Awards/Recognition
-- 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]
-- Penn State Mining Engineering Professor Barbara Arnold Elected To National Academy Of Engineering
Grants
-- Penn State Extension Hosts March 18 Webinar On Applying For PA Ag Innovation Grants [PaEN]
-- DCNR Grants News: New Funding Opportunities; New Publication-Financing Municipal Parks & Recreation In PA
Upcoming Events
-- 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]
-- DCNR: Governor’s Advisory Council For Hunting, Fishing & Conservation Virtual Meeting March 2, 1:00 p.m.
-- 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]
-- Penn State Extension Hosts 5-Part Advanced Stream Repair Webinar Series Starting March 27 [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension Hosts In-Person Stream Health Investigation Educator Workshops March 18 In Butler County, March 31 In Cumberland County [PaEN]
-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners Spring Partners Meeting April 14 Saint Joseph’s University
Public Participation
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - February 28 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 72 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In February 28 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- 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]
-- 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]
-- Scranton Times: Moosic Boro Seeks Community Input On A.I. Data Center Regulations At March 2 Meeting In Lackawanna County [PDF of Article]
-- Scranton Times: Archbald Schedules 2nd March 10 Hearing On Proposed 14 Building A.I. Data Center Campus [PDF of Article]
-- LancasterOnline: Public Hearing March 2 On Manor Twp. A.I. Data Center Ordinance In Lancaster County
Programs/Information
-- DCNR State Parks Environmental Ed News: Begin The Transition From Hibernation To Spring Fever [PaEN]
-- State Agencies Issue Do Not Eat Advisory For Fish From Briar Creek (Columbia County) And Middle Spring Creek (Cumberland, Franklin Counties) [PaEN]
-- 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
-- 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
-- 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
-- York Daily Record: From Petroglyphs To Paintings, The Susquehanna River’s Story Endures In Vast Art Collection
Budget
-- 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
A.I./Data Centers
-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - March 2 [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]
-- 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]
-- 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
-- PJM Interconnection: PJM Stakeholders Begin Work On Board’s Plan To Reliably Integrate A.I. Data Centers, Large Loads Into Grid
-- Observer-Reporter: Smithfield Town Hall Details NextEra 107.5 Mile Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link Transmission Line Proposal In Fayette, Greene Counties [PDF of Article]
-- 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]
-- 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
-- E&E News/Politico: Why The Cost For Powering A.I. Data Centers Will Keep Rising, Despite President’s Pledge
-- 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
Oil & Gas - Strikes On Iran
-- 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]
Background On Issues
-- Sen. Santarsiero Introduces Bill To Define Obligations Of Pipeline Owners, Anyone Discharging Hazardous Substances To Clean Up Spills, Releases [PaEN]
-- 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]
-- 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
-- Erie Times: Natural Gas Pipeline Company Wood Group USA Removes $18.9 Million In Liens On Erie County Property Owners In Dispute
-- DEP Inviting Bids On Sandy Creek No. 1 Abandoned Mine Reclamation Project, Covington Twp., Clearfield County
-- 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
-- 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]
-- Centre Daily Times: 162 MW, 908-Acre Solar Energy Facility Proposed On Abandoned Mine Land In Centre County
-- Bloomberg: Renewable Energy Defies President’s Attacks, Reaching New Record In US
-- Kleinman Center For Energy Policy: Heat Stress And Urban Resilience: Alternative Cooling Strategies To Combat Extreme Heat In The Urban Environment
-- 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]
-- Evangelical Environmental Network: Rollbacks On Mercury, Toxic Emissions Limits From Power Plants Threatens The Health And Lives Of Our Children [PaEN]
-- Wellsboro Gazette: Tioga County Planning Commission Approves Plan For Morris Run/Tioga River Acid Mine Drainage Treatment Plant
-- Penn State Researchers Find Some Pesticides Can Slip Through Forested Stream Buffers, Other Natural Protections Into Streams [PaEN]
-- 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
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: March 1, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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