PA Environment Digest Video Blog

2009-11-23T13:25:00.000-05:00

MCCC Sustainable Buildling Advisor Program. In keeping with the growing demand for green building technology and practices, Montgomery County Community College is offering a nine-month Sustainable Building Advisor Program starting January 2010.
The new program will provide the training and information for participants to become leaders in their careers, organizations and communities in the sustainable building field. The program is beneficial for a wide-range of building professionals and interested others.
The non-profit organization National Sustainable Building Advisor Program develops the comprehensive criteria for the program, which is offered at the College’s West Campus in Pottstown as part of its Continuing Education offerings.
Watch this video from NSBAP on the program and what a Sustainable Building Advisor does. Click here for complete announcement.

2009-11-11T18:35:00.002-05:00

Dimock, Pa Pays Price For Gas Drilling. In the Dimock area of Susquehanna County, the drinking water well of a 66-year-old retired nurse exploded earlier this year after methane seeped into her water supply and those of eight other homes.
Drillers in this area were fined $56,650 by the state in September after three spills of drilling chemicals into a stream caused a fish kill and damaged wetlands.
The drilling company "made us think we were all going to get rich," said the Dimock resident, Norma Fiorentino. "But they didn't say anything about our land being ruined or my water being ruined."
On November 4 DEP and Cabot reached agreement to prevent natural gas migration and restore water in over 9 square miles in the Dimock area. Click here for more on Marcellus Shale drilling from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

2009-11-10T20:15:00.002-05:00

Transferable Development Rights (TDR) allow for communities to both preserve open space and meet the need for additional development. In most cases, the use of TDR benefits both the developer and the conservationist. This video was produced by the Montgomery County Lands Trust in Pennsylvania to describes how TDRs work from a variety of perspectives.

2009-11-04T09:58:00.005-05:00

TreeVitalize Pittsburgh. The Western PA Conservancy, DCNR and other partners are encouraging Western PA residents to plant trees through the TreeVitalize Pittsburgh Program
The goal of the program is to plant 20,000 trees throughout the Pittsburgh region by 2012. This effort is part of the statewide TreeVitalize Program.

2009-10-27T19:23:00.003-05:00

County Conservation District Watershed Specialists have been a vital force in Pennsylvania’s watershed movement for nearly 10 years, providing much needed environmental services in their counties and saving the state millions of dollars in project costs, in part by locating matching funding and in-kind contributions for environmental projects.
Whether it’s fighting Abandoned Mine Drainage, restoring streamside vegetation, or reducing water pollution caused by agricultural or urban runoff, our Watershed Specialists have been instrumental in many of Pennsylvania’s environmental successes.
As part of a campaign to increase awareness of our county Watershed Specialists, WPCAMR Video Diaries pays a visit to the Westmoreland Conservation District to talk to Watershed Specialist, Rob Cronauer about his work and the future of the Watershed Specialist positions.
The county watershed specialist program is funded by the Growing Greener Program that is due to end in 2010. Without a new source of funding, the good work done by these dedicated people could also end. Contact your House and Senate member to urge them to reauthorize the program.

2009-10-15T09:54:00.002-05:00

Make A Splash In The Brandywine Watershed. Watch this promotional video highlighting all the events and activities promoted by the Brandywine Valley Association in Chester County, Pa.

2009-10-07T10:24:00.001-05:00

Developing Environmentally Responsible Farming Practices. The Penn State Agriculture and Environment Center works to facilitate ecosystems based management across the state. Listen to Penn State researchers, Matt Ehrhart from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Susan Marquart, PA Association of Conservation Districts, Paul Swartz, Susquehanna River Basin Commission and many others discuss nutrient run-off and its effect on local watersheds, as well as the downstream waters of the Chesapeake Bay.
Also learn about environmentally responsible farming practices. This video was produced by WPSU in State College.

2009-10-07T10:05:00.004-05:00

Perkiomen Volunteers Clear Invasive Species. The Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy recently organized volunteers to remove European Water Chestnut aquatic plants from Lake Delmont in Montgomery County.
Kelly Germann, Conservation Coordinator for the Conservancy, explains there was nothing exotic about removing the invasive specie. Volunteers simply cruised the lake with canoes and hand pulled the plants and then took them to a composting area for disposal.

