Environment & Energy Educational Opportunities For Students & Adults

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

Awards/Recognition

-- Northeast PA Environmental Partners Announce 2026 Award Recipients - Ellen Ferretti Receives Thomas P. Shelburne Leadership Award  [PaEN] 

-- PA Wilds Center: 2026 PA Wilds Champions Receive Awards At July 30 Dinner  [PaEN]

-- DEP Watershed Restoration Staff Recognized With Governor's Award For Excellence    [PaEN] 

-- PennLive: State Forestry Workers Recognized For Tackling Wildfires In Central PA, Poconos

-- Wilkies-Barre Time-Leader: Ellen Ferretti Announces Retirement From North Branch Land Trust 

-- DCNR, Agencies Join PA Outdoor Corps To Plant 250 Trees In Eagles Forest At Neshaminy State Park Bucks County [Video + Photos]

-- WNEP: Native American Culture Celebrated At The Rhythms Of The Land Event In Scranton

-- South Mountain Partnership Spirit Of South Mountain Award Nominations Due Sept. 2 

-- TribLive Editorial: 6-Year Old Teaches Lesson On Citizenship Asking Ligonier Twp. Officials In Westmoreland County To Make Building a Splash Pad In A Local Park A Priority

Grants

-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners: Reminder - Lancaster County Clean Water Project Grant Applications Due Aug. 31 

-- DCNR Now Accepting Applications For ATV/Snowmobile Project Grants Until Sept. 30

Upcoming Events

-- Planet Philadelphia Radio Show: Aug. 7 - Sustainability Efforts Of Youth In Our Cities, 4:00 p.m. 

-- Dept. Of Health To Distribute Free Potassium Iodide Tablets Aug. 13 To People Living Near 4 PA Nuclear Power Plants; Not Near Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant To Restart In 2027  [PaEN] 

-- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Welcomes Visitors For 2026 Autumn Migration Season Beginning Aug. 15, Lectures Series Starts Aug. 22

-- PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In July: State Budget Leaves Data Center Issues Unresolved; Western PA Trails & Greenways Summit - Aug. 26 & 27  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Sept. 12 In-Person First-Year Meadow Establishment Workshop, Penn State Beaver, Beaver County, 10:00 a.m. To Noon

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Sept. 18 Webinar On First Investigation Of Stream Health Tool To Track Stream Health  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Host Nov. 6 Webinar On Pennsylvania Invasive Species - Asian Lady Beetles, 1:00 to 2:15 p.m.

Public Participation

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - August 8 [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Chapter 105 Permit For A 3rd Expand Operating LLC 16-Inch Shale Gas Water Pipeline In Wysox Twp., Bradford County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 58 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In August 8 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Stormwater Permit For New US Steel Hot Strip Mill With Special Conditions In Braddock Boro, Allegheny County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Invites Comments On Stormwater Permit For PPL Hauto Frackville Transmission Line Project To Serve A.I. Data Center In Schuylkill County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Invites Comments On Stormwater Permit For Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission Bushkill Falls To Birchwood Lakes Electric Substations In Pike County  [PaEN]  

-- DEP published notice in the August 8 PA Bulletin it has received a Notice of Intent under the Act 2 Land Recycling Program from 1000 Main St. Prop/Archbald Data and Energy Center, LLC to remediate soil impacted by volatile organic compounds, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, lead and arsenic at a site located in Archbald Boro, Lackawanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 5291)

Programs/Information

-- Gov. Shapiro Signs Executive Order Directing State Agencies To Prepare To Fill The Gaps In Disaster Response And Recovery Left By Changes In Federal Emergency Disaster Response Policies  [PaEN]

-- DEP Chesapeake Bay Healthy Waters News: DEP Renews County Clean Water Funding Agreements With Bay Watershed Counties  [PaEN] 

-- Chesapeake Bay Program: Jurisdictions Continue Working Toward Nitrogen, Phosphorus Goals, With Sediment Goal Already Achieved  

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Chesapeake Progress Report Based On Modeling Only Tells Part Of The Story

-- Stroud Water Research Center: Organic No-Till: Searching For The Holy Grail In Agriculture

-- Stroud Water Research Center: Philadelphia Catholic Schools Connect Watershed Science To Their Communities

-- PennEnvironment Offers Tools Parents, Teachers Can Use To Protect Their Children From The Recent Rollback Of Lead Reporting Standards For Drinking Water In Schools; DEP Offers School Water Lead Testing  [PaEN]

