pa environment digest jan. 12, 2015

8/10/2019 Pa Environment Digest Jan. 12, 2015

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

Winner 2009 PAEE Business Partner Of The Year Award

Harrisburg, Pa January 12, 2015

Analysis: The Public Has A Right To Meaningful Participation In Policy Making

The public has a ri ght to meaningful participa tion in permit reviews and policy making withinthe Department of Environmental Protection. It sounds simple, but its not.

Over the last two years DEPs 18-member Citizens Advisory Council has made a series

of recommendations for improving public participation in permit reviews, in the development oftechnical guidance and regulations and in the use of the agencys advisory committees.Some of those recomm endations were accepted by DEP and resulted in the creation of a

new tools like the Public Participation Center on DEPs website which brings together many ofthe agencys public participation opportunities in one place.

Some of the recommendat ions were not accept ed or their fate is unknown.The incoming Wolf Administration and the individual named by Gov.-Elect Wolf to be

Secretary of DEP will find a ready set of changes they can make to improve public participationwaiting on his or her desk by reviewing the work done by the Council.

Permit ReviewsIn July 2013 the CAC submitted recommendations to DEP for changes in its Policy On

Public Participation in the Permit Review Process covering nuts and bolts issues like file reviewrequests at DEP offices, adequate notice for public hearings and when permit applications have

been changed enough to put them out for review again.DEP did make a number of changes, including developing a new brochure to inform the

public how and when they can be part of the permit review process, but other Councilrecommendations were not adopted or Council did not receive feedback on the suggestions.They included---- Public Review of Changes In Permit: Allowing for an additional 10 days of public review ifnew information which substantially changes a permit application is added to a permit file byeither the applicant or DEP and allow the public the right to review that information under theDepartments file review procedures in time to comment;-- Define Significant Changes In A Permit Application: Add a definition for substantiallychanges, which was taken out of the revised policy, to give further guidance to DEP in makingits decision to add more public review time. A substantial change would include an increase of30 percent or more in the size of the facility or activity, a material change in the location of the

project, a change in the materials used in the project that would increase its environmentalimpact and a material increase in the environmental impact of the project, among other factors;-- Defining Role Of Informal Conferences: Further defining when informal conferences areused in the public participation process, clarifying who is allowed to attend and recommending a
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formal record of the conferences should be kept;-- Training DEP Staff: Recommends DEP provide staff with training on public participation

procedures.Technical Guidance & RegulationsFrom March through May 2013 the CAC reviewed the process for involving the public in

the development of technical guidance and regulations, taking the added step of extending aninvitation to the public and members of DEPs 22 active advisory committees asking for theirideas.

The final report included over a dozen recommendations for improving the process.Among those recommendations not adopted or responded to by DEP were---- Public Participation Plan: The Council recommends DEP develop a Public ParticipationPlan for significant regulation and guidance changes which includes early identification ofinterested and affect members of the public, identification of the specific public outreach tools itwill use to develop and solicit public comments on the change, i.e. informal or formalstakeholder groups, work groups, advisory committees, public meetings and hearings,appropriate supporting documents, white papers and presentations, both online and hardcopy,special webpages and a timeline for activities, including responding to comments and presentingthe final product.-- Policy Agenda/Policy Update: Presently DEP does not have a Technical Guidance Agendawhich lays out the policies the agency plans to develop in each program over the coming sixmonths, like the Regulatory Agenda does for regulatory development and there should be.-- eNOTICE: DEPs eNOTICE email notification service has not been updated in more than 10years and should be made much more user friendly. The current system notifies individuals whohave signed up for the service notice by email. At a minimum, the service should be changed toconsistently notify users of the opportunity to comment on all regulations and all technicalguidance changes and their final disposition.-- Staff Training/Evaluation Of Public Participation Efforts: An important part ofimplementing any public participation policy is to provide training to program staff on the toolsavailable to encourage public participation, the basic policies and principles behind the agencys

public participation program and the seriousness with which the agency believes in public participation and its value to the agency in improving the quality and effectiveness of theregulations and technical guidance it publishes. DEP should also periodically review theindividual application of its public participation tools to determine how effective they are inencouraging real public participation.-- Inappropriate Use Of Technical Guidance: The use of technical guidance which function asregulations was raised by the comments received by Council, specifically with respect toguidance documents issued by DEP creating exemptions from the full permitting process for

sources of air pollution. Although guidance documents frequently have a provision saying the policies and procedures outlined in guidance documents should not affect regulatoryrequirements, the Council agrees technical guidance should not be treated as regulations byagency staff. The Council advises the Department of this concern and asks for its response onthis issue.

Council prepared a Comment/Response document responding to all comments receivedas a result of the invitation for comments.

Use Of Advisory Committees
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Ffiles.dep.state.pa.us%2FPublicParticipation%2FCitizens%2520Advisory%2520Council%2FCACPortalFiles%2FPublicParticipationIssues%2FCACPublicParticipationInvitationCommentResponseFinal.pdf&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFUGsJG2sRDBJwqDhPxj_DOEoN-5Qhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ahs.dep.pa.gov%2FeNOTICEWeb%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEaWwkSY3KW61Q3dPIOdhgKQNYOrAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pabulletin.com%2Fsecure%2Fdata%2Fvol42%2F42-27%2F1280.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFpvmDyg43Al3HtpjHBZcx_OGzzGAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Ffiles.dep.state.pa.us%2FPublicParticipation%2FCitizens%2520Advisory%2520Council%2FCACPortalFiles%2FPublicParticipationIssues%2FCACRegPolicyPublicParticipationFinal.pdf&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFUpBVKwhKhGBhA6Eivsh-5lKdLpw


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From August to November 2014 the Citizens Advisory Council evaluated the existing1998 guidance outlining procedures for DEP interaction with and management of the agencys22 advisory committees.

Council surveyed each of the committees on issues like how effectively was DEP usingthe committee, did they get adequate time to review proposals given to them and asked for their

recommendations on improving the process. Eighteen of the 22 committees responded to thesurvey.

As a follow-up, Council invited the Chairs of each of the committees to a roundtablediscussion of these issues in October.

Overall, advisory committees reported a positive experience with DEP and thought theyhad made meaningful contributions to the development of guidance and regulations. It wasclear, however, that experiences differed between committees.

The result of this initiative was a report adopted in November outlining a series ofrecommendations on improving the management and interactions with advisory committees.

Those recommendations not adopted or responded to by DEP included---- Identifying Gaps And Redundancy: The responsibilities of existing Advisory Committeesshould be reviewed to identify gaps and redundancy both in the scope of their responsibilitiesand in the types of issues given to Committees for review. For example, the changes proposed toDEPs Oil and Gas Program enforcement policy was not reviewed by any Advisory Committee.-- Formal Review Of Regulatory Programs: DEP should establish a formal program toregularly review existing regulations, technical guidance and agency programs for effectivenessand efficiency and whether DEP has adequate resources to carry out its responsibilities andstatutory mandates.-- Establish And Share Best Practices: There are still some significant gaps to close in basicAdvisory Committee administrative procedures, such as getting Committee members meetingmaterials in enough time for a meaningful review and posting them on the Committee webpage,collaboratively setting Advisory Committee agendas and having higher-level DEP staff attendmeetings so members can have direct discussions with decision makers.-- Apply Advisory Guidelines To All Formal Advisory Groups: DEP has established formaladvisory groups like the Regional Roundtables and the Chesapeake Bay Management Team thatare not using the existing guidelines to provide notice of meetings and posting meeting materialsand they should.-- Establish A Technical Guidance Agenda: DEP should create a Technical Guidance Agenda,like the Regulatory Agenda, to give the public more information about which policies the agencyis looking to update or create (suggested a second time).

The public has the right to a meaningful opportunity to be involved in permit reviews and policy making at the Department of Environmental Protection. Meaningful public participation

can identify issues overlooked by the agency and help address real concerns in a community orindustry sector.Without the opportunity to participate and share real information, the public begins to

lose its faith in the ability of the agency to do its job of protecting public health and theenvironment.

Yes, in the end, DEP will make its decision based on the laws it operates under and thefacts as they see them and those decisions can be then be challenged at the EnvironmentalHearing Board and in state court if necessary.
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But, wouldnt it be better to have everything on the table before a decision is made?Thats what meaningful public participation is all about.

CBF Report: Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Improves, Fisheries Decline

The Chesapeake Bay Foundations biennial State of the Bay Report is a mix of good and badnews. The good news is that the overall pollution score improved, but that improvement wasoffset by declines in fisheries.

