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 Delaware River Basin The DRBC has scheduled a special meeting on Nov 21, 2011 to consider adoption of the regulations. This meeting, open to the public, will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive, in Trenton, N.J.
The purpose of the proposed regulations is to protect the water resources of the Delaware River Basin during the development and operation of natural gas projects. The commission received approximately 69,000 submissions on the draft natural gas development regulations that were originally published on December 9, 2010.
The DRBC is a federal/interstate government agency responsible for managing the water resources within the 13,539 square-mile Delaware River Basin. The five commission members are the governors of the basin states (Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) and the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ North Atlantic Division, who represents the federal government.
On November 21st the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) will vote to approve a plan that will allow for 20,000 or more fracked gas wells in the Delaware River Basin.
Below is an excerpt from http://savethedelaware.wordpress.com/.
THE CRUCIAL VOTE:
The DRBC is an interstate body with five voting members, the Governors of New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey and the Obama Administration as represented by the Army Corps of Engineers. Three out of five votes will either pass or reject the plan to frack the Delaware River.
It seems clear that the Governors of New Jersey and Pennsylvania will vote to allow fracking on a huge scale in the River Basin, which is why we need all three remaining votes in order to prevail.
Not only is the Delaware River the source of drinking water for 16 million people (or 5% of Americans), it is a designated Wild and Scenic river, a tourist destination for 5.4 million people a year and a national treasure. The proposed plan to frack the Delaware would forever industrialize and contaminate this precious and currently pristine watershed. We can work together now to protect our water.
Two things you can do:
1) Make calls. 2) Come in a protest effort on November 21st.
MAKE CALLS RIGHT NOW:
Call the Army Corps of Engineers to urge them to vote no fracking in the Delaware River Basin. Tell them you will hold President Obama accountable for the vote and make it clear that you know that it is his decision. 703 697 4672 Leave a message for Jo Ellen Darcy, Obama’s rep on the DRBC
Call Governor Jack Markell of Delaware. Delaware has been sitting on the fence on fracking. We need them clearly and unequivocally voting no. Tell him to vote no fracking on the upcoming DRBC vote. 302-577-3210
Call Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York. Tell him to oppose fracking in the Delaware River Basin watershed, just as he has in the New York city and Syracuse watersheds. 518-474-8390
PROTEST on NOVEMBER 21st in Trenton, N.J.
When: November 21, 8 am
Where: Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive Trenton, N.J.
For more information go to savethedelawareriver.com or visit delawareriverkeeper.org
Click here to learn more about Food Day
The summer tomato season is sadly over but there are so many wonderful foods still to come at your local farmer’s market. Autumn is a bountiful season with apples, pears, greens, squash, cabbage, broccoli and so much more. To find a market near you visit Local Harvest.
Enjoy your weekend and celebrate this bountiful and giving planet that sustains us! Take a walk. Ride your bike. Plant a native tree. Plant a garden. Recycle.Take a resuable bag shopping at a locally owned store or market. Have fun, celebrate life while being mindful of your impact and contribution to this earth.
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” John Muir
 Local Communities Commit to Green
The Delaware Valley has a lot to be proud of with many local municipalities making changes towards sustainable energy solutions.
Abington Township is planning an energy audit. The PA Department of Energy awarded $36 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support energy efficiency and conservation projects in Pennsylvania communities. Abington Township is slotted to receive over $500,000 which they plan to use for an extensive energy audit to determine the most imp active sustainable improvements. Abington already does a great job with its strong recycling and compost programs that divert 57% of township waste from landfills.
Cheltenham Township also received some of the federal grant money in which they plan to invest in efficient mechanical and lighting systems at the municipal buildings. Cheltenham is considering a Transition Town designation also.
Delaware County was awarded nearly $3.7 million to complete several projects that will improve energy efficiency and expand renewable energy use in the county. Among its projects, the county plans to install a photovoltaic solar power generation system at the Government Center Complex in Media, PA. This system will decrease the burden on the local utility and is intended to be a model project, spurring regional interest in alternative energy. Once implemented, it will be the largest public solar energy project in the area. Recovery Act funding will also be used to establish a grant program for municipalities within Delaware County that have requested assistance for energy efficiency projects.
