Keystone State News Connection

Report Cites Problems in EPA Clean-Water Rule Change

Andrea Sears

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency used questionable criteria to justify redefining which bodies of water are protected by the Clean Water Act, putting many streams and wetlands at risk, according to a new report.

In repealing and replacing the Obama-era Clean Water Rule, said the report from the External Environmental Economics Advisory Committee, the EPA ignored the downstream impact of pollution in waterways that cross state lines and predicted states would step in to protect those waterways. According to report co-author Sheila Olmstead, a professor of public affairs at the University of Texas at Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, that’s inconsistent with the agency’s own guidelines for economic analysis and leaves many bodies of water unprotected.

“The Navigable Waters Protection rule, which is the replacement rule, removes about 50% of U.S. wetlands and about 18% of U.S. stream miles from federal protection under the Clean Water Act.” she said.

The EPA has said the new rule reflects the intent of Congress in passing the Clean Water Act. President-elect Joe Biden has said he will review and possibly reverse the replacement rule.

The original rule the EPA replaced was based on rigorous scientific study, which found many streams and wetlands are hydrologically, biologically and chemically connected to waters downstream – connections Olmstead said the new rule disregards.

“In fact, the fact that the watersheds they picked for intensive analysis all cross multiple state boundaries tends to be internally inconsistent with their own argument that these interstate impacts won’t be important,” she said.

In 2018, she said, the EPA eliminated its own Environmental Economics Advisory Committee.

Olmstead said she believes part of the problem in determining which waters are protected by the Clean Water Act is the vague language used by Congress to define the term “waters of the United States,” when it passed the original legislation in 1972.

“One would like to see, ultimately, a legislative resolution of that uncertainty,” she said, “rather than having cases keep coming to the courts, and administrations that feel one way or the other overturning each other’s rules.”

She added that the current lack of bipartisan cooperation in Congress may force the Biden administration to rely on the rule-making process to reverse the rule change.

Wolf Administration Announces Nearly $4 Million in Funding to Communities Struggling Amidst COVID-19  

Harrisburg, PA — Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin announced more than $3.7 million in Community Development Block Grant-CARES Act (CDBG-CV) funding to help communities address challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“More than ever before, Pennsylvania’s communities are facing incredible challenges as they work to protect their residents and businesses from the devastating impacts of COVID-19,” said Sec. Davin. “The four projects receiving funding today will create new opportunities for their municipalities by providing critical funding, access to sought-after resources, and safe spaces for community use as we continue to mitigate this global pandemic.”

The following projects were included in the most recent block of CDBG-CV funding approvals:

• $612,500 to Greene County to create the Forgivable Advance for Small Business Assistance (FASBA) program, a forgivable grant/loan program provided directly to Greene County businesses that can demonstrate job retention or creation for low to middle income workers. In the county, 1,327 businesses have been impacted by COVID-19. Since April, 45 businesses have announced plans to permanently lay off employees and close.
• Nearly $1.3 million to Mifflin County to procure laptops for special education and low to middle income students to continue their education remotely due to the shutdown of schools. In collaboration with the grantee, the Association of Mifflin County Educators (AMCE) will help the county establish a lending library to manage the laptops.
• $300,000 to Union County to install a bathroom at Hufnagle Park. The park contains a playground and a gazebo used for community events, however there is currently no public restroom in the park. There has been a considerable increase in community use throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as individuals seek outdoor recreation.
• More than $1.5 million to Fayette County to install/expand broadband coverage to an area in the western half of the county. Much of the county’s workforce and students have struggled to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the lack of availability of quality high-speed internet. In some areas where internet is available, the service speeds are often inadequate, and the rates are very high. The Fayette County Broadband Initiative will extend high-speed broadband lines to create hotspots in order to provide free broadband access in low to moderate income communities throughout the service area. Each location will extend service within a 1,000-linear-foot radius.

CDBG-CV funds made available through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) enable communities to effectively prepare for, prevent the spread of, and respond to the impacts of coronavirus in their communities.  DCED will release a second request for proposals to fund coronavirus response activities through CDBG-CV in the new year.

For more information, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

Biden to take oath outside Capitol amid virus restrictions
By ASHRAF KHALIL Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will take their oaths of office outside the U.S. Capital building, but it probably won’t look like other inaugurations. That’s because inauguration planners want to craft an event that captures the traditional grandeur of the historic ceremony but also complies with COVID-19 protocols. Biden’s team is urging supporters not to come to Washington, D.C., to celebrate the inauguration. His team released some broad details of the Jan. 20 event on Tuesday. They’re proceeding with their plans without any assurances that outgoing President Donald Trump will participate.