While we can celebrate water quality improvements, we must also acknowledge thatmany local rivers, streams, and the Chesapeake Bay are still polluted. They remain a systemdangerously out of balance, said CBF President William C. Baker. The Clean Water Blueprintis in place and working, but there are danger signs ahead. The states must pick up the pace ofreducing pollution, especially from farms and urban areas.

The 2014 State of the Bay Report is a comprehensive measure of the Bay's health. CBFscientists compile and examine the best available historical and up-to-date information for 13indicators in three categories: pollution, habitat, and fisheries.

CBF scientists assign each indicator an index score between 1 and 100. Taken together,these indicators offer an assessment of Bay health.

The 2014 report score is 32, a D+, unchanged from the 2012 score. The report notesimprovements in dissolved oxygen, water clarity, oysters, and underwater grasses. Nitrogen,toxics, shad, resource lands, forested buffers, and wetlands were unchanged. Declines were seenin scores for phosphorus, and rockfish, and blue crabs.

This years score is still far short of the goal of 70, which would represent a saved Bay.The unspoiled Bay ecosystem described by Captain John Smith in the 1600s, with its extensiveforests and wetlands, clear water, abundant fish and oysters, and lush growths of submergedvegetation serves as the benchmark, and would rate a 100 on CBF's scale.

We know that budgets are tight in all the major Chesapeake Bay states; however pollution has cost thousands of jobs and continues to put human health at risk, Baker said. Inaddition, our recent economic report found that investing in the Clean Water Blueprint willreturn significant economic benefits to the region. Once the Blueprint is fully implemented, theeconomic benefits throughout the region will increase by $22 billion annually.

The Clean Water Blueprint requires all of us in all the Bay states to ratchet down pollution to local creeks, rivers, and the Bay. State and local governments are responsible forachieving specific, measurable reductions.

The states are to have the programs in place by 2025 to restore water quality, with aninterim goal of 60 percent of those programs in place by 2017, just two years from now. If thestates fail, they may lose federal funding or be denied federal permits.

We have never before had this level of accountability and transparency in Bayrestoration efforts, Baker said. This is indeed THE moment in time for the Bay. Our childrenand grandchildren can inherit a restored Chesapeake Bay, but only if we continue the hard workand investments that will lead to success.

To meet their pollution-reduction goals, the Bay states are relying heavily on reducing pollution from agriculture. Unfortunately, while farmers are reducing pollution the region is noton track to meet its 2017 goals.

Pennsylvania
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbf.org%2Fhow-we-save-the-bay%2Fchesapeake-clean-water-blueprint%2Fwhat-is-the-chesapeake-clean-water-blueprint&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFT1auH3sH7n9Hvw70pOVivIupTLQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fcbf.org%2Fstateofthebay&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFRwm7bWYDAtxqsg2JQIsX2q7YI3Ahttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbf.org%2Fpa&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGSWPVAaMesqRihAJwZTyppW6zgVA


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The Commonwealth faces substantial shortfalls in reducing polluted runoff fromagriculture and urban areas. CBF-PA is working to:-- Ensure the Department of Environmental Protection, County Conservation Districts, and local

partners work to assure robust outreach and education, technical and financial assistance, andcompliance with state water quality laws and regulations by farmers and urban/suburban

communities in the Commonwealth.It is estimated that a substantial percentage of farms still are lacking required pollution

prevention and reduction plans and have long waits for assistance. In addition, recent audits bythe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have found substantial shortfalls by communitiesrequired to address polluted runoff.

Promote new efforts to accelerate the planting of forest buffers and other core pollutionreducing practices. In Pennsylvania forested stream buffers were established at a rate of six acres

per day from 2009 to 2013, but must increase to a rate of fifty acres per day through 2017 tomeet the goal the Commonwealth set.

Update Pennsylvanias Phosphorus Index to reduce over-application of phosphorus fertilizeron farm fields that can pollute streams and the Bay.

Convince the DEP to list the Lower Susquehanna River as impaired due to the continued problems facing the smallmouth bass population.

The State of the Bay Report is not only a reflection of the health of the Bay, but also oflocal rivers and streams, said CBFs Pennsylvania Executive Director Harry Campbell. Nearlyone quarter of our streams and rivers are listed as impaired, damaged by pollution. That isunacceptable and puts our health and safety at risk. Polluted runoff from agriculture andurban/suburban areas are significant contributors to that damage.

A copy of the report is available online .NewsClips:Update On Health Of Chesapeake Bay Report: PA Needs To Control Farm Runoff, Stormwater Report: Health Of Chesapeake Bay, Local Streams Remains Poor ShiverFest To Offer A Different Look At Lackawanna River Editorial: Gardens From Givers, The Mon Is Drinkable Lancaster Receives EPA Top Score For Pretreatment Program Covanta Chester Facility Saves 1.3M Gallons Of Water Per Day Scranton Sewer Authority Exploring Private Management PA Set To Lose Millions In Federal Farmland Funding Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal

Commonwealth Court Upholds Transfer Of Oil And Gas Funds

Commonwealth Court Wednesday issued an opinion in a lawsuit brought by the PAEnvironmental Defense Fund and other groups upholding the right of the General Assembly andthe Governor to transfer monies from DCNRs Oil and Gas Fund to the General Fund and tosupport DCNR State Park and State Forest operations.

The decision also upholds the provisions of the Fiscal Code bill passed in July directingDCNR to lease additional lands for drilling to bring in $95 million in additional state revenue forthe General Fund.
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Budget Secretary Charles Zogby already said in December he did not think the statewould see any of that revenue in FY 2014-15 leaving the question of additional drilling up toGov.-Elect Wolf.

John Childe, an attorney for PEDF told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, they will appeal theruling.

Patrick Henderson, the Governors Energy Executive, said the Administrations lawyersare still reviewing the opinion, but he called the decision a very resounding victory for theauthority of both the executive and the legislative branch, in a story by the Post-Gazette.

Were appreciative, pleased, but not surprised with the ruling simply because wevealways believed that this was a matter of policy choices and it was clearly permissible under boththe statute and the constitution, he said.

The concluding section of the Court ruling states: For the reasons set forth above, PEDFhas failed to meet its burden with respect to its constitutional challenges to Sections 1602-E and1603-E of the Fiscal Code. Summary relief will, therefore, be granted in favor of CommonwealthRespondents and against PEDF on those challenges.

PEDFs constitutional challenges to the 2008 Lease Sale, January 2010 Lease Sale, andthe Anadarko Lease Sale are dismissed due to lack of subject matter jurisdiction because of theabsence of indispensable parties.

As to PEDFs claim that the Lease Fund is a trust fund and its contents must thereforeonly be used to advance the purposes of the Environmental Rights Amendment, PEDFsapplication for summary relief will be denied and Commonwealth Respondentscross-application will be granted.

Finally, because we conclude that under the CNRA, DCNR has the exclusive statutoryauthority to determine whether to sell or lease the Commonwealths natural resources for oil andnatural gas extraction, Commonwealth Respondents application for summary relief, asking us tohold that the Governor may override DCNRs decisions under the CNRA, will be denied. As toall other claims subject to the parties cross-applications for summary relief, the applications will

be denied.Click Here for a copy of the opinion.

NewsClips:Court Rules Its OK Drilling Beneath Public Land Court Says DCNR, Not Governor Has Authority To OK Gas Leases Court Rejects Challenge To Shale Leases On Public Lands Court: Governor Not The Decider On Leasing Public Land A Blow To PA Conservationists On Public Land Drilling Will Wolf Ban Drilling On Public Lands? Editorial: Conserve With Drilling Funds

DCNR Investigating Drilling Companies Over Royalty Payments PA Set To Lose Millions In Federal Farmland Funding

