Pennsylvania, U.S.A. – Governor Tom Corbett joined officials on September 11 at the U.S. Army War College in Cumberland County to remember those who died in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, as well as all those who have sacrificed their lives in war in the past 11 years.

“We have shown the world that there is no compromise in our determination to remain a nation of free people, safe in our homes, and entitled to the liberties inscribed by our founders,” Corbett said.

“Today, our men and women in uniform continue that tradition. We are here today to honor their sacrifice,” Corbett said. “Each of them, those who came home to us, those we lost, stood guard over the American Dream.”

The ceremony, led by U.S. Army War College Commandant Maj. General Anthony A. Cucolo III, honors military men and women, as well as police officers, firefighters, and civilians who were killed in the terrorist attacks, as well as all those who have since died in protection of our nation.

Among the nearly 3,000 people who died on Sept. 11, 2001, were three alumni of the U.S. Army War College. Three more alumni were killed in combat operations.

The war college is the Army’s most senior military educational institution, training officers in leadership, strategy and international operations.

“The best monument we can build to the brave men and women who stood sentinel is to protect the values and liberties for which they gave their last full measure,” Corbett said.

U.S. and state flags were flying at half-staff in observance of Patriot Day.

Image Courtesy of   Governor Tom Corbett

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Harrisburg, U.S.A. — The Department of Environmental Protection have announced it will not enforce a requirement for new gas stations to install costly vapor recovery systems.

Current regulations require facilities in southeast and southwest Pennsylvania to maintain vapor recovery systems, which are attached to gas pump nozzles to siphon off fumes while pumping gasoline.

A notice regarding the issue has been submitted for publication in this week’s Pennsylvania Bulletin.

“These so-called Stage II vapor recovery systems must still be operated and maintained at existing facilities until further notice,” DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. “We will, however, use our discretion to not enforce these requirements for any new gas station in the greater Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas because the diminishing benefits do not justify the cost of installing new systems.”

There are also gas stations in the southeast and southwest regions of the state that could become subject to the rules for the first time because of an increase in their business. Krancer explained that DEP will use the same discretion to not enforce the mandate for those stations.

Vapor recovery systems are required for about 1,600 gasoline-dispensing facilities in Allegheny,Armstrong, Beaver, Bucks, Butler, Chester, Delaware, Fayette, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

On July 5, Governor Tom Corbett signed into law Act 135. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Elder Vogel (R-47), amended the Air Pollution Control Act to direct DEP to review its current compliance strategy of utilizing low Reid Vapor Pressure gasoline during the summer ozone season to comply with federal ozone air quality standards. The law also directs DEP to seek waivers from this requirement in the event of a fuel supply disruption.

Because recent models of most vehicles include vapor recovery technology in the cars and trucks themselves, EPA is allowing states that can demonstrate widespread fleet turnover to remove from their State Implementation Plans Stage II vapor recovery requirements for gasoline-dispensing facilities once state regulations are repealed.

EPA issued guidance on August 7 that will help DEP determine what, if any, additional requirementsPennsylvania will need to implement in order to repeal the Stage II requirements and revise its State Implementation Plan.

“Gas station owners should note that DEP’s enforcement discretion does not protect an owner or operator from potential legal challenges by third parties,” Krancer said.

Image Courtesy of  harry_nl

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Harrisburg, U.S.A. – Governor Tom Corbett announced on July 18 the investment of $87 million in 18 non-point source, drinking water, and wastewater projects in 18 counties through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST).

“The projects funded at today’s PENNVEST meeting will bring both environmental improvements and much needed new jobs to areas all across our state,” Corbett said. “This funding is an investment in the future health of our citizens and our economy, both of which are of critical importance to me and my administration.”

Of the $87 million total, $77 million is for low-interest loans and $10 million is offered as grants.

The awards range from a $131,000 grant to eliminate nutrient discharges from a stream in Lancaster County and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay to a $17.7 million loan/grant combination for a project in Lycoming County to eliminate the discharge of waste from on-lot septic systems into publicly accessible areas.

The funding comes from a combination of state funds approved by voters, federal grants to PENNVEST from the Environmental Protection Agency and recycled loan repayments from previous PENNVEST funding awards. Funds for the projects are disbursed after bills for work are paid and receipts are submitted to PENNVEST.

