PAEnvironmentDigest

AnUpdateOnEnvironmentalIssuesInPA
EditedBy:DavidE.Hess,CrisciAssociates
Winner2009PAEEBusinessPartnerOfTheYearAward Harrisburg,PaDecember14,2013 DEPCommitteeToConsiderFinalDraftClimateChangeActionPlanUpdateDec.20 TheDEPClimateChangeAdvisoryCommitteewillmeetonDecember20whereitisexpectedto endorseadraftupdatetothePennsylvaniaClimateChangeActionPlanalongwithasetofoptionsfor futureactionstoreducegreenhousegasemissionsintheCommonwealth. ClickHereforacopyofthedraftActionPlanUpdate.ClickHereforacopyofthedraft AppendixtothePlanthatincludestheindividualworkplanrecommendations. ThisisthefirstupdatetotheoriginalClimateChangeActionPlancompletedin2009asaresult ofthe2008PennsylvaniaClimateChangeAct(Act70). ThePlannotestherehavebeensignificantchangestoPennsylvaniasgreenhousegasemissions sincethebaseyearof2000usedinthePlanresultingintheestimatethatoverallclimatechanging emissionsfromtheCommonwealthwillbelowerin2020thaninthebaseyear. Thereductionintheuseofcoalforpowergenerationandtheswitchtonaturalgasalonewill resultinemissionssavingsofabout12millionmetrictonsofcarbondioxideannually. ThedraftPlanconcludes:PennsylvaniaCO2(carbondioxide)emissionshavefallen dramatically,inlargepartbecausePennsylvaniaisgeneratingmoreelectricitywithnaturalgasinsteadof coal.However,otherfactors,includingimprovedenergyefficiencystandardsfromconsumerproducts andautomobileshavecontributedtothedeclineincarbonemissions.Pennsylvaniacontinuestobea leaderinreducingmethaneemissionfromthenaturalgasindustryandsolidwastelandfills.Moreover, furtherreductionsareoccurring,andfuturereductionswilloccur,throughnewregulatoryrequirements liketheTailoringRule,NSPS,andMACT(newairqualityregulations). ThedraftPlanUpdateincorporatesanupdatedgreenhousegasinventory,reviewsthesteps Pennsylvaniahasalreadytakentoreduceemissionsofgreenhousegasesandmakesavailablealistof optionsandinitiativesforconsiderationtoreducegreenhousegasemissionsfurtherinthefuture. Policy/ProgramRecommendations ThedraftPlanUpdateprovidesoptionsinseveralsectors ElectricityProduction,TransmissionandDistribution:Act129electricityusereduction,coal minemethanerecovery,surfaceminesandnongassyundergroundmines,gassyundergroundmines, combinedheatandpower,reducingmethaneleakagefromnaturalgasinfrastructure,wastetoenergy digesters,beneficialuseofmunicipalsolidwaste(wastetoenergyfacilities),nuclearcapacityuprates, manuredigestersandsulfurhexafluorideemissionreductionsfromtheelectricpowerindustry Residential,CommercialandIndustrial:buildingcommissioning,demandsidemanagement naturalgasandwater,highperformancebuildings,reroofPennsylvania,relightPennsylvania,industrial electricitybestmanagementpractices,heatingoilconservationandfuelswitching,improvedefficiencyat wastewatertreatmentfacilitiesandincreasedrecyclinginitiative