StateImpact: DCNR Investigating Drilling Companies Over Royalty Payments

StateImpact reported Thursday the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources islooking into whether some Marcellus Shale gas companies are shortchanging the state on royaltymoney.
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fstateimpact.npr.org%2Fpennsylvania%2F2015%2F01%2F08%2Fdcnr-investigating-gas-companies-over-royalty-payments%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH80V3kH1qP6eBtj62_612yTIXlawhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pennlive.com%2Fmidstate%2Findex.ssf%2F2015%2F01%2Ffarm_package_2.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFU9ZpO9HB6LqVtVfBfNlezdlaZDwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fstateimpact.npr.org%2Fpennsylvania%2F2015%2F01%2F08%2Fdcnr-investigating-gas-companies-over-royalty-payments%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH80V3kH1qP6eBtj62_612yTIXlawhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fthetimes-tribune.com%2Fopinion%2Fconserve-with-drilling-funds-1.1814619&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHnREkDbO7juFiRrckmeUTrruo85whttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pennlive.com%2Fmidstate%2Findex.ssf%2F2015%2F01%2Fwill_gov-elect_tom_wolf_ban_dr.html%23incart_river&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHGXo8gHn-u0wah5nsKANL2-Hs98ghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fphiladelphia.cbslocal.com%2F2015%2F01%2F08%2Fa-blow-to-pa-conservationists-on-public-land-drilling%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEdnq9a5vxK4bAAvRjymd498ERQAQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fstateimpact.npr.org%2Fpennsylvania%2F2015%2F01%2F07%2Fcommonwealth-court-governor-not-the-decider-on-leasing-public-land%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFFJlmMAHWuGJ4DMhvhxhByH17YOwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pennlive.com%2Fmidstate%2Findex.ssf%2F2015%2F01%2Fpa_court_rejects_challenge_to.html%23incart_river&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEQ48d29gQQaEy7jbTw-I65HAJ2bghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpowersource.post-gazette.com%2Fpowersource%2Fpolicy-powersource%2F2015%2F01%2F07%2FCourt-Pennsylvania-DCNR-not-governor-has-authority-to-OK-natural-gas-leases-on-state-lands%2Fstories%2F201501070160&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHzXUFk05j5nv-_6gzmU3eI87dIuwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Ftriblive.com%2Fbusiness%2Fheadlines%2F7515575-74%2Fleases-state-agency&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNG-Gq38u-smVSviZnEnEsFqrA_QQwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pacourts.us%2Fassets%2Fopinions%2FCommonwealth%2Fout%2F228MD12_1-7-15.pdf%3Fcb%3D1&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEHx9WoCcifH0JZQAkysyK3-eRm-Qhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.paenvironmentdigest.com%2Fnewsletter%2Fdefault.asp%3FNewsletterArticleID%3D30637&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHmp8jE_rOGufaPeZvo9SXuLp8StA


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The agency manages gas drilling on public forest land and currently has 117 active leaseswith about 18 different companies.

Were looking at the accuracy of payments, says DCNRs Chief Counsel, RichardMorrison. Its an internal process. Its complicated and will take some time, but were

proactively and aggressively pursuing those. Click Here to read the full story.

NewsClips:DCNR Investigating Drilling Companies Over Royalty Payments Court Rules Its OK Drilling Beneath Public Land Court Says DCNR, Not Governor Has Authority To OK Gas Leases Court Rejects Challenge To Shale Leases On Public Lands Court: Governor Not The Decider On Leasing Public Land A Blow To PA Conservationists On Public Land Drilling Will Wolf Ban Drilling On Public Lands? Editorial: Conserve With Drilling Funds PA Set To Lose Millions In Federal Farmland Funding

Gov.-Elect Wolf Names First 4 Cabinet Appointments

Gov.-Elect Tom Wolf this week named his first four cabinet members: Eileen McNulty asActing Secretary for the Department of Revenue, his old post, Dennis Davin as Acting Secretaryfor the Department of Community and Economic Development, Pedro Cortes as his nominee forSecretary of State and Denise Smyler as General Counsel. All but Denise Smyler as GeneralCounsel will need to be confirmed by the Senate. Click Here for more information.

Add Us To Your Google+ Circle

PA Environment Digest now has a Google+ Circle called Green Works In PA. Just go to yourGoogle+ page and search for [email protected] , the email for the Digest EditorDavid Hess, and let us join your Circle.

Google+ now combines all the news you now get through the PA Environment Digest,Weekly, Blog, Twitter and Video sites into one resource.

Youll receive as-it-happens postings on Pennsylvania environmental news, daily NewsClips and links to the weekly Digest and videos.

Also take advantage of these related services from Crisci Associates --

PA Environment Digest Twitter Feed : On Twitter, sign up to receive instant updates from:

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PA Environment Daily Blog: provides daily environmental NewsClips and significant storiesand announcements on environmental topics in Pennsylvania of immediate value. Sign up andreceive as they are posted updates through your favorite RSS reader. You can also sign up for aonce daily email alerting you to new items posted on this blog. NEW! Add your constructivecomment to any blog posting.
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PA Capitol Digest Daily Blog to get updates every day on Pennsylvania State Government,including NewsClips, coverage of key press conferences and more. Sign up and receive as theyare posted updates through your favorite RSS reader. You can also sign up for a once dailyemail alerting you to new items posted on this blog.

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Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule(Updated)/Bills Introduced

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

Bill Calendars

House (January 20): Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (January 20): 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 Introduced

The following bills of interest were introduced this week--

Bill To Undo Court Decision On Local Regulation: Rep. Seth Grove (R-York) circulated aco-sponsor memo announcing the reintroduction of House Bill 2115 that would undo the PASupreme Court ruling of December 2013 allowing local governments to regulated activities likeoil and gas drilling.

Replacement Of Farmland Easements Due To Pipeline Construction: Rep. Curtis Thomas(D-Philadelphia) announced plans to reintroduce House Bill 2520 (Senate Bill 506

(Dinniman-D-Chester)) requiring pipeline companies to replace publicly funded agriculture andconservation easements they cross in the same counties and require operators to ensure their projects do not worsen stormwater runoff.

Session Schedule (Updated)

Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.legis.state.pa.us%2Fcfdocs%2FbillInfo%2FbillInfo.cfm%3FsYear%3D2013%26sInd%3D0%26body%3Ds%26type%3Db%26bn%3D506&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFSq9sFmWhloPopOUZbAE5HzvwygQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.legis.state.pa.us%2Fcfdocs%2FbillInfo%2FbillInfo.cfm%3FsYear%3D2013%26sInd%3D0%26body%3Dh%26type%3Db%26bn%3D2520&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFMQyZ5PGaC1Aal7On4U1ic5zLQ2Ahttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.legis.state.pa.us%2Fcfdocs%2FbillInfo%2FbillInfo.cfm%3FsYear%3D2013%26sInd%3D0%26body%3Dh%26type%3Db%26bn%3D2115&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNExybkTQNQqCRPEoFzjvRtyCt7F2Qhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.legis.state.pa.us%2FWU01%2FLI%2FCO%2FSM%2FCOSM.HTM&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGm2MqrSWvfq9tan4rDgY7fJhcc2Ahttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.legis.state.pa.us%2FWU01%2FLI%2FCO%2FHM%2FCOHM.HTM&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHN4VHsg-7-WbaLdRZFal9NTpr5vQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.legis.state.pa.us%2FWU01%2FLI%2FSC%2FSC%2F0%2FRC%2FCAL.HTM&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNENWoZbghsL-QNbPuf7XexFfCvTqQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.legis.state.pa.us%2FWU01%2FLI%2FSC%2FHC%2F0%2FRC%2FSCHC.HTM&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE9F2VxwWmFjFIYNSSBlw4h-xB5dghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twitter.com%2FPaCapitolDigest&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGWrE0J29KeaafDM7MJyMC8ers1CAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.crisciassociates.com%2Fcategory%2Fcapitol-blog%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEr34LqbrgLctLRRFIpQj8389er0Q


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Senate

January 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28February 2, 3, 4, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25March 2, 3, 4

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

House

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

News From The Capitol

Senate, House Leaders Open New Legislative Session

The Republican-held Legislature opened for business Tuesday with the newly sworn-in membersof the House and Senate voting as expected to unanimously elect Rep. Mike Turzai(R-Allegheny) as Speaker of the House and re-elect Sen. Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) as SenatePresident Pro Tempore.

Twenty-six new House members were sworn in Tuesday. The new class of thelawmakers is predominantly Republican, with only four of the new members being Democrats.The House GOP Caucus expanded its hold on the chamber in November to 119 seats, the largestmajority of any party in nearly 60 years.

Six new GOP Senators, half former House members, were sworn in: Senators RyanAument (R-Lancaster), former House member, Camera Bartolotta (R-Washington), MicheleBrooks (R-Mercer), former House member, Tom McGarrigle (R-Delaware), Mario Scavello(R-Monroe), former House member, and Pat Stefano (R-Fayette) and one new DemocraticSenator-- Arthur Haywood (D-Philadelphia).