2009-10-02T14:30:00.003-05:00

HACC Wins Midstate Recycle Bowl. David Shelek, Harrisburg Coca-Cola Bottling Company based in Lemoyne, PA, announces Harrisburg Area Community College win a competition with Gettysburg College and Lebanon Valley College Recycle Bowl by recycling 13,650 plastic and aluminum containers in the one week competition during September. Gettysburg recycled 5,700 containers and Lebanon Valley recycled 5,500 containers for a total of 14,850.
The containers will be shipped to Coca-Cola's South Carolina recycling facility to be turned into new drink containers.
HACC students Jonathan Lebo and Nicole Huber represented the school at the awards program.

2009-09-23T20:41:00.000-05:00

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. unveiled the largest green wall in North America as an innovative way to make its headquarters building more energy-efficient.
The 2,380 sq. ft., soil-based wall - similar in size to a doubles tennis court - features a variety of regional plants grown into living art on the south-facing wall of One PNC Plaza at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Wood Street in downtown Pittsburgh.
It is estimated that each of the 602 panels, with 24 plants in each 2x2 sq. ft. space, will offset the carbon footprint of one person. The vertical garden, similar to a green roof, will help to cool the 30-story building. Preliminary studies show the south-facing living wall will be 25 percent cooler behind the wall than ambient temperatures. Click here for full story.

2009-09-22T20:57:00.002-05:00

House Members, Groups Oppose Budget Deal. Members of the House and representatives of 30 environmental and sportsmens' groups held a press conference today opposing the budget deal agreed to by Senate and House leaders and Gov. Rendell which would lease up to 100,000 acres of State Forest land for natural gas drilling and significantly cut funding for environmental agencies.
"We cannot balance the budget on the back of the environment," Rep. Vitali said. "First, the current agreement would require that far too much state forest land be open for Marcellus Shale drilling."
Rep. Vitali said the group also opposed the elimination of the Oil and Gas Lease Fund into which revenues from all mineral leasing are deposited for land owned by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, supports the adoption of a severance tax on natural gas production and restoring $56 million in cuts to the Department of Environmental Protection. Click here to read article on event.
Other speakers at the event--
Jan Jarrett, President & CEO of PennFuture,
Rep. David Levdansky, Majority Chair of the House Finance Committee
Jeff Saunders, PA Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs
Kathy Davis, Quality Deer Management
Judy Swank, 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania

2009-09-15T19:34:00.002-05:00

State Park, Forest Groups Express Concern Over Budget Cuts, Natural Gas Leasing. Groups supporting State Parks, State Forests and recreation facilities around the state this week highlighted the damage proposed budget cuts would do to recreation resources and expressed concern about the accelerated leasing of State Forest land for Marcellus Shale drilling.
Marci Mowery, PA Parks and Forests Foundation, said the groups game to the Capitol to both celebrate the legacy of the State Park and Forest system and protest its proposed demise.
She said the budget cuts being proposed are equal to returning the size of the State Park system to what it was in 1965, before Maurice Goddard began his initiative to put parks within 25 miles of all Pennsylvanians.
"While closures have not yet happened, we are seeing a loss of services," said Mowery. "Almost 200 wage staff in the Bureau of Forestry are on leave without pay-- rangers, maintenance staff and forest fire suppression staff.
"The same thing is occurring in State Parks-- over 100 wage positions were not filled, parks are carrying 42 salaried staff vacancies, 100 wage staff were cut early and an anticipated 100 will be cut in the Spring. We are seeing campgrounds closing early, portions of parks closing and programs being reduced."
She noted since 1955 revenue from oil and gas leasing on State Forest lands has been dedicated to the maintenance and operation of State Parks and Forests. However, she said, this legacy from Maurice Goddard now stands threatened by taking revenue from Marcellus Shale leases in State Forest and using the funding to balance the budget.
Other speakers at the event include:
Professor Andy Mowen, Penn State University
Patricia Tomes, Rails-To-Trails Conservancy
Curt Ashenfelter, Keystone Trails Association
Judith Schwank, 10,000 Friends of PA
Cynthia Carrow, Western PA Conservancy
Donna Morelli, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Robert Griffith, PA Recreation and Parks Society
Click here for more information.

2009-09-02T09:21:00.005-05:00

Tips For Elk View Season From Game Commission. With Commonwealth’s elk viewing season fast approaching, Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe is offering some guidance on where to go, as well as encouraging those planning to travel to “elk country” to be respectful of local residents.
An estimated 75,000 to 100,000 people visit the Elk viewing area on Winslow Hill in Benezette Township, Elk County during September and October.
The Game Commission is offering Top Ten Tips For Elk viewing to make your visit more enjoyable. You can also watch a video on Elk viewing from the Game Commission by clicking here.

