This week the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is poised to vote on House Bill 2025 (P.N. 2926), which mandates that any proposed rulemaking by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to address carbon dioxide emissions be affirmatively approved by the General Assembly. The Pennsylvani...

The 2020 Pennsylvania Environmental Council Public Lands Ride seeks to showcase state parks and forests across the greater central region of the state. Throughout the month of September, cyclists are encouraged to ride as many of the suggested routes as possible and share their experiences on social...

"Every day is like a weekend day now," read one response to PEC's recent survey of Pennsylvania trail managers about outdoor recreation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dozens of respondents reported -- and counter data confirmed -- that statewide trail use had surged amid school cancellations, busines...

Through our partnership with the Philadelphia Water Department, PEC performs watershed education and outreach throughout Greater Philadelphia. The following post originally appeared in the Southwest CDC Globe Times on June 5, 2020. Have you ever wondered how litter impacts the quality of ...

The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has named Philadelphia's Tacony Creek Trail as its Trail of the Month for June 2020. Through our partnership with the Philadelphia Water Department, PEC played an instrumental role in creating both the trail and the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership. This...

As the Department of Environmental Protection gathers public comment on a proposed rulemaking to cut emissions of climate-changing methane from Pennsylvania's natural gas industry, new data from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) paints a stark picture of what's at stake: current emissions up to f...

State College — Pennsylvanians took to trails and greenways in unprecedented numbers during March and April, according to an analysis of 67 non-motorized trail systems throughout Pennsylvania. Research commissioned by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) found that trail traffic spiked ...

In 2017, PEC convened a gathering of technical and policy experts from around the Commonwealth and across the U.S. to explore a complex problem: how can Pennsylvania, as the nation's largest net exporter of electricity, substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power generation in time to f...

If you are like me, you try to get outside as much as possible to enjoy trails near and far. If you are also like me, during the spreading pandemic and the ensuing closures and stay-at-home orders, you escaped to the outdoors for sanity and a sense of normalcy. I’m sure you also noticed (like ...

New Jersey Audubon’s World Series of Birding (WSB) is the country’s largest and most prestigious 24-hour birding competition—providing participants and financial contributors with a fun and interactive way to raise money for conservation projects. The 37th annual WSB took flight at 12:0...

We are sad to say that we have lost an important and respected member of the PEC family with the recent passing of Gary R. Brown, who served on PEC’s Board of Directors for over 20 years and chaired the Finance Committee. While Gary contributed greatly to our work and success during that time, his...

These days, environmental issues are politically charged in a way that can make sound, commonsense policy seem unattainable. But it wasn't always like that -- and it doesn't have to be. Tom Ridge, the Republican former governor of Pennsylvania, says he's an environmentalist because of -- not in s...

This post by PEC's Zhenya Nalywayko appeared in the TTF Watershed Partnership blog on May 18. Walking, hiking, and biking. Enhanced safety for children, and scenic routes to schools, libraries, and train stations. Vandalism, lack of privacy, money shortfalls, and traffic conflicts. These ...

PEC's motto, "conservation through cooperation," aptly describes any number of our programs and activities. But it's especially relevant to the collaborative work of legacy mine land restoration, which we've been proud to share with our government and nonprofit partners in the Appalachian Regional R...

Any way you slice it, coal-fired power generation is on its way out. That leaves two likely scenarios for Pennsylvania's electricity sector in the next decade: a modest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions with little economic impact, or a dramatic reduction coupled with massive investment in energ...

Pennsylvania’s scenic rivers are perfect places for paddling, fishing, exploring, hiking, biking, painting, birdwatching and... wait, what? Painting? Well, yes -- that too! In fact, landscape painting has more in common with watershed conservation than you might think. En plein air is a Fre...

At 96, Thomas Dolan is part of a very exclusive club: surviving founders of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. As we mark the 50th Earth Day this week, we continue our celebration of PEC's own semi-centennial with reflections from someone who was there when it all began. Links: PEC at 5...

Over the years PEC has worked with countless leaders, experts, and citizens to advance environmental goals across the state. In celebration of PEC's fiftieth anniversary, we asked a few of them to share their reflections on our shared work, how far Pennsylvania has come, and where we go from here. ...

With only a brief pause for a reshuffle of operating rules due to COVID-19, the General Assembly has been active. Unfortunately, not all for the good. While a number of Committee meetings and legislative votes have taken place as the legislature begins to piece together a state budget for the ...

Pennsylvania's trout season opened as scheduled earlier this week, but anglers must abide by the same social distancing rules that apply in any public place. PA Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director Tim Schaefer discusses the agency's response to COVID-19. Links: Pennsylvania Trout...