Overall, the Senate GOP Caucus expanded its hold on the chamber by three votes, 30-20.The Senate and House also named Committee Chairs for the coming session, but not

Committee members yet. (See separate articles) SenateIn his remarks, Sen. Scarnati said, No doubt this budget is going to be just as

challenging as the past few, and well get through it. As we approach ways to balance the fiscalneeds of our Commonwealth, we must ensure that our schools have the tools they need to

provide outstanding educational opportunities and safe learning environments for children.Moving the state pension systems to be more in line with the private sector is one of the

most significant means we have to gain more revenue for needs like education. Senate Bill 1


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thats the pension reform bill is a top priority for this session, said Sen. Scarnati.Our policy of fiscal restraint and smart investments is showing clear dividends with the

release of employment figures for past months, Sen. Scarnati said. In January of 2011,Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was 8.2 percent. Four years later, Pennsylvaniasunemployment rate stands at 5.1 percent - the Commonwealth's lowest rate in more than six

years.Supporting innovative and emerging industries has clearly played a key role in reducing

unemployment rates. The Marcellus Shale Industry is one industry that has been a significant part of providing for greater economic growth throughout our state, Sen. Scarnati continued.

In the new legislative session we must continue to enact policies and pass legislationthat will improve the job market and focus on the principles that are fueling Pennsylvanias cleareconomic resurgence.

New Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-Centre) said, Were looking forward togrowing the economy. I think thats the most important thing we can do. To make Pennsylvania,all parts of the Commonwealthwhether suburban, urban, or ruralto be a place where theeconomy can thrive, where people want to create jobs, want to keep jobs, and hopefully bringing

jobs in to.Sen. Corman also said hed like to see some action on pension reform, expanding tax

incentives to improve economic development, and making government more efficient.HouseRep. David Reed (R-Indiana) became the youngest Majority Leader in the last 60 years

when he took the oath of office on Tuesday."As Majority Leader, I have spent the last month meeting with members, including our

freshmen, to seek their input as we plan our legislative calendar to help move Pennsylvaniaforward," Rep. Reed said. "I look forward to working with all my House colleagues and theSenate for this 199th Session of the General Assembly.

"It is a great honor to represent the people of the 62nd District," Rep. Reed added. "Somany important issues for people of our area, including the preservation of family-sustainingenergy jobs, addressing school property taxes and addressing our state's pension crisis, havegreat importance across the Commonwealth. I will continue to work to make sure IndianaCounty and Pennsylvania are great places to live and work."

Rep. Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny) returned to Harrisburg as the Minority Leader inthe House and in his remarks said he was not sure the General Assembly or Gov.-Elect Wolfever faced challenges like those now faced by Pennsylvania.

We want to, once again, make Pennsylvania an economic, educational andenvironmental leader in the nation, said Rep. Dermody. Pennsylvania must commit itself to

providing a quality basic education for every single child in the Commonwealth, no matter their

address, their background, or their family circumstance.It is why Pennsylvania must strengthen its higher education system to prepare our young people to realize their full potential and all our residents to reach for their greatest possibilities.

Pennsylvania must protect its workers, ensuring that all who provide a good day's workreceive a fair day's pay so they and their families don't just stay out of poverty, but participate inand strengthen our economy.

Pennsylvania must ensure that women who do the same work as men earn the samewage and the same opportunities to support and sustain their families.


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Pennsylvania must protect its natural resources and guarantee that as we develop thoseresources, which we all share, we do so in a way that benefits us all.

We must begin the difficult but necessary work of bringing our budget back into balanceso we can fix the problems we face and once again make the investments we need.NewsClips:

Lawmakers Forego Lame Duck Session Legislature Not Likely To Pass Bills Before Wolf Takes Office Sen. Scarnati Re-Elected President Pro Tempore Corman, Reed Anxious To Lead On Economic Issues Turzai Sworn In As House Speaker

House Announces Committee Chairs For New Session

House Speaker Rep. Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny County) Monday announced the appointments of both Republican and Democratic committee chairmen for the 2015-16 Legislative Session.

These House committees will tackle the serious issues facing Pennsylvania and, through public hearings and meetings, vet those issues and proposed solutions with the public, SpeakerTurzai said. These men and women of both caucuses will lead the way in preparing legislationfor the full House to consider.

Heres the list of Committee Chairs:Agriculture and Rural AffairsRepublican: Rep. Martin Causer (Cameron) - NEWDemocrat: Rep. John P. Sabatina (Philadelphia) - NEWConsumer AffairsRepublican: Rep. Robert Godshall (Montgomery)Democrat: Rep. Peter J. Daley (Washington)Environmental Resources and EnergyRepublican: Rep. John Maher (Allegheny) - NEWDemocrat: Rep. Greg Vitali (Delaware)Game and FisheriesRepublican: Rep. Keith Gillespie (York) - NEWDemocrat: Rep. Ted Harhai (Westmoreland) - NEWLocal GovernmentRepublican: Rep. Kate Harper (Montgomery)Democrat: Rep. Bob Freeman (Northampton)

A complete list is available online .

Democratic Chair Of House Environmental Committee Outlines His Priorities

Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) Tuesday outlined his priorities for the year as the Minority Chairof the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Rep. Vitali has served asMinority Chair of the Committee for the last two years.

"This appointment puts me in a position to be a strong voice for good environmental policy," Rep. Vitali said. "I thank Democratic leadership for their trust and I look forward toworking on environmental initiatives."
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwallaby.telicon.com%2FPA%2Flibrary%2F2015%2F2015010558.HTM&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHWtHJC_bKs0W4Dypc1wpVubOsGgQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwallaby.telicon.com%2FPA%2Flibrary%2F2015%2F2015010558.HTM&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHWtHJC_bKs0W4Dypc1wpVubOsGgQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Ftriblive.com%2Fstate%2Fpennsylvania%2F7511237-74%2Fsworn-saylor-justice&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGIitadjiAbGgUt3n3xaCXlLdO5RQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theplsreporter.com%2FHome%2FTabId%2F56%2FArtMID%2F472%2FArticleID%2F478%2FCorman-Reed-anxious-to-lead-on-economic-issues.aspx&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGhLg1D18roYXAQbh3pJ-cZmdj1MAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pennlive.com%2Fmidstate%2Findex.ssf%2F2015%2F01%2Fsen_joe_scarnati_re-elected_as.html%23incart_river&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEE4xVtOzHPRveXYSlgONLYilfEPghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yorkdispatch.com%2Fbreaking%2Fci_27273406%2Fpennsylvania-legislature-not-likely-pass-bills-before-wolf&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH-gQ7GAoXo--8smq26ZlFqm-IwbAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politicspa.com%2Flawmakers-forego-lame-duck-session%2F62762%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFUcNLpeYlmFZrqH5ZQvewn704pSw


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Rep. Vitali plans to introduce five bills to help protect the environment. The bills would: Require electric distribution companies, such as PECO and PPL, to buy more of their powerfrom wind, solar and other clean energy sources.

Require rents and royalties from oil and gas leases on commonwealth-owned land to be usedexclusively for conservation, recreation, dams or flood control projects.

Provide $25 million per year to the now-defunct PA Sunshine Solar Program. The solar program has provided rebates to homeowners and small businesses that install solar systems. Impose a moratorium on additional leasing of state lands for natural gas drilling, explorationor production.

Encourage electric and natural gas distribution utilities to implement energy efficiency andconservation plans.

Senate Republicans, Democrats Appoint Committee Chairs

Senate Republicans and Democrats Friday appointed the Chairs of each of the Senates standingcommitteesAgriculture & Rural AffairsRepublican: Sen. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver)Democrat: Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks)AppropriationsRepublican: Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh) - NEWDemocrat: Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia)Consumer Protection & Professional LicensureRepublican: Sen. Robert Tomlinson (R-Bucks)Democrat: Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh)Environmental Resources & EnergyRepublican: Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming)Democrat: Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne)Game & FisheriesRepublican: Sen. Mario Scavello (R-Monroe) - NEWDemocrat: Sen. James Brewster (D-Allegheny) - NEWLocal GovernmentRepublican: Sen. Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) - NEWDemocrat: Sen. Rob Teplitz (D-Dauphin)

A complete list is available online .

Majority Chair Yaw Outlines Priorities For Senate Environmental Committee

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) Friday announced he was reappointed by Senate President ProTempore Joseph Scarnati (R-Jefferson) to serve as Majority Chair of the Senate EnvironmentalResources and Energy Committee for the 2015-16 legislative session.

I am pleased to appoint Sen. Yaw to serve as Chairman of the Senate EnvironmentalResources and Energy Committee for the 2015-16 legislative session, Sen. Scarnati said. Sen.Yaw has provided great leadership for environmental and energy issues in the past, and I amconfident that he will continue to provide strong direction for the Committee over the next two
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fenvironmental.pasenategop.com&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFDvhcoqRNHMFz0vF64JECTvnxh5Qhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fenvironmental.pasenategop.com&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFDvhcoqRNHMFz0vF64JECTvnxh5Qhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpacapitoldigestcrisci.blogspot.com%2F2015%2F01%2Fsenate-republicans-appoint-committee.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNF-YJgqzOVz-Ehu0D0JuhWQg78fzQ


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years.It is an honor to again be appointed by Sen. Joe Scarnati to serve as chair of the

Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Sen. Yaw said. The Committee willcontinue working to address legislation, policies and issues dealing with Pennsylvanias naturalresources, including regulations, conservation, strategic reserves and standards; public lands and

their renewable resources; surface mining, coal, oil, and gas, and mineral leasing; air and waterresources.