AP sources: Biden to pick Buttigieg as transportation chief
By MICHAEL BALSAMO, JONATHAN LEMIRE and THOMAS BEAUMONT Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is expected to pick former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg to head the Transportation Department. That’s according to three people familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday to avoid preempting the president-elect’s announcement. The 38-year-old Buttigieg was one of Biden’s rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination. He was a breakout star of the primaries, sharing victory in the nation’s first caucus with Bernie Sanders. He suspended his campaign before Super Tuesday and endorsed Biden. The Transportation Department helps oversee the nation’s highway system, planes, trains and mass transit and is poised to play a key role early in the incoming administration.

Against the backdrop of the pandemic, people of Pennsylvania have been reaching out for an extra beer or two to help them pass the time. TOP Data conducted a study and found that alcohol consumption across the country has gone up by 19% since the pandemic started. Bud Light was revealed as the most purchased beer in Pennsylvania during the pandemic.

Overall Key Findings:

• 262% Countrywide Increase in Online Alcohol Sales
• 19% Increase in American Alcohol Consumption during the pandemic
• 41% Increase in instances of Woman drinking 4 drinks or more a day

Pennsylvania’s Most Purchased Beers

• Bud Light
• Miller Lite
• Stella
• Budweiser
• Heineken

Find out what other states are drinking through, TOP Data’s Beer Report which has been published, revealing that Budweiser still reigns supreme as America’s king of beers, coming top in 23 states.

Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today announced that Pennsylvania is slated to receive 97,500 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for 66 counties, with Philadelphia County receiving its own allotment of 13,650 doses, for a total of 111,150 doses for health care workers identified in the state’s vaccine distribution plan.

Today, Monongahela Valley Hospital and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh received vaccine. Eighty-five additional hospitals will receive shipments by Monday. Dec. 21.

“This is a pivotal development in the fight against COVID-19, in Pennsylvania and the nation,” Dr. Levine said. “This limited supply of vaccine signals the start of the process to end COVID-19’s devastating impacts on every community in the commonwealth. However, it is important to remember that we are still months away from being able to vaccinate all Pennsylvanians, making mitigation efforts more important than ever to save lives.”

This week, the initial 97,500 doses have been slated for 87 hospitals across the state to receive vaccine directly from Pfizer. As additional allocations become available, more hospital sites will receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine over the next several weeks. Hospital sites are selected by their ability to manage the cold chain requirement with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, completion of the COVID-19 provider agreement, and successful onboarding with the Department of Health for necessary documentation for vaccination. The number of doses, recipient hospitals, and arrival dates are subject to change based on updated information from the federal government and Pfizer.

“These first doses of vaccine are being given specifically to health care workers through hospitals,” Dr. Levine said. “Hospitals are making arrangements to implement these vaccinations, not only to their own frontline staff but to other high-priority recipients. The number of people we can immunize truly depends on how quickly the manufacturers can make the vaccine.”

Secretary Levine also issued an order today that requires vaccine providers to report information to the department on individuals who are vaccinated. COVID-19 immunization providers are required to report patient information, including gender, race and ethnicity to the department within 24 hours of administering the vaccine.

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration on Friday, December 11, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved its use on December 13.

The vaccine will be available in phases beginning with critical populations due to the limited supply. The first phase is divided into two parts, with the first doses of vaccine administered to health care workers, EMS first responders and residents and staff in congregate care settings.

In the second phase, the department anticipates more vaccine doses will be available. This will allow us to vaccinate those in the first phase who were not yet able. The third phase begins once the department has a sufficient supply of vaccine. In this phase, the entire population will have access to a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a nationwide playbook that the department used to develop and still uses to update the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Plan.

More information about the COVID-19 vaccine can be found here.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
• Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

• Daily COVID-19 Report
• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
• Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)
• Community preparedness and procedures materials

All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Center, Twp. Pa.) Center Twp. Supervisors met via ZOOM but that didn’t stop a group of citizens living near Union Cemetery from airing  their opinion about a request for a crematory to be built by  Calvin Sheffield. Some of the comments referred to the effect on the health and safety of residents, and the environment in the low density residential area which is also in close proximity to Penn State Beaver..

(Burgettstown, Pa. ) A familiar name in the music world will be returning next summer.  The owners of the popular concert venue in Burgettstown are reverting back to their roots at least for now. The venue will pay homage to when it first opened in 1990 by being newly renamed the Pavilion at Star Lake.

The facility has undergone many name changes over the years. When Star Lake first opened in 1990 it was known as the Coca-Cola Star Lake Amphitheater. In 2001 it became known as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pavilion until 2010. As banks merged over the last 10 years the naming rights of the facility changed from First Niagara to Key Bank Pavilion and most recently the S&T Bank Pavilion. The first ever concert

The first ever national concert at Star Lake Pavilion was Billy Joel on June 17, 1990. The response to the concert was so overwhelming that they added a second date of June 18.