HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania is poised to join a majority of other states by participating in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.

The House of Representatives voted 178-15 Monday in favor of adding the state to an agreement in which states honor each other's revocations of hunting and fishing licenses.

House Game and Fisheries Committee Chairman Edward Staback said the compact and the state's anti-poaching legislation that recently took effect amount to "a great one-two punch" against game law violators.

The bill previously passed the state Senate, and Gov. Ed Rendell's office says he expects to sign it.

PITTSBURGH — An Amur tiger at Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium gave birth to three cubs, the tiger's third litter at the zoo since 2006.Zoo officials announced Monday that Toma, a 12-year-old, gave birth to all three cubs Sunday from 2:05 p.m. to 4:59 p.m.Toma and her cubs are being monitored by an infrared camera in their den. Visitors will be able to see that video on a monitor, but the cubs won't be allowed in public until they are big enough to navigate a moat in their display area.Toma gave birth to three cubs in August 2006, and one died five weeks later though she raised the other two. She gave birth to a single cub in 2009, but rejected him. He now lives at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colo.

HARRISBURG — Federal aid is available to farmers in 38 Pennsylvania counties hit hard by drought conditions this summer.The U.S. Department of Agriculture made low-interest emergency loans available after receiving a request from the state for an emergency disaster declaration. Sixteen counties are considered primary disaster areas and 22 more qualify for aid as contiguous counties.Producers with a 30 percent fall in crop production or loss of livestock, livestock products, real estate or property have eight months to apply for help.

PITTSBURGH — Allegheny River traffic north and east of Pittsburgh will be interrupted for 15 days while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers makes $1.6 million worth of repairs to Lock and Dam No. 2 near Highland Park.Locks and dams upriver will operate normally, but the lock that closed Monday through Sept. 27 will prevent barge traffic, pleasure boaters and others from traveling in or out of the city on the Allegheny.