a monthly update from the joint legislative air and water...

8
A A Monthly Update from the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee DECEMBER 2016 The Chairman’s Corner Senator Scott E. Hutchinson, Chairman A common fam- ily tradition during the holiday season is picking out the perfect Christmas tree. The choice can be daunting – height, width and even species of tree are all important considerations. Despite the popularity of this festive tradition, most Pennsylvanians are unaware that our state is home to a leading Christmas tree industry that supplies holiday cheer throughout the nation, even in the halls of the White House. Christmas trees are viewed today as a predominately Christian holiday tradi- tion; however, the use of fir trees far predates the advent of Christianity. The Egyptians, Romans and Vikings all used pine branches to decorate their homes during the winter solstice, due to the tree’s seemingly divine resilience. It was- n’t until the mid-16th century, however, that Christmas trees developed a reli- gious identity, as devout German Chris- tians started bringing whole trees into their homes to decorate for the holiday season. Given the Commonwealth’s rich “Penn- sylvania Dutch” heritage, Christmas trees eventually weaved their way into the American holiday experience. German immigrants began decorating community Christmas trees in the mid-16th century, with Lancaster and Easton each claiming to have hosted the first American Christ- mas tree. Historically viewed as a pagan symbol by New England Puritans, it took until the late-1800s for the custom to gain public acceptance. By 1923, the tradition was so popular that President Calvin Coolidge designated the first Na- tional Christmas tree, located in the El- lipse, the park located just south of the White House. Today, Christmas trees are one of the most recognizable symbols of the holi- day season, and meeting the demand is an industry that devotes the entire year to growing festive firs. According to the National Christmas Tree Growers Associa- tion, between 25 and 30 million Christ- mas trees are sold in the U.S. each year, supporting an industry worth over $1 billion. Over 350,000 acres of land is re- served for growing, with farms located in all 50 states. Given their relatively low price (average is $40 a tree), Christmas trees are considered by some to be a re- cession-proof holiday tradition. Here at home, Pennsylvania is a yule- tide titan, ranking as one of the top tree IN THIS ISSUE The Chairman’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Notes from the Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Research Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Coastal Wetlands Prevent Storm Damage Electric Competition Benefiting Consumers, Environment Cost of PA’s Proposed Lyme Disease Initiatives Review of Railroad HazMat Safety This Month in Conservation History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Committee Chronicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 December 2016 Volume 17, Number 12 Continued on page 8

Upload: others

Post on 17-Jun-2020

0 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: A Monthly Update from the Joint Legislative Air and Water …jcc.legis.state.pa.us/resources/ftp/documents/Newsletters... · 2016-12-22 · that repair costs for such accidents are

A

A Monthly Update from the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee

DECEMBER 2016

The Chairman’s CornerSenator Scott E. Hutchinson,Chairman

A common fam-ily tradition duringthe holiday seasonis picking out theperfect Christmas

tree. The choice can be daunting –height, width and even species of treeare all important considerations. Despitethe popularity of this festive tradition,most Pennsylvanians are unaware thatour state is home to a leading Christmastree industry that supplies holiday cheerthroughout the nation, even in the hallsof the White House.

Christmas trees are viewed today as apredominately Christian holiday tradi-tion; however, the use of fir trees farpredates the advent of Christianity. TheEgyptians, Romans and Vikings all usedpine branches to decorate their homesduring the winter solstice, due to thetree’s seemingly divine resilience. It was-n’t until the mid-16th century, however,that Christmas trees developed a reli-gious identity, as devout German Chris-tians started bringing whole trees intotheir homes to decorate for the holidayseason.

Given the Commonwealth’s rich “Penn-sylvania Dutch” heritage, Christmas treeseventually weaved their way into theAmerican holiday experience. Germanimmigrants began decorating communityChristmas trees in the mid-16th century,

with Lancaster and Easton each claimingto have hosted the first American Christ-mas tree. Historically viewed as a pagansymbol by New England Puritans, it tookuntil the late-1800s for the custom to

gain public acceptance. By 1923, thetradition was so popular that PresidentCalvin Coolidge designated the first Na-tional Christmas tree, located in the El-lipse, the park located just south of theWhite House.

