PA Environment Digest Blog: 118 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA

Here are 118 new stories in the PA Environment Digest about individuals, groups, local governments, farmers, businesses, watershed groups and many more working all across Pennsylvania to restore and protect the environment and show others the beauty that surrounds us.

Thank you for your leadership!

-- Discover NEPA: Bernie McGurl Of The Lackawanna River Conservation Association - Why NE PA? [PaEN]

-- Foundation For Sustainable Forests - Loving The Land: Ellery Troyer & His Family Manages A 3rd Generation Farm And The French Creek Nursery In Erie County [PaEN]

-- Trout Unlimited - Every River Needs A Champion: Russ Collins, Doc Fritchey TU Chapter Working In Dauphin, Lebanon Counties [PaEN]

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader Guest Essay: Let’s Be Clear - Orange Creeks Polluted By Abandoned Mine Drainage Require Faster Clean Up In Chesapeake Bay Watershed - By Robert Hughes, Eastern PA Coalition For Abandoned Mine Reclamation

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: America’s Choice - The Way Of Hatred Versus The Way Of Grace

-- Part I - 500 Feet Isn’t Enough: Michelle Stonemark Tells What It’s Really Like Living Next To A Shale Gas Well Pad - Nosebleeds, Headaches, Nausea, Air Pollution, Vibrating House, Sleepless Nights, Anxiety - In Cecil Twp., Washington County [PaEN]

-- Part II - 500 Feet Isn’t Enough: 42 Scientific Studies, 20+ Years Of Experience With Shale Gas Drilling In PA; A State Grand Jury Report; Criminal Convictions; Public Complaints; Lawsuits; Media Reports All Document The Need To Increase Setbacks From Shale Gas Wells [PaEN]

-- Observer-Reporter: Study Shows Probable Link Between Freeport Twp. Water Well Contamination And Fracking In Greene County [PDF of Article]

-- DEP: Day 128 - Seneca Resources Failed To Stop Wastewater Seeps, Cleanup Contamination From A May Spill At The Vandergrift Shale Gas Well Pad In Charleston Twp., Tioga County [PaEN]

-- TribLive: CNX Resources Will Apply For New Shale Gas Well Permits At The Controversial Drakulic Well Pad In Penn Twp., Westmoreland County [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 20 to 26 - 128 Days Of Cleanup - Not Done Yet; 481 Abandoned Conventional Wells; Conventional Owner Builds 2 Illegal Well Pads [PaEN]

-- TribLive: Using Drones To Find Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Allegheny County [Conventional Well Owners Abandon More Wells Every Week - 469 Violations So Far In 2025]

-- EPA Issues Sandstone Development Permit For Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Permit In Cyclone, McKean County [PaEN]

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Gov. Shapiro Don’t Sell Pennsylvania Out To Polluters - Public Facing Health Challenges From Oil & Gas Industry, Methane, A.I. Data Centers - By Josephine Gingerich, Physicians For Social Responsibility PA

-- Inside Climate News: Shale Gas Was Supposed To Lower PA Electric Bills, Instead They’re Higher Than Ever And About To Get Worse [Due To LNG Gas Exports, A.I. Data Center Demand]

-- SpotlightPA/Inside Climate News: The Natural Gas Boom In PA Was Supposed To Lower Energy Bills Here, Why Didn’t That Happen?

-- PA Capital-Star/Inside Climate News: Shale Gas Was Supposed To Lower Pennsylvanians’ Electric Bills, Instead, They’re About To Get Worse

-- Inside Climate News: Natural Gas Was Pitched As A Stopgap Between Other Fossil Fuels And Renewables, Instead It Has Derailed Pennsylvania’s Transition To Clean Energy

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: CNX’s Firebrand CEO Nick DeIuliss To Retire

-- CNX Resources Announces Alan Shepard As Next CEO

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: CNX Resources Shale Gas Driller CEO Nick Deluliis To Retire, Alan Shepard To Take Helm [PDF of Article]

-- Observer-Reporter: CNX Shale Gas Driller Proposes To Install Bat Boxes As Homes For Bats In Waynesburg, Greene County [PDF of Article]

-- Natural Gas Pipeline Pigging Facility Malfunction Dec. 27 Released 1.1 Million Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas; Same Facility Plagued Community With Blowdowns 3 Times A Day, 7 Days A Week For Nearly 10 Years Until Criminal Charges Brought Against CNX [PaEN]

-- Environmental Hearing Board Agrees There Is ‘Acute’ Danger In CNX Misusing A Deposition In An Appeal Before The Board To ‘Punish’ An Environmental Advocate For Her Advocacy Against CNX [PaEN]

-- On Feb. 13 Dept. Of Health, Penn State Project ECHO Held A Webinar To Educate Medical Professionals, Public On Exposures To Natural Gas Facility Pollution; Real Washington County CNX Facility Case Study Used [PaEN]

-- Reuters Commentary: US LNG Gas Export Industry Build Out Poised To Create ‘Huge Global Supply Glut’ [Warning]

-- WHYY- Susan Phillips: Philadelphia Gas Works Spends Millions To Promote Natural Gas, Advocates Accuse The Utility Of ‘Greenwashing’

-- TribLive: Oct. 4 Concert Will Help Support Those Affected By 2023 Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- TribLive: Pitt To Launch First-Of-Its-Kind Natural Gas, Renewables And Oil Engineering Degree

-- State Conservation Commission Launches New Farm Conservation Certification Program [PaEN]

-- LehighValleyLive: Lehigh Valley Watersheds Celebrated At Resource Protection Conference With Bat Talk, Family-Friendly Bike Ride

