Environment & Energy Educational Opportunities For Students & Adults

Opportunities to learn more about environmental and energy issues affecting Pennsylvania for students and adults--

Awards/Recognition

-- David Staebler Posthumously Honored With Kathy Snavely Environmental Advocate Award By Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper  [PaEN]

-- DCNR Resource: In Memoriam - Alec Campbell, David Warfel  [PaEN] 

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper: Amidea Daniels, Fish & Boat Commission Educator, Strives To Connect People To Natural Resources Through Creative Efforts Like Women’s Programming, Trout In Classroom  [PaEN]

-- PA Solar Center Honors 19 Organizations For Their Leadership In Going Solar  [PaEN]

-- York Daily Record: Discover Susquehanna Riverlands State Park, Named One Of USA Today’s Best Views In America

-- Erie Times: One Woman’s Fight Against Litter Is Growing Into A Millcreek Community Campaign

-- Erie Times: Nonprofit, Pittsburgh Students, Millcreek Twp. Work To Plug Oil & Gas Well Abandoned By Its Owner In Erie County 

-- Wilkes-Barre Editorial: Diamonds To PA Environmental Council, Riverfront Parks Committee For Organizing First Bioblitz In Wyoming Valley

-- Tribune-Democrat: Winners Of Home Is Where The Habitat Is Poster Contest Announced By Cambria County Conservation District

-- WNEP: Danville Area Teacher Completes Tree Climbs In Every PA County; Talks Future Project

-- KDKA: 83-Year-Old With A Massive Hole In His Driveway From Flooding Staying Positive Despite Cleanup: ‘Just Have To Fix It’

-- Delaware Highlands Conservancy Accepting Entries To Its Juried Land, Water Wildlife Photo Contest Starting Aug. 1  [PaEN] 

Grants

-- Foundation For Pennsylvania Watersheds Announces $650,000 In Conservation Grants; Next Grant Round Opens In August [PaEN] 

-- Applications Now Being Accepted For The Giant Company, Keep PA Beautiful Healing The Planet Grants To Support Tree Planting Projects  [PaEN]  

-- Dept. Of Agriculture Now Accepting Agricultural Research Grant Applications, July 25 Deadline

-- PEMA Publishes New Guidelines For State Disaster Recovery Assistance Program

-- WHYY: Congressional Republican Budget Bill Would Slash PA Schools’ Savings From Planned Solar Energy Projects By Cutting Tax Credits

Help Wanted

-- Observer-Reporter: Greene County Master Gardener Program Looking To Grow

Upcoming Events

-- PA Recreation & Park Society: Outdoor Yoga Classes In Pennsylvania's Local Parks Are The Best Deal In Town This Summer  [PaEN]

-- Reminder: DEP Meeting/Hearing June 4 On Modification To Liberty Soils Biosolids Management Facility In  Schuylkill County 

-- Republican Herald: June 5 World Environment Day Aims To End Plastic Pollution  [PDF of Article]  

-- Penn State Extension: June 6 Webinar On Impacts Of Non-Native Plants & Bees On Native Pollinators, 1:00 p.m.

-- Planet Philadelphia Radio Show: Friday, June 6 4:00 p.m.: Is Nuclear The Hot New Clean Power Source?

-- LancasterOnline: Free Native Trees, Shrubs Available During Lancaster Water Week Starting Friday

-- Altoona Mirror: PA Resources Council June 7 Household Chemical Collection Event In Cambria County 

-- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA Hosts June 17 Webinar On Exploring Knowledge Gaps In Environmental And Occupational Health Issues Affecting Communities  [PaEN]

-- Center For Coalfield Justice Hosts June 18 In-Person Environmental Justice Areas - What You Need to Know Workshop In Washington County  [PaEN] 

-- Stroud Water Research Center Hosts 7-Part Online Workshop Series On Expanding Meaningful Environmental & Watershed Literacy With Geospatial Technology Tools Starting June 25  [PaEN]

-- June 26 In-Person Lake Erie Environmental Forum Features Native Plant Conservation Experts At Presque Isle State Park, Erie  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension July 9 Wednesday Water Series Webinar - Hard Water Issues  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Master Watershed Stewards Host July 10 Webinar Ahead Of Statewide Native Tree And Shrub Sale [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Forestry Experts Host July 11 Webinar On Habitat Restoration As Part Of A Long-Term Strategy To Control Invasive Species  [PaEN]  

-- Penn State Extension Hosts July 14 Webinar On Community Science Tool To Track Stream Health  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Hosts July 16 Webinar On Uses And Benefits Of Rain Barrels  [PaEN]

