PA Environment Digest

An Update On Environmental Issues In PA

Edited By: David E. Hess, Crisci Associates
Winner 2009 PAEE Business Partner Of The Year Award Harrisburg, Pa September 5, 2011

Yet Another Poll Finds 65 Percent Support Marcellus Drilling Tax/Fee A new poll by Franklin & Marshall College released Wednesday found 65 percent of adults in Pennsylvania support a tax/fee on Marcellus Shale natural gas drillers. 72 percent of those surveyed opposed more natural gas drilling in state-owned forests. Other poll results--- 72 percent believe proceeds from a drilling tax should be shared by both the state and local communities where drilling takes place; -- 35 percent feel natural gas drilling has improved PA quality of life; -- 39 percent believe benefits of drilling outweigh environmental damage; -- 35 percent say potential damage from drilling outweighs economic benefits; -- 53 percent of Pennsylvanians believe the state is headed in the wrong direction; and -- 32 percent approve of Gov. Corbett's performance, up 1 percent from March. This poll is just the most recent showing overwhelming and historic support by Pennsylvania voters and the public for a natural gas severance tax or fee. NewsClips: Poll: 65 Percent Of Pennsylvanians Favor Tax On Gas Drillers PA Residents Like Gas Industry, Worry About Environment GOP Legislature Must Tackle Marcellus Shale, Transportation Poll: Pennsylvanians Approve Of Drilling, But Want It Taxed Growing Greener Coalition: Heed The Public, Enact A Marcellus Drilling Tax/Fee The Renew Growing Greener Coalition Thursday issued the following statement from Executive Director Andrew Heath in response to a newly released poll by Franklin and Marshall showing that the majority of Pennsylvanians support taxing companies that extract and sell natural gas, but do not support additional drilling in state forests: "This poll clearly shows that that the public strongly supports making Marcellus Shale drillers pay for the local and statewide impacts of drilling, and strongly opposes additional drilling in state forests. The poll also seems to indicate that the majority of Pennsylvanians reject suggestions by the industry and its lobbyists and believe that the impact of drilling will be felt statewide.

"The Renew Growing Greener Coalition urges lawmakers to listen to their constituents and impose a severance tax or impact fee on the natural gas industry this fall that not only cares for our shared communities, but also cares for our shared environment. "The Coalition continues to call on the Governor and Legislature to enact an impact fee with a significant portion of the revenues allocated to restoring funding for Growing Greener to address the statewide conservation, recreation and environmental impacts of drilling." Growing Greener is a bipartisan program established in 1999 under Gov. Tom Ridge and later expanded by Governors Schweiker and Rendell. Since its establishment, Growing Greener has created a legacy of success, preserving more than 33,700 acres of Pennsylvania's family farmland, conserving more than 42,300 acres of threatened open space, adding 26,000 acres to state parks and forests, and restoring over 16,000 acres of abandoned mine lands. Moreover, Growing Greener has contributed and leveraged billions of dollars to the Pennsylvania economy by helping to boost tourism, create jobs and generate revenue. Yet despite the program's accomplishments, funding for Growing Greener projects and grants fell from an average of approximately $150 million per year for the last six years to $27.3 million in the Governor's proposed budget. This is an 82 percent cut at a critical time when the natural gas drilling boom poses significant threats statewide to our water, air and environment. To date, more than 225 organizations and groups have announced their support for renewing Growing Greener. In addition, at least 85 Pennsylvania municipalities and 22 counties, representing more than 5 million Pennsylvanians, have passed resolutions urging the Governor and Legislature to renew Growing Greener funding. The Renew Growing Greener Coalition is the Commonwealth's largest coalition of conservation, recreation and environmental organizations representing over 300 organizations and government entities. Analysis: Is 8 Years Long Enough To Wait To Update PA's Drilling Law? Since the first Marcellus Shale natural gas well was drilled in Pennsylvania in 2003, eight years ago, over 7,200 Marcellus Shale well permits have been issued, hundreds of miles of pipelines lain and billions of gallons of water used for fracking. But Pennsylvania's Oil and Gas Act remains essentially the same, regulating these hightech wells like they were the shallow wells Col. Drake drilled in Titusville in 1859. The only substantive change made so far to the 27-year old law requires semi-annual reporting of Marcellus Shale gas production. A separate bill has updated another law coordinating gas wells and coal mining. But that's it. Yes, the Department of Environmental Protection has updated well construction standards, hired more staff for inspections and generally has gone about as far as they can under existing legal authority, but that's the point. The Governor's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission report in July was not the first to conclude Pennsylvania needs to update its bonding requirements, offer better protection for streams and rivers through setbacks, expand liability for polluting rural water wells, increase penalties for violations and establish a better process for regulating thousands of miles of natural gas pipelines. There are 30 or so recommendations in the Commission report that need to implemented by legislation.

Many of those recommendations have already been included in dozens of bills introduced in the House and Senate to update the Oil and Gas Act, but they've gone nowhere in eight years. One important piece of this debate-- a severance tax or drilling fee to provide communities impacted by drilling with support and funding for threadbare state environmental restoration programs-- has gone nowhere, in spite of overwhelming and historic support by voters in Pennsylvania. It has been three years since the first severance tax on natural gas production was proposed by Gov. Rendell. Last year the Senate, House and Gov. Rendell put a promise in law to enact a Marcellus Shale production tax by the end of 2010, but it went nowhere. While the House has passed one proposal, the Senate took only its first step in the process by moving a bill out of Committee in June. We've also had other proposals to support communities and programs like Growing Greener with fees and royalties from Marcellus Shale development. They include proposals for leasing other state lands besides State Forests, using what will be $300 million in annual royalties from existing State Forest leasing more effectively and taxing natural gas mineral holdings like other property for the benefit of local governments and school districts. But, they've gone nowhere. The Senate and House Environmental Committees were busy holding hearings on Marcellus Shale issues over the last two years, but other than hearings involving the new Secretaries of DEP and DCNR, neither committee has held any hearings this year, or during their summer break, on Marcellus Shale issues. Part of the reason for the delay was a request by Gov. Corbett for the General Assembly to take no action on Marcellus-related bills until his Advisory Commission report was completed. That happened July 22. Gov. Corbett has not yet said which recommendations in the Commission report he supports. When faced with significant environmental issues in the past, the Governor and General Assembly have provided the leadership needed to solve these kinds of problems. In 1999, faced with federal Clean Water Act and nutrient and sediment reduction mandates to cleanup the Chesapeake Bay, Gov. Tom Ridge proposed the award-winning Growing Greener Program in his February budget address. After lots of difficult work, the General Assembly passed and Gov. Ridge signed the initial $645 million program into law in December and by mid-January the first projects were already funded. It remains the largest single investment in restoring and preserving the environment ever made by the Commonwealth. Yes it was a different time, money wasn't as tight, but the key difference was leadership. Leadership from the Governor and members of the Senate and House to make it happen. And not coincidentally, in 1999, the Senate, House and Governor were all in Republican hands like today. There is lots of talk these days about government setting priorities and returning to core missions. What's more basic than protecting our water, our air and our land? In fact, it's a right guaranteed uniquely by Pennsylvania's Constitution in Article I, Section 27.

Is eight years too long to wait for changes to a 27-year old law to regulate an activity that is fundamentally changing Pennsylvania's economy, environment and landscape? Yes. What we need is leadership. The Senate returns to voting session September 19 and the House on September 26. Let's get busy. Did You Know You Can Search 7 Years Of Digests On Any Topic? Did you know you can search 7 years of back issues of the PA Environment Digest on dozens of topics, by county and on any key word you choose. Just click on the search page. Also take advantage of these related services from Crisci Associates-Twitter Instant Updates: On Twitter, sign up to receive instant updates from : PAEnviroDigest. PA Environment Daily: provides daily environmental NewsClips and significant stories and announcements on environmental topics in Pennsylvania of immediate value. Sign up and receive as they are posted updates through your favorite RSS reader. You can also sign up for a once daily email alerting you to new items posted on this blog. PA Environment Digest Video Blog: showcases original and published videos from environmental groups and agencies around the state. Sign up to receive as they are posted updates through your favorite RSS read. You can also sign up for a once daily email alerting you to new items posted on this blog. PA Capitol Digest Blog to get updates every day on Pennsylvania State Government, including newsclips, coverage of key press conferences and more. Sign up and receive as they are posted updates through your favorite RSS reader. You can also sign up for a once daily email alerting you to new items posted on this blog. Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Bills Introduced Here are the Senate and House Calendars and Committee meetings showing bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced-Session Schedule Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House-Senate September 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 October 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 31 November 1, 14, 15, 16 December 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14

House September 26, 27, 28 October 3, 4, 5, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 31 November 1, 2, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 December 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14 Bill Calendars House (September 26): Senate Bill 303 (MJ White-R-Venango) providing for the disposition of fines under the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act; Senate Bill 304 (MJ White-R-Venango) requiring the posting of the state air quality implementation plan on the Internet; House Resolution 70 (Harhart-R-Lehigh) requesting the Department of Transportation to study the potential use of quarry and other mining waste in highway and civil engineering projects. <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar. Senate (September 19): <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar. Committees House: <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule. Senate: <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule. Other: the Joint Conservation Committee holds a Legislative Forestry Task Force Meeting in State College. Bills Introduced The following bills of interest were introduced this week-Fracking Fluid Disclosure: Senate Bill 1226 (Stack-D-Philadelphia) providing for the disclosure of fracking fluid contents. Septic System Permit Exemption: Senate Bill 1234 (Solobay-D-Washington) eliminating the requirement for a septic system permits on lots of 100 acres or more.

News From The Capitol

Lyme Disease Education Topic Of House Committee Hearing Rep. Dick Hess (R-Bedford) presented testimony to the House Human Services Committee Tuesday on his legislation designed to promote better treatment of and education about Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.

Lyme disease is a very serious and debilitating ailment, and many Pennsylvanians suffer from this and other tick-borne illnesses, said Rep. Hess. My legislation would bring muchneeded help to them in the form of better treatments that would be covered by health insurers, and establish an educational information campaign to raise awareness of these diseases. House Bill 272 would require health insurers to cover treatment of Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses if the diagnosis and a treatment plan are documented. In addition, a task force would be created to work with the Game Commission, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Department of Health to create a statewide education effort on Lyme disease and related maladies. Rep. Hess said the number of cases of Lyme disease in Pennsylvania is very large and a comprehensive effort is needed to help those who suffer from it. The Commonwealth ranks number one in the nation in the amount of Lyme disease cases. There are no current laws that mandate specific health insurance coverage of these diseases. There is solid bipartisan support for this bill and I am hopeful that the committee will soon vote to send it to the House floor for a full and fair debate, said Rep. Hess. The testimony provided in the public hearing by victims and support groups was very powerful, and I hope that their information helps move this much-needed legislation forward. The time has come to do the right thing for victims of Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses. Similar legislation was passed by the committee in the previous session, but did not get to the House floor.

