pa environment digest feb. 8, 2016

8/20/2019 Pa Environment Digest Feb. 8, 2016

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Low Natural Gas Prices Cuts Impact Fee Revenue DEP’s Revised Chesapeake Bay Strategy Draws $3M In Federal Funds

New Severance Tax Proposal From Drilling Country Thompson: Bracing For The Budget: Headed For Wolf War II? 2016-17 Spending Plan Set To Join PA Budget Mess

PLS: Reed, Costa Agree On Possible Revenue Sources? PLS: Reed: 2 Budgets Won’t Put House GOP Off Their Agenda January State Revenue $2.5B, $6.2 M More Than Anticipated State Budget Stuck In Restart Mode Bumsted: Wolf’s Budget Options Limited In Budget Battles, Compromise Has Become Taboo Transit Funding Expected To Fall $6B Short In PA Op-Ed: New Federal Transportation Bill Puts PA On Right Track Op-Ed: Film Tax Credit Benefits Are Misleading

North Dakota Orders Cuts Amid $1 Billion Budget Shortfall Related Stories:What’s In Wolf’s Budget Address For The Environment? 5 Things To Watch for Feb. 9 Op-Ed: Pennsylvania Must Invest In Its New Clean Water Plan Drilling Impact Fees Drop By $5,000 Per Well In 2015, Loss Could Be $34 Million IFO: DCNR Oil & Gas Lease Fund Revenues To Drop Nearly 40 Percent CBF-PA: PA Releases New Strategy For Meeting Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Commitments DEP: Pennsylvania Not Meeting Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Commitments Analysis: PA Isn’t Cleaning Up Our Rivers, Abandoned Mines Quickly Enough

What’s In Wolf’s Budget Address For The Environment? 5 Things To Watch For Feb. 9

The FY 2015-16 state budget isn’t finished yet, but Gov. Wolf will be talking about his secondset of budget recommendations on February 9. How will they be different? How will they bethe same?

With the announcement late Tuesday Gov. Wolf froze another 200 vacancies at DEP bringing the total reduction of positions to over 700 since 2002-03, the budget news this weekwas not good.

The second strike was the PUC announcing the Act 13 impact fee will be going down by$5,000 per well which may result in decreasing income from the fee by as much as $34 million.

The third strike was a Independent Fiscal Office report saying royalty income fromnatural gas wells on DCNR State Forest land would decline by 40 percent in the current fiscalyear.

With funding and staffing for environmental programs declining even before the budgetaddress, the Commonwealth is still facing legally mandated actions to clean up theenvironment-- like 19,000 miles of polluted streams in Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake BayWatershed cleanup.

How will Gov. Wolf’s new budget proposal address them?Will any of the proposals have bipartisan backing in the General Assembly? Or will the

budget chaos continue?Here are 5 things to look for in Gov. Wolf’s second budget address--

http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=31608http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=31608http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=30987http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/01/independent-fiscal-office-state-income.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/01/puc-act-13-drilling-impact-fees-drop-by.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/01/puc-act-13-drilling-impact-fees-drop-by.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/02/wolf-shrinks-deps-staff-by-another-200.htmlhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=30987http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/03/dep-pennsylvania-not-meeting-chesapeake.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/01/cbf-pa-pa-releases-new-strategy-for.htmlhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34690http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34689http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/02/op-ed-pennsylvania-must-invest-in-its.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/02/whats-in-gov-wolfs-budget-address-for.htmlhttp://www.philly.com/philly/business/homepage/20160202_N_D__governor_orders_cuts_amid__1B_budget_shortfall.html?betaPreview=redesignhttp://triblive.com/opinion/featuredcommentary/9858569-74/tax-dollar-filmhttp://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2016/02/new_federal_transportation_bil.html#incart_river_indexhttp://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/9900885-74/projects-transportation-testimonyhttp://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20160201_In_budget_battles__compromise_has_become_taboo.html?betaPreview=redesignhttp://triblive.com/politics/politicalheadlines/9885196-74/wolf-budget-statehttp://www.goerie.com/state-budget-stuck-in-restart-modehttp://pacapitoldigestcrisci.blogspot.com/2016/02/january-state-revenues-25-billion-62.htmlhttp://www.plsreporter.com/Home/TabId/56/artmid/472/articleid/1134/Reed-Prospect-of-two-budgets-won%E2%80%99t-put-off-rest-of-House-GOP-agenda.aspx#.VrJrSg6kURA.twitterhttp://theplsreporter.com/Home/TabId/56/ArtMID/472/ArticleID/1130/Legislative-leaders-agree-on-potential-revenue-sources.aspxhttp://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/9901139-74/budget-wolf-billionhttp://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/bracing_for_a_new_budget_in_an.html?hootPostID=c59cd977cc46368072147a07e77e72e2#incart_river_homehttp://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/90685-from-pa-drilling-country-a-severance-tax-proposal?utm_source=dlvr&utm_medium=twitterauto&utm_campaign=social-inboundhttp://www.cpbj.com/article/20160202/CPBJ01/160209936/deps-revised-chesapeake-bay-strategy-draws-3m-in-federal-fundshttps://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2016/02/01/low-gas-price-cuts-impact-fee-revenue-for-counties-and-municipalities/


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1. Will The Downward Spiral Of Funding/Staff For DEP Change? A standard part of DEPSecretary John Quigley’s stump speech has been how DEP has been singled out for budget cutsover the last 8 years that resulted in the loss of 14 percent of its staff, while the average across allagencies is 6 percent.

He said at his first budget hearing-- DEP has been “hollowed out” by budget cuts .Secretary Quigley also put funding issues right out front in the January 21 Chesapeake

Bay Program reboot announcement , where he made it clear many more resources were needed ifPennsylvania was to meet its commitments to cleaning up streams and rivers in Pennsylvania.

He is not alone in expressing concerns about DEP funding and staffing.In 2007, then DEP Secretary Katie McGinty (former Chief of Staff for Gov. Wolf) said

Gov. Rendell’s budget request for her agency that year “ cut through the meat and into the bone .”In 2010, DEP Secretary John Hanger (currently Secretary of Policy for Gov. Wolf) said

during his budget hearing, “ now we are down to the bone or close to the bone ” in terms ofhaving the resources needed to accomplish his agency’s mission.

The budget situation for DEP is now worse , much worse.The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported late Tuesday Gov. Wolf has imposed what it said

was a temporary freeze on filling 200 vacant positions within the Department of EnvironmentalProtection, including filling any of its 24 vacant positions within the Oil and Gas Program.

These new numbers mean DEP’s authorized complement has shrunk from 3,200 in2002-03 to its current 2,495, about 705 positions-- 22 percent-- as DEP Secretary John Quigleymentioned in a video report to DEP employees last week in a way that he considered them lost.

But numbers released by the Governor’s Budget Office in December show DEP received$3.3 million more in the three General Fund line-items related to personnel costs-- $128.6million vs. $125.3 million last year and overall DEP received a 2.4 percent increase in funding.

In his budget proposal last year, Gov. Wolf did propose to add 50 new positions for theOil and Gas Program funded by a new natural gas severance tax, but that fell by the waysideduring budget negotiations and with a downturn in the oil and gas industry.

These reductions at DEP, if they stand, are the largest since Gov. Rendell furloughed 138DEP employees in 2009 and eliminated 120 vacant positions when John Hanger was DEPSecretary.

There were no furloughs of DEP or DCNR employees under Gov. Corbett, althoughvacant positions continued to be reduced at DEP.

DEP received about $164.4 million in 1994-95 from the General Fund which increased toa high of $245.6 million in 2002-03. In the 2014-15 budget, DEP’s General Fund total was$141.4 million, after bottoming out in 2012-13 at $126.8 million, about half the highwater markin 2002-03.

In the budget Gov. Wolf signed in December, DEP received 142.6 million in GeneralFund money.DEP attempted to make up for some of these cuts with over $30 million in permit review

and administration fee increases and by charging more costs to special funds, but it still comesup short. And more fee increases are in the works, especially for the mining regulation

programs.The total funding deficit for environmental programs since 2002-03 is now somewhere

around $2.4 billion; not counting this year because the budget isn’t final. If you want a list of the

https://www.scribd.com/doc/294219652/General-Fund-Tracking-Runhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=14100http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=14100https://www.scribd.com/doc/294219652/General-Fund-Tracking-Runhttps://youtu.be/ENFhihnKC_Ihttp://powersource.post-gazette.com/powersource/policy-powersource/2016/02/02/Wolf-imposes-limits-filling-vacant-state-jobs/stories/201602030058http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34425http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=14977http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=6326http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34611http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34611http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=31737https://youtu.be/ENFhihnKC_I


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cuts and diversions of environmental funds for other purposes, just Click Here .This dramatic rollback in support of environmental protection has occurred during a time

when the responsibilities of Agriculture, DEP and DCNR have increased, not decreased. Noenvironmental laws or programs have been repealed to match the funding cuts, nor would manyadvocate repealing our environmental protection laws.

