Pa Environment Digest May 16, 2016

8/17/2019 Pa Environment Digest May 16, 2016

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PA Environment Digest An Update On Environmental Issues In Pennsylvania

Edited By: David E. Hess, Crisci Associates

Winner Of PA Association of Environmental Educators Business Partner Of The Year Award

PA Environment Digest Daily Blog Twitter Feed

Issue #620 Harrisburg, PA May 16, 2016

House Could Vote On Resolution To Kill DEP’s Drilling Regulations At Any Time

House Concurrent Regulatory Review Resolution #1

to kill

DEP’s final conventional (Chapter 78) and unconventional(Chapter 78a) drilling regulations remains on the House

Calendar and could be voted on at any time when the House

comes back to session starting May 16.

As reported last week by PA Environment Digest ,

discussions are ongoing between House and Senate

Republicans and other legislators and the Wolf

Administration on whether a deal could be reached to avoid

a vote on the Resolution.

The price of avoiding a vote to kill the entire package, however, could be killing the

regulations in Chapter 78 applying to conventional drilling and making DEP start over or making

other changes to the regulation, already approved by the Environmental Quality Board and theIndependent Regulatory Review Commission.

Ultimately, if the House and Senate go ahead and pass the resolution killing the drilling

regulations, Gov. Wolf will have to decide whether he will use his veto again and whether that

veto could be sustained in the Senate and House.

The House and Senate have 30 calendar days (June 2) or 10 legislative days (June 10)

whichever is later to take final action on the resolution.

Interestingly, an electronic copy of HCR Resolution #1 is not available on the General

Assembly’s website.

Take Action Now

Click Here to send a message to your legislation supporting DEP’s drilling regulations.

NewsClips:

Drilling Wastewater Can Taint Surface Water, Methane Emissions Need Controls

Drilling Communities Reap Benefits Of Housing Grants

Letter: Notable Voices Calling For Drilling Moratorium

Lawmakers Funnel Another $150K To Drilling Industry Research Group

Op-Ed: Protect Public From Environmental Hazards Of Drilling, Adopt DEP Regulations

Related Stories:

http://timesleader.com/opinion/letters/539774/letter-to-the-editor-notable-voices-calling-for-moratorium-on-natural-gas-drilling-in-pennsylvaniahttp://www.post-gazette.com/powersource/consumers-powersource/2016/05/12/Scientists-say-chemicals-from-fracking-wastewater-can-taint-fresh-water-nearby/stories/201605120113http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/HC/0/RC/CAL.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/HC/0/RC/CAL.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/HC/0/RC/CAL.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/HC/0/RC/CAL.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/HC/0/RC/CAL.HTMhttps://goo.gl/zUpHkLhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/https://twitter.com/paenvirodigesthttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=11953http://www.mcall.com/opinion/yourview/mc-fracking-oil-gas-drilling-regulations-almeida-yv-0511-20160510-story.htmlhttps://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2016/05/09/lawmakers-funnel-150k-to-industry-group-for-marcellus-research-again/http://timesleader.com/opinion/letters/539774/letter-to-the-editor-notable-voices-calling-for-moratorium-on-natural-gas-drilling-in-pennsylvaniahttp://triblive.com/business/headlines/10364842-74/housing-money-drillinghttp://www.post-gazette.com/powersource/consumers-powersource/2016/05/12/Scientists-say-chemicals-from-fracking-wastewater-can-taint-fresh-water-nearby/stories/201605120113http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35818http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35820http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/HC/0/RC/CAL.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/HC/0/RC/CAL.HTMhttps://goo.gl/zUpHkLhttps://twitter.com/paenvirodigesthttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=11953http://www.crisciassociates.com/


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Changing DEP’s Drilling Regs May Be at Heart Of Budget Compromises In Harrisburg

Analysis: Will The Confrontation Over Drilling Regs Kill The Entire Package?

PA Environmental Council Urges Committee Not To Oppose DEP Final Drilling Regs


By Suzanne Almeida , Executive Director, League Of Women Voters Of

PA

[Note: The following Op-Ed appeared in the Allentown Morning Call

May 11.]

Once again, the health and welfare of Pennsylvanians are being used as

a political pawn.

Over the last five years, the Department of Environmental

Protection has worked with environmental groups, gas and oil industryleaders, and Pennsylvanians from across the Commonwealth to develop much needed updates to

our oil and gas drilling regulations.

But many lawmakers in Harrisburg are determined to stymie the implementation of these

much-needed regulations, seemingly at the bidding of the oil and gas industry.

Citizens across the Commonwealth should be outraged. How we regulate the oil and gas

industry as we seek to protect public health and the environment is an issue that concerns us all.

On April 21, I had the opportunity on behalf of the League of Women Voters of

Pennsylvania to address our state's Independent Regulatory Review Commission and encourage

it to approve proposed updates to our oil and gas rules under Pa. Code Chapter 78 and 78a.

After a day-long meeting, the commission approved the proposed rules by a vote of 3-2.

Less than a week later, however, the House Environmental Resources & Energy

Committee passed a resolution to kill the rulemaking proposal.

Luckily, advocates, including the League of Women Voters, worked hard to stop this

resolution moving forward and were able to prevent a floor vote in the House, at least for the

moment.

But this is far from over. The Senate is expected to consider a bill that would have a

similar effect, and the results are far from certain.

While reasonable people can disagree about some of the particulars of the regulations,

there can be no doubt that the new regulations in their entirety are necessary updates to the

previous regulatory scheme.

As our understanding of the public health risks of fossil fuel development grows andchanges, so too must the regulations that are put in place to protect us.

Consequently, one can only see political calculations in the machinations of legislators in

Harrisburg around these rules.

The League of Women Voters firmly believes that, while gas and oil production is a part

of our economy, we must enact policies that support the maximum protection of public health

and the environment.

Through our Straight Scoop on Shale project, we host the annual Shale & Public Health

http://www.palwv.org/shale/http://www.mcall.com/opinion/yourview/mc-fracking-oil-gas-drilling-regulations-almeida-yv-0511-20160510-story.htmlhttp://www.palwv.org/marcellus-shale/http://www.palwv.org/marcellus-shale/http://www.palwv.org/lwvpa-welcomes-new-executive-director/http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/pa-environmental-council-urges-house.htmlhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35819http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35820http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/op-ed-protect-public-from-environmental.html


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Conference. We also issue annual updates to our Shale Gas Extraction and Public Health

Resource Guide.

At the league's annual Shale & Public Health Conference last November, we heard from

a series of speakers, including researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Johns Hopkins

University, on the harmful impacts of drilling that encroaches ever closer to our schools and

homes.Research from Evelyn Talbott of the University of Pittsburgh has found an increased

number of low birth-weight babies in drilling regions, and this inauspicious start to life does not

make for better outcomes later.

Similarly, studies being led by Brian Schwartz of Johns Hopkins, utilizing data from the

Geisinger Health System, has found an increased risk of premature births and high-risk

pregnancies in women exposed to active, unconventional natural gas development.

Clearly, there is a very real risk in failing to protect the health and safety of all

Pennsylvanians through effective regulation.

