The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued an order to prevent ETC Northeast Pipeline, LLC (ETC) from putting natural gas in unstable sections of the Revolution Pipeline located in Butler, Beaver, Allegheny and Washington counties.

On October 20, 2020, and November 3, 2020, ETC informed DEP that the company intends to put the Revolution Pipeline into service but did not identify when gas would be placed into the pipeline. DEP has been in regular contact with ETC regarding the stability of the pipeline and DEP’s concerns that placing natural gas and liquids into unstable sections of the pipeline endangers people and the environment.

On September 10, 2018, a landslide occurred along the Revolution Pipeline in Center Township, Beaver County. When the landslide occurred, a section of the pipeline separated, allowing methane gas to escape from the pipeline. The gas ignited, causing a fire that burned several acres of forested areas; destroyed a single-family home, a barn, and numerous vehicles; resulted in the evacuation of nearby residents; and caused six high voltage electric transmission towers to collapse. In January 2020, DEP executed a consent order and agreement (COA) and assessed a $30.6 million civil penalty against ETC.

There are currently numerous unstable slopes along the pipeline route, although ETC received approval to permanently stabilize several of these areas beginning in April 2020. If another landslide or landslides were to occur, it could displace and separate the Revolution Pipeline and the impacts could be worse than the explosion in 2018 because the pipeline’s contents would be more explosive with the addition of natural gas liquids. This would cause a significant pollution event and pose a great danger to human health, safety and the environment.

DEP has found ETC to be in violation of the COA’s requirements to propose and implement designs that achieve an adequate factor of safety where ETC constructed the Revolution Pipeline across steep slopes and hillsides and there is a higher risk of instability and slope failures. ETC failed to submit the required stability designs and the company repeatedly stated to DEP that it has no intention of doing so. DEP also issued a notice of violation in June 2019 for ETC’s deficient proposed preparedness, prevention, and contingency (PPC) plan, which ETC has still not revised and submitted for DEP approval.

This order specifically requires ETC to cease, discontinue and not allow placement of and/or remove natural gas and any natural gas related fluids in any section of the Revolution Pipeline located in areas with unstable slopes that are not permanently stabilized with a design that achieves the agreed upon factor of safety. The order also requires that ETC develop and submit an adequate PPC plan that protects the public and environment by describing how the contents of the Revolution Pipeline would be removed in a safe and environmentally protective manner prior to permanent stabilization in the event of leak, release or catastrophic incident like a landslide.

This order will remain in effect until DEP issues written approval of ETC’s stability design and issues a written determination that the stability analyses and permanent stabilization plans have been fully implemented.

GOP picks Pennsylvania’s first female Senate majority leader
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republicans who control Pennsylvania’s state Senate voted Thursday to select the chamber’s first female majority leader and promote their majority leader of the past six years. Third-term Sen. Kim Ward of Westmoreland County will replace Sen. Jake Corman as majority leader. Ward, who has chaired committees that handle transportation and gambling issues, was first elected in 2008. Corman, the state Senate’s Republican majority leader since 2015, will fill the empty post of president pro tempore when the Legislature’s new session starts in January. In the House, minority Democrats were voting Thursday to replace their floor leader, Frank Dermody of Allegheny County, who conceded his reelection bid earlier this week.

(left to right) CCBC President Roger W. Davis; Mr. Terry Ruckert, Church Council President; Rev. Martin J. Galbraith; and Mr. Frederick Retsch, Church Member and CCBC Foundation Board Director and CCBC Trustee; celebrate the establishment of the new scholarship at a recent CCBC Foundation Board meeting.

(Photo Courtesy of CCBC)

Monaca, PA  Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) Foundation has established the Dr. Nancy Alberts Health Sciences Endowed Memorial Scholarship in partnership with the congregation at New Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church in Freedom, Pa. 

In recognition of Dr. Alberts’ service as a respected, long-serving medical physican in the Beaver County community, the $10,000 scholarship will be awarded annually to a student pursuing a career in health sciences fields, starting in the Fall 2021 semester. 

“Dr. Alberts was passionate about serving her community and neighbors,” said Mr. Frederick Retsch, New Hope Evangelical Lutheran church member, CCBC Foundation Board Director and CCBC Trustee. “The scholarship will ensure that her memory and legacy will continue to be shared with others.”  

Prior to her unexpected passing in May 2019, Dr. Alberts was involved in her church through choir, Bible study and as a mentor, in addition to her dedicated work in the medical field. 

CCBC offers top-quality health career programs such as nursing, practical nursing, multiskilled health technician (phlebotomy and nurse aide), and radiologic technology.

To apply for the Dr. Nancy Alberts Health Sciences Endowed Memorial Scholarship by July 1, 2021, visit www.CCBCFoundation.org/scholarships. To contribute to the scholarship fund, visit www.CCBCFoundation.org/donate. 

(Ohio Twp, Pa.) Sean Parnell a Republican Candidate for United States Congress for the 17th District has said that every vote must be counted and Conor Lamb has prematurely claimed victory. The Associated Press called the race  in Democratic incumbent Conor Lamb’s  favor.

Parnell released the following statement on Thursday morning via e-mail:

“It has been a week since Election Day, and despite Conor Lamb and the press prematurely declaring a victory for Lamb, there are over 18,000 provisional and military ballots left to be counted that will impact this extremely close race.