But this steady erosion in support begins to raise the question of whether DEP cancontinue to meet federal requirements for administering its surface mining and water quality

programs, among others, putting them in danger of being yanked back by the feds .What will the Wolf Administration do in its second budget proposal to begin to change

this downward slide in staff and funding? Do we really want the feds to take over ourenvironmental programs? Should we prepare for federal domination?

( See: Analysis: State Environmental Agency Funding Hasn’t Caught Up To 2 Decades Ago ; Rep. Everett: If We Don’t Meet Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Milestones, It Isn’t Pretty .)

2. Will The Next Growing Greener Proposal Focus On Restoring The Environment? TheWolf Administration was expected to unveil the next generation of the Growing GreenerProgram to fund a major set of environmental, energy and other initiatives as part of theGovernor’s new budget proposal.

But at a bill signing event Wednesday, Gov. Wolf said in response to a question about areboot of the Growing Greener Program, “I’m in favor of the state making an investment in theenvironment. We are not at the point where we have the details on that, but I am supportive ofthe Commonwealth making an investment just as Gov. Ridge did, as Gov. Rendell did. Thiswould be the third installment of that.”

The January 21 Strategy Paper announcing the Chesapeake Bay cleanup program reboot,said the Administration was “obtaining additional resources for water quality improvement by

participating in planning a new round of “Growing Greener” funding, which will have Baycompliance as a primary goal, potentially making available several hundred million dollars todevote to local water quality issues and ultimately Bay compliance.”

It is the worst-kept secret in Harrisburg the Administration has been meeting withenvironmental groups to work up a next generation Growing Greener proposal.

The original Growing Greener Program passed in 1999 during the Ridge Administrationand was focused on Pennsylvania’s real environmental problems-- watershed restoration, minereclamation, protecting critical farmland and open space, plugging abandoned wells, fundingwater and wastewater projects and improving state and local recreation infrastructure.

The initiative provided continuous funding to support these program, and was laterexpanded by a $4.25 fee on every ton of waste disposed in Pennsylvania during the SchweikerAdministration.

It remains the largest single investment ever made in restoring Pennsylvania’senvironment.The second Growing Greener Program in 2004-05 by the Rendell Administration capped

the original program by diverting the waste fee proceeds to pay debt service on a $625 million bond issue to be spent over 6 years. The bond won’t be paid off until FY 2028-29.

The uses of the funds expanded to include brownfields cleanup, renewable energy, Gameand Fish and Boat Commission projects and economic development projects like a parkinggarage in Scranton. It also provided funding to counties for similar projects with little oversight

http://www.elibrary.dep.state.pa.us/dsweb/Get/Document-107586/1010-FS-DEP2456.pdfhttps://goo.gl/KByt1chttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34611http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=31608http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34425http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34425http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=31608http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=30852


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Government, State Parks and State Forest Operations line items.Will there be more General Fund money to support DCNR operations this year,

especially in the face of declining Oil and Gas Fund revenues?

4. Keep The Keystone, Recycling, Storage Tank And Other Environmental Funds Whole:

At various times over the last 13 years, Governors and/or the Senate and House have takenmoney from a variety of special environmental funds to balance the state budget.

In addition to the Oil and Gas Fund and the Environmental Stewardship (GrowingGreener) Fund, money has been taken out of the Keystone Recreation, Parks and ConservationFund, Act 101 Recycling Fund, the State Timber Fund, Alternative Energy Investment Act Program and “borrowed” from the Underground Storage Tank Insurance Fund.

Gov. Wolf and the General Assembly have so far not made attempts to borrow from thesespecial funds to balance the FY 2015-16 budget, but that budget is not done yet.

A commitment to keep these funds whole would be another positive step.

5. Will A New Severance Tax Proposal Return Drilling Revenues To Help TheEnvironment?: There has been no appetite for a severance tax on natural gas production in theSenate and House, especially given the general decline of the industry over the last year due tomarket conditions. Expected revenue from any severance tax would also not bring in the kind ofrevenue it would have in year’s past.

Gov. Wolf’s severance tax proposal last year only had one drop of funding for protectingthe environment, the overwhelming majority of the funds went to fund basic education, much tothe disappointment of the environmental community.

Will the new severance tax the Governor said he would introduce this year be different?

Gov. Wolf took some steps to address shortcomings in environmental funding in his first budget which were welcomed by the environmental community. But, he got mixed results so farin the budget chaos that has been his first year..

Somewhat ironically, in last year’s “5 Things,” we said, “Yes, the state’s budget is a jumble of competing interests , pet projects and new priorities, but no other set of state programshave been cut as long or as deeply over the last 12 years as environmental programs.” (emphasisadded)

Little did we realize that “jumble” would mean we don’t yet have a state budget.Pennsylvania can do better.Perhaps redirecting some corporate welfare, like the $60 million a year they spend to

support movie productions like Zack and Miri Make A Porno , would be a good start.The environmental community is looking at reversing what has been a dismal trend over

the last 12 years with Governors and members of the Senate and House of both political parties.We are still hopeful February 9 bares at least some fruit or at the very, very least doesn’thurt the environment any more.

To borrow a phrase, “You can’t keep taking resources away from this most importantfunction and get to a good outcome.”

Click Here to watch the Governor’s budget address live starting at 11:30.If you want more background on the budget from this week, Click Here .

NewsClips:

http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/02/wolf-to-unveil-2nd-budget-feb-9-senate.htmlhttps://www.governor.pa.gov/live/http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=20826http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=31435http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=31526http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=31287http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=29339http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=30852http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=30852


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Swift: Wolf Considers Growing Greener Reboot Wolf Imposes Limits Filling Vacant Positions, 200 At DEP AP: Natural Gas Income From State Forests Takes Big Fall Low Natural Gas Prices Cuts Impact Fee Revenue DEP’s Revised Chesapeake Bay Strategy Draws $3M In Federal Funds

New Severance Tax Proposal From Drilling Country Thompson: Bracing For The Budget: Headed For Wolf War II? 2016-17 Spending Plan Set To Join PA Budget Mess PLS: Reed, Costa Agree On Possible Revenue Sources? PLS: Reed: 2 Budgets Won’t Put House GOP Off Their Agenda January State Revenue $2.5B, $6.2 M More Than Anticipated State Budget Stuck In Restart Mode Bumsted: Wolf’s Budget Options Limited In Budget Battles, Compromise Has Become Taboo Transit Funding Expected To Fall $6B Short In PA Op-Ed: New Federal Transportation Bill Puts PA On Right Track Op-Ed: Film Tax Credit Benefits Are Misleading

North Dakota Orders Cuts Amid $1 Billion Budget Shortfall Related Stories:Wolf Shrinks DEP’s Staff By Another 200, Even Though DEP Has More Money Op-Ed: Pennsylvania Must Invest In Its New Clean Water Plan Drilling Impact Fees Drop By $5,000 Per Well In 2015, Loss Could Be $34 Million IFO: DCNR Oil & Gas Lease Fund Revenues To Drop Nearly 40 Percent CBF-PA: PA Releases New Strategy For Meeting Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Commitments DEP: Pennsylvania Not Meeting Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Commitments Analysis: PA Isn’t Cleaning Up Our Rivers, Abandoned Mines Quickly Enough

Op-Ed: Pennsylvania Must Invest In Its New Clean Water Plan

By Harry Campbell, PA Executive Director, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Pennsylvania has unveiled a new strategy for cleaning up its polluted waterways, and it will take the necessaryinvestments from leaders in Harrisburg, and a unified effortacross the Commonwealth, for the plan to succeed.

While this “rebooted” effort establishes a frameworkfor success, it is just the first chapter of a long story.

The Department of Environmental Protectionacknowledged that it alone cannot provide and protect cleanwater as called for in the new plan.

The plan’s success requires a comprehensive approach involving the farmers, businesses,and homeowners. Resources, leadership, and commitment from Governor Tom Wolf and thelegislature are essential to get Pennsylvania back on track toward its clean water goals.