-- Penn State Extension: Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program Transforms Kitz Family Farm In Westmoreland County [PaEN]

-- 2024 Annual Report On DEP’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Reduction Program Highlights Abandoned Mine Drainage, Watershed Restoration Efforts [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Nov. 14 Water Quality Insights Webinar On Floodplain Wetlands [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Water Quality Insights Webinar: Dec. 5 Watershed Nutrient Management, 11:00 a.m. to Noon

-- TribLive: Trifecta Of Rainy, Hot, Dry Weather Could Be Pattern Of The Future

-- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: Nearly 600 Groups Write Congress Urging A Strong And Fair Farm Bill, Address Harmful Provisions Enacted In The ‘Big Beautiful’ Budget Bill [Includes PASA Sustainable Agriculture, More PA Groups]

-- PennLive: Voters Loyal To President, PA Farmers Face Chilling Impact Of Immigration Raids On Their Workforce [Warning]

-- Bloomberg: President Proposes Using Tariff Money On Farm And Other Products To Bailout US Agricultural Sector Hit Hard By His Trade Policies [Warning]

-- Horn Farm Center For Agricultural Education Urges Opposition To Warehouse Development On Neighboring Property In Hellam Twp. York County

-- York Dispatch: Warehouse Proposal Near Horn Farm Center Draws Opposition In Hellam Township

-- York Dispatch: Dover Township To Hold Special Meeting Sept. 29 On 200-Acre Mega Warehouse Complex

-- Morning Call: Hanover Township Residents Deserve Better Than Warehouses And Broken Promises - By Monica Beaky, Hanover Twp. Residents Against Warehouse Development

-- Delaware Currents: Summer Flooding In Delaware River Watershed To Increase In Size, Frequency, Study Finds

-- Scranton Times: Heavy Rain Causes Flooding In Scranton

-- Post-Gazette/WPost: National Weather Service At ‘Breaking Point’ As Storm Approaches

-- TribLive: Westmoreland Authority Sets $3,200 Fee To Property Owners For Lead Water Line Replacements

-- Eire Times: Erie’s $72 Million Lead Water Line Replacement Project Will Likely Be Finished In 2027 [At No Cost To Property Owners]

-- The Center Square: House Committee Hearing Shows Bipartisan Alignment On Some PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Regulations

-- NYT: US Dept. Of Defense Delays Cleanup Of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Nationwide

-- Altoona Mirror: Altoona Water Authority Condemns 125 Acres Of Reclaimed Strip Mine Land In Reservoir Watershed Above The Horseshoe Curve

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: How Will Brunot Island In The Ohio River Be Redeveloped After 50-Year-Old Gas Power Plant Shuts Down? Could Be A ‘Crown Jewel’ Of Pittsburgh

-- Gov. Shapiro: PJM Electric Grid Operator Is 'Not Working Anymore,' 'I Won't Stand For A Status Quo That Perpetuates Slowdowns And Rising Costs’ [PaEN]

-- Shapiro Administration: PJM Regional Electric Grid Operator Passed Over Qualified Candidates Suggested By A Bipartisan Coalition Of Governors To Fill Vacant Board Seats [PaEN]

-- Utility Dive: PJM Grid Operator Says States Must Address Electricity Generation Deficit Issues; Siting, Permit Reform Needed To Overcome ‘Hostile’ Opposition

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: PJM Grid Operator Eyes Reliability Amid A.I. Data Center Boom, But Advocates Say Cost Concerns Remain

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Your Electric Bill Is Subsidizing Big Tech’s A.I. Data Center Dreams - By Rep. Mandy Steele (D-Allegheny), Bill McKibben, author of Here Comes The Sun, Joe Morinville, EIS Solar

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Politicians Should Keep Their Hands Off PJM Power Grid - By Todd Snitchler, Electric Power Generators. [High Prices Are ‘Essential Market Signals’] [Warning]

-- PA House Energy Committee Sets Hearings On Regulating A.I. Data Centers, Warehouse Solar, Electric School Buses, Small Modular Nuclear Reactors [PaEN]

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles & NewClips From Last Week - September 29 [PaEN]

-- The Center Square: Physicians For Social Responsibility PA Speak Out Against Governor’s Proposed RESET Energy Siting Bill To Override Local Land Use Controls [House Bill 502]

-- The Derrick: PA Assn. Of Township Supervisors Briefs Clarion County Leaders On Its Opposition To HB 502 RESET Energy Facility Siting Legislation [PDF of Article]

-- The Derrick: PA Assn. Of Township Supervisors Updates Venango County Townships On Its Opposition To House Bill 502 Overriding Local Land Use Controls On Energy Facility Siting [PDF of Article]

-- PennTAP Now Accepting Applications For $40 Million Of Round 2 RISE PA Small, Mid-Sized PA Industry Decarbonization Grants [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Catholic Parish Goes Solar To Save Money, Shine A Light On Sustainability

-- Post-Gazette: Cornell School District’s Solar Energy Project To Save Millions Of Dollars

-- TribLive: Hempfield Twp. In Westmoreland County OKs 3 MW Solar Energy Facility, 2nd Solar Facility In 4 Months

-- WESA-Rachel McDevitt: Democratic Cong. Deluzio Highlights Solar Energy As A Way To Save Money On Energy Bills, Address Climate Change

-- WESA: PA Democrats Call On EPA To Preserve Climate Regulations

-- Clean Air Council, Partners: EPA Grants Petition To Require Allegheny County Health Dept. To Fix Flaws In Permits Issued To US Steel Irvin Facility, Neville Chemical Plant