During the 2013-14 legislative session, the Senate Committee examined severalimportant issues including: the questionable deduction of natural gas royalty payments byspecific gas companies, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys proposed clean energy

policy, and flood mitigation and stormwater management, to name a few.The Committee also reported out 30 pieces of legislation, 13 of which were signed by

Gov. Tom Corbett.Under Sen. Yaws direction, the Committee will again pursue legislative measures to

expand natural gas service for unserved and underserved areas of Pennsylvania, in addition toother important initiatives.

Improving the accessibility and availability of natural gas service throughout the statewill give more residents the opportunity to benefit from this low-cost fuel, Sen. Yaw added.

News From Around The State

DEP Citizens Advisory Council To Discuss Part 2 Of Its Transition Report Jan. 21

The DEP Citizens Advisory Council will meet January 21 to continue drafting its transitionreport to the incoming Wolf Administration and hear a presentation on the implementation ofAct 162 changing stream buffer requirements .

The Council adopted Part 1 of its Transition Report at it last meeting in Novembertouching on issues like agency leadership, intergenerational excellence and professionaldevelopment, management information technology systems, budgetary resources and trends,

public credibility and public involvement, rebuilding bipartisan support for environmental programs and multi-state regional cooperation.

Council will discuss Part 2 of the report considering issues like priority uses for revenuesfor a proposed natural gas severance tax, water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, waterresources management, climate change, abandoned mine reclamation, sewage management,Chesapeake Bay TMDL, water well construction standards legislation, federal/state relations andlegacy leadership and employee morale.

The agenda also includes a presentation on DCNRs Forestry Plant regulations.

DEP provided Council with a copy of its January report highlighting important activitiesin the agency featuring articles on---- TENORM Study: DEPs report on naturally occurring radiation in natural gas developmentoperations is now being peer reviewed and is expected to be released in January.-- Nutrient Credit Trading: The true-up period for the 2014 Water Year is completed under the

Nutrient Credit Trading Program . A total of 1,889,079 nitrogen and 109,791 phosphorus creditswere verified, of which 803,685 nitrogen and 85,079 phosphorus credits were registered,meaning they were sold to a wastewater treatment system for compliance purposes.
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2Fportal%2Fserver.pt%2Fcommunity%2Fnutrient_trading%2F21451&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGapC4O5j_zGmRxXeAs2cpxOCRm5Ahttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2Fportal%2Fserver.pt%2Fcommunity%2Foil___gas_related_topics%2F20349%2Fradiation_protection%2F986697&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFN9KFgZJvE7y0grKFfQrvO5HEWhAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Ffiles.dep.state.pa.us%2FPublicParticipation%2FCitizens%2520Advisory%2520Council%2FCACPortalFiles%2FMeetings%2F2015_01%2FFINAL_Jan%25202015%2520DEP%2520Report%2520to%2520CAC_01052015.pdf&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGeCVvsKBXwTBNNZe7aDH7ibC7V2Ahttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Ffiles.dep.state.pa.us%2FPublicParticipation%2FCitizens%2520Advisory%2520Council%2FCACPortalFiles%2FMeetings%2F2014_11%2FCAC_Transition_Report_2014_Part_1.pdf&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHui5_RE5Fbo38-aRqHjS8C1ZFy2Ahttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2Fportal%2Fserver.pt%2Fcommunity%2Fnpdes_construction_erosion_control%2F21657%2Fact_162%2F1950384&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFQ1-rg9fdFME9lwFKKbhygNCcK5ghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2Fportal%2Fserver.pt%2Fcommunity%2Fmeetings%2F21513&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEac6kLI_JvtAcSvq0SDGg15b34eQ


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Click Here for available handouts. For more information, visit the DEP CitizensAdvisory Council webpage.

Nominations Sought For Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards

Sponsors of the Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards are seeking nominations from people and organizations who are working to improve the community. Nominations are dueFebruary 18.

The PA Environmental Council will once again present up to five cash prizes of $5,000each to winning entries that demonstrate environmental impact and benefits in protecting theenvironment of the region.

Any group, individual, program, company, or organization located and working in any ofthe following 29 Western Pennsylvania counties may submit a nomination: Allegheny,Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield,Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence,McKean, Mercer, Somerset, Venango, Warren, Washington, and Westmoreland.

The awards process is open to individuals and organizations from every corner of thecommunity, including education, nonprofit organizations, businesses and all levels ofgovernment, among others.

Winners will be notified in March and honored at the Western PennsylvaniaEnvironmental Awards dinner in Pittsburgh on May 27 at the Westin Hotel and ConventionCenter in downtown Pittsburgh.

All nominations will be reviewed and evaluated by an independent panel of judges andaward program staff.

Click Here to download the Call for Nominations form, call 412-481-9400 for moreinformation or send an email to: [email protected] .

CBF-PA: Washington County Joins Clean Water Counts Initiative

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA Friday applauded the Washington County Commissionersfor adopting a Clean Water Counts resolution, calling on state officials to make clean water a top

priority for the Keystone State.Washington County joins nine other counties who have already taken this step to support

clean water: Berks, Cumberland, Fayette, Luzerne, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Westmoreland,Wyoming and York counties.

Healthy families, strong communities, and a thriving Pennsylvania economy depend onclean water, said Harry Campbell, CBFs Pennsylvania Executive Director. We applaud and

thank the Washington County Commissioners for publicly standing up for clean water in theKeystone State. Having such an important region of the Commonwealth voice their support forthis initiative is a testament to how important this issue is.

CBF embarked on the Clean Water Counts campaign in response to the PennsylvaniaDepartment of Environmental Protections most recent statewide surface waters assessment.

The results show that of the 86,000 miles of waterways flowing through theCommonwealth, nearly 20,000 miles are polluted. DEP also reported that the top pollutionsources are agricultural and urban/suburban runoff, and abandoned mine drainage.
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fcbf.org%2FPAForCleanWater&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHiU6mU8PhrzaxJxQ2lLcbLuvIhdghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbf.org%2Fpa&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGSWPVAaMesqRihAJwZTyppW6zgVAmailto:[email protected]://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpecpa.org%2Fevent%2Fwpea%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGhsTI7Nn2AhQoUU7AsCsek4YBW8Qhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpecpa.org%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFiRuHPFFVf-VCYxD-bxBSteKfujQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpecpa.org%2Fevent%2Fwpea%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGhsTI7Nn2AhQoUU7AsCsek4YBW8Qhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2Fportal%2Fserver.pt%2Fcommunity%2Fmeetings%2F21513&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEac6kLI_JvtAcSvq0SDGg15b34eQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2Fportal%2Fserver.pt%2Fcommunity%2Fmeetings%2F21513&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEac6kLI_JvtAcSvq0SDGg15b34eQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2Fportal%2Fserver.pt%2Fcommunity%2Fmeetings%2F21513&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEac6kLI_JvtAcSvq0SDGg15b34eQ


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More than 1400 miles of waterways flow through Washington County, but unfortunatelymore than 700 of those miles are polluted. Overall, urban and suburban runoff is the greatestsource in the county, polluting nearly 200 miles.

Other pollution sources in the County include agriculture, which accounts for 171 milesof polluted waterways, abandoned mine drainage, which pollutes 178 miles, and other pollution

sources impair 155 miles of local creeks and streams.Through public education and engagement, CBF is hoping to increase awareness of water

pollution issues, like those in Washington County and elsewhere in the Keystone State.The goal is to urge state officials to make clean water a priority and commit the needed

funding and programs to ensure that the waters that we rely on for drinking and household uses,recreation, and to grow our food, all meet clean water standards.

In addition to calling on local officials to pass resolutions, CBF is asking residents toshow their support by signing the Clean Water Counts online petition. It takes only a fewminutes, but signatures will go a long way toward demonstrating the importance of clean waterto our elected officials.