In 2010, the Bay states and the federal Environmental Protection Agency set pollutionlimits that would restore water quality in local rivers, streams, and the Chesapeake Bay, and each

http://www.cbf.org/pahttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=30987http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/03/dep-pennsylvania-not-meeting-chesapeake.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/01/cbf-pa-pa-releases-new-strategy-for.htmlhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34690http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34689http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/02/op-ed-pennsylvania-must-invest-in-its.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/02/wolf-shrinks-deps-staff-by-another-200.htmlhttp://www.philly.com/philly/business/homepage/20160202_N_D__governor_orders_cuts_amid__1B_budget_shortfall.html?betaPreview=redesignhttp://triblive.com/opinion/featuredcommentary/9858569-74/tax-dollar-filmhttp://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2016/02/new_federal_transportation_bil.html#incart_river_indexhttp://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/9900885-74/projects-transportation-testimonyhttp://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20160201_In_budget_battles__compromise_has_become_taboo.html?betaPreview=redesignhttp://triblive.com/politics/politicalheadlines/9885196-74/wolf-budget-statehttp://www.goerie.com/state-budget-stuck-in-restart-modehttp://pacapitoldigestcrisci.blogspot.com/2016/02/january-state-revenues-25-billion-62.htmlhttp://www.plsreporter.com/Home/TabId/56/artmid/472/articleid/1134/Reed-Prospect-of-two-budgets-won%E2%80%99t-put-off-rest-of-House-GOP-agenda.aspx#.VrJrSg6kURA.twitterhttp://theplsreporter.com/Home/TabId/56/ArtMID/472/ArticleID/1130/Legislative-leaders-agree-on-potential-revenue-sources.aspxhttp://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/9901139-74/budget-wolf-billionhttp://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/bracing_for_a_new_budget_in_an.html?hootPostID=c59cd977cc46368072147a07e77e72e2#incart_river_homehttp://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/90685-from-pa-drilling-country-a-severance-tax-proposal?utm_source=dlvr&utm_medium=twitterauto&utm_campaign=social-inboundhttp://www.cpbj.com/article/20160202/CPBJ01/160209936/deps-revised-chesapeake-bay-strategy-draws-3m-in-federal-fundshttps://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2016/02/01/low-gas-price-cuts-impact-fee-revenue-for-counties-and-municipalities/http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268748/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=6GQeCANchttp://powersource.post-gazette.com/powersource/policy-powersource/2016/02/02/Wolf-imposes-limits-filling-vacant-state-jobs/stories/201602030058http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/wolf-considers-growing-greener-reboot-1.2003187


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state developed its own plan to meet those limits. This came after more than 30 years of failedrestoration commitments.

The states also made two-year milestone commitments to take specific actions to ensure progress toward reducing pollution. The goal is to implement 60 percent of practices to restorelocal water quality in the Commonwealth by 2017, and 100 percent implementation by 2025.

Unfortunately, the state will not meet its 2017 goal, as acknowledged by DEP Secretary JohnQuigley .

Roughly 19,000 miles of rivers and streams in Pennsylvania have been damaged by pollution. Efforts to reduce nitrogen and sediment pollution from agriculture and urban pollutedrunoff are off-track by millions of pounds.

The new plan defines six immediate and longer-term actions designed to getPennsylvania back on track.

The Commonwealth intends to significantly increase the number of farm inspections andestablish a culture of compliance. At current DEP staffing levels , it would take almost 57 yearsfor each farm to be inspected just once.

The DEP will use conservation district staff and its own staff to accelerate its inspectionrate to meet the EPA recommendation of inspecting 10 percent of farms annually. DEP inspectedless than 2 percent of farms in 2014.

A voluntary farm survey, conducted by a partnership of agricultural entities, seeks tolocate, quantify and verify previously undocumented pollution reduction practices that have been

put into place. The plan also establishes a Chesapeake Bay Office within the DEP in order toimprove management focus and accountability.

The new plan also calls for accelerating the planting of streamside buffers, the mostaffordable solution for filtering and reducing the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment

pollution.The plan addresses the challenges of polluted runoff from urban/suburban areas,

including updated permit requirements and implementation plans by local governments, and thedevelopment of innovative financing opportunities.

If this new plan has a weakness, it is in identifying sustainable funding sources.According to a Penn State study , it will cost nearly $380 million per year, or $3.8 billion over thenext 10 years, to implement just the agricultural practices that would get Pennsylvania back ontrack to meet its clean water goals for 2025.

If Pennsylvania is to make progress in providing and protecting cleaner water, theCommonwealth must invest in the new plan, in Gov. Wolf’s 2016-17 budget and in thelegislature’s follow-through. A new Growing Greener initiative would be a down payment forsuch efforts, but more resources will be needed.

Investing in clean water pays dividends. Conservation practices not only improve water

quality, but can improve farm production and herd health, reduce nuisance flooding incommunities, improve hunting and fishing, beautify urban centers, and even clean the air.A 2014 economic analysis found that fully implementing Pennsylvania’s clean water

plans will result in an increase in the value of natural benefits by $6.2 billion annually .Adequate funding and technical assistance are critical to the success of this plan. The

Governor and legislature must step up and ensure that the Commonwealth lives up to the cleanwater commitments it made to fellow Pennsylvanians.

Clean water counts in Pennsylvania . Healthy families, strong communities, and a thriving

http://www.cbf.org/about-cbf/offices-operations/harrisburg-pa/issues/urge-county-commissioners-to-pass-clean-water-resolutionshttps://www.cbf.org/news-media/newsroom/pa/2016/01/21/pennsylvania-releases-new-strategy-for-reducing-water-pollution?srctid=1&erid=50568275&trid=be306ac6-1a9d-494c-954e-c655ff13a67ahttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/02/whats-in-gov-wolfs-budget-address-for.htmlhttp://www.usda.gov/oce/environmental_markets/files/EconomicTradingCBay.pdfhttp://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/Pages/Chesapeake-Bay-Office-.aspx#.VqEkqzaa10chttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/02/wolf-shrinks-deps-staff-by-another-200.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/03/dep-pennsylvania-not-meeting-chesapeake.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/03/dep-pennsylvania-not-meeting-chesapeake.html


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economy depend on it.For more on Chesapeake Bay-related issues in Pennsylvania, visit the CBF-PA webpage.

Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left column). Click Here for a copyof CBF-PA’s most recent newsletter.NewsClips:

Swift: Wolf Considers Growing Greener Reboot DEP’s Revised Chesapeake Bay Strategy Draws $3M In Federal Funds Feds Restore $3M To PA For Chesapeake Bay Cleanup DEP Gets $3M To Help Clean Up Chesapeake Bay Watershed The Economic Benefits Of Green City, Clean Water In Philadelphia Wolf Imposes Limits Filling Vacant Positions, 200 At DEP AP: Natural Gas Income From State Forests Takes Big Fall Low Natural Gas Prices Cuts Impact Fee Revenue Related Stories:Wolf Shrinks DEP’s Staff By Another 200, Even Though DEP Has More Money Drilling Impact Fees Drop By $5,000 Per Well In 2015, Loss Could Be $34 Million CBF-PA: PA Releases New Strategy For Meeting Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Commitments DEP: Pennsylvania Not Meeting Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Commitments Analysis: PA Isn’t Cleaning Up Our Rivers, Abandoned Mines Quickly Enough

EQB Overwhelmingly Approves Final Chapter 78 Drilling Regulations

The Environmental Quality Board Wednesday voted overwhelmingly (15 to 4) to approve DEP’sChapter 78 (conventional) and 78A (unconventional) drilling regulations , after voting down 17amendments to the regulation by three of the legislative members of the Board.

The final regulations address surface activities at well sites, and center on five core areas:Improve protection of water resources; Add public resources considerations; Protect publichealth and safety; Address landowner concerns; and Enhance transparency and improve datamanagement.

The final rulemaking represent the first comprehensive changes to DEP’s drillingregulations in 15 years, since 2001 and was developed in response to changes in drillingtechnology and practices and legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2012 and signed intolaw by Gov. Corbett.

The regulation has been subject to the most extensive public participation process inDEP’s history-- 12 public hearings, 2 separate public comment periods, and more than a dozen

public meetings with the oil & gas technical advisory boards.EQB Consideration Of Regulation

Here’s a quick overview of the EQB consideration of the regulations---- John Arway , Executive Director of the Fish and Boat Commission, said he has professionalexperience working for the Commission dealing with oil and gas issues as well as personalexperience being a landowner where oil and gas drilling is being done. He urged the EQB toapprove the regulation-- Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) , Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources andEnergy Committee, asked why DEP was going ahead with the regulation when two of itsadvisory committees recommended not to. Scott Perry, DEP Deputy Secretary for Oil and Gas

http://www.dep.pa.gov/PublicParticipation/EnvironmentalQuality/2016%20Meetings/Pages/default.aspx#.VqabdMea10chttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=30987http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2015/03/dep-pennsylvania-not-meeting-chesapeake.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/01/cbf-pa-pa-releases-new-strategy-for.htmlhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34689http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/02/wolf-shrinks-deps-staff-by-another-200.htmlhttps://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2016/02/01/low-gas-price-cuts-impact-fee-revenue-for-counties-and-municipalities/http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268748/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=6GQeCANchttp://powersource.post-gazette.com/powersource/policy-powersource/2016/02/02/Wolf-imposes-limits-filling-vacant-state-jobs/stories/201602030058http://planphilly.com/articles/2016/02/01/the-economic-benefits-of-green-city-clean-watershttp://www.witf.org/news/2016/02/state-gets-3m-to-help-clean-up-the-chesapeake-bay.phphttp://lancasteronline.com/news/local/feds-restore-million-to-pennsylvania-for-chesapeake-bay-cleanup/article_f7251c8e-ca95-11e5-95da-d788d71bd241.htmlhttp://www.cpbj.com/article/20160202/CPBJ01/160209936/deps-revised-chesapeake-bay-strategy-draws-3m-in-federal-fundshttp://thetimes-tribune.com/news/wolf-considers-growing-greener-reboot-1.2003187https://www.cbf.org/emailviewonwebpage.aspx?erid=51005887&trid=c508e40e-de20-45eb-9aa4-f0e7121f6edahttp://www.cbf.org/PAhttp://www.cbf.org/pa