-- Western PA Conservancy: July 17 Webinar On Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, 25 Years Of Conservation In PA, Noon

-- Penn State Extension July 23 Webinar On Private Water Supply Education And Water Testing  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension July 30 Wednesday Water Series Webinar - Understanding Your Home Water Test Results  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Aug. 6 Wednesday Water Series Webinar - Home Water Treatment Basics  [PaEN] 

Public Participation

-- PA Senate Republicans Move Bills To Roll Back Any State Regulations, Laws, Guidance At The Request Of Industry  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 7  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 73 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 7 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

-- DEP To Host June 10 Informational Meeting On The Air Quality Permit To Expand Western Fumigation At Penn Terminals Facility In Eddystone Boro, Delaware County  [PaEN]

-- Ohio River Basin Alliance Releases Restoration And Protection Plan Urging Action To Address Threats To Ohio River Basin; Public Comments Invited  [PaEN]  

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper - Emily Shosh: Unassessed Water Program, Public Comment Offer Key Tools For Protecting Wild Trout Populations 

-- Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership: More Pennsylvania Trout Streams Lack Protections, But Anglers Can Have A Voice 

-- PUC To Seek Comment On Proposed Settlement With PPL Electric Over Lackawanna County Transformer Fire

-- TribLive: US Army Corps To Give Update On Parks Twp. Nuclear Waste Dump Cleanup June 5  At Public Meeting In Armstrong County

-- TribLive: US Army Corps Says Parks Twp. Nuclear Waste Cleanup Should Be Safe In Armstrong County

Programs/Information

-- Stroud Water Research Center: Our Greatest Threat Is Fear, Fear Of Losing Hard-Earned Gains, Fear Of Retribution, But ‘It's Time for Us To Speak Up And To Act’  [PaEN]

-- Sunbury Press Announces Publication Of A New Book: PROUDLY MADE: A Story Of Reinvention In The Big Woods And Small Towns Of The Pennsylvania Wilds  [PaEN]

-- Williamsport Sun: ROAMbler Platform Connects People To Great Outdoors In Pennsylvania Wilds 

-- The Nature Conservancy GSI Impact Hub Helps Municipalities, Practitioners Quantify The Benefits Of Green Stormwater Infrastructure  [PaEN] 

-- Reforest Our Future Launches Native Tree Nursery & Education Center In Beaver County Supported By Shell Petrochemical Plant Mitigation Grant  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly News: Permit Training For Businesses; Control Options; Checklist For Travelers; Build A Circle Trap 

-- EPA AirNow: Code Orange Unhealthy Air Quality Levels Now In Altoona [Red] , Indiana County, Liberty-Clairton Area Near Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, State College, Susquehanna Valley [7:04 a.m., June 8] 

-- DEP Forecasts Code Orange Air Quality Action Day Wednesday, June 4 In Susquehanna Valley, Southeast PA, Lehigh Valley 

-- Post-Gazette: Expect One More Day Of Hazy Skies Related To Canada’s Wildfires 

-- WESA: Pittsburgh May See Poor Air Quality Tuesday Due To Canadian Wildfire Smoke

-- TribLive: Canadian Wildfire Smoke To Linger Over Western PA

-- Erie Times: Will Canadian Wildfires Impact Erie Air Pollution?  [Spoiler - Yes]

-- LancasterOnline: Smoke From Wildfires In Canada Expected To Bring Haze To Central PA 

-- PennLive: Parts Of PA Received Twice Normal Rainfall In May

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper - John Zaktansky: Wildlife Photographer’s Viral Hellbender Photos Offer Learning Opportunity About Species Myths  [No Hellbenders Don’t Eat Fish] 

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper - John Zaktansky: Registration Opens For West Branch HERYN Kayak And Fish Programs July 1-2 At Bald Eagle State Park, Centre County 

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper - John Zaktansky: Susquehanna  County Conservation District’s Don Hibbard Urges Observation, Thinking Through Bigger Decisions At Home To Make A Difference For Nature 

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper - John Zaktansky: New Aquatics & Acoustics Collection Of Songs Focuses On Environmental Education Opportunities 

-- Water At Risk: Clean Water, Shared Commitment - Behind The Scenes In Monroe County - By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association  [PaEN]

-- Protecting Clean Water Together: More Than Just Water: Mill Creek Flows With Community, Connection, Conservation In Monroe County - By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association  [PaEN] 