LandUseandTransportation:alternativefueledtransitbus,taxicabfleets,cuttingemissionsfrom freighttransportationand AgricultureandForestry:durablewoodproducts,forestprotectioneasements,forestland protectioninitiativeacquisition,urbanforestryandnotillfarming. LegislativeChanges ThePlanUpdaterecommendslegislativechangesinseveralareas CarbonCaptureLiability:Addresslongtermliabilityissuesassociatedwithcarboncaptureand sequestration CarbonCaptureIncentives:Provideincentivesforthecaptureanduseofcoalminemethane DSICProgramEffectiveness:EvaluatetheeffectivenessoftheDSIC(DistributionSystem ImprovementCharges)Programforutilitiestodeterminetheimpactacceleratednaturalgasdistribution infrastructurereplacementhasondecreasingfugitivemethaneemissions ExpandNaturalGasUse:Enactlegislativeincentivizinganddirectingnaturalgasutilitiestoexpand existingserviceterritorytounservecustomersinacosteffectivemanner AlternativeFueledVehicles:Provideadditionalincentivesfortheuseofalternativefueledvehicles, includingelectricandLNG/CNG,particularlybylargefuelconsumptionfleets EnergyUseProfiling:Considerlegislativemandatingorencouragingenergyuseprofilingfor commercialbuildings,similartotheCityofPhiladelphiaordinance CompetitiveEnergyMarkets:Expandcompetitiveelectricitymarketstofosterandencourage renewableandalternativeenergysupplierstoenterPennsylvaniasmarket SupportAEPS:ContinuetosupporttheimplementationoftheAlternativeEnergyPortfolio Standardsand AddNewWasteToEnergyToAEPS:AmendtheAlternativeEnergyPortfolioStandardsto permittheinclusionofadditionalwastetoenergyfacilities. ClimateImpactAssessment InadditiontothedraftActionPlanUpdate,DEPreleasedaClimateImpactsAssessment UpdateinOctoberpreparedbyprofessorsandstudentsatPennStateUniversitysEnvironmentand NaturalResourcesInstitute. TheCommitteewillmeetinthe12thFloorConferenceRoomattheRachelCarsonBuildingin Harrisburgstartingat10:00. Formoreinformation,visitDEPsClimateChangeAdvisoryCommitteewebpage. ClickHere:December16PAEnvironmentDigest ClickHeretoreadtheDecember16PAEnvironmentDigest.

StoriesInvited
Sendyourstories,photosandlinkstovideosaboutyourproject,environmentalissuesorprogramsfor publicationinthePAEnvironmentDigestto:DHess@CrisciAssociates.com. PAEnvironmentDigestiseditedbyDavidE.Hess,formerSecretaryPennsylvaniaDepartmentof EnvironmentalProtection,andispublishedasaserviceofCrisciAssociates,aHarrisburgbased governmentandpublicaffairsfirmwhoseclientsincludeFortune500companiesandnonprofit organizations.

Didyouknowyoucansearch10yearsofbackissuesofthePAEnvironmentDigestondozensof topics,bycountyandonanykeywordyouchoose?Justclickonthesearchpage. PAEnvironmentDigestweeklywasthewinnerofthePAAssociationofEnvironmental Educators'2009BusinessPartneroftheYearAward. AlsosignupfortheseotherservicesfromCrisciAssociates AddGreenWorksInPAToYourGoogle+Circle PAEnvironmentDigestTwitterFeed:OnTwitter,signuptoreceiveinstantupdatesfrom: PAEnviroDigest. PAEnvironmentDailyBlog:providesdailyenvironmentalNewsClipsandsignificantstoriesand announcementsonenvironmentaltopicsinPennsylvaniaofimmediatevalue.Signupandreceiveas theyarepostedupdatesthroughyourfavoriteRSSreader.Youcanalsosignupforaoncedailyemail alertingyoutonewitemspostedonthisblog. PACapitolDigestDailyBlogtogetupdateseverydayonPennsylvaniaStateGovernment,including NewsClips,coverageofkeypressconferencesandmore.Signupandreceiveastheyareposted updatesthroughyourfavoriteRSSreader.Youcanalsosignupforaoncedailyemailalertingyouto newitemspostedonthisblog. PACapitolDigestTwitterFeed:Don'tforgettosignuptoreceivethePACapitolDigestTwitterfeed togetinstantupdatesonothernewsfrominandaroundthePennsylvaniaStateCapitol.

SupportingMemberPAOutdoorWritersAssn./PATroutUnlimited
PAEnvironmentDigestisasupportingmemberofthePennsylvaniaOutdoorWritersAssociation, PennsylvaniaCouncilTroutUnlimitedandtheDocFritcheyChapterTroutUnlimited.