Pennsylvania Legacies

Three months into the fiscal year, Pennsylvania's state government has a "budget by default" after legislative talks broke down and the governor announced plans to securitize liquor revenues. How does the seemingly permanent stalemate impact environmental, conservation, energy, and recreation programs? Then, a visit to the 2017 conference of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), held this week in Pittsburgh. PEC co-sponsored the annual gathering of state and federal officials, energy companies, and environmental groups.

The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps is providing muscle for scores of recreation and conservation projects statewide. But the program is also doing something else that's arguably even more important: cultivating a diverse new generation of citizen-stewards and future conservation professionals. DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn stops by to talk about the program.

The latest on Pennsylvania's ongoing state budget battle, and a roundtable discussion with members of DEP's Solar Future Stakeholders Group.

Lawmakers took another step this week toward what would be the biggest reduction in state funding for local environment and energy projects in Pennsylvania history. We’ll get an update from the state capitol. Then, fall foliage season is getting off to an early start in Pennsylvania’s northern tier, and forecasters expect this year’s colors to be some of the most spectacular in recent memory. DCNR forester Ryan Reed joins us with tips for making the most of it.

A postcard from this summer's Bowie-themed "Rebel Rebel" river sojourn, and a conversation with Nick Kline of the Coalition for Green Capital on unlocking the economic potential of renewables and energy efficiency investments in Pennsylvania.

A legislative raid on special environment & conservation funds may leave communities on the hook for money already spent on local grant-funded projects; Shell agrees to fenceline monitoring at its new ethane cracker; and Hurricane Harvey delivers a stark warning to flood-prone Pennsylvania. Also: what will it take to bring Pennsylvania's electric vehicle charging infrastructure up to speed with the coming surge in EV adoption? We examine new legislation that aims to kickstart the planning process.

Mounting opposition to budget riders, DEP's modest progress toward better clean drinking water enforcement, and good news from the Chesapeake Bay. Also: why do birds suddenly appear every time you reclaim and reforest abandoned mine lands?

At least one major federal government entity is still paying attention to the threat of climate change: the military. A retired naval officer explains why, in a talk given at PEC's 2017 deep decarbonization conference. (Learn more at pec-climate.org) In the news: another court decision portends big changes in how Pennsylvania's environmental laws are interpreted and enforced; the state scrambles to meet federal drinking water enforcement standards; and a new bill aims to speed cleanup of PFOA contamination near military bases in southeastern PA.

Curbing methane emissions from natural gas production isn't just about combating climate change. For many conservatives in Western states, it's just good business. We visit a Wyoming startup that's helping oil & gas companies save money and keep their workers safe by finding gas leaks. Also, a review of the week's PA environment news: more backlash against state budget riders, the Mariner East II pipeline moves forward, and could dredging behind Conowingo Dam help clean up the Chesapeake Bay?

A deal struck as part of the state budget process could hamstring the Department of Environmental Protection and put permitting decisions in the hands of unqualified private actors. One former DEP chief warns these amendments would set a disastrous precedent for every state government agency -- not just DEP.

Pennsylvania Legacies is taking a brief summer break and will return to our regular schedule next week. In the interim, we're reposting our June segment on one of the biggest environmental news stories of the summer: a major state Supreme Court decision on the state constitution's Environmental Rights Amendment.

The National Parks system is among the most beloved institutions in the U.S., more popular than every federal agency but the Postal Service. But "America's best idea" is also one of our most neglected assets... and it's about to take another budget hit. Learn how Pennsylvania sites managed by the NPS are faring on this week's show.

A look inside PEC's new white paper, Achieving Deep Carbon Reductions: Paths for Pennsylvania's Energy Future, based on our March 2017 conference of the same name. PEC President Davitt Woodwell chats with Energy & Climate Program Manager Lindsay Baxter.

Drinking water from the Delaware River is shared by Pennsylvania and three other states according to an elaborate, decades-old formula. For years, an agreement among the parties has allowed for some variability in that formula for the sake of maintaining healthy water levels and temperatures. But the recent lapse of the agreement could mean trouble -- both for the ecosystem, and for communities that depend on the Delaware for tourism and drinking water. Also in this episode: analysis of two major decisions handed down this summer by the state Supreme Court, which PEC's John Walliser says change the terms under which the state regulates environmental issues.

In 2014, Colorado became the first state to regulate methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. As Pennsylvania takes similar steps, what can we learn from Colorado's experience convening diverse stakeholders to create effective and feasible rules?