Gov. Wolf: 12 More Counties to Move to Yellow Phase on May 22

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced 12 additional Pennsylvania counties will move to the yellow phase of reopening at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, May 22. Those counties include Adams, Beaver, Carbon, Columbia, Cumberland, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Wayne, and York. Twenty-four counties moved into the yellow phase of reopening on May 8 and another 13 moved to yellow beginning today.

With these additional 12 counties, there will be a total of 49 counties in the yellow phase. The remaining 18 counties are in the red phase.

“Through our social distancing efforts, we have not only reversed a trajectory of exponential new case growth – we have cut it in half,” Gov. Wolf said. “And some of the counties that will be shifting into the yellow phase next week eliminated concerns that we had just two weeks ago. So please, keep up your efforts in the fight so we can continue to add counties to the list of those in the yellow phase. Thank you again for your patience and your hard work.”

Yesterday, Governor Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine amended their yellow phase orders to include 13 counties that moved to the yellow phase today. Those counties include Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland.

Red phase stay-at-home orders remain in effect until June 4 but that does not mean that other counties will not move to the yellow phase in advance of that date.

The reopening plan prioritizes the health and welfare of Pennsylvanians by using a combination of factors to gauge how much movement a location can tolerate before the 2019 novel coronavirus becomes a threat, including metrics developed in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh that will be released twice each week.

Wolf stressed that this plan is not a one-way route. The state is closely monitoring the counties in the yellow phase and will re-impose restrictions if danger arises. If the new case count begins to climb in one area, restrictions will need to be imposed to prevent local medical facilities from becoming overwhelmed. So, Pennsylvanians should continue to make good choices.

Pa. State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale gave an update on his investigation into the process used by Gov. Tom Wolf’s Administration to allow for businesses to receive a waiver during the COVId-19 Crisis.

In the two weeks since DePasquale started his investigation he said his office has already received more than three dozen complaints from businesses throughout Pennsylvania.

“We’ve had more correspondence on this and it’s over a 100 than any other audit I’ve ever done,” he said.

DePasquale said his office received complaints from multiple industries, more from real estate companies than any other, and mostly from small-to-medium sized businesses.

The audit is focused on three key objectives:

• Evaluating the criteria used to determine which businesses where life-sustaining in the first place.
• Investigating how the waiver program was developed.
• Looking into whether the granting of waivers was done fairly.

It will also include checking if “any outside influence played a part in the final decision,” according to DePasquale.

The state received a significant number of letters on behalf of certain businesses from lobbyists and legislators.

Wolf to ease restrictions elsewhere, but still has concerns
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf will announce that more counties can see some of his tightest pandemic restrictions lifted, as counties and lawmakers pressure him to ease his orders. In a telephone news conference Thursday with reporters, Wolf said he will make his decision Friday morning. However, he said he hasn’t changed his criteria for deciding which counties can emerge from his stay-at-home order and his business shutdown order. His health secretary echoed that, saying the administration will continue to count cases in prisons, factories and nursing homes in a county’s total. That is bad news for counties that blame much of their outbreak on a single institution.

Pa State Rep. Aaro Bernstine  via his Facebook Page is reporting that Beaver County is on the list of counties that Gov. Wolf will announce today that will be moving into the yellow phase next Friday May 22, 2020.

Trump says he’ll replenish stockpile for future pandemics
By JILL COLVIN and DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — President Donald Trump says he intends to prepare the country for future pandemics by restocking the national stockpile. He says that includes bringing critical manufacturing back to the U.S. from abroad. Trump announced his plans Thursday while visiting a Pennsylvania medical equipment distributor. His comments came the same day a whistleblower testified that the Trump administration had failed to properly prepare for the current pandemic. Trump is also trying to convince the public that it’s time for states to begin to reopen, even as the virus continues to spread. He is calling on Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor to open up the state.

House to vote Friday on more virus aid, despite GOP skeptics
By ANDREW TAYLOR and ALAN FRAM Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic-controlled House is pressing ahead with votes on another massive rescue bill that would pump almost $1 trillion to states and local governments, renew $1,200 cash payments for individuals, and extend a $600 weekly supplemental federal unemployment benefit. Friday’s measure — with a $3 trillion-plus price tag — promises to pass largely along party lines. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has loaded the 1,815-page measure with a slew of Democratic priorities, and it has earned a White House veto threat and a scathing assessment from top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who called it “a totally unserious effort.”

Wolf Administration Launches LIHEAP Recovery Crisis Program to Ease Utility Costs for Pennsylvanians Affected by COVID-19 Crisis

Harrisburg, PA – Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller today announced a Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Recovery Crisis Program to help Pennsylvanians during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Beginning in May, DHS will work with utility companies and deliverable fuel vendors to help Pennsylvanians at risk of losing access to electric, natural gas, or deliverable fuels such as oil, pay utility bills, and maintain access to home energy services.

“The COVID-19 public health crisis has created difficult economic situations for households around Pennsylvania. For low-income families, these uncertain times are creating even greater challenges to meeting essential needs and making ends make,” said Secretary Miller. “The LIHEAP Recovery Crisis Program will help households across Pennsylvania bridge this uncertainty and the recovery period ahead.”