News From Around The State

DEP Lifts Drought Declarations For 40 Counties, 4 Changed To Drought Watch Based on Pennsylvania Drought Task Force recommendations, the Department of Environmental Protection Friday lifted drought watch declarations for 40 counties and reclassified four counties to drought watch status. Recent rainfall, particularly in the last week, has returned stream flows, groundwater levels and soil moisture levels to normal in the eastern and several southern portions of the state, DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. Conditions have begun to improve, but rainfall deficits still exist in the northwest and north-central regions. For now, we will keep those drought watch declarations in place. The 40 counties for which the drought watch was lifted are Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bradford, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Centre, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Forest, Fulton, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lycoming, Mercer, Mifflin, Montgomery, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango, Warren and Wyoming. The counties changed from drought warning to drought watch are Cameron, Elk, McKean and Potter. Drought watches and warnings were issued Aug. 5 because of below-normal rainfall that resulted in low stream-flow conditions, decreased groundwater levels and precipitation deficits of up to four inches. The Pennsylvania Drought Task Force used reports and forecasts from the

National Weather Service in conjunction with DEPs drought monitoring program to form the recommendation. A drought watch declaration, the first and least severe level of the states three drought classifications, calls for a voluntary five-percent reduction in non-essential water use. A drought warning is the second level of the drought classification and asks residents to voluntarily reduce water use by 10-15 percent. A drought emergency is declared through proclamation by the governor, bans non-essential use and requires public water suppliers to implement contingency plans. For more information on water conservation tips and drought information, visit DEP's Drought webpage. NewsClip: In Case You Didn't Guess, Drought Is Over Lancaster County Clean Water Consortium Announces Workshops Series The Lancaster County Clean Water Consortium has announced a series of four workshops on a variety of issues, including: stormwater management and permitting, best management practices and infrastructure, sustainable stormwater infrastructure funding and the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council Conference. Local officials, staff, engineers, landscape architects, developers, building and many others involved in land development and environmental protection would find these workshops very useful. The schedule of workshops through the end of 2011 includes: -- September 20: Implementation of MS4 Stormwater Permits Throughout the County; -- October 18: Stormwater BMPs and Infrastructure; -- November 8: Sustainable Stormwater Financing; and -- December 2: Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council Conference. The workshops will be held at the Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster. For more information, visit the Lancaster County Clean Water Consortium website.

Spotlight
Conewago Creek Conservation Initiative Preliminary Survey Results The Conewago Creek Conservation Initiative is Pennsylvanias Discovery Watershed, a place to target resources and test approaches to improve water quality. This article discusses using surveys as a tool to initially describe the context for conservation efforts, then assess the effectiveness of these efforts and describe preliminary results from the initial survey. Watershed management projects often use education as a means to encourage individual land owners to use best management practices. A critical component is understanding the landowners existing knowledge and landscape behaviors to appropriately target educational efforts.

A survey of watershed residents is one way to gain the information needed. For example, survey results can identify the main barrier to the use of a rain garden among suburban landowners as information about where to get one and how to use it. Educational efforts can then focus on this audiences need for this type of information. Surveys at the beginning and end of educational efforts can provide information to assess the effectiveness of those efforts. Earlier this year, residents in the Conewago Creek watershed received surveys asking about their management practices and perceptions of water quality in Conewago Creek, Susquehanna River, and Chesapeake Bay. The results of this survey are being analyzed and will be used by the Conewago Conservation Initiatives Project Advisory Team to develop partnerships and educational efforts to improve water quality in the Watershed. The goals of the survey were to: Understand context of the CCIs efforts; Describe landowners in the watershed and their current attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, knowledge; Describe current conservation activities in watershed; Identify opportunities for education and intervention; Identify appropriate methods of intervention, and by whom; and Develop baseline data for future assessment and evaluation. The survey was mailed to a list of 190 farmers and 1500 randomly sampled non-farm landowners in the watershed between February and May of 2011. A total of 93 responses were received from farmers and 563 responses were received from non-farm landowners. After removing the bad addresses from the mailing list, this results in a 51 percent response rate from farmers and 40 percent from non-farmers. Below are preliminary results from the survey, focused on water quality. Water quality is described as worse in the Chesapeake Bay and Susquehanna River than the Conewago Creek. Farmers are split on their views on water quality in the Conewago Creek; non-farmers generally see the water quality in the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay as worse than farmers see it. -- Conewago Creek: 34 percent of farmers and 28 percent of non-farmers rated water quality in Conewago Creek as poor/fair; 44 percent of farmers and 35 percent of non-farmers rated it as good/excellent. -- Susquehanna River: 47 percent of farmers and 52 percent of non-farmers rated water quality in the Susquehanna River as poor/fair; 26 percent of farmers and 16 percent of non-farmers rated it as good/excellent. -- Chesapeake Bay: 41 percent of farmers and 46 percent of non-farmers rated water quality in the Chesapeake Bay as poor/fair; 19 percent farmers and 13 percent of non-farmers rated it as good/excellent. Concern about water quality in these places was relatively high, and equal across all groups and water bodies. About 80 percent of farmers and non-farmers described their level of concern as somewhat or very concerned for the Conewago Creek, Susquehanna River, and Chesapeake Bay. The majority of respondents report equally little knowledge of water quality in each of the three water bodies. Farmers generally report slightly more knowledge than non-farmers. -- Conewago Creek: 42 percent of farmers and 34 percent of non-farmers described themselves as somewhat or very knowledgeable about water quality in Conewago Creek.

-- Susquehanna River: 44 percent of farmers and 36 percent of non-farmers described themselves as somewhat or very knowledgeable about water quality in the Susquehanna River. -- Chesapeake Bay: 39 percent of farmers and 32 percent of non-farmers described themselves as somewhat or knowledgeable about water quality in Chesapeake Bay. Respondents were also asked to describe water quality in Conewago Creek related to specific activities. Farmers generally saw water quality as less of a problem than non-farmers across all activities. The primary concerns of both groups were related to fishing. -- For eating fish caught in the Creek: 39 percent of farmers and 28 percent of non-farmers report water quality as good/excellent; -- For fish habitat: 38 percent of farmers and 32 percent of non-farmers report water quality as good/excellent; -- For swimming or wading: 46 percent of farmers and 38 percent of non-farmers report water quality as good/excellent; -- For canoeing, kayaking, or other boating: 48 percent of farmers and 46 percent of non-farmers report water quality as good/excellent; -- For scenic beauty: 74 percent of farmers and 60 percent of non-farmers report water quality as good/excellent; -- For wildlife habitat: 70 percent of farmers and 54 percent of non-farmers report water quality as good/excellent. Complete reports will be made available on the Conewago Creek Conservation Initiative website later this fall. For more information, visit the Conewago Creek Conservation Initiative website. (Written by: Kathryn J. Brasier, Associate Professor of Rural Sociology, Department of Agricultural Economics & Rural Sociology, Penn State University and reprinted from the Penn State Cooperative Extension Watershed Winds Newsletter.) York Watershed Weekend Set For September 24-25 The Watershed Alliance of York is hosting the 9th Annual Watershed Weekend Doing Our Part to Help the Chesapeake Bay! The purpose of the Watershed Weekend is to increase public awareness about the importance of local watersheds to community health, sustainable economies, and the quality of life we all know and enjoy. You will get to know your watersheds and meet the folks and organizations who are working hard to enhance, restore and protect them. Watershed Weekend is September 24 and 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., daily. The public is invited and encouraged to participate in one or more of the 14 exciting conservation, educational and stewardship venues located in the Conewago, Codorus, Kreutz, and Muddy Creek watersheds, in the Lower Susquehanna River Basin, of York County, Pennsylvania. Most venues are outdoors and there are many hands-on activities to choose from. Watershed Weekend is educational and fun for the whole family! A complete listing of 2011Watershed Weekend venues may be found online. You can view, print and download a copy of our free, self-guided tour brochure and individual venue descriptions, location maps and other information. We hope you join us!

Fall Walks In The Wissahickon Set For September With FOW Trail Ambassadors The Friends of the Wissahickon will sponsor a series of Fall walks in Montgomery County hosted by FOW Trail Ambassadors during September. Click Here for the schedule. PA Attorney General Joins Great Lakes Colleagues On Invasive Species Response Attorney General Linda Kelly has joined with the Attorneys General from five other Great Lakes states in an effort to expand a coalition to fight aquatic invasive species like Asian carp and Zebra mussels. Kelly said the Great Lakes attorneys general are reaching out to colleagues in 27 other states that are affected by aquatic invasive species, asking that they join together in a coordinated effort to develop a permanent ecological separation between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River Basin. The Great Lakes campaign includes Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, along with Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly. "Invasive species are not just a concern for communities surrounding the Great Lakes, but are a potential hazard to numerous other waterways in states all across the country," Kelly said. "It is vital that we work together to craft a coordinated, comprehensive response to this growing ecological and economic threat." According to the Great Lakes attorneys general, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a list in July 2011 of 40 aquatic invasive species with the highest risk of traveling between the lakes and the Mississippi basin. Thirty of those species are considered a high-risk to the Mississippi River and ten, including Asian carp, are high-risk to the Great Lakes Basin. The Great Lakes attorneys general are reaching out to 27 states that have already been affected by invasive species first introduced to the United States via the Great Lakes. The current connection between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River Basin through the Chicago Area Waterway System has allowed harmful invasive species like the Zebra and Quagga mussels to spread, causing significant economic and ecological harm to states on both sides. Affected states include those with territory on waterways along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, as well as those as far west as Nevada, who have seen these same alien species then brought into their waters, most likely on boats that picked them up in the Mississippi Basin. The coalition of attorneys general will urge Congress to require federal officials to move aggressively for a permanent ecological separation to address the urgency of the threats posed by biological invasions in both directions. For more information, visit the Attorney General's website. SRBC: 13 Water Withdrawals Remain On Hold To Protect Susquehanna Streams The Susquehanna River Basin Commission Tuesday announced that 13 separate water withdrawals approved by SRBC in 6 Pennsylvania counties remain temporarily suspended due to localized lower stream flow levels.

