104 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA

Here are 104 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!

-- The Allegheny Front: Pine Creek Rail Trail Named PA’s Trail Of The Year

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Rename The Highland Park Bridge For The Seneca Nation Whose Destruction Made Modern Pittsburgh Possible

-- PA Shale Gas & Public Health Conference: Supervisor Cindy Fisher - How Cecil Township Adopted 2,500 Foot Setbacks From Shale Gas Well Pads With Extensive Public Involvement Facing Threats And Intimidation  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Santarsiero Introduces Bill To Define Obligations Of Pipeline Owners, Anyone Discharging Hazardous Substances To Clean Up Spills, Releases  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Mining Engineering Professor Barbara Arnold Elected To National Academy Of Engineering

-- Senate DEP Budget Hearing: Kudos To DEP For Improving Permit Review Times; A.I. Data Centers; Due Process For ICE Warehouse Detention Centers; How Energy Storage Can Add Capacity To The Grid; Chesapeake Bay Cleanup  [PaEN]

-- DEP Budget Testimony: Our Mission Is To Protect Our Air, Land And Water, It Takes Capacity And Resources, And This Budget Proposal Supports That Mission [PaEN] 

-- PA Capital-Star: State Senators Grill PA DEP Head On Efforts To Speed New Power Plant Permitting; Energy Affordability Key Concern Of Secretary

-- PA Shale Gas & Public Health Conference: Dr. Lauren Minsky - People’s Cancer Incidence Screening Tool Reports Cancer Rates In Washington County Up To 16 Times Higher Than PA Averages  [PaEN] 

-- Ohio Senate Committee Hearing I: Penn State Professor Testifies In Support Of A Ban On The Disposal Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater By Road Dumping  [PaEN] 

-- Ohio Senate Committee Hearing II: Studies By Ohio State Agencies Document Environmental, Health Hazards Of Disposing Of Oil & Gas Wastewater By Road Dumping [PaEN]

-- Ohio Senate Committee Hearing III: Ohio Farmers Union Supports Ban On Disposal Of Oil & Gas Wastewater By Road Dumping To Protect Soil, Livestock, Farm Products From Contamination  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: S R Star O&G LLC Violates Order To Plug 11 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Butler County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Accepting Bids On Plugging 11 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Howe Twp., Forest County

-- The Derrick: Aqua Pennsylvania Boil Water Advisory Now Lifted For Venango Water Company Customers In Reno, Venango County [Water System Impacted By 2023 Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill]  [PaEN] 

-- PUC Damage Prevention Committee Issues $163,550 In Penalties To 120 Companies For Violation PA1Call Law

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports 2025 PA Natural Gas Production Up 5.1% Over 2024; Average Natural Gas Prices Up 70.9% From 2024  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive - Jack Troy: 71% Natural Gas Price Increase In PA Could Mean Higher Utility Bills 

-- Reuters: Hundreds Of Crude Oil, LNG Gas Ships Drop Anchor In Middle East Due To US/Israeli Strikes On Iran Showing Supply Line Vulnerabilities [Again] 

-- Bloomberg: Iran Strikes Threaten Worst Natural Gas Market Disruption Since Russian Invasion Of Ukraine 

-- The Economist: War In Iran Could Cause The Biggest Oil Price Shock In Years  [PDF of Article]

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Steelton Natural Gas Pipe Factory To Benefit Entire Commonwealth - By Jim Snell, Steamfitters Local Union 420

-- Erie Times: Natural Gas Pipeline Company Wood Group USA Removes $18.9 Million In Liens On Erie County Property Owners In Dispute

-- TribLive Guest Essay: 10 Years Of US LNG Gas Exports - Why Pennsylvania Matters More Than Ever - By Jim Welty, Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition  [To Keep Prices High] 

-- The Guardian: North Dakota Judge Orders Greenpeace To Pay Energy Transfer/Sunoco $345 Million Over 2016 Protests Against Dakota Access Oil Pipeline; Group Says Case Is Far From Over  [Warning]

-- DEP Publishes Corrected Notice Of Shell Petrochemical Plant Air Quality Plan Approval March 19 Meeting, April 7 Hearing In Beaver County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Sets March 31 Hearing On Air Quality Permit For The BASF Corp Monaca Plant In Beaver County  [PaEN] 

-- House Energy Committee Meets March 2 On A.I. Data Center Disclosure, Model Ordinance Bills; Sets Hearings On Net Metering; Virtual Power Plants; Geothermal Energy; Transmission Line Tech [PaEN]  

-- Quinnipiac University Poll: 68% Of Pennsylvanians Oppose Building An A.I. Data Center In Their Community

-- Scranton Times - Chris Kelly Opinion: It’s The Same Old Story For This Area-- People Come In Promising Things And People Are Desperate Enough To Believe Them And It Becomes A Race To The Bottom; PA Is Designed To Be Exploited And Harrisburg Does Nothing  [A.I. Data Centers]  [PDF of Article]

-- Scranton Times: NE PA Lawmakers Target A.I. Data Centers, Back Moratoriums [PDF of Article] 

-- PennLive Guest Essay: An A.I. Data Center Isn’t Just Another Factory - It Is A City That Never Sleeps Drawing Power 24/7 Impacting Grid Operations, Imposing Costs- By Rod Williamson, Industrial Energy Consumers Of PA

-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For CDE Acquisitions, LLC 412 Acre, 6 Building, 5 Million Square Foot A.I. Data Center Campus In South Whitehall Twp., Lehigh County  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive: Springdale Says Benefit Agreement Discussions With A.I. Data Center Developer To Begin Soon 

-- Observer-Reporter: Smithfield Town Hall Details NextEra 107.5 Mile Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link Transmission Line Proposal In Fayette, Greene Counties   [PDF of Article]

-- PJM Interconnection: PJM Stakeholders Begin Work On Board’s Plan To Reliably Integrate A.I. Data Centers, Large Loads Into Grid

-- Wall Street Journal: A New Threat To Power Grids - Data Centers Dropping Off The Grid To Backup Power All At Once  [Dozens Of Centers Did That In Virginia Twice Forcing PJM To Take Emergency Action] [PDF of Articles]

-- Utility Dive Guest Essay: Governors Are Promising Lower Power Bills, Here’s The Only Credible Path To Deliver - By Jigar Shah and Arnab Pal

-- E&E News/Politico: Why The Cost For Powering A.I. Data Centers Will Keep Rising, Despite President’s Pledge

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - March 2  [PaEN] 

-- Canary Media: Pittsburgh Region Form Energy To Power Google A.I. Data Center In Minnesota  [Why Don’t We Do This In PA?]

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Form Energy To Supply Batteries For World’s Largest Energy Storage Project

-- Centre Daily Times: 162 MW, 908-Acre Solar Energy Facility Proposed On Abandoned Mine Land In Centre County

-- Kleinman Center For Energy Policy: Heat Stress And Urban Resilience: Alternative Cooling Strategies To Combat Extreme Heat In The Urban Environment 

-- Bloomberg: Renewable Energy Defies President’s Attacks, Reaching New Record In US

-- PA Capital-Star: US Supreme Court Takes Up Climate Case Testing Local Lawsuits Against Oil Companies

-- PA Capital-Star: Legislation Seeks To Reform Right-To-Know Requests In Pennsylvania During The Age Of A.I.

-- Evangelical Environmental Network: Rollbacks On Mercury, Toxic Emissions Limits From Power Plants Threatens The Health And Lives Of Our Children [PaEN]  

-- Inquirer Editorial: President’s Gutting Of Environmental Standards Endangers Americans’ Health And Finances

-- WTAE: ‘A Race Against Time:’  Remembering Michele Wright’s Coverage Of 2002 Quecreek Mine Rescue In Somerset County

-- TribLive: 2nd Lawsuit Filed By Family Of Westmoreland County Man Killed In US Steel/Nippon Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Explosion

-- Post-Gazatte - Anya Litvak: US Steel/Nippon Gets Green Light From Allegheny County For Slag Recycling Project That Puts Emission Limits Where They Didn’t Exist Before

-- The Center Square: Development Of New Railroad Safety Rules Gets Nod From PUC Using Lessons Learned From Norfolk Southern Train Derailment 

-- Spotlight PA: Shapiro Vows To Block ICE Warehouse Detention Centers, Warns Of Devastating Impact On Local Communities 

-- Tribune-Democrat: Shapiro Vows To ‘Use Every Tool’ To Thwart Planned ICE Warehouse Detention Centers In PA

-- PennLive: State Officials Warn Federal ICE Detention Centers In Warehouses Could Overwhelm Sewer, Other Critical Services  

-- Republican Herald: After Aqua Pennsylvania Water Emergency Ends, Shenandoah Officials Working To Prevent Further Problems

-- TribLive: Most Pittsburgh Water Authority Customers Facing Rising Tide Of Higher Bills

-- Morning Call: After All The Snow, Why Is The Lehigh Valley Still In A Drought?

-- US Army Corps Pittsburgh District, Southwestern PA Commission Launch Chartiers Creek Flood Risk Study In Allegheny, Washington Counties  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: Hempfield Seeks More Information On Easements For Northmont Flood Control Project In Westmoreland

-- Bloomberg: How President’s FEMA Secretly Dismantled Program To Prepare Americans For Disasters  [Warning]

-- Penn State Extension Hosts March 18 Webinar On Applying For PA Ag Innovation Grants  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Hosts In-Person Stream Health Investigation Educator Workshops March 18 In Butler County, March 31 In Cumberland County [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Hosts 5-Part Advanced Stream Repair Webinar Series Starting March 27   [PaEN]   

-- Penn State Researchers Find Some Pesticides Can Slip Through Forested Stream Buffers, Other Natural Protections Into Streams [PaEN]  

-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners Spring Partners Meeting April 14 Saint Joseph’s University

-- Wellsboro Gazette: Tioga County Planning Commission Approves Plan For Morris Run/Tioga River Acid Mine Drainage Treatment Plant

-- DEP Inviting Bids On Sandy Creek No. 1 Abandoned Mine Reclamation Project, Covington Twp., Clearfield County

-- DEP Responding To Runoff Into Codorus Creek From J&K Salvage Fire In Spring Garden Twp., York County Feb. 25

-- York Daily Record: What To Do If You Find Waterfowl Covered In Oil Along Codorus Creek After Huge J&K Junkyard Fire

-- Altoona Mirror: DEP Looks To Cleanup PDB Contaminated Soil At Altoona Water Authority Westerly Sewer Treatment Plant As Part Of Monsanto $100 Million PCB Settlement  [PDF of Article]

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Following Michigan’s Example In Reducing PFAS ‘Forever Chemical’ Exposure  [PDF of Article]

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: How To Reduce PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Your Drinking Water

-- WITF: Gov. Shapiro, Pennsylvania Ag Officials Look To Curb Harshest Bird Flu Outbreak In Decades; 7.48 Million Birds Affected

-- WESA: Gov. Shapiro Says PA Is ‘Epicenter’ Of Nationwide Bird Flu Outbreak

-- Post-Gazette - Mary Ann Thomas: Deer Are Decimating Western PA Crops, Costing Millions; Washington County Farmers Are Fighting Back

-- PennLive: President’s Tariffs Cost PA Residents $4 Billion Last Year, Report  [Warning] 

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Small Businesses Cheer US Supreme Court Tariff Decision, But Still Face Uncertainty; Tariffs Cost Pennsylvanians $4 Billion

-- Republican Herald Guest Essay: Tariffs Fostered The Anthracite Coal Industry, Now They Must Protect It - By William Rich, Reading Anthracite Company

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader Editorial: US Supreme Court’s Tariff Ruling Welcome, But It Doesn’t Undo The Damage Tariffs Did, Doesn’t Prevent Worse To Come 

-- TribLive Editorial: US Supreme Court Tariff Ruling Spotlights Local Government Limbo

-- DEP Now Accepting Applications For Section 902 Recycling Implementation Grants, Deadline May 22

-- The Center Square: Proposed Elk County Trash Train To Landfill Worries Taxpayers

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: Hazelwood Residents Urge Pittsburgh City Council To Create Buffer Between Homes, Waste Transfer/Recycling Center

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: Pittsburgh City Council OKs Larger Buffer Between Homes, Waste Transfer/Recycling Facilities

-- Triblive: Pittsburgh City Council Bans Waste Transfer Stations Within 500 Feet Of Homes, Schools, Parks

-- Educators Invited To Southwest PA Environmental Literacy Coalition Online Meeting March 2 On Western PA Outdoor Learning & Environmental Education Summit Set For June 11  [PaEN]

-- York Daily Record: From Petroglyphs To Paintings, The Susquehanna River’s Story Endures In Vast Art Collection

-- Delaware Highlands Conservancy Partners With Landowners To Protect 165 Acres Of Forests, Meadows And Wetlands In Wayne County, PA  [PaEN] 

-- WITF Podcast: Central PA Conservancy Land Swap Preserves Historic Scott Farm, Appalachian Trail Lands In Cumberland County 

-- WHYY: Winter Blues Got You Down? Plant Native Blooms In Time For Spring With Philly’s Favorite Squid Scientist

-- DCNR: Governor’s Advisory Council For Hunting, Fishing & Conservation Virtual Meeting March 2, 1:00 p.m.

-- DCNR Invests $905,846 In Volunteer Fire Companies To Help Protect Rural Communities From Wildfires; PA Now Entering Peak Wildfire Season  [PaEN] 

-- DCNR Grants News: New Funding Opportunities; New Publication-Financing Municipal Parks & Recreation In PA 

-- DCNR State Parks Environmental Ed News: Begin The Transition From Hibernation To Spring Fever  [PaEN] 

-- Feb. 27 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation Now Available

-- WeConservePA: 2027 PA Greenways & Trails Summit To Be Held In Tioga County 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Plans For New Park On Former Harry E. Colliery Coal Breaker Site Advance In Swoyersville

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Philly’s Trails Will Get Dedicated Work Crew For First Time

-- Erie Times: Corry Junction Greenway Trail Project Back On Track In Corry 

-- State Agencies Issue Do Not Eat Advisory For Fish From Briar Creek (Columbia County) And Middle Spring Creek (Cumberland, Franklin Counties)  [PaEN]

-- LancasterOnline: Snow Geese Descent On Middle Creek Wildlife Area During Peak Migration

-- York Daily Record: Becoming An Expert Bird-Watcher Could Benefit Your Brain, Study Finds

-- TribLive: Bald Eagles Near US Steel/Nippon Plant Welcome First Egg Of Season

-- AP: Shrinking North American Bird Population Is Getting Worse Faster; Experts Blame Intensive Agriculture, Climate Warming

-- The Allegheny Front: Monarch Butterflies, Hellbender Salamanders Await Federal Endangered Species Protection

Visit the PA Environment Digest website to learn more.

REAL Leadership:

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[Posted: March 1, 2026]   PA Environment Digest