2009-08-18T08:16:00.001-05:00

Giant Eagle Recognized With Recycling Award. Giant Eagle, Inc. in Pittsburgh was recently recognized with a Business Leadership Recycling Award from the American Forest and Paper Association.
The company was featured in a video and web case study reviewing how the company recycled over 42,555 tons of mixed paper and cardboard at its headquarters, supermarkets, fuel states and retail support centers. (click here to watch video)
In 1972 Giant Eagle recognized the need for a paper recycling program throughout its corporately owned facilities. That same year the corporately owned supermarkets began baling corrugated cardboard for recycling. After achieving marked success, the program expanded in 1986 to include computer paper at corporate headquarters.
Today Giant Eagle recovers mixed office paper and corrugated cardboard at all of its offices, retail support centers, corporately owned supermarkets, and select fuel stations.
To further its commitment to recycling, Giant Eagle established the Utility and Recycling Initiative in 2007 to educate their supermarket team members on how to increase recycling volumes and reduce energy usage. Efforts to increase recycling volumes included capital expenditure technology improvements and a training and education program.
The video and more background are available on the Giant Eagle Case Study webpage. For more information, contact Nancy Day, Giant Eagle, 412-963-5900 or send email to: Nancy.Day@gianteagle.com.

2009-07-16T20:09:00.001-05:00

Groups Oppose Cuts, Support Severance Tax on natural gas production. Environmental, sportsmen and conservation groups oppose drastic cuts in environmental funding and urge adoption of a severance tax on natural gas. Jan Jarrett, PennFuture, outlines the position of the groups. (click here for press release)
Watch other remarks from the press conference
Rep. Levdansky, Majority Chair House Finance Committee
Lamonte Garber, Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Fred Bohls, Pa Trout Unlimited
Bob Griffiths, PA Recreation & Parks Society
Steve Schmidt, Game Commission
Cathy Davis, PA Quality Deer Management Assn.

2009-07-16T12:24:00.004-05:00

Lamonte Garber, Chesapeake Bay Foundation PA Office, expressed great concern today over drastic cuts to environmental funding that have been proposed during the budget process. Some of the cuts will threaten key pollution-reduction programs that the Commonwealth committed to implementing over the next two years, and which are mandated by federal law. (click here for full announcement)

2009-06-11T09:18:00.002-05:00

Legislators, Groups Push Natural Gas Severance Tax. Jan Jarrett, PennFuture, leads a group of legislators, agencies, local government and environmental groups in supporting enactment of a natural gas severance tax that includes dedicated funding for environmental programs. Click here for more information. Also speaking at the event were:
Rep. Todd Eachus, House Majority Leader
Rep. Bud George, Majority Chair House Environmental Committee
Rep. David Levdansky, Majority Chair House Finance Committee
Rep. Greg Vitali
Sen. Andrew Dinniman
Doug Austen, Fish and Boat Commission
Ed Troxell, PA State Assn. of Boroughs

2009-06-11T08:44:00.001-05:00

Out Of The Ground Documentary. Andy McAllister, Watershed Coordinator with the Western Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, not only does a great job working with watershed groups in Western Pennsylvania, he has also developed a second skill-- film making.
His new film "Out of the Ground," documents how Pittsburgh and its neighboring regions in western Pennsylvania have been profoundly shaped by coal mining for over 100 years. For more information, visit the Out Of The Ground Facebook page.

2009-05-15T19:09:00.002-05:00

Sewickley Creek in Westmoreland County and Bob Hedin’s Iron Oxide Recovery, Inc. receive the 2008 Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence.
This installment of the Western Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation Video Diaries by Andy McAllister, Watershed Coordinator, presents the award ceremony honoring the Sewickley Creek Watershed Association for all their hard work and success.
The two organizations became partners in 1999 when company owner Robert Hedin approached the association about supporting iron oxide recovery experiments at the abandoned Marchand Mine site in Lowber, Westmoreland County. The mine has discharged thousands of gallons-per-minute of iron-polluted water to Sewickley Creek for decades.
The collaboration has resulted in the Lowber site becoming Pennsylvania's first and only commercially successful resource recovery project. So far, the project has resulted in:
-- The recovery and recycling of 4,000 tons of wet iron sludge that would have otherwise been landfilled, avoiding at least $150,000 in disposal costs;
-- Successful treatment of 1,400-2,200 gallons per minute of mine water containing 70-85 milligrams per liter of iron;
-- Retention of about 400 tons of iron solids that otherwise would have ended up in Sewickley Creek and the Youghiogheny River;
-- Compliance of Sewickley Creek in Lowber (downstream of the system) with the DEP's in-stream iron limit of 1.5 milligrams per liter for the first time in at least 60 years; and
-- Successful incorporation of a 1.6-acre wetland into the system and creation of 13 acres of open water and wetland habitat that has already been colonized by fish, amphibians and aquatic insects, and has become a refuge for water fowl.
This treatment system can be maintained through eight hours of labor per month. Iron Oxide Recovery has taken on that responsibility and has committed to maintaining the system in the future. The company will fund its long-term maintenance with revenue produced by sludge recovery.

