On November 15, Governor Tom Wolf signed into law House Bill 374, which creates the Pennsylvania Keystone Tree Fund and allows citizens to make a voluntary $3 contribution by checking a box on the PennDOT driver’s license application and renewal form. The contributions will be used to fund programs within the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that use trees to read more
15
November
19
February
New Pennsylvania Farm Bill Proposal Includes $6 Million for Farm Conservation Practices
On February 14, Gov. Tom Wolf joined Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding to unveil the Pennsylvania Farm Bill, a proposal to provide support for and continued investments in the state’s agriculture industry. Among other provisions, the plan includes an additional $6 million to support on-farm conservation practices and would help make Pennsylvania a leader in organic read more
25
January
Bill Reintroduced to Designate Eastern Hellbender Official State Amphibian
On January 23, Sen. Gene Yaw (R–Lycoming) reintroduced legislation—Senate Bill 9—to designate the eastern hellbender the state’s official amphibian and clean water ambassador. Sen. Yaw serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is one of Pennsylvania’s six representatives on the interstate Chesapeake Bay Commission. The bill read more
25
October
Land Trusts, Trail Groups, Local Governments, and Other Landowners Get New Liability Protection
On October 24, 2018, Governor Wolf signed Act 98 into law. Act 98 amends the Pennsylvania Recreation Use of Land and Water Act (RULWA) to better protect from liability those who open their properties to the public for recreation without charge. Improvements to the law include: Explicitly listing paths, paved and unpaved trails, fishing and boating structures, hunting read more
16
August
Loza Testifies to House Committee on Growing Greener
At the request of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, PALTA Executive Director Andy Loza (who is also a member of the Growing Greener Coalition Executive Committee) testified at an informational meeting about SB 799 on August 16. As the day’s first speaker, Loza highlighted how Growing Greener investments have made Pennsylvania a better place to live, work, read more
7
August
PA Supreme Court Orders Rehearing Based on Environmental Rights Amendment
On August 3, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered the Commonwealth Court to rehear a challenge to a zoning permit allowing shale gas drilling in Middlesex Township (Butler County) specifically on the grounds of whether it is consistent with that court’s Environmental Rights Amendment decision in 2017. The challenge was brought by the Delaware RiverKeeper Network, Clean Air read more
2
July
Pennsylvania General Assembly Protects Conservation Easements from Irresponsible Exercise of Eminent Domain
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
21
June
July Declared Lake Appreciation Month
On June 20, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives adopted HR 990 sponsored by Rep. Park Wentling (R–Crawford) to declare July Lake Appreciation Month. “Pennsylvania's landscape is home to more than 1,500 lakes, ponds and reservoirs. These lakes and ponds are critical resources to Pennsylvania's environment and quality of life, providing sources of recreation, scenic beauty 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
8
May
House Resolution Recognizes 125th Anniversary of State Forest and Park Systems
Last week, Representative Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) introduced House Resolution 901 recognizing the 125th anniversary of Pennsylvania's state forest and state park systems. "This resolution commemorates the internationally recognized conservation efforts initiated in the Commonwealth by the General Assembly and Governor Robert Pattison in 1893, and the contributions of 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
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