Of the 13 withdrawals still suspended, 11 are related to water for natural gas projects. The suspended withdrawals are part of SRBCs passby flow requirement to protect aquatic resources and downstream water users. When streams drop below pre-determined protective flow levels, project sponsors who are required to meet SRBCs passby requirement must stop taking water. They cannot resume taking water until streams have recovered above the protected level for at least 48 hours. SRBC and its regulated project sponsors monitor real-time stream flow data generated by stream gages maintained and operated by the U.S. Geological Survey. Regulated project sponsors also are required to install tamper-proof water meters that automatically record their water withdrawals on a daily basis. SRBC requires that information be reported quarterly, in addition to continuous spot-inspections conducted by SRBC field staff working out of the field office in Sayre, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. A list of water withdrawals on hold is available online. DEP Approves Increase For Cumberland Landfill Previously Approved For Drill Cuttings The Department of Environmental Protection Friday issued a permit to Community Refuse Services Inc. for an increase in average and maximum daily volume at its Cumberland County Landfill in Hopewell and North Newton townships. Residents expressed concerns about acceptance of Marcellus Shale drill-cutting waste, and DEP concluded that the application was not related to the landfills acceptance of drill cuttings. The landfill does not accept liquid waste or frac fluids, and a permit modification was previously issued to accept drill cuttings. The companys application, submitted to DEP in March 2010, proposed a 1,000-ton increase in the average daily volume from 1,500 tons to 2,500 tons per day, and an increase in the maximum daily volume of 1,950 tons to 2,950 tons daily. Public meetings, municipal meetings and a public hearing were conducted as part of the application review process. Staff also approved the companys harms/benefit analysis or environmental assessment. Prior to approving this permit, DEP conducted thorough assessments and examinations of the landfill site, the haul route and citizen safety, DEP South-central Regional Director Rachel Diamond said. We have concluded that the proposed mitigation measures will adequately protect the environment and the publics health and safety. One of the main concerns voiced during the review process involved the safety of the Amish community and students attending an Amish school along the haul route. The Amish community uses horse-drawn buggies, carts and scooters for travel, which would be shared with the truck traffic. Community Refuse Services established a transportation compliance plan, which includes a requirement of one-minute spacing between transfer trailers traveling to and from the landfill on the haul route. DEP verified that the compliance plan would adequately address the traffic issue. Included in the harms/benefit analysis were air quality impact tests, extensive traffic analysis, penalties for truck violations, a noise study, present value analysis, a comparison of vibration analysis and a study of impact fees given to nearby Newburg borough. The benefits include free waste disposal services of up to five 30-gallon bags for North Newton Township

residents, free bulk waste cleanup days for the township and unlimited waste disposal services for Newburg. PSU: Study Shows Marcellus Shale Benefits Economy, But Questions Remain A new study examining the Marcellus Shale natural-gas boom in Pennsylvania suggests that, although development of this resource is having a positive economic impact in the state, the net benefits may be more modest than previously reported. Summarized in a publication, "Economic Impacts of Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania: Employment and Income in 2009," the study was conducted by the Marcellus Shale Education and Training Center, a partnership between Penn State Extension and the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport. Timothy Kelsey, professor of agricultural economics in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and a lead author of the publication, said the study looked at several aspects of Marcellus Shale natural-gas development in Pennsylvania that had not been considered in previous research and assessed how these factors affected the overall economic impact. "For instance, we examined where leasing and royalty dollars actually are going and how they are being spent," Kelsey explained. "The economic impacts will be very different depending on how many dollars go to Pennsylvania households, to state and local governments, and to nonresidents. "In addition, how many of those dollars are immediately spent by residents and how many are saved also will affect the impact, as will the proportion of wages being paid to out-ofstate workers." The study included surveys of landowners, local businesses and local government officials, as well as a GIS analysis of land-ownership patterns among Pennsylvania residents, nonresidents and the state. The researchers combined this information with industry spending data to estimate the spatial distribution of natural-gas-company spending over time. They then entered the data into economic-analysis software to model the state's economy and estimate multiplier effects. The results suggest that in 2009, Marcellus Shale development supported between 23,385 and 23,884 jobs in the state and generated around $3.1 billion in economic activity. This included about $1.2 billion in labor income and nearly $1.9 billion in added value. "These results are about half the size of those estimated in previous Marcellus economicimpact studies," Kelsey said, "but this isn't surprising because we had more detailed information about leasing and royalty income. Our results confirm that where leasing and royalty dollars are going significantly influences the estimated overall impacts." Kelsey explained that only about half of the land in counties with Marcellus activity is owned by residents within those counties. Twenty-five percent is owned by residents living elsewhere in Pennsylvania, and nearly 8 percent is owned by out-of-state landowners. The remaining 17 percent is owned by the public sector, primarily the state. "This would imply that a large portion of the economic benefits immediately leaves the communities being impacted by drilling," he said. Similarly, the study looked at wages paid by the industry and where they are going. "A recent Marcellus workforce study indicated that about 37 percent of Marcellus workers are non-

Pennsylvania residents," said Kelsey. "We estimated two alternative scenarios -- 25 percent and 50 percent -- for how much of the payroll going to non-Pennsylvanians is sent back to their home-state communities. We also accounted for how their spending likely differs from typical resident workers." In addition, the study found that the amount of lease and royalty payments spent or saved affects the gas play's immediate impacts. The researchers surveyed landowners in Bradford and Tioga counties who live within 1,000 feet of active Marcellus wells. The results suggest that lease holders save or invest about 55 percent of leasing proceeds and about 66 percent of royalty payments in the year they are received, rather than spending them immediately. "This means a significant portion of leasing and royalty dollars are not spent in Pennsylvania in the year received, reducing the potential economic impact in that year," Kelsey said. The researchers also looked at the Marcellus boom's fiscal impacts on local governments. They found that the effects on municipal coffers so far are minimal. All 494 municipal governments in 12 Marcellus counties were surveyed, with 293 responding. Only about 18 percent of governments experiencing Marcellus activity said their tax revenues had increased, and about 26 percent said costs had increased, especially related to road maintenance. "To have a complete understanding of the impacts of gas-development, you have to consider both revenues and costs," Kelsey noted. "These findings contrast with previous economic studies that predicted large local tax impacts but did not verify what actually is occurring." Local businesses in two counties surveyed as part of the study described positive impacts, according to the authors. About a third of all responding businesses in Bradford and Washington counties reported increased sales due to natural-gas development, and only 3 percent reported a sales decline. "Businesses across the economy reported positive effects, though hotels, construction companies, transportation concerns, eating and drinking places, wholesalers and financialservices firms were most likely to report higher sales," Kelsey said. The researchers did not try to quantify other important but difficult-to-measure costs of Marcellus development, such as effects on the environment and health. They said they hoped that future studies can look at such issues as better information becomes available about their prevalence and extent. "The long-run implications of Marcellus Shale development are still unknown," Kelsey emphasized. "We believe our results must be viewed as a preliminary, short-term view of the impacts of Marcellus Shale and should be placed in the broader context of these other important concerns." A copy of the report is available online. &nbsp; Note: The Penn State Extension Service may have to close some offices to meet state budget cuts. NewsClip: Penn State Extension Offices May Face Layoffs NewsClips: Study Shows Marcellus Shale Benefits Economy, But Questions Remain Marcellus Shale Gas Boom Brings Jobs, But How Many? Study: More Shale Jobs Are Staying In Region Penn State Study Finds Fewer Jobs, Royalty Revenues Go Elsewhere Penn State Study Shows More Modest Marcellus Economic Impact

New Study Cuts Estimated Marcellus Job Creation In Half Corbett Administration: Marcellus Shale Creating Finance Industry Jobs Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele Tuesday outlined the positive job impact of the Marcellus Shale gas industry on the financial sector, and the Corbett Administration's support of future economic opportunities for financial professionals. "A Penn State study shows the Marcellus Shale industry has created about 4,200 jobs in the finance and insurance sectors," Aichele told more than 150 certified public accountants at a two-day conference on Marcellus Shale issues, hosted by the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs in State College. "This kind of job creation throughout our economy is why Gov. Corbett is doing all he can to support Marcellus Shale development in Pennsylvania." Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry statistics indicate there were more than 218,000 in-state jobs in Marcellus Shale core and ancillary industries by the end of 2010. The Department of State, which licenses 29 professions including accountants, is working with the State Board of Accountancy to encourage continuing education providers to offer courses dealing specifically with Marcellus Shale development in Pennsylvania, Aichele said. The board will accept Marcellus Shale courses provided by an approved program sponsor and contributing directly to the maintenance of professional competence of a CPA or public accountant. "Having specific training in the many areas of business and personal income and taxes arising from the Marcellus Shale industry will provide opportunities for our license holders to increase their business, and create jobs in the financial services industry," Aichele said. "By providing continuing education courses from approved program sponsors, we can assure businesses and individuals receiving income from Marcellus Shale they can have confidence in our license holders to give sound advice and make the most of this economic opportunity." Aichele said this policy dovetails with the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs' creation of a Marcellus Shale task force to identify ways for financial professionals to take advantage of this growing industry in Pennsylvania. PA American Water Facebook/Twitter Challenge To Support Low-Income Water Program Pennsylvania American Water announced Thursday it will donate one dollar to the Help to Others (H2O) Program for every new fan or follower on Facebook and Twitter. The special campaign to generate financial support for the companys low-income assistance program runs from September 1, to October 15. This campaign is a great opportunity for stakeholders to start engaging with Pennsylvania American Water through social media, and at the same time, lend their support to low-income families who need help with their water bills, said Terry Maenza, Pennsylvania American Water director of communications and external affairs. Twitter and Facebook enable us to connect directly with customers; thats why were urging more people to join us. To join, visit the companys social media sites at www.twitter.com/paamwater and www.facebook.com/pennsylvaniaamwater. You can also view a brief video about this special campaign on YouTube.

