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 April 11, 2011

CBF, Groups Ask Federal Government To Assess Impacts Of Marcellus Shale Drilling

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and other organizations this week

called on the federal government to conduct a comprehensive
scientific analysis of the cumulative impacts of natural gas drilling
in the Marcellus Shale formation in the six Bay states, New York,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and Virginia.
Hear remarks from the press conference call announcing
this action from:
-- Matt Ehrhart, PA Office Director, CBF
-- Amy McDonnell, CBF Attorney
-- John Dawes, Foundation for PA Watersheds
-- Cinda Waldbuesser, National Parks Conservation Association
The first action was to file a legal petition, under the National Environmental Policy Act,
calling for that comprehensive analysis, called a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement,
of the risks and cumulative impacts of the extraction of natural gas from the Marcellus shale
formation in the Chesapeake Bay states. Once the analysis is complete the petition calls on the
government to make appropriate decisions about the need for new regulatory action.
Along with CBF, the petition was signed by the National Parks Conservation
Association, Appalachian Center for the Economy and the Environment, Chesapeake Climate
Action Network, Shenandoah Valley Network, The Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds,
Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, and Friends of the Upper Delaware River.
CBF also sent a letter to President Obama in support of the legal petition, signed more
than 120 businesses, organizations, elected officials, and individuals who are extremely
concerned about the unknown consequences and cumulative impacts of natural gas extraction
from the Marcellus shale formation on the environment, drinking water and human health, and
America’s treasured lands such as our national parks, wilderness areas, and wildlife refuges.
Signatories to the letter include Audubon Pennsylvania, Citizens for Pennsylvania's
Future, the Mid-Atlantic Council Trout Unlimited, The Garden Club of America, and American
Rivers.
“Ensuring clean, safe drinking water, healthy aquatic ecosystems, and healthy air across a
multi-state ecosystem cannot be done without an unbiased and comprehensive assessment of all
the impacts, and that assessment is the responsibility of the federal government,” said CBF
Pennsylvania Executive Director Matt Ehrhart. “Where drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus
shale formation is concerned, that responsibility has been unfulfilled. If we are to have healthy
rivers and streams along with the economic activity of natural gas extraction, we must fill the
gaps in the science that now exist.”
While natural gas in the Marcellus shale offers an abundant source of domestically-
produced energy that can create jobs and provide income, the history of resource extraction in
this country is littered with long-lasting environmental degradation and risks to human health.
Drilling is already causing damage, to both human health and the environment. There has
been contamination of drinking water wells, gas bubbling up into the Susquehanna River, spills
of fracking water and diesel fuel, fires, blowouts, and explosions.
“The law is clear that the federal government is required to undertake a comprehensive
study if activities like Marcellus drilling are likely to affect the environment through the release
of hazardous substances, result in significant cumulative adverse impacts on local air quality, or
significantly affect important resources including wetlands, aquifer recharge zones, or fish or
wildlife habitat,” said CBF attorney Amy McDonnell. “It is good science and good business to
get the facts and that is what we are seeking. Nothing less than human health is also at stake.”
In many of the Bay states, most notably in Pennsylvania, natural gas wells are being
permitted at breakneck speed with scant regard to the cumulative damage that is occurring, or
support for the affected communities.
According to the Department of Environmental Protection, the state issued over 1,900
permits for Marcellus shale drilling in 2009. In 2010 it issued over 3,300 more. And, in the first
two months of 2011, Pennsylvania issued an additional 590 permits. If that pace continues,
Pennsylvania will approve over 3,500 new permits this year alone.
A preliminary report from the Academy of Natural Sciences tested water, and looked for
sensitive insects and salamanders in areas with no wells, few wells, and high numbers of wells. It
found that as the number of wells in an area increased, water quality deteriorated, and the
number of insects and salamanders decreased by 25 percent. In a press statement Dr. David
Velinsky of the Academy of Natural Sciences said, “This suggests there is indeed a threshold at
which drilling—regardless of how it is practiced—will have a significant impact on an
ecosystem.”
“With 35 national parks within or near the Marcellus Shale formation, including nine in
the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the threats to our national treasures are great,” said Cinda
Waldbuesser, senior program manager for NPCA’s Pennsylvania field office. “The economic
benefits of natural gas development must not compromise the long-term benefits of protecting
water quality and preserving our national parks, which are already economic generators for local
communities.”
The Executive Order issued by President Obama in 2009 says, “Restoration of the health
of the Chesapeake Bay will require a renewed commitment to controlling pollution from all
sources as well as protecting and restoring habitat and living resources, conserving lands, and
improving management of natural resources, all of which contribute to improved water quality
and ecosystem health. The Federal Government should lead this effort.”
And though there are several risk assessments underway, none is comprehensive or
complete. The cumulative effects of pollution from Marcellus shale drilling activities currently
underway or proposed in the future have not been assessed or factored in to any of the state plans
to reduce pollution.
For more details, visit the CBF announcement webpage.
 NewsClips: Groups Demand Federal Government Analyze Marcellus Drilling
Chesapeake Bay Advocates Want Overall Study Of Shale Drilling
CBF: Fracking Natural Gas Drilling Method Needs Study
Chesapeake Bay Supporters Want Shale Study
Groups Petition Government For Gas Impact Study

Governor Asked By Groups To Rescind DEP Marcellus Violations Policy

Forty-two faith, conservation and environmental organizations and businesses this week sent
Gov. Corbett a letter asking him to order Acting Department of Environmental Protection
Secretary Michael Krancer to rescind a pilot policy that requires the Secretary to approve
enforcement and other actions dealing with Marcellus Shale natural gas well development.
"Preventing DEP inspectors from issuing notices of violations of environmental laws
unnecessarily delays resolution of problems and conditions that pose threats to natural resources,
worker safety and public health," said Jan Jarrett, President and CEO of PennFuture. "We need
DEP to let on-the-ground inspectors do their jobs."
The DEP issued the new policy in March in a memo from Executive Deputy Secretary
for Programs John Hines. The email applies only to Marcellus shale gas drilling and requires any
actions or notices of violation to get approval from a series of DEP officials and finally the
secretary before any action can be taken.
Jeff Schmidt, Director of Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter said, "We're calling on the
Governor to cancel this pilot policy and take the handcuffs off of our environmental cops. We
need prompt action to stop polluters, not bureaucratic delay."
In the letter, the groups point out: "A series of accidents, spills, and groundwater
contamination incidents, and reports by the media about weaknesses in Pennsylvania's regulatory
framework and enforcement capabilities, have created widespread public doubt that horizontal
drilling and hydrofracking can be done safely. One of the primary ways that the Commonwealth
can address those concerns is to adopt a zero tolerance policy for violations of environmental
protections at drilling operations."
NewsClips: Corbett Asked To Rescind DEP Policy On Drilling Violations
DEP Clarifies Drilling Inspection Policy
Shift By PA In Regulating Marcellus Drilling Concerns Environmentalists
Ferlo Fears PA Drilling Oversight Hampered
Phone Call Dispute Highlights Tension Over Gas Drilling Regs
Editorial: Change In Violation Policy In Drilling Bad Move
Editorial: DEP Order Raises Doubts About Marcellus Shale Regulation
Editorial: Let DEP Inspectors Do Their Job
Editorial: State Marcellus Inspector Oversight Too Long
Editorial: How Do We Love Drillers? Let Us Count The Ways
Editorial: Drillers Have A Friend In Corbett
Editorial: State Should Not Have Last Word On Fracking
Editorial: DEP Drilling Regulatory Policy Error

DEP Tells EPA: PA Was Already Testing Water For Drilling Wastewater Contaminants
In a letter this week to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator
Shawn Garvin, Acting Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Krancer said
Pennsylvania was already taking the steps needed to test streams and water supplies for
radioactivity and other contamination from drilling wastewater even before EPA asked for
testing.
The letter was in response to a letter from EPA on March 7 asking for additional testing
as a result of several articles in the New York Times. (see 3/14/2011 PA Environment Digest)
"Unfortunately, your letter, along with the recent New York Times articles, overlooks
DEP's strong and ongoing efforts to protect the environment and public health," said Krancer.
"More specifically, the radionuclides and other pollutants of concern (barium and strontium)
that were highlighted in your letter had all been previously identified by DEP and targeted in
regulation, guidance, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting
process, in-stream sampling, and public drinking water sampling."
Krancer reminded EPA that all in-stream water sampling to date, going back to
November and December of last year, has shown levels at or below normally naturally occurring
background levels of radiation.
"We are guided by sound science and the facts," said Krancer. "In that regard, we
continue to agree with Steve Heare, head of EPA's Drinking Water Protection Division, when he
stated, "I have no information that states aren't doing a good job already [regulating fracking].
Again, based on current data and facts here in Pennsylvania, any backtracking from that
statement would be, in my opinion, unjustified."
In addition to providing EPA with other requested information, Krancer suggested DEP
and EPA meet quarterly to share "agency-wide priorities, environmental surveillance plans, and
regulatory updates."
A copy of the DEP response is available online.
NewsClips: DEP Responds To EPA On Testing For Drilling Water Pollution
DEP Steps Up Water Testing For Drilling Contaminants
Pennsylvania Calls For More Water Tests
Phone Call Dispute Highlights Tension Over Gas Drilling Regs

Marcellus Shale Commission Work Groups To Meet April 11-14

The Governor's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission work groups have scheduled meetings in
Harrisburg for April 11-14.
"The goal of these work groups is to delve more deeply into the many issues surrounding
Marcellus shale and the potential it holds for Pennsylvania. This work will play a key role in the
final report we will present to Governor Corbett in July," said Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley, Chair of the
Commission.
Here are the details. All the meetings will be held from 10:00 to 2:00 in Room 105
Rachel Carson Building, except where noted, and are open to the public.

April 11 - Infrastructure: Chair: Barry Schoch, Acting Secretary of Transportation, Vice-

Chair: Chris Masciantonio, U.S. Steel, Rob Powelson, Chair, Public Utility Commission, Gary
Slagel, PA Independent Oil & Gas Association, Christopher Helms, NiSource Gas Transmission
and Storage, Matt Ehrhart, PA Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Randy Smith, U.S.
Government Affairs Manager. Meeting from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. DEP staff support: Sabrina
Stanwood, Christopher Gray.

April 12 - Public Health, Safety & Environmental Protection: Chair: Michael Krancer,
Acting Secretary of DEP, Vice-Chair: Cynthia Carrow, Western PA Conservancy, Rick Allan,
Acting Secretary DCNR, Nick Haden, Reserved Environmental SerVices, Ron Ramsey, The
Nature Conservancy, Tony Bartolomeo, PA Environmental Council, Jeff Kupfer, Chevron.
Meeting from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. DEP staff support: Elizabeth Nolan, Christopher Gray.

April 13 - Local Impact & Emergency Response: Chair: Glenn Cannon, Director, PA
Emergency Management Agency, Vice-Chair: Jeff Wheeland, Lycoming County Commissioner,
Terry Bossert, Chief Oil & Gas, Ray Walker, Marcellus Shale Coalition, Kip Allen, PA League
of Cities and Municipalities, Dave Sanko, PA State Association of Township Supervisors,
George Greig, Acting Secretary of Agriculture. Meeting from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. DEP staff
support: Laura Henry, Geoff Ayers, Christopher Gray. Meeting in 2nd Floor Training Room.

April 14 - Economic & Workforce Development: Chair: Alan Walker, Acting Secretary
DCED, Vice-Chair: Gene Barr, PA Camber of Business & Industry, Vince Matteo,
Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce, Terry Engelder, Professor of Geosciences,
Penn State University, Dave Porges, CEO, EQT, Jim Felmlee, PA State Association of
Boroughs, Terry Pegula, Former President/CEO, East Resources. Meeting from 10:00 a.m. to
2:00 p.m. DEP staff support: Ann Roda, Christopher Gray. Meeting from 11:00 to 3:00.

For more information, visit the Governor's Marcellus Shale Advisory

Commission webpage. A formal notice of meeting dates for the full Commission was published
this week.

Poll: 87% Support Dedicating A Portion Of Natural Gas Severance Tax For Conservation

A poll of Pennsylvania voters found 87 percent support dedicating a portion of a Marcellus Shale
natural gas severance tax to conservation programs to protect land, water and wildlife and 55
percent prefer revenues from drilling on State Forest land be dedicated to conservation.
Eight in ten voters surveyed (79 percent) expressed support for allocating at least 25
percent of the revenue from a severance tax to conservation.
The poll, done by the bipartisan team of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates and
Public Opinion Strategies, found 53 percent of voters surveyed supported a natural gas severance
tax and 37 percent opposed.
More recent voter polls have consistently found even higher levels of support for a
severance tax: 70 percent, including 62 percent of Republicans, by Susquehanna Polling and 62
percent in a Franklin & Marshall College poll.
For more information on how to support funding for environmental programs, visit
the Renew Growing Greener website.

Allentown Joins 51 Counties, Cities, Towns Calling For Renewal Of Growing Greener
 The Renew Growing Greener Coalition this week applauded the
City of Allentown for supporting a resolution calling for the
renewal of Growing Greener, the state’s primary source of funding
to help local communities preserve open space and farmland,
protect water quality, provide parks and recreation, and clean up abandoned mines.
Growing Greener is a bipartisan program established in 1999 under Gov. Tom Ridge and
later expanded by Govs. Schweiker and Rendell.
Since its establishment, Growing Greener has created a tremendous legacy of success,
preserving more than 25,000 acres of Pennsylvania’s family farmland, conserving more than
21,000 acres of threatened open space, adding 26,000 acres to state parks and forests, and
restoring over 16,000 acres of abandoned mine lands.
This list of the 52 local governments passing resolutions supporting the renewal of
Growing Greener are in addition to the 190 organizations in the Coalition:
-- Cities: Allentown joins the City of Philadelphia, Carbondale;
-- Counties: Blair, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Lehigh, Luzerne,
Monroe, Philadelphia, Pike, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Washington, Westmoreland and
Wyoming;
-- Townships: Athens Township, Bradford County, Benton Township, Lackawanna County,
Covington Township, Lackawanna County, Elmhurst Township, Lackawanna County, Franklin
Township, Chester County, Glenburn Township, Lackawanna County, Greenfield Township,
Lackawanna County, Hamilton Township, Monroe County, New Milford Township,
Susquehanna County, North Coventry Township, Chester County, Noxen Township, Wyoming
County, Radnor Township, Delaware County, Ransom Township, Lackawanna County, Salford
Township, Montgomery County, Scott Township, Lackawanna County, Spring Brook,
Lackawanna County, Stonycreek Township, Somerset County, Thornhurst Township,
Lackawanna County, Troy Township, Bradford County;
-- Boroughs: Apollo Borough, Armstrong County, Archbald Borough, Lackawanna County,
Athens Borough, Bradford County, Clarks Summit Borough, Lackawanna County, Jessup
Borough, Lackawanna County, Moscow Borough, Lackawanna County, New Milford Borough,
Susquehanna County, Nicholson Borough, Wyoming County, Rome Borough, Bradford County,
Stroudsburg Borough, Monroe County, Taylor Borough, Lackawanna County, Tunkhannock
Borough, Wyoming County; and
-- SEDA COG Council of Governments.
For more information, visit the Renew Growing Greener website.