Today, Christmas trees are one of themost recognizable symbols of the holi-day season, and meeting the demand isan industry that devotes the entire yearto growing festive firs. According to theNational Christmas Tree Growers Associa-tion, between 25 and 30 million Christ-mas trees are sold in the U.S. each year,supporting an industry worth over $1billion. Over 350,000 acres of land is re-served for growing, with farms located inall 50 states. Given their relatively lowprice (average is $40 a tree), Christmastrees are considered by some to be a re-cession-proof holiday tradition.

Here at home, Pennsylvania is a yule-tide titan, ranking as one of the top tree

IN THIS ISSUEThe Chairman’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Notes from the Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Research Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 • Coastal Wetlands Prevent Storm Damage

• Electric Competition Benefiting Consumers, Environment• Cost of PA’s Proposed Lyme Disease Initiatives• Review of Railroad HazMat Safety

This Month in Conservation History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Committee Chronicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

December 2016Volume 17, Number 12

Continued on page 8

Page 2: A Monthly Update from the Joint Legislative Air and Water …jcc.legis.state.pa.us/resources/ftp/documents/Newsletters... · 2016-12-22 · that repair costs for such accidents are

T2 E N V I R O N M E N TA L S Y N O P S I S

Notes from the Director Tony M. Guerrieri, Executive Director

The frightening moment when a deerjumps out from a farmer’s field, butyou are either driving too fast to avoida collision or simply do not see thedeer in the road, is a situation manyPennsylvania drivers are familiar with.For the state’s almost 9 million regis-tered drivers, encounters with deerlead to expensive repairs, a trip to thehospital or perhaps even worse.

Nationwide, it is estimated that morethan 1.2 million drivers are involved ina deer-related accident each year.White-tailed deer average between 100and 300 pounds and can cause sub-stantial damage to a vehicle. Accidentscan range from a deer crashing througha windshield to minor damage to afender or bumper.

If you are unlucky enough to hit adeer, you may find comfort knowingthat repair costs for such accidents areon the decline, according to the latestinsurance data. The study released byauto insurance giant State Farm indi-cates that the average cost per claimfor 2015-2016 was $3,995, downslightly from $4,135 during 2014-2015.

Pennsylvania has thenation’s third highestodds of having a deer-related auto accident,and this time of year iswhen most accidentsoccur.

Your risk of hitting a deer varies de-pending on where you live. In West Vir-ginia, which tops State Farm’s list, theodds of hitting a deer in the next 12months are 1-in-41, according to thestudy. Several other states trail closebehind. Montana ranks second, where

the odds are 1-in-58; Pennsylvania isthird with odds of 1-in-67; then Iowa,with 1-in-68; and South Dakota, withodds of 1-in-70. Others in the top 10include Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missis-sippi, South Carolina and Virginia,which are all well above the nationalaverage of 1-in-164.

Deer roam throughout Pennsylvaniaand have become even more of a haz-ard within the past year. The release ofthe study is timely, given the likelihoodof colliding with a large animal morethan doubles in October, November andDecember. Deer are most active duringthe fall, which is their breeding season,known as the rut. Most collisions occurin the hours around sunset and sunrise,although deer accidents can happenany time of day.

According to the Pennsylvania De-partment of Transportation (PennDOT),deer caused 3,618 accidents in Penn-sylvania in 2015, nearly 3 percent ofthe state’s total crashes. Moreover,those are only the accidents drivers re-ported. Minor collisions were likely notreported to police or the insurancecompany. Unfortunately, six Pennsylva-nians died due to collisions with deerand 639 more were injured last year.

State Farm’s study takes into accountthe potential drivers had of hitting alarge animal, including deer, elk andmoose in the U.S. By far, most acci-dents involve deer.

Because deer are so jittery and un-predictable, it is difficult to avoid hit-ting them, but the State Farm studydoes offer a range of advice to drivers:

• Slow down, particularly at dusk anddawn

• If you see one deer, be prepared formore

• Pay attention to deer crossing signs

• Always buckle up, every trip, everytime

• Use your high beams to see further,except when there is oncoming traffic

• Brake if you can, but avoid swerving,which could result in a more severecrash

• Remain focused on the road, scan-ning for hazards, including animals

• Avoid distractions, like electronic de-vices or eating

• Do not rely on products such as “deerwhistles,” which have not proven ef-fective

• If riding a motorcycle, always wearprotective gear and keep focused onthe road

Even if you are vigilant about avoid-ing animal collisions, it still happenseven to the best drivers. If a collisionoccurs, here are a few tips to keepyourself safe and streamline the insur-ance claim process.