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: Pittsburgh Water Authority Lead Pipe Replacement Expands To 4 More Neighborhoods As Project Nears End

-- The Citizens’ Voice: PA American Water Reps Going Door-To-Door To Address Lead Water Service Line Issues

-- WESA: With Cyber Attacks Reported In Other States, PA Officials Say Water Systems Here Untouched By Hackers [DEP Cyber Security Alert]

-- The Center Square: PA Senate Inaction On PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Bill Keeps Pennsylvanians At Risk, Advocates Say

-- Warren Times: Tidioute Boil Water Advisory Extended For 7th Month In Warren County

-- DEP Highlights Act 2 Land Recycling Redevelopment Of Former Industrial Sites In Carlisle, Cumberland County

-- Ohio River Valley Institute: Jobs, Wages Falling Behind In PA's Fracking Counties; New Data Center, Natural Gas Development Will Fail To Deliver Long-Term Economic Growth, Report Suggests 

-- Erie Times: Climate Change Leads To Warmer July In Erie, Index Tool Shows

-- Inside Climate News: Philadelphia Juggles Short-Term Budget Plans And Long-Term Climate Goals

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Philly Schools Could Get A/C, Heat From Geothermal Energy To Reduce Costs, Study Says

-- Altoona Mirror: Altoona Zoning Hearing Board Grants Variances To 2 Solar Energy Projects

-- WITF - The Spark: PA DEP Releases Draft 2026 Water Quality Assessment For Rivers, Streams, Lakes

-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners: A Visit To The Horst Farm To See Conservation Practices In Action 

-- USDA Invests $2.8 Million With Fish & Boat Commission To Expand Wildlife Conservation, Outdoor Recreation Access  [PaEN]

-- DCNR, Local Partners Celebrate Third Outdoors For All Day In Harrisburg [Video + Photos]

-- Inquirer: Costs For Tredyffrin Twp. Park Have Ballooned To $1.7 Million In Chester County, Angering Residents; Officials Say It’s An Investment

-- PennLive: Fall Foliage 2026: When Will Leaves Change This Year?

-- Delco.Today: The Real Story Of John James Audubon, Right Here In Montgomery County

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper Blog: State Of Plastics In The Susquehanna River - They Are Everywhere And Have Become A Major Threat, According To Survey Of Experts, River Users

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper Blog: Bibliography Of Plastics Research Includes Links To 72 Studies Related To Health, Environmental Impacts Of Plastics, Microplastic Particles

-- Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly News: Guide To Managing Spotted Lanternflies; Removing Tree Of Heaven; Online Learning Opportunities

-- TribLive: Fetterman, McCormick US Senate Bill Aims To Combat Spotted Lanternfly Spread

-- Republican Herald: Unpredictable Algal Blooms Keep Blue Marsh Lake Recreation Area On Alert

-- PennLive: PA Lyme Disease Cases Are Below Recent Years, But Ticks Are Still Out There

-- TribLive: Mosquitoes Carrying West Nile Virus To Be Spray-Treated In 8 Pittsburgh Neighborhoods

-- DEP To Conduct Mosquito Control Spraying Aug. 6 In Ridley Twp., Ridley Park Boro In Delaware County 

-- PennLive-Kurt Bresswein: Does PA Have More Deer Than Usual This Year? What The Experts, Trends Say 

A.I./Data Centers

-- PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In July: State Budget Leaves Data Center Issues Unresolved; Western PA Trails & Greenways Summit - Aug. 26 & 27  [PaEN]

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - August 10  [PaEN] 

-- Morning Call: Electricity Prices In PA Will Continue To Rise Through 2030 As PJM Regional Grid Strains To Meet Increased Demand From A.I. Data Centers 

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Rising Electric Bills Cause Concern, Legislators Need To Prioritize This Issue

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Why Your Electric Bill Keeps Rising, And How Pennsylvania Can Fix It By Pairing Solar Energy With Energy Storage - By Tim Pawlenty, Solar Energy Industries Assn.