The citizens of the Commonwealth need to realize that how we move forward on these

regulations is a bellwether for how the oil and gas industry will operate in Pennsylvania.

We must balance the need to protect jobs with the need to protect our water, air and land. No Pennsylvanian will be immune from the consequences of failing to effectively

regulate our oil and gas industry.

Lawmakers must stop playing politics with the health and welfare of Pennsylvanians.

The League of Women Voters calls on legislators across Pennsylvania to resist attempts

to block the proposed oil and gas updates under Pa. Code Chapter 78 and 78a.

The health and well-being of our children, families and communities are at stake. We

need our leaders to be responsive to the needs of their constituents — and we, the people, need to

see to it that our voices are loud and clear.

At the end of the day, the power to effect change is ours.

For more information, visit the League of Women Voters of PA Marcellus Shale

webpage.

Suzanne Almeida , Executive Director, League Of Women Voters Of PA , can be contacted by

sending email to: [email protected].

Take Action Now

Click Here to send a message to your legislation supporting DEP’s drilling regulations.

NewsClips:



Letter: Notable Voices Calling For Drilling Moratorium Lawmakers Funnel Another $150K To Drilling Industry Research Group


Related Stories:

Changing DEP’s Drilling Regs May Be at Heart Of Budget Compromises In Harrisburg



http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/pa-environmental-council-urges-house.htmlhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35819http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35820http://www.mcall.com/opinion/yourview/mc-fracking-oil-gas-drilling-regulations-almeida-yv-0511-20160510-story.htmlhttps://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2016/05/09/lawmakers-funnel-150k-to-industry-group-for-marcellus-research-again/http://timesleader.com/opinion/letters/539774/letter-to-the-editor-notable-voices-calling-for-moratorium-on-natural-gas-drilling-in-pennsylvaniahttp://triblive.com/business/headlines/10364842-74/housing-money-drillinghttp://www.post-gazette.com/powersource/consumers-powersource/2016/05/12/Scientists-say-chemicals-from-fracking-wastewater-can-taint-fresh-water-nearby/stories/201605120113http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35818mailto:[email protected]://www.palwv.org/marcellus-shale/http://www.palwv.org/marcellus-shale/http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34050http://shale.palwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/846114-League-of-Women-Voters-Shale-Resource-Guide.pdfhttp://shale.palwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/846114-League-of-Women-Voters-Shale-Resource-Guide.pdf


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PA Trout Unlimited: Tell Your Legislators NOW To Let DEP Drilling Regs Move Forward

PA Council of Trout Unlimited is urging members of the public who care about clean water and

the environment to contact their state House and state Senate member to support DEP’s Chapter

78 and 78a drilling regulations and vote against efforts to kill them.

Click Here

to send your message now.Background From PA Trout

“More than four years ago, Pennsylvania's General Assembly passed a comprehensive

bill that required the development of new regulations to provide long-overdue environmental

protections and performance standards at oil and gas well sites.

“Since then, the Department of Environmental Protection has worked diligently to engage

the public, industry and conservation organizations in developing new oil and gas rules, holding

two separate public comment periods, 12 public hearings, and dozens of meetings with

stakeholders.

“The new regulations update Pennsylvania's oil and gas regulations for the first time in

many years and increase stream protections by: prohibiting the use of pits to store shale gas drill

cuttings and waste fluids and requiring secondary containment around all storage tanks andtrucks and drill rigs; requiring pipeline companies to employ pollution prevention plans when

performing horizontal directional drilling under streams; requiring shale gas operators to obtain a

water management plan before they withdraw water for hydraulic fracturing; prohibiting the use

of shale gas wastewater on roads for dust suppression and de-icing; and improving waste

tracking and reporting requirements.

“On April 21, the Independent Regulatory Review Commission approved the new oil and

gas regulations-one of the key final steps in Pennsylvania's complex regulatory process.

“Now, the Pennsylvania General Assembly is trying to overturn the very rules they called

for more than four years ago.

“Soon, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is likely to vote on a House/Senate

concurrent resolution disapproving DEP's final oil and gas regulations and barring

implementation of the rules.

“The Pennsylvania Senate is also expected to act on the Resolution or take up Senate Bill

1011 , which would have the same effect.

“This misguided step would undermine Pennsylvania's regulatory review process, ignore

public input, and unnecessarily continue to put the Commonwealth's streams, fish and wildlife at

risk from potential harm.

“Tell your legislators today to protect Pennsylvania's streams and oppose any resolution

or bill that would overturn or delay implementation of the new oil and gas regulations.”

Click Here

to send your message now. The PA Trout system will automatically find your

House and Senate member based on your address.NewsClips:



Letter: Notable Voices Calling For Drilling Moratorium

Lawmakers Funnel Another $150K To Drilling Industry Research Group


Related Stories:

http://www.mcall.com/opinion/yourview/mc-fracking-oil-gas-drilling-regulations-almeida-yv-0511-20160510-story.htmlhttps://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2016/05/09/lawmakers-funnel-150k-to-industry-group-for-marcellus-research-again/http://timesleader.com/opinion/letters/539774/letter-to-the-editor-notable-voices-calling-for-moratorium-on-natural-gas-drilling-in-pennsylvaniahttp://triblive.com/business/headlines/10364842-74/housing-money-drillinghttp://www.post-gazette.com/powersource/consumers-powersource/2016/05/12/Scientists-say-chemicals-from-fracking-wastewater-can-taint-fresh-water-nearby/stories/201605120113https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/TU/campaigns/46283/respondhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1011http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1011https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/TU/campaigns/46283/respondhttp://www.patrout.org/


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Changing DEP’s Drilling Regs May Be At Heart Of Budget Compromises In Harrisburg


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Senate/House Agenda/Session Schedule/Gov’s 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--

Bill Calendars

House (May 16): House Concurrent Regulatory Review Resolution #1 to disapprove DEP’s

final conventional (Chapter 78) and unconventional (Chapter 78a) drilling regulations; House

Resolution 60 (Emrick-R-Northampton) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance

Committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the state’s program to regulate the beneficial

use of sewage sludge; Senate Bill 307 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) providing for an independent

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0307http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=R&bn=0060http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=R&bn=0060http://www.twitter.com/PaCapitolDigesthttp://pacapitoldigestcrisci.blogspot.com/http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/https://twitter.com/paenvirodigesthttp://www.crisciassociates.com/https://plus.google.com/+DavidHessGreenWorksInPA/postshttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/op-ed-protect-public-from-environmental.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/changing-deps-drilling-regs-may-be-at.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/analysis-will-confrontation-over.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/pa-environmental-council-urges-house.html


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counsel for the Environmental Quality Board; Senate Bill 1071 (Browne-R-Lehigh), the

“agreed-to” pension reform bill; Senate Bill 1073 (Browne-R-Lehigh) “agreed-to” $30.8 billion

