FILE – Pennsylvania Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro speaks at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, Pa., on Jan. 11, 2023.  (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today awarded $1.5 million in 2022 Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant funding to help municipalities, schools, and businesses around the state switch to clean transportation and improve air quality in their communities. The DEP Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant program helps municipalities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations replace older gasoline or diesel fueled vehicles with clean fuel transportation. This funding builds on Governor Shapiro’s agenda to create a bold, comprehensive climate and energy plan that will grow Pennsylvania’s economy, protect and create jobs, and address climate change.

 

The grant recipients, ranging from a small borough to rental car, garbage truck, and school bus companies, will replace 88 old gasoline or diesel vehicles with 78 electric and 10 renewable natural gas vehicles and install 36 chargers for electric vehicles.

 

“The Shapiro Administration is committed to growing the Commonwealth’s economy while protecting Pennsylvanians’ constitutional right to clean air and pure water,” said DEP Acting Secretary Rich Negrin. “A growing number of organizations and businesses in Pennsylvania want to lower their transportation emissions. Today’s announcement demonstrates a shared commitment between the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and our local communities and businesses to improve air quality, address climate change, and increase the use of renewable energy across the Commonwealth.”

 

The funded projects are as follows:

 

Allegheny County

 

• City of Pittsburgh: $272,152 for 30 electric cars, 15 electric transit vans, and 10 dual-plug level 2 chargers for use by staff in the Departments of Public Works and Permits, Licenses and Inspections.

 

• Flyspace Productions LLC: $13,500 for an electric pickup truck and electric cargo van to make deliveries and tow event equipment.

 

Beaver County

 

• Borough of Ambridge: $15,000 for two electric pickup trucks for the police department.

 

Cambria County

 

• Pro Disposal, Inc.: $300,000 for three electric garbage trucks to be used in the City of Johnstown.

 

Dauphin County

 

• Aero Corp.: $300,000 for six DC fast chargers at Harrisburg International Airport for Aero’s fleet of rental electric vehicles. The chargers will also be available to other car rental companies.

 

Lackawanna and Westmoreland Counties

 

• Waste Management of Pennsylvania, Inc.: $200,000 for 10 renewable natural gas garbage trucks to be used in North Huntingdon Township and Dunmore Borough.

 

Northampton County

 

• Bethlehem Parking Authority: $15,000 for two electric cars for parking enforcement.

 

Potter County

 

• Protektor Model Company: $15,000 for two electric pickup trucks for deliveries and travel to trade shows and competitions for this manufacturer of rifle shooting accessories.

 

Philadelphia County

 

• Philadelphia Gas Works: $28,125 for three electric cars and two electric pickup trucks for customer service and field work, as part of the utility’s Green Fleet project.

 

• University of Pennsylvania: $52,500 for seven electric transit vans for student transport, as part of the university’s Fleet Electrification Initiative.

 

State

 

• Highland Electric Fleets: $75,000 for 10 electric vans and $225,000 for 20 DC fast chargers for a school district in Pennsylvania.

 

“We greatly appreciate this AFIG funding from DEP,” said Michael Bellvia, president of Pro Disposal, Inc. “We’re a family-owned local business, and committed to providing the best services for our customers. This investment will enable us to begin transitioning our fleet from burning fossil fuels to using renewable resources to reduce our carbon footprint, which will benefit both our company and our community.”

 

“Aero Corporation is committed to the adoption of electric vehicles,” said Tom Troxell, Director of Electrification. “This DEP grant will allow us to expand access to convenient and reliable fast charging for both our community and visitors to the keystone state.”

 

Getting more zero- and low-emission vehicles on the road in Pennsylvania helps reduce harmful air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds. It also helps lower the level of carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases heating up the climate, in the air.

 

Gasoline and diesel vehicles generate 47 percent of nitrogen oxides emissions in Pennsylvania, contributing to ground-level ozone. This affects the health of children, older people, people who work or are active outdoors, and people with asthma, emphysema, or other lung conditions.

 

The transportation sector makes up 22 percent of Pennsylvania’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

It was a succinct and somewhat short meeting for the Beaver Falls City Council to close the month of February, but it wasn’t without major announcements regarding the future.