-- Reading Eagle: Berks Woman Rescues 33 Turtles From Park Construction Site 

-- Chambersburg Public Opinion: Nature And Education Come Together At Furnace Run Park In Shippensburg Township 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader: Take A Hike!  Saturday Is National Trails Day

-- TribLive: Women For A Healthy Environment Works To Educate Public On Cleaning In A Non-Toxic Way

Background On Issues

-- PIOGA:  DEP’s Plan To Reduce Methane Pollution From Oil & Gas Facilities An ‘Existential Threat’ To The Oil & Gas Industry  [PaEN]

-- E&ENews/Politico: Pennsylvania Lawmakers Go After Local Shale Gas Drilling Restrictions   [Cecil Twp., Washington County] 

-- Marcellus Drilling News: 2 Congressional Bills Target States, Municipalities For Bans On Fracking  [PDF of Article]

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: Pennsylvania Has Failed Environmental Justice Communities For Years; A New Bill Could Change That  

-- Inside Climate News - Kiley Bense: Fearing Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste, A Mercer County Community Fights To Stop A Landfill’s Re-Opening 

-- DEP: Shell Petrochemical Plant Fire Resulted In Possible Release Of An Unknown Quantity Of 1,3-Butadiene And Benzene Into The Atmosphere In Beaver County  [PaEN]  

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Shell Petrochemical Plant Still Investigating Fire At Beaver County Ethane Furnace 

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Explosion, Smoke Reported At Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County

-- Reuters: Shell Reports June 4 Fire At Ethylene Cracker Plant In Pennsylvania

-- KDKA: Shale Gas Driller Rescinds Plans To Remove 1.5 Million Gallons Of Water Daily From Big Sewickley Creek In Beaver County

-- TribLive: PennEnergy Shale Gas Driller Abandons Plans To Take Water From Big Sewickley Creek In Beaver County

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Renews 2 Shale Gas Water Withdrawal Projects 

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports First Quarter PA Natural Gas Production Increased 2.9% Over 1st Quarter 2024; Price Of Natural Gas Increased 218% Over 1st Quarter 2024  [PaEN]

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: Understaffed DEP Can’t Uphold Law And Protect Public Health - By Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware), Chair House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Failing To Properly Regulate Its Oil & Gas Industry - By Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware), Chair, House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee

-- Marcellus Drilling News: PA Independent Oil & Gas Assn. Responds To Rep. Vitali’s Call For Better Regulation Of Oil & Gas Industry [PDF of Article]

-- WHYY: Delaware City Refinery’s Toxic Air Pollutant Release Continues, But Delaware Says No Threat To Public Health

-- Utility Dive: US DOE Orders Constellation To Delay Retiring 760 MW Eddystone Peaking Natural Gas Power Plant In PA To Ease PJM ‘Emergency’ [PJM Had Earlier Approved The Plant Shutdown Saying There Was No Grid Reliability Risk]

-- AP: US DOE Keeps Aging PA Power Plant Online Through Summer

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Aging PA Power Plant Ordered To Keep Running On Eve Of Shutdown; Environmentalists Say There Is No Energy ‘Emergency’

-- Allegheny County Health Dept: On June 2 The US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Had Elevated Sulfur Emissions Due To An Equipment Breakdown

-- WPXI: Hours-Long US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Plant Breakdown Sends High Levels Of Pollutants Into Air 

-- TribLive: Allegheny County Health Officials Investigate Elevated Sulfur Levels At US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: US Steel’s Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Resumes Normal Operations After Equipment Failure Causes Emissions Spike

-- KDKA: Residents Express Health Concerns After Elevated Sulfur Levels Reported At Clairton Coke [Coal] Works

-- AP: What It Takes To Clean Industrial Soot And Grime From Church Murals In Pittsburgh

-- WNEP:  Sinkhole Opens Up In Backyard Of Lackawanna County Home; DEP Investigating Possible Coal Mine Subsidence 

-- WNEP: Dunmore Residents Return Home As Sinkhole Gets Filled In Lackawanna County

-- PA Capital-Star: Shapiro’s Renewable Energy Plan Advances In PA House As President Keeps PA Fossil Fuel Plant Online 

-- The Center Square: PA Renewable Energy Proposal Clears PA House Environmental Panel

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: PA House Committee Advances Bill Promoting Wind, Solar, Other Renewable Energy Sources 

-- PennEnvironment: With Federal Clean Energy Rebates Under Attack, Hundreds Of Concerned Pennsylvanians Press State Lawmakers To Act   [PaEN]  

-- PublicNewsService.org: PA Groups Urge US Senate To Protect Clean Energy Tax Incentives

