Paul King Recognizes Brian Hill. Paul King, Chairman of the Board of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, recognizes the work of Brian Hill at the recent dinner honoring winners of the Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards.

DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty talks about environmental leadership at the Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards dinner hosted by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.

No Child Left Inside. Our nation’s future relies on a well-educated public to be wise stewards of the very environment that sustains us, our families and communities, and future generations.
It is environmental education which can best help us as individuals make the complex, conceptual connections between economic prosperity, benefits to society, environmental health, and our own well being.
Ultimately, the collective wisdom of our citizens, gained through education, will be the most compelling and most successful strategy for environmental management.
This video by the No Child Left Inside Coalition clearly demonstrates the value of hands-on environmental education, in particular, education about how we interact with the streams, watersheds and habitats around us.

Matthew Ehrhart, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, talks about the Fair Share Clean Water Funding Plan to meet Chesapeake Bay and statewide water cleanup mandates. Other speakers at the announcement-- Joel Rotz, PA Farm Bureau John Brosious, PA Municipal Authorities Assn. Robert Fisher, R.J. Fisher and Associates for the PA Builders Assn. Susan Marquart, PA Conservation Districts For more information visit www.cbf.org/pa.

John Brosious, PA Municipal Authorities Association, talks about the Fair Share Clean Water Funding Plan to meet Chesapeake Bay and statewide water cleanup mandates. Other speakers at the announcement- Matthew Ehrhart, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Joel Rotz, PA Farm Bureau Robert Fisher, R.J. Fisher and Associates for the PA Builders Assn. Susan Marquart, PA Conservation Districts For more information visit www.cbf.org/pa.

Joel Rotz, PA Farm Bureau, talks about the Fair Share Clean Water Funding Plan to meet Chesapeake Bay and statewide water cleanup mandates. Other speakers at the announcement- Matthew Ehrhart, Chesapeake Bay Foundation John Brosious, PA Municipal Authorities Assn. Robert Fisher, R.J. Fisher and Associates for the PA Builders Assn. Susan Marquart, PA Conservation Districts For more information visit www.cbf.org/pa.

Robert Fisher, R.J. Fisher and Associates for the PA Builders Assn., talks about the Fair Share Clean Water Funding Plan to meet Chesapeake Bay and statewide water cleanup mandates. Other speakers at the announcement- Matthew Ehrhart, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Joel Rotz, PA Farm Bureau John Brosious, PA Municipal Authorities Assn. Susan Marquart, PA Conservation Districts For more information visit www.cbf.org/pa.

Susan Marquart, PA Conservation Districts, talks about the Fair Share Clean Water Funding Plan to meet Chesapeake Bay and statewide water cleanup mandates. Other speakers at the announcement- Matthew Ehrhart, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Joel Rotz, PA Farm Bureau John Brosious, PA Municipal Authorities Assn. Robert Fisher, R.J. Fisher and Associates for the PA Builders Assn. For more information visit www.cbf.org/pa.

Carl Shaffer on Biofuel Opportunities for Farmers. Farm Bureau President Carl Shaffer said farmers support Gov. Rendell’s initiative to promote biofuels and separate legislation that would provide per gallon incentives to biodiesel makers to promote production and markets for soybeans and corn raised by Pennsylvania Farmers. Remarks of other speakers at PA Farm Bureau event: Sen. Brubaker’s Remarks on Biofuels Rep. Kessler on Incentives for Biofuels Ben Wootton Talks About PA’s Biofuels Industry Keith Oellig Talks About Biofuels From Producer Viewpoint

Sen. Brubaker’s Remarks on Biofuels. Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster), Majority Chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, joined the Farm Bureau in calling for action on biofuels legislation saying it presents a great opportunity for Pennsylvania farmers. Remarks of other speakers at PA Farm Bureau event: Carl Shaffer on Biofuel Opportunities for Farmers Rep. Kessler on Incentives for Biofuels Ben Wootton Talks About PA’s Biofuels Industry Keith Oellig Talks About Biofuels From Producer Viewpoint

Rep. Kessler on Incentives for Biofuels. Rep. David Kessler (D-Berks) provided an overview of Special Session House Bill 42 that provides for a $1 per gallon incentive to producers of biodiesel in order to promote the production of Pennsylvania-grown fuels. Remarks of other speakers at PA Farm Bureau event: Carl Shaffer on Biofuel Opportunities for Farmers Sen. Brubaker’s Remarks on Biofuels Ben Wootton Talks About PA’s Biofuels Industry Keith Oellig Talks About Biofuels From Producer Viewpoint

Ben Wootton Talks About PA’s Biofuels Industry. Ben Wootton, President of Keystone BioFuels in Cumberland County, said he had to lay off 80 percent of his workforce due to his inability to distribute his 100 percent pure biodiesel to customers. Faced with competition from other states that provide per gallon subsidies, Wootton said he was supporting legislation to level the playing field between competitors. Remarks of other speakers at PA Farm Bureau event: Carl Shaffer on Biofuel Opportunities for Farmers Sen. Brubaker’s Remarks on Biofuels Rep. Kessler on Incentives for Biofuels Keith Oellig Talks About Biofuels From Producer Viewpoint