To learn more, visit CBFs Clean Water Counts webpage.NewsClips:Update On Health Of Chesapeake Bay Report: PA Needs To Control Farm Runoff, Stormwater Report: Health Of Chesapeake Bay, Local Streams Remains Poor ShiverFest To Offer A Different Look At Lackawanna River Editorial: Gardens From Givers, The Mon Is Drinkable Lancaster Receives EPA Top Score For Pretreatment Program Covanta Chester Facility Saves 1.3M Gallons Of Water Per Day Scranton Sewer Authority Exploring Private Management PA Set To Lose Millions In Federal Farmland Funding Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal

8 Municipal MS4, TMDL Permit Training Workshops Set For Coming Months

The Department of Environmental Protection invites municipal managers, other public officialsand engineers to attend free training sessions designed to help local governments comply withwater pollution control requirements associated with municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4).

The training sessions will be held across the state this winter. The first four sessions will provide information on the basics of MS4 permit compliance.

The second four sessions will emphasize additional MS4 requirements which apply to

MS4 permittees with Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Chesapeake Bay PollutantReduction Plan obligations.The workshop schedule follows--MS4 Permit Compliance Sessions:

February 10 Best Western, Central Hotel and Conference Center, 800 East Park Drive,Harrisburg;

February 12 The Woodlands Inn, 1073 Highway 315, Wilkes-Barre; February 18 Holiday Inn, Morgantown/PA Turnpike, 6170 Morgantown Road,
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.depweb.state.pa.us%2Fportal%2Fserver.pt%2Fcommunity%2Fmunicipal_stormwater%2F21380&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEQ2-YWzZF9SwhysvbjDkYg04nAyAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bayjournal.com%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH6Px9j09ljaRg857-DuR91nljFvghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pennlive.com%2Fmidstate%2Findex.ssf%2F2015%2F01%2Ffarm_package_2.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFU9ZpO9HB6LqVtVfBfNlezdlaZDwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fthetimes-tribune.com%2Fnews%2Fscranton-sewer-authority-exploring-private-management-1.1812601&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNF1Ug01rBm6rQaox1xoRUhI0ArPgAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wateronline.com%2Fdoc%2Fpennsylvania-power-plant-drinking-water-ges-advanced-water-reuse-technology-0001&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGgodNOBSP5OGASvwOdsaa2dK60EQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Flancasteronline.com%2Fbusiness%2Flocal_business%2Fepa-again-awards-top-score-to-lasa-program%2Farticle_1da182b6-95f5-11e4-8466-9b390bce04a2.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH-dz7ag2UmSF1Nsc_Ve23Uw547gQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.post-gazette.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2F2015%2F01%2F04%2FAsides-Gardens-from-givers-Garfield-is-open-the-Mon-is-drinkable%2Fstories%2F201501040073&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGy2St9EgeVS_g94wPsGaQ8Qvl8qwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fthetimes-tribune.com%2Fnews%2Fshiverfest-to-offer-a-different-look-at-lackawanna-river-1.1812518&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE1B5gxc05VSgNiC0mFtey3oQkHZwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.publicopiniononline.com%2Flocal%2Fci_27276107%2Freport-health-chesapeake-local-streams-remains-poor&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNG8IP-Cl-rbEbnj83fZhOBJchzxIAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Flancasteronline.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Freport-pennsylvania-needs-to-step-up-farm-runoff-stormwater-controls%2Farticle_fcc615d6-96a6-11e4-a9fe-bf49ec82aba1.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGoTVZF-_KpOSkKxLw5lAjwayjVBwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.publicnewsservice.org%2F2015-01-06%2Fenvironment%2Fupdate-on-health-of-chesapeake-bay-fragile%2Fa43814-1&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH0Cn-1JAw3y4nHOLIEESHZ_F-3Nghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fcbf.org%2FPAForCleanWater&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHiU6mU8PhrzaxJxQ2lLcbLuvIhdg


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Morgantown; and February 25 Pittsburgh Marriott North, 100 Cranberry Woods Drive, Cranberry Township.

TMDL Plan / Chesapeake Bay Pollutant Reduction Plan Sessions: March 17 Holiday Inn Lansdale, 1750 Sumneytown Pike, Kulpsville; March 19 Inn at Leola Village, 38 Deborah Drive, Leola;

March 25 The Woodlands Inn, 1073 Highway 315, Wilkes-Barre; and April 1 Pittsburgh Marriott North, 100 Cranberry Woods Drive, Cranberry Township.

Sign in for each training session will begin at 8:30 a.m. Training will begin at 9:00 a.m.and conclude by 3:30 p.m. Lunch is included in this free training.

These sessions are being conducted with logistical support from Century Engineering,Inc. The deadline for registration is two weeks prior to the date of the session.

Space is limited, so registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.Pre-registration is required.

Attendees are strongly encouraged to review their Individual or General NPDES MS4 permit, and to view DEPs MS4 webinars before attending any of these sessions. The webinarsare available on DEPs website .

To register, contact Joyce Rivers at Century Engineering, Inc., at 717-901-7055 or bysending email to: [email protected] .NewsClips:Update On Health Of Chesapeake Bay Report: PA Needs To Control Farm Runoff, Stormwater Report: Health Of Chesapeake Bay, Local Streams Remains Poor ShiverFest To Offer A Different Look At Lackawanna River Editorial: Gardens From Givers, The Mon Is Drinkable Lancaster Receives EPA Top Score For Pretreatment Program Covanta Chester Facility Saves 1.3M Gallons Of Water Per Day Scranton Sewer Authority Exploring Private Management PA Set To Lose Millions In Federal Farmland Funding Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal

January Chesapeake Bay Currents Newsletter Available Now

The January issue of Chesapeake Bay Currents is now available from the EPA Chesapeake BayProgram featuring articles on---- 10 Steps To A Healthy Chesapeake Bay -- CBF Reports Minimal Changes In Overall Health Of Bay -- Chesapeake Executive Council Names Virginia Gov. McAuliffe Next Chair

-- Fostering Stewardship Through Forest Restoration -- Photo Essay: Foresters Explore Life Of A Waterman -- Click Here to sign up for your own copy.

Registration Now Open For 2015 Schuylkill Watershed Congress On March 14

The 2015 Schuylkill Watershed Congress will be held on March 14 at the Montgomery CountyCommunity College in Pottstown .
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mc3.edu%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHJpdgRRqYNp5CQx5jhl3pO60vsqwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mc3.edu%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHJpdgRRqYNp5CQx5jhl3pO60vsqwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.delawareriverkeeper.org%2Fabout%2Fevent.aspx%3FId%3D63&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHUnTX2ql3yM-fmJGSkWJWkzTVCAghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chesapeakebay.net%2Fnews%2Fnewsletters%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHZSiNb11RduR-Ct0uh3nKvo2Ox7whttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chesapeakebay.net%2Fblog%2Fpost%2Fphoto_essay_visiting_smith_island&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHpHSWiCx7xavYvkNNkHWfI5sw8mwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chesapeakebay.net%2Fblog%2Fpost%2Frestoration_spotlight_fostering_environmental_stewardship_through_forest_re&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGoDF-u-U0CgPs1QZvqNj-H1Fy3Kghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chesapeakebay.net%2Fblog%2Fpost%2Fchesapeake_executive_council_names_virginias_governor_mcauliffe_as_next_cha&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHnjXi3r1TAZ64JoGXA8tuFeu08YAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chesapeakebay.net%2Fblog%2Fpost%2Fchesapeake_bay_foundation_reports_minimal_changes_in_overall_bay_health&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEMb4Lg8onVIVmEqKzNcXMz7SOZ5ghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chesapeakebay.net%2Fblog%2Fpost%2Fletter_from_leadership_ten_steps_to_a_healthy_chesapeake_bay&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE6br7DTeFXaFCiKnPdN5bqf6HXGQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chesapeakebay.net%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEIqGtlFupEBply_FDYdfFlQTQJmghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chesapeakebay.net%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEIqGtlFupEBply_FDYdfFlQTQJmghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fus6.campaign-archive1.com%2F%3Fu%3Df8c6c5815e1e73e0561b6f0f6%26id%3Dd709141d7a%26e%3D4d1b0594be&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHL4e1p_N3VhR_9T_0LvSiZAYgxjwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bayjournal.com%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH6Px9j09ljaRg857-DuR91nljFvghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pennlive.com%2Fmidstate%2Findex.ssf%2F2015%2F01%2Ffarm_package_2.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFU9ZpO9HB6LqVtVfBfNlezdlaZDwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fthetimes-tribune.com%2Fnews%2Fscranton-sewer-authority-exploring-private-management-1.1812601&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNF1Ug01rBm6rQaox1xoRUhI0ArPgAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wateronline.com%2Fdoc%2Fpennsylvania-power-plant-drinking-water-ges-advanced-water-reuse-technology-0001&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGgodNOBSP5OGASvwOdsaa2dK60EQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Flancasteronline.com%2Fbusiness%2Flocal_business%2Fepa-again-awards-top-score-to-lasa-program%2Farticle_1da182b6-95f5-11e4-8466-9b390bce04a2.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH-dz7ag2UmSF1Nsc_Ve23Uw547gQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.post-gazette.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2F2015%2F01%2F04%2FAsides-Gardens-from-givers-Garfield-is-open-the-Mon-is-drinkable%2Fstories%2F201501040073&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGy2St9EgeVS_g94wPsGaQ8Qvl8qwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fthetimes-tribune.com%2Fnews%2Fshiverfest-to-offer-a-different-look-at-lackawanna-river-1.1812518&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE1B5gxc05VSgNiC0mFtey3oQkHZwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.publicopiniononline.com%2Flocal%2Fci_27276107%2Freport-health-chesapeake-local-streams-remains-poor&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNG8IP-Cl-rbEbnj83fZhOBJchzxIAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Flancasteronline.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Freport-pennsylvania-needs-to-step-up-farm-runoff-stormwater-controls%2Farticle_fcc615d6-96a6-11e4-a9fe-bf49ec82aba1.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGoTVZF-_KpOSkKxLw5lAjwayjVBwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.publicnewsservice.org%2F2015-01-06%2Fenvironment%2Fupdate-on-health-of-chesapeake-bay-fragile%2Fa43814-1&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH0Cn-1JAw3y4nHOLIEESHZ_F-3Ngmailto:[email protected]://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.depweb.state.pa.us%2FMS4&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNECaTKCmJyjsAQKFQv22kzN3V4e9g


