Pennsylvania Lake Erie Environmental Forum
Lake Erie and the surrounding watershed play a significant role in the economic vitality, cultural heritage, and overall environmental health of Erie County and the surrounding region.Recognizing this, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection organized the Pennsylvania Lake Erie Environmental Forum (PA LEEF), as a way to provide related environmental and regional information to the public - and to also engage citizens in the process of environmental protection by providing the public with the opportunity to share local insights, information, and opinion.
The forums are open to the public, and feature topics like water quality, stormwater, scientific studies and research, policy issues, energy, agriculture, tributary and watershed updates, and larger-scale policies affecting all of the Great Lakes. Details about upcoming and past forums are highlighted on this page.
For more information, contact Marti Martz
UPCOMING MEETING DETAILS
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
1:00 to 4:00 PM
ARCHIVED MEETING DETAILS
March 2018 Agenda
This first meeting of 2018 provided updates on the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, and presentations on clean water infrastructure and asset management and inter-governmental cooperation.
Presentations:
• Asset Management & Inter-governmental Cooperation in Pennsylvania
Presented by Christine Weigle, Executive Director Lycoming County Water & Sewer Authority
• Joint Action Plan for Clean Water Infrastructure and Services in the Great Lakes Region
A product of the Great Lakes Commission Clean Water Infrastructure and Services Working Group Presented by Victoria Pebbles, Program Director
PA DEP Updates:
• Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Update
Presented by Tim Bruno, Chief, Great Lakes Office, PA Department of Environmental Protection
April 18, 2016 Agenda I Summary I Attendee list
The initial meeting of PA LEEF covered a broad set of topics such as water diversion in the Great Lakes; how commissions and organizations Pennsylvania DEP is involved with address environmental issues; how Pennsylvania utilizes funding it receives from federal and state sources; new methods of online interaction with spatial data; projects that evaluate and monitor erosion along Pennsylvania’s shorelines; monitoring of the health of Lake Erie, and current nutrient reduction actions.
- An Introduction to Coastal Science in Pennsylvania- Jake Moore, PA DEP
- Assessing Pennsylvania's Lake Tributaries- Nate Irwin, PA DEP
- Great Lakes Governance: Compacts and Commissions- Tim Bruno, PA DEP
- Great Lakes Integrated Services: Gathering Information, and Maximizing Data and Web Access- Sean Rafferty, Pennsylvania Sea Grant
- The Dead Zone, or... The Role of Nutrients in the Cultural Eutrophication of Lake Erie- Jim Grazio, PA DEP
September 19, 2016 Agenda I Summary I Attendee list
Status of current drafts of the Pennsylvania Domestic Action Plan to meet Lake Erie phosphorus reduction targets and timelines for implementation. The Special Focus topic will be stormwater management and the roles municipalities play in protecting Lake Erie water quality. Presentations will introduce new methods available to municipalities to sustainably fund stormwater management responsibilities and infrastructure.
- Great Lakes Roundup- Tim Bruno, PA DEP
- Great Lakes Biology Updates- Jim Grazio, PA DEP
- Stormwater Fees? Why and How to Get Started- Steven R. Halmi, P.E., Deiss & Halmi Engineering, Inc.
- Pennsylvania Lake Erie Environmental Forum Meeting- Timothy S. Wachter, Esq., Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett, P.C.
December 12, 2016 AgendaI Summary I Attendee list
This third meeting of PA LEEF covered a broad set of topics such as updates on the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement; the Great Lakes Basin Compact and Agreement; the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Pennsylvania State Water Plan. In addition, DEP staff highlighted upcoming grant opportunities and discussed the Pennsylvania Phosphorous Reduction Domestic Action Plan.
- Great Lakes Roundup- Tim Bruno, PA DEP
- PA VinES~ Sustainable Viticulture Practices for Concord and Niagara Production in the Lake Erie Region- Andy Muza, Penn State Extension
- VinES program- Working with Grape Growers in the Lake Erie Watershed- Tom McClure, Erie County Conservation District
- Energy from AG and Food Processing Waste- Tom Wilson, PE, Wilson Engineering Services, PC
April 24, 2017 Agenda / Summary
A number of updates were covered including Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement; Great Lakes Basin Compact Agreement; Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Update; and the State Water Plan update.
- Great Lakes Roundup - Tim Bruno, PA DEP
- 2017 E.coli Bacteria & Harmful Algae Bloom Monitoring - Amber Stillwell, Regional Science Consortium
- Small-scale Wastewater Treatment in Erie County - Ron Salisbury & Mike Chizewick, Erie County Dept. of Health