Donations will be limited to the first 2,000 people who sign up. Pennsylvania American Waters Facebook and Twitter pages provide real-time information, as well as: Water emergency and boil water advisories; Updates on water and wastewater construction projects; Information on customer programs, community events and environmental initiatives; and Conservation and watershed protection tips. For almost 20 years, Pennsylvania American Water has been assisting low-income customers who qualify through its H2O Program. The program offers qualified recipients grants of up to $500 per year, a 65-percent discount on the monthly service fee, and water-saving devices and education. In 2010, Pennsylvania American Water provided $327,000 in assistance grants to help customers pay their water bill. Grants are funded through a corporate match, customer contributions, employee donations and other fundraising activities. In 2010, Pennsylvania American Water increased its corporate match to $250,000 per year. For more information, or to see if you qualify, please contact Pennsylvania American Waters program administrator, Dollar Energy Fund, toll free at 1-888-282-6816. In 2011, American Water is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a yearlong campaign to promote water efficiency and the importance of protecting water from source to tap. 2011 Waste Watcher Recipients Recognized By PROP The Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania Wednesday recognized Pennsylvanias most outstanding recycling and composting programs and projects through the 2011 Waste Watcher Awards Program. The Waste Watcher awards are given to recycling, waste reduction, reuse and composting programs in Pennsylvania that have exhibited exemplary performance. This year 118 municipalities, counties, private businesses, individuals and community organizations from throughout Pennsylvania are being recognized for going above and beyond what is mandated under Act 101 for their communities or programs. In keeping with tradition for Waste Watchers, recipients were invited to attend the 2011 PROP Conference Annual Waste Watchers Luncheon on July 27th, held during the conference in Erie, PA. PROP members welcomed 18 Waste Watcher recipients to the luncheon. Each recipient was recognized for their efforts and presented a plaque by Amy Schirf, Awards Committee Chair and Art Feltes, PROP Board President. When reflecting on the 2011 Waste Watcher program, Committee Chair Amy Schirf commented, "We were so pleased to award 118 Waste Watchers across the Commonwealth in 2011. It is inspiring to see so many businesses, organizations, community projects and individuals doing their part for the health of the environment. Act 101 the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act has helped generate significant economic and environmental benefits for over 20 years. Recycling has become a billion dollar industry in Pennsylvania. With each passing year, there is a steady increase in the amount of collected recyclables and the number of jobs created by the industry. Recycling has saved precious resources and energy, limited greenhouse emissions and other air and water pollutants. This growth and success is the result of a serious commitment to recycling by individuals, businesses, government and the recycling industry like these award winners:

-- Allegheny: Pennsylvania Resources Council; Dining Services, University of Pittsburgh; Allegheny County Health Department; Centria; Marshall Elementary School/Fifth Grade Class; Pennsylvania Resources Council; SW PA HHW Task Force; Pleasant Hills Pet Hospital -- Beaver: CENTRIA -- Berks: Conrad Weiser High School -- Blair: Hollidaysburg Community Partnership; Jack & Georges; C.W. Longer Elementary; Darden Restaurants of Altoona (Red Lobster); Darden Restaurants of Altoona (Olive Garden); Graystone Courts; Great Commission Schools; Tyrone Area School District; Hollidaysburg Area Junior High; Intermunicipal Relations Committee COG Member Municipal Buildings; General Cable; Giant Eagle Member Municipal Buildings -- Bucks: Waste Management of Pennsylvania, The NIE; Doylestown Hospital -- Cameron: Cameron County Woodland Elementary School -- Carbon: Panther Valley Middle School Recycling Club -- Centre: Centre Regional Recreation Authority; Ruth Evans-Fultz; Corl Street Elementary; State College Spikes; Elfrig Publishing/KNUTES; Envinity Inc; State College Area High School - Green Sierra Coalition; Heritage Innovations; Mount Nittany Middle School; Ferguson Township Elementary School; Otto's Pub and Brewery; School of Hospitality Management Penn State; Girl Scout Troop 41147; The Centre County Grange Encampment & Fair; The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel; Bellefonte High School; Park Forest Elementary School; The Prom Attire Event; State College Friends School; Young Scholars of Central PA Charter School; The Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania; Bellefonte Elementary School; Nittany Christian School; Houserville Elementary; The Coca-Cola Company; Columbia Gas of PA, Inc; The Borough of State College's Greening State College Program; The Borough of State College; Centre County Solid Waste Authority; Builders Association of Central PA; Wegmans State College; Swartz Fire & Safety Equipment; Wal-Mart Supercenter; Edible Arrangements; Easterly Parkway Elementary; Our Lady of Victory Church; Autoport Restaurant; Ponderosa Restaurant; Weis Market; Wingate Elementary; Benjamin's Catering; Gray's Woods Elementary School; Harris Township - Boalsburg Memorial Day Festival; Foxdale Village Retirement Community; Champs Sports Grill; Damon's Grill; Harrison's Wine Grill & Catering; Hi-Way Pizza; Luna 2 Woodgrill & Bar; Olde New York; Outback Steakhouse; Texas Roadhouse; T.G.I. Fridays; Webster's Bookstores Caf -- Clinton: Clinton County Solid Waste Authority -- Columbia: Rieter Automotive; North Centre Township; Professor Nathaniel Greene / Bloomsburg University; Kawneer Company Inc.; Town of Bloomsburg -- Columbia/Luzerne: Berwick Offray, LLC -- Cumberland: Messiah College; Delaware; Concord Township; Ridley Park Borough; deckstool.com -- Lackawanna: Lackawanna County Government Office of Environmental Sustainability; Riverside Elementary WEST; Moscow Borough -- Lancaster: Township of Manheim; Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority Lawrence: Shenango Township -- Lehigh: City of Allentown, Bureau of Recycling & Solid Waste and Department of Parks and Recreation -- Montgomery: Globus Medical, Inc; Abington Memorial Hospital; Holy Redeemer Hospital; Plymouth Township; Upper Merion Township; Douglass Township

-- Northampton: Just Born- Green Team -- Northumberland: Weis Markets -- Philadelphia: Temple University -- Pike: Pike County Single-Stream Recycling -- Schuylkill: Solar Innovations, Inc. -- Union: Playworld Systems, Inc -- Westmoreland: Westmoreland Cleanways; Delmont Lions Club; Central Westmoreland Habitat for Humanity Restore -- York: Springettsbury Township; Carroll Citizens for Sensible Growth Register Now For GreenSylvania/RecycleBowl School Recycling Competition Beginning with the October / November 2011 Competition, GreenSylvania is teaming up with KAB and "Recycle-Bowl." Registering with the Keep America Beautiful RecycleBowl will automatically register you for GreenSylvania. The first 1000 Competition or Open Division schools to register will receive a RecycleBowl coordinator toolkit. The toolkit will include Recycle-Bowl competition posters, a RecycleBowl t-shirt, recycling material to hang up in your cafeteria, a recycling book for your library (elementary schools only) and a lesson plan guide (high schools and middles schools only). Be sure to sign up by October 10. If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Recycle-Bowl staff at 202-688-0605 and/or send email to: info@recycle-bowl.org. Click Here to register. College Footfall Fans Can Compete In Game Day Recycling Challenge This fall, colleges across the country will compete to see which schools can reduce, reuse, and recycle the most waste as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys 2011 Game Day Challenge. Registration for the competition is now open, and champions will be crowned this December. Any college or university in the United States with a football team can compete. The challenge is for schools to design a waste reduction plan for one 2011 regular season home football game and measure the results. Schools can collect common materials for recycling including paper, beverage containers, cardboard, and food to be donated and composted. The amount of waste generated and recycled will determine which school is the greenest on the gridiron. Schools can win in several categories: Least amount of waste generated per attendee; Greatest greenhouse gas reductions from diverting waste; Highest recycling rate; Highest organics reduction rate (i.e., food donation and composting); and Highest combined recycling and composting rate. The competition is sponsored by EPAs WasteWise Program, a voluntary program through which organizations eliminate costly municipal solid waste and select industrial wastes, benefiting their bottom line and the environment. Reducing waste generated at collegiate sporting events can save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Last year, more than 75 participating schools kept 500,000 pounds of waste out of landfills, which prevented nearly 940 metric tons of carbon dioxide from being released equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 180 cars. Register for the Game Day Challenge online. 10,000 Friends: Insist On Reforms In Transportation Funding 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania Tuesday applauded the Governors Transportation Funding Advisory Commission for recommending new sources of revenue to support Pennsylvanias crumbling infrastructure system and under-financed transportation system. But 10,000 Friends also urged the Governor to tie new funding to reforms that ensure disciplined asset management and efficient land use. The group warned that without implementing these reforms, transportation revenue could be spent inefficiently, and would make matters worse by encouraging migration patterns increasing traffic congestion and opening the door to expensive new projects when the state cannot afford to properly maintain the roads and bridges that it already has. Failing to enact fundamental reforms simply wouldnt be fiscally responsible. Pennsylvania is facing a daunting and well-documented crisis in funding for transportation and infrastructure needs across the state. The Governor asked his Commission to find $2.5 billion in annual revenue streams, and the Commission in turn found $2.7 billion in revenue enhancements. It is critical that the Governor and the Legislature embrace the new revenue streams, as they are absolutely necessary for Pennsylvanias economic success. But new revenue must also be tied to smarter management of our land, a consumable resource of the Commonwealth, or the state will be doomed to repeat expensive past mistakes. For example, PennDOT must commit to a Fix it First strategy with funds for infrastructure projects. Twenty eight percent of Pennsylvanias bridges are structurally deficient, and as of 2008, 22 percent of Pennsylvanias state-owned road miles are in poor condition. These repair needs are costing us exponentially moreup to ten times morebecause the proper preventive maintenance wasnt done during the entire life of the road or bridge. By failing to do this maintenance, and failing to generate the revenue needed to do so, we are passing the bill to our childrenrobbing them of future tax revenue needed to meet the challenges of their generation. While there may be isolated situations where adding new capacity to the road network is the right thing to do, the state should commit to a fiscally responsible Fix it First approachfix it all firstbringing our massive backlog of bridges and roads back up to a state of good repair, and create strict criteria for evaluating new capacity projects. According to 10,000 Friends President Jack Machek, Pennsylvania must adopt some basic bedrock principles in supporting comprehensive funding for transportation: we must Fix our Existing Infrastructure Firsttoday and alwaysto control future costs and protect the billions in investments that we have already made in existing assets serving historically vital corridorsthis is just plain old common sense. Second, we must build the right infrastructure, Machek emphasized, by investing in high value, community-driven projects that are linked to efficient land use.