During the meeting, the council approved for a tournament to be held by the Beaver Valley Youth Basketball Association from March 10-12 at Beaver County Christian School, with police protection for the event provided by the city’s police department. The policed department also received approval for a three-year agreement with PlateSmart for software services (PlateSmart had acquired the company from which the department had been previously using software). General Fund expenditures were approved at an amount of $331,952.80.

The Farmer’s Market was approved for return by the city council, as the market will be held behind the Brodhead Apartments beginning May 1 until November 20. The Beaver Falls Municipal Authority Board had the five-year term of Anthony Comer approved by the board, along with the purchase of the property at 108 14th Street by Devay Owens.

13th Street will be closed from 3 PM until 9 PM on April 29 for the launch event for the new group Beaver Falls Core at March Park, while another park has received name suggestions. Community Development director Rochelle Burks announced that she had a list of 18 names that were submitted for the new park by the Carnegie Free Library, which is set to be open in the summer.

The biggest reveal of the evening, however, came near the very end as councilmembers provided their updates…and longtime councilman Leonard Chiappetta had a major one.

“After prayerful thought, I will finish my term now, I will not seek re-election in January,” Chiappetta announced. “It’s hard for me to step down, but now is the time to do it.”

“We’re really sad to hear that, but we’re thankful for all the years that you’ve invested in our city,” Mayor Kenya Johns stated. The rest of the council concurred in thanking Chiappetta for his many years of servitude on the Beaver Falls City Council.

The next Beaver Falls City Council meeting is scheduled for March 14 at 7:00 PM.

Student debt relief advocates gather outside the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, as the court hears arguments over President Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservative justices in the Supreme Court’s majority are asking skeptical questions about President Joe Biden’s plan to wipe away or reduce student loans held by millions of Americans. The high court, with its 6-3 conservative majority, began hearing arguments on Tuesday in challenges to the plan. So far, Republican-appointed judges on lower courts have blocked the plan. The Biden administration says 26 million people have applied and 16 million have been approved to have up to $20,000 in federal student loans forgiven. The program is estimated to cost $400 billion over 30 years.

FILE – The TikTok logo is seen on a cell phone on Oct. 14, 2022, in Boston. The White House is giving all federal agencies 30 days to wipe TikTok off all government devices, as the Chinese-owned social media app comes under increasing scrutiny in Washington over security concerns. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

The White House is giving U.S. federal agencies 30 days to delete popular Chinese-owned social media app TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices amid growing concerns about security. Canada announced a similar ban. Congress, the White House itself and more than half of U.S. states had already banned TikTok for government employees. They’re concerned that China could use its legal and regulatory powers to obtain private user data or to try to push misinformation or narratives favoring China. More than two-thirds of American teens use TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company that moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2020.

FILE – In this Aug. 11, 2014 file photo, actor Tom Sizemore arrives at the premiere of “The Expendables 3” in Los Angeles. Sizemore is in critical condition after suffering a brain aneurism, a representative for the actor said Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023. Sizemore suffered the aneurism around 2 a.m. Saturday at his home in Los Angeles, and is hospitalized. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — More than a week after Tom Sizemore suffered a brain aneurysm, a representative says the actor’s family is “now deciding end of life matters.” Sizemore’s manager Charles Lago said in a statement issued Monday night that doctors informed his family that “there is no further hope.” Sizemore has been in critical condition and a coma since collapsing early Feb. 18 at his Los Angeles home. The 61-year-old actor has acted in films like “Saving Private Ryan” and “Heat.” He also has a significant history of drug abuse and run-ins with law enforcement, including domestic violence and abuse allegations.

Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, speaks on the Pennsylvania House floor, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa.(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Philadelphia state Rep. Joanna McClinton is the first woman to serve as speaker of the Pennsylvania House. She ascended to the chamber’s top position Tuesday on the strength of a fresh one-vote Democratic majority. The leadership reshuffling came nearly two months after Rep. Mark Rozzi, a Berks County Democrat, became the surprise choice for speaker. Democrats flipped a net of 12 seats in November to retake majority control after more than a decade, but their margin didn’t become effective until their candidates won three special elections earlier this month. Rozzi stepped down shortly before the 102-to-99 vote for McClinton. The 40-year-old McClinton grew up in southwest Philadelphia, where she still lives.