Newly formed Office of Outdoor Recreation provides 'seat at the table'

Sep. 16—WILKES-BARRE — Praise continues to pour in following Gov. Josh Shapiro's recent announcement of a newly formed Office of Outdoor Recreation, which is building on the Shapiro Administration's commitment to making state government more accessible and effective for all Pennsylvanians.

One stakeholder praised the office as giving "people involved in outdoor recreation a seat at the table in state government," in a recent news article.

The bipartisan budget Gov. Shapiro signed into law invests $112 million to improve state parks and forests, spur economic growth in the outdoor recreation industry, and make Pennsylvania the largest state to open an Office of Outdoor Recreation.

"I see us being able to really tap into understanding how we can advance our recreation because now, there's somebody really attentive to that at the state level," another stakeholder said.

This newly formed office will be focused on growing the state's outdoor sector, which adds $14 billion to Pennsylvania's economy and accounts for 152,000 jobs.

The Office will coordinate efforts with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the departments of Community and Economic Development and Health, PennDOT, and others, to create a cohesive strategy for the growth and expansion of the outdoor sector.

Interior Department announces more than

$40.6M for to conserve most imperiled species

The U.S. Department of the Interior this week announced more than $40.6 million in grants through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to 10 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands to support land acquisition and conservation planning projects on over 7,200 acres of habitat for 65 listed and at-risk species through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF).

The grants help support the Biden-Harris administration's America the Beautiful initiative, and will be matched by more than $17.6 million in partner funds.

"This funding announcement is another way in which we are honoring our promise to conserve and restore America's lands and waters for the benefit of all," said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. "I appreciate the Service's continued efforts to work hand in hand with states and private landowners to connect people with nature and conserve fish, wildlife and their habitats."

"The Endangered Species Act continues to make a difference with funding through grants to state and territorial fish and wildlife agencies and their partners in the conservation of our nation's most imperiled species and their habitats," said Service Director Martha Williams.

The announcement comes as the Department honors the ESA's 50th anniversary. Throughout the year, the Department is celebrating the ESA's importance in preventing imperiled species extinction, promoting the recovery of wildlife and conserving the habitats upon which they depend.

The ESA has been highly effective and credited with saving 99% of listed species from extinction. Thus far, more than 100 species of plants and animals have been delisted based on recovery or reclassified from endangered to threatened based on improved conservation status, and hundreds more species are stable or improving thanks to the collaborative actions of federal agencies; Tribal, state and local governments; conservation organizations and private citizens.

The Service also approved more than $3.9 million in grant awards to five states under the Conservation Planning Assistance Grant Program.

Eligible activities include document preparation, public outreach, baseline species surveys, habitat assessments, inventories and environmental compliance.

This year's awards will support six conservation planning efforts covering 39 listed, candidate and at-risk species.

Sens. Fetterman, Casey pushing for

changes to Safer Communities Act

Pennsylvania U.S. Senators John Fetterman and Bob Casey, along with over a dozen bipartisan Senate colleagues, this week sent a letter to Senate Appropriators requesting clarifying language to address the Department of Education's interpretation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act as it relates to archery and hunter safety education.

Currently, the law is being interpreted in a way that prevents schools from using certain federal funding to provide hunter safety education and archery classes in schools across the country.

"It's clear that we need to revisit this regulation to provide better guidance to schools across Pennsylvania," Fetterman said. "Hunting is one of the commonwealth's most important traditions, and it's clear that our schools need to be able to provide hunter safety education classes. I was proud to join with my colleagues in sending this letter to push for changes to this ruling."

Casey added, "Hunting is one of Pennsylvania's longest and proudest traditions. School archery and hunting education programs are essential to families who pass their traditions of hunting white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and more down from generation to generation. I'm pushing back against the Biden Administration's misguided decision and I'm working to protect funding for this educational programming and preserve the Commonwealth's hunting culture."

Last June, Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), common-sense legislation to protect America's children, keep our schools safe, increase mental health supports, and reduce the threat of violence across our country.

The Department of Education has interpreted part of this legislation to prohibit schools from using their federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act funding to provide hunter safety education and archery classes.

Pa. secures $100M to help those

impacted by environmental damages

The Shapiro Administration has secured $100 million through a consent agreement with the Monsanto Company, Solutia INC., and Pharmacia LLC, to resolve claims related to their production of products containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which damaged waterways and other natural resources across Pennsylvania.

PCBs, which Congress banned in 1979, are a group of man-made organic chemicals consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine atoms. PCBs have no known taste or smell, and range in consistency from an oil to a waxy solid.

PCBs can accumulate in the leaves and above-ground parts of plants and food crops. They are also taken up into the bodies of small organisms and fish. As a result, people who ingest fish may be exposed to PCBs that have bioaccumulated in the fish they are ingesting.