Infrastructure and transportation projects need to be designed to incorporate the visions of our communities and preserve both the natural environment and the quality of life. Pennsylvania must improve upon its past failures in this area, and more explicitly require transportation projects that offer cost-effective solutions that fit with community needs and public input. Because transportation demands evolve as mobility patterns change, we must plan ahead and link transportation investments with community land use. According to Machek, Transportation infrastructure is the lifeblood of our communities and is essential to facilitating commerce; if done the right way we can rebuild our key assets instead of draining our communities financially. Finally, we need a funding program to plan and construct these projects that create better communities and give consumers more travel choices. This means changing project selection criteria to prioritize projects linking land use and transportation networks, and ensuring that adequate funding follows the new priorities. Doing this, Machek asserted, will result in: projects connecting existing communities with job and economic centers; projects that save money while enhancing quality of life; and strategic planning focused on existing assets to reduce local and state spending on expensive expansions of public safety services or new water and sewer lines. We would enjoy a better built environment while preserving our treasured natural environment. By connecting transportation and infrastructure projects with critical reforms, Pennsylvania can make real and lasting progress. If such strategies are not pursued and the state reverts back to business as usual, money will be wasted and our traffic and transportation problems will endure, said Machek. President Obama Withdraws Proposal For Stricter Ozone Standard In a statement released Friday, President Obama took action to withdraw a proposal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ratchet down the federal ozone pollution standard. Under the proposal, as many as 35 Pennsylvania counties would have been out of compliance with the new standard. The state would have been forced to adopt much more stringent controls on emissions of volatile organic compounds and oxides of nitrogen. The statement said-"Over the last two and half years, my administration, under the leadership of EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, has taken some of the strongest actions since the enactment of the Clean Air Act four decades ago to protect our environment and the health of our families from air pollution. From reducing mercury and other toxic air pollution from outdated power plants to doubling the fuel efficiency of our cars and trucks, the historic steps weve taken will save tens of thousands of lives each year, remove over a billion tons of pollution from our air, and produce hundreds of billions of dollars in benefits for the American people. "At the same time, I have continued to underscore the importance of reducing regulatory burdens and regulatory uncertainty, particularly as our economy continues to recover. With that in mind, and after careful consideration, I have requested that Administrator Jackson withdraw the draft Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards at this time. Work is already underway to update a 2006 review of the science that will result in the reconsideration of the ozone standard in 2013. Ultimately, I did not support asking state and local governments to begin implementing a new standard that will soon be reconsidered.

"I want to be clear: my commitment and the commitment of my administration to protecting public health and the environment is unwavering. I will continue to stand with the hardworking men and women at the EPA as they strive every day to hold polluters accountable and protect our families from harmful pollution. And my administration will continue to vigorously oppose efforts to weaken EPAs authority under the Clean Air Act or dismantle the progress we have made." In response to the President's action, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said-"Since day one, under President Obamas leadership, EPA has worked to ensure health protections for the American people, and has made tremendous progress to ensure that Clean Air Act standards protect all Americans by reducing our exposures to harmful air pollution like mercury, arsenic and carbon dioxide. This Administration has put in place some of the most important standards and safeguards for clean air in U.S. history: the most significant reduction of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide air pollution across state borders; a long-overdue proposal to finally cut mercury pollution from power plants; and the first-ever carbon pollution standards for cars and trucks. We will revisit the ozone standard, in compliance with the Clean Air Act." For more background, visit DEP's Ozone Standard webpage. Penn State: Sustainability Of Pennsylvania Forests Challenged A new report on the sustainability of forests in the United States indicates that Pennsylvania forests have declined slightly in the last decade and face a number of threats, according to an expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. The USDA Forest Service recently released the second National Report on Sustainable Forests for the United States, and it offers a good look at how Keystone State forests are faring, noted Jim Finley, professor of forest resources. "The first report was released in 2004, and now, seven years later, we have a second snapshot to see how our forests are changing and the challenges they face," he said. "The new report, which is aimed at creating discussion about forest sustainability, provides data and analysis addressing forest conditions and gives us some idea of how well we're caring for our forestlands." While the National Report on Sustainable Forests focuses on the big picture -- the public and private forests of the nation -- the key findings are relevant to Pennsylvanians and are worth considering, Finley pointed out. "Nationwide, our forest area is stable, but for Pennsylvania, the most recent assessment suggests a small decline in forest area as development in our more-urban areas outpaces farmland abandonment," he explained. Across the country, fragmentation and forest loss is occurring in many regions and localities, owing mostly to development. According to the U.S. census, Pennsylvania has one of the lowest population-growth rates, yet data from other sources show that we have one of the highest forest and agriculture land-cover conversion rates in the nation." National levels of forest disturbance are rising due to insect-induced mortality, Finley noted, and that's especially true in Pennsylvania, where emerald ash borer, hemlock wooly adelgid, elongated scale, gypsy moth and other native and nonnative insects are changing the face of our forests.

Nationwide, wood-products production is declining relative to growing consumption, driving increases in imports. Pennsylvania is no exception. "The economic downturn, especially in the housing market, has lowered hardwood consumption, and many hardwood sawmills have been shuttered in the commonwealth," he said. "This change in demand may, in the long-term, affect the ability of some forest owners to hold their land, and it could lead to further development and fragmentation." The one piece of good news contained in the report, Finley contended, is that there is a growing interest in public and private collaborations through projects devoted to landscape-scale conservation. That is happening in Pennsylvania. "The dialogue about sustaining forests here is expanding," he said. "The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' landscape-conservation initiatives are increasing sustainable-forest discussions. Twenty-eight woodland owner groups, covering about three-quarters of the state, are helping private landowners make sustainable forest decisions. The forest-products industry also is supporting forest-sustainability initiatives through training and education." The national report suggests that three overarching issues emerge about forests, Finley said. First, nationwide and locally, we are going to face challenges as we lose forest land near urban centers. This loss of forest cover will affect ecological and social values, such as clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and recreation. At the same time, loss of forest cover has economic costs as employment tied to forestry and forest products declines. While harvesting trees is not the leading reason among private landowners for holding land, a lack of markets over time will mean more land is lost to development. "Second, forests are at risk from climate change and bioenergy demand," he said. "Already, there is evidence of forests affected by changes in temperature, precipitation and insects. We will know more about the effects of these changes in the coming decades. "At the same time that change is happening, we know forests sequester large amounts of carbon and that many people believe they are a source of carbon-neutral energy. Harvesting our forests for energy could alter ecological and economic landscapes. Third, forest health and disturbance patterns could lead to unexpected consequences, according to Finley. Careful management and tracking are important on all forests, he said. Landowners can request information about managing a woodlot following principles of sustainable forestry by requesting a copy of "Forest Stewardship Principles for Landowners" from the Forest Stewardship office at Penn State at 800-235-9473 or by downloading a copy online. The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management. For a list of free publications, call 800-234-9473, send email to: RNRext@psu.edu or write to Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Resources Extension, The Pennsylvania State University, 416 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in partnership with Penn State Forest Resources Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania. Note: The Penn State Extension Service may have to close some offices to meet state budget cuts. NewsClip: Penn State Extension Offices May Face Layoffs Raystown Celebrates Return Of American Chestnut Trees To Central PA Sept. 25

The Raystown Restoration Branch of the American Chestnut Foundation will hold its second annual Chestnut Restoration Celebration at the C. Barton McCann School of Art on September 25 starting 3:00 p.m. The festivities will begin with a social hour followed by a wine tasting, chestnut cooking sessions and a talk on chestnut restoration. There will also be auctions and door prizes. The event celebrates the tremendous progress being made to restore the American chestnut in Pennsylvania. For over 35 years, The American Chestnut Foundation has been working tirelessly toward its ultimate goal of restoring the American chestnut to eastern forests. "Central PA is the epicenter of chestnut restoration and research in PA." says Mark Banker, Director of Development for TACF. "We have large orchards at Penn State, Raystown Lake and Juniata College. No other state has more chestnut orchards managed by TACF volunteers." One hundred years ago, the chestnut was the most abundant tree in eastern forests from Maine to Georgia until it was nearly wiped out by the chestnut blight. It was used by people as food, feed for livestock, building material, furniture, and fuel. The chestnut is also a very important to wildlife, providing a reliable source of highly nutritious food. Thanks to the efforts of TACF members, volunteers and sponsors who have been working on developing blight resistant trees, the restoration of the chestnut tree back into the wild has begun. "However," says Banker, "there is still a lot of work to be done, so we urge people to join the organization and get involved." Ticket Price will include a one-year membership in The American Chestnut Foundation. Anyone wishing to sponsor the event ($350) will receive two potentially blight-resistant seeds for their own planting. There also are many other ways that interested people can get involved. The Raystown event will feature a tasting of award-winning wines from Seven Mountains Wine Cellars, a cooking demonstration highlighting delicious chestnut-based recipes and both a silent and live auction. Auction items will include a football signed by Penn State legend Joe Paterno, as well as a handcrafted chestnut checkerboard table and many other chestnut related items. The McCann School of Art is located at 4144 Miller Road, Petersburg, PA 16669. Take Rt. 26 north from Huntingdon or south from State College. Tickets are $60 for an individual (Includes 1 TACF Membership, a $40 value!) and $80 for couples (Includes 1 TACF Membership). Contact Lori Krause at 814-643-2372 or send email to: tacfbranch2@comcast.net. Tickets can also be purchased online. For more information, download a flyer on this special event or visit the Raystown Restoration Branch of the American Chestnut Foundation website. For information on the restoration of the American chestnut, including photographs, contact Paul Franklin, Director of Communications, The American Chestnut Foundation by calling 828-281-0047 or send email to: pfranklin@acf.org. DCNR, Western PA Conservancy Preserve 137 Acres In Somerset County Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Richard J. Allan Tuesday announced 137 acres in Jefferson Township, Somerset County, including about 2,000 feet of