Keith Oellig Talks About Biofuels From Producer Viewpoint. Keith Oellig, a Dauphin County soybean farmer, said the skyrocketing cost of diesel fuel and natural gas used to make fertilizer has increased his cost of production significantly. He said the production of biofuels will not solve the energy problems, but it will be an important step toward stabilizing farm production costs. Remarks of other speakers at PA Farm Bureau event: Carl Shaffer on Biofuel Opportunities for Farmers Sen. Brubaker’s Remarks on Biofuels Rep. Kessler on Incentives for Biofuels Ben Wootton Talks About PA’s Biofuels Industry

Chris Kocher, Wildlands Conservancy, Opening Remarks Chris Kocher, President of the Wildlands Conservancy, talks about how essential the water resources of the region were and are to the history and future quality of life at the Lehigh Valley at the Lehigh Valley Watershed & Shad Symposium. He noted that many of the rivers and streams in the Valley have emerged from their industrial past to support over 90 species of fish in the over 300 miles of waterways that make up the Lehigh Valley. However, the work of restoring water quality is not done. Nonpoint pollution, abandoned mine drainage and urban sprawl continue to threaten water quality. Other speakers at the Symposium: Doug Austen Update on Conservation in PA Cindy Dunn, DCNR, On the Importance of Partnerships Don Cunningham on Lehigh County Green Initiatives John Stoffa on Northampton County Green Initiatives Cong. Charles Dent on Recent Federal Initiatives

Doug Austen Update on Conservation in PA. Doug Austen, Executive Director of the PA Fish & Boat Commission, was one of the keynote speakers at the Lehigh Valley Watershed & Shad Symposium, and gave a presentation on the status of conservation efforts in Pennsylvania, including the restoration of aquatic habitat, the restoration of shad in many of the state’s river systems and how the restoration of watersheds provide multiple benefits to anglers and every Pennsylvania citizens at the Lehigh Valley. Other speakers at the Symposium: Chris Kocher, Wildlands Conservancy, Opening Remarks Cindy Dunn, DCNR, On the Importance of Partnerships Don Cunningham on Lehigh County Green Initiatives John Stoffa on Northampton County Green Initiatives Cong. Charles Dent on Recent Federal Initiatives

Cindy Dunn, DCNR, On the Importance of Partnerships. Cindy Dunn, Deputy Secretary for Conservation with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, talks about the opportunities and challenges captured in the conference agenda and how DCNR works with lots of partners to develop and implement the Lehigh River Conservation Plan, trails projects and other initiatives at the Lehigh Valley Watershed & Shad Symposium. She also noted how strongly the region is identified with its rivers and how the commitment of Lehigh and Northampton counties to planning gives the area the hope of a strong future. Other speakers at the Symposium: Chris Kocher, Wildlands Conservancy, Opening Remarks Doug Austen Update on Conservation in PA Don Cunningham on Lehigh County Green Initiatives John Stoffa on Northampton County Green Initiatives Cong. Charles Dent on Recent Federal Initiatives

Don Cunningham on Lehigh County Green Initiatives. Don Cunningham, Lehigh County Executive, talks about important smart growth and environmental initiatives in the County and how critical water resources are to the region’s future at the Lehigh Valley Watershed & Shad Symposium. Other speakers at the Symposium: Chris Kocher, Wildlands Conservancy, Opening Remarks Doug Austen Update on Conservation in PA Cindy Dunn, DCNR, On the Importance of Partnerships John Stoffa on Northampton County Green Initiatives Cong. Charles Dent on Recent Federal Initiatives

John Stoffa on Northampton County Green Initiatives. John Stoffa, Northampton County Executive, noted that a conference like the at the Lehigh Valley Watershed & Shad Symposium could not have been held 10 years ago because there was not the awareness of how important water resources are to the health and well-being of the Lehigh Valley. Other speakers at the Symposium: Chris Kocher, Wildlands Conservancy, Opening Remarks Doug Austen Update on Conservation in PA Cindy Dunn, DCNR, On the Importance of Partnerships Don Cunningham on Lehigh County Green Initiatives Cong. Charles Dent on Recent Federal Initiatives

Cong. Charles Dent on Recent Federal Initiatives. Congressman Charles Dent talks about recent federal water and energy initiatives affecting the Lehigh Valley and the importance of partnerships and federal, state and local cooperation on conservation projects at the Lehigh Valley Watershed & Shad Symposium. Other speakers at the Symposium: Chris Kocher, Wildlands Conservancy, Opening Remarks Doug Austen Update on Conservation in PA Cindy Dunn, DCNR, On the Importance of Partnerships Don Cunningham on Lehigh County Green Initiatives John Stoffa on Northampton County Green Initiatives