Folks on here may enjoy seeing the faces of folks standing up to natural gas drillers. These are leaders in the Williamsport area that Clean Water Action has found working on the issue of natural gas drilling in the Marcellus formation.

UPDATE: We did a report on DEP funding, adjusted for inflation, for the last ten years. You can see it here

(Harrisburg) – Clean Water Action issued a strong statement today calling for restoration of large cuts to the budget for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The proposed state budget deal released yesterday by the Governor and legislative leaders cuts DEP’s budget by 9.2%. This is on top of last year’s budget cut of 26% for DEP. [ATTACHED - PDF of 2000-2008 budgets in actual numbers, not accounting for inflation]

Commonwealth moves to protect rivers with new wastewater and stormwater rules
Mobilization of citizens, organizations and legislators succeeds in limiting pollution in streams

(Harrisburg) – The PA Independent Regulatory Review Commission voted today to enact new protections for the state’s rivers and streams. Two regulations were approved to set new treatment requirements for wastewater from Marcellus Shale drilling operations, and to require buffers along our best streams when new development is proposed there. These new rules fall under Title 25, in the PA code, Chapter 95, Wastewater Treatment Requirements, and Chapter 102, Erosion and Sedimentation Control.

Ever heard of Fossil Fools Day? It falls on April 1st each year and began in 2004 when environmental groups began making a mockery of the year’s biggest “Fossil Fool”.

This year, Philadelphia environmentalists told morning commuters not to be “fossil fooled” by PNC Bank – a bank that calls itself “A Green Bank with Eco-Friendly Service”. PNC Bank has direct and indirect connections to mountaintop removal coal mining.

Vitali's bill to put a moratorium on Natural Gas Drilling in State Forests (HB 2235) was voted out of committee just now. he and Rep. Levdansky led this charge, along with a coalition of Democrats calling themselves the Green Dogs. The vote was 16-9. GOP members Harper and Everett voted for the bill, which is great news.

Read HB 2235 here.

The Green Dogs believe that they were sold a bill of goods by the Governor last year. The Governor asked them to support his budget with some prescribed forest leasing. In exchange, he said he wouldn't ask to lease more land this year.

But he has.

Hit Read More, below, yo.

At the of today's Daily News editorial, The Return of Muddy Waters, the paper calls for its readers to take action. Did you agree? Great. Take action. Here. Obviously, Clean Water Action agrees.

Here's an excerpt from the editorial in case you haven't read it yet:

The Clean Water Act was designed to cover all the nation's water.

This is the only interpretation that makes sense - that is, if you're not a polluter. You can't really protect "navigable waters" if you can dump poisons into their tributaries.

Rep. Vitali put out this press release for a forum on natural gas drilling that he's hosting in nearby Media. I'm on the panel and so is Sharon Ward (who many of us know). Rep. Vitali is rightly trying to educate his constituents about what may well be the most serious environmental issue to hit our state since coal.

If any YPP'ers can join us, it would be great to see you there.

HARRISBURG, Dec. 30 - State Rep. Greg Vitali, D-Delaware, will host an informational meeting on Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19 in the large auditorium at Delaware County Community
College, 901 S. Media Line Road, Media.

"The purpose of this meeting is to educate the public and policy makers about the environmental and fiscal issues surrounding Marcellus Shale gas extraction. This will be an issue of increasing importance in the upcoming decade," Vitali said.

Just a quick reminder that these short winter days and long winter nights are a good time to think about planning and planting your own vegetable garden.

By growing your own, you'll save money, have less concern about chemical use and health issues, likely improve your landscape, and reduce energy consumption shipping food stuffs to you.

You'll save the most money if you start plants from seed, which means getting going in February and March, so you can plant outside in April and May.

I've been happy with Vermont based company Gardeners Supply (http://gardeners.com/) for many years for supplies, equipment and advice.

As for seeds (and more advice), local company Burpee (http://www.burpee.com) has been in the business for well over a century, and some friends recently introduced us to Seed Savers Exchange (http://www.seedsavers.org) which specializes in collecting and propagating unique heirloom vegetables, herbs and plants (more than 13,000 different varieties!).

