News You Can Use

March 14, 2008

Voter Registration Deadline - Reminder

March 24, 2008 is the last day to change or add a party affiliation and to register to vote before the primary election on April 22, 2008. If you register to vote online, you must mail a paper copy of the application to the county board of elections postmarked no later than March 24 to be registered in time for the election. If you are interested in more information regarding voter registration in Pennsylvania, consult the Pennsylvania Department of State website.

The last day to apply for an absentee ballot is April 15. All absentee ballots, except those received from military and overseas electors and those received from emergency absentee electors, must be received by the county boards of elections not later than 5:00 p.m. on April 18, 2008 to be counted. For information on when and how to use an absentee ballot, visit the Pennsylvania Department of State website and click on the absentee ballot quick link.

2008 Adult Trout Stocking Schedule Available

The Fish and Boat Commission is stocking adult trout in a variety of lakes and streams that are open to public angling throughout Pennsylvania in 2008 and has posted "where" and "when" those fish will be released online. The stocking schedule webpage can be searched by county and by date. Stockings began on March 1 and will continue throughout the spring, fall and winter months.

The Commission will stock some 3.4 million adult trout in Pennsylvania waters open to public fishing. This figure includes trout produced at state fish hatcheries, trout obtained from the United States Fish & Wildlife Service as part of a cooperative agreement, and trout obtained through a purchase contract with a commercial hatchery.

The 2008 trout season will open at 8 a.m. March 29 in waters located in Adams, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill and York counties. The regular trout season starts at 8 a.m. on April 12 in the rest of the state. To access fast facts about the Pennsylvania 2008 trout season, visit the Fish and Boat Commission's online.

Fish and Boat Commission educational trout expos will be held at Gander Mountain stores throughout the state, running March 14 through March 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. (Participation varies by store.) The Fish and Boat Commission will be on hand to answer questions, provide visitors with helpful maps and how-to information, and offer insights on the best places to trout fish in Pennsylvania. In addition, anyone who comes to the Gander Mountain stores on the event dates can also enter to win $200 in fishing gear.

LIHEAP Application Deadline is Quickly Approaching

Pennsylvania residents, on low or fixed incomes, needing help paying winter heating bills can apply for Pennsylvania's Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Applications will be accepted through March 21. When you apply, you will need a recent heating bill and the following information relating to the individuals residing in your home:

Names
Dates of Birth
Social Security Numbers; and
Proof of their Incomes.

LIHEAP is a federally funded program that is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare (DPW) but it is not a welfare program. Consumers are not required to have an unpaid bill or be on public assistance and you can either rent or own your home to receive energy assistance grants. Additionally, no lien is placed on the recipient's property and the monies do not have to be repaid.

LIHEAP offers both cash grants and crisis grants. Cash grants help income-eligible consumers pay their heating bills. Typically, the grant is paid directly to the utility company or fuel provider and it is credited to your bill. Crisis grants help those families facing heating emergencies, such as:

Broken heating equipment;
A fuel shortage that may leave you without heat; or
Having utility service shut off.

DPW has announced that the maximum crisis grant has been increase from $300 to $500. Those who already received the $300 can apply for the additional $200. If you have a heating emergency or you qualify for the additional grant money, call your local County Assistance Office.

You can apply for LIHEAP by calling or visiting your local County Assistance Office. Download and print the LIHEAP brochure with the telephone number of your local County Assistance Office and eligibility details here. You can also apply online for the cash grant only by using DPW's Compass application system.

If you would like further information on LIHEAP, contact your local County Assistance Office or call the LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095.

Boat Registrations Coming Due

In 2006, there were 344,337 boats registered in Pennsylvania. All motorboats and boats powered by electric motors must be registered. Registrations are renewed on a two-year cycle and expire on March 31 of the second year. If you received a renewal notice for your watercraft from the PA Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC), your current registration will expire on March 31, 2008. Upon renewal, your registration will remain in effect until March 31, 2010.

You can renew your registration by completing the renewal card and returning it by mail with payment or online at the PFBC Outdoor Shop. After completing the required information on-line, your boat registration will be mailed to the address that is on file with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (address will be displayed for confirmation). A $2.00 fee is assessed for each boat renewal done at the PFBC Outdoor Shop.

New registrations, boat transfers and address changes cannot be completed at The Outdoor Shop; they must be done by mail. Download REV-336 for new boat registrations and boat registration transfers or download PFBC-732 for a change of address.

A synopsis of Pennsylvania boating information can be found in the online PA Boating Handbook.

Stormwater Management Administration Grants

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is now accepting applications from local governments eligible to receive reimbursement for their stormwater management administrative costs under Act 167 of 1978. Applications are due March 31 and to be eligible a local government must be in a watershed that has a stormwater management plan that was prepared and adopted by the county and approved by DEP. The grants cover up to 75 percent of the costs to adopt or revise ordinances or regulations which comply with the state Stormwater Management Act.

For more information on the grants, contact Barry Newman, DEP's Stormwater Planning and Management Section at 717-705-6364 or send an e-mail to banewman@state.pa.us. For more information on stormwater management in Pennsylvania, visit the DEP website.

Peregrine Falcon Educator's Workshop

Teachers, non-formal educators, homeschoolers and youth group and scout leaders are invited to attend a free Peregrine Falcon Educator's Workshop, WILD in the City, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., April 3 in the Rachel Carson State Office Building Auditorium in Harrisburg.

The workshop is sponsored by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Pennsylvania Game Commission in cooperation with ZOOAMERICA North American Wildlife Park.

Since 1977, a pair of Peregrine falcons has made their home on the 15^th floor of the Rachel Carson State Office Building. DEP and the Game Commission track the activities of the birds. Live webcasts will resume soon which can be viewed at the DEP Peregrine Falcon page.

Workshop participants will explore the successes of Peregrine Falcon reintroduction in Pennsylvania; examine falcon specifics and endangered species concepts; and observe falcons in Harrisburg. Participating teachers are eligible for 5.5 Act 48 credit hours. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

The workshop will feature a number of Peregrine Falcon experts, including PGC ornithology biologists Dan Brauning and Dr. Art McMorris, ZOOAMERICA Education Coordinator Elaine Gruin, DEP Environmental Educators Jack Farster and Ann Devine, Project WILD Coordinator Theresa Alberici and others.

To register for the Peregrine Falcon workshop, educators should contact DEP's Environmental Education and Information Center at 717-772-1644 or send e-mail to adevine@state.pa.us by March 27. Space is limited, so registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-service basis.