BWA Environmental Alerts
What you need to know in environmental news
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September 2017
House GOP plan To empty environmental funds means not paying 900 grants already awarded
A plan by a group of conservative House Republicans lead by Rep. Dan Moul (R-Adams) to empty environmental special funds and transfer the money to the General Fund will mean not paying communities for all or part of at least 900 grants for local projects already approved and underway over the last two years. ... READ MORE FROM PA ENVIRONMENT DIGEST
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August 2017
LAWSUIT: ‘Not one drop’ of Poland Spring bottled water is from a spring
Poland Spring, the country’s best-selling bottled water, is “a colossal fraud,” according to a class-action lawsuit. ... Read more from the Washington Post
A Texas Farmer on Harvey, Bad Planning and Runaway Growth
An opinion piece by East Stroudsburg author and journalist Seamus McGraw. ... READ MORE FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES
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July 2017
Letter to the Editor: State budget ignores need for clean water
As former Vice President Joe Biden remarked, “Don’t tell me what you value, show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” The Pennsylvania State Legislature just sent a loud and clear message — we do not value clean, drinkable water. ... READ MORE FROM THE POCONO RECORD
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June 2017
BOTTLING BUCK HILL WATER?
Buck Hill Falls Water Company has been in discussions with Niagara Bottling Company for selling bulk water ... trucking it out of town to be bottled and sold. Read more on this issue at the Barrett Township website. Click here to see the Delaware River Basin Commission docket on the issue.
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May 2017
Delaware Water Gap showing effects of climate change
BUSHKILL, Pa. – In the past 125 years, the Kittatinny Ridge has sunk – climatologically – about 600 feet and now the ridge-top has a climate more like northern Virginia was a century ago.
... READ MORE FROM THE NEW JERSEY HERALD
Green Infrastructure: Managing Stormwater Runoff At Municipal Level
If left unchecked, stormwater can add pollutants like soil, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), and pathogens into our streams and rivers. This may lead to health impacts, unsightly and unpleasantly smelling waterways, and a degraded environment. That is why there are laws in place for proper management of stormwater runoff. For a brief overview of those laws, with a special focus on municipal ordinances and the important role they play in stormwater management, click here.
The Department of Environmental Protection created a model stormwater ordinance. This is a good place to start in developing your own.
To see how BWA has been building green infrastructure locally, click here.
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April 2017
Listening Tour coming this way
Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection is hosting an Environmental Justice Listening Tour, with the closest "focus area" stop on May 11 in Allentown. The public is strongly urged to attend. For information, read more here.
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March 2017
Monroe County Conservation District: the builder's friend
Local agency gives up partial enforcement duties, shifts focus
Monroe County Conservation District has decided to give up part of its local ability to enforce the environmental rules with a change to its nearly 20-year standard of delegation with the state Department of Environmental Protection.
... READ MORE FROM THE POCONO RECORD