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

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Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Bills Introduced

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

Session Schedule

Here is the Senate and House schedule

Senate
April 11, 12, 13, 26, 27
May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 23, 24
June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30

House
April 11, 12, 13, (25 NV), 26, and 27
May 2, 3, 4, 9. 10, 11, 23, 24, and 25
June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, and 30

Bill Calendars

House (April 11): House Bill 295 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) extending the grant period for the Main
Street Program; House Resolution 87 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) calling on the Region III office of the
U.S. Environmental Protection to cease the unlawful review of NPDES water quality
permits. <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (April 11): <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committees

House: the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider Senate Bill
265 (MJ White-R-Venango) amending the Coal and Gas Resource Coordination Act. <> Click
Here for full House Committee Schedule.
Senate: the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meets to consider the nomination of
George Greig as Secretary of Agriculture. <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Other: the Joint Legislative Air And Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee
holds a hearing on waste tire recycling and reuse

Bills Introduced

The following bills of interest were introduced this week--

Senate

Administrative Procedure Code: Senate Bill 883 (Greenleaf-R-Montgomery) establishing the

Administrative Procedure Code consolidating the Commonwealth Documents Law, the
Commonwealth Attorneys Law and the Regulatory Review Act.

Drilling Moratorium: Senate Bill 906 (Ferlo-D-Allegheny) establishing a statewide Marcellus

Shale natural gas drilling moratorium.

House

Outdoor Advertising Control: House Bill 1272 (Adolph-R-Delaware) further providing for the
regulation of outdoor advertising.

Green Technology Testing: House Bill 1290 (George-D-Clearfield) creating the State Agency
Green Technology testing program.

DSIC/Utility Property Valuation: House Bill 1294 (Godshall-R-Montgomery) further

providing for valuation of water and wastewater system property and providing alternative
ratemaking mechanism (DSIC) for natural gas and other utility distribution systems.

Senate/House Bills Moving

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

House

Pipeline Safety: House Bill 344 (Baker-R-Tioga) granting regulatory oversight of the gathering
lines to the Public Utility Commission in coordination with the U.S. Department of
Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration was reported out of the
House Appropriations Committee and passed by the House. The bill now goes to the Senate for
consideration.
NewsClips: Baker Bill Will Improve Pipeline Safety
Senate Approves Pipeline Bill
 Federal DOT Calls For Better Pipeline Coordination
Columbia Gas To Replace 4,000 Too-Thin Pipes
Feds Want Aging Gas Pipelines Repaired
Feds Tell Pipeline Companies To Speed Up Gas Pipelines
U.S. Calls On Industry To Repair Aging Gas Pipelines

Main Street: House Bill 295 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) extending the duration of grants under the
Main Street Program was referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee and
passed by the House. The bill now goes to the Senate for action.

Senate

Keystone Fund Reporting: Senate Bill 302 (MJ White-R-Venango) further providing for
annual reports from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund was passed by the
Senate and now goes to the House for consideration.

Hazardous Sites Cleanup Reporting: Senate Bill 303 (MJ White-R-Venango) further providing
for reports under the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act was passed by the Senate and now goes to the
House for consideration.

Air Plan Comments: Senate Bill 304 (MJ White-R-Venango) requiring further public review of
state Air Quality Implementation Plans was passed by the Senate and now goes to the House for
action.

Pipeline Safety: Senate Bill 325 (Baker-R-Luzerne) giving the Public Utility Commission
further authority to regulate pipeline safety was amended on Third Consideration and passed by
the Senate. The bill now goes to the House for consideration.

News From The Capitol

House, Senate Approve Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Bills

Both the House and the Senate this week gave final approval to legislation granting regulatory
oversight of the gathering lines to the Public Utility Commission in coordination with the U.S.
Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration.
The bills are: House Bill 344 (Baker-R-Tioga) and Senate Bill 325 (Baker-R-Luzerne).
"With the influx of Marcellus Shale drilling across the state, the federal government has
expressed an interest to coordinate oversight of natural gas pipelines with the Commonwealth,"
said Rep. Matt Baker. "Although the rapid development and growth of new pipelines has been
overwhelmingly positive thus far, we need to make sure that appropriate safety measures are
adhered to and that our citizenry and the environment are protected as much as possible."
Rep. Baker noted that this type of authority is not a new concept and that out of the
current 31 natural gas producing states, including Pennsylvania, 29 have statutory authority to
regulate gas gathering lines.
 "This is just one legislative measure that will help increase the safety of Marcellus Shale
drilling and production in Pennsylvania," said Rep. Baker. "This legislation will allow the PUC
to regulate natural gas pipelines without having to deem them a public utility. Therefore, the
power of eminent domain is not extended. This legislation does nothing more than bring the
Commonwealth in line with how other natural gas producing states are handling regulatory
oversight in conjunction with the federal government."
Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne) said, "This legislation reflects a lot of responsible planning,
negotiating, and refining on the part of legislators, regulators, companies, and experts in utility
law. The process is driven by a real sense of urgency in communities across much of our
Commonwealth. What was a good bill was made better by an amendment that brought Class 1
pipelines under the registration requirement, providing much needed protection.
"One of the pressing public concerns arising as a result of the Marcellus Shale drilling is
oversight of all aspects of the operations. We have moved to upgrade and expand laws,
regulations, inspections, every piece of the apparatus necessary to protect communities and the
environment.
If someone asks how much pipeline will be laid as the result of the Marcellus Shale
development, the honest and indefensible answer is no one knows.
"This legislation is necessary because someone must know. Local officials need to know.
Emergency response units certainly need to know. Environmental protection agencies need to
know."
The Senate or House must give final approval to one of these bills before it becomes law.
NewsClips: Baker Bill Will Improve Pipeline Safety
Senate Approves Pipeline Bill
Federal DOT Calls For Better Pipeline Coordination
Columbia Gas To Replace 4,000 Too-Thin Pipes
Feds Want Aging Gas Pipelines Repaired
Feds Tell Pipeline Companies To Speed Up Gas Pipelines
U.S. Calls On Industry To Repair Aging Gas Pipelines

Senate Passes Bills On Reporting From Keystone, Hazardous Sites Funds, Air Plan
Comments

The Senate this week approved three bills sponsored by Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango),
Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, designed to shed
light on funding for parks and recreation projects and state Air Quality Implementation Plans,
and dedicate funds to hazardous sites cleanup.
Senate Bill 302 requires state agencies which receive funding under the Keystone
Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund Act (Key '93) to submit annual reports to the governor
and General Assembly - including a description of projects, their locations and amounts
requested - and post the information online.
"Key '93 funds a variety of projects across the commonwealth, and taxpayers have a right
to see what is being funded and how much is being spent," said Sen. White.
Senate Bill 303 requires DEP to deposit any Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act-related fine
money into the HSCA Fund, which is used to clean up hazardous sites. Civil penalties under the
Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act – up to $25,000 per offense – could not be used to supplant other
funds within DEP.
"Senate Bill 303 simply ensures that fines levied under the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act
help fund critical cleanup projects in communities across Pennsylvania, and aren't diverted to
other uses," said Sen. White.
Senate Bill 304 requires the Department of Environmental Protection to post and
maintain all clean air State Implementation Plans on its website, and to provide the same to the
standing Senate and House oversight committees.
The bills will now go to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate, House Urban Affairs Committees Hold Joint Hearing On Land Banks

A joint informational meeting of the Senate Urban Affairs and House Urban Affairs Committees
was held this week in Harrisburg to discuss land reform measures and land banking, according to
Senate Committee Chairman Gene Yaw (R-Bradford).
A land bank focuses on the conversion of vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent
properties into productive use.
Testimony was given by Dan Kildee, co-founder and president of the Center for
Community Progress. Mr. Kildee initiated the use of Michigan's new tax foreclosure law as a
tool for community development and neighborhood stabilization.
He founded the Genesee Land Bank, and a model for others in the nation – and serves as
its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In 2007, Kildee's land bank program was named
winner of the Harvard University/Fannie Mae Foundation Innovations in American Government
Award for Affordable Housing.
"Like Michigan, communities across the state of Pennsylvania are struggling to cope with
vacant, abandoned and tax delinquent properties," said Mr. Kildee. "Land banks are a unique tool
that can be used by communities and municipalities to facilitate the return of problem properties
to productive use."
Since its founding, the Genesee land bank has sold 1,600 properties and has raised $6.4
million through the sales, Kildee said. That fund has enabled the land bank to reconstruct dozens
of single-family houses, sell hundreds of vacant lots to adjoining homeowners and create
incentives for downtown redevelopment projects.
"Mr. Kildee's testimony provided a great deal of insight into the land banking process,"
said Sen. Yaw. "If Pennsylvania does not aggressively and comprehensively address the
problems of blighted and abandoned properties plaguing many of our communities we will
continue to see a decline in our housing infrastructure and face the negative impacts of lower
property values and tax bases."
Video of the entire hearing is available on the House Urban Affairs Committee webpage.

Marcellus Works Proposal Introduced In House To Promote Use Of Natural Gas

House Majority Whip Stan Saylor (R-York) and members of the House Republican Caucus this
week unveiled a package of legislation called “Marcellus Works,” which is designed to secure
Pennsylvania’s energy future and create thousands of new jobs by creating incentives for the use
of the clean natural gas, which is plentiful in Pennsylvania’s large Marcellus Shale formation, as
a vehicle fuel.
“It has been estimated that the development of Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale will
create tens of thousands of jobs,” said Saylor. “But extracting the natural gas represents only
half of the job creating potential. Using this clean burning and domestic resource will unlock the
key to the other half. That is where our plan comes in.”
The Marcellus Works plan includes these bills (not yet online):
-- House Bill 1083 (Saylor-R-York) creates tax credits for private fleet vehicles in order to lessen
incremental cost of natural gas vehicles.
-- House Bill 1084 (Moul-R-Adams) creates a grant program available to smaller mass transit
agencies to cover the incremental cost of natural gas buses.
-- House Bill 1085 (Watson-R-Bucks) creates a revolving loan program available to large mass
transit agencies to cover the incremental cost of natural gas buses.
-- House Bill 1086 (Marshall-R-Beaver) requires 25 percent of all new bus purchases made by
large mass transit agencies (SEPTA, PAT, Lehigh) in 2012-16 run on natural gas; 50 percent in
2017-2021; 75 percent in 2021-2026; and 100 percent in 2027.
-- House Bill 1087 (Denlinger-R-Lancaster) creates a natural gas corridor tax credit to encourage
the construction of natural gas fueling stations along travel corridors (I-76, I-78, I-79, I-80, I-81,
and I-83).
-- House Bill 1088 (Pickett-R-Bradford) dedicates the Alternative Fuel Incentive Fund to provide
grants to municipalities, schools, and the private sector for the purchase of natural gas vehicles.
-- House Bill 1089 (Perry-R-York) – Repeals California Air Resources Board section 2030 to
eliminate costly duplication of EPA and CARB certifications for natural gas vehicles.
“This plan is truly a win-win for everyone,” Rep. Saylor added. “This is an opportunity
for Pennsylvania to take the lead on clean energy and it is an opportunity for Pennsylvania to
encourage the development and growth of small businesses and the much-needed jobs they will
bring. We have a wonderful opportunity to grow our economy and ensure a clean energy future
for future generations. We cannot squander it.”
The estimated cost of the program is $47.5 million in one-time spending.
For more information, visit the Marcellus Works website.
NewsClips: House GOP Wants More Natural Gas Buses, Trucks
PA May Get Into Energy Business To Provide Marcellus Gas Market
Marcellus Shale Economic Impact At Heart Of Capitol Expo

News From Around The State

Take Recyclebank's Green Your Home Challenge For Earth Month

Recyclebank, the Pennsylvania company that rewards
people for taking everyday green actions with discounts
and deals from more than 3,000 local and national
businesses, this week announced it has partnered with
consumer insights agency ROI Research and Google Inc. to
measure how gaming techniques can impact individuals'
behaviors when applied to environmental causes.
The partnership will focus on Recyclebank's Earth
Month "Green Your Home Challenge", a nationwide
consumer contest that runs through April 30 and uses several gamification techniques to
motivate green behaviors.
ROI Research will track the effectiveness of the initiative's marketing strategies, seeking
to better understand the impact the game has on consumer engagement with the brand.
Google will leverage a beta version of Google Analytics to measure member participation
levels both on the Recyclebank website as well as through the various digital components of the
Challenge including the ROI of paid media, the viral nature of the Challenge and conversion
metrics within the Challenge.
This includes quizzes, polls and a series of Recyclebank's Learn & Earn opportunities,
which reward individuals for engaging with sustainability-related digital education content.
The Green Your Home Challenge aims to bridge the divide between online and offline
green actions, rewarding consumers for completing a range of easy to more difficult
sustainability-related challenges to drive them through the engagement funnel toward true
behavior change.
A central element of the initiative is the use of gamification, which refers to the process
of using game mechanics in otherwise non-game environments. More details on the Challenge
and its innovative gamification components are available on the contest website or through the
official contest announcement.
"Google is excited to be partnering with Recyclebank and ROI Research on this green
initiative. It's a great opportunity for us to showcase the power of Google Analytics, while
continuing to have a positive impact on the world," said Sophie Chesters, product marketing
manager at Google. "For this project, we've leveraged a variety of product features such as event
tracking, tracking for Adobe Flash, and tracking events as goals—a feature new to our most
recently released version of Google Analytics—to help track how many daily challenges site
visitors are participating in. We will continue to work with both teams throughout Earth Month
to help analyze the impact that gamification has on driving people to interact with and share the
challenge as they take positive steps toward improving the environment."
"Recyclebank is devoted to making a measurable and trackable positive impact on the
planet," said Javier Flaim, senior vice president of global marketing at Recyclebank. "To date,
we have seen enormous success with our home recycling rewards program using foundational
gaming techniques. As we expand our efforts to the digital realm, it's just as important to
understand and best maximize the impact we're having on consumer behavior. The insights we
gain from our partnership with ROI Research and Google Analytics will help us better
understand what truly motivates individuals to take positive environmental actions, and ensure
future Recyclebank initiatives are designed to make the largest difference on the environment."
 "The decision to bring the analytic muscle of Google and ROI together with
Recyclebank's approach to educating through foundational gaming techniques unfolded
naturally," said Scott Haiges, president of ROI Research. "We work regularly with both of these
innovators, and the combined analytic approach will help ensure a methodologically sound and
effective program as Recyclebank expands its gamification efforts online."
Visit the Green Your Home Challenge webpage to see how you can green your home.

DEP Issues Corrected Well Drilling Permits To Lake Erie Partners

The Department of Environmental Protection has issued two corrected natural gas well-drilling
permits to Lake Erie Energy Partners LLC after the company provided complete information to
remedy the original application defects.
This announcement replaces a similar announcement made last week.
The corrected permits are for the Dohler 1 and Dohler 3 non-Marcellus wells in North
East Township, Erie County. Township residents contacted DEP after observing water supply
notification shortcomings in the permit applications.
Lake Erie Energy Partners corrected those application defects, leading to this action. The
original permits for the wells were revoked simultaneously with the issuance of the new permits.
DEP also revoked the permits for the Rahal 3 and Rahal 4 non-Marcellus wells in North
East Township. The applications for these wells were revoked as a result of an omission of
required information in the original drilling permit application. In the Rahal 4 case, the
application failed to meet the setback provisions of the Oil and Gas Act, which prohibits building
well sites less than 200 feet from an occupied structure.
The new Rahal 3 location plat, or map, submitted to DEP indicates the well is being
moved 57 feet from the original location without giving proper notification as required under the
Oil and Gas Act.
If the company intends to construct Rahal 3 and Rahal 4, it will need to submit a new
well drilling application that addresses the setback and notification requirements.