PENNVEST drinking water projects:

Armstrong and Clarion counties

Redbank Valley Municipal Authority received a $346,000 loan to install alternate power source facilities in order to eliminate power fluctuations to the treatment plant that compromise the plant’s ability to effectively operate and assure healthy water quality.

Carbon, Luzerne and Schuylkill counties

Hazelton City Authority received a $5,917,075 loan to replace approximately 15,260 household water meters that will allow the authority to reduce water losses by quickly detecting leaks in the system.

Fayette, Greene and Washington counties

Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority received an $8,660,300 loan to upgrade and expand the authority’s Tin Can Hollow water treatment plant, including new filters, pumps and other facilities that will ensure a safe and reliable source of water both for household consumption and fire protection.

Potter County

Galeton Borough Authority received a $520,127 loan to breach two impoundment dams and replace them with stream channel infiltration facilities that are not only less expensive to maintain but also provide increased water availability, particularly during low-flow conditions.

Somerset County

Jefferson Township Water and Sewer Authority received a $768,111 loan and a $550,889 grant to construct approximately five miles of water distribution lines and a new water storage tank to eliminate the use of contaminated drinking water wells in the village of Bakerstown.

Washington County

Pennsylvania American Water Company received a $2,250,000 loan to construct over six miles of water distribution lines and a booster pump station to serve various areas of the county where over 50 percent of the private drinking water wells are contaminated with coliform bacteria.

PENNVEST Wastewater Projects

Armstrong County

West Hills Area Water Pollution Control Authority received a $10,435,500 loan new sewage collection lines and a pump station to serve areas of East Franklin Township and Buffalo Township where malfunctioning on-lot systems and wildcat sewers are discharging raw sewage into Glade Run and a tributary of the Allegheny River.

Beaver County

Rochester Borough Sewer and Maintenance Authority received a $1,147,283 loan and a $1,379,717 grant install more than a mile of new sanitary and storm sewers to eliminate the wet weather discharge of untreated sewage into McKinley Run, Beaver Run and the Ohio River.

Butler County

Buffalo Township Municipal Authority received a $1,560,670 loan to expand the authority’s treatment plant and upgrade a pumping station to eliminate overloading of the plant and to accommodate additional wastewater flows, particularly from local businesses that will expand their operations as a result of this project and thereby create 90 new full-time jobs.

Cambria County

• Johnstown City received a $10,898,000 loan to install almost seven miles of new collection sewers to eliminate wet weather overflows of untreated sewage into Stony Creek.
• Johnstown Redevelopment Authority received a $9,052,570 loan to construct more than three miles of replacement interceptor sewers to eliminate wet weather overflows into the Conemaugh River.

Lycoming County

Tiadaghton Valley Municipal Authority received a $14,146,008 loan and a $3,717,312 grant to construct a new wastewater treatment plant, eight miles of new collection sewers and a pump station to eliminate the use of malfunctioning on-lot septic systems that are discharging inadequately treated waste into publicly accessible areas and also to meet nutrient discharge limits required under the Chesapeake Bay initiative.

McKean County

Hamlin Township received a $2,424,173 loan and a $2,383,827 grant to construct more than seven miles of sewage collection lines to eliminate the use of malfunctioning on-lot septic systems that are discharging inadequately treated sewage into local streams. The project will also allow businesses to expand and create 50 new jobs in the area.

Mifflin County

Burnham Borough Authority received an $8,679,268 loan and a $1,492,732 grant to construct a new treatment plant and replace combined sewer facilities in order to eliminate excess nutrient discharges into the Chesapeake Bay watershed as well as allow for local business expansions that will create 91 new full-time jobs.

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Pennsylvania, U.S.A. — Governor Tom Corbett signed on June 30th the 2012-13 budget, strengthening the state’s economy and education system, while continuing his commitment not to increase taxes for the citizens of Pennsylvania.

The $27.66 billion budget was signed on time for the second consecutive year.

“Our taxpayers deserve government that works for them,” Corbett said. “Today we re-affirm our commitment to job growth, to education, to the needy and to the taxpayers.”

“While times are still difficult and we wish we had more to spend, our revenues have improved, allowing us to increase funding to some important areas of our final budget.”

Along with the budget, the legislature agreed to adopt several of Corbett’s major initiatives such as improvements to the criminal justice system, an education reform package, and eliminating the agriculture inheritance tax.