Media became the first Transition Town (TT) in Pennsylvania. In Media, a Transition Towns designation means that scores of conscientious citizens who live in and around the borough have committed themselves to trying to meet more of their needs locally so that they use fewer resources, especially oil and other carboniferous sources of energy. Besides its active and influential Environmental Advisory Council, the borough was cited by the Sustainable Development Fund for committing to buy at least 20 percent of its energy from clean and alternative sources by this year and encouraging at least 7 percent of residents to do the same. Several other communities in the region are considering TT status. To learn more about the Transition Town program, visit http://transitionus.org/
There are many local groups in the Delaware Valley working to create more sustainable communities. Does your municipality have an Environmental Advisory Council? Act 177 of 1996 authorized municipalities to establish these councils which are comprised of a group of residents appointed by local elected officials that advise on protection and conservation. For more information on EAC’s visit http://eacnetwork.wordpress.com/.
If your local does not have an EAC, perhaps there is another group working to promote sustainability in your area. Groups like Wissahickon Growing Greener in the Whitpain/Blue Bell area, Sustainable Springfield, GreenPV (Perkiomen Valley) organized in the Collegeville/Limerick/Schwenksville area, Penn Wynne Green on the Main Line all provide great local resources to help citizens create greener communities.
There are also organizations for businesses like the Sustainable Business Network of Philadelphia.
Congratulations to the Delaware Valley for making energy efficiency and sustainability a priority. If I missed any group, please comment to let everyone know of them.
April 22, 2010 marks the fortieth anniversary of Earth Day. Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day, was a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin. He proposed the first national environmental protest in 1970 “to shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda.” On April 22, 1970 twenty million Americans took to the streets, parks and halls to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment.
Whether you are a fervent protester, committed recycler or unsure where to begin, the fact is keeping our communities and this planet clean by living sustainably is vital to our health and well being today and for future generations. While Earth Day made this issue a national political agenda item, the need for clean water, healthy air and soil is not partisan…it’s human.
Get out and enjoy spring. There a many activities to celebrate Earth Day beginning this weekend. To find events near you, visit Earthday.net
Feel free to post back and let us know what you did to celebrate. We love to hear from you.
 Earlier this month, Philadelphia Mayor Nutter presented his budget proposal to city counsel which included a $300 annual trash fee per household. Other local municipalities, like Norristown, recently announced a trash hauling fee as well.
In our busy lives it’s easy to put the trash out on the curb and forget about it. Don’t get me wrong, I have at times been a big fan of the ignorance is bliss philosophy. When it comes to the challenge of trash, there are serious consequences that are not only affecting us now but will compound for our children and future generations.
From our curbs trash goes to landfills some of which are in our neighborhoods and in some cases, trash is hauled around the world on barges spilling into our oceans along the way.
I recently spoke with a resident of Norristown who was outraged that the borough would add expenses to struggling families in these economic times. I listened and empathize with the financial burden on so many American families today and agree with my N-town neighbor…garbage costs.
- It costs us all financially whether you pay a hauler yourself or pay a tax or fee to your local government.
- It costs us in land as this trash must be “stored” somewhere. Currently we fill and close one landfill a year in the U.S.
- It costs our health as these garbage “storage” facilities can and have polluted groundwater and air. Landfill leachates rank as some of the most frequently recorded pollutants. Emissions from landfills produce smog causing respiratory problems like asthma.
- It costs us environmentally by contaminating soil and producing powerful green house gas. Decomposition in landfills can create methane gas.
In other cities in other parts of the world trash is handled quite differently it is common to pay to have your waste removed and the more garbage you produce the more you pay. The incentive to produce less waste of is real and monetary. Perhaps this model, would work well in U.S. cities.
There have been some brave experiments like that of “No Impact Man” and his family in New York City who spent a year of their lives working towards producing no trash. To find our more about his project visit Colin Beavan’s blog.
The really good news is that we can make small changes which will help these waste woes. Here are a few easy tips that will make a difference!