General Fund budget bill. Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (May 16): Senate Bill 289 (Fontana-D-Allegheny) funding to assist homeowners with

deteriorating private sewer laterals (

sponsor summary

); Senate Bill 1041

(Schwank-D-Berks)amending Act 101 to authorize all local governments to charge a recycling service fee ( sponsor

summary ); Senate Bill 1011 (Hutchinson-R-Venango) killing DEP’s final drilling regulations

covering conventional oil and gas wells and starting the rulemaking process over; Senate Bill

1168 (Eichelberger-R-Blair) authorizing the Fish and Boat Commission to adopt fees charged by

the agency rather than have them set by the General Assembly ( sponsor summary ); Senate Bill

1166 (Stefano-R-Fayette) authorizing the Game Commission to adopt fees charged by the

agency rather than have them set by the General Assembly (sponsor summary ); Senate Bill 1195

(White-R-Indiana) to further delay a Pennsylvania plan for meeting EPA’s Clean Power Climate

Plan rule by changing the General Assembly’s review dates under Act 175 of 2014 ; House Bill

1325 (Mustio-R-Allegheny) allowing townships of the second class to charge stormwater

management fees; House Bill 1394

(Mustio-R-Allegheny) authorizing boroughs to chargestormwater management fees; House Bill 1661 (Mustio-R-Allegheny) authorizing first class

townships to charge a stormwater management fee; House Bill 1712 (R.Brown-R-Monroe)

establishing a Private Dam Financial Assurance Program ( House Fiscal Note and summary).

Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

House: Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate: the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee meets to consider

House Bill 1241

(R.Brown-R-Monroe) exempting resorts offering water and sewage services

from definition of public utility ( House Fiscal Note and summary); the Urban Affairs and

Housing Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 141 (Greenleaf-R-Montgomery) amending

the Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law to require disclosure of a property’s flood history (sponsor

summary ), Senate Bill 142 (Greenleaf-R- Montgomery) amending the Landlord and Tenant Act

to require disclosure of a property’s flood history ( sponsor summary ); the Senate Democratic

Policy Committee holds a roundtable discussion on the public health effects of lead exposure in

Philadelphia. Click Here

for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Other: Environmental Issues Forum, Joint Legislative Air & Water Pollution Control and

Conservation Committee, featuring a presentation on chronic wasting disease in deer.

Bills Pending In Key Committees

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

each--

House

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/CO/SM/COSM.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=15751http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?syear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=142http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=15750http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=15750http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0141http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/BI/FN/2015/0/HB1241P2013.pdfhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1241http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/CO/HM/COHM.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/SC/0/RC/CAL.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/BI/FN/2015/0/HB1712P2772.pdfhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1712http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1661http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1394http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1325http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1325http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2014&sessInd=0&act=175&mobile_choice=suppresshttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1195http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=19679http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1166http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1166http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=19508http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1168http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1168http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1011http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=18547http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=18547http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1041http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=15457http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0289http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/SC/HC/0/RC/SCHC.HTMhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1073http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1071


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Appropriations

Education

Environmental Resources and Energy

Consumer Affairs

Gaming Oversight

Human ServicesJudiciary

Liquor Control

Transportation

Links for all other Standing House Committees

Senate

Appropriations

Environmental Resources and Energy

Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Community, Economic and Recreational Development

EducationJudiciary

Law and Justice

Public Health and Welfare

Transportation

Links for all other Standing Senate Committees

Bills Introduced

The following bills of interest were introduced this week--

Electronics Waste Recycling:

House Bill 1900 (Ross-R-Chester) amending the Covered Device

Recycling Act to attempt to deal with the collapse of Pennsylvania’s electronics waste recycling

program ( sponsor summary).

Solar Energy: House Bill 2066 (Heffley-R-Carbon) requires all recipients of grant money for

solar panels to use panels manufactured in the U.S.

Alternative Fuel Tax: House Bill 1057 (Ellis-R-Butler) amending the Alternative Fuels Tax Act

relating to taxes imposed on electric and other alternative-fueled vehicles (

sponsor summary

).

Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week : Senate Resolution 352

(Yaw-R-Lycoming) designating theweek of June 5 through June 11 Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week was passed by the Senate.

Clean Water Counts: Senate Resolution 359 (McIlhinney-R-Bucks, Alloway-R-Adams)

recognizing May as Clean Water Counts Month was passed by the Senate.

Session Schedule

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=R&bn=0359http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=R&bn=0352http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=18077http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1057http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=2066http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=19615http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1900http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/StandingCommittees.cfm?CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=19&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=33&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=29&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=39&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=23&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=31&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=7&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=9&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=3&CteeBody=Shttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/StandingCommittees.cfm?CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/StandingCommittees.cfm?CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=38&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=28&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=24&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=56&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=54&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=10&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=8&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=12&CteeBody=Hhttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/CteeInfo/index.cfm?Code=4&CteeBody=H


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

Senate

May 16, 17, 18

June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

House

May 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25

June 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 day

will be posted each morning. Click Here to view Gov. Wolf’s Weekly Calendar and Public

Appearances.

Senate/House Bills Moving

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

Senate

Stormwater Fees: House Bill 1394 (Mustio-R-Allegheny) authorizing boroughs to charge

stormwater management fees was amended to add cities of the Third Class and was reported out

of the Senate Local Government Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week : Senate Resolution 352

(Yaw-R-Lycoming) designating theweek of June 5 through June 11 Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week was passed by the Senate.

Clean Water Counts: Senate Resolution 359 (McIlhinney-R-Bucks, Alloway-R-Adams)

recognizing May as Clean Water Counts Month was passed by the Senate.

News From The Capitol

Growing Greener Coalition Thanks Senate For May Clean Water Counts Resolution

The PA Growing Greener Coalition thanked members of the Senate for designating the month of

May as Clean Water Counts Month by passing Senate Resolution 359

(McIlhinney-R-Bucks,Alloway-R-Adams).

“We are pleased that members of the State Senate recognize the need to improve water

quality in Pennsylvania,” said Andrew Health, executive director of the Pennsylvania Growing

Greener Coalition. “Our Coalition looks forward to working with lawmakers in the upcoming

months to identify funding for a Growing Greener III initiative to help keep our drinking water

clean, protect our wildlife, parks and open space, and preserve our family farms and precious

resources.”

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=R&bn=0359http://www.cbf.org/about-cbf/offices-operations/harrisburg-pa/issues/urge-county-commissioners-to-pass-clean-water-resolutionshttp://pagrowinggreener.org/http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=R&bn=0359http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=R&bn=0352http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1394https://governor.pa.gov/schedule/


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Heath thanked Senators Richard Alloway (R-York) and Chuck McIlhinney (R-Bucks) for

sponsoring the Clean Water Counts Month resolution, which passed unanimously.

The House unanimously passed a similar resolution-- House Resolution 825-- sponsored

by Rep. Stan Saylor (R-York) last week with 40 bipartisan cosponsors.

“We need to do all we can to improve the health and condition of our rivers and streams

in Pennsylvania,” said Sen. Alloway. “Clean water provides for greater health, strongercommunities and thriving economies within our region.”

Sen. McIlhinney said: “Clean water must be a priority for Pennsylvania. Our ability to

attract growing businesses and to provide a healthy environment for our residents depends on it.”