• Immediately move your vehicle to asafe place

• Call the police

• Document the incident, includingtime and location

• Stay away from the animal, as itcould behave erratically

• Contact your insurance agent as soonas possible

• Don’t assume your vehicle is safe todrive, even if damages appear cos-metic

State Farm, using claims data andstate licensed driver counts from theU.S. Federal Highway Administration,calculated the chances of any single mo-torist striking a deer, elk or moose fromJuly 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016, in all 50states and the District of Columbia.

Page 3: A Monthly Update from the Joint Legislative Air and Water …jcc.legis.state.pa.us/resources/ftp/documents/Newsletters... · 2016-12-22 · that repair costs for such accidents are

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 3

A

Research Briefs

Coastal Wetlands SaveMillions of Dollars inDamagesTony M. GuerrieriExecutive Director

As cities along the nation’s Atlanticcoastline expanded throughout the19th century, coastal wetlands wereoften considered a nuisance that stoodin the way of progress and develop-ment. Wetlands seemed little morethan endless sources of pesky insectsor swampy quagmires blocking accessbetween development and shorelines.

Today, however, we know thathealthy coastal wetlands provide criti-cal social and environmental benefits.While the existence of these benefits isnot in dispute, estimating their eco-nomic value can be challenging. A re-port led by researchers at theUniversity of California, Santa Cruz hascombined expertise from insurance,conservation and engineering to placea value on the risk reduction servicesof coastal wetlands and to incentivizethe conservation of these habitats forcoastal resilience.

According to the report, entitledCoastal Wetlands and Flood Damage Re-ductions: Using Risk Industry-basedModels to Assess Natural Defenses inthe Northeastern USA, coastal wetlandsare perhaps nature’s most effective so-lution to natural disasters. Using thelatest modeling techniques, researchersstudied the impact of Hurricane Sandyin 2012, when New York and New Jer-sey were badly hit by storm surges.

Overall, Sandy caused an estimated$50 billion in flood damages but, ac-cording to the report, it could havebeen much worse. Storm surge causesmuch of the damage during a tropicalcyclone, but wetlands help absorb someof the wave energy and rising water. Itis estimated that coastal wetlands pre-vented as much as $625 million inproperty damage during the course ofthe storm.

The two-year project found Censustracts with wetlands experienced an av-erage 10 percent reduction in propertyloss. In Maryland, wetlands reducedproperty damage by an estimated 30percent. Delaware saw a 10 percent re-duction. New Jersey, among the areashardest hit by the storm, saw the high-est absolute savings with wetlands pre-venting almost $430 million in propertydamage overall.

Coastal wetlandsprevented as much as$625 million in propertydamage during HurricaneSandy, absorbingdestructive wave energyand rising waters.

Wetlands are critical not just for cat-astrophic hurricanes, but also for allthe likely storms in the region, accord-ing to researchers.

In Ocean County, New Jersey, an areahit especially hard by Sandy, the re-searchers took the study one step fur-ther, creating a set of 2,000 simulatedstorms based on historical weather

records from 1900 and 2011 to esti-mate annual savings attributable tosalt marshes. The models found a 20percent reduction in average annualcoastal property losses. This is a highlyvulnerable coastline, where rising sealevels and coastal development con-tinue to threaten the marshes thatform the first line of defense.

Wetlands, however, are not a perfectdefense and sometimes fail. Wetlandsmay block the flow of water, which in-creases flood levels and damage toproperties. It’s a negative effect alsoassociated with sea walls and other ar-tificial defenses. A wetland fail, how-ever, was typically caused whenmanmade modifications changed waterflow patterns.