-- Wall Street Journal: President To Impose 15% Tariff, Set Minimum Prices On Solar Panels, Components  [Continuing President’s Effort To Raise The Cost Of The Cheapest Electric Generation In US] 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: PA Can’t Let A.I. Data Centers Write Their Own Rules - By Dana Kuhnline, ReImagine Appalachia  

-- Inquirer: Federal Legislation Proposing ‘Data Center Bill Of Rights’ Took Lessons From Philly Suburbs And Western PA Shale Gas Fracking Country

-- PennFuture Blog: Bring Your Own Generation Isn’t The Solution - Homer City 3,200 Acre A.I. Data Center Case Study - Bring Your Own CLEAN Energy Is 

-- PA Capital-Star/Inside Climate News: A.I. Data Centers - Coming To Some Of Pennsylvania’s Most Picturesque Places 

-- Environmental Health Project: Resources For Communities Concerned About Health Impacts Of A.I. Data Centers  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Issues Hot Weather Alert Aug. 9 - 11 For Mid-Atlantic - Including PA - Southern Regions Of Service Area  [PaEN]  

-- PPL Electric Reports 31.8 GW In A.I. Data Center Demand Pipeline, Including 11 GW Under Signed Agreements; Its Joint Venture With Blackstone Has Secured Sites To Build Up To 14 GW Of Generation In PA  [PaEN]

-- WVIA: Wildcat Ridge A.I. Data Center Developer Wants 6 of 7 Archbald Boro Council Members To Recuse Themselves From Voting On Their Proposal; Air Quality In Focus Again 

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: A.I. Data Center Developer Had A More Than A Year’s Headstart With Township Officials On Looking At Monroe Twp., Cumberland County For Data Center Project Before Public Knew

-- Ohio River Valley Institute: Jobs, Wages Falling Behind In PA's Fracking Counties; New Data Center, Natural Gas Development Will Fail To Deliver Long-Term Economic Growth, Report Suggests 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times/National Observer: The A.I. Data Center Tsunami Is Coming, But One Critical Factor Is Missing - Permanent Jobs Supported By The Millions In Public Tax Subsidies 

-- Utility Dive: Facing 374 GW Of Grid Connection Requests, Texas Governor Hits Brakes On Data Centers Saying Development ‘Could Endanger The Reliability And Stability Of The Texas Electric Grid’ 

-- Utility Dive: Texas Governor’s Pause On A.I. Data Center Grid Connections Puts 20% Of US Data Center Proposals At Risk

Background On Issues

-- PennLive: Attorney General Sunday Files More Criminal Charges Against Eureka Resources, This Time For Releasing Oily Oil & Gas Wastewater From Its Williamsport Plant Last August  [PaEN] 

-- Williamsport Sun: More Criminal Charges Filed Against Eureka Resources For 2025 Oil & Gas Wastewater Spill

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper Blog: Nearly 1 Year Since Eureka Resources Oil & Gas Wastewater Spill, Company Sold Its Operations, Wastewater Still At All 3 Facilities  [PaEN] 

-- DEP - Day 26: Loan Asset Issuer, LLC Fails To Comply With Order To Prevent Migration Of Contaminated Shale Gas Water Spill Of Up To Now 88,410 Gallons From A Shale Gas Pipeline Failure In Washington County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP - Day 47: Equitrans Water SVC [EQT] Remediation Of Richter Shale Gas Water Impoundment Release Appears To Be At A Stand Still In Greene County  [PaEN]

-- DEP - Day 1,450:  Blackhill Energy Fails To Fix Or Plug 3 Shale Gas Wells With Casing/Cement Failures In Bradford County First Discovered In August 2022  [PaEN]  

-- PA Capital-Star: Citizens Coal Council Claims DEP Is Falling Behind Reporting On Structure, Stream Damage Caused By Underground Coal Mining 

-- Post-Gazette: A Year After Deadly US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Explosion, Heartache And Trauma Linger

-- WESA/The Allegheny Front: US Steel Shows Off Its Newest Steel Plant Investment In Braddock; Environmentalists Want Company To Use Less Polluting Technology It Is Installing In Arkansas

-- DEP Invites Comments On Stormwater Permit For New US Steel Hot Strip Mill With Special Conditions In Braddock Boro, Allegheny County  [PaEN] 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: Virginia Dept. Of Environmental Quality Asks Public How To Add Environmental Justice To Environmental Permitting Process

-- The Conversation: President’s EPA Moves To Block Citizen Lawsuits Enforcing Environmental Protection Laws - By Sarah Morath, Professor of Law, Wake Forest University

-- AP: Conservatives, President’s Administration Target Decades-Old Pillar Of Environmental Enforcement - Citizens’ Suits

-- NPR: Appalachia’s Black Lung Disease Rates Among Coal Miners Highest In Nearly 50 Years As Miners’ Protections Stall

-- The Guardian: Greenland Issues ‘Strong Warning’ As Oil Company Linked To US President Prepares To Drill Without Approval

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: August 9, 2026]  PA Environment Digest