Pennsylvania has approximately 19,000 miles of rivers and streams that do not meet basic

water quality standards. In other words, nearly one quarter of the creeks, rivers, and lakes that

Pennsylvanians rely on for recreation, and for drinking and household uses, are polluted.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA launched the statewide Clean Water Counts

campaign in 2014 calling on the Commonwealth to prioritize funding and increase investments

for clean water.

“The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is calling on Pennsylvania officials to make clean

water a priority, to commit the needed resources, and to ensure that all our 86,000 miles ofwaterways are clean,” said Harry Campbell, PA Executive Director for the Chesapeake Bay

Foundation, a member of the Growing Greener Coalition. “We are thankful to the Senate for

designating the month of May as Clean Water Counts month and look forward to their continued

support.”

Sixteen Pennsylvania counties have adopted resolutions supporting the Clean Water

Counts campaign and calling on state officials to make clean water a priority for the

Commonwealth.

Those 16 counties are: Berks, Cumberland, Erie, Fayette, Greene, Jefferson, Luzerne,

Northumberland, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Somerset, Venango, Washington, Westmoreland,

Wyoming, and York.

Visit CBF-PA’s Clean Water Counts

webpage to see how clean streams are in your area.

The PA Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and

preservation organizations in the Commonwealth, has urged the General Assembly and the Wolf

Administration to pass legislation to fund a Growing Greener III program to address the pressing

needs of the Commonwealth, including the need to keep drinking water clean, protect parks and

open spaces, and preserve family farms.

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).

Related Stories:

Sen. Yaw Sponsors Resolution Designating June 5-11 Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week

Chesapeake Bay Journal: Despite Progress, States To Fall Short Of Bay Cleanup Targets DEP, Conservation Districts Work On Farm Inspections In Chesapeake Bay Watershed

DEP Tells House Committees Chesapeake Bay Program Faces Inadequate Resources, Data

Dams On Susquehanna Are Undoing Progress In Reducing Pollution To Chesapeake Bay

Agencies Unveil New Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Strategy

DCNR Leading Statewide Forest Buffer Effort To Improve Water Quality

PA Coalition Emerges To Support Farmers In Effort To Clean Up Chesapeake Bay

CBF-PA: Lack Of Funding For Farmers Defeats Effort To Meet Clean Water Commitment

http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35072http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35560http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35738http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34611http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35558http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35071http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/dep-conservation-districts-work-on-farm.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/chesapeake-bay-journal-despite-progress.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/sen-yaw-sponsors-resolution-designating.htmlhttp://www.cbf.org/PAhttp://www.cbf.org/pahttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35229http://pagrowinggreener.org/http://www.cbf.org/about-cbf/offices-operations/harrisburg-pa/issues/urge-county-commissioners-to-pass-clean-water-resolutionshttp://www.cbf.org/about-cbf/offices-operations/harrisburg-pa/issues/urge-county-commissioners-to-pass-clean-water-resolutionshttp://www.cbf.org/pahttp://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sind=0&body=H&type=R&bn=825


10/79

CBF Op-Ed: Farm Bureau Can Choose To Be A Sore Loser Or Part Of The Solution

Rock Lititz Project Reduces Sediment, Nutrient Runoff Without Taxpayer Money

Senate Passes Yaw Resolution Designating June 5-11 Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week

The Senate Monday unanimously approved Senate Resolution 352 designating the week of June 5 through June 11 Chesapeake Bay

Awareness Week. The resolution was sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw

(R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and

Energy Committee and a member of the interstate Chesapeake Bay

Commission .

“The Chesapeake Bay is the largest and most productive bay in the

United States,” Sen. Yaw said. “Collectively, the Chesapeake’s three

largest rivers – the Susquehanna, Potomac and James rivers– provide more

than 80 percent of the fresh water to the Bay.

“With nearly 1,800 local governments in the Bay watershed, including towns, cities,

counties and townships, Bay Awareness Week will seek to engage, strengthen and promoteenvironmental stewardship in those local governments, as well as increase Bay awareness

throughout our tri-state region,” Sen. Yaw added.

Special Upcoming Events

There are a number of special events scheduled in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to

focus on the need to improve water quality--

-- First Canoe Classic: The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA’s Pennsylvania Student Leadership

Council will host its first Canoe Classic for local high school students, on May 15, from 1 to 4

p.m., at Susquehanna Outfitters in Wormleysburg, near Harrisburg.

-- Clean The Bay Day: During the first Saturday in June, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation hosts

“Clean the Bay Day ” during which thousands of volunteers roll up their sleeves and take direct

action to clean their waterways.

-- Susquehanna Sojourn June 17-19: Also in Pennsylvania, the Susquehanna Sojourn ,

celebrating the largest river east of the Mississippi that supplies the lifeblood of freshwater

flowing into the Chesapeake Bay, runs from June 17-19 this year, further extending our Bay

awareness festivities.

-- River Of The Year: Earlier this year, the Susquehanna River’s North Branch was named PA

River of the Year by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Other Pennsylvania members of the Chesapeake Bay Commission include: Sen. Richard

Alloway (R-Adams), Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming), Rep. Keith Gillespie (R-York), Rep.

Michael Sturla (D-Lancaster), DEP Secretary John Quigley and Pennsylvania citizen member

Warren Elliott.Legislators from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia worked collaboratively in seeking

passage of resolutions designating the week-long recognition of the Chesapeake Bay. Through

this designation, the legislatures also encourage residents and environmental and educational

groups to host events, activities, and educational programs to increase awareness of the

importance of the Chesapeake Bay to the states, region and United States.

The text of the resolution follows--

Designating the week of June 5 through 11, 2016, as "Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week"

http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34540http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34540http://www.susquehannagreenway.org/2016-susquehanna-sojournhttp://www.cbf.org/events/clean-the-bay-dayhttp://www.cbf.org/pahttp://www.susquehannaoutfitters.com/http://www.cbf.org/SLEventshttp://www.cbf.org/pahttp://www.chesbay.us/http://www.chesbay.us/http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=R&bn=0352http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35737http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/cbf-op-ed-farm-bureau-can-choose-to-be.html


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in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, The Chesapeake Bay is the largest and most productive estuary in the

United States, its watershed spanning six states and the District of Columbia; and

WHEREAS, The Chesapeake Bay is fed by 50 major tributaries, the largest being the

Susquehanna River, which provides 50 percent of the fresh water to the bay; and

WHEREAS, Stretching 200 miles from Havre de Grace, Maryland, to Norfolk, Virginia,the Chesapeake Bay has an average depth of 21 feet and ranges from 3.4 to 35 miles wide; and

WHEREAS, The Chesapeake Bay supports 348 species of finfish, 173 species of

shellfish and more than 3,600 species of plant and animal life, including 2,700 types of plants

and more than 16 species of underwater grasses; and

WHEREAS, The Chesapeake Bay produces more than 500 million pounds of seafood

harvest each year; and

WHEREAS, The bay's tributaries in this Commonwealth are an important source of

drinking water and recreational fishing and boating for this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, The Chesapeake Bay watershed is an extraordinary and vital natural

resource, with some of the nation's most productive farm and forest lands in this

Commonwealth's portion of the watershed; andWHEREAS, This productivity supported the settlement and growth of our nation and is a

vital resource for future generations; and

WHEREAS, The Chesapeake Bay area is home to more than 17 million people, many of

whom rely upon the bay for their livelihood and recreational activities; and

WHEREAS, The rich history, pivotal economic importance and astounding beauty of the

Chesapeake Bay watershed never cease to amaze residents and visitors alike; and

WHEREAS, All residents of this Commonwealth are encouraged to commemorate

"Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week" with events and educational programs designed to increase

awareness of the importance of the Chesapeake Bay to this Commonwealth, the region and the

United States; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the week of June 5 through

11, 2016, as "Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.