DEP Orders Catalyst Energy To Stop Operations At 36 Non-Marcellus Wells

The Department of Environmental Protection issued a cease and desist order to Catalyst Energy
Inc. that prohibits the company from conducting all drilling and hydro-fracturing operations for
the 36 non-Marcellus wells within 2,500 feet of two homes in the Yellow Hammer area of
Hickory Township, Forest County.
The order was issued after a DEP investigation confirmed that private water supplies
serving the two homes had been contaminated by natural gas and elevated levels of iron and
manganese from Catalyst’s operations.
DEP first received complaints about water quality – odor and a cloudy appearance – in
January. Notices of violation were issued to Catalyst for groundwater contamination February 10
and March 1 for the two affected homes.
In late March, a follow-up investigation confirmed the presence of natural gas above the
surface and dissolved in both water supplies.
 In 2010, DEP issued permits to Catalyst for 36 non-Marcellus wells in the Yellow
Hammer neighborhood. According to DEP Northwest Regional Director Kelly Burch, Catalyst
has drilled 22 of those wells in recent months.
Burch explained that Catalyst must conduct the investigation to determine which well or
wells may be responsible for the gas migration.
Catalyst’s investigatory responsibility is part of Pennsylvania’s more stringent
regulations, which went into effect Feb. 5, related to well construction and gas migration cases.
In addition to its investigation and the obligation to stop all drilling and hydro-fracturing
in Yellow Hammer, Catalyst must immediately provide temporary whole-house water systems to
the two affected homes. Catalyst must either permanently restore or replace the water supplies by
July 1.
The company is required to submit a gas migration status report to DEP every ten days,
which provides information on the progress of the investigation.
The 22 wells in question are combination oil and gas wells with an average depth of
1,500 to 3,000 feet.
Catalyst Energy Inc. is headquartered in Cranberry, Butler County.
NewsClips: State Orders Drilling Halt After 2 Wells Are Polluted
DEP Orders Drilling, Fracking To Stop At Catalyst Energy Wells

DEP Orders McKean Resident To Plug 3 Abandoned Wells Near Site Of Explosion

The Department of Environmental Protection has ordered a resident of Bradford Township,

McKean County, to plug three abandoned non-Marcellus wells that were discovered during the
investigation into the house explosion at 10 Helen Lane on Feb. 28.
Bruce George is the owner/operator of eight wells at a nearby property on West
Washington Street. Three of the wells are considered abandoned as they have not been in
production in the past 12 months. The order instructs George to begin plugging the abandoned
wells within 20 days and finish the work within 45 days.
DEP learned of the wells as part of the search for a potential gas source in the Helen Lane
explosion. During the ongoing investigation, DEP staff detected gas in the soil near one of the
abandoned wells, Rogers 9, which is located about 300 feet from 10 Helen Lane. The order
requires George to plug Rogers 9 first.
"The department considers Rogers 9 a suspect well due to the conditions that
investigators have observed," DEP Regional Director Kelly Burch said. "This order is part of the
department's ongoing investigation."
Upon completion of plugging each well, George is required to notify DEP. The
department will continue its investigation of gas levels to assess the impact of each plugging.
On April 1, DEP issued a notice of violation to George for his failure to plug the
abandoned wells. Rogers 9 was drilled in 1881 and the other two abandoned wells were drilled
nearly 90 years ago.
NewsClip: Casey Wants Feds To Investigate PA House Explosions

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sponsors Energy Forum April 11

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Babst Calland law firm are sponsoring the first of three
energy forums on April 11-- "How Can We Balance The Need For Energy And The Desire For
Environmental Protection?"
Moderator for the event will be David Shribman, Executive Editor of the Post-Gazettte,
with an introduction by Chester Babst of Babst Calland.
Panelists include: Lou D'Amico, PA Independent Oil and Gas Association, John Hanger,
former Secretary DEP, Jan Jarrett, PennFuture, Ray Walker, Jr., Range Resources and Ed Rubin,
Carnegie Mellon University.
To register, call 412-263-3850 or send email to: marketing@post-gazette.com.
NewsClips: Energy Forum In Pittsburgh On Marcellus Shale April 11
April 14 Meeting In Sewickley Hills On Marcellus Shale

Delaware River Designated As National Great Water

The Delaware River has been designated a “Great Water,” joining 18 other waterways
nationwide selected for that honor by a national coalition formed to protect waterways of high
economic, social and environmental importance.
The America’s Great Waters Coalition, based in Washington, D.C., announced its 2011
selections last week. The coalition was formed in 2009 to advocate for the restoration and
protection of lakes, bays, rivers and marshes that are rich in natural resources and have a
significant impact on their surrounding regions.
The Delaware River is the longest un-dammed river east of the Mississippi, flowing for
330 miles from Hancock, N.Y., to the Delaware Bay, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
More than 15 million people in four states depend on the river’s water for drinking, agricultural
and industrial use. The Delaware includes natural wonders -- three stretches along its course are
included in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers program – and important commercial assets.
“We welcome the news that the Delaware River has been recognized as a Great Water of
national significance,” said Kelly Mooij, Director of Government Relations for New Jersey
Audubon. “We look forward to working closely with our partners in the Delaware River Basin
Commission and the coalition to find regional solutions to the challenges of protecting the river
and its basin. One state acting alone can’t address the complex issues involved in managing the
resources of a river vital to the interests of four states.”
Besides the Delaware, eight other Great Waters were named by the Coalition on March
22, World Water Day. They are the New York/New Jersey Harbor, Albemarle Pamlico Sound,
Colorado River, Galveston Bay, Missouri River, Narragansett Bay, Ohio River and the Rio
Grande. Ten more waterways were honored last year. While the Great Waters vary in geographic
location and physical characteristics, they are plagued by similar problems such as toxic
pollution, altered water flows, habitat loss, and destructive invasive species.
The Delaware additionally faces new threats from hydraulic drilling for natural gas, a
controversial process known as fracking.
“Hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale formation is one of two imminent threats to the
river system’s well-being,” said Dan Plummer, board chairman of Friends of the Upper
Delaware River and a member of the coalition. “A second threat is the inadequate water releases
from New York City-owned reservoirs, an issue that has plagued river residents, anglers and
other visitors, and the habitat and fisheries in the Delaware system for decades.”
 Other conservation advocates focused on the significance of the river to wildlife,
including threatened and endangered species.
“The Delaware is vitally important to wildlife, too,” said Mooij. “The largest population
of breeding horseshoe crabs in the world comes ashore in Delaware Bay, laying eggs that are an
important food for as many as a million migratory birds, including the endangered red knot.”
Margaret O’Gorman, executive director of Conserve Wildlife, also noted the habitat
value of the Delaware’s waters and shores.
“Of course the Delaware River is a ‘Great Water,’ sustaining an incredible diversity of
wildlife, both common and rare, along its length,” she said. “The Delaware River has been key to
the recovery of the bald eagle, which has seen statewide populations grow from one pair in the
late 1980s over 80 pairs breeding in New Jersey today. The river also provides critical habitat to
the Atlantic sturgeon and sustains shorebird populations whose continued decline is cause for
alarm.”
The nation’s Great Waters are the backbone of America’s economy, impacting people,
businesses, communities and wildlife but, the coalition warned, these waters are under attack.
Landmark legislation and funding for restoration efforts that have protected our nation’s
waterways for more than three decades are now at risk. Honoring specific waterways is one way
to lend fresh impetus to conservation efforts.
“The ‘Great Water’ designation confirms the Delaware’s status as a national natural
treasure,” said Plummer. “It further inspires us to oppose drilling practices that could sterilize
miles of pristine water and to fight for a rational water-release plan that will preserve the
Delaware River from its headwaters to the bay and beyond.”
Across the country, restoration efforts funded by the federal government are producing
on-the-ground results. In the Delaware River, for example, the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration made $27.5 million available for restoration projects that
compensated for a 2004 oil spill by a cargo ship.
Projects included dam removals, wetlands upgrades and improvements along the
shoreline. Part of another $20.3 million award from the Oil Spill Liability Fund made last year
will be used to create 50 acres of oyster reefs off Cape May County. But the work is far from
done, and critical decisions lie ahead, advocates said.
"The Delaware River has an irreplaceable role in this nation's past and present — whether
it can have a healthy and contributing role in our future will be determined by the actions and
decisions of today,” said Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper. “Dangerous gas drilling,
irresponsible dredging and increasing pollution are threatening the ability of the Delaware River
to nourish and support our communities with healthy water, food and jobs. The Great Waters
program could play an important role in helping us to protect the river for the benefit of all, now
and into the future."
The Coalition calls for prompt action to ensure the health, safety, and livelihoods of the
millions of Americans that depend on our Great Waters. These waterways benefit everyone not
only because of their economic, social, and environmental importance, but because they are
national treasures that support our nation’s economy and provide rich resources for future
generations.
“From the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, from the Puget Sound to the Everglades,
Great Waters are the lifeblood of our nation, driving regional economies, preserving our national
heritage, and shaping the daily lives of Americans,” said Theresa Pierno, co-chair for the
America’s Great Waters Coalition and executive vice president for the National Parks
Conservation Association. “We cannot afford not to protect our nation’s Great Waters. Whether
it is for drinking, fishing, transportation, recreation, trade, or energy, keeping the Delaware River
clean and accessible is essential to our health, happiness, and financial well-being.”
The Great Waters Coalition works to illustrate to the American public and decision-
makers that our water resources must become a national priority for the security of our economy
and way of life.
Three main goals drive the Coalition’s work: (1) making the restoration of our Great
Waters a national priority, (2) securing sustainable dedicated funding for restoration, and (3)
enacting and ensuring sound implementation of restoration.
To learn more about the Great Waters Coalition, and to view a complete list of America’s
Great Waters visit the Great Waters Coalition webpage.

Spotlight

Penn State Extension: Doing Stream Restoration? Consider Biosecurity

Many watershed associations will be doing stream clean-ups and

buffer plantings. Here are a few things to consider when planning
these activities.
Since the goal of any group carrying out stream restoration
is to improve stream quality, introducing invasive plants or animals
into the system being restored is not desirable.
When installing a riparian buffer, the tools used to plant the
trees should be clean and free of soil that can contain seeds or plant fragments from other sites.
Purple loosestrife, Japanese stiltgrass or mile-a-minute for example, are invasive plant species
that can take over the area being restored. They are prolific seed producers. Seeds can also be
moved by water currents during heavy rains or moved in contaminated hay, soil or potted plants,
and on footwear.
Plant fragments may be carried in moist soil and have the potential to begin an
infestation. Seeds and plant fragments also spread in soil trapped in tire and track treads of heavy
equipment, so be sure those are free of soil.
A good resource useful for identifying invasive plants in the area being restored is the
Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas.These invasive plants should be controlled both
before and after planting since seed will often remain viable in the soil for several years.
Equipment used to do work in the water such as nets, boots, boats or trailers all need to
be cleaned, drained and dried before being moved from one watershed to another, particularly if
invasive species are known to be in the last stream or creek visited.
Didymo (also called rocksnot) is a microscopic, single celled organism that can be
transferred between streams in the soles of felt-soled wading boots as well as in clumps caught
on boats or trailers.
Many invasive aquatic plant species are champions at reproducing by fragmentation. Any
vegetation clinging to a boat or trailer should be removed before you leave a watershed. If not
cleaned at time of departure, remove and disposed of any plant material well away from any
water body. Do not wash the materials down any drains, dispose of it in the trash.
If working in the water, work from upstream to downstream to avoid carrying any
invasive species further up the stream. Remember to "Go with the flow."
The Fish and Boat Commission has information and protocols posted on their Aquatic
Invasive Species webpage for cleaning boat and fishing gear.

(Written by Diane Oleson, Extension Educator, York County, from Watershed Winds Newsletter)

Bethlehem, TNC Agreement Protects 22,000 Acres Of Watershed Lands

Clean drinking water, wildlife, recreation, and Pennsylvania’s forest products industry will
benefit from a new agreement between The Nature Conservancy-PA and the Bethlehem
Authority.
The agreement, approved last night by Bethlehem City Council, will protect 22,000 acres
of forest in the watershed that provides drinking water to Bethlehem and surrounding
communities.
Acting on a unanimous approval vote by the Bethlehem Authority Board, City Council
agreed to join the Conservancy’s Working Woodlands program, which provides forest
landowners with a rigorous analysis of their property and access to forest certification and carbon
markets, in exchange for a commitment to practice sustainable forestry.
The Authority’s lands, nestled in the highlands of northeastern Pennsylvania, are the first
parcels officially enrolled in the program. At 22,000 acres protected, the agreement is the largest
private conservation project ever in Pennsylvania, demonstrating the potential of the Working
Woodlands model.
“Conserving this forestland is key to enhancing water quality, improving wildlife habitat,
maintaining recreation opportunities for local people and helping to mitigate the impacts of
climate change,” said Bud Cook, Northeast Pennsylvania program director for The Nature
Conservancy. “Working Woodlands allows for traditional uses of the land such as forestry and
outdoor recreation, while ensuring that these forests will remain intact and healthy for future
generations to enjoy,” Cook added.
“Our primary mission is to supply the highest quality drinking water to the 115,000 plus
customers of the Bethlehem Water System as we possibly can. Preserving the pristine quality of
our watershed properties supports that mission. And the Working Woodlands Program enhances
our ability to do just that, and offers a modest revenue source as well”, said Stephen Repasch,
Executive Director of the Bethlehem Authority.
In December 2009, the Nature Conservancy began speaking with landowners about
Working Woodlands, a model forest conservation program that aims to protect forests and fight
climate change via an agreement with carbon marketer and developer Blue Source, LLC to
create incentives that reward landowners for exceptional forest management practices.
“Working Woodlands is a new model of conservation that leverages the market demand
for certified forest products and carbon offsets to help private landowners achieve their goals
while promoting long-term conservation at the same time,” said Josh Parrish, the Pennsylvania
director of land protection for The Nature Conservancy.
 Building on the Conservancy’s experience with land protection and forest certification,
Working Woodlands uses an innovative combination of working forest conservation easements,
Forest Stewardship Council forest management certification, and forest carbon payments to
make conservation more attractive and relevant for private landowners. To market the carbon
credits, the Conservancy is working with Blue Source, North America’s largest and most
experienced developer of carbon offset projects.
The program is designed to eliminate landowners’ up-front costs associated with forest
certification and help the landowners benefit from the market demand for certified products and
carbon offsets. Certification means the timber from the Authority’s lands will meet the
increasing market demands for certified products and will allow the Authority to sell carbon
credits on the open market. Companies around the world purchase these credits to offset
greenhouse gas emissions.
The Conservancy will obtain FSC certification for the Bethlehem Authority property and
Blue Source will provide financing for carbon credit development.
“This alliance provides a means for landowners in the U.S. to embrace forest
conservation at no up-front cost and enables them to receive timber and carbon revenues as a
result of their commitment to improved environmental stewardship,” Blue Source President,
Roger Williams said. “We see this as an evolution in land conservation and have structured this
program to make it easy for landowners to participate.
“There are many forest carbon offsets in existence, but the Working Woodlands model is
very credible because it is tied to FSC certification,” said Luke Dillinger, wood procurement
forester at Domtar’s Johnsonburg paper mill, an FSC-certified facility and a major market
participant for Pennsylvania forest products. “The program offers a unique, market-based
mechanism to allow forest landowners to manage for the long-term health of the forest while
maximizing the sustainable revenue stream off of their properties, he said.”
“Working forests are a keystone of The Nature Conservancy's conservation efforts, here
in Pennsylvania and around the world,” said Bill Kunze, state director of The Nature
Conservancy’s Pennsylvania Chapter. “Harnessing the power of markets in service to the long-
term ecological and economic health of our forests can yield great benefit for both people and
nature.”
For more information, visit The Nature Conservancy-PA webpage.
NewsClip: Bethlehem OKs Green Watershed Ventures

