Resources

PEC and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) jointly sent the following letter to Members of the Pennsylvania House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee on June 6, 2022: Dear Representatives: On behalf of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), we urge you to oppose House Bill 2644 (P.N. 3187). This legislation unjustifiably limits financial assurance requirements for the conventional oil and gas industry, shifting considerable cost to the citizens of Pennsylvania. Estimates from both the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the conventional industry itself place the average cost of well plugging at approximately $33,000 per well –…

In celebration of National Trails Day on June 4, a repeat of our 2020 conversation with planning architect and trails historian Chuck Flink about his book, The Greenway Imperative. 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. In The Greenway Imperative: Connecting Communities & Landscapes for a Sustainable Future, published in 2020, Flink makes the case for greenways to a broader audience. He has collaborated extensively with PEC throughout the years…

Photo Credit: John C Hawthorne Ready for National Trails Day on June 4? Gear up this summer for new adventures on the trails with the TrailOff app. After undergoing upgrades and improvements this winter, TrailOff is back and ready to guide your trail experience! TrailOff offers GPS-activated audio storytelling for ten Circuit Trails in and around Philadelphia. Each of the immersive stories make your experience on trails more interactive and encourages engagement with your environment. You’re free to move at your own pace weather you’re walking, running, biking or skating. The stories move with you. Over roughly two miles on…

The coming month is packed with opportunities to experience Pennsylvania’s beautiful waterways. Each weekend has at least one river sojourn scheduled, hosted by watershed organizations around the state. Sojourns offer so much more than a paddling trip — these guided adventures foster community, promote education and stewardship, and include plenty of time for relaxing and socializing. Stony-Kiski-Conemaugh Rivers Sojourn: June 2nd – 5th The Stony-Kiski-Conemaugh Rivers sojourn showcases the river valley in a 44-mile, four day float. Kayak or canoe for one or all four days through Conemaugh and Packsaddle Gaps, with stops at unique communities along the borders of…

Registration is now open for two PEC rides happening this September. The Environment Ride and the Public Lands Ride present very different riding experiences, but both are sure to be fun — and a little challenging! Environment Ride The Environment Ride is a three-day ride in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The ride will take place from Friday, September 9 to Sunday, September 11. After last year’s 10th Anniversary ride that debuted a route through parts of Maryland and Delaware, we’re staying close to home this year with a ride that focuses on the natural beauty of the Philly region. Friday’s ride will…

On April 19, the cofounders of Bikeout, Amanda Crawford-Staub and Brian Kirk, made a special announcement: after a two-year hiatus, the Philadelphia-based bicycle adventure company would transfer its operations to the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. Since 2016, Bikeout has introduced people to bicycle travel through events and guides, hosting more than 1,000 people on long-distance overnight trips in the Philly region. Maybe you participated in Bikeout’s flagship annual event, the Schuylkill River Trail Ride, or used one of Bikeout’s digital curated self-guided trips, like “Outdoor Escape Inside the Lehigh Gorge.” Whether through high quality events or impeccably curated guides, Bikeout prioritized…

On April 23rd the Department of Environmental Protection’s rulemaking to limit carbon dioxide emissions from the electric power sector was published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin as final. The rulemaking, more formally known as the CO2 Budget Trading Program, would link Pennsylvania to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (better known as “RGGI”) market platform to help achieve the reduction of those emissions. As we have noted in previous posts, RGGI is an established and successful program that has lowered emissions and provided significant investment returns and cost savings to multiple states in the northeast – precisely what is needed in a…