca is in an unusual position in that they own 80 percent of the subsurface rights theycontrol instead of having to lease them from others, although they generally do not own the surfaceproperty.

“Seneca supports a process that allows surface landowners the opportunity to acquiresubsurface rights where the mineral owners simply cannot be identified or found today,” saidRowekamp. He then said that the Committee should be careful in crafting the language of the bill inorder to minimize the legal risk for the loss of legitimately held subsurface rights.

Rowekamp said Seneca recommended that the Committee focus on the consistency, clarity,due diligence, and non­partition sections of Senate Bill 258 to further improve the bill, Rowekampsuggested that the committee clarify in Senate Bill 258 that “a surface landowner may acquire not onlythe subsurface rights, but also the rights associated with a lease that was established through an earlierDOGA action.”

Terry Bossert, Vice President, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, Range Resources for theMarcellus Shale Coalition, testified that like PIOGA, MSC will not take a formal stance on Senate Bill258. He reiterated that there are some improvements that can be made to the bill.

“If the purpose of the bill is to promote the development of land, companies will be verycautious as to what leases we enter into,” said Bossert. Bossert explained that a good due diligenceprovision in the bill could make drilling companies more willing to lease property rights.

Additionally, Bossert suggested that the bill “define the surface owner in a manner consistentwith another state law dealing with the subsurface estate, the Coal Bed Methane Dispute Resolution Actof 2010.”

Bossert said that MSC appreciated the willingness of the committee to hear the concerns of theindustry and accept the recommendations made to them by experts, and that MSC would like the bill tocontain language that would ensure the “lessee should not be liable for claims from previously‘unknown’ owners, should they later surface.”

Laura E. Fox, Vice President and Underwriting Counsel, PA Land Title Association, testifiedthat she has been a title lawyer for over thirty years and has dealt with many quiet title actions that wereused to clear titles and transfer interests.

“Contrary to most types of insurance, Title Insurance is not risk assumption but risk elimination,”said Fox. “Part of that process of insuring ‘good title’ is clearing any outstanding interests that can occurfor a variety of reasons.” Fox explained that because Pennsylvania was a “coal” state, there have beengreat discrepancies in surface and subsurface property grants.

The discovery of Marcellus Shale has caused problems for property owners who are preventedfrom transferring subsurface rights because the owner has not been around since the coal wascompletely mined and cannot be found, explained Fox. “I do believe that this senate bill addresses aneed in the title and real estate industry today,” said Fox.

Lester L. Greevy, Jr., Chairman, Legislative Committee of the PA Chapter of the NationalAssociation of Royalty Owners, Pennsylvania Chapter, said that he has been practicing law for 43 yearsand has a lot of experience with titles. Greevy said that owners of truly abandoned mineral rights haveallowed themselves to become “irretrievably lost.”

Greevy explained that there are currently two ways to try to develop abandoned lands via

DOGA or a quiet title action, but neither action is a true cure to the problem. Greevy said that “theproblem we have with un­owned minerals is real. The problems with Senate Bill 258 are mostlyimagined.”

Greevy explained that he did not believe that the bill was unconstitutional because the SupremeCourt of the United States has already found other states’ dormant mineral rights act laws constitutional.“Senate Bill 258 will assure that active mineral interests are protected,” said Greevy, “the breadth ofprotections will ensure that the statute is fair and constitutional.”

Greevy also spoke of Mayer’s testimony saying that Mayer has listed one of his cases in theexample section of his testimony claiming that the case did not have a property affidavit. Greevy saidthat he generally includes the affidavit right in the lawsuit, so that Mayer’s assertion of improper actionstaken by title lawyers is incorrect.

Majority Chair Sen. Gene Yaw said that he appreciated the testimony that was presented andthat he believes that the committee heard pros, cons, and something in the middle.

“One thing that came out of this hearing is that this is a private matter between property ownersand isn’t something for the gas companies to be involved in,” said Sen. Yaw. “Landowners are ofparamount importance in this legislation.”

Click Here to listen to the Committee hearing and for links to testimony presented.Sen. John Yudichak (D­Luzerne) serves as Minority Chair of the Committee.

Environmental Synopsis Highlights Joint Conservation Committee Forums

The March issue of Environmental Synopsis newsletter published by the Joint Legislative Air and WaterPollution Control and Conservation Committee this month highlights the Committee’s Environmentalissues Forums.

Also included in this edition are articles on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wet weathersewage overflows, pipeline safety, renewable gasoline supplies, the Department of Energy’s FutureGencarbon capture projects and much more.

Future Environmental ForumsThe Joint Committee has scheduled these Environmental Issues Forums in the next few

months­­­­ April 8: The PA American Water Company of Hershey, Rentricity, Inc. of New York, and theWestmoreland (PA) County Municipal Authority will make a presentation on a new technology that hasbeen implemented at two energy recovery demonstration projects in western Pennsylvania. Rentricity’sturbine generator system captures the hydrokinetic energy created when water flows through pipes fromthe water sources to the treatment plants, reducing electricity demand and cutting down on greenhousegas emissions. The Forum will be in Room 8E­B East Wing starting at Noon.­­ May 6: Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director John Arway will offer a presentation entitled“Fish and Boat Commission Fiscal Slope: Spending Reallocation Plan and Revenue GeneratingOptions.” The presentation will focus on the agency’s need to reduce operating costs, and to fundinfrastructure needs. Among potential revenue generating options to be discussed is a proposed fee forconsumptive use and degradation of water. The Forum start at Noon LTBD.­­ June 17: Dr. David J. Nowak, Ph.D, project leader for the USDA Forest Service’s NorthernResearch Station, will discuss the agency’s innovative “i­Tree” program. Nowak was the driving force

behind development of i­Tree’s suite of software tools that helps users assess and manage urban treepopulations to make for effective urban forest management and better understanding of the ecosystemservices provided by community trees. The Forum starts at Noon LTBC.

Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R­Venango) Chairs the Joint Conservation Committee.

News From Around The State

DEP Releases Susquehanna River Sampling Plan, Regular Updates Online

The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday released a workplan outlining intensive efforts to continue studying and sampling dozensof locations in the Susquehanna River basin throughout 2013.

DEP’s ongoing efforts include analysis of water quality, waterflow, sediment, pesticides, hormones, invertebrates, fish tissue and otherareas of study. Portions of the study will focus on areas of the river or itstributaries where smallmouth bass reproduce.

“The scientists and experts here at DEP have, quite simply, done an incredible amount of workon this complex issue over the past few years,” DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. “Our staff willcontinue this comprehensive, fact­based approach, working with our partners at the Fish and BoatCommission, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and the U.S. Geological Survey.

“The actual cause or causes of the issues we have seen with the smallmouth bass have not yetbeen determined or linked to any particular water quality issue,” he said. “But DEP is dedicated toworking with our partners to find the answer.”

The agency’s sampling efforts will be focused on sites along the Susquehanna at Marietta, CityIsland and Sunbury and along the Juniata River at the Lewistown Narrows and Newport. A site alongthe Delaware River near Trenton, NJ, will be used as a control site.

Staff will test for various water quality parameters, like dissolved oxygen, temperature and pH,at multiple sites in the Susquehanna. Samples of fish, mussels and macroinvertebrates, such as mayflies,will also be collected.

“Our efforts span the entire watershed,” Krancer said. “Sampling across the Susquehanna Riverbasin allows us to identify and accurately measure the effects of various influences on the river. Thisresearch will provide data and help us decide what next steps, if any, are needed to protect ourwaterways.”

Fish tissue from bass collected during spawning season will be analyzed for pesticides, PCBsand metals. DEP will also work with the U.S. Geological Survey to analyze fatty tissue from healthy anddiseased fish to determine the effects of different environmental factors.

In the coming weeks, DEP will sample for pesticides at existing water quality network stationsalong the Susquehanna, Juniata and Delaware rivers. Samples will be collected during some rain events,as that is when pesticides and herbicides are more likely to wash into the river.

DEP will analyze the samples for 54 different compounds. The study also calls for analysis ofsediment samples and in­stream monitoring data, to be collected at spawning areas, that examines forpesticides and hormonal compounds.

Staff will also take water quality samples from 32 sites in the tributaries of the Susquehanna

River basin to better characterize the entire watershed.The agency’s biologists continue to consult with a contracted algal expert to analyze samples

collected in areas where young­of­year bass have died off or where algal blooms have occurred in thepast.

