Pennsylvania Mixed Bag: Waterways safety instructor honored – Outdoor News

Harrisburg — Chris Calhoun, Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission lead water rescue instructor, in Butler County, recently was named the 2024 Northern Region Educator of the Year by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators.

The award recognizes Calhoun’s 35 years of commitment to improving safety and training on the state’s waterways.

In addition to his role with the commission, he is a full-time professor and coordinator for the park and recreation management program at Butler County Community College, where he teaches paddling, boating, and water safety.

Shale Gas Drilling Water Use Permits OK’ed

Harrisburg — The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice in the Nov. 23 Pennsylvania Bulletin of approval or renewed for 42 general water use permits for individual shale gas well drilling pads in Bradford, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Lycoming, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming counties.

This brings the total general water permits approved by the commission in 2024 to 274, allowing water use by individual shale gas drilling pads. A separate water withdrawal approval is required by the commission for actually with drawing water from a specific water source for use by shale gas drilling operations.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission so far has issued a total of 23 approvals for shale gas development water withdrawals from specific sources in 2024.

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Md. Lifts Statewide Ban on Outdoor Burning

Annapolis, Md. — Following a review of weather and ground conditions, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently rescinded a statewide ban on open-air burning that was implemented to prevent the spread of wildfires across the state.

Extremely dry conditions that had persisted throughout the year led to an above average number of wildfires statewide in October, leading to the ban. Following recent precipitation and a forecast of continued normal weather patterns for this time of year, the Maryland Forest Service determined the statewide restriction was no longer necessary, effective immediately.

During the burn ban, Maryland Forest Service firefighters and partner agencies responded to 33 fires that burned approximately 48 acres, which is close to double the 10-year average of 13.6 fires for 27 acres during November.

Awards for Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone

Harrisburg — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection recently announced that 10 projects, totaling $402,021, aimed at protecting and restoring the Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone would be funded through grants.

The 112-mile Delaware Estuary coastal zone is in Bucks, Delaware, and Philadelphia counties and encompasses islands, marshes, and other areas in the Delaware Estuary watershed. It is the largest freshwater port in the world.

Coastal zones are areas where land meets the coast and include both coastal waters and adjacent shorelands. Coastal Zone Grants are awarded to projects related to fisheries, wetlands, stormwater management improvements, recreation, public education, coastal hazards such as bluff recession, and other areas.

To see approved projects, go to https://bit.ly/491ZmtS.

Pa. Supreme Court Upholds State Laws Blocking Local Gun Control

Harrisburg — Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court on Nov. 20 upheld the state laws that prevent municipalities from enacting their own laws to regulate firearms, saying in a unanimous decision that the city of Philadelphia and advocates against gun violence failed to show the laws are unconstitutional.

The ruling ends a lawsuit by Philadelphia, anti-gun violence group CeaseFirePA and Black and Hispanic residents of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh who have been directly impacted by the deaths of family members and others by gunfire. It named as defendants the former Republican speaker and majority leaders in the General Assembly. Current Republican leaders in the Senate and leaders in the now-Democratic majority in the House have been substituted as defendants.

The lawsuit challenged the constitutionality of the state’s 50-yearold firearms preemption laws that give the General Assembly sole authority to regulate the sale, possession and use of guns throughout Pennsylvania.

DCNR Speeds up Permit Review Times

Harrisburg — Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced significant reductions in processing times across key environmental permit review areas on Nov. 22, streamlining government action.

This year, DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry made notable improvements in processing times, Dunn said. For example, environmental permit reviews for rare or threatened species are now processed in an average of 10 days, a 67% reduction from the 30-day average previously, she noted.

Also, processing times for northcentral regional ATV trail permits have been reduced to an average of three days, down from 14 days, a nearly 80% improvement, Dunn pointed out.

And DCNR’s Ecological Services Division has reduced the processing time for ginseng collector certifications to one day, down from five days, according to Dunn.

Source: https://www.outdoornews.com/2024/12/02/pennsylvania-mixed-bag-waterways-safety-instructor-honored/