“This election is too important for the people of Western Pennsylvania not to have every legal vote counted. Moreover, as we celebrate the sacrifices made by our military members on Veterans Day, I can speak with firsthand experience the disrespect that many military men and women feel when close races are called before counting their votes. The fact that Allegheny County has been unable to wrap this process up quickly should not affect our timeline of waiting until all votes are counted to declare victory or defeat.

“Our democratic republic is founded on the very important principle that every legal vote must be counted.  I will continue to fight and follow the constitutional process until every legal vote is counted and all legal proceedings are resolved.”

(Harrisburg, Pa.) Pennsylvania’s travel advisory that was updated on November 6, 2020 due to COVID-19 is now up to 37 States including neighboring states New Jersey, Ohio and West Virginia.

Non-essential travel to and from those states is highly discouraged by the Pennsylvania Health Department.

The Department says that “Given the interconnected nature of Pennsylvania to neighboring states and the region and mode of transport between these states, a recommendation of quarantine for these states is not practically viable,” However, a 14-day quarantine is recommended if you have traveled or plan to travel to the remainder of the states on the travel advisory list, which are:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

The Beaver Area School District sent out a notice Wednesday Evening stating that:

Due to a significant rise in the number of students and staff who are required to quarantine or who are presumed or confirmed COVID19 positive, all students will receive their education using the virtual instructional model for the next 14-days, ending December 1st.  All athletics and use of facilities during this 14-day period have also been canceled.

This decision was made based on guidance from the PA Department of Health and the PA Department of Education.  Specifically, in the last 72-hours, we have seen a 350% increase in the number of students required to quarantine and a 200% increase in the number of staff required to quarantine.  Additionally, the number of COVID19 students and staff has nearly doubled over the same period of time.

During the 14-day cancellation of in-person instruction, we will continue to update our COVID19 Dashboard and provide periodic mass notification updates to keep Beaver Area families informed.

For the next two days, Thursday and Friday, we will operate district-wide on a 2-hour delay schedule. Beginning, Monday, November 16th, normal school schedules will be in effect. Each building principal will be posting instructions and expectations for learning on their building’s website.  Students who attend the Beaver County CTC will not attend during this period. They should reach out to their CTC teachers for further instructions.

Finally, if your child or any member of your household is exhibiting symptoms of COVID19 or has had close contact with someone who is COVID19 positive, please contact your PCP for the next steps and notify your child’s school nurse.

The District COVID19 Dashboard can be accessed at https://tinyurl.com/BASDDashboard.

Secretary of Agriculture: Pennsylvania Hunters Can Address Local Food Insecurity by Donating Deer

Harrisburg, PA – Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding joined Hunger-Free Pennsylvania and Hunters Sharing the Harvest today to encourage Pennsylvania’s more than 850,000 licensed hunters to consider donating a deer to Pennsylvanians in need of food this hunting season.

“In a year of challenges, Hunters Sharing the Harvest is a reliable tradition that offers us some bright light,” said Redding. “It’s a shining example of the good that can happen when public sector support and private sector generosity work together to solve a problem.

“A well-stocked freezer is not universal; more than 2 million Pennsylvanians are at risk for hunger and the simple act of sharing can help to fight that hunger,” added Redding. “If you’ve got more than one tag, consider using your love for the sport to feed others.”

A non-profit organization, Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) coordinates the donation, processing, and distribution of venison to Pennsylvanians facing food insecurity. In 2019, HSH coordinated record donations for the program with more than 160,000 pounds of venison distributed to provide 822,000 meals to Pennsylvanians in need. On average, a single deer donated can provide up to 200 meals.

In 2019, the Department of Agriculture renewed a five-year contract with HSH to provide funding to defray costs of processing the donated venison. Under the contract, the department pays up to $145,000 annually in processor costs.

“Now more than ever, we need the support of Pennsylvanians as we work to feed the growing number of people facing food insecurity,” said Hunger-Free Pennsylvania Executive Director Sheila Christopher. “This partnership with Hunters Sharing the Harvest is critical to maintaining a steady supply of lean, high-protein product that is often difficult for our member food banks to source.”

In 2018, 1.4 million Pennsylvanians, nearly 10.9 percent of the population, didn’t always know where their next meal was coming from. In 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, that number increased by 41 percent to 2 million insecure Pennsylvanians. Even more startling, of the 2 million food insecure, 630,900 are children. That’s an increase of 57.6 percent since 2018.

“Our program is unique in maintaining its effectiveness and recognition of our Pennsylvania hunters’ compassion for others and since 1991,” said Hunters Sharing the Harvest Executive Director John Plowman. “With a 2019 record of more than 160,000 high-protein pounds distributed to statewide food banks, soup kitchens and families in need, we’re shooting for comparably good results for 2020.”

Hunters interested in participating can take their deer to one of the participating deer processors throughout the state and donate any amount of their venison to the program.

For more information on Hunters Sharing the Harvest, becoming a corporate sponsor, or  donating through their Buck for the Pot initiative, visit sharedeer.org.

For more about the Wolf Administration’s efforts related to food insecurity in Pennsylvania throughout the pandemic, visit agriculture.pa.gov/foodsecurity.