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News You Can Use
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| Penn State Extension Hosts Rain Barrel Workshop |
Penn State Extension will host a Make-Your-Own Rain Barrel Workshop on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 10:30 a.m. at the Penn State Extension office, 1282 Almshouse Road, Doylestown.
The workshop will be led by the Penn State Master Watershed Stewards. A workshop fee of $45 includes a plastic 55-gallon drum, all the necessary parts, instructions and assistance to build a rain barrel during class. All tools are provided. For a workshop fee of $5, participants may observe how to make your own rain barrel and leave with a complete list of parts.
Each barrel is approximately 40 inches tall and 24 inches wide at the widest. They can fit in the backseat of most sedans.
Workshop space is limited. To register and reserve your space for this workshop, call Penn State Extension Bucks County at 215-345-3283. |
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| Roads to be Restricted for Tree Trimming |
Three routes in Bucks County will be part of PennDOT’s tree-trimming operations next week. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., lanes will be restricted on the following routes:
- Monday, Sept. 17, on Dark Hollow Road at Route 32 (River Road) in Tinicum Township.
- Monday, Sept. 17, through Friday, Sept. 21, on Fallsington Tullytown Road between Penn Valley Road and Low Lane in Falls Township.
- Tuesday, Sept. 18, through Friday, Sept. 21, on Chestnut Ridge Road/Upper Tinicum Church Road between Leddy’s Lane and Lodi Hill Road in Bridgeton and Tinicum townships.
Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the work areas because slowdowns will occur during these tree removal operations. All scheduled activities are weather dependent. |
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| Drain Pools Responsibly |
In an effort to help protect stream health and aquatic life, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) reminds private and public pool owners, as well as pool management companies, about the ways to properly close swimming pools for the season.
Discharged pool water containing chlorine or other chemicals can be detrimental to aquatic life if not handled responsibly. It is extremely important that these waters are handled correctly. Pool water must not be discharged to any storm sewer or land in which a storm sewer is accessible. Runoff can cause fish kills and unsafe aquatic conditions.
When draining a swimming pool this year, make sure to protect Pennsylvania by following these tips:
- Pool water may be disposed of through the sanitary sewer system ONLY with municipal permission.
- Never dispose of pool water through a storm sewer, which will discharge to a stream.
- If lowering the water level of the pool, let it drain to a lawn to prevent it from running into a storm sewer.
- If a sanitary sewer system is not available, water may be used for irrigation if it does not run off the property or into a storm sewer.
The discharge of swimming pool water to any waters without a permit is a violation of the Clean Streams Law. Property owners and pool companies that violate this law may be subject to enforcement. |
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State Revenues Slightly Increase for August
The latest Pennsylvania Economic Brief is now available at www.RepQuinn.net and by clicking here. General Fund revenue collections for the month of August were $2.27 billion, which was $27 million more than the Department of Revenue’s official estimate. For the 2018-19 Fiscal Year, General Fund collections of $4.5 billion are above the official estimate by $26 million or 58 percent.
House Committee Examines Telemedicine Bills
Members of the House Professional Licensure Committee this week examined legislation I authored that would allow health care to be more accessible and affordable by offering telemedicine options for patients.
Telemedicine refers to the remote delivery of health care services and medical information using telecommunications technology, a significant and rapidly growing component of health care. Through the use of telemedicine, specialists and other health care providers are able to expand their reach, helping patients stay in their communities and avoid traveling long distances for specialized care.
My proposal, House Bill 1648, would define the term in state law and offer clarity for insurance company reimbursement for these services. Although the legislation requires payments for telemedicine services, those payments would be established between the provider and insurer.
Among those testifying at this week’s hearing were physicians, nurses, medical information technologists, insurance industry representatives and a rural school superintendent.
For more information, click here.
$1 Million Grant Directed to Doylestown Hospital’s Cardiac Institute
This week, a $1 million grant from the Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program (RACP) will benefit local cardiac patients seeking care at Doylestown Hospital.