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Management, said DEP does have a disagreement with the panels over several issues, includingon restoring drinking water supplies polluted by drilling, standards used for cleaning up spillsand on locating abandoned wells. Perry noted later, the drilling industry refused to provide DEPwith their maps identifying abandoned wells which lead to the provisions in the final regulation.-- Burt Waite, DEP Citizens Advisory Council and a member of DEP’s Conventional Oil and

Gas Advisory Committee , offered an amendment to bifurcate the regulation for voting by theBoard into conventional (Chapter 78) and unconventional (Chapter 78A). The motion failed 5to 14.-- Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny) , Majority Chair of the House Environmental Resources andEnergy Committee, offered a series of 9 amendments to the regulations all of which were voteddown by the Board by votes generally of 5 or 6 to 13 or 14. Those voting for the amendments,sometimes in different combinations, included Rep. Maher, Sen. Yaw, Sen. John Yudichak’srepresentative (Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee),Bill Fink, Chair of DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council, and Burt Waite, DEP’s Citizens AdvisoryCouncil and sometimes Don Welsh, DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council.-- Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) offered a series of 3 amendments to the regulation, all ofwhich were voted down by the Board, again by votes generally of 5 or 6 to 13 or 14.-- Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) alternate offered a series of 5 amendments to theregulation, all of which were voted down by the Board by votes generally of 5 or 6 to 13 or 14.-- Rep. Maher: In a final statement, Rep. Maher said the EQB was being asked to break the law

by voting for this final regulation because certain information was not provided to advisory andother decisionmaking bodies during the rulemaking process. This he said, is not the transparencyalways being talked about. Kim Childe, DEP Director of Regulatory Counsel, advised Boardmembers DEP has met its legal obligations and procedures during the rulemaking process and itwas entirely appropriate to vote on the regulation.-- Sen. Yaw: In comments, Sen. Yaw said several members of his Committee has concerns aboutthe way the regulations were put together, saying some provisions were a solution in search of a

problem.The next step in finalizing the regulations is review by the Office of Attorney General for

form and legality and then forwarding to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission andthe Senate and House for their review under the Regulatory Review Act.

A copy of the regulation changes, an Executive Summary, comment/response documents,a one page summary, the Regulatory Analysis Form summarizing the cost of the rules, reportsfrom DEP’s unconventional and conventional oil and gas advisories comments and a fact sheeton the regulation is on the Environmental Quality Board webpage.NewsClips:Will Drilling Regs Face Opposition In Senate, House Committees?

Board Approves New Environmental Rules For Drillers State Board Approves Major Revisions To Drilling Rules Board Approves State’s New Oil & Gas Regulations Board Approves New Rules For Gas, Oil Drillers Will Drilling Regs Face Opposition In Senate, House Committees?

Challenge To Use Of Oil & Gas Fund Monies To Be Heard By PA Supreme Court March 9

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/will_new_oil_and_gas_regulatio.html#incart_river_homehttp://mobile.philly.com/beta?wss=/philly/news&id=367578991https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2016/02/03/board-approves-states-new-oil-and-gas-regulations/http://powersource.post-gazette.com/powersource/policy-powersource/2016/02/03/Pennsylvania-board-approves-major-revisions-to-drilling-rules-DEP-Marcellus-Shale-conventional/stories/201602030207http://triblive.com/business/headlines/9911104-74/rules-board-drillers?platform=hootsuitehttp://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/will_new_oil_and_gas_regulatio.html#incart_river_homehttp://www.dep.pa.gov/PublicParticipation/EnvironmentalQuality/2016%20Meetings/Pages/default.aspx#.VrIZssea10dhttp://www.irrc.state.pa.us/http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/02/senate-environmental-chairs-to-offer.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/02/senate-environmental-chairs-to-offer.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/02/gop-chair-of-house-environmental.htmlhttp://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Energy/OilandGasPrograms/OilandGasMgmt/OilGasConventionalhttp://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Energy/OilandGasPrograms/OilandGasMgmt/OilGasConventionalhttp://www.dep.pa.gov/PublicParticipation/CitizensAdvisoryCouncil/Pages/default.aspx#.VrIu8TYrJBw


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On March 9 the PA Supreme Court will hear an appeal of a 2015 Commonwealth Court decision upholding the right of the General Assembly and the governor to transfer monies from DCNR’sOil and Gas Fund to the General Fund and the use of those funds for DCNR State Park and StateForest Operations.

The PA Environmental Defense Foundation filed the original lawsuit against Gov.

Rendell for his leasing of nearly 137,000 acres of State Forest land for Marcellus Shale naturalgas drilling and then transferring $383 million of the proceeds from the Oil and Gas Fund to theGeneral Fund to balance the state budget.

Gov. Rendell also used Oil and Gas Fund revenue to fund administrative and personnelcosts of State Parks and State Forest Operations. The practice continued during the CorbettAdministration.

PEDF based its lawsuit, in part, on Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment tothe state Constitution.

With the makeup of the PA Supreme Court now dramatically changed as a result of the November 3 election, it will be interesting to see how the Court decides this issue.

The PA Supreme Court’s 2013 decision overturning portions of the Act 13 drilling lawwas based, again in part, on the Environmental Rights Amendment. The new court, with newmembers, may be more sympathetic to that argument .

On Wednesday, the Independent Fiscal Office released its economic outlook and staterevenue forecast that highlighted projected revenue going into the Oil and Gas Lease Fund areexpected to drop 38 percent in the current FY 2015-16 to $71 million from $115 million lastfiscal year (page 46) . Revenues will increase slowly in the coming years and not recover to $118million until FY 2018-19 (page 73) .

In FY 2014-15 the Oil and Gas Lease Fund supported $122.6 million in operating costsand the General Fund only $14.5 million. In FY 2008-09 the General Fund support for DCNRwas $113 million and Oil and Gas Lease Fund revenue $11.8 million, nearly the reverse.

Gov. Wolf proposed last year in his budget proposal to begin the process of weaningDCNR off of the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to pay for administrative costs with a $21.8 millionGeneral Fund appropriation .

His proposal was included in the Republican budget passed in December and signed intolaw by the Governor with $48.7 million more in General Fund money for DCNR's GeneralGovernment, State Parks and State Forest Operations line items.

For updates on the progress of the lawsuit, visit the PA Environmental DefenseFoundation website. Click Here to sign up for regular news from PEDF.

For more information on drilling, visit DCNR’s Natural Gas Development and StateForests webpage.NewsClips:

AP: Natural Gas Income From State Forests Takes Big Fall Low Natural Gas Prices Cuts Impact Fee Revenue Swift: Wolf Considers Growing Greener Reboot

New Severance Tax Proposal From Drilling Country Feds Restore $3M To PA For Chesapeake Bay Cleanup DEP Gets $3M To Help Clean Up Chesapeake Bay Watershed DEP’s Revised Chesapeake Bay Strategy Draws $3M In Federal Funds

http://www.cpbj.com/article/20160202/CPBJ01/160209936/deps-revised-chesapeake-bay-strategy-draws-3m-in-federal-fundshttp://www.witf.org/news/2016/02/state-gets-3m-to-help-clean-up-the-chesapeake-bay.phphttp://lancasteronline.com/news/local/feds-restore-million-to-pennsylvania-for-chesapeake-bay-cleanup/article_f7251c8e-ca95-11e5-95da-d788d71bd241.htmlhttp://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/90685-from-pa-drilling-country-a-severance-tax-proposal?utm_source=dlvr&utm_medium=twitterauto&utm_campaign=social-inboundhttp://thetimes-tribune.com/news/wolf-considers-growing-greener-reboot-1.2003187https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2016/02/01/low-gas-price-cuts-impact-fee-revenue-for-counties-and-municipalities/http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268748/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=6GQeCANchttp://dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/NaturalGas/index.htmhttp://dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/NaturalGas/index.htmhttp://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001w4A8_roKybvUSTmLcm2_FxV3tliFYlztXT1wzDfo5JwYruappko-8dWpPvb2qF2GvoGkHJkWG71xSN9pZqhG8y30ysiCFA_pAoDs4TzGFMg%3Dhttp://www.pedf.org/http://www.pedf.org/https://www.scribd.com/doc/294219652/General-Fund-Tracking-Runhttps://www.scribd.com/doc/294219652/General-Fund-Tracking-Runhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=31526http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=31526http://www.ifo.state.pa.us/resources/PDF/Five_Year_Outlook_2015.pdfhttp://www.ifo.state.pa.us/resources/PDF/Five_Year_Outlook_2015.pdfhttp://www.ifo.state.pa.us/https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2015/11/03/supreme-court-race-could-hold-the-key-to-future-environmental-rulings/http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=27347http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=28906http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=31129http://www.pedf.org/http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=30909


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CFA Accepting Applications For Water-Related, Recreation Grants Starting March 1

The Commonwealth Financing Authority will be accepting the next round of applications forgrants funded by Act 13 for watershed restoration, abandoned mine drainage abatement, baselinewater quality data, orphan or abandoned well plugging, sewage facilities and flood mitigation

programs starting March 1. The deadline for applications is June 30.Here’s a quick summary of what’s available and the links for more details--

