Following votes in the Pennsylvania House (177-15) and Senate (37-12), Governor Tom Wolf signed HB 2468 into law as Act 45 of 2018 on June 24. The bill, which was introduced in early June by Representatives Warren Kampf, Kate Harper, and Marcy Toepel, establishes for conservation easements a crucial new safeguard: school districts, county and local municipal governments, and read more
Public Policy
2
July
18
June
DCNR Highlights Plan to Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change on Public Lands
On June 14, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn released the department's Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Plan outlining 123 action steps to be undertaken to make the commonwealth more resilient to potential impacts from a changing climate. “As the state’s leading conservation agency, DCNR is using the best available read more
22
May
New Bill Encourages Use of Native Vegetation Along Highways
The House Transportation Committee is scheduled to meet on May 24 to consider House Bill 2131, which encourages PennDOT to plant native vegetation along highways. “[This legislation encourages] the Department of Transportation to plant vegetation which has been identified by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) as being native to Pennsylvania,” said read more
17
May
PEDF Asks Court to Declare Elimination of Oil and Gas Lease Fund, Recent Money Transfers Unconstitutional
On May 17, the Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation (PEDF) filed a petition for declaratory relief in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania asking the Court to declare 2017 amendments to the fiscal code eliminating the Department of Conservation and Natural Resource's Oil and Gas Lease Fund and making and proposing $96 million in money transfers from the Fund read more
2
May
Coalition Unveils Common Conservation Agenda
A coalition of environmental organizations held a press conference at the capitol on May 1 to unveil the Pennsylvania Common Conservation Agenda. Saleem Chapman, campaign manager for Green in ’18, explained that 25 organizations helped craft the agenda and said it is aimed at making environmental issues are a top priority for the candidates running to be Pennsylvania’s next read more
3
April
PA Supreme Court Rules DEP Penalty Not Supported by Clean Streams Law
On March 28 the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in a 5 to 2 decision, ruled the $4.5 million fine imposed by DEP against EQT drilling for leaks in 2012 from a 6 million drilling wastewater impoundment in Tioga County were excessive, in part, and not supported by language in the 1937 state Clean Streams Law. The key issue was whether, as EQT contended, only the first day of an read more
19
January
Report: Energy Development on State Lands in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has historically been, and continues to be, home to an abundant array of energy resources like oil, gas, coal, timber, and windy ridgetops. Expectedly, these natural resources are found both on publicly and privately held land. In Pennsylvania, the bulk of public lands are managed by two separate state agencies: the Department of Conservation and Natural read more
3
January
Environmental Defense Foundation Files Petition with Pennsylvania Supreme Court
The group fighting to conserve Pennsylvania’s public forest and park lands asked the state’s highest court for help again today. The Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation obtained a landmark ruling from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court six months ago. The court declared that money from the sale of natural resources such as natural gas on Pennsylvania’s public forest and read more
21
June
Supreme Court Rules for Parks
A big win for parks! The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled yesterday (June 20) on the Kardon Park case. The Court, in a unanimous decision, adopted the rock-solid, reasonable arguments the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association and others made in defense of our parks and rejected those of the developer and municipality who seek to liquidate a portion of a park for a housing read more
21
June
Supreme Court Rules for Conservation and Constitution
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled yesterday, June 20, on Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Fund v. Commonwealth. The majority decision is a huge win for the Pennsylvania Constitution, specifically Article 1, Section 27 (the “Environmental Rights Amendment”), and conservation. At the most basic level, the Court said that the Pennsylvania Constitution means what it says: The read more
16
December
DCNR Announces $45 Million Investment in Recreation and Community Revitalization
On December 15, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced an investment of $45 million for 261 projects across Pennsylvania that will create new recreational opportunities, conserve natural resources and help revitalize local communities. “The health and vitality of our communities is reflected in the quality of parks and read more