There were also additional findingsfor coastal policy makers. Researchersfound that properties upstream fromwetlands benefited from reduced floodheights. Just being in proximity of awetland helps reduce damage. For ex-ample, some townships with few wet-

Continued…

Each month, the committee’s staff researches and prepares a number of “briefs” on several topics relevant to the committee’s mission.Very often these briefs include references to reports and further research on the topics so that readers may pursue issues on their own.Please note that the information and opinions expressed in the Research Brief articles do not necessarily represent the opinions or positionsof the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee, nor those of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

Page 4: A Monthly Update from the Joint Legislative Air and Water …jcc.legis.state.pa.us/resources/ftp/documents/Newsletters... · 2016-12-22 · that repair costs for such accidents are

I

Continued…

4 E N V I R O N M E N TA L S Y N O P S I S

lands within their borders benefitgreatly from wetland preservation inneighboring townships. Researchersfrom UC Santa Cruz collaborated withthe risk-modeling company Risk Man-agement Solutions, the Nature Conser-vancy, the Wildlife ConservationSociety and other institutions to ana-lyze the economic benefits of wetlands.

The 25-page report, Coastal Wetlandsand Flood Damage Reduction: UsingRisk Industry-based Models to AssessNatural Defenses in the NortheasternUSA, is available at:http://www.lloyds.com/~/media/files/lloyds/corporate%20responsibil-ity/ltrf/coastal_wetlands_and_flood_damage_reduction.pdf.

Electric CompetitionDriving Down Prices,Increasing ReliabilityColeen P. EngvallResearch Analyst

In 1996, the Electricity GenerationCustomer Choice and Competition Actbecame law, allowing Pennsylvaniansto choose from a catalogue of differentelectricity suppliers. Still in effecttoday, customers can shop through var-ious options, with information aboutprice, variability, bonuses and renew-able sourcing. This market-based ap-proach, coupled with the low cost ofnatural gas, has resulted in benefits toconsumers and the environment, ac-cording to a study by the KleinmanCenter for Energy Policy at the Univer-sity of Pennsylvania.

The study, A Case Study of ElectricityCompetition Results in Pennsylvania:Real Benefits and Important ChoicesAhead, was presented at a conferencein Hershey last month.

The researchers examined electricitygeneration and consumption in thestate since the utility company monop-

oly on generation was dissolved. Over-all, the competition has appeared toproduce positive effects for the state,as well as for consumers.

Researchers from theKleinman Center reviewedPennsylvania’scompetitive electricitymarket, finding lowerprices, increased gridcapacity andenvironmental benefits.

Before the Act was passed, Pennsylva-nia’s electricity prices were 15 percenthigher than the national average. Today,they are slightly below it. Specifically,the report notes that the commercialsector has experienced the bulk of thesavings from the new system, while res-idential consumers are actually payingslightly more. This may be due tohouseholds switching away from the de-fault provider towards a more expensiveoption such as renewably sourced poweror rewards programs.

The market-based system has allowedutility electricity generators to be re-

placed by new investments and newenergy mixes. This allowed natural gasto easily become a dominant resourcein the market following the shale gasboom here in Pennsylvania. Alongsidecheaper energy bills, this shift broughtcleaner air across the region. The re-port notes that carbon dioxide, nitro-gen oxides and sulfur dioxides alldecreased after the Act was passed.

The report concludes with severalpolicy recommendations aimed atbuilding on the successes of the cur-rent law to maintain healthy competi-tion, reduce pollution, cut costs andassure grid reliability.

The first set of recommendationsdeals with retail guidelines. The re-searchers begin by tasking legislatorswith pursuing a comprehensivestatewide strategy to modernize sup-plier operations, instead of simply re-acting to challenges as they arise. Theyalso emphasize the importance of gridreliability and security, with emphasison extreme weather events and cyberthreats.

The researchers note that the trans-portation sector increasingly uses elec-tricity with the recent growth offull-electric vehicles. Using the rightpolicies, this transition could benefitthe electricity sector. The final retailrecommendation encourages lawmakersto revisit the debate about defaultservice, with some seeing it as a hin-drance to promoting competition, andproponents defending it as a govern-ment-regulated choice for customers.

With respect to wholesale policy, theresearchers warn that regulations andsubsidies can impact the flexibility of amarket-based system. In terms of gridcapacity and reliability, the report ad-dresses several concerns, from seasonalchallenges to balancing state mandateswith marketplace efficiency. The “polarvortex” of 2014 revealed many chal-

Page 5: A Monthly Update from the Joint Legislative Air and Water …jcc.legis.state.pa.us/resources/ftp/documents/Newsletters... · 2016-12-22 · that repair costs for such accidents are

I

lenges related to energy dependence aswell as grid security.