Water samples from algae­heavy areas will be analyzed for total suspended solids, ammonia,nitrogen and phosphorus to determine the relationship between nutrient run­off, or discharges, and algaegrowth. Excessive algae may be indicative of poor water quality and can inhibit aquatic life andrecreational activity, such as fishing.

DEP continues to wait for final approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of itsfinal 2012 Integrated Waters report, a biannual assessment of the state’s rivers and streams required bythe federal Clean Water Act. The report describes the health of various waterways in the state and,where needed, DEP proposes listing waterways as impaired.

For more information, visit DEP’s Susquehanna River Study Updates webpage.

NewsClips: DEP Outlines 2013 Sampling Plans For Susquehanna

CBF: DEP's River Sampling Plan, Webpage Positive First Step

Harry Campbell, Pennsylvania Executive Director for the Chesapeake BayFoundation issued this statement following the public release of the Department ofEnvironmental Protection’s work plan to study the Susquehanna River. Portions ofthe study will focus on areas of the River or its tributaries where smallmouth bassreproduce.

“DEP’s newly launched “Susquehanna River Study Updates” webpage is apositive first step toward sharing science and data to educate the public and buildawareness about the plight of the smallmouth bass population.

“CBF and American Rivers recently called on DEP to commit to a clearly defined publicengagement process that provides updates on the study and the progress, and to publicly share theirdata and findings throughout the process. We are pleased that our request has been acted upon.

“While this news is encouraging, we will continue to call on DEP and their partners to seek theanswers and take actions to resolve the issues in the Susquehanna. We continue to believe theimpairment listing of the Lower Susquehanna River would galvanize state, federal, academic, andnonprofit efforts to study and solve the problem. Many scientific questions remain, but one thing that iscertain is that an entire fishery may be in jeopardy and time is of the essence if we are to turn thingsaround.”

SRBC Presents Goddard Award To James Brozena, Acts On Water Withdrawal Requests

On Thursday the Susquehanna River Basin Commission presented the 9th Maurice K. Goddard Awardfor Excellence by a Water Management Professional to James Brozena, P.E., of West Pittston, LuzerneCounty.

The Commission also took action on a variety of water withdrawal requests and reported onnew floodplain maps for the City of Harrisburg.

Brozena was recognized for his enormous contributions to flood protection programs in theWyoming Valley. In particular, SRBC cited Brozena’s contributions to the Wyoming Levee RaisingProject during his years as the Executive Director of the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority.

The project involved raising 15 miles of levees and flood walls, enhanced stormwatermanagement, flood mitigation planning, and recreational opportunities, and helped reconnect theresidents of the City of Wilkes­Barre with the Susquehanna River by providing riverfront access throughthe River Commons project.

SRBC also reported on and demonstrated new interactive flood inundation maps beingdeveloped for the City of Harrisburg and other nearby communities along the Susquehanna River. Thesemaps, which will be released as internet products later this spring, will show the public expected areasof flooding based on river forecasts.

An interagency team, known as the Pennsylvania Silver Jackets, is developing the maps. ThePennsylvania Silver Jackets is an innovative program, initiated by the Baltimore District of the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, to bring together local, state, regional and federal agencies to addressPennsylvania’s flood risk management priorities.

A list of actions taken on water withdrawal requests is available online.

Feature: 100th Anniversary Of The 1913 Flood, Nightmare In Sharon, PA

By: Jeff Satterly, HistoricNaturalDisaster.com

The week of March 21st through March 26th marks the 100year anniversary of one of the greatest – and least known ­natural disasters to ever hit the United States.

This week in 1913, a series of storms and floodsravaged much of the Midwest and parts of New England thatleft hundreds of people dead and thousands more homelesswhile causing damage to property in the billions of dollars.

(Photo: 1913 flooding in Exposition Park,Pittsburgh.)

In Pittsburgh and most other parts of Pennsylvania in the storms’ path, the death counts weremuch lower than they had been in neighboring Ohio since word of the flooding coming from the westgave Pennsylvania residents a few days of warning.

The financial losses and damage to infrastructure were still substantial, however, particularly torailroads like the Pennsylvania Lines, who estimated storm­related losses equivalent to about $83 millionin today’s dollars.

One town in Pennsylvania that seems to have been hit the hardest by the storm was the sleepy,industrial town of Sharon.

Located in the Shenango River Valley, Sharon was a quiet town of about 18,000. On March23, Easter Sunday of 1913, the sleepy town received a rude wakeup call. The rains from the east hadrapidly filled the Shenango River, which spilled over its banks and into the streets of Sharon.

Some areas of the town were filled with water 18 feet deep. The town’s residents, taken bysurprise and unprepared for the flood, were forced to the roofs of their houses to escape the rising

waters.Soon after the scope of the flooding became clear, the town went into rescue mode. Local

factories that weren’t completely flooded began producing boats, and as quickly as they could be made,a crew of volunteers would be assembled and sent out to rescue those trapped on their roofs.

It was thanks largely to the quick response by these groups of volunteers that hundreds ofotherwise doomed residents were able to be saved.

Relief supplies weren’t delivered to Sharon until 4 days after the flood because miles of railwaysand bridges had been damaged or destroyed. When the mayor of Sharon reached out to thegovernment for aid, it’s said that he was told “Dayton first, Sharon can take care of itself”, since DaytonOhio was the largest and most populous city affected by the flooding.

But take care of itself Sharon did, with all able bodied men put to use in the city cleaning up andrepairing what remained, and the streets were in full use just a week later. The damage to Sharon wasaround $2 million ($45.7 million in 2013 dollars), but they were luckier than some, having only lost onecitizen to the flood.

Thanks so much to David Hess for letting us share a piece of this historical project with hisreaders. We’re humbled by the interest in this project, and we really hope you enjoyed this snippet ofPennsylvania history!

We’d also like to thank some of the great archives and archivists who have done so much towork toward helping preserve the amazing history of the 1913 flood, including the Dayton MetroLibrary and historian Trudy Bell. The amount of history compiled at these two websites is amazing.

Mapping History ContestLastly, thanks to Jason from InsuranceTown.com, who lent us some of the resources we used

to help prepare content for the web and publish our blog, and inspired our Mapping History Contest.Don’t forget to check out HistoricNaturalDisasters.com for more images, and for information on

our Mapping History Contest– help us figure out the locations pictured in historic photos from 1913 andyou could win $100!

Online Video: Learn How SRBC Assesses Impacts Of Water Withdrawals

You can now learn how the Susquehanna River Basin Commission assesses the impacts of waterwithdrawals by Marcellus Shale drilling operators and other major water users through a new onlinevideo.

Matt Shank, an SRBC Aquatic Biologist, describes how the Commission conducts its aquaticresource survey of biological, chemical and physical data to evaluate water withdrawals.

Click Here to watch the video. This is one of several videos produced by SRBC to educate thepublic on water resource issues.

Susquehanna Water Science Forum October 7­8, Call For Abstracts, Student Posters

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission will host the first­ever Susquehanna Water Science Forumon October 7­8 at the Radisson Hotel in Harrisburg.

The Forum will bring together researchers and water resource managers to share current waterresource research, prioritize research needs and better coordinate research activities in the Susquehanna

River Basin. Public and private interests will focus on applied research in aquatic ecosystemmanagement, providing a catalyst for continued coordination and development.

All interested parties, including professionals and students, are invited to submit an abstract topresent a paper. Students also can submit a poster. Abstracts and posters should address thesequestions­­­­ What are the greatest threats (stressors) to the integrity of aquatic ecosystems?­­ How do we evaluate the effects of stressors on aquatic ecosystems (watersheds)?­­ How can water manager balance competing uses to ensure long­term sustainability of the basin’swater resources, economy and ecosystem services?­­ How can water managers use science to achieve balanced policy and regulations?

Instructions on submitting abstracts and student posters, a tentative agenda and registrationinformation are available at the Susquehanna Water Science Forum webpage.

DEP Offers E&S, Stormwater Permit Training For Oil & Gas Industry

The Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled a series of three workshops to train thoseinvolved in the oil and gas industry on erosion and sedimentation control and post­constructionstormwater management under General Permit ESCGP­2.

The workshops will be held on April 24 in Greensburg, May 23 in Harrisburg and July 10 inState College. Click Here for details.

