pa environment digest sept. 9, 2013

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

Winner 2009 PAEE Business Partner Of The Year Award

Harrisburg, Pa September 9, 2013

House Committees To Hold 2nd Hearing On Endangered Species Bill Sept. 17

The House Game and Fisheries and Environmental Resources and Energy Committees hold a second

hearing September 17 in Indiana, Pa on House Bill 1576 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) which fundamentally

changes the way threatened and endangered species are listed and changes the designation process for

wild trout streams.Letters of opposition to the bill were submitted by the Game Commission, Fish and Boat

Commission, PA Council of Trout Unlimited and the PA Environmental Council at the first hearing.

Click Here for more information of the opposition of the Commissions and Trout Unlimited. Click Here

for PECs letter of opposition. Click Here for a summary of the first hearing.

The hearing will be held at Indiana University- Northpointe, 167 Northpointe Blvd., Building

167, Room 129, Indiana, Pa starting at 10:00.

Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron) serves as Majority Chair of the House Game and Fisheries

Committee and Rep. Gary Haluska (D-Cambria) serves as Minority Chair.

Rep. Ron Miller (R-York) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and

Energy Committee and Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair.

NewsClip:PA May Lose $19M Over Endangered Species Legislation

DEP Citizens Advisory Council, Environmental Justice Board Joint Meeting Sept. 17

On September 17 DEPs Citizens Advisory Council and the agencys Environmental Justice Advisory

Board hold a joint session to discuss DEP draft Community Environmental Project Policy, ideas on how

the Council and Board can collaborate and to hear a presentation from the Office of Health Equity at

the Department of Health.

DEP Acting Secretary Chris Abruzzo is also scheduled to attend the Council meet to provide anupdate on agency activities and to answer questions.

Click Here for a copy of the full agenda.

DEP Awards $12.2 Million Mine Reclamation Contract In Sproul State Forest

The Department of Environmental Protection Monday announced it has awarded a $12,181,873

contract for the Huling Branch abandoned mine reclamation project on Sproul State Forest property in
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.witf.org%2Fstate-house-sound-bites%2F2013%2F09%2Fa-scare-from-feds-over-proposed-endangered-species-policy.php&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFsDprZWQznQ_mn_5bgoDOjywKArghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.paenvironmentdigest.com%2Fnewsletter%2Fdefault.asp%3FNewsletterArticleID%3D26347&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEVrt9v7I3_yCxSVsIjpWtuMk7UXwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.legis.state.pa.us%2Fcfdocs%2Fbillinfo%2Fbillinfo.cfm%3Fsyear%3D2013%26sind%3D0%26body%3DH%26type%3DB%26BN%3D1576&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEyTP97hB-GuJBVv4dcI9ST1IkZ6ghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcnr.state.pa.us%2Fforestry%2Fstateforests%2Fsproul%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEmI9hdDGg53i6vp4fVfMK_JbxFTQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Ffiles.dep.state.pa.us%2FPublicParticipation%2FCitizens%2520Advisory%2520Council%2FCACPortalFiles%2FMeetings%2F2013_09%2FSeptember%25202013%2520agenda.pdf&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFP0sh0voG8gvn_tOQIgZ0xFY930whttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2Fportal%2Fserver.pt%2Fcommunity%2Fenvironmental_justice_advisory_board%2F14051&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHp28gCfQLioqpmV4AJtZQF3uVG5whttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2Fportal%2Fserver.pt%2Fcommunity%2Fenvironmental_justice_advisory_board%2F14051&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHp28gCfQLioqpmV4AJtZQF3uVG5whttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portal.state.pa.us%2Fportal%2Fserver.pt%2Fcommunity%2Fmeetings%2F14033&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHvSPGNj4MAq0x97x8V18XTgGhmRAhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.witf.org%2Fstate-house-sound-bites%2F2013%2F09%2Fa-scare-from-feds-over-proposed-endangered-species-policy.php&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFsDprZWQznQ_mn_5bgoDOjywKArghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.paenvironmentdigest.com%2Fnewsletter%2Fdefault.asp%3FNewsletterArticleID%3D26347&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEVrt9v7I3_yCxSVsIjpWtuMk7UXwhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpaenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com%2F2013%2F08%2Fpec-expresses-opposition-to-bills.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGYs7Pt1vj-UZgnap0jMUe6J_5W6Qhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.paenvironmentdigest.com%2Fnewsletter%2Fdefault.asp%3FNewsletterArticleID%3D26296&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGKqqr-fILqUA-zzAvxg6B7Lda3fghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.legis.state.pa.us%2Fcfdocs%2Fbillinfo%2Fbillinfo.cfm%3Fsyear%3D2013%26sind%3D0%26body%3DH%26type%3DB%26BN%3D1576&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEyTP97hB-GuJBVv4dcI9ST1IkZ6ghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.paenvironmentdigest.com%2Fnewsletter%2Fdefault.asp%3FNewsletterArticleID%3D11953&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFSPEUcwhnqVJLvxVyzABsEHAreLQ