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The Watershed Congress has evolved since 1998 years to advance the best availableinformation and techniques for protecting and restoring watersheds. The focus on networkingacross disciplines means that the Watershed Congress melds science, policy and practicalapplications into one program.

As a result, the annual Watershed Congress is a highly anticipated event for people

interested in understanding, protecting and restoring their local streams. The 2015 program willoffer an empowering keynote, information packed breakout sessions, one-on-one posterdiscussions and more.

Click Here for more information on the Congress program. Click Here to register.

Penn State Extension January 5 Watershed Winds Newsletter Now Available

The January 5 Watershed Winds newsletter is now available from Penn State Extension featuringarticles on---- Applications Being Accepted For Next Master Well Owner Course -- Looking For A Place To Recycle Your Christmas Tree? -- Urban Stream Contamination Increasing Rapidly Due To Road Salt -- Invasive Species Can Dramatically Alter Landscapes, Study Shows -- Chesapeake Bay Region Streams Are Warming -- Click Here to sign up for your own copy.

Brodhead Watershed Assn Jan. 11 Where In The Watershed Walk

Walk Into The Wintry Woods with Brodhead Watershed Association and Pocono HeritageLand Trust members on January 11 on Game Lands #38 near Camelback, hikers will explore theheadwaters area of Pocono Creek known as Deep Lake and Wolf Swamp in Monroe County.

Join local naturalists Don Miller and Bill Sweeney for this mid-winter natural historyexploration of this biologically and geologically interesting corner of the 3,900 + areaGamelands #38.

This area is an excellent example of our distant Pocono glacial history with its glaciergouged wetlands, kettle lakes and small boulder fields as visual reminders of its glacial past.

Depression filled wetlands, cold groundwater springs/seeps and Pocono Creek watershedrunoff fills the Deep Lake and Wolf Swamp depressions which then send their waters into thewild trout headwaters of Sand Spring Run and Wolf Swamp Run.

The walk will be on level to moderate terrain utilizing existing limited access gamelandsroads, old logging roads in the vicinity of the former Wilkes-Barre and Eastern rail line.

Participants should meet in a small Gamelands parking area on the right side of the State

Park access road beyond Camelback Ski area and just before the road makes a sharp left turn to begin the final ascent to Big Pocono State Park.Participants should be prepared for and be comfortable being outdoors for an extended

period of time in cold weather. This walk will be held rain snow or shine. Pre-registrationsuggested in case really bad winter weather forces a cancellation.

A $5.00 per person hike donation, $3.00 per BWA/PHLT members and children under 12free, is collected at the start of the hike for BWA and PHLT.

Please contact PHLT Monday to Friday 8:30 to 4:30 at 570-424-1514 to register and
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.phlt.org%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHelFvwEKvtEoXQo97xSKPox7OOhAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.phlt.org%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHelFvwEKvtEoXQo97xSKPox7OOhAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brodheadwatershed.org%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGfpN5P_7tRpgNslyGvhZ0ISvwAmAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fextension.psu.edu%2Fnatural-resources%2Fwater%2Fnews%2Fsubscribe&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGH_KACadvgA46Y9Wmd9llGVUcctwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usgs.gov%2Fnewsroom%2Farticle.asp%3FID%3D4070%23.VKrSJ4rF-Q5&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFPK2OAWpMdFcgaT3TBYGFV-xYdFghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencedaily.com%2Freleases%2F2014%2F12%2F141211115522.htm&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHSY2Aoj5QJNbBV4AgtuoRXxDatbAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usgs.gov%2Fnewsroom%2Farticle.asp%3FID%3D4076%23.VKrSSYrF-Q4&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHxNZxZizNIckhMgqukMlgCvtKf3Ahttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.earth911.com%2F%3Fwhat%3DChristmas%2BTrees%26where%3DPA%26list_filter%3Dall%26max_distance%3D100%26family_id%3D%26latitude%3D%26longitude%3D%26country%3D%26province%3D%26city%3D&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGCQ7deL0oQiiiGAF-gyAx1CGWK_Qhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fextension.psu.edu%2Fnatural-resources%2Fwater%2Fnews%2F2015%2Fapplications-being-accepted-for-next-penn-state-master-well-owner-course&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEsskwRTZbOrMkE6cDNNiJT-0C5wAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fextension.psu.edu%2Fnatural-resources%2Fwater%2Fnews%3Futm_campaign%3DWatershed%2BWinds%2BNewsletter%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dnewsletter%26utm_content%3Dnewsletter_view_online&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHe3ucpwTsAPnDQsX_8i4moXu4aDAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fdelawareriverkeeper2.givezooks.com%2Fevents%2F2015-watershed-congress-along-the-schuylkill-river&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEuClLafM_7xshj8n9hKFf-jdz45ghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.delawareriverkeeper.org%2FPdf%2F2015WC_ProgramDetail_Final.pdf&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFkcZrUcM8o1H1rqKQgtCFslh_Niw


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PHLT at 570-424-1514 or BWA at 570-839-1120 for additional hike information.

Covanta Chester Energy-From-Waste Facility Saves 1.3M Gallons Of Water Per Day

Covantas Delaware Valley energy-from-waste facility in Chester, Delaware County has saved

1.3 million gallons a day from local water supplies by installing GEs advanced RePAK waterreuse technology in the power plants cooling tower.

GE honored Covanta with the Return on Environment award to recognize the companyfor its noteworthy reductions in water usage.

The Chester facility generates up to 90 megawatts of clean energy from 3,510 tons perday of municipal solid waste. Previously, the plant used 1.3 MGDor nearly 5 million liters adayof municipal drinking water in its waste conversion process, costing the companythousands of dollars in daily water purchases.

To reduce facility operating expenses and the consumption of local water resources,Covanta Delaware Valley upgraded the facility by installing GEs RePAK combinationultrafiltration and reverse osmosis system as a tertiary treatment package.

The new system enabled the plant to reuse 1.3 MGD of treated discharge water from anearby municipal wastewater treatment plant for the facilitys cooling tower.

GE installed two RePAK-450 trains, each producing 450 gallons per minute of purifiedwater. As a result, Covanta Delaware Valley has eliminated the need to purchase 1.3 MGD oflocal drinking water a day, which results in a substantial financial savings in addition to theextremely favorable environmental benefits.

By installing GEs water treatment technology, we are able to reuse the nearbywastewater treatment plants wastewater effluent that otherwise would have been directlydischarged, enabling us to save over a million gallons per day in drinking water for localresidents rather than using it for industrial purposes. Not only are we reducing the stress on localdrinking supplies, but also the environmental impacts of the wastewater treatment plant and theuse of potable water by our facility, said Tim Gregan, facility manager, Covanta DelawareValley.

GEs RePAK equipment was delivered in 2014, with commissioning taking place thesame year, making Covanta Delaware Valley the first North American company to deploy GEsRePAK technology.

