"DEP: Some sewer hookups possible"

By Christina Kristofic, Intelligencer, April 21, 2010: "Property owners in Doylestown might now be allowed to connect to the sewer system, but property owners in Buckingham, Doylestown Township and Plumstead are still out of luck. . . ."

"Black fly spraying along Delaware"

Intelligencer, April 21, 2010:

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will conduct a black fly suppression operation beginning at 10 a.m. today, in Northampton County and continue south and east throughout the day.

Residents of Bucks County's Delaware River communities are advised that helicopter pilots may use several landing sites during this operation, including Riegelsville Borough Park, the Erwinna/Delaware Valley Fire Co. in Tinicum, and the Slack Road Farm in Upper Makefield.

The operation will include a gray (with green stripes) Bell 206-BIII helicopter with the tail number N302MG.

Pilots will be applying VECTOBAC 12AS to waterways to reduce the numbers of adult black flies that hatch from the river and streams. The product being used is a brown, slightly sticky liquid with a fish-like odor. Its active ingredient is a naturally occurring soil bacterium and not a synthetic pesticide.

It will be applied perpendicular to the stream flow in multiple locations along the rivers and streams by a low-flying helicopter. A product label is available upon request.

More info: http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/blackfly and the Delaware Riverkeeper's 4/20/10 press release.

"Gas drilling debate rages in Del. River watershed"

By Michael Rubinkam, Associated Press, April 18, 2010:

Pleasant Mount, Pa. — A few hundred yards from Louis Matoushek's farmhouse is a well that could soon produce not only natural gas, but a drilling boom in the wild and scenic Delaware River watershed.

"County officials seek to push Delaware River dredging plan"

By Peter Hall, Intelligencer, April 15, 2010:

The Bucks County commissioners will join the county redevelopment authority in an effort to persuade the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to support dredging to maintain the Delaware River shipping channel from Philadelphia to Trenton.

"Sewer problems becoming a messy situation"

By Christina Kristofic, Intelligencer, April 5, 2010:

Property owners in four municipalities in the Doylestown area will have to go through an extended sewer usage planning process that will cost them more time and money to build or to expand or change the use of an existing building.

The state Department of Environmental Protection determined that Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority exceeded capacity at three of its treatment facilities in 2008, so owners of property that would be connected to those facilities now will have to submit full sewer planning modules.

Planning modules are typically required only for large developments while DEP and the sewer authority typically exempt smaller developments and changes in use from the months-long planning process. The DEP has decided that it will no longer grant the exemptions.

Property owners in parts of Doylestown, Doylestown Township, Buckingham and Plumstead are affected by the decision. . . .