This $1 million grant is great news, not only to Doylestown Hospital, which will help it expand and enhance its clinical heart and vascular medicine services, but also to hundreds of families and individuals who are in need of cardiac and vascular care closer to home. I am pleased an investment of this size is being made in our area and in a critical health care field. This type of project not only enhances health care but creates good, family-sustaining jobs.
The $1 million grant will be used to construct and renovate 100,000 square feet of cardiac heart and vascular space with the fundamental focus of expanding capacity, enhancing patient safety and privacy, and integrating state-of-the-art advanced technology services, and providing continued provision of vital health care services. This is all within the Richard A. Reif Heart Institute.
Biotechnology Center Will Create Jobs with $1.5 Million State Grant
In similar news, a $1.5 million grant from the Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program (RACP) will be directed to job creation efforts within the Bucks County Biotechnology Center.
This significant grant is a follow-up to previous state funding that allowed the Bucks County Biotechnology Center to invest in our local community while working on valuable research projects. I am hopeful that the infusion of this capital will allow the center to continue to improve and expand upon its offerings so that even more jobs can be created and more research can be done to discover important medical breakthroughs and save lives.
This project will add functionality to an existing RACP project, which involved the construction of the new building as well as associated parking. Construction for that began this past spring.
The second phase, which will benefit from today’s grant, will implement the IDEA Accelerator, by constructing additional labs within the shell space from Phase I. It also repurposes space within the attached Building 3 to include a new cafeteria/multi-purpose space, and renovations to the existing hallways and restrooms.
Schools Urged to Apply for Safety Grants
The new School Safety and Security Grant Program – established as part of the 2018-19 state budget package – is now open for applications. Schools interested in applying for grants to help with safety equipment and resources should submit their applications by Oct. 12 to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, which is administering the new program.
A total of $52 million in grant funding will be provided to school districts, intermediate units, area vocational-technical schools, charter schools and private residential rehabilitative institutions for a wide variety of projects to improve school safety.
The grants can be used for any of 22 specific school safety initiatives listed in the legislation, including such things as hiring school security officers, purchasing security-related technology, completing safety and security assessments, implementing violence prevention curricula, offering counseling services for students, and other programs and services to protect students.
The grant money is to be distributed geographically, with no school district receiving more than 10 percent (but eligible for at least $25,000) of the available funds. The money is expected to be distributed by March 2019.
To apply or for more information, visit the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s website here.
Touring Delaware River Basin
As a member of the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control Committee, I had an opportunity to tour the historic A.J. Meerwald Tall Ship Friday at the Bristol Wharf and to hold a press conference regarding the importance of the river to the Commonwealth and the region. The basin provides drinking water for about 15 million people, including 5.5 million Pennsylvania residents. We were told that the river is cleaner than it’s been in decades, thanks to water quality improvement programs spearheaded by the DRBC, and people are returning to their local waterfronts to reconnect with the river.
DRBC has led efforts to reduce toxic pollutants in the Delaware Estuary, its Special Protection Waters program that protects the existing high-quality waters of the non-tidal Delaware River, and a new, multi-year effort to examine whether criteria for dissolved oxygen can be improved to further support all life stages of resident and migratory fish in the Delaware Estuary and Bay. The river’s flow is still highly managed through reservoir releases and flow regimes. This is especially important in times of drought or dry periods to ensure that there is enough fresh water flowing downstream to repel the salty water from the ocean that could impact drinking water and industrial intakes along the tidal portion of the river. Additionally, the river provides various water uses in the basin. Thermoelectric power generation, public water supply, out of basin diversions, and industry are the largest water users in the basin, and DRBC regulatory policies are in place to help balance these needs to ensure there is enough water for all uses, as well as for in-stream flow needs. The commission is also looking at projected demands to ensure a dependable water supply for the basin in the future.
Pictured with me is Tony M. Guerrieri, executive director of the joint committee. For more information – including links to each of the presentations -- click here.
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| Office Locations |
| 1032 N. Easton Rd, Doylestown, PA 18902-1055 | Phone: (215) 489-2126 |
| 141 East Wing, PO Box 202143, Harrisburg PA 17120-2143 | Phone: (717) 772-1413 |
| Email: mquinn@pahousegop.com |
| TTY: 855-282-0614 |
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