Four Penn State Water Quality Projects Honored By U.S.D.A.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Water Program has selected four clean-water
projects initiated by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences as Regional Projects of
Excellence for the mid-Atlantic region.
Administered by Penn State Extension, the selected projects were showcased at the recent
2011 Land Grant/Sea Grant National Water Conference in Washington, D.C. The programs
recognized are:
-- Regional Master Well Owner Network, conducted by Bryan Swistock, Penn State Extension
water resources specialist. The Master Well Owner Network is an extension program first
initiated in Pennsylvania in 2003 and subsequently expanded throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
 Volunteers -- and in some states, extension educators and other professionals -- complete
a day-long training workshop to learn how to maintain private water systems and to protect or
improve water quality. Then, they share this information with others in their communities.
"More than 5.5 million households in the mid-Atlantic region rely on private water
supplies such as wells, springs and cisterns for their drinking water," said Swistock.
"Groundwater contamination is a common concern for these residents."
He noted that in Pennsylvania since 2004, the Master Well Owner Network has trained
500 volunteers, who have made more than 25,000 educational contacts. "Better than three out of
four Master Well Owners Network contacts have taken action to improve their water supplies,"
he said.
-- Dairy Feed Management Planner's Certification Program, overseen by Virginia Ishler,
extension nutrient management specialist in dairy and animal science.
This program began in 2007 when Penn State scientists adapted the national feed-
management program to the needs of dairy consultants in the Chesapeake Basin. The program
certifies consultants in precision-feed management, a practice that reduces nutrient loads in
animal wastes by minimizing phosphorus and nitrogen content in the feed.
"Certified consultants in feed management assist dairy producers in improving herd
nutrition
and meeting new conservation requirements," said Ishler. "The current regulatory and economic
situation requires cost-effective measures to control nutrient pollution."
Precision feed management slowly is being implemented, she noted, and it has been
accepted as a critical practice to help reduce nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay region.
-- Regional Cropland Nutrient Budgets, initiated by Doug Beegle, Distinguished Professor of
Agronomy, and the late Les Lanyon, who was a professor of soil science and management.
Lanyon, collaborating with Beegle, developed a phosphorus budget that in 2003 led to an online
regional nutrient budget for Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
"That budget used livestock numbers, fertilizer sales and crop acreages to determine
county-level phosphorus supply and crop-demand estimates, primarily for Census of Agriculture
years 1987, 1992, 1997 and 2002," said Beegle. "In 2008 the budget was updated to include
nitrogen, and it now incorporates 2007 Census of Agriculture data."
A nutrient budget can be used to determine the indicated areas of nutrient imbalance
where the nutrients applied to cropland in the form of manure and fertilizer exceed the nutrients
removed in crop harvests, Beegle explained.
"The results indicate the potential for nutrients in the soil to be lost to the environment
and help to target areas and practices where efforts to minimize the impact of nutrients can be
focused," he said. "In the Chesapeake Bay, the phosphorus budget led to a new public focus on
regional nutrient imbalances."
-- Educational Efforts on Water Quality Credit Trading Policies, conducted by Charles
Abdalla, professor of agricultural and environmental economics, and Kristen Saacke Blunk,
senior extension associate and director of the Agriculture and Environment Center.
Since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began promoting nutrient-trading
programs as one way to address water-quality impairments, programs around the region have
started to evaluate how such programs could reduce pollution.
 "While states in the mid-Atlantic region sought to advance water quality and nutrient
trading, many stakeholders did not fully understand water-quality credit-trading programs and
their inherent opportunities and obstacles," said Abdalla.
"Recognizing the need to educate citizens, policy-makers and agricultural,
environmental, and municipal interest groups, we began providing unbiased, science-based
information through publications, workshops and professional guidance."
The effort that helped launch this regional initiative was the extension publication "A
Primer on Water Quality Credit Trading in the Mid-Atlantic Region," a resource that explained
trading and its potential benefits and consequences, and fostered development of educational
materials on the mid-Atlantic states' water-quality and nutrient-trading policies.
For more information, visit Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences webpage.

Landscape Rehabilitation And Sustainability Subject Of New Book

The Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition's valued participant and soil scientist Dr. Valentin Kefeli
has recently seen his book, "Mechanisms of Landscape Rehabilitation and Sustainability"
available for online purchase in an eBook format.
The book is of particular interest to academic and professional biologists, soil scientists,
ecologists, agronomists and architects. It presents discoveries and proposals that have emerged
from the authors’ research and explains ways to protect Earth’s ecosystems against further
degradation.
These proposals are founded on the philosophy of sustainable development and its
application to various aspects essential to the long-term success of human beings; these include
community coexistence, education, water purification and recycling, agriculture, the production
of fabricated soil for landscape rehabilitation, and the preservation and propagation of wild flora.
Strategies for both indoor and outdoor systems are covered in this publication.
The book covers several subjects including molecular biology, botany, microbiology, soil
biochemistry and human interaction with the ecosystem. Methods for soil rehabilitation
ultimately allow us to obtain optimal crop yield.
The book is available for purchase by visiting the Bentham eBooks website.

8 Water Systems Join Partnership For Safe Water Program

Eight Pennsylvania water systems announced this week they have joined the new Partnership for
Safe Water Distribution Optimization Program is a voluntary effort to provide safe drinking
water to all customers.
The water systems became charter members by joining before the Distribution Charter
Membership deadline of March 31:
-- North Penn Water Authority (Montgomery County) provides drinking water service to
approximately 78,000 people;
-- Chester Water Authority (Delaware County) provides drinking water service to approximately
125,000 people;
-- Municipal Authority of the Borough of Oakmont (Allegheny County) provides drinking water
service to approximately 37,877 people;
-- PA American Water Company (multiple counties statewide) provides drinking water service to
approximately 2 million people;
-- Brodhead Creek Regional Water Authority (Monroe County) provides drinking water service
to approximately 22,500 people;
-- Philadelphia Water Department (Philadelphia County) provides drinking water service to
approximately 1.6 million people;
-- Reading Area Water Authority (Berks County) provides water service to approximately
87,000 people; and
-- Elizabethtown Area Water Authority (Lancaster County) provides water service to
approximately 15,000 people.
The PfSW is a voluntary cooperative effort between DEP, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, American Water Works Association and other drinking water organizations. Its goal is
to implement preventative measures that are based on optimizing treatment plant and distribution
system performance. By participating in the program, these water systems are working to
provide an additional measure of protection to their drinking water consumers.
For more information, contact Kevin Anderson at 717-783-9764 or send email to:
keanderson@state.pa.us or visit the Partnership for Safe Water webpage.

Sign Up Now For 2011 Clarion River Sojourn June 11-12

On June 11-12, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy will host a trip along the Clarion River
for the annual River Sojourn.
Participants will travel this National Wild and Scenic River by canoe from Hallton, Pa. to
Cooksburg during the two-day event. The trip includes activities and presentations centered on
the theme “Into the WILDS,” which focuses on the ecology and history of the river.
The Clarion River slowly meanders through scenic narrow valleys and hardwood forests,
and includes numerous large pools, providing a relaxing scenic trip that is comfortable to most
levels of boaters. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has protected 12,276 acres of land
along the Clarion river to date.
On the first day, participants will paddle 13 miles, beginning in Hallton and continuing
through the beautiful, undisturbed Pennsylvania Wilds. In addition to experiencing a few riffles
and small waves along the way, boaters will encounter a little excitement on Pine Rapid, a Class
1 to 1+ designated rapid. This day’s journey ends at Clear Creek State Park, which is recognized
as an Important Bird Area – so bird watchers should bring binoculars.
Day two, which covers 10.5 miles, will launch from Clear Creek State Park. Sunday’s
leisurely paddle will pass through several Important Bird Areas, including a locally known bald
eagle nesting area high in the hills of the Wild and Scenic River Corridor.
Along the journey, staff members will speak with participants about the area’s flora and
fauna, as well as current WPC projects and initiatives. The event will come to an end at the Pale
Whale Canoe Fleet Livery, located in Cooksburg.
Participants are welcome to attend either day individually for $65, or both days as a
package for $95. Registration fees include daily meals, canoe rental, educational programs and
shuttle service for the event.
Lodging is not included; participants must reserve their own overnight accommodations.
Sponsors for the sojourn include PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers , Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania WILDS, and the Western Pennsylvania
Conservancy.
To register for the River Sojourn or for more information, contact Kelly Horrell at
724-459-0953 ext.113 or send email to: khorrell@paconserve.org. You can also register online
using your credit card. The registration deadline is May 27. Please download and fill out our
registration packet.
Learn more about other sojourns, visit the POWR 2011 Sojourns webpage.

DEP Sets Meetings For Laurel Hill/Back Creek Critical Area, Ohio Regional Committees

The Department of Environmental Protection this week published notice setting the meeting
dates for the Laurel Hill/Back Creek Critical Water Resources Area and the Ohio Regional
Water Resources Committee.
The Laurel Hill/Back Creek Committee will meet at the Seven Springs Resort in
Somerset County. The first meeting is April 21. Questions concerning the schedule or agenda
items can be directed to Jay Braund at 717-783-2402 or send email to: jbraund@state.pa.us.
(formal notice)
The Ohio Regional Water Resources Committee will meet on April 21 also at the Seven
Springs Resort in Somerset County. Questions concerning the schedule or agenda items can be
directed to Jay Braund at 717-783-2402 or send email to: jbraund@state.pa.us. (formal notice)
DEP said information on the meetings will be posted on its Public Participation
Center webpage.

Wildlands Conservancy Educator's Open House April 14

The Wildlands Conservancy will host an open house for educator's at the Education Center at the
Pool Wildlife Sanctuary on April 14 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. in Emmaus, Pa.
Explore curriculum, investigating funding, meet staff, discover how to meet
Pennsylvania's Academic Standards, Research Act 48 workshops, learn about enviroMentor,
visit the new wildlife facilities and meet the animals, learn about after-school and off-site
programs.
To RSVP contact Maureen Ruhe, Director of Environmental Education at 610-965-4397
ext 136 or send email to: mruhe@wildlandspa.org.

Wildlife Leadership Academy Application Deadline Extended To April 15

The Wildlife Leadership Academy has extended their application deadline for youth and adult
mentors to April 15.
The Wildlife Leadership Academy is a wildlife-focused leadership program that equips
youth ages 14-17 with the necessary skills to become ambassadors for conservation in their home
communities.
Major topics covered during each five day field school include: wildlife biology, habitat
management, research and monitoring techniques, nature photography and journaling and
community outreach and education.
 In addition to intensive field experiences in wildlife biology, this program enables youth
to develop important leadership skills, such as public speaking, critical thinking, and team work.
After the field school, youth are mentored throughout the year as they participate in at least three
public outreach and/or service activities in wildlife and habitat conservation.
The Wildlife Leadership Academy brings the biological expertise of Pennsylvania
Audubon, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Game Commission,
Pennsylvania Quality Deer Management Association, Pennsylvania State University, Ruffed
Grouse Society, the US Army Corps of Engineers and more directly to high school students.
For more information, visit the Wildlife Leadership Academy webpage.

Alternative Energy Workshops For Educators In June, July

The departments of Environmental Protection and Education and their partners invite educators
to attend one of two free Introductory Alternative Energy Educator’s Workshop to be held:
-- June 22 -- Grand Central Sanitary Landfill, Pen Argyl; and
-- July 20 -- Fresco Green Building Supplies, Lancaster.
The workshops will be held from 8:30 – 4:00 p.m. Teachers will be eligible for 6.5 Act
48 credit hours. Workshop participants will learn about and explore alternative energy
technologies through presentations, hands-on activities and a field trip to see alternative energy
technology in action.
This workshop is geared for upper elementary, middle and high school teachers and non-
formal educators and is based upon Pennsylvania’s Academic Standards for Environment and
Ecology and Science and Technology. Educators will receive background information and
standards-based curricular materials.
Other supporting partners include: Fresco Green Building Supplies and Waste
Management.
To register or for more information, contact Ann Devine, DEP Environmental Education
Regional Program Coordinator, by calling 717-772-1644 or send email to: adevine@state.pa.us.

Earth Day: Fort Indiantown Gap Celebrates Earth Day With Education Programs April
29

The Pennsylvania National Guard will celebrate Earth and Arbor

Day with educational displays and children's activities from 11
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on April 29, at Fort Indiantown Gap, Lebanon
County.
The event, which will be held in the Keystone Conference
Center that overlooks Marquette Lake, is free and open to the
public. "Sustaining the Environment for a Secure Future" is the
theme of this year's event.
"Our goal is to encourage every member of the community to play a role in managing our
nation's resources," Col. Sam Hayes, commander of the Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard
Training Site. "Every effort, no matter how small, takes us further down the road to a sustainable
future."
 Fort Indiantown Gap offers more than 17,000 acres and 140 training areas and facilities
for year-round training. It is the only live-fire, maneuver military training facility in
Pennsylvania, annually supporting 19,000 Pennsylvania National Guard members and more than
130,000 other states' Guard, military, law enforcement, and civilian personnel each year.
As one of the region's most ecologically diverse areas, Fort Indiantown Gap also
manages an outdoor recreation program that last year afforded 2,400 people access to the
installation to hunt, fish and gather wood.
Fort Indiantown Gap is home to 99 species of conservation concern including the only
population of Regal Fritillary butterflies in Pennsylvania. It also provides a wide variety of
habitats for 36 species of mammals, 122 breeding species of birds, 34 species of reptiles and
amphibians, 25 species of fish, 792 species of plants, and many notable species of invertebrates
including 85 species of butterflies and 237 species of moths. The installation also features 1,000
acres of scrub oak and pitch pine scrubland and 3,000 acres of native grassland habitat – the
largest in the state.
For more information, visit the Fort Indiantown Gap Environmental Stewardship and the
DMVA Bureau of Environmental Management webpages.

Earth Day: Friends Of Wissahickon Volunteer Work Days April 9, 16, 23, 30

Now that spring is here, the Friends of the Wissahickon are organizing
Volunteer Work Days in Wissahickon Valley Park on Saturdays beginning
in April at Houston Meadow, where they are building a sustainable re-
route of the trail there.
FOW is also seeking volunteers to cleanup the Wissahickon Creek
from top to bottom on April 30 from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Please contact
Bob Adams, WVWA Director of Stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or
send email to: bob@wvwa.org.
(Photo: Volunteers John Cassidy and Dmitri Zorine work on the
Golf Course Climb Re-route in 2010)
This trail project is in conjunction with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation’s Meadow
Expansion and is part of FOW’s Sustainable Trails Initiative.
Volunteer work days will be held on April 9, 16, and 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Volunteers will help grade trail, build rolling dips, remove invasive weeds and litter, and perform
other tasks to support the project.
Meet at Houston Playground at Grakyn Lane and Sequoia Road. Parking is available
along the neighborhood streets in the area. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the
event.
To register, contact FOW Volunteer Coordinator Kevin Groves by sending email
to: groves@fow.org or 215-247-0417 ext. 105.

Earth Day: Jennings EE Center Seeks Volunteers For Invasive Species Control April 23

On April 23 the Jennings Environmental Education Center in Butler County will hold a special
volunteer work day for invasive species control.
 Work is scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Lunch and tasty samples of some recipes
featuring invasive species will be provided.
Participants must be 12 or older and must register for the program by contracting the
Center at 724-794-6011 no later than April 15.