land along Laurel Hill Creek, is being transferred from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and will be added to Laurel Hill State Park. "By conserving this land, we are protecting much more than habitat and open space," Allan said today at a ceremony on the property. "With 2,000 feet of frontage on Laurel Hill Creek, this property has significant recreational value and will be open to fishing and hiking with its addition to the Laurel Hill State Park. "This acquisition also helps to protect the water quality of Laurel Hill Creek and the scenic views of Laurel Ridge, all priorities of the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape effort," Allan said. DCNR invested $250,000 through its Community Conservation Partnerships Program to acquire the land - known as the Countryman property - through the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. The funds were matched with $465,000 in private donations from the family of B. Kenneth Simon and the Colcom Foundation. "This is a special property to us," said Tom Saunders, president of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. "It took two years to do the transaction, starting with the day that one of our staff members went to the original auction for the property. Then the conservancy worked with a family, a local Pittsburgh foundation and DCNR, who all put in funding. All it took was our land conservation staff walking the trail along Laurel Hill Creek, and hiking up the ridge to see the view back toward the existing state park, and we knew this was a property to be protected. "DCNR has an exceptional asset in Laurel Hill State Park it's a beautiful, fun destination, and much-used for all types of recreation," Saunders added. "This adds a new hillside, woods and a long stretch of this endangered creek to the park." The vision of the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative is to protect the unique character of the Laurel Highlands and recognize its communities as world-class heritage/ recreation destinations as well as wonderful places to work and live. Located an hour east of Pittsburgh, the Laurel Highlands is defined by three Allegheny Plateau ridges (the Chestnut, Laurel and Allegheny) and portions of several watersheds. The rolling hillsides, rushing streams with waterfalls and picturesque farmlands span at least part of four counties (Somerset, Westmoreland, Fayette and Cambria). With this recent addition, Laurel Hill State Park now encompasses more than 4,100 acres of mountainous terrain in Somerset County. The 63-acre Laurel Hill Lake is a focal point of the park, and a trail system invites visitors to hike and explore the park and observe the diversity of plants and wildlife. NewsClip: Land Added To Laurel Hill State Park Highway Changes Improve Access To Ohiopyle State Park Ohiopyle Borough, the portal to busy Ohiopyle State Park, Wednesday celebrated newly completed improvements that will enhance visitor safety and the quality of life for residents. Local, state and federal officials joined in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for major improvements to Stewart on the Green Community Park. They also hailed recent enhancements to Route 381, which handles more than one million annual visitors. "These extensive improvements make this community park the focal point of the borough, and also serve as a strong attraction to the 1.5 million visitors coming through this

borough each year to reach Ohiopyle State Park," said Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Richard J. Allan. At least a dozen improvement projects at Stewart on the Green were completed at a cost of more than $600,000, which was shared among DCNR, Ohiopyle Borough, and a long list of corporate and private donors. The park makeover was overseen jointly by the borough, Ohiopyle State Park and the non-profit Friends of Ohiopyle. Also dedicated today were Smart Transportation Initiative improvements to Route 381, including traffic-slowing realignments, crosswalks and bike lanes, ADA curbing, reduced speed limits, fire truck signal lights and paving. The cost was $1.8 million. "The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation was very happy to partner with Ohiopyle Borough, Ohiopyle State Park, DCNR, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Friends of Ohiopyle and Laurel Highlands Region to help complete this Pennsylvania Community Transportation Initiative," said Department of Transportation District Executive Joseph Szczur, P.E. "We look forward to working on the future visitors center and on other Laurel Highland regional projects." "These projects are deserved investments in a 'good-neighbor' policy that all parties are working to strengthen, recognizing that the borough has experienced 'both sides' of adjoining an extremely popular state park," Allan said. "Ohiopyle Borough caters to park visitors, offering rafting and boating outfitters, bike rentals, lodging, camp stores, and restaurants. It bustles with visitor-related activity, but also wrestles with resultant parking and traffic woes, and overburdened water and sewer facilities." In 2007, DCNR -- as part of its Conservation Landscape Initiative linking geographic areas with distinct natural resource features and lifestyles -- commissioned a study of the Laurel Highlands region that included Ohiopyle Borough and the State Park. "That study identified the borough as a key portal to the region, and recommended DCNR and the borough embrace their symbiotic relationship and build a strong partnership to ensure continued and improved sustainability of both the borough and the state park," Allan said. "A tiny community with a very small tax base, Ohiopyle Borough is pulling together for the improvement of its residents' lives, outdoor recreation and for the natural environment. DCNR is proud to extend a helping hand to its determined neighbor." Named after town father Andrew Stewart, who originally laid out Ohiopyle borough and forever deeded the property as public space, Stewart on the Green Community Park was targeted for a host of "green," sustainable improvement projects that included: construction of picnic shelter and amphitheater; resurfacing of a basketball court; playground equipment; paving; lighting; and landscaping. In another recent improvement, and with funding aid from the Pa. Infrastructure Investment Authority, the borough moved to implement improvements for two major streets. Storm-water problems were addressed with pervious paved parking areas and innovative bioswales, and a bike lane was added. In addition to DCNR, PennDOT, and PennVEST, other key partners in borough projects have included the departments of Community and Economic Development, and Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Trail Town Program, and Fayette County and its redevelopment authority. The scope of improvements and partnering in Ohiopyle earned recent praise from the Pa. Parks and Forests Foundation. In May, PPFF honored the borough with its Local Government

Award for "exemplary efforts working cooperatively with multiple partners to preserve, protect and enhance this gateway community." Covering just one-half square mile and home to fewer than 100 year-round residents, the borough is surrounded by the 20,000-acre Ohiopyle State Park. Graced with the Youghiogheny River Gorge, the State Park offers some of the best white-water rafting on the East Coast; the National Natural Landmark Ferncliff Peninsula; and other celebrated recreational assets that include the Great Allegheny Passage, a 132-mile rail trail from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md.; the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail; and acclaimed picnicking, swimming and fishing. Spend Labor Day Weekend Around South Mountain A packed line up of free programmed events or door prizes at over 60 participating sites will kick off South Mountain Outdoors on Labor Day Weekend. South Mountain Outdoors will showcase the best of recreational opportunities, natural beauty, the Appalachian Trail and unique experiences throughout the entire South Mountain region of south central Pennsylvania. This event is for anyone interested in getting outside, whether you hike, paddle, fish, or are interested in conservation, said Larry Knutson, South Mountain Outdoors Coordinator. It gives adults and kids the opportunity to meet people who work in conservation and outdoor recreation and learn more about the amazing resources and recreational opportunities our region offers. South Mountain Outdoors will launch on Saturday, September 3, marking the start of three days of biking, hiking, kayaking, fishing, history tours and cultural festivals across Cumberland, Adams and Franklin counties of Pennsylvania. Pick up a South Mountain Outdoors Passport at participating locations the day of or ahead of time to make you eligible for prizes. Before completing your enjoyment of South Mountain Outdoors 2011, participants should leave the passport at any of the participating locations so that you will be eligible for a random drawing of prizes donated by participating South Mountain region sites. The kick-off event (registration required) will be an Appalachian Trail Sticky Buns hike from the village of Boiling Springs, led by the Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club with complimentary sticky buns and coffee provided by the Allenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse. Attend many other South Mountain Outdoors events in the Cumberland Valley including the McClain Highland Festival. Further south on the Appalachian Trail, Caledonia State Park and Franklin County Visitors Bureau will host an event on the Underground Railroad in South Mountain. Participate in horse drawn wagon history tours of the Park, view a working blacksmith shop at the Caledonia Ironworks, and view a mini-feature film, The Underground Railroad through South Mountain, which will run throughout the day at the Parks visitor center. Stick around and enjoy a hike along the Appalachian Trail and relax in picnic areas over the Labor Day Weekend. On Sunday, join staff from Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve and the DCNRs Bureau of Forestry for a guided hike on the Glatfelter Tree Farm No. 1, a 3.5-mile loop which will introduce the community to the history of the tree farm along with the surrounding unique plant and animal life. The hike will include stops along the way to appreciate the natural wonders of the South Mountain Region and for views of the Gettysburg, Carroll, and Swamp Creek Valleys.

Labor Day also marks one of two days out of the year that anyone can fish in Pennsylvania without a fishing license! Interested in becoming an angler but dont have a license or gear? Visit Pine Grove Furnace State Park, located at the mid-point of the Appalachian Trail, for free loaner equipment and basic fishing instruction on September 5. For more information, visit the South Mountain Outdoors 2011 website which offers a downloadable passport, full details of events and an online, interactive of participating sites and door prizes. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, which leads the South Mountain Partnership, an alliance of public, private, and non-profit organizations is proud to financially support South Mountain Outdoors through the South Mountain Partnership Mini-Grant Program. Originating from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, these grants can go towards projects that act as a catalyst for sustainable tourism and economic development. To learn more, visit the the South Mountain Partnership website. (Reprinted from the August 31 Resource newsletter from DCNR. Go to the bottom of the page to sign up for your own copy of Resource by email.)

Spotlight
Partnerships Encourage Philly Youth To Explore State Parks Lelia Favors sat alone on a tree stump, resting, watching, reflecting. A warm smile spread across her face that was wider than the log the young campers before her were attempting to saw with a Colonial-era tool. You know this is so special, said the North Philadelphia mother. These young people will remember every place theyve visited this week. Every new thing theyve seen. And some day theyll return here with their children or their grandchildren and tell them what they did on this day. Click Here for more photos from the camp. On this day, Day Three in DCNRs Youth Adventure Camp for Philadelphia youngsters, Mrs. Favors watched as nine of her young charges from the inner-city took turns reliving farm life 300 years ago on the Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation gracing Ridley Creek State Park in Delaware County. They cut wood, dipped candles, drew well water. And, said Mrs. Favors, they loved every minute of it. I know because I am with them when they leave for camp at 6:30 a.m. and Im with them when theyre coming home at days end. They cant wait to sit down and talk with each other about the new friends they made, the new places they visited. For the young campers, each day July 25 through the 29th began with an early morning pick-up at Vare Recreation Center at 26th and Morris streets. From there they were bound for Bucks County for some fishing at Tyler State Park. Or rock climbing at Ralph Stover State Park. Or history lessons and some horseback riding at Ridley Creek.