2013 Engineering Sustainability Innovation April 7 In Pittsburgh

The Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation at the University of Pittsburgh and the SteinbrennerInstitute for Environmental Education and Research at Carnegie Mellon University will host EngineeringSustainability 2013: Innovation and the Triple Bottom Line, to be held April 7­9 in Pittsburgh.

As with the 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011 events, this focused conference will bring togetherengineers and scientists from academia, government, industry, and nonprofits to share results ofcutting­edge research and practice directed at development of environmentally sustainable buildings andinfrastructure.

The built environment, which includes buildings, the transportation grid, and water collection andtreatment systems, helps to sustain our economy and way of life, but at the cost of heavy resource useand waste generation. Buildings alone consume a substantial percentage of the materials producedglobally each year and require significant amounts of energy for operation.

Transportation grids are material­intensive, and the maintenance requirements of aginginfrastructure in the developed world are stressing the abilities of municipalities to maintain viablesystems. Renewal of urban water infrastructure with new, more sustainable systems delivering higherperformance is a critical need, as failing infrastructure systems in many cities impact economic vitalityand quality of life for residents.

Stormwater management systems in many cities are inadequate and based on old paradigms,exacerbating flooding problems and leading to sewer overflows. Water also is interlinked with energyproduction and use, as significant amounts of water are required for energy generation, and productionof high purity water with current membrane technologies requires significant amounts of energy.

Join Janie French, PA Environmental Council State Director of Water Programs, who willmoderate a discussion on sustainable water management. Integrated water resource management is asustainable approach used globally to meet the vulnerability of our water resources. Howevermanagement and regulations often compete and need to be integrated across the water chain. Solutionsto manage stormwater and wastewater must protect public health and safety while being affordable tothose that benefit from the water sector service.

For more information, visit the Conference webpage.

Citizens Advisory Council: DEP Says Steady Budget Really A Cut, No Freeze In Hiring

Jeff Logan, DEP Deputy Secretary for Administration and Management, told the DEP CitizensAdvisory Council on Tuesday, the level funding in next year’s proposed budget is really a cut of about$10.9 million because of mandated increases in personnel costs the agency must make up internally.

But Logan said inspite of the proposed cut of 40 positions in next year’s DEP budget, there isno hiring freeze at the agency so they are filling available positions. DEP now has a complement of2,587 filled positions with 183 vacancies for a total of 2,770.

Logan also reported the recent sequestration of federal funds has resulted in about a 5 percentcut in federal grants supporting DEP air, water and other programs. He said the agency believes it cancope with these cuts by rescheduling projects and making other adjustments.

The Council took action on a number of issues­­­­ Annual Report: The Council adopted its 2012 Annual Report to the department and the GeneralAssembly. A copy will be posted on the CAC webpage.­­ League Of Women Voters: The Council approved a letter to the PA League of Women Voters onissues the group raised on transparency and public participation in response to comments theypresented to Council.

The Council also heard presentations on these topics­­

­­ Chapter 78 Oil & Gas Regulation Changes: Scott Perry, Deputy Secretary for Oil and GasManagement, provided an overview of the regulatory changes DEP is proposing in response to the Act13 drilling law as well as a status report on the current program. Click Here for a copy of hispresentation.

Among other comments, Perry noted the amount of drilling wastewater reused by the industrydoubled from 31 percent to 69.8 percent from 2008 to 2012. 71 percent is reclaimed for reuse withinPennsylvania and 29 percent is sent out­of­state.

He said the proposed regulation changes are undergoing review by the Oil and Gas TechnicalAdvisory Board and their next meeting is April 23.

­­ New Air General Permit For Natural Gas Facilities: Vince Brisini, Deputy Secretary for Waste,Air, Radiation and Remediation provided a presentation on proposed new air pollution controlrequirements for natural gas facilities in General Permit GP­5 and Exemption 38. Click Here for a copyof his presentation.

­­ Siting Onlot Septic Systems In HQ/EV Watersheds: Lee McDonald, Director of the Bureau of

Point and Non­Point Source Management, provided the Council with an overview of new proceduresDEP is developing for reviewing sewage modules in High Quality and Exceptional Value watersheds.Click Here for a copy of his presentation.

McDonald noted the new procedures were prompted by two Environmental Hearing Boarddecisions­­ Pine Creek Watershed Association v. DEP­­ directing DEP to consider the impacts of onlotseptic systems on HQ and EV streams during its review process.

McDonald said the proposed review process gives onlot sewage module applicants optionsthey can mix and match to achieve the right water quality protection factors. Those options include: oneacre or more lot size, setback distances from streams or wetlands, riparian buffers and in­groundbarriers between the systems and streams.

He noted the proposed process is undergoing public review and the department is open toconsidering ways to improve the process. The proposed process will be on the agenda for the March27 Sewage Advisory Committee meeting.

­­ Department Report: Holly Cairns, Acting Director of DEP’s Office of Environmental Advocate,reported agency staff have a draft outline for a proposed webinar on public participation and the permitreview process they would like to share with Council. The draft policy DEP presented to Council lastmonth and the Council’s comments are still undergoing review within DEP.

She also reported the draft public participation policy covering environmental justicecommunities is also still in review.

A copy of DEP’s monthly report to Council on significant activities is available online.

­­ CAC Legislative Committee: Cynthia Carrow, Chair of the Committee, reported they recommendthe Council become more active in meeting with and informing legislators on Council activities andconcerns as well as monitor legislation pending in the General Assembly.

­­ CAC Public Participation Committee: David Hess, Chair of the Committee, reported theyprovided comments to DEP on the very draft public participation policy covering permit reviews in timeto meet the agency’s March 5 deadline. The Committee also agreed to review the outline of DEP’sproposed public participation webinar.

­­ CAC Strategic Issues Committee: The Committee agreed to develop a prioritized list of strategicissues the Council will take on in the coming months, among those suggested are an update on the Act13 drilling fee revenues and distribution and the Auditor General’s Marcellus Shale waste and waterquality audit.

During the public comments section of the meeting, Melissa Hunsberger, PA League of WomenVoters expressed a need for consistent standards for water quality testing and an examination of therisks from radiation in the Marcellus Shale drilling process. She also said the League is concerned withbudget cuts to the agency and supported tighter standards for air emissions from natural gas processingand compressor facilities.

Jeff Schmidt, Sierra Club, presented a copy of a press release issued by several environmentalgroups saying DEP has not yet answered all the questions they posed on testing protocols and sharing

test results in the Oil and Gas Program.

The next meeting of the Citizens Advisory Council is April 16. For more information, visit theCitizens Advisory Council webpage.

Wildlands Conservancy Hosts Cleanups In 3 Locations April 20

The Wildlands Conservancy will host cleanups in three locations in and around Allentown on April 20from 9:00 a.m to noon: Canal Park and Trout Creek Park in Allentown and Jordan Creek Greenway inWhitehall Township.

The Conservancy will provide gloves, vests and bags to all participants. Everyone will berequired to sign a liability waiver upon check in. Bring a water bottle and a snack if you like! Pleasedress for the weather; the event will happen rain or shine.

This event is part of the Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania, and will be our mainvolunteer event for 2013.

For more information and to register, please contact Stephanie Fister at 610­965­4397 ext.112 or send email to: sfister@wildlandspa.org.

Celebrate Earth Day With Free Waste Tire Disposal April 23 In York County

To help eliminate illegal dumping of tires and educate the public about proper tire management, theYork County Solid Waste Authority is offering free tire disposal at the York County ResourceRecovery Center. Pre­registration is required and will be accepted during business hours betweenMarch 22 and April 23.

Residents may call Jen Cristofoletti at the Solid Waste Authority to pre­register at717­845­1066 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday starting March 22. Registrants willreceive a dashboard placard for free one­time disposal of up to 10 tires.

Tires must be off the rim and cannot exceed 32" in diameter. Tires must not be excessively dirtyor full of water. This program is limited to one placard per household.

The program coincides with Earth Day celebrations and is open to York County residents only.Businesses are not eligible to participate. Registration ends at close of business on April 23. Tiredelivery dates will be scheduled on a first­come, first served basis.

This program is a result of the Authority’s participation in and support of Keep York CountyBeautiful and its efforts to prevent and eliminate illegal dumping.

Dave Vollero, Authority Executive Director, notes that “Residents can and should place oldtires out with their regular garbage. This special tire acceptance program is being held to raiseawareness that tires should be properly disposed of as household waste and to help prevent illegaldumping of tires.”