-- Watershed Restoration : The overall goal of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Programis to restore, and maintain restored stream reaches impaired by the uncontrolled discharge ofnonpoint source polluted runoff, and ultimately to remove these streams from the Department ofEnvironmental Protection’s Impaired Waters list.-- Abandoned Mine Drainage Abatement and Treatment : Projects which involve the reclamationof Abandoned Mine Well(s), construction of a new AMD site, remediation and repair of existingAMD project sites, operation and maintenance maintaining current AMD remediation sites,establishment of trust fund to ensure ongoing maintenance is achieved, and monitoring of waterquality to track or continue to trace nonpoint source load reductions resulting from AMDremediation projects.-- Orphan or Abandoned Well Plugging Program : Projects which involve the cleaning out and

plugging of abandoned and orphan oil and gas wells; stray gas mitigation systems; and wellventing projects.-- Baseline Water Quality Data : Projects which involve practices for water sample collection andanalysis to document existing groundwater quality conditions on private water supplies.-- Sewage Facilities Program : Costs associated with the planning work required under Act 537Sewage Facilities Act.-- Flood Mitigation : Projects authorized by a flood protection authority, the Department ofEnvironmental Protection (DEP), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) or the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or identified by alocal government for flood mitigation are eligible for the program.-- Greenways, Trails And Recreation Program : Projects which involve development,rehabilitation and improvements to public parks, recreation areas, greenways, trails and riverconservation.

Applicants are strongly urged to contact their House and Senate member to make themaware you intend to submit an application for funding under theses programs.

The applications in this round will be considered at the September CFA Board meeting .For more information and instructions on how to apply, visit the Commonwealth

Financing Authority Act 13 Programs webpage. Questions should be directed to 717-787-6245.NewsClip:

Low Natural Gas Prices Cuts Impact Fee Revenue

PA Environment Digest Google+ Circle, Blogs, Twitter Feeds

PA Environment Digest now has a Google+ Circle called Green Works In PA . Let us join yourCircle.

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


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Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

House: the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee holds an informational meetingon House Bill 1536 (Petri-R-Bucks) imposes a 5.5 percent severance tax, eliminates the Act 13

drilling impact fee and distributes the revenue based on the provisions of Act 13. Any additionalrevenue would be deposited in the General Fund ( sponsor summary ), House Bill 82 (Harper-R-Montgomery) imposes a 3.5 percent severance tax and leaves in place the existing Act 13 drillingimpact fee. Revenue would fund public school employee pensions ( sponsor summary ); theAppropriations Committee meets to consider House Bill 1436 (Godshall-R-Montgomery)

providing for the computation of income tax expense for utility ratemaking purposes, House Bill1712 (R.Brown-R-Monroe) establishing a Private Dam Financial Assurance Program; the LocalGovernment Committee meets to consider House Bill 1392 (Dush-R-Indiana) authorities waterand sewer authorities to charge a security deposit on new customers ( sponsor summary ), HouseBill 914 (Ross-R-Chester) removing the permit-exempt inspection fee cap in Sewage FacilitiesAct ( sponsor summary ), House Bill 1605 (James-R- Butler) establishing the Heritage AreasProgram in law ( sponsor summary ). Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate: Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Other: Gov. Wolf’s Second Budget Address. 11:30. Click Here to watch live.

Bills Pending In Key Committees

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

HouseAppropriations EducationEnvironmental Resources and EnergyConsumer AffairsGaming OversightHuman ServicesJudiciaryLiquor ControlTransportation

Links for all other Standing House Committees

SenateAppropriationsEnvironmental Resources and EnergyConsumer Protection and Professional LicensureCommunity, Economic and Recreational DevelopmentEducation


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JudiciaryLaw and JusticePublic Health and WelfareTransportationLinks for all other Standing Senate Committees

Bills Introduced

The following bills of interest were introduced this week--

Changes In FEMA Floodplain Map: House Bill 1648 (Davis requiring notification ofresidential property owners of changes to official FEMA floodplain maps ( sponsor summary ).

Mine Reclamation Liability: House Bill 1825 (Sankey-R-Cambria) amending Act 2 LandRecycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act to provide liability protection forconservation districts and private firms reclaiming abandoned mine sites ( sponsor summary ).

Session Schedule

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

Senate February 8, 9, 10Budget Hearings: Feb. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, March 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 (no session duringhearings)March 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23April 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13May 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

House February 8, 9, 10March 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23April 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13May 2, 3, 4, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

Governor’s Schedule

Gov. Tom Wolf's work calendar will be posted each Friday and his public schedule for the daywill be posted each morning. Click Here to view Gov. Wolf’s Weekly Calendar and PublicAppearances.

Bills On Governor's Desk


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The following bills were given final approval by the Senate and House and are now on theGovernor's desk for action--

Flood Insurance Report: Senate Bill 494 (Ward-R-Westmoreland) eliminating the requirementfor the Flood Insurance Report to the General Assembly. A House Fiscal Note and summary is

available. The bill was signed into law as Act 2.

News From The Capitol

House Budget Hearing For DEP Changed To March 1

The House Appropriations Committee has rescheduled the budget hearing for the Department ofEnvironmental Protection To March 1 at 9:30 a.m. It had been scheduled for March 8. Otherenvironmental budget hearings will be held—

— February 24: Senate— Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources, 10:00; — February 24: House— Public Utility Commission, 1:00; — February 25: Senate- Dept. of Environmental Protection, 10:00; — February 29: House— Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources, 2:00; — March 1: Senate- Dept. of Agriculture, 3:00; — March 1: NEW . House- Dept. of Environmental Protection, 9:30;and — March 9: House- Dept. of Agriculture, 1:30.

House budget hearings are held in Room 140 (Majority Caucus Room) and the Senate budget hearings are held in Hearing Room 1, North Office Building.

The complete schedules are available on the Senate Appropriations Committee andHouse Appropriations Committee webpages.

Sen. Stefano Introduces Resolution To Delay PA Clean Power Plan 2 Years

Citing concerns about the potential economic impact on Pennsylvania, Sen. Pat Stefano(R-Fayette) has introduced Senate Resolution 277 (not yet online, text available ) urging theDepartment of Environmental Protection to delay implementation of the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection’s Clean Power Climate Rule for two years.

Noting that 27 states have joined a lawsuit seeking to block the federal mandate, Sen.Stefano said Gov. Wolf’s decision to fast-track compliance could have disastrous consequenceson Pennsylvania as an exporter of electric power generation, result in job losses, and cripple thestate’s economy.

“Until legal challenges to this rule have been decided and a full review of the economic

impacts of this rule on Pennsylvania have been completed, I believe it is in the best interest ofPennsylvania to request an extension for submitting a final plan to comply,” Sen. Stefano said.“Through this mandate, the EPA is overstepping its authority as a regulator and insteadattempting to force energy policies on states.”

Sen. Stefano’s resolution would also require the Legislative Budget and Finance Agencyto conduct a cost compliance study prior to submission of a final implementation plan.

This study would focus on the impacts and costs of the implementation plan on new andexisting electric generation units, as well as other components, including reliability, ratepayer


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impact, feasibility and other factors.“In my district, which is made up of many coal patch towns, we have seen mines idled,

power plants closed and families’ lives completely upended as they lost their family-sustaining jobs in the coal industry,” Sen. Stefano said. “This should serve as a cautionary tale that makingrapid changes in energy policy can have far-reaching consequences. My resolution would ensure

that decisions which have such a huge and long-term impact on jobs and the economy are madecarefully and take into account mitigating factors.”

The text of the resolution is available online .DEP Secretary John Quigley said DEP is on track to have a draft PA Clean Power Plan

available for public comment around Memorial Day with the intent of submitting the finalversion in September to meet EPA’s initial deadline.

In September, October and November of last year, DEP completed 14 listening sessions around the state seeking ideas on how Pennsylvania should meet the EPA Clean Power ClimateRule.

Resolutions do not have the force of law. A resolution expresses the will of the Senate.For more information, visit DEP’s Climate Change webpage.

NewsClips:Reminder: DEP Climate Action Plan Update Comments Due March 30 Activists Bring Methane Petition In Boxes To DEP Activists Want Wolf’s Plan To Reduce Methane Emissions Laid Off Coal Miners Make Transition To Computer Programming Related Stories:DEP Releases Climate Change Action Plan Update For Public Comment Gov. Wolf Announces New Methane Regulations On Oil & Gas Industry EPRI: Least Cost Option For PA To Meet EPA Climate Rule Is Natural Gas

House Environmental Committee Informational Meeting On 2 Severance Tax Bills Feb. 8

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee will hold an informational meetingon February 8 on two bills that would impose a severance tax on natural gas production. The

bills on the agenda include---- House Bill 1536 (Petri-R-Bucks) imposes a 5.5 percent severance tax, eliminates the Act 13drilling impact fee and distributes the revenue based on the provisions of Act 13. Any additionalrevenue would be deposited in the General Fund ( sponsor summary ); and-- House Bill 82 (Harper-R-Montgomery) imposes a 3.5 percent severance tax and leaves in

place the existing Act 13 drilling impact fee. Revenue would fund public school employee pensions ( sponsor summary ).