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Leidy and Noyes townships, Clinton County.

The approximately 100-acre project will eliminate public health and safety concerns related to

dangerous highwalls and reduce acid mine drainage. It is one of the largest mine reclamation projects

undertaken by DEP in recent years.

The Huling Branch work includes the backfilling of about 6,000 linear feet of dangerous highwal

that is 40 to 70 feet high, and one adjacent spoil area. The spoil material will be graded into the pits toreturn the surface mine site to its original contour.

The project will use more than $756,000 in Growing Greener funding to implement a source

remediation plan aimed at reducing acid mine drainage pollution originating from the site. The money wi

be used to purchase 370,000 tons of alkaline material to neutralize highly acidic mine spoil, including

about 15,000 tons of coal refuse material improperly placed within pit areas throughout the site.

In addition, about 137,000 tons of crop coal around the perimeter of the reclamation area will

be removed, along with 17,500 tons of buried coal refuse along sections of the existing highwall.

The project area is part of a designated ATV trail administered by the Department of

Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry, DEP Deputy Secretary for Active and

Abandoned Mine Operations John Stefanko said. The highwalls are a dangerous hazard to these ridersand other forest visitors, and DEP clearly understands the need for their removal.

The project will reconstruct about 8,500 feet of recreational trails, which are part of the Bureau

of Forestrys Whiskey Springs ATV trail system. About 54 acres will be re-vegetated with 48,150 tree

seedlings utilizing the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative. An additional 47 acres will be

re-vegetated with wildlife habitat grasses.

Preliminary plans call for the western half of the Whiskey Springs ATV trail to remain open,

but in a diminished capacity for the length of the remediation project, said DCNR Acting Secretary

Ellen Ferretti. We will be coordinating closely with DEP and the contractor before start of construction

to address shortened future riding seasons, and trail, state forest road and parking lot closures.

One of 11 ATV trails on state forest lands across the state, Whiskey Springs stretches 45 milesthrough Sproul State Forest, beginning near Westport, Clinton County. The 305,450-acre forest also is

home to the nearby 39-mile Bloody Skillet ATV Trail.

As Huling Branch construction intensifies, the safety of all will be paramount and the bid to

lessen ATV-heavy truck and equipment traffic conflicts will be pronounced, Ferretti said. For

instance, access and parking for trailered ATVs will be severely limited.

For these reasons, we foresee Whiskey Springs evolving as a local use trail, with the nearby

Bloody Skillet ATV Trail emerging as the alternative for riding. ATV enthusiasts -- particularly those

traveling long distances and trailering machines -- will find much more satisfying experiences on the

Bloody Skillet ATV Trail than at Whiskey Springs for the next several years.

The acting secretary noted future trail inactivity will better enable the Bureau of Forestry to

complete much needed trail rehabilitation work, such as improved erosion and sedimentation controls

and trail surface restoration. The summer riding season will end on July 30, 2014 and 2015 in order to

address these enhancements.

The reclamation work, which will be done by L.R. Costanzo Co. Inc. of Scranton, will begin

around September 4 and be completed by September 3, 2015.

The contract was awarded on a competitive basis and is being paid for out of grants from the

federal Office of Surface Mining in addition to state Growing Greener money. The federal fund is


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supported by a fee on the modern coal industry and is distributed to states as annual grants to reclaim

mine sites that were abandoned prior to passage of the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation

Act of 1977.

The contract requires that any revenue generated from the recovery of crop coal be credited

toward the overall project cost.

For more information, visit DEP at 717-783-2267.