A similar House Resolution 739 was sponsored by Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming) and

passed by the House.


Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left column).

NewsClips:

Chesapeake Bay Journal: Despite Progress, States To Fall Short Of Bay Cleanup Targets

PA Officials Collaborate On Chesapeake Bay Watershed Farm Inspections

Crable: Farm Inspections To Begin Soon As Part Of Chesapeake Bay Reboot

Op-Ed: Benefits Of Soil Health Extend Beyond Farm PA Puts Its Lagging Chesapeake Bay Cleanup On Pollution Diet

Chesapeake Bay Commission Quietly Pushed Environmental Agenda For 35 Years

Related Stories:


DEP, Conservation Districts Work On Farm Inspections In Chesapeake Bay Watershed



http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35558http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35071http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/dep-conservation-districts-work-on-farm.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/chesapeake-bay-journal-despite-progress.htmlhttp://www.bayjournal.com/article/bay_commission_has_quietly_pushed_regions_environmental_agenda_for_35_yearshttp://www.eenews.net/stories/1060037210http://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/opinion/2016/05/09/oped-benefits-soil-health-extend-beyond-farm/84028234/http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/farm-to-farm-inspections-to-begin-soon-as-part-of/article_65731ffe-1872-11e6-a229-cbd6c0eb823d.htmlhttp://www.farmanddairy.com/news/pennsylvania-officials-collaborate-on-chesapeake-bay-watershed-farm-inspections/335577.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/chesapeake-bay-journal-despite-progress.htmlhttp://www.cbf.org/PAhttp://www.cbf.org/pahttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35340


12/79







CBF-PA Applauds PA Legislators For Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week Resolutions

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA Tuesday applauded both chambers of the Pennsylvania

legislature for unanimously approving resolutions designating the week of June 5-11 as

Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week.

“Restoring and protecting the Commonwealth’s rivers and streams, and ultimately the

Chesapeake Bay, takes commitment and awareness on behalf of leaders in Harrisburg and

citizens,” said CBF Executive Director Harry Campbell in Pennsylvania. “Roughly 19,000 miles

of Pennsylvania waters are polluted. Recognizing the importance of clean water in Pennsylvania

and the Bay, and that the Commonwealth needs to get back on track toward meeting its goals ofreducing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution, is an important first step.”

The Senate passed its Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week resolution Monday-- Senate

Resolution 352 (Yaw-R-Lycoming).

“The Chesapeake Bay is the largest and most productive bay in the United States,” said

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), who represents Pennsylvania on the interstate Chesapeake Bay

Commission. “With nearly 1,800 local governments in the Bay watershed, including towns,

cities, counties and townships, Bay Awareness Week will seek to engage, strengthen and

promote environmental stewardship in those local governments, as well as increase Bay

awareness throughout our tri-state region.”

The state House adopted a similar measure in March-- House Resolution 739

(Everett-R-Lycoming). That resolution was introduced by Representatives Garth Everett

(R-Lycoming), Keith Gillespie (R-York), and Michael Sturla (D-Lancaster), all members of the

Chesapeake Bay Commission.

Other Pennsylvania members of the Chesapeake Bay Commission include: Sen. Richard

Alloway (R-Adams), DEP Secretary John Quigley and Pennsylvania citizen member Warren

Elliott.

“The Chesapeake Bay is fed by 50 major tributaries, the largest being the Susquehanna

River, which provides 50 percent of the fresh water to the Bay,” the resolutions said. “The

Chesapeake Bay watershed is an extraordinary and vital natural resource, with some of the

nation’s most productive farm and forest lands in the Commonwealth’s portion of the watershed.

This productivity supported the settlement and growth of our nation and is a vital resource forfuture generations.”

Legislators from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia worked collaboratively in seeking

passage of resolutions designating the week-long recognition of the Chesapeake Bay. The

resolutions encourage residents and environmental and educational groups to host events,

activities, and educational programs to increase awareness of the importance of the Chesapeake

Bay to the states, region and United States.


http://www.cbf.org/pahttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35340http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=R&bn=0352http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=R&bn=0352http://www.cbf.org/pahttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35737http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/cbf-op-ed-farm-bureau-can-choose-to-be.htmlhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35072http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35560http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35738http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34611


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NewsClips:




Op-Ed: Benefits Of Soil Health Extend Beyond Farm PA Puts Its Lagging Chesapeake Bay Cleanup On Pollution Diet


Related Stories:








PA Coalition Emerges To Support Farmers In Effort To Clean Up Chesapeake Bay CBF-PA: Lack Of Funding For Farmers Defeats Effort To Meet Clean Water Commitment



News From Around The State


Karl Blankenship, Editor of the Chesapeake Bay Journal, recently did a comprehensive article

examining the issues related to the Chesapeake Bay Program’s midpoint assessment and whetherstates are meeting their sediment and nutrient reduction targets.

Here is just a small part of the article. Click Here to read the entire article.

Take one Conowingo Dam, sprinkle it with a bit of climate change, mix in an unhealthy

amount of phosphorus-saturated soil and you could have the recipe for a big Bay headache.

Those are some of the major science and policy issues that local, state and federal

officials are grappling with as they take stock of where Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts stand

with the halfway mark approaching in the agreed-upon timetable for reaching restoration goals.

For several years now, officials have been preparing for what’s known as the “midpoint

assessment,” mulling over new science, monitoring data, land use and other local information to

gauge the effectiveness of actions taken to date.

And perhaps even more importantly, they’re trying to understand what’s changed sincethe latest Bay cleanup goal was set in 2010.

The goal of the assessment, slated for completion next year, is to use all available new

information to make whatever adjustments are needed to complete the multi-billion dollar

restoration effort by its 2025 deadline.