As an employee with the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department, Mrs. Favors signed on as the groups guide, counselor and mentor. Quickly, for four nights, that role was expanded to a house-mother, hosting overnight gatherings of very excited campers. It was easier that way, she said. Theyd stay overnight at my place, have breakfast and then head for the rec center and pick-up by the DCNR van. Despite the early wake-up, there was no sleeping on those rides, just a lot of excited chatter. You have to understand, so many of these kids never have been to a state park before, said Mrs. Favors. This is all new to them. When I watch them each day, I dont see them wondering what neighborhood kids are from, or thinking about color, or race. I just see kids enjoying each others company and trying to help each other out. I just see kids enjoying the excitement of the day. For campers like Kevin Hutchinson there was a lot of excitement packed into the days. In his 8th and Lindley streets neighborhood, Colonial candle-making is uncommon. Pumpkinseed sunfish and green frogs, unseen. It was a great experience. Everyone saw so many new places and got along so well, said the 15-year-old. I was exposed to so many new things. I never saw a frog up close before, or a fish out of water. And Kevins favorite camp activity? I loved the fishing! I tried it once before but never caught anything. I did this time! The first day, when we did all those teamwork exercises was my favorite, offered Yvonne Green, Mrs. Favors daughter, but Im also enjoying what I learning here today at the homestead. Would she recommend Adventure Camp to her friends? Definitely! said Yvonne, 14. Its fun, you see so many new places, and you take home so much from here. Kayla Mason, 14, of Northeast Philadelphia agreed wholeheartedly. She and 11 other campers traveled from Gifford Recreation Center in the Northeast to join Kevin and Yvonnes group each day. Many new friends were made, places visited, she said. I loved the trips, Kayla said. Every day brought a new experience and new friends. We learned so much about so many different things offered in our parks. And that was exactly the intent of the Youth Adventure Camp program when it was formed four years ago, said DCNRs Deputy Secretary for Administration John Giordano. This year, the campers arrived from Philadelphia on a Monday, and for most of them, it was their first time in a state park, said Giordano, who joined the campers on three of their five daily outings. By week's end, it was evident these young people had gained an understanding of, and appreciation for, the natural world around them. From their first fishing experience; to hiking, horseback riding, and rock climbing; to geocaching, the campers' self confidence grew exponentially, and along with it, so did their appreciation of Pennsylvania's resources. The rural southeastern part of the state was no longer out of reach. It was the campers' playground, their classroom. It was their home, too. Philadelphia Park and Recreations Jeff George is sold on the program. As facility supervisor at Gifford Recreation Center, he escorted his young charges to a daily diet of outdoors adventure. Seems hell be making at least one return trip. My group of teens already made plans to go back to Tyler State Park this weekend to fish and play disc gold, George said in a letter to Giordano. I want to thank you for your role in

helping implement the DCNR Adventure Camp. It is a great idea to expose urban teens to the Pennsylvania State Park system. Bureau of State Parks official Rob Neitz agrees. The regional environmental education and information program coordinator has been with the Adventure Campers for three summers now, coaching them, occasionally scolding them, cooking for them, and supplying shuttle service to distant parks from their sometime mean streets of home. Its all worth it, he says: "There is nothing like witnessing first hand, the physical and mental change you see in a camper after they conquer their fear and climb a rock wall, or catch their first fish. The pride is unmistakable." New activities and skills, new destinations, new friends all that and more was the intent as DCNR broadened its urban recreation initiative to introduce more young people to the adventure, natural beauty and learning opportunities found in their state and city parks. Buoyed by initial success in summer 2007 in Harrisburg and Philadelphia, DCNR expanded its Youth Adventure Camps to six other urban areas. Team-building. Photography. Fishing and boating. Topic and teachers varied, but the classroom usually is the same -- one of the 117 state parks stretching from Presque Isle in the far northwest to Tyler in the far southeast. For most campers it was their first visit to a state park from their homes in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Williamsport, Erie, Scranton, York and the Allentown area. Participating students, ranging in age from 12 to 15, are selected through a unique cooperative effort that saw DCNR working with partners that have included: Harrisburg, Harrisburg Parks and Recreation Department; Williamsport, Big Brothers/ BigSisters of Lycoming County; Pittsburgh, City of Pittsburgh Parks and Recreation Department; Philadelphia, City of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department; York, City of York Parks and Recreation Department; Erie, Boys and Girls Clubs of Erie; and Scranton, United Neighborhood Centers. (Reprinted from the August 31 Resource newsletter from DCNR. Go to the bottom of the page to sign up for your own copy of Resource by email.) Appalachian Audubon Native Plant Sale September 17 Join Appalachian Audubon for their Annual Native Plant Sale on September 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Meadowood Nursery in Hummelstown, Dauphin County. Plants native to Pennsylvania provide exactly the right food, shelter, and nesting sites for the birds, butterflies, and beneficial pollinators that live in and migrate through our area, and at just the right time in their life cycles! Native plants are adapted to our climate, soil, and moisture levels and are the easiest to maintain. During the sale, be sure to meet Tashya Dalen, local landscape designer and friend of Meadowod. She will present in the pavilion from 12:00 to 12:30 on Resilient Ones: Native Plants in Cooler Seasons. Meadowood carries over 300 varieties of native trees, shrubs, perennials, and more. All proceeds from the sale are used for nature and environmental education and scholarships in our community.

For more information, visit the Native Plant Sale webpage, call 717-566-0149 or send email to: amathes19@msn.com. Click Here for a schedule of monthly programs by Appalachian Audubon. iConservePA.org: Native Plant Special Events Around PA The iConservePA.org website is promoting a series of special native plant events across the state in September. Here's the schedule--- September 10 - York - MAEscapes -- September 10 - Orefield - Edge of the Woods Nursery -- September 9-11 - Chester Springs - Yellow Springs Farm -- September 10&17 - Hummelstown - Meadowood Nursery -- TBD - Robesonia - Keystone Wildflowers The next several weeks are prime time for planting and these iConservePA partners offer a wide-selection of native species, years of gardening know-how, and special discounts at these upcoming sales, festivals, and open houses. Watch The Latest Video From The Coolidge's: The Ride iConservePA.org's new episode in the Coolidge Family low carbon lifestyle series features Sam Coolidges doing what he does best, being passionate about saving energy, planting smartly and living locally. Click Here for the latest video featuring the PA-made Z Electric scooter. Are you a Super Sleuth? Like rain barrels, composters, native plants, new garden tools? These and other great green prizes are up for grabs in the CSI Super Sleuth Sweepstakes! Fifteen secret codes are hidden throughout the iConservePA website as part of the Science at Home and Meet the Coolidges Educational Series and four codes are available by attending special programs at Pennsylvania State Parks or visiting the iConservePA GreenHouse. Enter the codes here by November 30 for up to 19 chances to win BIG! PEMA Urges Residents To Report Irene-Related Damages To Local Officials Pennsylvania residents who sustained damages to their homes or businesses as a result of Hurricane Irene should report those damages to local municipal officials as soon as possible. "It's very important for residents to quickly file damage reports with their local governments," said PEMA Director Glenn Cannon. "Teams of local, county, state and federal staffers are busy doing preliminary damage assessments, but it's not possible for them to inspect every damaged property so we need the public's help." Each municipality is responsible for collecting damage reports from residents and reporting them to counties for submission to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. PEMA compiles the totals and forwards them to federal officials to be considered as part of the state's request for a federal disaster declaration. To find contact information for your township, borough or city, look in the government section (Blue Pages) of your local telephone directory or search online.

It's important to note that at this point in the recovery process, reporting damages to local officials is only for recording and filing purposes. It is not a means of registering for services or funding. "Even if you have insurance and don't anticipate asking for federal assistance, we are all part of the same team in working to give the federal government an accurate picture of the damages we sustained in this storm," Cannon said. "Should we get a disaster declaration that includes financial aid for homeowners and renters, we'll then issue instructions on how people can sign up for assistance." NewsClip: September Is National Preparedness Month PA National Guard Soldier To Run 232 Miles Of Appalachian Trail Staff Sgt. Gabe Sweger, a drill sergeant with the PA Army National Guard, will run the 232 miles of the Appalachian Trail located within Pennsylvania beginning September 2. Swegers run is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. Friday at the Delaware Water Gap on the Pennsylvania/New Jersey state line. He is slated to finish at approximately 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17 at the Pennsylvania/Maryland state line. Although Sweger will run in remembrance of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, his goal is to raise awareness of the PA National Guard and the benefits of being a member as well as to raise money for various military-related charities. Sweger, 31, is from Camp Hill, Cumberland County. Follow Swegers daily progress on Twitter or on Facebook. State Police Urge Vigilance As September 11 Anniversary Nears State Police are urging Pennsylvania residents to be alert as the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks approaches. While there are no specific or credible threats to the state or the nation, terrorists remain steadfast in their determination to commit additional attacks in the United States, said State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan. We urge residents to remain vigilant and be on the lookout for any behavior that seems out of the ordinary and possibly associated with terrorism or other illegal conduct. Potential signs of terrorism could include: individuals showing unusual interest in sensitive facilities or buildings, including photography, observation, and other types of surveillance; individuals attempting to gain information about operations, security or personnel; individuals acquiring unusual amounts of products, such as fertilizer, weapons, uniforms, cell phones, fuel, or harmful chemicals; individuals appearing to rehearse an attack, including mapping travel routes or timing traffic lights; and individuals moving suspicious equipment or supplies. Unusual activities, especially those near or at sensitive locations including government, military, or other high-profile facilities where large numbers of people congregate, may indicate that terrorists are planning an attack. Residents are encouraged to call the toll-free State Police Terrorism Tip Line at 1-888-292-1919, or via email at sp-intelligence@pa.gov, to report suspicious individuals or

activity that may indicate pre-operational planning by terrorists. In the case of an immediate threat or emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately. Citizen reports of suspicious activity have proven extremely crucial in preventing terrorist acts. Residents are our primary, and frankly, our best, source of defense in reporting suspicious activity throughout Pennsylvania, and we rely on them to contact local authorities to provide valuable tips, Noonan said. No one knows what looks unusual or suspicious where they live, work, and travel better than they do. NewsClips: Extra Vigilance As 9/11 Anniversary Approaches Families To Hold PA Service For Flight 93 Remains September Is National Preparedness Month

Feature
We Remember - September 11, 2001 - DEP Responds To A National Tragedy We all remember where we were and what we were doing on September 11, 2001, but the employees of the Department of Environmental Protection remember better than most because they played a key role in the responding to the Somerset County crash site of Flight 93. Betsy Mallison, Community Relations Coordinator from DEPs Southwest Regional Office in Pittsburgh, will remember because she was one of the first state officials on scene after the crash relaying information about the site back to the PA Emergency Management Agency Operations Center. Click Here to read her story. DEP Emergency Response personnel helped local first responders set up hazardous materials safety measures to make sure the hundreds of local, state and federal officials at the site were safe as they dealt with jet fuel and other hazards. Water quality staff monitored a nearby pond and stream for contamination. Staff from the mining program gave investigators valuable information on site geology because the plane crashed on part of a reclaimed surface coal mine. The site, after all, was a crime scene and it had to be investigated carefully. DEP staff from many programs were rotated in and out of the site for weeks dealing with environmental issues there. The rotation was necessary not only because of the work, but because it was difficult to be at the site of such tragedy for very long, especially during visits by the families of those who perished in the crash. Although a small town grew up at the site of the crash with hundreds of people, trailers, ATVs and equipment, every time a car or bus carrying families came to the little village it became very quiet and still as the families passed through. One incident in particular affected many people. On a routine run to take water samples, two DEP staffers found a nearly intact Bible, itself a miracle, with a note inside. It was from one of the passengers writing to a loved one for the last time.