Finally, the report calls on FERC andother policy makers to consider thechanging energy landscape, particularlyin regard to distributed energy re-sources. These resources are smallergenerators that can be incorporatedinto a smarter grid. Examples includerenewables and power storage solu-tions, which are both experiencing arevolution in technology and capacity.The report urges stakeholders and poli-cymakers to preempt and maximize theopportunities in this budding industry.

The full report is available at:http://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/paper/electricity-competition.

Implementation Costof PA Lyme DiseaseProgramsStephanie J. ApplegateIntern

In 2014, the Task Force on Lyme Dis-ease and Related Tick-Borne Diseaseswas established by Act 83 as a step to-ward eradicating Lyme disease in Penn-sylvania. This legislation came in thewake of increasing Lyme disease casesthroughout the Commonwealth.

In five of the past six years, Pennsyl-vania has experienced the highestnumber of confirmed Lyme diseasecases of any other state. Most commonin southeastern Pennsylvania, the dis-ease is transmitted to humans by aninfected black-legged tick, often foundin wooded areas or tall grass. If unde-tected or left untreated, symptoms ofLyme disease can include severeheadaches, rashes, heart palpitations,dizziness, shortness of breath, pain,numbness and short-term memory loss.

The task force completed its final re-port in 2015, which included 16 recom-mendations to the General Assembly.

As recommended in the final report, thePennsylvania Legislative Budget and Fi-nance Committee issued their own re-port analyzing the cost ofimplementing the task force’s recom-mendations.

The recommendations were groupedinto three categories: Prevention, Edu-cation and Awareness and Surveillance.Prevention recommendations included,for example:

• Implementing strategies to protectschools in high-risk areas from Lymedisease

• Creating an informational brochurefor physicians to distribute to pa-tients

• Developing strategies to decrease thespread of Lyme disease via blooddonors

Beyond these broad recommenda-tions, the task force elaborated on spe-cific strategies for implementation. Forexample, one way that the task forcesuggests schools could be protected isto train school nurses in tick removal,treatment protocols and recognizingthe signs and symptoms of Lyme dis-ease. The task force also proposes deermanagement, playground modificationsand personal protection to mitigate theimpact of Lyme disease near schools.

The cost of implementingLyme disease initiativesvaries greatly, with somestrategies costing morethan $100 million over afive-year period.

To better inform lawmakers, the LBFCreported their estimated cost for imple-menting each recommendation. For ex-ample, decreasing Lyme disease casesnear high risk school areas using any orall of the above strategies would costthe Commonwealth between $15,000

and $2.6 million, depending on whichpolicies the legislature chooses to pur-sue. For example, if purchasing devicesto manage the deer population is theroute that legislators choose, thencosts incurred to the Commonwealthwould be approximately $1,175,000over the course of five years.

Other notable highlights from theLBFC’s cost analysis report include:

• Launching educational campaigns forhealthcare providers: $7,500

• Developing a public database forLyme Disease surveillance: $200,000 - $225,000

• Conducting annual tests and encour-aging the development of new testsfor tick-borne diseases: $15,000 -$37,500

The goal is that legislators may usethe LBFC report as guidance to makefiscally responsible decisions regardingaction against the increasing amountof Lyme disease cases in Pennsylvania.For more information and to view theLBFC’s full report, visit:http://lbfc.legis.state.pa.us/Re-sources/Documents/Reports/565.pdf

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 5

Page 6: A Monthly Update from the Joint Legislative Air and Water …jcc.legis.state.pa.us/resources/ftp/documents/Newsletters... · 2016-12-22 · that repair costs for such accidents are

T

6 E N V I R O N M E N TA L S Y N O P S I S

Management ofHazardous MaterialsTransportationTony M. GuerrieriExecutive Director

The United States is producing moreoil than it has in 30 years, and extrac-tion companies are increasingly relyingon railroads to deliver these productsto refineries. North Dakota’s Bakken re-gion accounts for much of this growth,with more than half of its production –around 700,000 barrels per day – mov-ing out of the region on rail.

