Sam Zook, SIT Receives Certification as Drone Pilot
Sam Zook, SIT is the third surveyor at SSM to receive certification as a Drone Pilot.
Sam Zook, SIT, Surveyor has received his certification as a FAA Certified Remote Pilot. Zook is one of three certified pilots at SSM. He is a 2009 graduate of Pennsylvania College of Technology.
On June 21st, 2016 the FAA finalized a new regulatory framework for small, unmanned aerial systems. Titled Part 107, these new regulations created a new drone certification process that covers the majority of low-risk, commercial UAS flight operations for all commercially operated drones. Commercial refers to any kind of flight operation that can be tied to economic benefit. These new regulations were implemented on August 29, 2016.
DEP Offers Funding for Stormwater Management Programs
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is offering grants up to $200,000 to local entities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed for stormwater management projects that implement best management practices (BMP) to reduce the amount of nutrients and sediment pollution in local waterways.
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is offering grants up to $200,000 to local entities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed for stormwater management projects that implement best management practices (BMP) to reduce the amount of nutrients and sediment pollution in local waterways.
The program is available to counties, cities, boroughs, townships, incorporated towns and municipal authorities. Stormwater projects must be located in Blair, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Luzerne, Lycoming and York counties.
“The department continues to work toward one of the top goals of this administration: improving local water quality and ultimately cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay,” said DEP Acting Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “This grant program achieves that by offering financial assistance to local governments that share in that goal and they are encouraged to apply as we work together in this important environmental initiative.”
Some examples of eligible projects include: raingardens, bio-swales, urban nutrient management/tree planting, vegetated open channels/roofs and wet ponds and wetland preservation. The projects can be located on public or private property.
Applicants can be eligible for grants of up to $200,000, and no local matching funds are required. Funding for the projects is competitive and the department will apply a scoring system when awarding the grant money. The application must include a description of the project and timetable for the work. Grant applications are due by March 3, 2017.
Please visit http://www.elibrary.dep.state.pa.us/dsweb/View/Collection-12545 for application instructions and eligibility. Other parties that wish to obtain funding for a stormwater project are encouraged to approach the eligible local entity where the project would be located and offer to assist with the project application and management.
The grant program is federally funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and administered by the department.
Grant monies will be awarded on September 1, 2017.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Mark Stabolepszy, PE Director Municipal Engineering and Planning
PEDA 2016 Spring Legislative Conference
One third of the 1,200 US enclosed shopping malls are dead or endangered.
The Dying Mall: Reinventing Shopping Malls to Revitalize the Community
What’s to become of the shell of America’s shopping mall history?
Malls with high vacancy rates, low consumer traffic, no anchor store, or dated and deteriorating structures are considered ‘dead.’ Green Street Advisors report there are approximately 1,200 enclosed malls across the country and 15% of those malls will fail or be converted into non-retail space within the next 10 years. Online shopping, the recession, and demographic shifts are the key factors leading to this death toll. A change to the way we shop has led some mall owners to change the set-up of their mall, re-arranging like stores together, adding new anchors (like Apple stores) or new features (like daycare or children’s play areas) and changing the food court to a dining terrace with upgrades from fast food to sushi bars. While these approaches may save some shopping malls, the hard truth remains that many of these malls will not return to the glory of their past; but will instead close leaving behind a gigantic concrete shell on an island of macadam.
We'll be talking about the revitalization efforts at the PEDA 2016 Spring Conference!
For more information:
Terry Reed, Vice President Business Development
DEP Offers Funding for Projects to Improve Local Water Quality by Reducing Stormwater Runoff
Grant Opportunity: Municipalities, including cities, boroughs, or incorporated towns within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed are eligible to apply.
Grants will fund urban stormwater best management practices in Chesapeake Bay Watershed
HARRISBURG, PA -- The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has opened a grant program to control urban stormwater and improve local water quality. Municipalities, including cities, boroughs, or incorporated towns within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed are eligible to apply.
“Urban stormwater runoff has a big role in local water quality, it’s so important to manage that stormwater properly to prevent pollution from reaching our waterways,” said DEP Secretary John Quigley. “These grants will serve as a valuable tool to enable local governments to improve their urban stormwater management and ultimately, their water quality and that of their neighbors downstream.”
The grants will fund construction of urban stormwater best management practices (BMPs) to reduce the discharge of nutrients and sediments delivered to local waterways, and ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. Eligible projects include but are not limited to:
• Raingardens/bioretention
• Permeable pavement
• Urban stream restoration
• Urban tree planting
• Green roofs
• Wetlands and wet ponds
Projects must be complete within two years of grant award. Grants will be selected on a competitive basis.
The money for these grants is provided by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. There is $2,300,000 available for the grant program. The maximum funding amount per applicant is $200,000.
Projects cannot be associated with new development or for new detention basins. Projects must be within urbanized areas according to the latest Decennial Census in which National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit coverage is required for the discharge of stormwater from municipal separate storm sewer systems, or for discharges from combined sewer overflows through combined sewer systems.
Grant applications are due no later than October 9.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Dept. of Environmental Protection
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg PA., 17120
CONTACT: Amanda Witman, DEP, 717-787-1323
CONTACT: Leif Rowles at lerowles@pa.gov or 717-783-2290.
SSM GROUP: Mark Stabolepszy, PE, Vice President Municipal Engineering and Planning