Earth Day: Bedford County Earth Day Celebration Set For April 16

The Bedford County Outdoor Education Program announced Shawnee State Park will be the
location for this year's Earth Day Celebration on April 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
There will be hands-on activities, demonstrations and educational displays, free give-
aways and prizes for visitors of all ages.
In addition, bring your electronics and let JVS Environmental recycle them for you at not
cost. There will also be a tree planing service project from 10:30 to noon.
For more information, download a flyer with all the details. Contact Jill Latuch at
814-624-4427 or send email to: jlatuch@rei.com with questions.

Earth Day: Volunteers Needed At 4 Cleanup Events On April 16 In Lehigh Valley

The Wildlands Conservancy needs volunteers to help work in four cleanup events on April 16 in
and around Allentown starting at 9:00 a.m.
The locations are: Canal Park and Trout Creek Park in Allentown, the Jordan Creek
Greenway at the Home Depot Parking lot and at a second location at Central Catholic High
School parking lot.
Gloves, vests and bags will be provided by Wildlands Conservancy.
Click Here to learn more or contact Stephanie Bortz at 610-965-4397 ext. 112 or send
email to: sbortz@wildlandspa.org.

Earth Day: Wissahickon Watershed Evans-Mumbower Mill Open House April 17

Bring your family and friends to join the Wissahickon Valley

Watershed Association at the Evans-Mumbower Mill on April 17
from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line
Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The Open House is free of charge but
donations are welcome.
After 81 years, the Evans-Mumbower Mill’s waterwheel is
finally turning and the millstones are grinding again. WVWA’s dedicated Mill volunteers have
worked for 24 years to achieve this milestone. A Mill volunteer Alice Rogerson will offer a
special demonstration of candle dipping for this Open House.
The Wissahickon Creek was an important center of industry providing waterpower for
over seventy mills in the 19th century. The Evans-Mumbower is the only remaining mill in
Montgomery County that is operational and open to the public. It is listed on the National
Register of Historic Places.
Please call 215-646-8866 or send email to: info@wvwa.org for more information.
Earth Day: Learn, Act, Celebrate Earth Day With PPL

The PPL family of companies is committed to providing the energy we need responsibly while
improving our communities and protecting the environment. To highlight some of the ways in
which we support environmental initiatives, PPL has planned a month of activities focused on
environmental issues and energy efficiency to celebrate Earth Day.
“PPL operates businesses and facilities responsibly while generating and delivering the
energy that is essential to the economy and our quality of life,” said Joanne Raphael, PPL’s vice
president of External Affairs. “Celebrating Earth Day gives us a chance to recognize the
environmental efforts of our employees while also giving others the power to make a difference
by hosting programs and activities at PPL facilities.”
The company’s utilities in Pennsylvania and Kentucky have developed programs to help
customers use energy wisely and raise awareness of energy efficiency among the public.
In Pennsylvania, PPL Electric Utilities offers customers tips, tools and incentives to help
them save energy through the E-power initiative. Customers can use the Energy Analyzer, a free
online tool, to analyze the energy use of their home or small business – hour by hour, day by
day.
Energy efficiency rebates, discounts on compact fluorescent lighting and appliance
recycling incentives are just a few of the resources PPL Electric Utilities provides to help
customers manage their electricity use.
Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities offer a portfolio of energy efficiency
programs designed to provide residential and commercial customers with the information and
tools they need to become better energy managers of their home or business.
Nearly one-third of all LG&E and KU customers have participated in at least one of the
companies’ programs, which include demand conservation, energy audits, commercial rebates,
high-efficiency lighting, air-conditioning testing and tuneup, Energy Star new homes, and energy
education for children, to name a few. Importantly, customer participation in these programs
through 2010 has resulted in a demand reduction of 181 megawatts.
In addition, PPL has invested billions of dollars in pollution controls at its power plants,
increased power generation from sources that do not emit carbon dioxide, made energy
efficiency improvements at company facilities, and hosted free programs at its environmental
preserves to raise awareness about the world around us.
PPL’s various facilities have activities planned throughout the month of April to help the
public learn about and celebrate Earth Day.
For more information or to participate in these events, visit PPL's Earth Day webpage.

Earth Day: DEP Encourages Public To Join Great American Cleanup of PA

The Department of Environmental Protection is

encouraging all Pennsylvanians to join in a statewide effort
to clean up communities and the environment.
The Great American Cleanup of PA is an annual
event that urges Pennsylvanians to voluntarily clean up
trash and litter from roadways, streams, parks, forests and neighborhoods. This year's event
began March 1 and ends May 31.
 “Spring cleaning is an annual ritual in many households,” said DEP acting Secretary
Michael Krancer. “I encourage everyone to participate in this annual outdoor spring cleanup. Our
efforts can make a noticeable difference and make our communities and our environment
cleaner, safer and more enjoyable for all Pennsylvanians.”
The cleanup effort receives support from DEP, Keep America Beautiful and the
Pennsylvania Department Transportation. Additional partnering businesses include Keystone
Sanitary Landfill, Pennsylvania Beverage Association, Pennsylvania Food Merchants
Association, Steel Recycling Institute, Waste Management, and the American Chemistry
Council.
Events consist of litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, beautification projects, special
collections, and educational events.
Conservation organizations, school and youth groups, businesses, hunting and fishing
clubs, community and civic associations, and sports teams that register their cleanup events are
eligible to receive free gloves and trash bags to assist in their cleanup efforts. Events must
be registered online to receive the free cleanup supplies.
DEP and the PA Waste Industries Association also sponsor “Let’s Pick It Up PA –
Everyday.” From April 16-30, participating landfills will waive fees to dispose of trash collected
by volunteers at registered cleanup events.
Last year, more than 186,000 volunteers from all 67 counties participated in nearly 5,000
events, collecting more than 12-million pounds of trash. They cleaned more than 19,000 miles of
roads, railroad tracks, trails, waterways, and shorelines, and 6,000 acres of parks and wetlands.
Volunteers also planted more than 21,000 trees, bulbs, and plants in an effort to keep
Pennsylvania beautiful.
More than 54-million pounds of litter and waste have been removed from Pennsylvania’s
landscape and tens of thousands of trees, bulbs, and flowers have been planted since the
inception of the cleanup event in 2004.
“Pennsylvania is blessed with many beautiful and bountiful forests, parks, streams and
rivers,” said Krancer. “Through the spirit of civic pride and community cooperation,
Pennsylvanians will enjoy those natural resources for generations to come.”
To register your event, find an event near you, or to find additional resources, visit
the Great American Cleanup of PA website. For additional information, contact Michelle Dunn,
Great American Cleanup of PA Program Coordinator, at 1-877-772-3673 ext. 113 or send email
to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

Earth Day: Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Kicks-off National Great American Cleanup

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful was proud to sponsor the Great American Cleanup National
Kickoff in Philadelphia, PA along with Keep America Beautiful, Keep Philadelphia Beautiful,
and the City of Philadelphia.
This national event, held April 1st and 2nd, highlighted the Philly Spring Cleanup, which
in 2008 set the record for the largest one-day cleanup in American history.
Mayor Michael Nutter, Deputy Mayor Michael DiBeradinis, Keep America Beautiful
President Matthew McKenna, Shannon Reiter, President, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, and 2011
Miss America Teresa Scanlan were among those on hand to help start the event.
 The Great American Cleanup, whose theme is “Green Starts Here”, is a rallying call that
encourages civic leaders and volunteer groups to begin creating sustainable communities through
their efforts as volunteers, and through their daily choices and actions.
Several of the nearly 250 volunteer events around Philadelphia on Saturday were
showcased during the event. One of the signature events was a cleanup done by the Keep
Pennsylvania Beautiful affiliate Keep Royal Gardens Beautiful.
To register your own cleanup event, find an event near you, or to find additional
resources, visit the Great American Cleanup of PA website. For additional information, contact
Michelle Dunn, Great American Cleanup of PA Program Coordinator, at 1-877-772-3673 ext.
113 or send email to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

Earth Day: PRC, Highmark Sponsor April 30 Drug Take Back Day In Pittsburgh

The Pennsylvania Resources Council and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield – in collaboration
with The Mall at Robinson, UPMC and the Robinson Township Police Department – will
sponsor a pharmaceutical collection event at The Mall at Robinson on April 30.
The event is part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s nationwide Drug Take Back
Day.
“Improper disposal, such as flushing unwanted pills down the toilet, poses very serious
danger to the environment since most conventional wastewater treatment cannot effectively
eliminate pharmaceutical compounds,” said David Mazza, PRC’s Regional Director.
“Pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, steroids and similar substances also can enter the water if
disposed of in household solid waste, where they can leach into the soil of landfills.”
According to the Partnership for a Drug Free America, each day approximately 2,500
teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time.
“Spring cleaning should include disposing of unwanted and unused prescription
medications found in the medicine cabinet,” according to Robinson Township Police Chief Dale
Vietmeier. “This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue since studies
show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends via the
home medicine cabinet.”
“Highmark encourages and advocates responsible use and disposal of medicine,” said
Anne Jacques, Highmark’s vice president of pharmacy affairs. “The Pennsylvania Resources
Council’s ‘Drug Take Back’ program not only helps to increase public awareness about the
dangers of improper drug use and disposal, but its purpose also benefits the health and safety of
our environment, something that impacts the whole community.”
For more information, visit PRC’s Zero Waste Pittsburgh website or call PRC at
412-488-7452.

Natural Biodiversity Allegheny Mountain Green Fest May 14 in Johnstown

Natural Biodiversity is delighted to announce the Allegheny Mountain Green Fest: Green Your
Routine! The event will be held May 14 at University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown's Living
Learning Center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Want to learn more about local food, energy conservation, backyard habitats, organic
gardening, native plants and other ways to live green? Then come to Green Fest for a fun,
affordable, all-day event! The Eco Expo will feature organizations and businesses offering
products and services that help people green their lives, and in many cases save money.
Green Fest will also include a native plant sale, hands-on workshops, engaging speakers,
kids’ activities, and more. Keynote speaker Mike McGrath, host of National Public Radio show
You Bet Your Garden, will present The Seven Secrets of Successful Organic Gardeners and a
workshop on growing tomatoes.
Attendees: Take advantage of reduced ticket prices by preregistering until May 6.
Exhibitor and sponsor opportunities are still available! Register your business or
organization for an affordable booth in the Eco Expo or become a sponsor to support this great
event. Exhibitor and sponsor registration deadline is April 15th.
For more information on tickets, exhibit booths or sponsorships, visit the Allegheny
Mountain Green Fest website or contact the Natural Biodiversity office at 814-534-0204.

Chester County Seeking Green Business Award Nominees

Retail, manufacturing, small business, corporations and institutions are invited to submit
nominations for the 2011 Green Business Award Program. The deadline for nominations is
September 4.
The Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry and the Chester County Board of
Commissioners, through the Chester County Solid Waste Authority, recognize businesses that
implement efficient resource conservation, pollution prevention, waste reduction, recycling and/
or “buying recycled” business practices.
If you would like your company’s program recognized at the chamber’s annual awards
dinner, call 610-273-3771 ext. 226 or send email to: nfromnick@chestercswa.org to request a
2011 green business award application form.

EPA Selects 2 PA Locations For Sustainable Community Planning Help

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week named 32 communities in 26 states as the
initial participants in the Sustainable Communities Building Blocks program, including
Hellertown, York County and Jersey Shore, Lycoming County.
The communities will receive technical assistance during a day-long session that will
help them achieve their sustainable planning goals. Sustainable planning helps safeguard the
environment and spur economic development while also improving Americans’ health.
“The public-private partnerships in the Building Blocks program give communities new
and proven tools to maximize the health and economic benefits of brownfields revitalization,”
said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “This is another great example of how a targeted
investment in protecting public health can create jobs and strengthen the economic future of our
communities.”
EPA selected the 32 communities from 354 applicants through a competitive process in
consultation with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S.
Department of Transportation.
During a day-long session with EPA-funded, private-sector experts, participants will
focus on a specific sustainability tool such as zoning code reviews, walkability assessments, or
economic and fiscal health assessments.
 They will also learn about additional environmentally responsible, economically healthy
development techniques and general sustainable community strategies.
Sustainable Communities Building Blocks is coordinated through the Partnership for
Sustainable Communities, a joint effort between EPA, HUD, and DOT to coordinate federal
actions on housing, transportation, and environmental protection. This interagency collaboration
achieves efficient federal investments in infrastructure development, facilities, and services that
meet multiple economic, environmental, and community objectives.
For more information, visit EPA's Sustainable Communities Building Blocks webpage.

DEP Congratulates Award-Winning Lancaster Brownfields Revitalization Project

Acting Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection

Michael Krancer this week congratulated the Lancaster Northwest
Gateway Project, one of only ten recipients nationwide of the 2010
Phoenix Awards.
Lancaster Northwest Gateway Project, a $120 million
redevelopment project in Lancaster City, was the product of
collaboration between area business, residents, government and
Franklin & Marshall College.
"The Lancaster Northwest Gateway Project revitalized a once-decaying section of the
city into a hub for jobs, innovation, and education," said Krancer. "I commend the leaders of the
project for their vision and congratulate them whole-heartedly for winning this prestigious
award."
The Lancaster Northwest Gateway Project transformed industrial and railway property
into the site for Lancaster General Hospital's nursing school, Franklin & Marshall College's
athletic facilities, the 6,000-seat Clipper Magazine Stadium, and the renovated Lancaster Amtrak
Station.
The Phoenix Awards recognized one project from each of EPA's 10 regions across the
nation for innovative techniques and solutions used by local professional, residential, and
government leaders.
"What many saw as abandoned industrial land lying fallow, a few saw an opportunity for
business, for a hub of medicine, for education, recreation, and revitalization," Krancer said. "I
salute the leaders behind the Lancaster Northwest Gateway Project for their noble efforts."

Philadelphia Zoo To Be Powered By Green Energy

The Philadelphia Zoo this week announced GDF SUEZ Energy Resources, the retail energy
business of GDF SUEZ Energy North America, will supply its electricity for the next two years,
beginning with 25 percent of the Zoo's electricity consumption offset by renewable energy
certificates.
RECs represent the environmental attributes of electricity generated from wind, solar or
other renewable power facilities.
The RECs, which are Green-e Energy Certified, will be donated to the Zoo by GDF
SUEZ Energy Resources and will displace an estimated 3,195,990 pounds of carbon dioxide per
year – the equivalent of taking 314 cars off the road.
 In utilizing the certificates, the Zoo will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
encourage development of domestic sources of cleaner, renewable energy.
"The Philadelphia Zoo is committed to making environmental responsibility and
conservation part of our daily activities," said Vikram H. Dewan, President and CEO. "We have
instituted a diverse range of programs and practices that help us do our part to reduce global
warming and mitigate the effects of climate change on wildlife. Our support of green energy
reflects this dedication, and we thank GDF SUEZ Energy Resources for supporting our efforts,"
says Dewan. The Zoo's plan is to begin with 25 percent of renewable energy usage, moving to
something much greater, which will help establish the standard in this area.
"It is an honor to serve America's first Zoo," said Robert Wilson, President and CEO of
GDF SUEZ Energy Resources. "Its focus on energy efficiency and carbon reduction – a focus
that our company shares – has not only raised the environmental bar for zoos across the country,
but has also set a standard for eco-friendly practices."
GDF SUEZ Energy Resources NA is one of the largest non-residential retail energy
suppliers in the U.S. and currently serves commercial and industrial customers in 11 markets:
Delaware, Texas, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Illinois, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. The company serves approximately 73,000
accounts for customers having a peak demand ranging from 50 KW to more than 200 MW.
To learn more, visit the GDF SUEZ Energy Resources website or call 1-866-999-8374.