Right behind Norma Fiorentino's house, they have been drilling for natural gas. Some of the gas is coming from under Norma's property, so she gets a little money for it (not all that much so far, though). She also got a present on New Year's Day. Her water well exploded all over her yard. Now she can't drink the water from her tap anymore and she's worried that her kitchen might blow up.

Good times, right? And when the checks stop coming, the gas won't stop. It will still be there in the water table. Totally ruined. Won't that be great when she her or her heirs try to sell her land?

Clean Water Action is meeting with people and talking to them about their experience living nearby or around natural gas drilling rigs.

So what can you do? Watch this video, then I have two quick things for you after the jump.

On Tuesday the US Senate Environment and Public Works committee started hearings about the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act.

To kick off the festivities the Sierra Club gathered with citizens at 17th and Arch (EPA Mid-Atlantic Office) to Rally in Support of the EPA and the Clean Air Act. Speakers included Dennis Winters (Chair of the PA Chapter of the Sierra Club), Joe Minott (Executive Director of the Clean Air Council), Pam Johnson (member of SEIU 32BJ), Bill Walsh (District Director for Congressman Sestak) and Jason Brady (Sierra Club) who read statements from Congressman Brady and Senator Specter.

Horrified by mountain top removal? Then come watch "Coal Country".

The film gives you a dramatic look into modern coal mining and the impact on communities in Appalachia. You will get to know working coal miners along with activists who are battling coal companies.

This will also be a great opportunity to talk with the filmmakers and learn about the people in the communities being affected by the coal extraction and use in Appalachia.
 
WHEN: Thursday, October 29th
TIME: 7:30pm
WHERE: Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 W. Lancaster Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA
COST: Free
RSVP: http://action.sierraclub.org/BrynMawrCoal

Sponsored by the Southeastern Group of the Sierra Club

Questions call 215-508-3310

From Clean Water Action

As if I wasn't already excited enough about this Friday's 13th Annual Clean Water Action Party on Boathouse Row, we have something new on offer this year. Environmentally inspired artwork. I have to confess, I'm blown away by what's been offered.

I met Dave Holley at InLiquid's Art for the Cash Poor this summer and started talking to him about the work of Clean Water. He got really excited, so when I told him that I was looking to spotlight an artist's work as it relates to water, he said he was in.

I had no idea what impressive work I was in for.

Dave got to work and became inspired by Hiroshige's famous "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa." Using a method that very much squares with the type of issues Clean Water espouses, he found a used sail to work on and began applying recycled magazine and other images to it, using the colors in what he found and painting over the top. Creating this amazing painting/sculpture that will debut this Friday at the Annual Auction. So you should come. You should see the whole piece. The image above is just a detail. You know you want to see it all at once. So RSVP now.

More details about the event in the jump!

Hi YPP,

I hope you enjoy my new interview focusing on some really important and creative organizing -- a good example of the poor organizing transnationally and drawing connections between different communities. If you like the interview, please help spread the word. Permission is granted to reprint as long as UpsideDownWorld.org is cited as the original source.

http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/1908/1/

Appalachia and Colombia: The People Behind the Coal

--An interview with Aviva Chomsky

By Hans Bennett

When they drill, who pays the bill?
Pass the gas tax for protection of our land, water, wildlife and communities.

Join us for a Webinar on
May 11 at 7 pm or May 13 at noon

Space is limited.

Reserve your place for the webinar on Monday, May 11 at 7 p.m. at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/792895858

Reserve your place for the webinar on Wednesday, May 13 at Noon at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/468557187

The proposed natural gas severance tax could provide 100s of 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.

As I ride the R2 into Temple U. from Delaware County, the sight of trash pokes me in my eyeballs like a bunch of rusty rods discarded a decade ago on the side of the track. Whether it's a goldmine of Goodyears, or a Sealy store's worth of mattresses, the reality is this trash needs to be picked up. These tracks serve Amtrak and the R1 Airport line, as well as my beloved R2, so plenty of tourists get a not-so flattering first peak at our city. I'm looking to write an article about this squalor, and would love to find sources who are knowledgeable and supporters who would be willing to join me in my quest to get this trash removed.