Tires collected at the curb with regular garbage must be off the rim and may not exceed 32” indiameter. Residents should call their waste hauler for specifics on how many tires can be placed outwith each pick­up.

Tom Smith, Coordinator of Keep York County Beautiful, points out that “Proper managementof old tires eliminates potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes and results in a cleaner and healthier

community.”The Authority facilitates responsible solid waste management through an integrated strategy that

emphasizes waste reduction, reuse, recycling and resource recovery. The Authority is the owner of theYork County Resource Recovery Center in Manchester Township and conducts a year­round free litterdisposal program to encourage York County residents, organizations, civic groups, schools, andneighborhoods to clean up litter and illegal dumpsites.

Waste collected in clean­up programs can be disposed of free of charge at the York CountyResource Recovery Center. Pre­registration is required. For more information about the free litterprogram, call the Authority at 845­1066.

Keep York County Beautiful is an affiliate chapter of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. Its missionis to empower York County residents to make our communities clean and beautiful. Keep YorkCounty Beautiful conducts cleanups across York County and provides education and outreachprogramming.

Residents interested in helping to clean up an illegal dumpsite should call Tom Smith at KeepYork County Beautiful at 717­840­2375, or email him at tls35@psu.edu. Keep York County Beautifulwill assist with providing free gloves, bags and safety vests.

Waste Industry Appeals Monroe Waste Management Fee Case

The PA Waste Industries Association is pursuing an appeal in state Commonwealth Court in acontinuing attempt to stop the Monroe County Municipal Waste Management Authority from imposinga fee on private waste companies as a condition of contracting to dispose of waste generated in thecounty.

PWIA, which represents private­sector recyclers, waste haulers, and landfill operatorsthroughout Pennsylvania and is the state chapter of the National Solid Wastes Management Association,believes the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas erred when it upheld the fee in a Dec. 13, 2012,order and a subsequent Jan. 11 opinion.

PWIA President Mark C. Pedersen said, “Our attorneys believe the lower court was wrong.Commonwealth Court ruled in 2005 that Act 101, passed by the legislature in 1988, preempts countyadministrative fees on waste. We believe the Commonwealth Court’s 2005 ruling applies to the plan theMonroe County Municipal Waste Management Authority has adopted. Commonwealth Court held thatsuch fees are illegal, regardless of whether the money from those fees are used to fund recycling, otherwaste­related activities or general debt service. We look forward to arguing that point, along withrelated legal matters, at the appellate level. PWIA is pursuing this because it has potential implicationsfor waste disposal throughout the state.”

Under the authority’s plan, waste companies will be required to sell disposal space at theirfacilities to the authority and give the authority the right to dictate the fee charged for that space. PWIAbelieves the plan is a roundabout way of imposing a “disguised” county administrative fee and avoidingaccountability to the county taxpayers.

Commonwealth Financing Authority Accepting Flood Project Applications

The Corbett Administration announced Thursday the Commonwealth Financing Authority will begin

accepting applications for a program established by the Act 13 Marcellus Legacy Fund to support floodmitigation throughout the state.

The deadline for applications is July 31 for consideration at the November 13 CFA meeting.The CFA offers other project funding opportunities under Act 13, including: abandoned mine,

watershed, recreation funding, alternative, clean energy funding, high performance building funding andPennWorks Program water supply, wastewater infrastructure funding.

"Act 13 reaffirms Gov. Corbett's commitment to responsible natural gas development here inPennsylvania," Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary C. Alan Walker said.

"The CFA has now successfully implemented six of the seven programs created by the Act 13Marcellus Legacy Fund to provide critical resources to local governments for flood mitigation andenvironmental conservation projects."

The CFA funding to assist with flood mitigation projects is part of the $14.5 million madeavailable this year to fund seven Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund programs.

At its February meeting, the CFA approved guidelines for abandoned mine drainage, abatementand treatment, watershed restoration and protection, water quality data, greenways, trails andrecreation, and orphan and abandoned well plugging programs in the state.

Act 13, which Gov. Corbett signed into law in 2012, authorized counties to impose an impactfee on unconventional natural gas wells.

Last year, the fee generated more than $204 million that is benefiting every Pennsylvanian. Themajority of the revenues are distributed to local governments where drilling is taking place, with theremainder of the money used for statewide programs or distributed to counties based on population.

The flood mitigation guidelines approved by the CFA will make funding available to: acquireland, rights­of­way, and easements necessary to construct eligible projects. Eligible projects includeconstruction, improvement, expansion, repair or rehabilitation of flood control projects; engineeringcosts; inspection costs; and permitting fees.

The $14.5 million in CFA funding is in addition to $10.9 million in impact fee funding forconservation and recreation programs that has already been distributed to counties, as well as $7.2million to the state's Growing Greener fund.

Applicants can begin applying immediately under the new guidelines for the Act 13 Programsthrough DCED's electronic single application system. [Note: The guidelines will be posted soon on theCFA’s webpage.]

The programs are administered jointly by the Department of Community and EconomicDevelopment, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Department ofEnvironmental Protection, under the direction of the CFA and DCNR.

Notify Your Legislators: If you plan to apply for funding under this program, PAEnvironment Digest strongly urges you to notify your local House and Senate member that you haveapplied and make sure they know how important it is to you.

For more information, visit the Commonwealth Financing Authority website. Eligible applicantsare encouraged to contact Brian Eckert or Matthew Karnell at 717­787­6245 to discuss potentialprojects before commencing the application process.

Southwestern PA Public Officials Invited To Stormwater Workshop March 26­27

The Allegheny and Westmoreland county conservation districts have partnered with the 3 Rivers WetWeather Program to sponsor two stormwater management workshops for local officials on March 26and 27.

The same seminar will be offered from 6­8:30 p.m. in two locations: March 26 at the NorthHuntingdon Municipal Bldg., 11279 Center Hwy, North Huntingdon and March 27 at Green Tree FireHall, 825 Poplar St., in Pittsburgh.

Elected officials will learn about a variety of cost­effective practical solutions to meet thechallenges of: controlling stormwater; meeting MS4 requirements; reducing incidents of flooding;complying with Act 167 requirements; and reducing combined sewer overflows.

Guest speaker Glen Abrams, AICP, Manager, Strategic Policy and Coordination, of thePhiladelphia Water Department, Office of Watersheds, will highlight the “why’s” and “how’s” of thisimportant and timely issue.

Participants will receive a handbook of typical best management practices (BMP’s) to sharewith municipal engineers and staff. Sample documents will be provided to assist municipal officials inapplying for grant monies and completing projects.

The Department of Environmental Protection is providing financial support for the workshops.The cost of the workshop is $10 and includes light refreshments and seminar materials. for more

information and to register, visit the Municipal Stormwater Seminars webpage.

Forest Restoration Workshop Set For April 20 In Pike County

Join the Delaware Highlands Conservancy and the Pike­Monroe Woodland Owners Group for a forestrestoration workshop on April 20 at the Milford Experimental Forest, a privately owned research forestin Pike County, Pa.

Learn how to improve the health of your forest, using American chestnut reintroduction as anexample. Participants will learn how to find a forester, mark timber, implement a harvest, and plantchestnuts and oaks, in the context of improving forest health.

The workshop includes two sessions: an indoor session from 9 a.m. ­12 p.m., and an outdoorsession from 1 p.m.­3 p.m. Participants can are welcome to attend the whole day or just the morning orafternoon session. If staying for the whole day, please bring a bag lunch. Drinks and snacks will beprovided. Participants should wear sturdy shoes, dress for the weather and be prepared for a hike onrocky and sloping terrain.

In the morning session, get an introduction to the Milford Experimental Forest and hear fromLeila Pinchot, Research Fellow from the Pinchot Institute for Conservation, on the reintroduction of theAmerican chestnut and the process of reintroducing this key species onto your own property.

Later, learn when, why, and how you might want to implement a harvest on your woodlot fromconsulting forester Josh Flad. In the afternoon session, head outside and get some hands­on experience.Learn how to plant and protect seedlings, and participate in the planting of chestnuts and acorns for theMEF.

This program is sponsored by the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, the Pike­MonroeWoodland Owners Group, the Grey Towers National Historic Site, and the Pinchot Institute forConservation.

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please call the Delaware

Highlands Conservancy at 570­226­3164, 845­583­1010, or send email to:info@delawarehighlands.org to register and receive directions.