"The Department has spent years protecting Pennsylvanians from PCBs," said DEP Secretary Rich Negrin. "By securing this settlement, DEP is holding Monsanto accountable for what it did to Pennsylvania's water and making sure that Monsanto is paying for the work the Commonwealth has done to keep its water clean. This agreement demonstrates our commitment to protecting the rights and resources of all Pennsylvanians."

The $100 million settlement recovers costs that the Commonwealth has incurred because of PCB contamination and will be used for further remediation efforts.

Under the agreement, $8 million will be used specifically for the communities impacted by the spread of PCBs. That fund will be invested consistent with the Administration's commitment to promoting environmental justice across the Commonwealth.

The remaining funds will be allocated amongst the agencies that have been responsible for helping to combat PCB pollution in Pennsylvania, including the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and Pennsylvania Game Commission (PFBC).

"For decades, PCB pollution has contaminated fish in our waterways, disrupted recreational opportunities, and impaired a valuable food source for millions of Pennsylvanians," said Tim Schaeffer, PFBC Executive Director. "On behalf of the anglers of Pennsylvania, we are proud to join our partner agencies in securing this settlement as we work to protect our cherished aquatic resources."

For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, please visit the website or follow DEP on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

Pa. Game Commission

meeting highlights

—The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners added substantially to the state game lands system.

The Game Commission acquired one-half interest in the subsurface oil, gas, and mineral rights to roughly 15,000 acres in and under State Game Lands 57 in Wyoming County. Funding comes from the Game Fund. This gives the Game Commission greater control over any possible future extractive efforts that might impact the unique habitat on the game lands.

The board also approved non-surface use oil and gas cooperative agreements for a total of about 3,818 acres of State Game Lands 57 in North Branch Township, Wyoming County. Those are covered by two agreements, one involving 2,885 acres and the other 607 acres.

—"Ice-eaters," which disturb water to melt ice and prevent ice formation, are popular among waterfowl hunters in states that allow their use — and Pennsylvania might be next.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners gave preliminary approval to a measure that would add "ice-eaters" to the list of approved electronic hunting devices. The measure is scheduled to be brought back to the January meeting for a final vote.

Electronic devices generally are prohibited for hunting in Pennsylvania. Over the years, however, several devices have been reviewed by the Game Commission and authorized for hunting use.

When considering electronic devices, the Game Commission reviews to what degree their use might negatively impact the principles of resource conservation, equal opportunity, fair chase and public safety. The Game Commission has determined "ice-eater" use would have insignificant impacts on any of those principles.

—When deputy state game wardens find individuals in possession of controlled substances or drug paraphernalia on state game lands, they can file the appropriate charges.

But on properties enrolled in the Hunter Access Program — private lands where the Game Commission works with landowners to allow public hunting — deputies don't have the same authority to enforce drug violations. Instead, a deputy must request assistance from a state game warden or police, and when those options aren't available in a timely fashion, the violations might go unaddressed.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners took a step to change that, giving preliminary approval to a regulation that extends the drug-enforcement authority deputies now have on game lands to Hunter Access properties, too. The measure is slated to be brought back to the January meeting for a final vote.

State game wardens and deputies report they are encountering more drug violations on Hunter Access properties than ever before.

Back Woods Bass Results

Bob Strunk reports results from the Back Woods Bass Harveys Lake Wednesday night Lunker Tournament, the Back Woods Bass Harveys Lake Friday Night Tournament and the Monday Night River Tournament.

Week of Sept. 11

Harveys Lake Wednesday

Night Lunker League

1st Place: Travis Sciandra, 5.08 lbs.

2nd Place: Andrew Judge, 4.19 lbs.

3rd Place: Justin Kubilus, 3.51 lbs.

4th Place: Jimmy Roberts, 3.32 lbs.

5th Place: Jake Rolands, 3.24 lbs.

6th Place: Chuck Peterman, 3.06 lbs.

7th Place: Gary Mikulski, 2.94 lbs.

8th Place: Harlow Rolands, 2.77 lbs.

9th Place: Chris Kalna, 2.73 lbs.

Harveys Lake Friday

Night Tournament

1st Place: John & Evan Stravinski, 15.43 lbs.

2nd Place: Joe Zombek/Mike Bawnweg, 13.40 lbs.

3rd Place: Randy Ritsick & Chris, 10.78 lbs.

Also won Lunker Award, 4.73 lbs.

4th Place: Silas Farrow, 9.66 lbs.

5th Place: Gary & Aaron Hayman, 9.47 lbs.

6th Place: Bob Strunk/Bruce Bonham, 8.38 lbs.

7th Place: Kevin/Jake Seymour, 8.36 lbs.

8th Place: Chuck Peterman/Rob Vales, 8.07 lbs.

9th Place: Dennis Knecht & Eric, 7.21 lbs.

10th Place: Travis Sciandra/Gary Collins, 6.70 lbs.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle