PA Environment Digest Blog: Tuesday PA Environment & Energy Articles

“The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.”

-- Article I, Section 27 Pennsylvania Constitution [It’s Not A Suggestion]

Senate Voting Schedule 2025

December 9, [Canceled- 10]

-- Committee Schedule

Senate Voting Schedule 2026

January 6, 26, 27, 28

February 2, 3 (Governor’s Budget Address), 4

Budget hearings will be held February 23-26, and March 2

March 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25

April 20, 21, 22

May 4, 5, 6

June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30

House Voting Schedule 2025

December 15 [non-voting], 16, 17

-- Committee Schedule

House Voting Schedule 2026

January 6 (NV), 26, 27, 28

February 2, 3 (Governor's Budget Address, 4

Budget hearings will be held February 23-26, and March 2

March. 23, 24, 25

April 13, 14, 15, 27, 28, 29

May 4, 5, 6

June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

September 28, 29, 30

October 5, 6, 7, 19, 20, 21

November 9, 10

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events

TODAY 9:00: Agenda Posted. Environmental Quality Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00 a.m. Check webpage for options for joining the meeting remotely. Contact: Laura Griffin, laurgriffi@pa.gov or (717) 772-3277. [Agenda Includes Petition On Increasing Setbacks From Shale Gas Wells. Read more here.]

December 10-- DEP Public Meeting On Boyertown Landfill Hazardous Site In Montgomery County [Click Here for DEP webpage.]

December 11-- CANCELED. DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. 10:00 a.m. Contact: Todd Wallace at twallace@pa.gov or 717-783-6395. (formal notice)

December 11-- Agenda Posted. DEP Agricultural Advisory Board meeting. Contact: Bob Haines at robhaines@pa.gov or (717) 787-7565. (formal notice) [Agenda includes update on biosolids beneficial use]

December 16-- Agenda Posted. DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. 9:00 a.m. Contact: Lindsay Byron, lbyron@pa.gov or 717-772-8951

December 17-- DEP Hearing On Air Quality Permit For The PEI Power LLC Natural Gas Power Plant In Lackawanna County. DEP Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre. 10:00 a.m. Read more here.

December 17-- DEP hearing on a revised Title V Air Quality Permit for the Portland Power, LLC 400 MW power plant in Upper Mount Bethel Township, Northampton County hoping to attract an A.I. data center project. DEP Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre. 10:00 a.m. Read more here.

December 17-- DEP Hearing On Air Quality Permit For Ecopax LLC Facility In Forks Twp., Northampton County. DEP Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre. 10:00 a.m. Read more here.

December 17-- DEP hearing on a revised Title V Air Quality Permit for the Surteco North America facility in West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County. DEP Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre. 10:00 a.m. Read more here.

-- Foundation For Pennsylvania Watersheds Awards $265,000 In Grants To Support 16 Local Watershed Restoration, Conservation Projects [PaEN]

-- Watershed Profile: Aultmans Run Watershed - From Orange Streams To Green Dreams, Healing An Abandoned Mine-Scarred Watershed In Indiana County [PaEN]

-- Stroud Water Research Center Fall Salt Snapshot Found Most Streams Still Exceeded Chloride Standards Months After Last Road Salt Was Applied [PaEN]

-- Independent Fiscal Office: 2025 Act 13 Shale Gas Impact Fee Revenue Estimate $239.9 Million, Up $75.3 Million From Last Year [PaEN]

-- WHYY - Sophia Schmidt: Philadelphia Signs Agreement To Buy Electricity From Clearfield County Solar Energy Facility To Stabilize Energy Costs

-- Inquirer: Former Philadelphia Refinery To Be Redeveloped Into Site For DrinkPAK Manufacturer

-- Republican Herald: DEP Says Schuylkill County Biosolids Company Broke Environmental Rules [PDF of Article]

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper Blog: Local Experts Share Concerns Over Weighing ‘Economic Impact,’ Other Changes To Federal Endangered Species Act; Comments Due Dec. 22

A.I. /Data Centers

-- Scranton Times: Customer, Elected Officials Blast Proposed PPL Rate Increase, Concerns About Ratepayers Footing The Bill For A.I. Data Centers [PDF of Article]

-- Fox43: New Plans Reviewed For $15 Billion A.I. Data Center In Middlesex Twp., Cumberland County

-- Utility Dive: President Wants ‘ONE’ National A.I. Data Center Rule As States Seeks To Curb Impacts On Energy Costs, Water Use, Privacy And Other Issues