This budget also continues the phase-out of the Capital Stock and Franchise tax and guarantees critical tax credit incentives for companies committed to bringing business and jobs to Pennsylvania.

Corbett was able to increase spending from his originally proposed budget because state revenues have increased in recent months, a result of following the course of reform, restraint and responsibility.

This year’s state budget positions Pennsylvania for a structurally sound financial future. However, Corbett urged caution because even with progress, there is still concern for the future with impending pension cost increases, rising debt service costs and medical cost increases.

Highlights of the 2012-13 budget include:

Education

• This budget restores, or in some cases, increases funding for early, basic and higher education, for a total of $11.35 billion. State-related and state system universities will receive $1.58 billion, the same amount of funding as last year.
• Funding for school districts is increased over last year and the Accountability Block Grant is funded at $100 million, supporting full-day kindergarten in many school districts.
• The current educator evaluation system, which has been unchanged for more than 40 years, will undergo across-the-board reforms, based in part upon multiple measures of student achievement.
• Expansion of the state’s successful Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, which uses business donations to provide scholarships to low- and moderate-income students in exchange for a tax credit.

Economic Growth

• Long-term tax incentives for companies committed to bringing business and jobs to Pennsylvania. Companies can earn tax credits over a span of 25 years proportional to the industry’s activity in the state.
• For example, Shell Chemical announced in March that it was considering building a petrochemical complex in Beaver County, which would turn by-products of natural gas to ethylene. Ethylene is used to produce a variety of items from tires to toys, food packaging to footwear.
• In April, Delta Air Lines’ wholly-owned subsidiary, Monroe Energy LLC, acquired a Delaware Countyrefinery, preserving hundreds of direct jobs and thousands of jobs in related industries. To make this possible, Delta received a grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development, contingent upon the company investing at least $350 million at the project site and employing at least 402 full-time workers on-site for at least five years.
• Creating programs that will support employers and workers, such as JOBSFirst PA, which invests in small and large businesses, offering initiatives to cultivate and create new industries and jobs.
• Providing employer-driven, on-the-job training opportunities for unemployed workers through a new program called Keystone Works. This program will allow jobless Pennsylvanians to keep receiving unemployment benefits while being retrained and helps employers identify the best candidates before they hire.

Taxes

• Continuing the effort to eliminate the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax.
• Elimination of the Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax for farming families, previously levied when property was transferred from one generation to the next or between family members. The law goes into effect immediately.

Human Services

• The Human Services Block Grant pilot program, including up to 20 counties, will combine several funding appropriations such as child welfare, mental health, drug and alcohol, into one. Not only will this allow counties greater discretion in spending the money, but also streamlines reporting requirements into one, unified document. The program will allow for more personalized services to those in need while providing the flexibility counties need to provide services during times of reduced funding.
• Foster children will receive support until the age of 21. Previously, foster care ended at the age of 18, removing the children from a support system during a critical period in their lives.
• The budget increases funding for state programs for people with intellectual disabilities, addressing vulnerable populations currently on the waiting list.
• Healthcare providers for those in need, including nursing homes and hospitals, will receive full funding in this budget.

Cost Containment

• Provides for the merger of the Department of Banking and the Securities Commission, realizing $1 million in savings.
• Improves the criminal justice system with the adoption of Justice Reinvestment Initiative legislation, which will help save the state hundreds of millions of dollars by making prisons and parole more effective and efficient.
• Enables the Department of Environmental Protection to rely less on taxpayer dollars and more on accurate cost-accounting from funds supported by fines and permit fees.
• Makes the Department of Environmental Protection more efficient. With the same number of inspectors, the Department of Environmental Protection conducted twice as many oil and gas site inspections in 2011 versus 2010.
• Reduces expenditures for employee travel by more than $2 million. Through a collaborative effort by the Office of Administration, Office of the Budget and Department of General Services, policies were reformed in January 2012 for the reimbursement of travel expenses and requiring employees to use the most cost-effective means of vehicle travel.
• Trims costs in the Office of Administration by $2.9 million without impacting productivity and sustainability.
• Consolidates the Bureau of PENNSAFE, resulting in savings of nearly $1 million a year. This is an example of the governor’s commitment to streamlining government and making operations more efficient and effective.

Image Courtesy of  Tom Corbett

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