DEP and Pennsylvania offered staff and equipment support to New York City to help them deal with air quality, waste and other environmental issues in and around the World Trade Center site. A good example was fielding a request to allow landfills in Pennsylvania to stay open longer to allow regular trash from the city to be disposed of here. Regular services like garbage pick up were significantly disrupted by the monumental response to the tragedy there, something basic that you just don't think about. In the weeks after September 11, DEP employees again played key roles in helping to respond to the scare created by the anthrax attacks, running down potential threats to public water supplies, dams, nuclear power plants and other infrastructure. Emergency response procedures and local-state emergency management partnerships put in place in Pennsylvania after floods, mine accidents and the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island served the Commonwealth well, albeit after those hard lessons. Many public employees and volunteers from first responders, local, state and federal governments will remember that day, but those who were there at the crash site of Flight 93 on that day and the many days that followed have a very vivid and personal memory of what happened, just like all those at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Little did DEP employees know that in 10 months they would be back in Somerset County dealing with the Quecreek Mine Rescue. NewsClips: Extra Vigilance As 9/11 Anniversary Approaches Families To Hold PA Service For Flight 93 Remains September Is National Preparedness Month

Grants & Awards

This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other recognition programs. NEW means new from last week. September 6-- Coca-Cola America Is Your Park Recreation Voting/Grants September 9-- PPFF Dogs In The Outdoors Photo Contest September 16-- EPA Apps For The Environment Challenge October 10-- NEW. GreenSylvania, KAB RecycleBowl School Recycling Contest October 17-- DEP Coastal Zone Management Grants October 31-- CFA Business In Our Sites, PennWorks Funding October 31-- CFA Solar Energy Program Funding November 30-- iConservePA CSI Pennsylvania Super Sleuth Sweepstakes! December 30-- DEP Recycling Performance Grants December 31-- President's Environmental Youth Awards -- Visit the DEP Grants and Loan Programs webpage for more ideas on how to get financial assistance for environmental projects.

Quick Clips

Here's a selection of NewClips on environmental topics from around the state-Budget Poll: 65 Percent Of Pennsylvanians Favor Tax On Gas Drillers Poll: Pennsylvanians Approve Of Drilling, But Want It Taxed PA Residents Like Gas Industry, Worry About Environment GOP Legislature Must Tackle Marcellus Shale, Transportation Grassroots Campaign Targets Funding For Public Transit Gas Leases, Taxes On Royalties Top $100 Million Other Major Changes Ahead For State DEP? PA Pulls Out Of 5 Climate, Ozone Lawsuits DEP Reverses Decision, Approves Phase I Blythe Landfill Allentown To Get 250 High-Tech Trash Cans Op-Ed: Solving The Blight Problem Reclaiming PA's Brownfields: Assessing Potential How Businesses Are Making Pittsburgh Greener (Video) Wayne County Green Building Tour To Spotlight Homes, Public Buildings Closed Ethanol Plant In Clearfield Causes Great Concern Who's Left Holding The Bad In Ethanol Plant's Demise? Penelec's Residential Customers Can Save With New Electric Prices PPL Shut Down Windmills At Height Of Irene Poultry Litter Saves Farmer $32,000 In Fuel Costs Bill Proposed to Increase Coal Use, Create Jobs In Schuylkill County Op-Ed: Keep Coal In The Energy Mix Op-Ed: When Coal And Unions Were King Electric Cars About Ready To Hit Western PA 27 Nuclear Reactors More Vulnerable To Quakes, 2 In PA Penn State Climatologist Still Sees Smears First Probable Human Case Of West Nile Reported Midstate Woman May Be First Human Case Of West Nile Feds Set Washington PA Hearing On New Mine Safety Rule Lancaster County Passes 90,000 Acres Of Farmland Preserved Salvage The Lancaster County Parks Trail Preserving A Link To The Agrarian Past Land Added To Laurel Hill State Park Op-Ed: Public-Private Partnerships Would Aid PA State Parks Editorial: State Parks Must Stay So Editorial: Corbett's Parks Idea Worth Consideration September Is National Preparedness Month Extra Vigilance As 9/11 Anniversary Approaches Families To Hold PA Service For Flight 93 Remains

Marcellus Shale NewsClips

Here are NewsClips on topics related to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling--GOP Legislature Must Tackle Marcellus Shale, Transportation Gas Leases, Taxes On Royalties Top $100 Million PA Schools Fill Budget Cuts With Drilling Money Sale Of Mineral Rights At Issue On Historic Farm Editorial: Marcellus Shale, Healthy Questions Study Shows Marcellus Shale Benefits Economy, But Questions Remain Marcellus Shale Gas Boom Brings Jobs, But How Many? Study: More Shale Jobs Are Staying In Region New Study Cuts Estimated Marcellus Job Creation In Half Penn State Study Finds Fewer Jobs, Royalty Revenues Go Elsewhere Penn State Study Shows More Modest Marcellus Economic Impact Penn State Panel Supports Marcellus Shale Development Penn State Webinars Explore Marcellus Business Opportunities Extension Offers Landowner Natural Gas Workshop Sept. 28 Myth vs. Fact: USGS/EIA Marcellus Reserves Data Gas Drilling Resumes At Cabot Site, Methane Investigation Continues Study: Fracking Priciest For Wells Fracking Eyed As Drain On Water Fracking's Thirst For Water Op-Ed: How Marcellus Shale Can Clean Up Acid Mine Drainage Energy Fraud Makes PA Security Commission's Top Threats Citizens Marcellus Commission Sets Hearings Around State What Chief Oil & Gas May Control At Meter Site Learned Dallas Twp Residents Unnerved As Pipeline Work Starts Armstrong County Seeks To Tap Into Marcellus Industry Water Pump Explodes At Parks Twp Gas Well Site New Bills Address Digging Near Gas Pipelines Flooding May Pose Issues For NE Gas Pipelines Info On Drilling Fluids Hard To Come By In PA Drilling Companies Claim Fluids Are Trade Secrets Genealogists Have Key Role In Gas Rush Does Fracking Cause Quakes? UGI Predicts More Natural Gas-Fueled Cars Referendum Seeks Borough Drilling Ban Gas Industry Monitor To Leave Pitt Other States Gas Drillers, Skeptics Clash On Maryland Board WV Marcellus Shale Committee Working To Keep You Safe NJ Governor Puts One Year Moratorium On Fracking

Watershed NewsClips

Here are NewsClips on watershed topics from around the state-In Case You Didn't Guess, Drought Is Over This Place Is BMPing: DEP Southeast Regional Office Op-Ed: Too Much Water, Too Many Agencies CBF: Hurricane Irene Shows Importance Of Stormwater Control Chesapeake Bay Film Is A Welcome Idea Creeping Development Brings Flooding, Change Is Slow Shocking Trout To Protect Them In PA Flow Of Information: EPA Checks Kiski River, Wells Bucknell Student's Remote-Control Plane Aids Creek Restoration Foundation For PA Watersheds At World Water Conference (Video) Fracking's Thirst For Water Fracking Eyed As Drain On Water Op-Ed: How Marcellus Shale Can Clean Up Acid Mine Drainage No Local Fervor For Fluoride In Water Corbett Requests Federal Disaster Assistance In Wake Of Irene, Flood Fears Paramount In PA Rivers Engulf Philadelphia Streets Major, Even Historic Flooding Begins 11 PA Counties Targeted For Federal Aid So Far Delaware River Falls Below Flood Stage After Irene Montco Warns Well Owners To Drink Bottled Water Say Good Night Irene, Then Clean Up Your Well Editorial: After Quakes, Hurricanes, Central PA Isn't Too Bad Decision Delayed On Land Reclamation In Ligonier Twp Grant Applications For Lake Erie Coastal Zone Sought DEP Investigating Oil Spill In NW PA Creek Officials: Schuylkill Sewage No Risk To Drinking Water Chemical Spill In Mon Causes Fish Kill, Probe Industrial Detergent Spilled Into Allegheny River

Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits

The Environmental Quality Board published several notices this week: Final New Source Review Air Quality regulations, final stream designations in the Clarks Creek package and final stream designations in the Fishing Creek package. Pennsylvania Bulletin - September 3, 2011 Proposed Regulations Open For Comment - DEP webpage Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods - DEP webpage

Rolling Regulatory Agenda - DEP webpage

Technical Guidance & Permits

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice extending the comment period on proposed changes to Residual Waste General Permits WMGR119, WMGR121 and WMGR123 and published notice of final guidance on blasting near utility lines. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice of water withdrawal approvals. Final: DEP ID: 562-2112-503. Blasting Near Utility Lines on Mining and Construction Sites and Bituminous Coal Mining Within the Right-of-Way or Easement of Utility Lines. This guidance is being revised to provide better protection to underground or overhead utility lines from the effects of blasting. Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines - DEP webpage Copies Of Draft Technical Guidance - DEP webpage Copies of Final Technical Guidance - DEP webpage

Calendar Of Events
Upcoming legislative meetings, conferences, workshops, plus links to other online calendars. Meetings are in Harrisburg unless otherwise noted. NEW means new from last week. Go to the online Calendar webpage. Click on Agenda Released on calendar entries to see the NEW meeting agendas published this week. September 8-- NEW. Joint Conservation Committee - Legislative Forestry Task Force Meeting. Celebration Hall, State College. 10:00. September 13-- House Finance Committee informational meeting on Marcellus Shale industry. Holiday Inn, Warren. 10:00. September 13-- Agenda Released. DEP Board of Coal Mine Safety meeting. Marion Center Mine Rescue Facility, Home, Pa. (no time published) September 13-- CANCELED. DEP Storage Tank Advisory Committee meeting. Next scheduled meeting is December 6. (formal notice)

September 14-- CANCELED. DEP Sewage Advisory Committee meeting. Next scheduled meeting is November 9. (formal notice) September 15-- House Game and Fisheries Committee hearing on Sunday hunting. East Allen Twp. Building, Northampton. 6:30 p.m. September 15-- Agenda Released. DEPClimate Change Advisory Committee. 15th Floor Conference Room 15A, Rachel Carson Building and available by WebEx online. 10:00. September 15-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission meeting to consider water withdrawal requests and other matters. Country Inn and Suites, Milford, NY. (formal notice) September 16-- CANCELED. DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice) September 20-- Agenda Released. DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 11:00. September 26-- Agenda Released. DEP Mine Families First Advisory Council. PA Emergency Management Agency. 1:30. October 21-- DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice) December 6-- DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice) DEP Calendar of Events Environmental Education Workshop/Training Calendar (PA Center for Environmental Education) Senate Committee Schedule House Committee Schedule

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

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