The meeting will be held in Room 140 Main Capitol starting at 11:00 a.m.Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny) serves as Majority Chair and can be contacted bysending email to: [email protected] , and Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves asMinority Chair and can be contacted by sending email to: [email protected] .NewsClips:

New Severance Tax Proposal From Drilling Country AP: Natural Gas Income From State Forests Takes Big Fall Low Natural Gas Prices Cuts Impact Fee Revenue


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Swift: Wolf Considers Growing Greener Reboot

News From Around The State

Wolf Administration Highlights Steps To Reduce Lead Exposure

The departments of Health and Environmental Protection Thursday released this overview ofhow Pennsylvania address the issue of lead exposure in the wake of events in Flint, Michiganover the last several weeks--

National events about lead exposure have generated new concerns for Pennsylvaniansrelated to the safety of their homes and water. The Wolf Administration takes the issue of leadexposure very seriously and state agencies will continue to work together on their coordinatedresponse to address lead exposure in communities across the Commonwealth.

The Departments of Health and Environmental Protection both work diligently to protectchildren from lead exposure and have many resources available for residents to learn more andtake action on lead.

According to Department of Health, the primary source of childhood lead poisoning inPennsylvania continues to be exposure to aging, deteriorating lead-based paint (chips and dust),and not drinking water.

The age of Pennsylvania's housing stock contributes to this problem. While lead was banned from paint in 1978, many older dwellings still contain layers of pre-1978 paint.

According to 2010 Census data, Pennsylvania ranks third in the nation for having themost housing units identified as having been built before 1950 (when lead was more prevalent)and fourth in the nation for housing units identified as having been built before 1978, accordingto a 2014 Department of Health report.

“The Department of Health is very concerned about elevated lead levels in children

wherever they may occur. Our community health nurses work closely with health care providersand families every day to provide education about lead exposure and facilitate home inspectionsif needed to identify the source of the exposure,” said Health Secretary Dr. Karen Murphy.“Protecting the state's water and the health and safety of our citizens is DEP's mission,” saidDepartment of Environmental Protection Secretary John Quigley. “Ensuring the safety of ourdrinking water is essential. We have policies and programs in place already to protectPennsylvanians.”

Department of HealthThe Department of Health provides a toll-free Lead Information Line (1-800-440-LEAD)

to respond to caller questions and provide electronic materials about lead poisoning and otherenvironmental hazards. For more information, please also visit the Healthy Homes and Lead

Poisoning Prevention FAQ .Residents should be proactive and follow steps to ensure the health and the safety of

children in their residences and can find all the resources DOH provides here .DOH's Lead Surveillance Program tracks and monitors childhood lead activity through

the Pennsylvania National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (PA-NEDSS). PA-NEDSS isa web-based application system that receives all lead reports on Pennsylvania's children.

Through PA-NEDSS, the Division of Child and Adult Health Services can identify possible high-risk areas, locate areas of under-testing, and identify other potential service gaps.


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DOH’s Community Health Nurses (CHN) monitor elevated lead levels in children agesseven and under living in Pennsylvania.

The CHNs contact the family to provide education on laboratory results, sources of leadexposure, actions to take to prevent/decrease the risk of exposure and help facilitate follow-uptesting between client’s and their pediatricians.

In cases where there is significant lead exposure, CHNs will work with the pediatricianand facilitate referrals to obtain home inspections which can identify the source of exposure aswell as provide hands-on education to parents.

For more information, visit the Department of Health’s Lead Poisoning webpage.Department of Environment ProtectionFederal and state regulations require that public drinking water suppliers regularly test for

contaminants including lead. DEP monitors water suppliers to ensure that they are complyingwith testing requirements to safeguard our public drinking water supplies.

DEP also provides information to private well water users on how to properly maintaintheir systems to reduce their exposure to lead.

DEP has created a new section of their website for information on lead in drinking waterfor consumers here.

Since lead exposure in drinking water typically comes from your plumbing fixtures andnot the source of your water supply, it’s important for both public drinking water customers aswell as private well water users to follow these tips to reduce your exposure to lead:-- Run your water to flush out lead. If water hasn’t been used for several hours, run water for15-30 seconds or until it becomes cold or reaches a steady temperature before using it fordrinking or cooking. This flushes out any stagnant water in your home plumbing and replaces itwith fresh water from the water main in your street.-- Use cold water for cooking and preparing baby formula. Do not cook with or drink water fromthe hot water tap; lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Do not use water from the hot watertap to make baby formula.-- Do not boil water to remove lead. Boiling water will not reduce lead. In fact, leadconcentrations will be higher in water that is boiled since some of the water is removed as steam.-- Test your water for lead. Contact your water system for more information about getting yourwater tested. Some water systems may offer to test your water free of charge. Your watersystem can also provide information about local laboratories that conduct lead testing. If you’re a

private well water user, you should contact a DEP-accredited lab for information about watertesting. Here is the link to a listing of DEP-accredited labs.-- Identify whether your your house's plumbing fixtures contain lead. There are lead check swabsthat can detect lead on plumbing surfaces such as solder and pipes. These swabs can be

purchased at plumbing and home improvement stores.

Monitoring frequencies for lead and copper vary based on previous sample results.A new water system is tested every 6 months until they have 2 consecutive periods ofcompliance (so it could be the first 2 tests); after that they go to annual monitoring, and if, after 3years of clean annual tests, they can go to a once-every-three year monitoring schedule.

All large water systems (serving more than 50,000) and those small/medium watersystems that have installed corrosion control treatment are also required to monitor for waterquality parameters to ensure that corrosion control treatment is being properly operated andmaintained.


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If lead concentrations exceed the legally acceptable level in more than 10% of customertaps sampled, the system must undertake a number of additional actions to control corrosion.

These actions include completion of a corrosion control treatment feasibility study,submission of a permit application, and construction or modification of corrosion controltreatment facilities.

If the action level for lead is exceeded, the system must also inform the public about stepsthey should take to protect their health and may have to replace lead service lines under theircontrol.

If lead action level is exceeded, public water systems are required to implement a publiceducation program within 60 days. Printed materials must be delivered to all customers, thelocal or state health department, and other organizations.

In addition, water suppliers must provide the results of all lead testing performed onindividual homes to the homeowner within 30 days, along with an explanation of the healtheffects of lead, a list of steps consumers can take to reduce exposure to lead, and contact info forthe water system.

For more information, visit DEP’s Lead In Drinking Water webpage.NewsClips:Is Lead Poisoning In PA, NJ Worse Than Flint? Lead Problem Focus Shifts To Cities Like Allentown What You Need To Know About Lead In Your Home Wolf Administration Highlights Steps To Reduce Lead Exposure Central PA Does Not Appear To Face Crisis Of Lead In Drinking Water Lead Issue Leads To Lack Of Trust In Pittsburgh Water Authority 18 Cities In PA Report Higher Blood Levels Of Lead Exposure Than Flint Scranton Has 3rd Highest Percentage Of Elevated Lead Levels Editorial: Sebring, OH Provides Lessons On Lead Op-Ed: More Important Than Ever To Adopt Strict Water Well Standards Related Stories: Penn State Extension Presents Feb. 10 Webinars On Lead In Drinking Water Op-Ed: Pennsylvania Needs Water Well Standards To Protect Public Health

Penn State Extension Presents Feb. 10 Webinars On Lead In Drinking Water

In response to the increased attention that lead in drinking water has received over the past fewweeks in Flint, Michigan, Penn State Extension will provide an educational water webinarentitled, “ Lead in Drinking Water from Private Wells, Springs and Cisterns – What You ShouldKnow ” on February 10 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. and repeated from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m..

The webinar will focus on the potential for lead in drinking water from private waterwells, springs and cisterns, although some basic information on lead in public water supplies willalso be presented.

There are about one million homes using these “private” water supplies in Pennsylvaniaand Penn State research has shown that lead can be a significant water quality problem.

The webinar will share research results from the 1980s through 2015, showing theoccurrence of corrosive water, copper and lead in private drinking water supplies and thecommon causes for these problems.


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Water testing to determine lead levels, along with water treatment to prevent or removelead, will also be discussed.

The presentation will conclude with links to various educational materials created byPenn State Extension to increase awareness of lead in drinking water.

These live water webinars are free and can be accessed at either 12:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m.

by Clicking Here . Simply enter your name in the Guest Box and click “Enter Room” to join thelive webinar.

You will need a computer with speakers to listen to the audio portion of the webinar. Ifyou are unable to join one of the live webinar sessions, you will be able to view a recordedversion of this webinar online.

Penn State Extension also has a written fact sheet on Lead in Drinking Water online.At each session of the webinar, FREE water test kits for lead will be given to three

attendees (a total of six attendees at the two webinar sessions). These drinking water kits will befrom the Agricultural Analytical Services Lab at Penn State University – a state accredited watertesting laboratory.

