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McGinty for Senate?

As noted above, last Wednesday, after a couple weeks of speculation and a courtship by national Democratic leaders, Governor Wolf’s Chief of Staff Kathleen McGinty resigned from her post. McGinty is expected to announce she will challenge former US Rep. Joe Sestak for the Democratic nomination for the state’s US Senate seat in the 2016 primary.

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Fewer Wells Being Drilled in PA’s Forests

DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn last week updated members of the Natural Gas Advisory Committee on the department’s ongoing efforts to monitor natural gas extraction and management on DCNR lands.

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Isenhour Named Wolf’s Chief of Staff

Gov. Tom Wolf’s on Thursday named Mary Isenhour as his chief of staff, a move welcomed by leaders in both parties who have known her for more than 15 years.

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The more things change…

Last week after a three hour budget negotiating session, it appeared that a minor thaw was coming for the discussions on crafting a state budget acceptable to all parties – all parties said the meeting was “productive.” On Wednesday, Governor Wolf’s Chief of Staff Katie McGinty resigned – with the Governor naming his Legislative Secretary Mary Isenhour to the post, changing the dynamic of budget discussions (see stories below). Then last Thursday, Gov. Wolf took the 90-minute drive to State College area to talk Senate Appropriations Chairman Jake Corman and House Majority Leader Dave Reed about the budget impasse.

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Wolf Announces Appointees to Pipeline Task Force

Governor Tom Wolf this week announced the names of 48 individuals who were selected to participate on the Pennsylvania Pipeline Infrastructure Taskforce, chaired by Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Quigley. The group of experts and stakeholders will recommend policies, guidelines and best practices to guide the anticipated and unprecedented build-out of pipeline infrastructure expected to take place across Pennsylvania during the next decade.

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Now What?? Who Controls the Cards?

Two weeks into the 2015 state budget impasse, we are reminded of a line from Tom Clancy’s Executive Orders…” “Diplomacy was like a card game. The difference was that you never really knew the value of the cards in your own hand.”

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Irresistible Force – Meet Immovable Object: PA Budget edition

The paradox of an irresistible force meeting an immovable object seems apt for the state budget process this year, as the battle of perceived mandates continued through the evening of June 30. Of course, reality tells us the paradox is a false premise. Existence of either would make the other impossible.

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EPA Setting Standards for Truck Emissions in Push for Climate Change

Following on the heels of it’s announcement to set standards on airplane emissions, today the EPA announced new standards for heavy-duty trucks.

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USDA Opens Comment Period on Proposed Changes to BCAP

According to a notice posted in the Federal Register, the USDA’s Farm Service Agency will prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement(PEIS) on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corp. and seek public comment on potential changes being considered for BCAP and on environmental concerns related to the proposed changes.

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Joint Subcommittee Hearing Held on EPA Ozone Rule

This week, the House Energy and Power and Commerce, and Manufacturing and Trade subcommittees held a joint hearing on the impacts EPA’s proposed Ozone Rule would have on the manufacturing industry.

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