Based on the results, states and the federal agencies will need to revise their strategies for

delivering a healthy Bay for the public — as well as for the crabs, fish, underwater grasses and

even bottom-dwelling worms that depend on it.

http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35558http://www.bayjournal.com/article/despite_progress_states_likely_to_fall_short_of_interim_cleanup_targetshttp://www.bayjournal.com/article/despite_progress_states_likely_to_fall_short_of_interim_cleanup_targetshttp://www.bayjournal.com/http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35737http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/cbf-op-ed-farm-bureau-can-choose-to-be.htmlhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35072http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35560http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35738http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34611http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35558http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35071http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/dep-conservation-districts-work-on-farm.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/chesapeake-bay-journal-despite-progress.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/sen-yaw-sponsors-resolution-designating.htmlhttp://www.bayjournal.com/article/bay_commission_has_quietly_pushed_regions_environmental_agenda_for_35_yearshttp://www.eenews.net/stories/1060037210http://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/opinion/2016/05/09/oped-benefits-soil-health-extend-beyond-farm/84028234/http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/farm-to-farm-inspections-to-begin-soon-as-part-of/article_65731ffe-1872-11e6-a229-cbd6c0eb823d.htmlhttp://www.farmanddairy.com/news/pennsylvania-officials-collaborate-on-chesapeake-bay-watershed-farm-inspections/335577.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/chesapeake-bay-journal-despite-progress.htmlhttp://www.cbf.org/PA


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The good news is that a wealth of new information is providing a clearer-then-ever

picture of where pollution is coming from and how it’s affecting the nation’s largest estuary.

On the other hand, that information, when melded together, is likely to show that meeting

nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment reduction goals by 2025 will be a more daunting task than

what was envisioned just a few years ago.

* * *The assessment’s outcome will set the stage for tough policy debates among the EPA and

the states. New information could make the cleanup job substantially more difficult — perhaps

impossible — for some agricultural areas with phosphorus-saturated soils. Pennsylvania, which

is already significantly lagging in its efforts, could face additional burdens related to the

Conowingo issue .

Among the questions that could arise: Would other areas, sectors or states be able or

willing to take on more of the pollution-reduction burden? Conversely, would states or federal

agencies be willing to send more money or resources to problematic areas?

“I think they would be tough conversations to have, but I think we are going to have to

have them,” said Beth McGee, senior water quality scientist with the Chesapeake Bay

Foundation

.An even more difficult question: If the changes show the cleanup effort is more difficult,

will Bay water quality goals actually be attainable?

* * *

Key Issues In The Midpoint Assessment

Here’s a look at some of the key issues in the midpoint assessment:

-- Conowingo Dam: Scientists have long warned that one day the reservoir behind the

Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River was filling with sediment, and as that happens, more

nutrients and sediment pass through the dam and enter the Bay. But when the Chesapeake Bay

Total Maximum Daily Load was completed in 2010, it wasn’t recognized that the reservoir had

essentially already reached its storage capacity and the flow of nutrients had already increased.

A recent U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report said that offsetting the lost

pollution-trapping impact of Conowingo Dam could require 2.4 million additional pounds of

nitrogen reductions and 270,000 pounds of additional phosphorus reductions from the

Susquehanna River.

Those are reductions that were not factored into the TMDL. Not only are they extra

nutrients that have to be controlled, but they are coming from the worst possible place: the

Susquehanna. Pound-for-pound, nutrients from the river have a greater impact on dissolved

oxygen levels in the deep-water areas of the upper Bay — the area which has the greatest

problem meeting water quality standards — than nutrients from other rivers.

Computer modeling shows that if those nutrient reductions don’t come from the

Susquehanna, other portions of the Bay watershed would have to cut back by nearly twice asmuch — 4.4 million pounds of nitrogen and 410,000 pounds of phosphorus — to achieve the

same water quality benefit.

Factor in that Pennsylvania, which contributes the lion’s share of the Susquehanna’s

nutrients, is already tasked with the greatest reduction burden of any state and is far behind

schedule in meeting its goals, and the stage is set for a difficult policy debate, probably next year.

-- Climate Change: Water in the Bay and its tributary rivers is warming; Chesapeake water

levels are rising; and the frequency and severity of storms have been increasing. All of that can

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affect the amount of nutrients and sediment washing off the land and how they affect water

quality.

The interactions are complex: Higher sea levels can draw more ocean water into the Bay

and cause more water mixing — which is generally a good thing — but they can also erode

shorelines and buffering marshes. Warmer water tends to hold less oxygen than cooler water and

threatens the survival of ecologically vital eelgrass in the Lower Bay.On balance, scientists and officials believe such changes will ultimately make the Bay

cleanup more difficult. Key questions: How rapidly will they occur, and will they have an impact

by 2025, or sometime later?

At the least, the issue could force a re-examination of some of the best management

practices being installed, as well as how to maintain their effectiveness in decades to come. For

instance, stormwater and some farm runoff controls may need to be designed to withstand larger,

more frequent storms. Building so-called “living shorelines” may become more important in

managing erosion and protecting marshes.

-- Phosphorus: In the past, the Bay Program’s watershed model assumed that the amount of

phosphorus that runs off farmland was related to the amount that is applied. But research has

shown that in areas where phosphorus levels have built up in soils over many decades, thenutrient continues to leak out even if little or none is spread on fields.

That may help explain why the model shows phosphorus levels going down in some

places where water quality monitoring shows worsening trends. A new sub-model is being

developed in cooperation with land grant universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to

better account for the phosphorus buildup in soils. Once completed, it’s likely to discount at least

some of the phosphorus reductions previously estimated by the model.

The EPA last year warned states of that likely change, saying the agency “believes that

the level of effort to manage phosphorus may increase” and states should “consider additional

actions to manage phosphorus” in the future.

-- Best Management Practices: In the past, the Bay Program only counted a few dozen best

management practices, or BMPs, toward meeting nutrient and sediment reduction goals. In the

last few years, scores of expert panels have been convened to examine the benefits of new

practices — urban tree canopies, oyster aquaculture, street sweeping, manure-to-energy

technologies and many more.

But the panels in some cases have recommended changes in the amount of nutrient

reductions associated with various BMPs. Further, as they interact with new, fine-scale

modeling, the effectiveness of BMPs could be increased or decreased in specific places.

Meanwhile, states have been making efforts to identify conservation practices already

adopted by farmers — usually those without cost-share funding from conservation agencies —

that haven’t been factored into the cleanup effort yet.

On the other hand, the EPA has also been pressing states to clean up their historic BMPdata going back to 1985 and removing from their records those that no longer exist, or those that

might have been double-counted.

Also, after 2018, the states must begin periodically inspecting BMPs to ensure that they

are maintained and functioning. Those not verified will not be counted toward pollution

reduction goals.

-- New Models: The Bay Program partnership relies on a series of computer models that have

been developed and refined over three decades to estimate the nutrients and sediment reaching


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the Bay and how they will impact water quality. There is an air quality model, for instance, that

estimates atmospheric deposition on the Bay and its watershed; a watershed model that estimates

the movement of nutrients from the land to the Bay; and an estuarine model that simulates water

quality in the mainstem of the Chesapeake. In addition, there are a variety of sub-models that

cover land uses, the effectiveness of best management practices, underwater grass habitats,

oyster filter feeding and more.The models have undergone significant refinements since they were used to establish

TMDL goals in 2010. Changes have focused on the better handling of local movements of

nutrients in the watershed — especially phosphorus — and local water quality conditions in

shallow parts of the Bay.

The refinements should provide a clearer picture of how nutrients move across the

landscape; how that movement may vary regionally; and how the Bay’s water quality is

ultimately affected. Because the models are calibrated against decades of historical water-quality

monitoring data, their updating should not yield major changes in the overall estimates of

nutrients reaching the Bay. It may revise tallies of where nutrients are coming from, though it is

too early to say by how much.