Carlisle Solar Project Presented With A 2011 PV Projects Of Distinction Awards

The Carlisle Area School District's one megawatt photovoltaic

system was one of three solar projects in the Northeast/Mid-
Atlantic region to receive the first annual Projects of Distinction
Awards presented by the Solar Energy Industries Association and
the Solar Electric Power Association at the PV America show.
The awards celebrate major achievements in the US solar
energy market that have been accomplished by companies,
individuals, and projects.
When completed, the Carlisle School District project will represent the largest solar array
ever deployed by a Pennsylvania school district. The project will generate about 1,500,000 kWh
per year and reduce CASD's carbon footprint by nearly 2,055,000 pounds.
Serving as a centerpiece for community and scholastic education, the design employs
multiple tracker and panel technologies with web-based monitoring to provide relative
performance and energy savings comparisons.
The new ground-mount solar array includes 1,227 kW of Sharp's 240W monocrystalline
panels and 9.2 kW of Sharp's 115W framed thin film panels, allowing students to study and
compare the performance of both technologies.
The solar integrator is Henkels & McCoy, Inc.; panel supplier is Sharp Solar USA; rack
supplier, NSM Solar Flex Rack; utility inverters, Satcon.
The Carlisle project combined a $1 million grant from the PA Energy Development
Authority with more than $4.7 million in matching funds to install an array that will provide
approximatley 15 percent of the annual power used by the school district.
 This project will save the school district approximately $105,000 per year. The project is
expected to generate more than 25,500,000 kWh of electricity over its lifetime.
The other two awards were presented to Silver Lake Solar Facility, Pittsfield,
Massachusetts and the Family Residences and Essential Enterprises Project, Long Island, New
York.
More than 150 submissions from all over the country were judged by an independent,
non-partisan panel comprising 16 industry leaders, representing associations, consultants,
distributors, government, integrators, manufacturers and utilities.
To qualify for the awards, all projects had to be operational and demonstrate a collective
benefit to the community and innovative use of policy and financing to enhance the project's
impact.
For more information, visit the Carlisle Solar Power Generation webpage.

Commonwealth Financing Authority: $6.5 Million In Alternative, Clean Energy Funding

The Commonwealth Financing Authority has approved $6.5 million in New Alternative and
Clean Energy investments, which will leverage nearly $40 million in private economic
investment statewide.
Thirteen projects from 10 counties will receive funding for the utilization, development
and construction of alternative and clean energy projects, acting Secretary of the Department of
Community and Economic Development C. Alan Walker said.
“The investments made will help consumers, businesses and municipalities lower their
energy bills by nearly $127,000 each year,” Walker said. “One of the research and development
grants approved April 7 may lead to great strides in renewable energy production and storage.”
Among the grants awarded were three to Clean Green Hydro, LLC for $93,750 for the
purchase and installation of three 25kW VFH In-Line Turbines at the following locations:
-- The AMD Reclamation Inc.’s industrial treatment plant in Dunkard Township is at an
abandoned mine, where the plant treats the water that fills the mine. Approximately 4 million
gallons of water is pumped daily from the mine, treated and discharged. The new turbine will be
installed at the discharge point of the wastewater treatment plant and produce 138,000 kWh of
electricity annually. The electricity generated will be sold through a power purchase agreement.
-- The Dana Mining Company of Pennsylvania LLC’s 4 West Mine in Dunkard Township treats
and discharges 3.5 million gallons of water daily. The new turbine will be installed at the
discharge point of the wastewater treatment plant and produce 120,000 kWh of electricity
annually. The electricity generated will be sold through a power purchase agreement.
-- Duquesne Light Company’s Warwick Mine Dewatering Plant in Monongahela Township
treats and discharges 3.5 million gallons of water daily. The new turbine will be installed at the
discharge point of the wastewater treatment plant and produce 120,000 kWh of electricity
annually. The electricity generated will be sold through a power purchase agreement.
The Alternative and Clean Energy Program provides financial assistance in the form of
grant and loan funds for alternative and clean energy projects in the state. It is administered
jointly by the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Department of
Environmental Protection, under the direction of the Commonwealth Financing Authority.
A complete list of projects funded is available online.
FirstEnergy Solutions Extends Electric Discounts To Penn Power, Duquesne Light
Customers

FirstEnergy Solutions is giving Pennsylvania Power's and Duquesne Light residential customers
additional time to sign up for its fixed price offer has been extended to April 30.
Penn Power Customers
Customers now have until April 30 to enroll in FirstEnergy Solutions' offer of 6.19 cents
per kilowatt-hour (kWh) on electric generation until December 2012. This is a 24 percent
savings over Penn Power's current average generation rate of 8.17 cents per kWh.
Special pricing for small businesses is available to the following ChamberChoice
member organizations served by Penn Power: African American Chamber of Commerce,
Allegheny Valley Chamber of Commerce, Beaver County Chamber of Commerce, East Liberty
Quarter Chamber of Commerce, Ellwood City Chamber of Commerce, Greater Pittsburgh
Chamber of Commerce, Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce, Grove City Area Chamber of
Commerce, Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, Meadville Area Chamber of Commerce,
Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce, Monroeville Area Chamber of Commerce, North Side
Chamber of Commerce, Oakmont Chamber of Commerce, Penn Hills Chamber of Commerce,
Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce, Regional Chamber Alliance, Shadyside
Chamber of Commerce, Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce, South Hills Chamber of
Commerce, South Side Chamber of Commerce, South West Communities Chamber of
Commerce, Steel Valley Chamber of Commerce, THE CHAMBER of Commerce and
Wilkinsburg Chamber of Commerce. To enroll, participating chamber members can go online to
fes.com/chamberchoice or call 1-866-699-9968 to speak to a program representative.
Residential customers interested in learning more about the FirstEnergy Solutions offer
should contact the company at 1-866-430-4410 or online. All that is needed is a recent electric
bill. Discounts and savings for commercial and industrial businesses are available online.
Duquesne Light
FirstEnergy Solutions' offer of 7.19 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to Duquene Light
customers on electric generation through December 2012. This is a 19 percent savings over
Duquesne's current average generation rate of 8.89 cents per kWh.
Special pricing for small businesses is available to the following ChamberChoice
member organizations served by Duquesne Light: African American Chamber of Commerce,
Allegheny Valley Chamber of Commerce, Beaver County Chamber of Commerce, East Liberty
Quarter Chamber of Commerce, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, Monroeville Area
Chamber of Commerce, New Kensington Chamber of Commerce, North Side Chamber of
Commerce, Norwin Area Chamber of Commerce, Oakmont Chamber of Commerce, Penn Hills
Chamber of Commerce, Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce, Regional Chamber
Alliance, Shadyside Chamber of Commerce, South Hills Chamber of Commerce, South Side
Chamber of Commerce, South West Communities Chamber of Commerce, Steel Valley
Chamber of Commerce, THE CHAMBER of Commerce, Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce
and Wilkinsburg Chamber of Commerce. To enroll, participating chamber members can go
online to fes.com/chamberchoice or call 1-866-699-9968 to speak to a program representative.
Residential customers interested in learning more about the FirstEnergy Solutions offer
should contact the company at 1-866-430-4409 or online. All that is needed is a recent electric
bill. Discounts and savings for commercial and industrial businesses are available online.
 "We're pleased to be able to extend this successful offer − currently the lowest price on
electric generation in Penn Power and Duquesne Light service area − for another month," said
Arthur Yuan, senior vice president of Retail Sales & Marketing for FirstEnergy Solutions. "This
is an ideal time for customers to lock in a low generation price, especially with summer's
increased electricity usage right around the corner."

New Study Outlines Natural Gas Transportation Roadmap

A new study sponsored by the Marcellus Shale Coalition outlines a roadmap for using more
natural gas in transportation in Pennsylvania
“Leveraging our region’s clean-burning, job-creating resources from the Marcellus Shale,
through smarter technologies, will generate huge economic and environmental benefits for
Pennsylvania businesses, consumers, and public transportation systems,” said Kathryn Klaber,
president and executive director of the MSC.
Added Klaber: “More effectively using American natural gas as a transportation fuel
offers a clear, clean and cost-effective alternative to address air quality challenges, while
providing a reliable, homegrown energy source to fuel economic growth. New sources of
domestic energy, specifically shale gas, provides this region and our nation with a transformative
opportunity. As shown in The Roadmap, the transportation sector will certainly be a part of that
transformation.”
MSC members Chesapeake Energy Corporation, EQT Production Company, Range
Resources, and UGI Energy Services co-sponsored the study.
“Natural gas continues to prove it will play a significant and necessary role in the
Commonwealth’s – and the nation’s – clean-energy future,” noted Barbara Sexton, Director of
Governmental Affairs for Chesapeake Energy Corporation. “This Roadmap is a definitive guide
for creating a profitable, sustainable and growing market for vehicles powered by natural gas.”
"This project is an important and effective first step toward achieving energy security for
our country and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," said David Ross EQT's Director of
Technical Marketing and Business Development. "The cost savings and environmental benefits
of transitioning to NGV's illustrated in the report underscore the importance of natural gas to this
country's energy future."
Dan Cotherman, Manager of Business Development for Range Resources, noted,
“Pennsylvania consumers have a significant stake in the future of clean-burning, abundant
natural gas, and Range Resources supports this Roadmap to expand and enhance the use of this
resource. Developing forward-thinking and innovative uses of natural gas in this way will further
secure our energy future and solidify benefits for the entire Commonwealth.”
“UGI Utilities, Inc. supports the MSC’s Roadmap for Pennsylvania Jobs, Energy Security
and Clean Air report which provides key recommendations for the transportation sector to
transition to a cleaner transportation future,” said Anthony Cox, Director of Marketing for UGI
Utilities, Inc. “Reducing our reliance on one fuel source with a lower cost, lower emitting,
Pennsylvania produced-alternative, will create jobs and further stimulate our region’s
economy.”
The Roadmap projects a more than $200 million investment in the Commonwealth’s
economy while yielding other benefits, including:
-- A reduction in annual fuel costs for Pennsylvania fleet operators of $9.2 million – savings that
can then be reinvested into their businesses, personnel hiring, and the overall Pennsylvania
economy;
-- A direct impact on more than 1,300 Pennsylvania jobs; and
-- A reduction of nitrogren oxides (NOx) emissions by 702 tons, particulate matter (PM)
emissions by 14.5 tons, and greenhouse gas emissions by 21,000 metric tons each year.
A copy of the study is available online.

DEP Accepting Applications For Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants

The Department of Environmental Protection will accept applications starting April 15 for the
Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program. Applications are due June 17. (formal notice)
The Department is seeking applications for innovative, advanced fuel and vehicle
technology projects resulting in cleaner advanced alternative transportation within this
Commonwealth.
Funding is available for school districts, municipal authorities, political subdivisions,
nonprofit entities, corporations, limited liability companies or partnerships incorporated or
registered in this Commonwealth to retrofit fleet vehicles to operate on alternative fuels,
subsidize the cost of the purchase of an alternative fuel vehicle for a fleet or subsidize the cost to
install fleet refueling equipment for alternative fuel vehicles or support next phase advanced
research, development and training related to alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles.
Funding is also available for school districts, municipal authorities, political subdivisions
and nonprofit entities to subsidize the incremental cost to purchase biofuel and provide refueling
and storage equipment or related tank cleaning.
Project costs cannot be incurred before July 1, 2011.
For more information, visit the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program webpage.
Applications will be accepted online through the eGrants system.