The Penn State Extension Water Resources team and its Master Well Owner volunteers provide education and assistance for thousands of private water well and spring owners acrossPennsylvania each year.

Tune in on February 10 to learn more about how to protect your family from lead indrinking water.

For more information, visit Penn State Extension’s Lead in Drinking Water Webinar webpage. Click Here to sign up for updates on Penn State Extension water-related programs.

(Written By: Bryan Swistock, Water Resources Specialist, Renewable Natural Resources, PennState Extension, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management.)

NewsClips:Is Lead Poisoning In PA, NJ Worse Than Flint? Lead Problem Focus Shifts To Cities Like Allentown What You Need To Know About Lead In Your Home Wolf Administration Highlights Steps To Reduce Lead Exposure Central PA Does Not Appear To Face Crisis Of Lead In Drinking Water Lead Issue Leads To Lack Of Trust In Pittsburgh Water Authority 18 Cities In PA Report Higher Blood Levels Of Lead Exposure Than Flint Scranton Has 3rd Highest Percentage Of Elevated Lead Levels Editorial: Sebring, OH Provides Lessons On Lead Op-Ed: More Important Than Ever To Adopt Strict Water Well Standards

Related Stories:Wolf Administration Highlights Steps To Reduce Lead Exposure Op-Ed: Pennsylvania Needs Water Well Standards To Protect Public Health

Op-Ed: Pennsylvania Needs Water Well Standards To Protect Public Health

By: Larry J. Schweiger, PennFuture President and CEO


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The water crisis in Flint, Michigan shines a much-needed spotlight on public drinking waterquality. Public outrage surrounding this crisis is understandable when regulations and standardsintended to protect public health are sacrificed to save money.

In this case, lead is causing irreparable harm to 10,000 Flint children with developing brains and will continue to impact the unborn, infants and children for the foreseeable future.

We may not know the full costs for years as the ripple effect could result in a generationin need of increased social services and broad social costs as well as a less productive workforce.

The World Health Organization links lead poisoning to impaired mental development(including lower IQ), behavioral problems (such as hyperactivity, shortened attention span andantisocial behavior), and physical effects (like stunted growth, kidney damage, hypertension,hearing problems, and anemia).

A recent Vox review of Pennsylvania Department of Health data reveals 17 cities in thestate where over 10 percent of children tested positive for dangerously elevated levels of lead intheir blood.

While the whole story has yet to be written, it is abundantly clear that we cannot wait toreexamine procedures. We must increase protections at the local, state, and federal levels.

There is, however, a related issue that affects much of our state, especially suburban andrural communities. Pennsylvania is one of just two states with no construction standards for

private water wells.According to the Penn State Extension, 3.5 million residents , mostly in rural areas, rely

on well water. That is 34 times the population of Flint. Coupled with the 20,000 new wellsdrilled each year, unsafe well water can quickly become a major statewide public health concern.

A recent study by the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s Center for Rural Pennsylvanianotes that 40 percent of wells have at least one water quality issue due to poor construction,including bacteria, lead, arsenic, and radon contamination.

Improperly constructed water wells and old uncapped wells can provide easy access for polluted surface runoff, contaminants, and bacteria from septic systems to get into a resident’s,or even a neighbor’s, drinking water supply.

Unfortunately and seemingly without reason, efforts to improve water well safety havestalled time and time again in the state legislature for decades.

House Bill 48 , sponsored by state Rep. Robert Godshall (R – Montgomery), addressesmany of the known issues with well water safety by ordering the Pennsylvania Department ofEnvironmental Protection’s Environmental Quality Board to create rules identical or similar torecommendations by the National Ground Water Association .

House Bill 48 employs national best practices by (1) advancing new well constructionstandards, (2) advancing abandoned well decommissioning standards, (3) providing generalassembly oversight, (4) authorizing penalties against those who fail to adhere to the

aforementioned standards, and (5) keeping water well regulations separate from oil and gas well pad regulations, which are covered under different legislation.Who better to stand up for this issue impacting suburban and rural Pennsylvania than

someone who was personally sickened by contaminated well water?Rep. Godshall, who has bone cancer, took up this issue after being severely sickened

after drinking from well water at his Tioga County cabin. The newly drilled well wascontaminated with e coli and coliform bacteria. We support his effort to protect public health and

bring all well water to the safe standards.


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This legislation doesn’t comprehensively address all lead poisoning, nor would it haveaverted a crisis like that in Flint. But House Bill 48 is a necessary step to protect thecommonwealth’s groundwater supply – one that nearly every other state has already taken.

This bill is currently under second consideration before the House of Representatives anddeserves a full vote.

As legislators return to session, join me in a renewed call for clean, safe drinking waterfor all Pennsylvanians because we all – rich, poor, urban, and rural – deserve safe drinking water.NewsClips:Is Lead Poisoning In PA, NJ Worse Than Flint? Lead Problem Focus Shifts To Cities Like Allentown What You Need To Know About Lead In Your Home Wolf Administration Highlights Steps To Reduce Lead Exposure Central PA Does Not Appear To Face Crisis Of Lead In Drinking Water Lead Issue Leads To Lack Of Trust In Pittsburgh Water Authority 18 Cities In PA Report Higher Blood Levels Of Lead Exposure Than Flint Scranton Has 3rd Highest Percentage Of Elevated Lead Levels Editorial: Sebring, OH Provides Lessons On Lead Op-Ed: More Important Than Ever To Adopt Strict Water Well Standards Related Stories:Wolf Administration Highlights Steps To Reduce Lead Exposure Penn State Extension Presents Feb. 10 Webinars On Lead In Drinking Water

Congressmen Want $1 Billion From AML Fund For Struggling Coal Communities

A new bill introduced Wednesday in Congress aims to take $1 billion in funding in theAbandoned Mine Reclamation (AML) Fund to give to coal communities hardest hit by thedownturn of the coal industry.

The RECLAIM Act : Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities by LeveragingLocal Activities and Investing More, was filed by Congressmen Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), MattCartwright (D-Pa.) , Evan Jenkins (R-WV.), Don Beyer (D-Va.), and Morgan Griffith (R-Va.).

Coal communities throughout the United States have been struggling to cope withsignificant job losses after a decrease in nation-wide coal production in recent years, and theRECLAIM Act aims to support economic and community development projects in these areas.

Specifically, the legislation releases $1 billion from the existing balance in the AMLFund to assist communities that have traditionally relied on the coal industry for employment orhave recently experienced significant coal job losses.

Under the plan, $200 million will be distributed to participating states annually for five

years, and the legislation empowers States and Indian tribes to work with local communities toidentify and fund economic development projects on AML sites."In Kentucky alone, we've lost more than 11,000 coal mining jobs since 2009. Instead of

allowing those funds to go unused, now is the time to help our coal producing states reinvest inthe coalfields with projects that can create new jobs and reinvigorate our economy," said Rep.Rogers. "Many coal communities in Appalachia simply do not have the resources to reclaim theabandoned mine sites within their borders. This bill allows these communities to be proactive inrestoring these sites and utilize them to put our people back to work."


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Passage of this legislation will compliment other congressional efforts that have aimed tosupport economic development in coal communities, such as increased and targeted funding forthe Economic Development Administration and the Appalachian Regional Commission.

The RECLAIM Act mirrors a section of the White House’s POWER+ proposal thatrequires a statutory change to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA).

“Appalachian states continue to face the combined calamity of a collapsing coal industryand the environmental legacy of over a century of mining. For the families that depended onmining jobs, benefits, and pensions that have disappeared as coal companies have closed theiroperations, we must act to provide new opportunities,” said Rep. Cartwright. “Additionally, wemust address the environmental legacy left by abandoned mines. Across northeasternPennsylvania, there are thousands of miles of streams impacted by mine drainage, many ofwhich are totally devoid of aquatic life. It’s time to actually spend the money we have beencollecting for decades in the trust fund. We must clean up our region and help rejuvenate smallcommunities across Appalachia.”

The majority of the funding will be directly distributed by the Secretary of the Interior tostates with unmet reclamation needs. Meanwhile, $5 million each year will be provided throughgrants for coal-producing states that no longer have abandoned mine lands.

“Regrettably, recent years in the coalfields of Southwest Virginia and throughoutAppalachia have been difficult,” said Rep. Griffith. “After all, life above ground is impactedwhen work stops underground as the result of a regulatory onslaught on coal regions, the lowcost of competitive fuel, and a sluggish world economy. The RECLAIM Act is an imperativeeffort to help reinvigorate our hard-hit communities through economic and communitydevelopment. I will continue fighting along with Congressman Rogers and others to advanceeconomic development strategies such as this which would help keep and grow jobs inAppalachia.”

After two years, each state will have the opportunity to apply for bonus payments for anyremaining AML funds that have not been utilized.

“As Lieutenant Governor and gubernatorial candidate, I spent nine years touringVirginia’s coal counties. I witnessed the harsh effects of an economic downturn as well as thedegradation of the land,” said Rep. Beyer. “By reinvesting this money in these communities, wewill provide access to much needed jobs and help to restore unused and abandoned mines.”