2009-05-13T20:14:00.002-05:00

Green Building Benefits Report. A comprehensive plan to make our nation’s buildings more efficient could save enough energy by 2030 to power all of the nation’s cars, homes and businesses for a year and a half, while saving Americans more than $500 billion, according to a new report by PennEnvironment.
In this video David Masur, PennEnvironment, provides an overview of the new report.
Also watch Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery) as he talks about the benefits of green building techniques.
Click here for the full announcement.

2009-05-10T18:19:00.003-05:00

When They Drill, Who Pays The Bill? Webinar May 11 & 13. On May 11 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. and May 13 from noon to 1:00 p.m., the PA Land Trust Association is hosting an online webinar on the impacts of natural gas drilling and information on the proposed natural gas severance tax.
The proposed natural gas severance tax could provide millions of dollars to land, water and wildlife conservation and to local communities. Over the next two months the Governor and legislature will be considering enactment of this tax.
This webinar will provide participants with the information they need to work to boost conservation funding and reinvest in Pennsylvania’s natural resources.
If we fail to establish a severance tax to invest in our natural resources as PA’s gas boom progresses, we will have missed an historic opportunity to advance conservation. We will have missed the opportunity to ensure that our descendants will receive a natural wealth equal to our own.
To register and reserve your place, visit the May 11 webinar page or the May 13 webinar page.
For more background, visit the webinar webpage.

2009-05-02T10:24:00.002-05:00

State Police HQ Rain Garden. Andy Gavin, Chief of the Restoration Section at the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, talks about the installation of a rain garden project at the State Police Headquarters Building in Harrisburg. The project is part of several in the Paxton Creek Watershed aimed at encouraging stormwater infiltration, reducing stormwater and nutrient runoff. Homeowners and farmers can use the same technique on water from downspouts around their buildings. Visit the Paxton Creek Stormwater Project webpage for more information.

2009-04-30T20:57:00.003-05:00

White-Nose Syndrome in Bats is explained by this video produced by the Game Commission. (click here to view video)
First documented in New York in the winter of 2006-07, White-Nose Syndrome is believed to have surfaced in Pennsylvania in 2008 and began killing cave bats in 2009. WNS refers to a white fungus on the muzzles and wing membranes of affected bats.
The fungus may be a symptom and not the cause of the mortality occurring in hibernating bat colonies throughout the states of Northeast. Bats affected with WNS do not always have the fungus, and do leave hibernacula in winter and usually die on the landscape. It is unclear at this point if or how WNS is transmitted.
Visit the Game Commission website for more information.

2009-04-30T07:38:00.000-05:00

Tire Collection Events. The Independence Conservancy in Southwest PA sponsors a series of waste tire collection events each year that properly disposes of thousands of tires covering 25 communities in four counties. In this video, Vicky Michaels, Independence Conservancy, talks about an April 25 tire collection event in Findley Township, Washington County.
The Conservancy is looking to expand its tire collection events to other municipalities. If you would like to sponsor an event, visit the Independence Conservancy website.

2009-04-26T19:45:00.003-05:00

Stream Buffer Project near Palmyra, Pa draws volunteers to help improve water quality on the Jim Hess Farm. Ron Laughlin, Tri-County Conewago Creek Association, talks about the project and other steps the Association is taking to reduce water pollution in the watershed. The project was put together with the help of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation using the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program.
Watch these other videos from the tree planting--
Ashley Spotz, Chesapeake Bay Foundation CREP Field Staff
Eugene Lee, KPMG Volunteers
Tracy Buchholz & Megan Charles, Volunteers
Kim Patten, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Grassroots Coordinator