For more information, visit the Forestry Program at Milford Forest webpage.

Consumers Advised To Consider Buying Flood Insurance

Winter ice and snow increases the chance of spring flooding, so the Insurance Department isencouraging homeowners to consider buying flood insurance now.

With more than 50,000 miles of rivers, streams and creeks, Pennsylvania is one of the mostflood­prone states in the nation and flooding can occur at any time of year.

Pennsylvania residents must carry flood insurance if they live in a designated flood zone, butflooding can happen inland and away from major waterways. Homes that could be flooded by anoverflowing creek or pond, water running down a steep hill or melting snow are at risk for flooddamage.

Importantly, homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage. Also, it takes 30 daysfor newly purchased flood insurance policies to go into effect, so the ideal time to buy a policy is longbefore flooding is forecast. Other flood insurance facts include:­­ Premiums will vary, depending on the risk level for a flood loss.­­ Policies can be purchased for physical damage to a property, and a separate policy can also bepurchased for the contents.­­ Foundational elements and items usually located in a basement for making a home habitable, such asfurnaces and water heaters, generally are covered.­­ Finished elements in a basement, such as paneling, rugs and furniture, are not covered.

Backed by the National Flood Insurance Program, flood insurance is available to mosthomeowners, renters and businesses, and can be purchased through any licensed property­casualtyinsurance agent.

Information on how to obtain flood insurance, and determine your risk for flooding, can befound online at the Flood Smart website or by calling 1­888­379­9531.

Lancaster Waste Authority OKs Major Steam Purchase With Perdue

The Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority has approved two agreements with PerdueAgriBusiness for the sale of renewable, waste­to­energy steam for use at Perdue’s planned soybeanprocessing plant in Conoy Township.

The two agreements encompass an Equipment & Facilities Agreement and Utilities Agreementwhich detail the business arrangement between LCSWMA and Perdue.

Located next to LCSWMA’s 1,200 ton per day Waste­to­Energy (WTE) Facility, Perdue’splant will utilize recycled steam from LCSWMA’s WTE Facility in the processing of soybeans.Additionally, Perdue will return the used processing water and steam condensate to LCSWMA, whereit will be treated and recycled back into the WTE system.

“Our Board of Directors approving these agreements is a big step towards the realization of thisinnovative project,” says Jim Warner, CEO for LCSWMA. “While we have several more months ofpreparations ahead of us, we’re thrilled to solidify our business arrangement with Perdue. This project

will greatly benefit the agricultural community in Lancaster County and bring a trusted, well­knownbrand to our area.”

Perdue’s plant will offer a more environmentally friendly footprint compared to the typicalsoybean processing plant. The desire to enact a green approach for their new plant prompted Perdue toseek a partnership with LCSWMA for utilizing renewable waste­to­energy steam as an environmentallyconscious alternative to fossil fuels.

The planned 1,500 ton per day soybean crush plant will be located on a 57­acre piece of land,adjacent to LCSWMA’s WTE Facility. This project will generate more than 150 construction jobs, 35long­term jobs upon completion and an additional 500 jobs in crop production and transportation.

DEP At Home Webinar On April 3 To Focus On Household, Electronic Waste

The Department of Environmental Protection’s next “DEP at Home” webinar, Watch your Waste, willbe on April 3, at 7 p.m., to educate participants about proper disposal of common household items.

“Disposing of household waste properly is key to protecting the commonwealth’s air, land andwater,” DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. “I am delighted that we are able to offer this free,educational webinar to ensure residents have all the information to make the best choices for theenvironment.”

The webinar will last no longer than an hour and will feature Jeff Bednar of DEP’s Bureau ofWaste Management, Jack Himes of the PA Recycling Markets Center and Michelle Dunn of KeepPennsylvania Beautiful. A question­and­answer session will follow the presentation.

DEP’s Bureau of Waste Management oversees the statewide hazardous, municipal and residualwaste programs. The bureau also manages municipal waste planning and recycling, waste transportationand the Covered Device Recycling Act.

PA Recycling Markets Center works to develop and expand recycling markets in Pennsylvania.Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is the state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful Inc., the nation’s largestvolunteer­based community action and education organization. The group is responsible for the GreatAmerican Cleanup of Pennsylvania, a three­month project happening until May 31.

The presentation is the fifth in a series of free quarterly webinars DEP is producing to educatePennsylvanians about improving their home environment and safeguarding their health.

Space is limited and participation is based on a first­come, first­served basis.For more information or to participate in the webinar, visit the DEP at Home webpage. Click

Here to watch previous DEP At Home webinars.

Op­Ed: Pennsylvania Must Shift To Renewables

By: Rep. Greg Vitali (D­Delaware)Minority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee

"Over the past year, we've seen record­breaking heat and drought across the U.S., devastating wildfiresout west, and here in the east, the tremendous flooding and damage associated with the unprecedentedSuperstorm Sandy. Collectively these events are symptomatic of the warming of our planet and thechanges in climate and weather patterns resulting from our continued burning of fossil fuels."

So stated distinguished Penn State climate scientist Michael Mann at a recent Harrisburg newsconference.

Climate change is the most important environmental problem facing the planet. To solve thisproblem we must rapidly transition from fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas to renewable forms ofenergy like wind, solar and geothermal. Pennsylvania, which produces 1 percent of the world’sgreenhouse gases, must do its part.

Recently I introduced two bills which would increase renewable energy production inPennsylvania.

House Bill 100 would amend the Pennsylvania Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard Act torequire Pennsylvania electric distribution companies like PECO and PPL to obtain 15 percent of theirelectricity from renewable sources by 2023. The requirement is currently 8 percent by 2021.

Increasing its Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) is the most effective way forPennsylvania to expand its production of renewable energy. Many other states have already increasedtheir renewable energy standards. New Jersey will require 17.88 percent of its energy to come fromrenewable sources by 2021.

House Bill 100 would accomplish the equivalent of taking more than four million cars off theroad, according to the PennFuture energy center.

The cost of Pennsylvania’s AEPS is relatively small. The PennFuture energy center estimatedthat the cost of implementing the AEPS in 2011 was only 6.6 cents per month for residential consumers.In contrast, the damage from Superstorm Sandy was estimated to be as high as $60 billion.

A second renewable energy bill­­ House Bill 200­­ would provide $25 million per year to thePa. Sunshine Solar program. This popular program has provided rebates to homeowners and smallbusinesses that install solar systems. The program was initially funded by a $100 million bond issue in2008, but it has run out of money. The new funding would come from the recently enacted MarcellusShale impact fee.

Acting Pennsylvania Consumer Advocate Tanya McCloskey recently testified that the Pa.Sunshine Solar program “has provided important support for the development of small scale solarsystems that benefit both the individual residential utility consumer installing the system and the utilitysystem as a whole.” This worthwhile program should not be allowed to end.

In addition to combating climate change, both House Bill 100 and House Bill 200 would creategood green jobs and foster energy independence.

If the Pennsylvania General Assembly wants to do its part in addressing climate change it shouldact on both these bills without delay.

Corbett Extends Home Heating Assistance Through April 26

Gov. Tom Corbett announced Friday Pennsylvanians who need assistance paying home heating billsnow have additional time, through April 26, to apply for financial help through the Low­Income HomeEnergy Assistance Program, commonly referred to as LIHEAP.

“Each year we work to set our budget for the LIHEAP program in anticipation of the upcomingheating season,” Corbett said. “At the beginning of each season there are many unknowns, including theseverity of the weather and fuel prices, but through running an efficient program and via prudentplanning, we are now able to extend the program by nearly a month.”

The federally­funded program was slated to end March 29, but the application deadline hasbeen extended through April 26.

To­date, the LIHEAP program has received 485,689 applications for cash assistance to helplow­income households pay for home heating fuel and utility bills. It has also received 86,551applications for crisis grants, which assist with heating emergencies such as a furnace failure, unexpectedfuel shortages or utility terminations.

Cash grants are based on household income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Inaddition to proof of income and household size, applicants must provide a recent bill or a statementfrom their utility company or fuel dealer verifying their customer status and the type of fuel used.

Applicants can apply for a LIHEAP grant online.LIHEAP applications are also available at county assistance offices, local utility companies and

community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies.For more information on the LIHEAP program, or to download an application, visit the DPW

LIHEAP webpage, or call the toll­free hotline at 1­866­857­7095.