The RECLAIM Act also comes on the heels of a similar AML Pilot Project included inthe 2016 Omnibus bill. The $90 million pilot – which will be implemented in Kentucky,Pennsylvania and West Virginia – will provide coal communities with grants to reclaimabandoned mine lands with economic development purposes in mind, create new jobopportunities and stimulate the local economy.

“Thousands of West Virginia coal miners have lost their jobs in the past five years, and

our communities have been decimated by the struggling coal market. Nowhere is this problemmore critical than Appalachia, especially in my district in Southern West Virginia," said Rep.Jenkins. "Our small towns and families need the resources to rebuild, attract new employers,create jobs, and give hope to the people who call Appalachia home. I commend ChairmanRogers and my fellow co-sponsors for their passion for this issue and their belief that we mustget our economy moving again.”

A summary of the bill is available online .NewsClip:


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regulations are trying to curtail, and communities will continue to be shadowed by the unsightly black mountains. All of this would be a taxpayer burden.”

WPCAMR supports the equitable regulations proposed in the SENSE Act that will helpthe waste coal industry stay in business and continue to help our communities recover from ourunregulated coal mining history and prosper into the future.

Letters from the public can be sent to your Congressman and/or Congressman Rothfus,the sponsor of the SENSE Act.

A copy of Beck’s testimony is available online . Click Here for a copy of H.R. 3797.Click Here for other remarks presented at the Subcommittee hearing.

(Written By: Anne Daymut, Watershed Coordinator, Western Coalition For Abandoned Mine Reclamation . Click Here to sign up to receive regular updates from WCAMR.)

U.S. Senator Casey Urges Obama Administration To Support Chesapeake Bay Programs

Wednesday U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Bob Casey (D-PA)and Congressmen Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Bobby Scott (D-VA)urged the Obama Administration to strongly support agriculturalconservation programs to ensure a clean Chesapeake Bay in its FY 2017federal budget.

To increase the economic benefits from the lands and watersthroughout the Bay’s watershed, states are working to achieve theChesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint , but progress is in jeopardy if

programs are not sufficiently funded.“Great progress has been made in the last six years…

Unfortunately, recent program reviews conducted by the ChesapeakeBay Program reveal that in particular geographies, we are not on track to meet the goals of theBlueprint,” the Members wrote in a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director ShaunDonovan. “All that has been accomplished, and all that stands to be accomplished, will bethreatened if our rural areas cannot receive the support and assistance they need at this criticaltime.”

The full letter to Director Donovan is below:Dear Director Donovan:

We write concerning the ongoing efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. We appreciatethe Obama Administration’s commitment to working with our states and communities and theentire watershed to achieve a healthy Bay by 2025.

As you know, Executive Order 13508 on Chesapeake Bay Restoration and Protection

states, “[t]he Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure constituting the largest estuary in the UnitedStates and one of the largest and most biologically productive estuaries in the world.”An important element of this initiative is the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint, as

the Chesapeake Bay TMDL has come to be called, which when implemented will increase theeconomic benefits from these lands and waters throughout the Chesapeake Bay region by $22Billion per year, to $129 Billion.

This Blueprint was developed with federal leadership through the Chesapeake BayProgram in collaboration with Bay watershed states in 2010, and it was independently ratified by


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all Bay watershed states.Great progress has been made in the last six years. We commend the commitment and

hard work of state and local governments throughout the region. The federal government hasalso been a critical partner, and we particularly want to highlight the contributions made by theDepartment of Agriculture through the conservation programs.

Unfortunately, recent program reviews conducted by the Chesapeake Bay Program revealthat in particular geographies, we are not on track to meet the goals of the Blueprint.Specifically, much of the outstanding work involves helping farmers and rural communities inPennsylvania take the steps needed to reduce harmful agricultural pollution of the Bay.

This can be done without harming the farm economy, but at this time leadership from theFederal government is critical.

We are writing to encourage you to include strong supports for the USDA conservation programs in the fiscal year 2017 budget. Farmers in the watershed, and particularly in theSusquehanna River Basin, need assistance to achieve the nitrogen goals required for the health ofthe Bay.

Significantly, this action is consistent not only with the Executive Order, but also with theAdministration’s policies for adapting to climate change and enhancing soil health. The

practices that need to be implemented on agricultural lands under the Blueprint in Pennsylvaniaand throughout the watershed are the same practices that will help soils become more resilient toextreme weather events and ultimately become more productive, while requiring less fertilizerand reducing nutrient and sediment pollution to rivers and streams and the Bay.

The goals of the Executive Order and Blueprint can be achieved, and the Chesapeake Baycan be a shining example of how protection of our natural resources and economic developmentcan both be served.

Yet all that has been accomplished, and all that stands to be accomplished, will bethreatened if our rural areas cannot receive the support and assistance they need at this criticaltime. We urge your attention to this matter.

For more on Chesapeake Bay-related issues in Pennsylvania, visit the CBF-PA webpage.Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left column). Click Here for a copyof CBF-PA’s most recent newsletter.NewsClips:Swift: Wolf Considers Growing Greener Reboot DEP’s Revised Chesapeake Bay Strategy Draws $3M In Federal Funds Feds Restore $3M To PA For Chesapeake Bay Cleanup DEP Gets $3M To Help Clean Up Chesapeake Bay Watershed The Economic Benefits Of Green City, Clean Water In Philadelphia York County Looks Toward Stormwater Authority

Brunner Island Glitch Kills 1,000+ Fish In Susquehanna Power Plant’s Release Of Cold Water Kills Fish Brunner Island Has Long History Of Fish Kills $6.9M Lawsuit Filed Over Miller Chemical Plant Fire York County Keeping Eye On Susquehanna River Ice Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal Click Here to subscribe to the Chesapeake Bay JournalRelated Stories:


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EPA Restores $3 Million In DEP Chesapeake Bay Funding Based On New Strategy CBF-PA Welcomes Restored Funding For Chesapeake Bay Watershed Cleanup In PA Alliance For Chesapeake Bay Launches New Businesses For The Bay Partnership Wolf Shrinks DEP’s Staff By 200 Positions, Even Though DEP Has More Money What’s In Wolf’s Budget Address For The Environment? 5 Things To Watch For Feb. 9

CFA Accepting Applications For Water-Related, Recreation Grants Starting March 1

EPA Restores $3 Million In DEP Chesapeake Bay Funding Based On New Strategy

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has restored $3 million in program funding to theDepartment of Environmental Protection based on the new strategies Commonwealth agenciesannounced on January 21 .

The Commonwealth’s comprehensive strategy was developed collaboratively betweenDEP and Pennsylvania departments of Agriculture and Conservation and Natural Resources.

The funding will primarily support installation of best management practices by farmersand the operations of County Conservation Districts. EPA will award the funds to DEP whenFederal budget authority for the new fiscal year is finalized.

In a letter dated January 20, 2016, to DEP Secretary John Quigley, EPA RegionalAdministrator Shawn Garvin wrote, “EPA appreciates Pennsylvania’s commitment to get backon-track with nutrient reduction measures necessary to achieve the Chesapeake Bay goals.” The“submission, 18-month strategy and draft implementation plan contain many actions that canserve as building blocks to accelerate the pace of implementation.”

“Pennsylvania was not on track to meet nutrient reduction targets, and EPA made clear in2015 that it would withhold funding due to that lack of progress. DEP worked with our sisteragencies and wrote a plan that will put us on track,” said Quigley.

“This restored funding will be targeted by DEP to begin implementation of our rebootedstrategy. It is a start – but only that. We have a long way to go in our efforts to assembleadditional resources and to do the work to improve local water quality in Pennsylvania, and thatof the Chesapeake Bay.”

For more information, visit DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Strategy webpage.NewsClips:DEP’s Revised Chesapeake Bay Strategy Draws $3M In Federal Funds Feds Restore $3M To PA For Chesapeake Bay Cleanup DEP Gets $3M To Help Clean Up Chesapeake Bay Watershed Swift: Wolf Considers Growing Greener Reboot The Economic Benefits Of Green City, Clean Water In Philadelphia York County Looks Toward Stormwater Authority

Brunner Island Glitch Kills 1,000+ Fish In Susquehanna Power Plant’s Release Of Cold Water Kills Fish Brunner Island Has Long History Of Fish Kills $6.9M Lawsuit Filed Over Miller Chemical Plant Fire York County Keeping Eye On Susquehanna River Ice Latest From The Chesapeake Bay Journal Click Here to subscribe to the Chesapeake Bay JournalRelated Stories:


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U.S. Senator Casey Urges Obama Administration To Support Chesapeake Bay Programs CBF-PA Welcomes Restored Funding For Chesapeake Bay Watershed Cleanup In PA Alliance For Chesapeake Bay Launches New Businesses For The Bay Partnership Wolf Shrinks DEP’s Staff By 200 Positions, Even Though DEP Has More Money What’s In Wolf’s Budget Address For The Environment? 5 Things To Watch Fo

pa environment digest feb. 8, 2016

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