Another change: Many of the nutrient reduction actions on the landscape take years before they actually affect the amount reaching the Bay. For the first time, the updated watershed

model will be able to give an idea of the time lag— and therefore when the Chesapeake might be

cleaned up.

-- Monitoring: The Bay Program has long been criticized for being overly reliant on computer

models as its primary tool for assessing pollution reduction efforts.

Over the last decade and a half, beefed-up monitoring in tributaries has provided better

information about trends in nutrient and sediment pollution and their sources. Those data are

expected to give the midpoint assessment a better picture of real-world conditions, and what’s

driving those trends. Improved monitoring also could play a bigger role in tracking cleanup

progress.

EPA officials are already experimenting, for the first time, with translating nutrient

reduction goals — now spelled out in pounds removed from wastewater and runoff per year —

into predicted loads of nitrogen and phosphorus in some local waterways. Cleanup efforts could

then be tracked with real-world water quality monitoring, rather than by relying on simulations

of virtual stream conditions generated by computer models.

-- Land Use: Very little affects nutrient pollution more than land use. For the watershed model,

all land in the 64,000-square-mile watershed is given a use, such as impervious surface or

pavement, turf grass, pasture, degraded riparian pasture, forest, disturbed forest and so on. Each

of these land uses is assigned a different nutrient loading rate by teams of experts based on a

variety of factors.

Land use designations in the model have sometimes been highly contentious because inmany cases they did not accurately reflect local conditions. For the midpoint assessment, land

use information has been overhauled. It’s been revised based on new satellite imagery that

provides 1-meter-square detail for the entire watershed, incorporating roads, buildings — even

stream forest buffers — that previously went unseen.

In addition, local governments have been invited to provide information on their

communities and to review what’s been put together by the Bay Program. So far, local

governments representing about 80 percent of the watershed population have provided local land


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use, land cover, zoning or other information.

* * *

-- Sediment: Agriculture, the largest source of nutrients, is not on the trajectory to meet 2017

goals in most states, though the most significant shortfall is in Pennsylvania. Agricultural

nitrogen was reduced from 113.8 million pounds in 2009 to 99.2 million pounds in 2015, but

needs to reach 88.7 million pounds in 2017 and 71.9 million in 2025.Click Here to read the entire article.



NewsClips:




Op-Ed: Benefits Of Soil Health Extend Beyond Farm

PA Puts Its Lagging Chesapeake Bay Cleanup On Pollution Diet


Related Stories:DEP, Conservation Districts Work On Farm Inspections In Chesapeake Bay Watershed











In a briefing to the State Conservation Commission Tuesday, Department of Environmental

Protection officials discussed details of the collaboration between DEP and county conservation

districts to conduct farm inspections in the Chesapeake Bay watershed as part of the recently

announced “ Bay Reboot” strategy.

DEP announced the strategy in January. It was developed in conjunction with the

Pennsylvania departments of Agriculture, and Conservation and Natural Resources, and the State

Conservation Commission.

The strategy relies on a mix of technical and financial assistance for farmers, improvedtechnology, expanded data gathering, improved program coordination and capacity and – when

necessary – stronger enforcement and compliance measures.

The Wolf administration sought additional resources from the federal government, and

has been working with farm organizations to assist in capturing on-the-farm data of best

management practices throughout the bay watershed.

Capturing this data is essential to Pennsylvania receiving full credit in the U. S.

Environmental Protection Agency model, which is used to measure progress toward pollution

http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35488http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34611http://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Protect/StateConservationCommission/Pages/default.aspxhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35737http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/cbf-op-ed-farm-bureau-can-choose-to-be.htmlhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35072http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35560http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35738http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34611http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35558http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/sen-yaw-sponsors-resolution-designating.htmlhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35071http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/dep-conservation-districts-work-on-farm.htmlhttp://www.bayjournal.com/article/bay_commission_has_quietly_pushed_regions_environmental_agenda_for_35_yearshttp://www.eenews.net/stories/1060037210http://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/opinion/2016/05/09/oped-benefits-soil-health-extend-beyond-farm/84028234/http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/farm-to-farm-inspections-to-begin-soon-as-part-of/article_65731ffe-1872-11e6-a229-cbd6c0eb823d.htmlhttp://www.farmanddairy.com/news/pennsylvania-officials-collaborate-on-chesapeake-bay-watershed-farm-inspections/335577.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/chesapeake-bay-journal-despite-progress.htmlhttp://www.cbf.org/PAhttp://www.cbf.org/pahttp://www.bayjournal.com/article/despite_progress_states_likely_to_fall_short_of_interim_cleanup_targets


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reduction goals.

DEP Secretary John Quigley and Veronica Kasi, program manager of DEP’s newly

formed Chesapeake Bay Program Office, will deliver the update to SCC members at their

statewide meeting in Harrisburg and provide a timeline for implementation.

“With valuable feedback from our partners, DEP has developed a draft Standard

Operating Procedure and inspection report form for conservation district and agency staff tofollow when completing field inspections as called for as part of the reboot strategy,” Quigley

said. “DEP will send pre-inspection letters to farmers to make them aware of the inspection

program and afford them an opportunity to demonstrate compliance prior to a field inspection.”

In December 2010, EPA developed a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for the

Chesapeake Bay in response to court orders and the federal Clean Water Act, which requires

Pennsylvania to reduce annual discharges of nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment entering the

bay watershed.

These reductions are needed to meet water quality standards by 2025.

The Bay Reboot strategy is a recognition by the Wolf administration that a "mid-course

change in direction," or refocus of work, is necessary because Pennsylvania will not reach the

goals as described in the current Watershed Implementation Plan.Quigley said DEP also just finished pilot-testing the draft SOP this month in a few

counties. The results of this pilot testing, along with other comments received from conservation

district and agency staff, will be used to finalize this draft SOP, which can be found on DEP’s

website here.

Once finalized, DEP and conservation district staff will be provided with formal training

before full implementation of the program in July.

County conservation district staff have had a role in compliance inspections under the

Chapter 83 Nutrient Management and Chapter 102 Erosion & Sedimentation regulatory

programs for decades.

As part of the Bay Reboot strategy, conservation district staff will shift their focus from

conducting 100 educational farm visits to conducting 50 farm inspections each year. The

inspections will initially focus on ensuring farmers have implemented manure management and

erosion and sedimentation plans as well as identifying any significant water quality problems.

“We want to make sure conservation district staff have all the tools and training they

need to properly conduct these inspections while continuing their invaluable work of providing

our farm community with compliance assistance,” Quigley said. “This collaborative approach

with input from all of our partners will be key to our success in improving our water quality.”

The strategy centers around six elements:

— Put high-impact, low-cost Best Management Practices (BMPs) on the ground, and quantify

undocumented BMPs in watersheds impaired by agriculture or stormwater.

— Improve reporting, record keeping and data systems to provide better and more accessibledocumentation.

— Address nutrient reduction by meeting EPA’s goal of inspecting 10 percent of farms in the

watershed, ensuring development and use of manure management and agricultural erosion and

sediment control plans, and enforcement for non-compliance.