Recent rail accidents involving haz-ardous materials, however, such as crudeoil, have raised questions about localemergency responders’ ability to takeprotective actions against accidents. To-gether with the Federal Railroad Adminis-tration (FRA), the Pipeline and HazardousMaterials Safety Administration (PHMSA)is responsible for ensuring the safe trans-portation of hazardous materials by railthrough issuing and enforcing railroadand shipper safety regulations.

A report by the U.S. Government Ac-countability Office (GAO) reviewed ef-forts that enhance preparedness forhazardous materials rail accidents. TheGAO report, Hazardous Materials RailShipments, examines local emergencypreparedness plans and the actionsrailroads have taken to support pre-paredness at the local level.

The GAO reviewed laws and regula-tions and surveyed (1) emergency plan-ners representing 25 counties and 17

states with the highest volumes of haz-ardous materials rail shipments and (2)all seven Class 1 railroads and foursmaller railroads selected, because theyoperate in the counties where the GAOsurveyed local emergency planners.

Emergency planners from most of the25 counties that the GAO surveyed re-ported that training for responders andinformation about rail shipments ofhazardous materials affect prepared-ness. Emergency planners from almostall of the selected counties reportedthat a majority of the emergency re-sponse personnel, such as firefightersand other first responders, receivebasic training that would enable themto take initial protective actions, in-cluding recognizing hazardous materi-als and calling for assistance in theevent of a rail accident.

All seven major railroadsprovide safety trainingand information ontransporting hazardousmaterials, but the GAOrecommends betterinformation sharing.

Emergency planners from most countiesreported that training related to rail haz-ardous materials was useful in preparingfor accidents. Emergency planners re-ported that some factors present obsta-cles to responders’ receiving training,such as neglecting one’s professional du-ties to take time off for training. Emer-gency planners from most countiesreported that railroads in their jurisdic-tion have provided them with informa-tion about hazardous material shipmentsand that this information is useful inpreparing for potential accidents.

In total, approximately 570 freightrailroads operate in the U.S. All sevenof the largest railroads (Class 1), andsome of the four smaller railroads that

the GAO surveyed, reported providingtraining and information about haz-ardous materials to local emergency re-sponders and planners in recent years.Class 1 railroads reported trainingthrough a variety of means, includinglocally-delivered training exercises oroffsite at industry-recognized trainingcenters.

In addition, railroads reported provid-ing information about hazardous mate-rial shipments to state and localemergency planners, in part due to aU.S. Department of Transportationemergency order requiring notificationabout shipments of crude oil from theBakken shale region. It requires eachrailroad operating trains containingmore than 1 million gallons of Bakkencrude, or approximately 35 tank cars, toprovide the state emergency responsecommissions notification regarding theexpected movement of such trainsthrough the counties in that state.

The notification must include estimatedvolumes of crude oil being transported,frequencies of anticipated train traffic androute through which Bakken crude oil willbe transported. This information was in-tended to reach local emergency respon-ders so that they could better prepare forrail accidents involving oil.

The GAO report recommends that theU.S. Department of Transportation de-velop a process for regularly collectinginformation from state emergency plan-ning agencies about their distributionof railroad-provided hazardous materi-als shipping information to local emer-gency planning entities. According tothe report, the federal Department ofTransportation concurred with theGAO’s recommendation.

The U.S. Government AccountabilityOffice report, Hazardous Materials RailShipments: Emergency Responders Re-ceive Support, but DOT Could ImproveOversight of Information Sharing, isavailable at: http://www.gao.gov/as-sets/690/681123.pdf.

Page 7: A Monthly Update from the Joint Legislative Air and Water …jcc.legis.state.pa.us/resources/ftp/documents/Newsletters... · 2016-12-22 · that repair costs for such accidents are

T

M

D

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 7

This Month in Conservation HistoryExploring the evolution of environmental stewardship

Committee Chronicles A review of memorable committee events

This month, Stephanie Applegate will complete her fall semesterinternship with the Joint Legislative Conservation Committee.Stephanie is a senior at Dickinson College, where she is majoringin policy management with a minor in Spanish. She worked onseveral important projects during her time on the Committee, in-cluding the Legislative Forestry Task Force, monthly newsletter ar-ticles and an issue brief on food waste in Pennsylvania.