In this time of social distancing, one of the best and safest ways to stay connected with nature is by getting to know the creatures in your own backyard -- especially the myriad bird species migrating to or through Pennsylvania this time of year. PEC's resident birder, Cindy Ferguson, explains why ...

Ride For PEC! 10th Anniversary 2020 Environment Ride Why Participate in the Ride? As a statewide non-profit, PEC is a leader in trail planning and development across the Commonwealth. The Environment Ride supports PEC’s trail work. Overview: On the Ride On Friday, October 2, riders will g...

The outdoors is providing a much needed respite from the very necessary homebound nature of our current world. But in addition to social distancing, we all need to be cognizant of the potential risks we can put ourselves and others into if we blindly pursue far flung recreational pursuits. So...

Working from home doesn't mean we stop learning! With multiple free webinars and virtual presentations planned in the next week, watershed professionals and volunteers can stay current and connected with colleagues. Here are a few upcoming events we're following: The DCNR Riparian Forest...

As investors grow wary of fossil fuels and big companies prioritize sustainability, where will Pennsylvania fit in the post-carbon economy? Analysis from Steven Clarke and Alli Gold-Roberts of Ceres, a nonprofit that advocates for clean energy in the business community. Links: Ceres W...

This post is the third in a series recounting the history of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council on the occasion of PEC's 50th anniversary. Read other stories here. The turn of a new century brought with it growing concern within the scientific community over the manmade impacts of carbon ...

Community supported agriculture gives subscribers access to fresh, locally grown produce without the trouble and expense of growing it themselves. Community solar does the same thing for renewable energy -- creating economic opportunity for communities, savings for ratepayers, resiliency and efficie...

This guest post was contributed by Sarah Clark Stuart, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, one of PEC's key partners in the Circuit Trails Coalition.   The Circuit Trails Coalition has big plans for the future of the Circuit Trails network, and t...

The following op-ed by BP America Chairman and President Susan Dio was first published at PennLive.com on February 27, 2020. Learn more about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and PEC's decarbonization work here. PA can transform America’s energy landscape – again By Susan ...

The Circuit Trails initiative is starting 2020 with a full slate of projects and a hefty funding boost courtesy of Montgomery County. We talk with Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, Circuit advocate and chair of Montco's Board of Commissioners, and PEC's own Patrick Starr, who serves as vice chair of the Circuit ...

For 25 years, he oversaw the process that may represent humans’ best attempt to date at total annihilation of land: strip-mining and mountaintop-removal mining of coal... Angel, born and raised in the same eastern Kentucky mountains that have been devastated by mining, has spent the rest of his ca...

First, the bad news: oil and gas facilities are emitting huge volumes of methane – the primary component of natural gas – into the atmosphere. The climate impact of those emissions is many times greater than that of carbon dioxide, and Pennsylvania is among the biggest contributors. That’s ...

The Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) provides support for community watershed organizations to build capacity and coordinate more effectively with one another. This spring they’re taking their show on the road, with regional workshops planned for six locations all over th...

This post by PEC president Davitt Woodwell and Dan Grossman of Environmental Defense Fund appeared as an op-ed in the Pennsylvania Capital-Star on February 3, 2020. Given a lack of federal leadership to reduce greenhouse emissions, Pennsylvania has moved to join our neighboring states in taki...

This post is the second in a series recounting the history of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council on the occasion of PEC's 50th anniversary. Read other stories here. In just his second term in the state house, Rep. Franklin Kury wrote and fought for an amendment to the state constitution r...

UPDATED 4/6/20: We have been closely monitoring the developments regarding the coronavirus and the recommendations prescribed by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as well as state and local officials. Out of an abundance of caution and with the health and safety of all attendees in mind, we are p...

Chuck Flink wrote the book on greenways -- literally. 1993's Greenways: A Guide To Planning Design And Development, co-authored with Robert Searns and addressed to the professional planning community, helped launch a global movement in landscape architecture. Now he's making the case for greenways t...

PEC’s mission is to protect and restore environment to improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians. We believe that trail development is an effective way to achieve that mission because trails lead people from their own backyards into the heart of the natural world. Developing physical ...

This post is the first in a series recounting the history of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council on the occasion of PEC's 50th anniversary. Read other stories here. To many of a certain age, it may be difficult to imagine a time when the world seemed indifferent to the ravages of litte...

The five finalists for 2020 River of the Year represent everything that’s right – and everything that’s wrong – with Pennsylvania’s 86,000 miles of rivers and streams. With online voting set to close in a matter of days, we hear campaign pitches from the sponsoring organizations that nomin...