Sproul State Forest ATV Trail Closing Amid Mine Reclamation Project

The start of a large-scale, abandoned mine reclamation project in Sproul State Forest will necessitate

closing the entire Whiskey Springs ATV Trail, effective at sundown September 8, Department of

Conservation and Natural Resources officials announced Thursday.

Construction begins September 9, on the $12.2 million Department of Environmental Protection

project, covering 100 acres in Leidy and Noyes townships, Clinton County. The Huling Branch

reclamation effort is designed to reduce acid mine drainage and eliminate public health and safety

concerns related to dangerous highwalls.Originally, we had hoped to keep the western half of the Whiskey Springs ATV trail open in a

diminished capacity for the length of the remediation project, said Sproul State Forest District Forester

Douglas DAmore. However, after meeting yesterday with the contractor, DEP and local officials, it is

evident heavy truck and equipment traffic and the impending construction start require an early and

complete closure.

Safety of all concerned is the driving force in this decision, DAmore said. The contractor has

noted as many as 40 to 50 large trucks a day could be traveling on roads to and from the job site. In

addition there are operational efficiency and job site security issues to be considered.

DCNR officials offered the nearby Bloody Skillet ATV Trail as an alternative for ATV

enthusiasts, as it offers a similar experience.Also, the Denton Hill ATV Trail System, located 45 minutes to the north, is another alternative.

Maps, directions and other details can be found on the DCNR website.

One of 11 ATV trails on state forest lands across the state, Whiskey Springs stretches 45 miles

through Sproul State Forest, beginning near Westport, Clinton County. The 305,450-acre forest is also

home to the nearby 39-mile Bloody Skillet ATV Trail.

Closing the Whiskey Springs trail will better enable DCNR to complete needed trail

rehabilitation work, such as improved erosion and sedimentation controls and trail surface restoration.

Also, the remediation effort will result in the reconstruction of about 8,500 feet of the trail. About 54

acres will be re-vegetated with 48,150 tree seedlings and an additional 47 acres will be re-vegetated

with wildlife habitat grasses.

Huling Branch work also will include backfilling of about 6,000 linear feet of dangerous

highwall, 40- to 70-feet high, and one adjacent spoil area. The spoil material will be graded into the pits

to return the surface mine site to its original contour.

The project will use more than $756,000 in Growing Greener funding to implement a source

remediation plan aimed at reducing acid mine drainage pollution originating from the site. The money wi

be used to purchase 370,000 tons of alkaline material to neutralize highly acidic mine spoil, including

about 15,000 tons of coal refuse material improperly placed within pit areas throughout the site.
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcnr.state.pa.us%2Fforestry%2Frecreation%2Fatv%2Fatvplacestoride%2Fstateforestatvtrails%2Findex.htm&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNF-e9vBLpKwIhxqu2FnzSTeSyubkQhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcnr.state.pa.us%2Fforestry%2Fstateforests%2Fsproul%2Findex.htm&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE4E91AeHlLLuumHx7OUkq2zXb-rA


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In addition, about 137,000 tons of crop coal around the perimeter of the reclamation area will

be removed, along with 17,500 tons of buried coal refuse along sections of the existing highwall.

The reclamation work, undertaken by L.R. Costanzo Co. Inc. of Scranton, will be completed

by September 3, 2015.

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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 latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--

House
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September 23, 24, 25, 30

October 1, 2, 15, 16, 17 (Non-Voting), 21, 22, 23

November 12, 13, 18, 19, 20

December 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 (Non-Voting)

SenateSeptember 23, 24, 25, 30

October 1, 2, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23

November 12, 13, 18, 19, 20

December 3, 4, 9, 10, 11

Bill Calendars

House (September 23): House Bill 302 (Moul-R-Adams) transferring funds from the Oil and Gas

Lease Fund to DEP for a competitive grant program to convert small mass transit bus fleets to natural

gas House Bill 303 (Moul-R-Adams) transferring funds from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to DEP for acompetitive grant program to convert large mass transit fleets to natural gas House Bill 304

(Marshall-R-Beaver) funding conversions of transit buses to natural gas House Bill 306

(Pickett-R-Bradford) redirecting the Alternative Fuels Incentive Fund to create the Keystone Fuel

Incentive Program to fund conversions of vehicles to natural gas House Bill 308 (Saylor-R-York)

redirecting $6 million annually from the Clean Air Fund to finance vehicle conversions to natural gas.

pa environment digest sept. 9, 2013

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