-- WHYY: PA Solar Installers Were Counting On Republican PA Cong. Fitzpatrick To Keep Federal Clean Energy Tax Credits; Some Feel ‘Abandoned’ By Republican Rollbacks

-- WHYY: Philadelphia Plans To Buy More Solar Power For Municipal Operations, Inching Closer To Climate Goals 

-- Williamsport Sun Letter: Senate Bill Setting Decommissioning Requirements For Solar Energy Facilities Misplaced Compared To Other Energy Sources - By Dan Alters

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Congressional Republican Budget Cuts Threaten America’s Clean Energy Future - By Stephen Herzenberg, Keystone Research Center

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley Farmers Take A Hit After Federal Cuts To Climate-Smart Programs 

-- CBF: Chesapeake Bay Restoration Progress Underscores Need For Investment And Commitment  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Healthy Waters Chesapeake Bay Update Highlights Multiple Stream Restoration Projects; PA Leads In Dam Removals; 50,000 Clean Water Academy Course Completions  [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Karl Blankenship: The Balancing Act - Keeping Farms Productive While Reducing Polluted Runoff 

-- Chesapeake Bay Program Model Estimates Lower Amount Of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sediment Pollution Entering Chesapeake Bay

-- Herald-Standard: Efforts Underway To Restore Freshwater Mussels In Dunkard Creek In Greene County After 2009 Injection Well, Mine Discharge Pollution Event

-- Inquirer: American Water’s New CEO Wants To Take Over More Water And Sewer Utilities

-- Republican Herald: West Schuylkill Residents Question Liberty Sludge Company About Odors At DEP Public Meeting

-- MCall: These Virtual Reality Games Can Teach You About The Lehigh Valley’s Watershed History

-- PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In May, Now Available  [PaEN]

-- Pittsburgh Business Times Guest Essay: Sustainable Products - An Engine Driving Business Success - By Peter Votruba-Drzal, Vice President Of Global Sustainability At Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries

-- Inquirer: DOGE Closed Campgrounds At Federal Raystown Lake, Now The Locals Are Suffering: ‘If They Don’t Do Anything Soon, This Summer Is Ruined’

-- Bloomberg: President Plans To Offload National Park Sites, But States Don’t Want Them [Flight 93 Memorial; Gettysburg National Military Park, Delaware Water Gap] 

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Coyote Sightings At Wissahickon Valley Park In Philadelphia Prompt Reminder That It’s ‘A Wild Place’ 

-- TribLive: Canada Geese Treated At Youngwood Wildlife Rehab After Suffering Fishing Line Injuries In Westmoreland County

-- LancasterOnline: 2 Eaglets In Lancaster County Livestreamed Nest, Take Their First Flights

-- Post-Gazette: Black Bear Yearling Broke Into An Indiana County Nursing Home; A Resident Wanted To Give Him Cake

-- Warren Times - Audubon Community Nature Center: Snails Are Small And Slow Wonders

-- PA Firefly Festival Firefly News: Send Us Your Firefly Stories; Firefly Naturalist Training Available; Summer Book Recommendations; Lights Out For Lightning Bugs!  

--  Centre Daily Times: The Buzzing Is Back; What To Know About 17-Year Cicadas In Centre County

-- Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly News: Permit Training For Businesses; Control Options; Checklist For Travelers; Build A Circle Trap 

-- How DCNR Is Making A Difference - Supporting Pennsylvania's Pollinators  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension: An Interview With Dr. Harland Patch, Center For Pollinator Research and Pollinator Programming For The Arboretum At Penn State 

-- Penn State Extension: Pollinator Resources For The Home Gardener

-- Penn State Extension: Safe ‘Soft Landings’ Habitats For Beneficial Insects 

-- Penn State Extension Home Garden News: All About Pollinators, Beneficial Insects, Find Events Near You  

-- The Burg: Camp Hill And Dickinson College Have Decided To ‘Bee’ Part Of The Solution As A Bee City USA

-- Williamsport Sun - Bill Bower: Reflections In Nature: Chance To See Few Seldom Seen Plants Was Worth The Trip

-- Erie Times: Time For Mayflies, Midges, They Don’t Live Long But Can Be Mighty Annoying

Visit the  DEP Calendar of Events;  PA Parks & Forests Foundation’s Events webpage and DCNR’s Calendar of Events for activities happening near you.

Visit DEP’s Teaching Green webpage to learn about more environmental education resources.

Visit the PA Environment Digest Calendar Of Events for more opportunities.

[Posted: June 8, 2025]  PA Environment Digest