- Minimum Packaging – try to buy items with the least amount of packaging
- Preferred Packaging – if you buy packaged goods and we all do choose those packaged in recyclable materials like aluminum, paper and plastics #1 and #2
- Bring your own bags – millions of plastic bags are thrown away annually.
- Avoid disposables – Here are some tips that can really save you money. Cloth napkins instead of paper, Rags instead of paper towels, Stainless steel lunch containers and water bottles.
- Donate or Freecycle.org – Don’t throw out items that still have some life left in them. Someone else can benefit.
- Recycle – Every item that can be recycled or repurposed stays out of the land fill.
I have touched on a few happenings in the world of trash. If you have ideas about garbage, let me know.
 The Department of Housing and Urban Development has created an office of sustainable housing that will work on improving energy-efficient homes and financing for those homes. The new Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities will also work with city, county and rural governments to locate housing near jobs, schools and transportation. To promote sustainability, OSHC will use a $50 million fund to invest in energy-efficient homes and buildings in order to “lay the groundwork for the clean energy economy,” HUD said. As part of that effort, the office wants to improve on HUD’s energy efficient mortgage products and other energy retro financing options. Shelly Poticha is the director of OSHC. “Through our new Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, we will begin to tie the quality and location of housing to broader opportunities such as access to good jobs, quality schools and safe streets,” said HUD secretary Shaun Donovan.
There are so many tax credits to take advantage of right now if you own a home or want to. Here we have compiled a summary to help you take full advantage. 
FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER
Amount of Credit: $8,000
You qualify if …
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You never owned a home
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You have not owned a home in the past 3 years
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You earned less than $125,000, or $225,000 for joint filers. (Those with MAGI between $125,000 and $145,000, or $225,000 and $245,000 for joint filers, are eligible for a reduced credit.)
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You settle on your new home before June 30, 2010.
HOMEOWNER’S BUYING A NEW PRINIPAL HOME
Amount of Credit: $6,500
You qualify if…
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You lived in your last home for 5 of the last 8 years.
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You must not have a lapse in homeownership.
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You earned less than $125,000, or $225,000 for joint filers. (Those with MAGI between $125,000 and $145,000, or $225,000 and $245,000 for joint filers, are eligible for a reduced credit.)
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You settle on your new home before June 30, 2010.
How do you file for the homebuyers tax credits? Form 5405
For more detailed information consult your tax adviser and visit www.irs.gov
HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
Amount of Credit – $1,500 (Some project offer higher credits. See below.)
Projects that qualify include…
All improvements must meet certain Energy Star criteria and be placed in service from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010.
Improvements must be for taxpayer’s principal residence, EXCEPT for geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, solar panels, and small wind energy systems where second homes and rentals qualify.
The maximum amount that can be claimed for all products placed in service in 2009 & 2010 for most home improvements is $1,500, EXCEPT for geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, solar panels, fuel cells, and small wind energy systems which are not subject to this cap, and are in effect through 2016.
To qualify you must have a signed statement from the manufacturer certifying that the product qualifies for the tax credit. Many manufacturers provide these Certifications on their website. Be sure the product you are buying has the Manufacturer’s Certification and keep a copy for your records.
Improvements made in 2009 will be claimed on your 2009 taxes filed by April 15, 2010 on IRS Tax Form 5695 (2009 version). If you are building a new home, you can qualify for the tax credit for geothermal heat pumps, photovoltaics, solar water heaters, small wind energy systems and fuel cells, but not the tax credits for windows, doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC, or non-solar water heaters.
For more detailed information consult your tax adviser and visit http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits
 Are you holiday’d out? Had enough egg nog, parties, and cookies? Ready for a bit of hibernation? Before you can put on your slippers and flannels you must deconstruct your holiday décor. Here are some Sensibly Green tips
TREECYCLE your live tree!
What does your trash service do with the trees they pick up? Most trash haulers offer a Christmas tree pick up and take your tree to the landfill. I called five of the regional haulers and all of them deposit trees in landfills including J.P Mascaro & Sons and Allied Waste Services (formerly BFI, now Republic).
The good news is that many municipalities offer tree drop off days. To find a center that accepts and turns holiday tree into compost go to http://www.earth911.com
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