— Identify legislative, programmatic or regulatory changes to provide the additional tools and

resources necessary to meet federal pollution reduction goals by 2025.

— Obtain additional resources for water quality improvement.

http://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/Pages/Chesapeake-Bay-Office.aspx#.VzHwPWOa10dhttp://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/Pages/Chesapeake-Bay-Office.aspx#.VzHwPWOa10d


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— Establish a Chesapeake Bay Office to coordinate the development, implementation and

funding of the commonwealth’s Chesapeake Bay efforts.

The draft Standard Operating Procedure and related materials on Pennsylvania’s

Chesapeake Bay Program are available online .

For more information, visit DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Office webpage. For more

information on conservation districts, visit the PA Association of Conservation Districts website.NewsClips:







Related Stories:



Sen. Yaw Sponsors Resolution Designating June 5-11 Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week Dams On Susquehanna Are Undoing Progress In Reducing Pollution To Chesapeake Bay








By William C. Baker, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

[NOTE: The following Op-Ed was printed in the Chesapeake Bay Journal

May 12 .]

The long and expensive fight by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the

Fertilizer Institute and their allies to derail the Chesapeake Clean Water

Blueprint

is finally over.

The [U.S.] Supreme Court refused to hear their appeal of a lawsuit that

they had lost in both the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of

Pennsylvania in Harrisburg and in a unanimous decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals inPhiladelphia.

Now that their legal opposition has finally been turned back, we reached out to the Farm

Bureau and its allies to encourage them to work with us, rather than fight us.

But despite the decision by the Supreme Court, the Farm Bureau continues its anti-EPA

rhetoric. In a recent press statement, they continue to contend that the “EPA has asserted the

power to sit as a federal zoning board, dictating which land can be farmed and where homes,

roads and schools can be built.” This argument has been repeatedly rejected by federal courts.

http://www.cbf.org/how-we-save-the-bay/chesapeake-clean-water-blueprint/what-is-the-chesapeake-clean-water-blueprinthttp://www.cbf.org/how-we-save-the-bay/chesapeake-clean-water-blueprint/what-is-the-chesapeake-clean-water-blueprinthttp://www.bayjournal.com/article/farm_bureau_can_choose_to_be_a_sore_loser_or_part_of_the_solutionhttp://www.bayjournal.com/article/farm_bureau_can_choose_to_be_a_sore_loser_or_part_of_the_solutionhttp://www.cbf.org/pahttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35737http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/cbf-op-ed-farm-bureau-can-choose-to-be.htmlhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35072http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35560http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35738http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=34611http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35558http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/sen-yaw-sponsors-resolution-designating.htmlhttp://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=35071http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/chesapeake-bay-journal-despite-progress.htmlhttp://www.bayjournal.com/article/bay_commission_has_quietly_pushed_regions_environmental_agenda_for_35_yearshttp://www.eenews.net/stories/1060037210http://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/opinion/2016/05/09/oped-benefits-soil-health-extend-beyond-farm/84028234/http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/farm-to-farm-inspections-to-begin-soon-as-part-of/article_65731ffe-1872-11e6-a229-cbd6c0eb823d.htmlhttp://www.farmanddairy.com/news/pennsylvania-officials-collaborate-on-chesapeake-bay-watershed-farm-inspections/335577.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/chesapeake-bay-journal-despite-progress.htmlhttp://pacd.org/http://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/Pages/Chesapeake-Bay-Office.aspx#.VzHwPWOa10dhttp://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/Pages/Chesapeake-Bay-Office.aspx#.VzHwPWOa10d


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The Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint pollution caps are still under attack. Timothy

Bishop, a partner with Mayer Brown LLP in Chicago who represents the American Farm Bureau

Federation, is quoted as saying the question of the EPA’s authority has “just been postponed”

until there are nine justices on the court.

There is a real danger in denying agriculture’s role in restoring water quality. The very

best estuarine science in the world has presented indisputable evidence that agriculture is part ofthe problem and must be part of the solution.

Beyond the Bay, as well, a recent University of Michigan-led multi-institution study

concluded that a 40 percent reduction in phosphorus runoff from farms and other sources would

be needed to stem the harmful algae blooms and dead zones plaguing Lake Erie.

If that 40 percent reduction sounds familiar, it should. For decades, Bay scientists have

known that to restore our local rivers, streams and the Chesapeake Bay, we need to reduce

nitrogen and phosphorus pollution by 40 percent.

We have made progress, but much of it has been achieved by reducing pollution from

sewage treatment plants. While many farmers have implemented best management practices, the

full agricultural community must do its fair share.

The Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint provides a roadmap to recovery, but it must befully implemented. With the 2017 Midpoint Assessment just around the corner, it appears that

the region will miss another mark, by millions of pounds of pollution, largely because of

Pennsylvania, and primarily from agriculture.

The Commonwealth’s officials have acknowledged the problem, and said they are

committed to getting the state back on track. Our reaction is to trust, but verify.

An editorial in Lancaster (PA) Farming put it well:

“We should always keep careful watch of what the government is doing, especially with

our money and our freedoms.

“But TMDL requirements provide an opportunity to show the rest of the nation that

farmers can co-exist with non-farmers and that the environment doesn’t have to suffer as a result.

“Farm Bureau may have lost its battle, but farmers have a chance to win the pollution

war.”

We in the Chesapeake Bay region have the opportunity to show the nation, and the world,

what can be accomplished if businesses, governments, individuals — and even the Farm Bureau

— work together to reduce pollution in our local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.



For more information, visit DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Office webpage.

NewsClips:


PA Officials Collaborate On Chesapeake Bay Watershed Farm Inspections Crable: Farm Inspections To Begin Soon As Part Of Chesapeake Bay Reboot




Related Stories:



http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/dep-conservation-districts-work-on-farm.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/chesapeake-bay-journal-despite-progress.htmlhttp://www.bayjournal.com/article/bay_commission_has_quietly_pushed_regions_environmental_agenda_for_35_yearshttp://www.eenews.net/stories/1060037210http://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/opinion/2016/05/09/oped-benefits-soil-health-extend-beyond-farm/84028234/http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/farm-to-farm-inspections-to-begin-soon-as-part-of/article_65731ffe-1872-11e6-a229-cbd6c0eb823d.htmlhttp://www.farmanddairy.com/news/pennsylvania-officials-collaborate-on-chesapeake-bay-watershed-farm-inspections/335577.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/chesapeake-bay-journal-despite-progress.htmlhttp://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/Pages/Chesapeake-Bay-Office.aspx#.VzHwPWOa10dhttp://www.cbf.org/PAhttp://www.cbf.org/pahttp://www.lancasterfarming.com/news/editorials/editorial-turning-the-tmdl-page/article_7c309624-c8a0-5cf5-a9f4-25944ad13f4f.htmlhttp://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2016/05/chesapeake-bay-journal-despite-progress.html


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Agencies Unveil New Chesapeake Bay

Pa Environment Digest May 16, 2016

Documents

Transcript of Pa Environment Digest May 16, 2016