EPA Announces University Challenge to Find Innovative Uses for Toxics Data

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Monday launched the TRI University Challenge, a newinitiative designed to use academic partnerships to find innovative uses for Toxics Release Inventorydata.

TRI gives all Americans access to information about toxic chemicals in the environment as a toolto better protect health and the environment.

“For more than 20 years, individuals, organizations and communities have relied on TRI as apowerful tool for environmental protection,” said Malcolm D. Jackson, assistant administrator forEPA’s Office of Environmental Information and Chief Information Officer. “Now, EPA is encouragingstudents and professors to submit ideas for new projects that will increase the knowledge, use, andunderstanding of TRI data.”

EPA will accept TRI University Challenge applications between March 18 and May 13, 2013for projects that will begin this fall. Two informational webinars about the challenge are planned forApril.

Institutions whose project proposals are selected will become TRI University Challengepartners. Partners gain practical experience collaborating with EPA to understand and solve localenvironmental challenges and may receive national recognition for their efforts. While no monetaryassistance is available as part of this challenge, partners will receive direct support and guidance fromEPA TRI experts.

Priority will be given to projects related to one or more of the following four topics: pollutionprevention and sustainability, stakeholder engagement, technology and data mashups, and environmentaleducation.

TRI helps industry, government, non­governmental organizations and the public makeenvironmentally responsible decisions .by providing them with information about toxic chemical releasesinto the air, water and land.

For more information, visit EPA’s EPA TRI University Challenge webpage. For moreprivate­public challenges, visit www.Challenge.gov.

PUC Offers Energy Conservation Tips On First Days Of Spring

It’s the first days of Spring! As many Pennsylvania consumers tackle spring cleaning chores around thehouse, the Public Utility Commission offers several conservation tips to help reduce energy use and cutcosts this season.

“By making a few small changes this spring, a consumer will not only see an impact on theirenergy bills because their appliances don’t have to work as hard, but they’re also putting less demandon the entire grid, and that has a very beneficial effect on wholesale electricity and natural gas prices foreveryone,” said PUC Commissioner James H. Cawley in a video news release.

The PUC offers the following tips:­­ Check and clean your exhaust vent occasionally and remove lint after each load.­­ Remove any obstacles from your heating and cooling registers. If you block or restrict air flow, yoursystems will have to work harder. Don’t forget to clean your vents, too.­­ Wash clothing in cold water. It will not only prevent shrinking and fading, but will also reduce yourenergy bill.­­ Weather­strip all doors and windows or install storm windows and doors to prevent drafts. Lack ofadequate weather­stripping can cost you $50 or more a year in lost energy costs.­­ Lower the temperature setting to 120 degrees on your water heater to realize significant savings.

For more tips, visit the PUC’s Prepare Now webpage.

West Penn Power Workshops On Act 129 Energy Conservation Assistance

West Penn Power host a series of six workshops where the company will accept applications for Act129 energy conservation assistance for eligible projects completed by businesses between October 28,2009 and May 31, 2013.

These FREE workshops for business customers of West Penn Power Include:­­ West Penn Power Act 129 Program Updates – Phase one is coming to a close May 31, 2013; learnwhat you can do to claim remaining incentives before programs end.­­ Application Assistance – Program representatives will be on hand to help you submit your project.Bring your invoices!.­­ Lighting Legislation 2013 – This will be a transition year as new federal lighting regulations takeeffect, lighting manufacturers improve lumen levels and new technologies gain traction. Utility incentivesare still available. Learn how these new federal lighting regulations may affect your bottom line.­­ EPAct Tax Deductions 2013 Update: Learn how commercial building owners and tenants can claimretroactive tax deductions from Jan. 1, 2006, to Dec. 31, 2013; Primary designers of governmentbuildings can claim retroactive deductions as far back as they are able to amend tax returns throughDec. 31, 2013.­­ Educational Presentations and Exhibits – Join us for our educational presentations and exhibits as ourprogram allies showcase the latest in energy efficient technology and products.

The workshops will be held­­­­ March 26: St. Marys. Register Here.­­ March 27: State College. Register Here.

­­ March 29: Butler. Register Here.­­ April 2: Greensburg. Register Here.­­ April 3: Canonsburg. Register Here.­­ April 4: Uniontown. Register Here.­­ April 5: Ford City. Register Here.

Online registration is recommended. Walk­in registration is also available. Please call KimberlyGibb at 302­723­9264 or send email to: kimberly.d.gibb@saic.com for more information.

DEP Plans Hickory Run Energy Hearing April 3 Beaver County

The Department of Environmental Protection has announced plans for a formal hearing on the proposedHickory Run Energy (HRE), LLC plan to construct a natural gas­fired electric generation plant to belocated in North Beaver Township, Lawrence County.

The Hearing will take place April 3 at the North Beaver Volunteer Fire Department in NorthBeaver Township, 969 Mount Jackson Road, New Castle. The Hearing will begin at 6 p.m. and willconclude after all testimony has been received, but no later than 9:00 p.m.

During the hearing, the Department will accept and record testimony concerning HRE’sapplication.

Persons wishing to present testimony at the hearing should contact DEP Community RelationsCoordinator Gary Clark by calling 814­332­6615, at least one week in advance of the hearing toreserve a time to present testimony.

Oral testimony during the hearing will be limited to a maximum of five minutes and three writtencopies of the oral testimony, together with exhibits, are required. Organizations are encouraged todesignate one witness to present testimony on behalf of the organization.

The hearing is to provide testimony with regards to Hickory Run Energy’s (HRE) plan approvalapplication to construct a natural gas­fired electric generation facility that is designed to generate up to900 Megawatts, using two combustion turbine generators and two heat recovery steam generators thatwill provide steam to drive a steam turbine generator.

Persons unable to attend the hearing may submit three copies of a written statement and exhibitswithin 10 days thereafter to the Department in care of Regional Air Quality Program Manager,Department of Environmental Protection, 230 Chestnut Street, Meadville, PA 16335.

Written submittals must contain name, address and telephone number of the person submittingthe comments, identification of the proposed plan approval [37­337A] and a concise statementregarding the relevancy of the information or objections to the issuance of the permit.

“Public Hearings are an important part of the permitting process”, said DEP NorthwestRegional Director Kelly Burch. “This is an opportunity for the general public to testify on the officialrecord.”

All testimony and comments on the application and draft plan approval must be submitted to theDepartment by April 15.

Save The Date: Pennsylvania Environment Ride May 17­19

Join the PA Environmental Council for the annual Pennsylvania Environment Ride May 17­19 from

Elizabethtown on the Susquehanna River to Philadelphia on the Delaware River. Click Here for moreinformation on registration and to be a sponsor of this special event.

March 30 Marks Opening Day Of Trout In 18 Southeastern Counties

Anglers from 18 southeastern counties are gearing up for the March 30 opening of trout, which marksthe unofficial start of the 2013 fishing season.

“The buildup to opening day is just as exciting as the day itself,” said John Arway, executivedirector of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. “Anglers are busy cleaning their gear, stockingup on supplies and hopefully buying a few new rods and reels. And stocking schedules are posted to theCommission’s website, so the last step for anglers is to pick the spots they want to fish that day.”

“I’ll be at Opossum Lake in Cumberland County to celebrate the reopening of the lake, andencourage the public to join us and try their hand at catching some of the rainbow trout we’re stockingthere,” he added.

The 18 counties open March 30 include: Adams, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland,Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry,Philadelphia, Schuylkill, and York.

April 13 is the traditional opening day for the rest of the state.Visit the PFBC’s website to see detailed stocking schedules, which can be easily sorted by

county. The schedule shows what waters will be stocked, the date and time, and a meeting place wherevolunteers can gather to help with the stocking.

“While opening day is one of the biggest fishing days of the year, it’s also one of the biggestsocial events,” Arway added. “Research shows that when it comes to fishing, anglers like being togetherwith friends and family just as much as they like catching fish.”

The PFBC’s "great white fleet" of stocking trucks has been busy since mid­Februaryreplenishing Pennsylvania's waterways with a fresh supply of brook, brown and rainbow trout. Everyyear the PFBC stocks about 3.2 million trout in waterways across the state.

More than 850,000 anglers buy a fishing license each year.For the first time this year, anglers can purchase multi­year fishing licenses, including a resident

three­year license for $64.70 or a resident five­year license for $106.70. Resident three­year andfive­year trout permits cost $25.70 and $41.70.