Game Commission Releases Second Wind Energy Report

The Game Commission has released its second report summarizing survey results and other
associated activities, through June 30, 2010, which are a product of the voluntary wind energy
agreements signed by the state's wildlife agency and 30 wind energy companies working in the
Commonwealth.
The voluntary agreements between the Game Commission and wind energy companies
are a commitment that the companies will strive to avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts on wild
birds and mammals by pooling data about impacts and pre- and post-construction monitoring.
"Wind energy development in Pennsylvania and the nation is increasing and, with the
creation of the Game Commission's Wind Energy Voluntary Cooperative Agreement, we are
learning more about the impacts to wild birds and mammals," said Carl G. Roe, Game
Commission executive director. "The major question has been where best to site turbines in
relation to important migration routes of birds and bats, as well as critical habitats used by birds
and mammals. This report reveals which species are most susceptible to impacts from wind
turbines and how much mortality is occurring in Pennsylvania."
 Roe noted the information contained in this summary report will enable the Game
Commission and wind energy companies to make more informed decisions when siting wind
projects, as well as mitigation methods to reduce mortalities.
On April 18, 2007, the first 12 wind energy companies signed the agreement at a public
ceremony in the Game Commission's Harrisburg headquarters. Since that time, an additional 18
companies have signed the voluntary agreement, which requires the companies to work with the
Game Commission to avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts on wild birds and mammals.
The agreement also requires companies to report one year of pre-construction surveys of
wild birds and mammals in the project area, as well as two years of post-construction monitoring
for mortality of birds and mammals in the project area.
The data made available for this summary report was made possible by pooling
information from wind energy companies who signed the Game Commission's Wind Energy
Voluntary Cooperative Agreement.
To date, the 30 companies who have signed the voluntary agreement are: AES; E.ON
Climate & Renewables North America, Inc. (formerly Airtricity, Inc.); Competitive Power
Ventures, Inc. (Iberdrola); Energy Unlimited, Inc.; Freedom Wind Energy, LLC; Gamesa Energy
USA; Iberdrola Renewable Energies USA; PPM Atlantic Renewable (Iberdrola); ReEnergy,
LLC; First Wind (formerly UPC Wind Management, LLC); US Wind Force, LLC; Acconia
Wind Energy USA, LLC; Global Winds Harvest, Inc.; Penn Wind; Laurel Hill Wind Energy,
LLC; Everpower Renewables; AMP-Ohio/MESA; Lookout Windpower, LLC; Forward
Windpower, LLC; BP Alternative Energy; Wind Park Bear Creek, LLC; Invenergy Wind
Development, LLC; Tuthill Corporation Dba Blue Mountain Ski Area; PPL Renewable Energy,
LLC; New Tech Wind, Inc.; Duke Energy; Apex Wind Energy Holdings, LLC; Allegheny Ridge
Wind Farm, LLC; Volkswind USA; and enXco.
"More than 150 wildlife surveys have been conducted by cooperators since 2007," said
William Capouillez, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Habitat Management director.
"These surveys have resulted in better turbine placement to minimize potential impacts,
protection of bat roosting locations, abandonment of sites for development and start of the
assessment process to further understand the scale of mortality at Pennsylvania wind sites."
Some of the significant findings included in the second summary report are:
-- Telemetry surveys conducted on state-listed eastern small-footed bats and the federally- and
state-listed Indiana bats yielded new capture locations, roost locations and foraging areas for
both species in Pennsylvania. This new information has since been submitted for inclusion into
the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory;
-- A new hibernaculum containing the federally- and state-listed endangered Indiana bat was
documented in 2009;
-- The average estimated bat deaths per turbine per year was 24.6 (range 6.8 – 42.7). Hoary bats
comprised 30 percent of bat mortality documented at cooperating wind facilities. No threatened
or endangered bat mortalities have been documented. However, in 2009, two Seminole bat
fatalities were documented at one site during post-construction mortality monitoring surveys.
Seminole bats are known to occur in Pennsylvania, but are uncommon;
-- The average estimated bird deaths per turbine per year was 3.9 (range 1.7 – 9.8). Passerines
accounted for the largest portion of bird mortality at wind sites. Three state-listed endangered
bird fatalities occurred in September of 2009, with one being documented at each of three
different wind sites. The three endangered birds documented were two blackpoll warblers and
one yellow-bellied flycatcher. All three were determined to be migrants and not from the local
breeding population given the lack of breeding habitat in the vicinity and the time of year
mortalities occurred. The Game Commission currently is working with these cooperators to
determine how to best avoid and minimize the occurrences of such events in the future;
-- Cooperators did not document any large mortality events (greater than 50 carcasses
documented in a single day event);
- Contributions were made to other wind-related studies using specimens collected at the various
Pennsylvania wind sites. A total of 1,109 samples (hair and/or tissue) were submitted for use in
various ongoing bat genetic studies. The heads of 24 bat were submitted to the Center for
Disease Control Rabies Laboratory, Atlanta, Georgia, for a study investigating the prevalence of
rabies infection in bats that are struck by wind turbines; wing scores from 830 bats were
submitted for use in the study titled White Nose Syndrome: Multi-state Coordination,
Investigation and Response to an Emerging Wildlife Health Threat;
-- The Game Commission, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Wind and Wildlife
Collaborative and cooperators, drafted best management practices; and
-- Research on bat deterrents and curtailment conducted at Cooperator wind sites in the state has
shown promise to reduce bat mortality at operational wind sites.
"These are real-world examples of how this voluntary agreement has helped protect
wildlife and their habitats, as well as reinforced the conservation goal of wind energy
companies," Capouillez said. "In short, the Game Commission's Wind Energy Voluntary
Cooperative Agreement is successful and meets with its intended purpose. The Cooperative
Agreement has allowed Pennsylvania to become one of the national leaders for determining and
addressing wildlife impacts from wind energy development, as well as providing critical data
needed to address future wind energy project proposals."
Because of the collaborative effort between the wind industry and Game Commission,
Capouillez said that the agreement has and will continue to provide all involved parties with
valuable information needed to best manage for wildlife at wind energy sites. Those wind
companies that are cooperators have set an example that all should aspire to follow.
"These very cooperators that have proven to be partners in developing conscientious
renewable energy with the highest regard to the Commonwealth's wildlife resources," Capouillez
said. "However, the primary challenges that remain include encouraging non-cooperators to sign
the agreement; improving communication between the Game Commission, developers, and
consultants; and ensuring adherence to survey protocols.
"Coupled with the first summary report, this new report summarizes what has been
learned so far and discusses future efforts. The format and apparent success of the agency's Wind
Energy Voluntary Cooperative Agreement has been praised as a clear example of the ability of
wind energy developers and natural resource agencies to partner both on a national and state
level."
Act 213 of 2004, the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act, signed into law on Nov.
30, 2004, requires that 18 percent of the electricity sold to retail customers in Pennsylvania
comes from renewable and advanced energy sources within 15 years. One of the technologies
that will compete for a substantial share of Pennsylvania's alternative energy market is wind
power.
To assist in the development of wind energy in Pennsylvania in an environmentally
responsible manner, the Pennsylvania Wind and Wildlife Collaborative was convened, which is a
compilation of wind industry developers, natural resource agencies, and varied nongovernmental
organizations having a vested interest in wind development in Pennsylvania.
The Game Commission, under the direction of Capouillez, sought to work collaboratively
with wind energy developers in order to immediately address the related potential impacts to the
Commonwealth's bird and mammal resources, which was the major topic of discussion and
concern as noted by the members of the Collaborative. The Game Commission took the lead in
addressing the need since wild birds and mammals are directly managed by the agency.
The Game Commission and many of the wind energy developers were dedicated to
promoting renewable energy initiatives and arriving at uniform guidance, in the absence of
comprehensive state regulations, to determine how best to avoid, minimize, and/or potentially
mitigate adverse impacts to wildlife resources.
These common goals guided the Game Commission and wind energy developers to begin
an intense effort on how to best avoid, minimize, and/or mitigate potential adverse impacts with
specific intent to birds and mammals by way of setting in writing a more formal Agreement and
protocol. Thus, the voluntary cooperative agreement was developed in an effort to standardize
wildlife monitoring protocols and wildlife impact review methods associated with the
development of wind energy projects in a mutually beneficial and flexible manner and with high
regard to both parties' goals and objectives.
In order to implement the Game Commission's Wind Energy Voluntary Cooperative
Agreement, the agency created four limited-term wildlife biologist positions within the Bureau
of Wildlife Habitat Management dedicated to wind energy.
For more information, visit the Game Commission's Wind Energy webpage.

DCNR TreeVitalize Presentation April 17 On Restoring Trees In Cities

Restoring trees to Pennsylvania's cities and towns will be the focus of a lecture at 2 p.m. on April
17 at The State Museum in Harrisburg.
The lecture, "TreeVitalize: Restoring Tree Cover in Pennsylvania Communities," will be
presented by Ellen Roane, urban forestry coordinator for the Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources, or DCNR. This is the final lecture in a three-part series associated with the
museum's special exhibit, "Wood on Glass: The Lumber Industry Photographs of William T.
Clarke."
"Trees in our metropolitan and suburban areas are being lost at an alarming rate," DCNR
Bureau of Forestry Director Dan Devlin said. "The topic of this lecture, TreeVitalize, is an effort
to plant one million trees in our metropolitan areas to help restore the canopy and to help us
realize the values we get from trees, including their role in cleaning the air and water and in
controlling storm water."
Launched in 2004 in southeastern Pennsylvania, TreeVitalize has spread to the state's 14
metropolitan areas and has resulted in the planting of almost 250,000 trees. Roane also will
discuss how individuals can get involved with tree planting and care in their communities.
Roane has a master's degree in forest resources from Penn State University and has been
a forester with DCNR's Bureau of Forestry for 21 years. She helped launch the Forest
Stewardship Program, which provides assistance to private forest landowners. She also worked
as an assistant district forester in Weiser Forest District for seven years. Since 2006, she has
coordinated the urban forestry program and helped expand TreeVitalize into a statewide
program.
"Wood on Glass" is on display at The State Museum through May 1 and consists of about
30 stunning photographs by little-known and long forgotten photographer William T. Clarke
(1859-1930). Clarke was a Rochester, New York native who chronicled the lumber industry and
its dramatic impact on northcentral Pennsylvania during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
"The Wood on Glass exhibit is a special glimpse back in time to an industrial era when
Pennsylvania's woodlands resources were key," said David Dunn, director of The State Museum
of Pennsylvania. "The lecture series by DCNR has added great insight into that era and has
brought the story to the current day."
For more information, visit the TreeVitalize website.

Western PA Conservancy Celebrates 75 Years Of Fallingwater

The Western PA Conservancy is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Frank

Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater home with a special edition of their Conserve
Magazine.
In 1936 — 75 years ago this year — Frank Lloyd Wright built
Fallingwater. In 1963, Edgar Kaufmann Jr. entrusted this iconic modernist
house to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.
Pennsylvania Gov. William Warren Scranton and 400 civic leaders
attended the dedication of the gift to the Conservancy.
President John F. Kennedy sent a telegram that read: The vigor of Wright’s architecture
and the richness of Fallingwater’s spectacular natural setting combine to form a distinctive
public legacy. The nation and especially the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania owe
the Kaufmanns a debt of deep gratitude.
Fallingwater is located in Fayette County on the Bear Run Reserve administered by
WPC.
The issue of Conserve is available online.

Live Bluebird Nestbox Camera Returns To Game Commission Website

As bluebirds are building nests throughout the Commonwealth, the Game Commission has
launched this year's live video feed from a bluebird nestbox on the grounds of its Harrisburg
Headquarters.
"This annual video feed has been one of the most popular additions to our website, which
clearly demonstrates that the best way to get Pennsylvanians – in fact most Americans – excited
about wildlife is to show them what makes wildlife so irreplaceable and priceless," said Carl G.
Roe, Game Commission executive director. "This live webcast helps educate the public about the
importance of wildlife and how to make backyards friendlier to wildlife, and also provides a way
for folks to simply get closer to bluebirds.
"The nestbox camera provides the public a closer look at the entire nesting process of
bluebirds. How many people have ever seen a bluebird form a nest by plowing the materials with
its wings? Nest-forming is a fascinating example of nature at work. And it's something you'll
never see unless you're checking out our nesting camera."
 Roe noted that a bluebird is in the early stages of building a nest. In 2009, the bluebird
camera was the agency's first foray into the world of live nest camera feeds. It provides a color
video and audio feed from the bluebird nestbox, which is situated directly behind the agency's
headquarters.
Also, the infrared camera enables website visitors to tune in anytime of day or night. A
live feed also is broadcast to a monitor in the agency's lobby.
Steps are taken to deter house sparrows from using the nestbox by mounting
monofilament fishing line from the roof over the entrance hole, which compels sparrows to stay
away. Bluebird nestboxes placed close to buildings almost always attract competition from
sparrows, which annually chase native bluebirds from nestboxes and nesting cavities.
"In the early 1960s, the eastern bluebird was hanging on for dear life," said Dan
Brauning, Game Commission Wildlife Diversity Division chief. "The species was suffering from
a European invasion of house sparrows and European starlings. Today, it's not hard to imagine
the harm that would come from releasing starlings and house sparrows in New York City during
the 1800s. But back then, at a time when people were trying to reverse declining songbird
populations, it seemed like the right thing to do in New York.
"The starling spread quickly across America. Released in 1890 and 1891, starlings were
building nests in California by the 1940s. What our forefathers didn't expect, in addition to the
rapid range expansion of these alien species, was that they would almost immediately begin
competing with bluebirds and other beneficial songbirds for cavity nesting sites."
Bluebirds were enjoying a satisfying existence around 1900. It is when some
ornithologists believe Pennsylvania's bluebird population was at its largest, because fully two-
thirds of the Commonwealth was farmland. But the runaway populations of starlings and
sparrows would begin to compete with and ultimately cripple the bluebird's ability to secure
adequate nesting.
The species' problems would be further compounded by farmlands reverting to forestland
or being swallowed by development, the increased use of pesticides, and the replacement of
wooden fence-posts with metal posts.
By 1960, the bottom was ready to fall out, and the Game Commission and many other
conservation agencies and organizations launched an aggressive campaign to rescue the species.
With the aid of its Howard Nursery, the Game Commission manufactured inexpensive
bluebird nestboxes and bluebird nestbox kits for the public to place afield. Boy Scouts and Cub
Scouts became involved, as well as 4-H Clubs, schools and Audubon chapters. Bluebirds became
the poster child for efforts aimed at getting people to do something for wildlife in their
backyards.
"Today, bluebirds are back in a big way, even in the southeastern counties, where they
compete heavily with large populations of house sparrows," Brauning said. "It's fair to say that
our bluebird population is stronger today than it has been in 50 years. With time and continued
assistance from caring Pennsylvanians, it seems likely bluebirds will continue to prosper."
To watch the nest, visit the live video feed webpage.

Springtime Alert: Do Not Disturb Young Wildlife

Whether hiking in the woods, driving through the countryside or simply enjoying nature in your
backyard, Game Commission officials encourage outdoor enthusiasts to leave wildlife alone, and
in the wild, especially young of the year.
“Being outdoors in the spring is an enjoyable way to spend time and learn more about
nature,” said Calvin W. DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director.
“In the coming months, it will become common to find young deer, rabbits, birds, raccoons or
other wildlife, some of which may appear to be abandoned. Rest assured that in most cases, the
young animal is not an orphan or abandoned and the best thing you can do is to leave it alone.”
DuBrock noted adult animals often leave their young while the adults forage for food.
Also, wildlife often relies on a natural defensive tactic called the “hider strategy,” where young
animals will remain motionless and “hide” in surrounding cover while adults draw the attention
of potential predators or other intruders away from their young.
For more background, visit the Game Commission Young Wildlife announcement.

Game Commission Offers Tips On How To Avoid Attracting Bears

As spring has sprung, many Pennsylvanians soon will be spending more

time outdoors and seeing more wildlife – and signs of wildlife – in their
yards and other places they frequent. Game Commission officials remind
residents that among the wildlife that will become more visible are
Pennsylvania’s roughly 18,000 black bears, all of which will be looking
for food.
“After several months of hibernation, sightings of bears will be to
increase as spring progresses,” said Mark Ternent, Game Commission
black bear biologist. “Food for bears is naturally scarce in early spring
until green-up. So some bears emerging from dens may be attracted to other food sources found
near people, setting the stage for nuisance bear problems.
“However, bears that wander near residential areas in search of food are less likely to
stay or return if they do not find anything rewarding. Conversely, if bears find food in
backyards, they quickly learn to associate food with residential areas and begin to spend more
time in those areas. As a result, encounters between humans and bears, property damage and
vehicle accidents involving bears may increase.”
For specific tips, visit the Game Commission website.
NewsClips: Bear Sightings Reported In Harrisburg Area
Game Commission Debunks Fayette Man's Bear Attack Claim

April 16 Marks Opening Day Of Trout Season Statewide

Anglers from across the state have been helping the Fish and Boat
Commission stock more than one million adult trout in preparation for
the traditional opening day on April 16.
PFBC Executive Director John Arway says opening day is a
time-honored tradition that families and kids look forward to every
year.
“Opening day is a huge event for so many families and their
children,” Mr. Arway said. “In fact, the regional opening day and the
traditional opening day are two of the biggest fishing days of the year.
To get ready for them, our ‘great white fleet’ of stocking trucks has
been busy since mid-February replenishing Pennsylvania's waterways with a fresh supply of
brook, brown, and rainbow trout.”
April 2 marked the regional opening day of trout in 18 southeastern counties.
For more information, visit the Fish and Boat Commission's 2011 Trout Season webpage.

PEC Named Only Top-Rated Green Non-Profit Based In PA

Just in time for Earth Day, GreatNonprofits announced the Pennsylvania Environmental
Council is included in their 2011 Top-Rated Green Nonprofits List, based on user reviews
submitted during a national campaign in March.
PEC is the only Pennsylvania-based environmental non-profit included on the list and
one of more than 50 organizations across the country working to protect and preserve the
environment.
The reviews were posted as part of the 2011 GreatNonprofits Green Choice Campaign,
conducted in partnership with GuideStar and a broad coalition of leaders in the field.
"PEC’s community of supporters continues to grow as we work in collaboration with
many partners to improve Pennsylvania’s rivers, trails and communities," explains PEC
President Paul King. “I hope that this honor will inspire others to join us as we continue our
work to protect Pennsylvania’s environment in these uncertain economic times.”
Although not based in Pennsylvania, the Earth Force environmental education non-profit
with offices in Erie, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and the Potomac Riverkeeper were also
included on the Top-Rated Nonprofits List.
Over the course of the campaign, more than 120,000 people visited the GreatNonprofits
site to read and write reviews. A total of 128 nonprofit organizations were rated and reviewed by
stakeholders.
In the process, a total of 1,147 new user reviews were gathered. All the organizations on
the top-rated list received ten or more positive reviews.
For more information, visit the PEC Top-Rated Green Nonprofits List review.