The ROE award is a prestigious award honoring a significant environmental (water,energy, resource) accomplishment. During the ROE three-tier selection process, GE examinedset goals as well as the achieved environmental, operational and financial benefits, ultimatelyrecognizing Covanta and its water savings for significantly surpassing and improvingenvironmental and industrial operational goals while balancing industrial demands.

This project highlights the significant economic and environmental benefits that NorthAmerican industrial companies can achieve when they decide to make an investment in waterreuse technologies, said Yuvbir Singh, general manager, engineered systemswater and

process technologies for GE Power & Water.Covanta chose a combined treatment technology approach because the typical organic

and dissolved mineral content of the wastewater requires additional treatment to be suitable foruse as cooling tower makeup. RO was selected as the technology of choice, and UF was requiredas the pretreatment solution.
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.covanta.com%2Ffacilities%2Ffacility-by-location%2Fdelaware-valley.aspx&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHrZUpux0bA7wOYuPfmH3LtecQXyw


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NewsClips: Covanta Chester Facility Saves 1.3M Gallons Of Water Per Day Covanta Names Former Air Products Exec Its New CEO Waste Coal Plants Poor Fit In Carbon Emission Rules

Susquehanna River Basin Commission Hearing On Water Withdrawal Requests Jan. 29

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission will hold a hearing on proposed water withdrawalrequests in Room 8E-B East Wing, Capitol Building, Harrisburg starting at 2:30. ( formal notice ) For more information, visit SRBCs Public Participation Center webpage.

Annual Future City School Competition In Harrisburg Jan. 24

Experts predict that by the year 2030 nearly all of the worlds population growth will beconcentrated in urban areas. At the same time, the Earths arable land may no longer besufficient to produce enough food for the planets growing population.

With access to fresh, affordable and healthy food among our most pressing globalconcerns, middle schoolers participating in this years annual Future City Competition have been

presented with an exceptionally timely challenge for 2014-15: Feeding Future Cities.Since returning to school earlier this fall, student teams from Central Pennsylvania have

been hard at work on their Future City projects, developing new solutions for sustainablefarming in and around cities.

As they prepare for the regional finals set for January 24 at the Pennsylvania StateMuseum , they join more than 40,000 middle school students from 1,350 schools in 37 regionsaround the country, all of whom are engaged in similar regional competitions.

Participating schools include: Camp Curtin Academy, Cornerstone Homeschoolers,Donegal Junior High, Eagle View Middle School, Elizabethtown Area Middle School, GoodHope Middle School, JET, Linglestown Middle School, Lower Dauphin Middle School,Marshall Math and Science Academy, Mechanicsburg Middle School, Middletown Area MiddleSchool, St. Joseph's Homeschool Coop, Steelton-Highspire Jr. High Science Club, WarwickMiddle School, West York Area Middle School, and York Country Day School.

First-place winners from each qualifying regional competition receive a trip to the FutureCity Competition National Finals in Washington, D.C., February 15-18 during Engineers Week.

Future City has received national attention and acclaim for its role in encouraging middleschoolers nationwide to develop their interest in science, technology, engineering and math(STEM). The annual challenge is one of the nations leading engineering education programsand among the most popular.

This years theme encourages students to explore todays urban agriculture, fromaeroponic systems for rooftop farms to recycled gray water to the sustainability-drivenfarm-to-table movement, and develop a futuristic solution to growing crops within the confinesof their city.

Working in a team with an educator and engineer mentor, students are challenged todesign a virtual city using SimCity software. They research todays urban farms and write anessay describing their solution to feeding their citizens.

Students then bring their ideas to life by building a table top scale model of their city
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fstatemuseumpa.org%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEvjCotTah0NUFtCSo9BtZ5QQpheQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fstatemuseumpa.org%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEvjCotTah0NUFtCSo9BtZ5QQpheQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurecity.org&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGYcrJJV6Kl_v-b4ystY2iqpuAGzghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.srbc.net%2Fpubinfo%2Fpublicparticipation.htm&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGgbz-Vb-mjGUz_Wa9xPyamkrapqAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pabulletin.com%2Fsecure%2Fdata%2Fvol45%2F45-2%2F83.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHxsnJAXlERZeEjDPB5JOzoz5fjJAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.srbc.net%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGxP1n2EFw46w5PEX9XYdi4n6n7AQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpowersource.post-gazette.com%2Fpowersource%2Fpolicy-powersource%2F2015%2F01%2F06%2FWaste-coal-plants-a-poor-fit-with-carbon-emission-rules%2Fstories%2F201501060014&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNElHS7XbhNTq69XysQdO_IY_Ksd4Qhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mcall.com%2Fbusiness%2Fmc-covanta-air-products-jones-20150105-story.html%23navtype%3Doutfit&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH7f5bIsRmIsZxXjSDNKbsrBgexvQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wateronline.com%2Fdoc%2Fpennsylvania-power-plant-drinking-water-ges-advanced-water-reuse-technology-0001&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGgodNOBSP5OGASvwOdsaa2dK60EQ


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using recycled materials on a budget of $100 or less and write a brief narrative promoting theircity.

For more information on judging or mentoring, visit the Future City Competition website.

Enroll Now For Wildlands Conservancy Student Camps, Other Programs

The Wildlands Conservancy in the Lehigh Valley offers a variety of programs for students of allages as well as adults. Register before May 1 and receive a 10 percent discount on summercamp registration. Click Here for a schedule of upcoming events.

Op-Ed: The Latest Act 54 Deep Mining Impact Report, Its Past Time To Rewrite The Law

By John Walliser, PA Environmental Council

At the very tail end of 2014, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) released thefourth in an ongoing series of reports detailing the effects of surface subsidence related tounderground coal mining in Pennsylvania. The PA Environment Digest has an excellentsnapshot of the reports detailed findings.

The report underscores a bigger issue: the longstanding need to rewrite the law governingunderground coal extraction (commonly referred to as Act 54) in our state. Althoughgreenhouse gas emissions have dominated recent discussion, there are other environmental andsocietal impacts that need to be reexamined with respect to coalimpacts that are not beingeffectively addressed by current law.

A case in point from the recent report: 40 percent of the streams undermined byunderground coal mining (39 of 96 total miles) suffered flow loss or pooling, resulting in adverseimpacts on aquatic life, water chemistry, and ecological function. Eight of the 55 streamsegments identified as being affected in the prior (2003-2008) report have yet to recover from theimpacts of mining. With forthcoming public review and comment, those numbers may prove tounderestimate actual impacts given other information.

Nearly half of the streams undermined by underground coal mining suffered flow loss or pooling, resulting in adverse impacts on aquatic life, water chemistry, and ecological function.

Failure to prevent or restore damages to aquatic resources is a recurring issue in the seriesof Department reports on subsidence impacts. This failure runs counter to the clear directive ofClean Streams Law, the Environmental Rights Amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution,and how Pennsylvania courts have defined degradation of surface waters as a nuisance.

Impacts to surface waters are but one of many issues at play. Water supplies, residencesand businesses, public infrastructure, and state park lands have also been adversely affected.

While in the majority of instances repair or restitution has been made, it points to a greatdeficiency in how the state has been able to manage the challenges associated with undergroundcoal mining.

In shortAct 54 as currently written and enforced clearly isnt enough. The recentDepartment report is yet another reminder that more needs to be done, and that starts with thelaw itself.

This isnt being said in ignorance of the legal realities associated with regulation of coalextractionparticularly given the unique nature of property law in Pennsylvania. We are the
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.paenvironmentdigest.com%2Fnewsletter%2Fdefault.asp%3FNewsletterArticleID%3D30853&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGEFV7xGeenJED_y_bsDuSZqwAR5whttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2Fportal%2Fserver.pt%2Fcommunity%2Fact_54%2F20876&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH8ujidD3FZ1QW77KgRh02NKaBvJAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpecpa.org%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFiRuHPFFVf-VCYxD-bxBSteKfujQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wildlandspa.org%2Fupcoming-events%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEp62IAwn3FBoWU3LMziopSKVk4Ighttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wildlandspa.org%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHkRyKqMkdG-_Mna9H9pF488oSfiwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurecity.org&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGYcrJJV6Kl_v-b4ystY2iqpuAGzg


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only state in the nation that recognizes separate ownership of three different estates in property: the mineral estate (e.g. the coal itself); the surface estate; and what is known as thesupport estateessentially the obligation to protect the integrity of the surface.

In many instances, the company that owns the mineral estate also owns the support estate,meaning they have an implied legal right to reasonably impact the surface to access the

minerals reserves underground. Thus, the law must balance the rights of were in fact arecompeting landowners.

And without question, coal extraction and

pa environment digest jan. 12, 2015

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