A one­year resident fishing license costs $22.70 and a trout­salmon permit is $9.70. A license isrequired for anyone 16 and older. Licenses can be purchased at sporting goods stores and online atwww.fishandboat.com.

PA Trails Advisory Committee Releases 2012 Annual Report

Shining a light on the work they've been doing on Pennsylvania's trail network, the Department ofConservation and Natural Resources’ Trails Advisory Committee report highlights majoraccomplishments on over 50 trails throughout Pennsylvania.

These projects represent significant accomplishments in trail planning, development,construction, maintenance and promotion.

The report also highlights: the construction of 74 miles of new trails; bridges that were built;

improved trail access; the organization of trail work crews; numerous trail tours and sojourns that wereoffered; the creation of user­friendly mobile apps and web resources; publishing videos about PA trailson YouTube; and developing signage for trail users.

The Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee, in coordination with DCNR, continues to worktoward the ambitious goal of a trail in every community throughout Pennsylvania.

A copy of the report is available online.For more information please visit the PA Outdoor Recreation Plan and Explore PA Trails

websites.

Friends Of Wissahickon Offers Trail Walks During April, May

Check the calendar of events from the Friends of the Wissahickon website for upcoming trail walks andother programs during April and May.

Spotlight: Erie County Natural Heritage Inventory Completed

Erie County has the highest number of rare, threatened, and endangered species of any county inPennsylvania, with nearly 900 distinct populations present. Many of these are associated with uniquehabitats that can be found at Presque Isle and French Creek and are found nowhere else in the state.

The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program recently completed the update to the Erie CountyNatural Heritage Inventory—the first systematic update to the document since 1993.

As many things have changed in the nearly 20 years since this first inventory, this update willprovide additional information and enhanced mapping to help guide planning and conservation decisions.

The majority of the work was focused on updating older records and visiting new sites notpreviously surveyed. Even visits to well­documented sites, such as Wattsburg Fen north of Union City,yielded new discoveries of species tracked by PNHP, including several interesting invertebrate records.At least a third of the total species and natural communities described in the report were new asdocumented by our recent inventory effort.

Two of the most notable findings during the inventory included the northern redbelly dace(Phoxinus eos) and dwarf scouring rush (Equisetum scirpoides). The northern redbelly dace, a smallfish, was thought to be extirpated in Pennsylvania, last documented in Meshoppen Creek in TiogaCounty in 1862.

During fish surveys, it was discovered at several locations in the French and Brokenstraw creekbasins. It is associated with spring­fed streams especially in back channels. Perhaps even more excitingwas the discovery of a population of dwarf scouring rush which had not previously been documented inPennsylvania. This species was growing in a small fen community outside of the town of Girard.

Through rigorous survey effort, PNHP staff visited as many potentially significant areas aspossible but there is still much opportunity for exploration in Erie County. One of our favorite tasksduring an inventory is to build partnerships with the local naturalist community to help supplement ourfield surveys.

The Erie region is lucky to have a network of naturalists and scientists at local colleges anduniversities and non­profit organizations, as well as private citizens. By cultivating these partnerships,we will continue to receive data in years to come as these naturalists explore Erie County.

Much of the outside data we obtained came via the Natural History collections at the TomRidge Environmental Center. Since this region is biologically rich, we believe that additional survey effortis likely to turn up new occurrences of plants, animals, and communities of concern.

Overall, 117 Natural Heritage Areas, representing rare species and their habitats have beendelineated. While there are 80 more sites than those that appeared in the original 1993 report, thesesites are more precisely mapped and therefore the total Natural Heritage Area is actually less than thatfrom the 1993 inventory effort.

Several land trusts including the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the Lake Erie RegionalConservancy, and the French Creek Valley Conservancy are active in conservation projects in the area.The results of this project will help guide the future work of these land trusts in the identification ofimportant properties.

The Erie CNHI will also be used by county planners and decision makers to aid in planning fordevelopment and will be incorporated in the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory database. Thisinformation will also be available online through the PNHP county Inventory interactive map.

Funding for the Erie County Natural Heritage Inventory update was provided by theDepartment of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania SeaGrant, and the Erie CommunityFoundation.

The PNHP is a partnership between the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the Department ofConservation and Natural Resources, the Game Commission and the Fish and Boat Commission.

The PNHP manages the PNDI database, which is used as part of the Department ofEnvironmental Protection environmental review process for evaluating permit applications. It isaccessible to the public through the online PNDI tool that screens projects for potential impacts tospecies of conservation concern.

The PNDI tool as well as the full CNHI reports and other planning oriented information can befound at the PNHP website.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy works under contract with the Department ofConservation and Natural Resources to provide PNHP services, including the management of thePNDI database and collection of information on Pennsylvania’s natural communities and rare,threatened, and endangered species.

Visit the Statewide County Natural Heritage Inventory webpage to find out if there was aninventory in your area.

Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy

Invitation To Bid On DCNR Projects In Several Counties

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published an invitation to bid on projects inBucks, Delaware, Franklin, Lycoming and Sullivan counties.

Help Wanted: Western PA Conservancy Community Outreach Assistant, TreeVitalize

The Western PA Conservancy is seeking candidates for a Community Outreach Assistant for theTreeVitalize Program. Click Here for details.

Your 2 Cents: Issues On Advisory Committee Agendas

This section gives you a continuously updated thumbnail sketch of issues to be considered in upcomingadvisory committee meetings where the agendas have been released

March 26­­ DEP Board of Coal Mine Safety meeting. Bureau of Mine Safety Rescue TrainingFacility, 286 Industrial Park Road, Ebensburg. 10:00.

March 27­­ NEW. DEP Sewage Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building.10:30.

March 27­­ NEW. DCNR Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council meeting. Room105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice)

April 2­­ CANCELED. DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel CarsonBuilding. 10:00. (formal notice)

April 11­­ CANCELED. DEP Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board meeting. 10th FloorConference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. (formal notice)

April 11­­ Change­ cancels second day April 12. No agenda yet. DEP Radiation Protection AdvisoryCommittee meeting. 14th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. (formal notice)

April 11­­ CANCELED. DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Next scheduledmeeting is June 13. (formal notice)

April 23­­ DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting to continue discussion of Chapter 78drilling regulation changes. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice)

April 25­­ DEP Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building.10:00.

May 7­­DEP Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel CarsonBuilding. 10:00. (formal notice)

June 12­­ No agenda yet. DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 RachelCarson Building. 10:00.

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

DEP Calendar of Events [DEP No Longer Publishes a single Calendar of agency meetings]

Grants & Awards

This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other recognitionprograms. NEW means new from last week.

March 29­­ PA American Water Protection Our Watersheds Art ContestMarch 29­­ Delaware Highlands Conservancy/Yeaman Student ScholarshipMarch 29­­ Game Commission Seedlings For SchoolsMarch 30­­ PA Trout Unlimited Trout In The Classroom GrantsApril 1­­ DEP Host Municipality Inspector ReimbursementApril 10­­ DCNR Community Conservation Partnership GrantsApril 12­­ Save The Chesapeake Bay Photo ContestApril 15­­ Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program GrantsApril 30­­ Northeast PA Audubon College ScholarshipMay 1­­ Keep PA Beautiful Sue Wiseman Scholarship GrantMay 10­­ CFA High Performance Building FundingMay 10­­ CFA Alternative, Clean Energy FundingMay 13­­ NEW. EPA TRI University Challenge GrantsMay 23­­ DCNR Volunteer Fire Assistance GrantsMay 24­­ KPB Great American Cleanup Of PA Video ContestMay 28­­ EcoExpress Rain Garden Video Teaching Materials ContestMay 31­­ DEP Section 902 Recycling GrantsNo Deadline­­ DEP Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebates (or before if funds run out)June 28­­ CFA PennWorks Water Supply, Wastewater FundingJuly 12­­ PROP Recycling Film FestJuly 19­­ CFA High Performance Building FundingJuly 19­­ CFA Alternative, Clean Energy FundingJuly 31­­ CFA Act 13 Abandoned Mine, Watershed, Recreation FundingAugust 9­­ Foundation for PA Watershed Grants LOISeptember 15­­ CFA High Performance Building FundingSeptember 15­­ CFA Alternative, Clean Energy FundingSeptember 30­­ DEP Recycling Performance GrantOctober 31­­ PRC Lens On Litter ContestDecember 31­­ DEP PA Sunshine Rebates (or before if funds run out)