LIHEAP provides assistance for home energy bills, helping ensure continuity of utility and other energy services for low-income Pennsylvanians. Assistance is available for both renters and homeowners. The LIHEAP Recovery Crisis Program will offer a crisis benefit and a supplemental payment for households that previously received a crisis payment made directly to utility companies or fuel providers to help offset costs for home utilities.

LIHEAP Recovery Crisis benefits may be available if a household:

• Has their main or secondary energy source completely shut-off;
• Is notified that their utility service will be shut off in the next 60 days;
• Has broken energy equipment or leaking lines that must be fixed or replace; or,
• Is in danger of being without fuel in 15 days or less.
• Owes funds to a utility provider that would constitute a service termination if not for the Public Utility Commission’s moratorium on terminations.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stimulus (CARES) Act provided $900 million in additional LIHEAP funds to states. Pennsylvania received $34.9 million in LIHEAP funds through CARES. DHS will use these funds and funds remaining from the 2019-20 LIHEAP season to fund the LIHEAP Recovery Crisis Program.

LIHEAP Recovery Crisis program will open on May 18, 2020, and run through August 31, 2020, or until all budgeted funding is expended. The LIHEAP Recovery Crisis maximum benefit will be $800 for this period. Eligibility guidelines will be the same as those used during the 2019-20 LIHEAP season, and DHS will permit a file transfer agreement with utility providers to allow a utility to submit a LIHEAP Recovery Crisis application on behalf of a consenting household, provided the household has already received LIHEAP Cash to the utility during the regular season. Utility terminations are prohibited for the duration of the Governor’s disaster declaration, but past due balances can be submitted as proof of Recovery Crisis eligibility if the utility company confirms that the balance would result in a termination if the moratorium was not in place.

DHS will also automatically issue a $100 supplemental payment to approximately 100,000 households that received LIHEAP Crisis funds during the 2019-20 season. Any household that has not reached the maximum benefit in the 2019-20 season can apply for additional assistance up to the $800 maximum limit.

More information about LIHEAP and household income eligibility is available here. LIHEAP Recovery Crisis applications and instructions can be found here or can be submitted online at www.compass.state.pa.us.

Visit pa.gov for a “Responding to COVID-19” guide or the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s dedicated Coronavirus webpage for the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19.

Guidance to DHS providers related to COVID-19 is available here.

Yellow Phase Orders Updated to Include 13 Additional Counties Moving on May 15 

Harrisburg, PA – Today, the yellow phase orders were amended to include 13 counties moving to the yellow phase at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, May 15. Those counties include Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland.

The 13 counties join 24 counties that moved into the yellow phase on May 8: Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango, and Warren.

An announcement on additional counties is anticipated tomorrow, May 15.

Department of Agriculture Outlines Order of Restaurant Enforcement Actions, Urges Compliance

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Agriculture today outlined the order of enforcement actions that would be taken against restaurants offering dine-in services to patrons in violation of Governor Tom Wolf’s March 19 business closure Executive Order to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the commonwealth.

“It’s important that Pennsylvania’s restaurants don’t stray from the course now, we’ve come too far, sacrificed too much to change our path,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “Restaurants are encouraged to continue only offering their services for carry-out or delivery. I, along with all of Pennsylvania, am grateful for your dedication to maintaining these life-saving measures.”

The Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Food Safety will enforce this order for retail food facilities under the department’s jurisdiction that are re-opening and offering dine-in services. In Governor Wolf’s plan to reopen Pennsylvania, restaurants in counties in both the red and yellow phases are prohibited from offering dine-in service and are limited to take-out and delivery options only.

Food safety inspectors will follow up on reports of restaurants offering dine-in service in violation of the order. Once confirmed, the following actions will be taken by the department:

• Warning letter from the Departments of Agriculture and Health;
• Follow up inspection;
• If still in violation of the order at follow up inspection, adjudication to suspend the businesses retail food license;
• If the business continues to operate after license is revoked, citations will be filed with the magisterial district judge;
• The department may pursue civil penalties of up to $10,000 per day of violation.

The department will work with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and collaboratively across other agencies – such as with the Pennsylvania State Police, and Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board – to report and follow up on violations.

“We know that people dining together in a restaurant puts many people at risk of exposure, including patrons and employees,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “It is essential that restaurants comply with guidance and continue with carry-out and delivery options at this time. Social distancing is a primary tool to fight this virus, and we must stay the course.”

Restaurants under the department’s jurisdiction that are inspected as a result of such complaints will have public reports with details of violations filed in Pennsylvania’s restaurant inspection database, publicly accessibly via the department’s website or the free EatSafePA mobile app for both Apple and Android devices.

Reports related to food safety concerns or restaurants offering dine-in services can be made online through the department’s Food Safety Complaint Form.

Pennsylvania restaurants and retail food establishments are required to comply with Secretary Levine’s worker safety order and adhere to guidance issued by the department for Retail Food/Manufacturing Processes for Sanitization and Diagnosed Employees.

For a complete list of guidance documents and information as it relates to agriculture during COVID-19 mitigation in Pennsylvania visit agriculture.pa.gov/COVID. For the most accurate, timely information related to Health in Pennsylvania, visit on.pa.gov/coronavirus.