Mount Joy Borough Cultivates Community Pride through Rain Garden 

The Housing Market Impacts of Shale Gas Development

 Results indicate large negative impacts on nearby groundwater-dependent homes, while piped water-dependent homes are positively impacted by proximity.

Chesapeake Bay Trust Report details the problems created by suburban and urban runoff pollution. Offers steps that local, state, and federal governments can take to reduce pollution and achieve clean water for local streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay.

Rising sea levels torment coastal U.S.

"Where Does Water Come From? Where Does Water Go?" video has received a 2013 Aurora Gold Award

EPA Releases Chemical Screening Data on 1,800 Chemicals

State launches drug drop-off program

Website Tracks Neighborhood Toxics

Wildlife notebook: Groups take sides on endangered species bills

"How to Create a Meadow in Southeastern Pennsylvania" brochure

Presentations from Recent Conferences  

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January Feature: Mount Joy Borough Cultivates Community Pride through Rain Garden

Mount Joy Borough Public Works Director Tom Strubel assists a Girl Scout in adding some plants to the rain garden.

"We wanted to make something that was hands-on that the community could participate in from start to finish. It was a great way to engage the community, and that's what we achieved,"

-- Stacie Gibbs, Zoning and Code Officer, Mount Joy Borough.

A blank canvas can become a thing of beauty for the environment. In the second of two articles spotlighting current WREN projects, we take a look at a Watershed Education Project developed by a coalition of officials and community members in Mount Joy Borough, Lancaster County, resulting in a rain garden that is changing the way residents look at protecting their community's water supplies now, and into the future. 

Reminder: WREN Grant Proposals are Due March 21

Click here to read the article. Click here to listen to an episode of Smart Talk Radio program which inquired about potential for similar chemical spills in Pennsylvania titled, "Many wonder about drinking water protections after West Virginia spill."

Photo from http://pariveroftheyear.org.

Once among Pennsylvania's most heavily-polluted waterways, the Schuylkill River in southeastern Pennsylvania has undergone a dramatic recovery and has been voted the 2014 Pennsylvania River of the Year.

Four other rivers were nominated finalists. They were: Kiskiminetas-Conemaugh rivers in the southwest; Ohio in the west; Brodhead Creek Watershed in the northeast; and the West Branch of the Susquehanna in the north central section of the state.

The general public was invited to vote online from Nov. 25 - Dec. 27, with a total of 5,527 votes being registered. Final tallies in voting overseen by the Pa. Organization of Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) showed the Schuylkill River receiving 43 percent; Kiski-Conemaugh Rivers, 21 percent; Ohio River, 12 percent; Brodhead Creek Watershed, 12 percent; and West Branch of the Susquehanna,12 percent.

This is the second time the Schuylkill has been named River of the Year, having last received the distinction in 1999.

To learn more about the River of the Year program, the nominated waterways, and past winners click here.

$20.65 Million in Watershed Protection Projects

Growing Greener program, $15,120,608 for 97 projects, funded by the Environmental Stewardship Fund, Surface Mining Conservation & Reclamation Grant, $1,953,947 for four projects, AMD Set Aside Program $406,975 for four projects, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program is funding 15 additional projects, totaling $3,174,807.

A host of projects will be conducted in these areas: 

• Stormwater - $2.2 million
  for best management practices, workshops, and research and design.
• AMD - $4.1 million for assessments and treatment systems
• Agriculture - approximately $2.4 million for (mostly) BMP installation

To see the complete list of grant recipients click here. 

$60.1 Million Investment in Water Infrastructure Projects in 12 Counties 

Governor Tom Corbett announced the investment of$60.1 million in 13 non-point source, drinking water and wastewater projects across 12 counties through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST).   

• Allegheny
• Cambria
• Clearfield
• Dauphin
• Forest
• Greene
• Lancaster
• McKean
• Northampton
• Northumberland
• Schuylkill 
• Westmoreland

You are invited to participate by registering your rain barrel, uploading a photo and completing a short survey. 

The website also offers rain barrel information including maintenance and uses for collected rain water.  View the interactive map showing the registered rain barrels to date.

The project, app and interactive website were developed in partnership with River Network and IMRivers by Vertices, powered by Mappler.

DEP Launches New Interactive Online Oil and Gas Well Mapping Tool 

Sherene Hess named to Water Resources Advisory Committee

Penn State Extension's Dive Deeper II Environmental Educator's Summit highlights innovative teaching about water in Mid-Atlantic area- Save the Date!

Returning September 25, 2014!  

Dive Deeper II will feature opportunities for educators to learn new and innovative approaches to teach youth about water, networking among your peers, and updates about important issues effecting water in the Mid-Atlantic Region.