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

Budget/Quick Clips

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

DEP Secretary Krancer Leaving To Join Law FirmDEP Secretary Krancer Stepping DownDEP Secretary Mike Krancer Is Stepping DownDEP Secretary To Return To Law PracticeKrancer To Resign As DEP SecretaryDEP Secretary Stepping Down April 15Krancer On Why He’s Leaving DEPOtherHarley­Davidson Receivers Governor’s Environmental AwardColumbia Officials Ecstatic Over Statewide Park AwardECOvanta Partners With Lancaster On E­Waste RecyclingPittston To Start Yard Waste CollectionChrin Landfill Landslide Acres BiggerConsol Says Mine Fire May Be OutConsol: Smoke, No Fire In Coal MineConsol Says It’s Making Progress On Mine FirePECO Pushing Smart MetersShipley Energy Out To Spark Electricity SalesPeach Bottom Nuclear Plant Wants To Make More PowerEditorial: Intense Weather Suggests Climate ChangingEditorial: Another Flawed Global Warming StudyFish Commission: 2 Fish Hatcheries To Stay OpenBird Watchers Flock To Grand Central LandfillSand On Minds Of Presque Isle OfficialsPresque Isle Committee Covers Full AgendaTom Ridge Environmental Center Sets Open House3,000 Youth Ready For First Mentored Trout Fishing DayBill Exempts Wild Boars From Game Commission RulesOhio Prosecutor Seeks Death Penalty For Punxsutawney Phil

Marcellus Shale NewsClips

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

Both Sides Agree On Tough New Fracking StandardsEnvironmentalists, Drillers Become Unusual BedfellowsNew Initiatives Sets Standards For Marcellus DrillingCenter To Create PA Shale Drilling StandardsDrilling Companies, Environmental Groups Push AccountabilitySierra Club Blasts Plan To Improve Drilling OperationsPA Pushes Drillers To Frack With Mine Water

Use Mine Water For FrackingFrom Tainted Water To Drilling ToolAfter Wyoming Frack Water Spill, DEP Says Water SafeJudge Won’t Bow Out Of Challenge To Drilling OrdinanceSecrecy Lifted In Fracking Court CaseJudge Says Washington County Drilling Lawsuit Public RecordDrilling Companies Settle Case For $750,000UGI Finds New Spot For Compressor StationCourt Orders Protesters Away From PipelineEQT Adds Natural Gas Station In PittsburghDEP Cites Two Natural Gas CompaniesFunds Available For Housing In Drilling RegionsCeleb Fracking Group Not Registered

Flooding/Watershed NewsClips

Here are NewsClips on watershed topics from around the state­­

Other Watershed NewsClipsUse Mine Water For FrackingCBF Seeks Volunteers For Riparian Buffer ProjectsVolunteers Sought For Carlisle Stream Ecology Field TripsPA Pushes Drillers To Frack With Mine WaterFrom Tainted Water To Drilling ToolWestmoreland Authority Financing $141M In Upgrades$26 Million Scranton Area Wastewater Plant Project Awarded

Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits

No new regulations were published this week. Pennsylvania Bulletin ­ March 23, 2013

Proposed Regulations Open For Comment ­ DEP webpage

Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods ­ DEP webpage

DEP Regulatory Agenda ­ DEP webpage

Technical Guidance & Permits

The Department of Environmental Protection published a series of notice in the March 23 PA Bulletin­­­­ Published a notice of availability of the General Permit for concentrated animal feeding operations(PAG­12);

­­ Notice of a draft policy on the use of reclamation fill at active noncoal mine sites;­­ Notice of remaining 2012 vintage Nitrogen Oxide allowances in 2013;­­ Proposed 2017 Nitrogen Oxide, sulfur dioxide allocations and redistribution of 2011 allowances forcertain facilities (PA Bulletin page 1640);­­ Notice of 2012 vintage Nitrogen Oxide allowances and offset sulfur dioxide emissions;­­ Notice of an increase in special account for remining financial guarantees;­­ Notice of bond rate guidelines for land reclamation bonds on coal mining operations (PA Bulletinpage 1660); and­­ Notice of rates for calculating long­term water supply replacement costs.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published notice of a proposed propertyexchange in Centre County relating to Rothrock State Forest.

Draft: DEP ID: 563­2000­301. Title: Use of Reclamation Fill at Active Noncoal Sites.Description: The purpose of this document is to provide guidance describing the process of andconditions in which Department may permit the use of certain fill materials (deemed ''Reclamation Fill'')obtained from an off­site source to facilitate reclamation of an active noncoal mine site. Criteria formeeting the definition of ''Reclamation Fill'' is defined. The proposed version replaces the historic draftentirely.

Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines ­ DEP webpage

Recently Closed Comment Periods For Technical Guidance ­ DEP webpage

Technical Guidance Recently Finalized ­ DEP webpage

Copies of Final Technical Guidance ­ DEP webpage

Calendar Of Events

Upcoming legislative meetings, conferences, workshops, plus links to other online calendars. Meetingsare in Harrisburg unless otherwise noted. NEW means new from last week. Go to the online Calendarwebpage.

Click on Agenda Released on calendar entries to see the NEW meeting agendas published this week.

March 26­­ DEP Board of Coal Mine Safety meeting. Bureau of Mine Safety Rescue TrainingFacility, 286 Industrial Park Road, Ebensburg. 10:00. (2013 meeting schedule)

March 27­­ NEW. DEP Sewage Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building.10:30.

March 27­­ NEW. DCNR Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council meeting. Room105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice)

April 2­­ CANCELED. DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel CarsonBuilding. 10:00. (formal notice)

April 8­­ Location Added. Environmental Issues Forum by Joint Legislative Air and Water PollutionControl and Conservation Committee. Presentation on new water treatment technology by PAAmerican Water, Westmoreland County Authority, Rentricity. Room 8E­B East Wing. Noon.

April 11­­ DEP Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board meeting. 10th Floor Conference Room,Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. (2013 meeting dates)

April 11­­ Change­ cancels second day April 12. No agenda yet. DEP Radiation Protection AdvisoryCommittee meeting. 14th Floor Conference Room, Rachel Carson Building. 9:00. (formal notice)

April 11­­ CANCELED. DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Next scheduledmeeting is June 13. (formal notice)

April 20­­ NEW. House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meeting. Agenda to beannounced. Room B­31. 9:30.

April 23­­ DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting to continue discussion of Chapter 78drilling regulation changes. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice)

April 25­­ DEP Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building.10:00.

May 6­­ NEW. Environmental Issues Forum by the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Controland Conservation Committee. Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director John Arway will offer apresentation entitled “Fish and Boat Commission Fiscal Slope: Spending Reallocation Plan and RevenueGenerating Options.” The presentation will focus on the agency’s need to reduce operating costs, and tofund infrastructure needs. Among potential revenue generating options to be discussed is a proposed feefor consumptive use and degradation of water. LTBD. Noon.

May 7­­ NEW. Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee holds a hearing onutility storm response. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building. 9:30.

June 12­­ DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building.10:00.

­­ June 17­­ NEW. Environmental Issues Forum by the Joint Legislative Air and Water PollutionControl and Conservation Committee. Dr. David J. Nowak, Ph.D, project leader for the USDA

Forest Service’s Northern Research Station, will discuss the agency’s innovative “i­Tree” program.Nowak was the driving force behind development of i­Tree’s suite of software tools that helps usersassess and manage urban tree populations to make for effective urban forest management and betterunderstanding of the ecosystem services provided by community trees. LTBC. Noon.

DEP Calendar of Events [DEP No Longer Publishes a single Calendar of agency meetings]

Note: The Environmental Education Workshop Calendar is no longer available from the PA Center forEnvironmental Education because funding for the Center was eliminated in the FY 2011­12 statebudget. The PCEE website was also shutdown, but some content was moved to the PA Association ofEnvironmental Educators' website.

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 links to videos about your project, environmental issues or programs forpublication in the PA Environment Digest to: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com.

PA Environment Digest is edited by David E. Hess, former Secretary Pennsylvania Department ofEnvironmental Protection and is published as a service of Crisci Associates, a Harrisburg­basedgovernment and public affairs firm whose clients include Fortune 500 companies and non­profitorganizations. For more information, visit the newly updated Crisci Associates website or call717­234­1716.

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