Jack Ubinger Receives PA Bar Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award

John W. Ubinger, Jr., a senior vice president with the Pennsylvania
Environmental Council, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement
Award from the Pennsylvania Bar Association for enhancing and
furthering the practice of environmental law.
The award was presented in Harrisburg yesterday by the PBA’s
Environmental and Energy Law Section.
Ubinger is a former chair of the Environmental and Energy Law
Section of the PBA and has more than 35 years of broad-based experience
in environmental law, including environmental compliance counseling,
litigation and dispute resolution.
Throughout his career, Ubinger has been a tireless advocate of environmental dispute
resolution and helped establish a number of important initiatives to promote problem-solving in
environmental matters without the need for litigation.
In 1987, he formed and chaired a committee to develop, promote and implement
alternative dispute resolution in environmental law. He also served on the steering committee of
PennAccord and was a liaison between PennAccord and the ACBA Environmental Law
Committee.
In his role at the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Mr. Ubinger is leading efforts to
address deficiencies in regulatory programs around Marcellus Shale development and working to
encourage the uses of green infrastructure in stormwater management projects.
In addition, Ubinger teaches graduate courses in conflict resolution at the Center for
Environmental Research and Education at Duquesne University. He routinely makes
presentations to law students at Duquesne University and the University of Pittsburgh on
environmental conflict resolution topics and, on occasion, has mentored students in their
evaluation of career opportunities.
He was also a founding director and has served as an officer of the Allegheny Land Trust,
where he has been a part of the effort to conserve and protect lands that support the scenic,
recreational and environmental well-being of Allegheny County.
Prior to joining PEC in 2008, Ubinger was an attorney in the Pittsburgh office of Jones
Day, where he led that office’s environmental practice from 1990-2008. He also practiced in the
Pittsburgh office of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott from 1973–1990 and chaired that firm’s
environmental practice.
He is a graduate of Ohio University and the University of Notre Dame Law School.
Ubinger is also a member of the environmental law sections of numerous professional
organizations, including the American Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association,
Allegheny County Bar Association and the Association for Conflict Resolution. He is also a
fellow of the Air & Waste Management Association and an associate of the Environmental Law
Institute.
Additionally, Ubinger was named as one of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business
from 2003-2008, Best Lawyers in America from 2006-2008 and a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer.
Mr. Ubinger and his wife, Linda, reside in Hampton Township, Pennsylvania.

Opportunity To Bid On DEP Projects In Lackawanna, Washington Counties

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of the opportunity to bid on a
mine reclamation project in Lackawanna County and an abandoned well plugging project in
Washington County.

Help Wanted: Environmental Technician, Resource Conservationist

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission and the McKean County Conservation District are
looking for individuals to fill these positions:

Environmental Technician: The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is seeking candidates

for an Environmental Technician position. Applications due April 29. Click Here for details.

Resource Conservationist: The McKean County Conservation District has an opening for a
Resource Conservationist to serve as a resource and technical advisor for landowners to meet
local, state and federal environmental requirements. Applications due May 2. Click Here for
details.

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.

April 11-- EPA Great Lakes Restoration Grants

April 14-- DEP Diesel School, Transit Bus Retrofit Grants
April 15-- DCNR ExplorePAtrails.com Mobile App Contest
April 15-- PA Wilds Business Signage Grants
April 15-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation 2011 Bay Photo Contest
April 19-- 4-H, FFA Grassland Scholarship Competition
April 20-- DCNR Community Conservation Partnership Grants
April 22-- EPA Student Environmental Development Program
April 22-- EPA Earth Day Student Poster Contest
April 25-- Pocono Northeast RC&D: Household Water Well Assistance Program
April 30-- Northeast Audubon Society College Scholarship
May 1-- KPB Sue Wiseman College Scholarship
May 1-- Dominion Foundation Education Partnership Grants
May 2-- ConocoPhillips/Penn State Energy Prize
May 2-- EPA Environmental Education Grants
May 2-- Audubon/Toyota Alliance Conservation Leadership/Project Grants
May 2-- Common Waters Foundation Upper Delaware Forest Landowner Grants
May 19-- DCNR Volunteer Fire Assistance Program
May 26-- EPA i6 Green Challenge Grants
May 31-- Fish & Boat Commission Boating Facility Grants
June 17-- NEW. DEP Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants
June 30-- DEP Nitrogen Tire Inflation System Grants
July 11-- PROP Annual Recycling FilmFest Competition
August-- EPA/American Rivers Potomac Highlands Restoration Grants
August 26-- Foundation for PA Watersheds Grants
September 4-- NEW. Chester County Green Business 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
Budget Cuts Press School Districts To Cut Environmental Education
Despite Opposition, Corbett Stands Ground On Severance Tax
Blog: Adopting A Severance Tax, Raising Taxes
Bill Eyes Campus Gas Lease Royalties
Hundreds Protest Budget Cuts, Gas Drilling In Pittsburgh
Other
Mayors Discuss Brownfield Reuse
Brownfields Conference Attendees Do Some Practical Cleanup Work
Performing Arts Center Completed At Bethlehem Steel Brownfield Site
Understanding Recycling, Close The Loop
Volunteers Needed For York Cleanup Projects
Soil Kitchen Combines Art, Environmentalism And Food
Column: Harrisburg Incinerator Report To Keep Chapter 9 On Table
Old Forge Landfill Agreement Still Not Available
Old Forge Releases Landfill Document
Catasauqua Moves On Developing Brownfield Site
Phipps Conservancy To State In-State To Build Green Center
Editorial: Phipps Building One Of Greenest Buildings
Green Lawrence Convention Center Wastes Power
Obama Mixes Politics, Energy Policy
Obama To Drill Down On Energy, Education
Energy Firm Picks Hazleton Over Windy City
Wind, Solar Gaining Steam In Pittsburgh
PhillyInc: Solar Energy Hot
South Manheim Twp. Adopts Small Windmill Ordinance
Air Products Solar Products Outlook Sunny
Unit 2 Susquehanna Nuclear Plant Shuts Down For Planned Outage
Gettysburg Farm Living Lab For On Farm Energy Production (Video)
Hero BX Biofuel Plant On Track For Capacity Year
Nearly 100,000 PECO Customers Face Termination
Ambit Energy Offers Electricity To PECO, PPL Customers
Electricity Plants See Shift From Coal To Gas
Pollution Rules Could Be Eased Despite Increase In Asthma
Coal-Fired Power Plants Imperil Health, Study Says
Editorial: The Air We Breathe
Op-Ed: Shale Gas, New Clean Air Rules Easing Energy Woes, Hanger
Editorial: Casey: No Good Compromise Can Be Made On Clean Air
Outdoor Wood Boilers Burned By New State Regs
State Police Issue 790 Citations For Trucks Carrying Hazardous Materials
Police Cite Nearly Half Of Trucks Carrying Hazardous Materials
Editorial: Land Preservation Is A Worthy Use Of Tax Dollars
Green Cemetery Coming To Penn Hills
Lackawanna Park Improvements Funded By Growing Greener
Bear Sightings Reported In Harrisburg Area
Game Commission Debunks Fayette Man's Bear Attack Claim
Thousands Watch Eagles Hatch Live Online
Japanese Earthquake
50 Mile Evacuation Zone Around NY Nuclear Plant Touches Pike County
Westinghouse CEO Touts Reactors' Safety
Nuclear Woes Could Propel Quest For Natural Gas
Column: Limerick Nuclear Plant Neighbors Take Concerns In Stride
Op-Ed: What Have We Learned In 32 Years Since TMI?

Marcellus Shale NewsClips

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

Groups Demand Federal Government Analyze Marcellus Drilling

Chesapeake Bay Advocates Want Overall Study Of Shale Drilling
CBF: Fracking Natural Gas Drilling Method Needs Study
CBF, Groups Trying To Get To The Bottom Of Marcellus Shale Drilling
Chesapeake Bay Supporters Want Shale Study
Groups Petition Government For Gas Impact Study
Marcellus Shale Drilling Could Be Costs To Chesapeake Bay Residents
DEP Clarifies Drilling Inspection Policy
Corbett Asked To Rescind DEP Policy On Drilling Violations
Letter To Gov. Corbett Asking To Rescind DEP Violations Policy
Shift By PA In Regulating Marcellus Drilling Concerns Environmentalists
Ferlo Fears PA Drilling Oversight Hampered
Editorial: Change In Violation Policy In Drilling Bad Move
Editorial: DEP Order Raises Doubts About Marcellus Shale Regulation
Editorial: Let DEP Inspectors Do Their Job
Editorial: State Marcellus Inspector Oversight Too Long
Editorial: How Do We Love Drillers? Let Us Count The Ways
Editorial: Drillers Have A Friend In Corbett
Editorial: State Should Not Have Last Word On Fracking
Editorial: DEP Drilling Regulatory Policy Error
DEP Responds To EPA On Testing For Drilling Water Pollution
DEP Steps Up Water Testing For Drilling Contaminants
Pennsylvania Calls For More Water Tests
Phone Call Dispute Highlights Tension Over Gas Drilling Regs
PA Fracking Case Among First Involving Marcellus Shale
Delaware River Drilling Proposal Spurs Debate
Shale Gas Regulation Near Delaware Divides PA
Marcellus Puts PA Gas Industry In Spotlight
Peaceful, Rural Region Not So Peaceful Anymore
Should EPA Be Watchdog Of Drilling
DCNR will Not Allow Drilling At Black Moshannon State Park
Danger In Honeycomb Of Old Oil, Gas Wells
Gas Leases Could Affect Farm Tax Rates
House GOP Wants More Natural Gas Buses, Trucks
PA's Natural Gas Rush
Nuclear Woes Could Propel Quest For Natural Gas
Op-Ed: Marcellus Shale Key To Energy Independence
Shareholders Can Question Fracking
Baker Bill Will Improve Pipeline Safety
Senate Approves Pipeline Bill
Federal DOT Calls For Better Pipeline Coordination
Columbia Gas To Replace 4,000 Too-Thin Pipes
Feds Want Aging Gas Pipelines Repaired
Feds Tell Pipeline Companies To Speed Up Gas Pipelines
U.S. Calls On Industry To Repair Aging Gas Pipelines
Pitt Students Drill Down Value Chain Of Marcellus Shale Well
Marcellus Shale Economic Impact At Heart Of Capitol Expo
Study Promotes Marcellus Natural Gas Vehicle Fleets
PA May Get Into Energy Business To Provide Marcellus Gas Market
Frack Water Truck Safety Effort Helps
Critz Co-Chairs First Meeting Of Marcellus Shale Caucus
2 Clinton Commissioners Troubled By Corbett's Shale Comments
State Orders Drilling Halt After 2 Wells Are Polluted
DEP Orders Drilling, Fracking To Stop At Catalyst Energy Wells
Companies Develop Water Storage System For Gas Drilling
Dallas Twp Proposals Address Oil, Gas
Dallas Twp Board To Hear Gas Proposal
Dallas Twp Examining Changes To Limit Gas, Oil
Gas Drilling OK'd Despite Protests Of Residents
Rep. Pickett To Meet With Lt. Governor On Marcellus Legislation
Driller Confronts Washington County Crowd
Gas Driller Seeks Suitable Regs From Western PA Town
Town, Range Resources Pace Off For Showdown
Driller, Township At Odds Over Well Sites
Marcellus Shale Driller Seeks To Avoid Battle
Williams Officials Outline New Gas Pipeline Project
Natural Gas Metering Station Hearing Will Continue April 20
State Police: Fire At Cabot Drilling Site Was Arson
Laundromats To Drillers: Wash Your Wear Elsewhere
Marcellus Shale Litigation Groups Combines Forces
Wyoming Chamber Told Of Drilling's Opportunities
Energy Forum In Pittsburgh On Marcellus Shale April 11
April 14 Meeting In Sewickley Hills On Marcellus Shale
Electricity Plants See Shift From Coal To Gas
Op-Ed: Shale Gas, New Clean Air Rules Easing Energy Woes, Hanger

Watershed NewsClips

Here are NewsClips on watershed topics from around the state--

Senior Volunteers Help Keep Water Quality In Check

PA Farmers Speak Out Against Chesapeake's Pollution Diet
Marcellus Shale Drilling Could Be Costs To Chesapeake Bay Residents
Whitaker Center Initiative Will Focus On Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Whitaker Center Kicks Off Chesapeake Bay Education Initiative
Lancaster To Test Susquehanna River for Radioactive Drilling Materials
Groups Demand Federal Government Analyze Marcellus Drilling
Chesapeake Bay Advocates Want Overall Study Of Shale Drilling
CBF: Fracking Natural Gas Drilling Method Needs Study
Chesapeake Bay Supporters Want Shale Study
Groups Petition Government For Gas Impact Study
Danger In Honeycomb Of Old Oil, Gas Wells
Can Delaware River Neighbors Rest Easier?
New Water Management Agreement For Delaware River
Delaware River Deal Remains Clouded
NY City To Stop Topping Off Delaware Basin Reservoir
Bethlehem OKs Green Watershed Ventures
DuBois Works To Protect Its Watershed
Philadelphia Conference Ponders The Future Of Water
Traditions Old, Young Born On Trout Streams
Crowds Small, Fish Aplenty On Opening Day
Federal Shutdown Could Affect Potomac River Cleanup

Regulations, Technical Guidance & Permits

No new regulations were published this week. Pennsylvania Bulletin - April 9, 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 Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice of recent permit actions from its
March 10 meeting.

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.

April 11-- Joint Legislative Air And Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee holds
a hearing on waste tire recycling and reuse. Room G-50 Irvis Building. 10:00.

April 12-- Agenda Released. DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105
Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice)

April 12-- NEW. House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider
Senate Bill 265 (MJ White-R-Venango) amending the Coal and Gas Resource Coordination Act.
Room 60. 10:00.

April 12-- NEW. DCNR PA Recreational Trails Advisory Board meeting. Dauphin County
Wildwood Park Nature Center, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg. 2:15. (formal notice)

April 13-- NEW. Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meets to consider the
nomination of George Greig as Secretary of Agriculture. Room 461. 10:00.
April 13-- Agenda Released. DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105
Rachel Carson Building. 9:30.

April 14-- Agenda Released. DEP Board of Coal Mine Safety meeting. Fayette County Health
Center, Uniontown. 10:00. (formal notice)

April 18-- NEW. House State Government Committee holds a hearing on House Bill 726
(Saylor-R-York) providing for a state agency program performance and accountability program.
Room 140. 10:30.

April 19-- Agenda Released. DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel
Carson Building. 11:00.

April 19-- CANCELED. DEP Environmental Quality Board meeting. The next scheduled
meeting is May 18. (formal notice)

April 20-- NEW. House Consumer Affairs Committee holds a hearing on House Bill
1294 (Godshall-R-Montgomery) further providing for valuation of water and wastewater system
property and providing alternative ratemaking mechanism (DSIC) for natural gas and other
utility distribution systems. Room 418. 10:00.

April 20-- Agenda Released. DEP Agricultural Advisory Board meeting. Susquehanna Room,
DEP Southcentral Regional Office. 10:00.

April 20-- Agenda Released. DCNR Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council
meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice)

April 21-- NEW. House Republican Policy Committee hearing with Rep. Evankovich on water
safety and Marcellus Shale drilling. Murrysville Community Center, Murrysville. 9:00.

April 21-- Agenda Released. DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Room
105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:15.

April 28- Agenda Released. DEP Mine Families First Response & Communications Advisory
Council. Marion Center Mine Rescue Facility, Home, Pa. 10:00.

May 2-- Environmental Issues Forum, Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and
Conservation Committee, hears a presentation on the new electronics recycling law. Room G-50
Irvis Building. 12:00.

June 10-- CANCELED. DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105
Rachel Carson Building. 10:00. (formal notice)
August 23-- DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson
Building. 10:00. (formal notice)

September 16-- CANCELED. 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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Send your stories, photos and videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for
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