Stephanie is originally from Middletown, Dauphin County. AtDickinson, she is a member of several academic honor societiesand serves as chair of the Policy Studies Major Committee. Hersenior honors thesis aims to identify public policies that can helpalleviate homelessness in the Carlisle area. After graduation,Stephanie plans to attend graduate school for a master’s degree inpublic policy.

163 Years AgoMira Lloyd Dock, one of Pennsylvania’s conservationpioneers, was born in Harrisburg on December 25, 1853.Dock, who studied botany at the University of Michigan,was an early proponent of parks and urban beautificationprojects. Her civic efforts, during a time when womenwere not yet able to vote, led to the creation ofHarrisburg’s park system.

109 Years AgoDecember of 1907 became the most deadly month in U.S. coalmining history, following three large-scale disasters, two ofwhich occurred in Pennsylvania. Explosions and fires at theNaomi Mine in Fayette County, the Monongah Mine in Monon-gah, West Virginia, and the Darr Mine in Westmoreland Countyclaimed the lives of 636 miners. The accidents spurred new regu-lations aimed at improving mine safety.

Page 8: A Monthly Update from the Joint Legislative Air and Water …jcc.legis.state.pa.us/resources/ftp/documents/Newsletters... · 2016-12-22 · that repair costs for such accidents are

8 E N V I R O N M E N TA L S Y N O P S I S

The Chairman’s CornerContinued from page 1

producers in the country. Along with ahandful of other states like Oregon, Wis-consin and Michigan, Pennsylvania helpssupply the majority of our nation’sChristmas trees, mainly due to our favor-able growing conditions. Pennsylvania ishome to over 1,200 tree farms, whichharvest over a million trees per year, ac-cording to the Pennsylvania Departmentof Agriculture. The result is over $22 mil-lion in annual sales, making it one of themost stable industries in the state.

There is some debate about who isPennsylvania’s own Christmas tree cham-pion. Indiana County, for example, haslong boasted that they are consideredthe “Christmas Tree Capital of the World,”after the Associated Press awarded themthe title in the 1950s. But while IndianaCounty certainly puts up impressive num-bers – nearly $4.5 million in annual sales– a small farm in Carbon County has theirown claim to fame. Crystal Spring TreeFarm, located near Lehighton, has pro-duced five White House Christmas Trees,including this year’s impressive 19-footDouglas fir, along with several trees thathave adorned our State Capitol Buildingin Harrisburg.

Despite their economic impact, Christ-mas trees are more than just dollars andcents; they also benefit the environ-ment. Unlike their artificial counterparts,live Christmas trees clean air pollutants,give off oxygen, protect water suppliesand provide habitat for wildlife. They arealso a renewable resource, as farmerstypically plant up to three new seedlingsfor every tree harvested. Once the holi-days have passed, Christmas trees can berecycled or repurposed for a variety ofuses, such as mulch, erosion barriers oreven underwater fish habitat.

Should your family decide to purchasea real Christmas tree this season, it paysto research your purchase. Here are a few

tips for selecting the perfect pine fromthe National Christmas Tree Growers As-sociation:

• Measure your space – Use a measur-ing tape to accurately judge the heightand width of the space you need to fillin your home

• Learn about the different species ofChristmas trees – Douglas fir, Fraserfir and Balsam fir tend to be the mostpopular, but they all have differentcharacteristics

• Ask questions – Be sure to ask the re-tailer about which species of tree bestsuits your particular climate and deco-rating style

• Do a branch and needle test – Theneedles should not come off easily inyour hand and the branches should bepliable, otherwise the tree is likely toodry

For more information on the Christ-mas tree industry, or to find a Christ-mas tree retailer near you, visit theNational Christmas Tree Growers Associ-ation at www.realchristmastrees.org,or the Pennsylvania affiliate atwww.christmastrees.org. And to all ofour readers, have a safe and enjoyableholiday season!

JOINTLEGISLATIVE

CONSERVATIONCOMMITTEE

CONTACTINFORMATION

LOCATIONRoom 408

Finance BuildingHarrisburg, PA 17120

PHONE717-787-7570

WEBSITEjcc.legis.state.pa.us

MAILING ADDRESSJoint Legislative

Conservation CommitteePA House of Representatives

P.O. Box 202254Harrisburg, PA 17120-2254

Printed on Recycled Paper