Delaware River Basin Commission Releases Surface Water Availability Report For Select Tributaries; Results Will Be Reviewed At Oct. 14 Water Advisory Committee Meeting

On September 30, the Delaware River Basin Commission released a report, Surface Water Availability in Select Tributaries of the Delaware River Basin, detailing screening of surface water availability across a range of hydrologic conditions in six watersheds within the Delaware River Basin.

Commission staff evaluated six of the basin’s tributary watersheds in Pennsylvania and Delaware that support public water supply, as well as thermoelectric power generation, agriculture, industry and other uses: the Brodhead Creek, Brandywine-Christina River, Lehigh River, Neshaminy Creek, Chester-Ridley-Crum Creeks and Schuylkill River watersheds.

These watersheds were selected because they include public water supply intakes that draw from non-tidal rivers and streams and are not reliant on dams or reservoirs.  

Results suggest the Lehigh River watershed has potential availability concerns, and the report recommends further study to quantify possible supply challenges in the context of site-specific operations.

“Our screening tool is designed to flag areas that we need to study more closely,” said Amanda Khalil, DRBC Water Resource Scientist and a lead author on the study. “We intentionally built this tool to be sensitive, so we were certain to capture any potential availability risks in these watersheds.” 

Future work may include evaluating additional public water supply intakes in the basin, notably those that draw water from the main stem Delaware River, a tidal water body or a reservoir or other impoundment.

DRBC’s water research and planning also supports state and regional planning efforts, including the Pennsylvania State Water Plan.

“The Commonwealth values DRBC’s work on this issue and recognizes the strong link between basinwide planning and the Pennsylvania State Water Plan,” said Jill Whitcomb, PA Department of Environmental Protection’s Deputy Secretary for Water and DRBC Alternate Commissioner. “As we work to implement the Water Plan’s strategies and actions to benefit communities across Pennsylvania, we rely on the DRBC for leadership, research and recommendations within the Delaware River Basin.”

Oct. 14 Meeting

Results of the study will be shared at the Commission’s next Water Management Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

Click Here to register to join the meeting..

Visit DRBC’s Water Supply/Planning webpage to learn more about this program.

For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Delaware River Basin Commission website.  Click Here to sign up for regulator updates.  Follow DRBC on Twitter.  Visit them on YouTube.

[Posted: September 30, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Increasing Funding For Regenerative Pilot Program To Pay For On-Farm Conservation Systems

On September 29, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service announced it will increase financial assistance for the Regenerative Pilot Program from $700 million to $1 billion in fiscal year 2027, providing more producers with the opportunity to adopt conservation systems that improve soil health, water quality, and long-term farm resilience. 

USDA is also making improvements to the program, including using NRCS’s locally led conservation model to allow State Technical Advisory Committees to add conservation practices that reflect local resource concerns, production systems, and producer needs.

Applications for both EQIP and CSP can be submitted under the single regenerative application process through your local USDA Service Center.

Click Here for the USDA announcement.

Visit the Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA webpage for more information.

[Posted: September 30, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

Wednesday PA Environment & Energy Articles - NewsClips: 9.30.26

“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]

House Voting Schedule

September 30

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

November 9, 10

-- Committee Schedule

Senate Voting Schedule

​​September 30

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

November 17, 18

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events 

TODAY 9:00: Agenda Posted. DEP Sewage Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson. 9:00 a.m.

TODAY 9:30: House Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 2755 (Pielli-D-Chester) requiring investor-owned utilities to join PJM to eliminate a “windfall” payment utilities receive at ratepayer expense;  House Bill 2775 (Donahue-D-Lackawanna) to reduce development of speculative data center proposals, the legislation requires data center applicants seeking local zoning or land-use approval to demonstrate that they have submitted an interconnection application with the applicable electric utility provider and paid all mandatory fees and costs associated with the application; House Bill 2791 (Takac-D-Centre) provide an option for utilities and developers to co-locate electric transmission lines along certain PennDOT rights-of-ways; House Bill 2828 (Fiedler-D-Philadelphia) codifies the PUC’s large load tariff, charge large load customers for reliability backstop auction costs and curtail large load users during emergencies;  House Resolution 564 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) directs the Joint State Government commission to investigate how heat from data centers can be captured and repurposed to improve energy efficiency, lower operating costs and reduces waste head emissions; House Resolution 630 (Sappey-D-Chester) directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study of decommissioning requirements for data centers.  Room 205 Ryan Building.  9:30 a.m.  Click Here to watch online.

TODAY 6:00: In-Person. Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community meeting on Sherwin Williams Facility.  Rochester Riverfront Park, Rochester. 6:00 p.m.

October 2-- In-Person. Carnegie Mellon University, Center For Coalfield Justice Community-Centered A.I. Infrastructure Summit. Mellon Institute Auditorium, Pittsburgh. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  https://tinyurl.com/3bvph8tj

October 5-- House Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee holds a hearing on road spreading oil and gas wastewater and DEP’s new “mineral brine” conventional well permit. Room 205 Ryan Building. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch online.   Read background here.

October 6-- House Energy Committee will hold an informational meeting on electric reliability and the PUC’s Assessing Electricity Resource Adequacy in Pennsylvania and PJM report. Room 205 Ryan Building. 9:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online. 

October 6-- In-Person. 27+ Citizen, Environmental Groups To Hold No Data Center Rally Oct. 6 Main Capitol Rotunda In Harrisburg. 12:30 p.m.

October 7-- In-Person. 500 Feet Isn't Enough! The Protective Buffers PA Coalition Will Hold A Rally At The State Capitol In Harrisburg Calling For Increasing Setbacks From Shale Gas Drilling To Protect Public Health, The Environment. 12:30 p.m. 

October 21-- House Energy Committee meeting.  Information Meeting Agenda TBA.  Click Here to watch online.

October 14-- In-Person. DEP Public Meeting/Hearing On Major Amendment To Water Quality Permit For Homer City Data Center/Power Plant Complex In Indiana County.  Homer Center High School Auditorium, 70 Wildcat Lane, Homer City. 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. 

-- DEP’s Forest City East - Fish & Boat Commission Access Abandoned Mine Reclamation Project In Susquehanna, Wayne Counties Recognized With Federal Office Of Surface Mine Reclamation Appalachian States Award  [PaEN]  

-- TribLive: What Happens When Coal Companies Buy Up An Entire Village To Prevent Damage From Longwall Coal Mining In Center Twp., Greene County

-- TribLive Letter: Truths About Shale Gas Fracking, Contaminated Water Releases - By Jan Milburn, Westmoreland County

-- PA Solar Center: Union Aid Society, EIS Solar Turn Sunshine Into Support For The Community With Solar Energy Installation In Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- Planet Philadelphia Radio Show Oct. 2 - Renovating The Grid And Energy Systems For The Future, 4:00 p.m.

-- TribLive: Duquesne Light Workers Threaten Strike Wednesday Night

-- DEP, First Lady Lori Shapiro Highlight Impacts Of Food Waste Reduction Grants, Tour The Valley Lighthouse Food Distribution Center In Dauphin County  [PaEN] 

-- Keystone Trails Assn.: 50+ Trail Advocates Hold Hike Harrisburg Trail Advocacy Day At State Capitol In Harrisburg  [PaEN] 

-- Scranton Times: ‘Recovery In Nature’ Substance Abuse Initiative Blooms Highlighting Benefits Of Enjoyment Of State Parks, Nature Areas

-- Susquehanna Greenway Partnership Completes First-Of-Its-Kind Accessibility Study Of West Branch Susquehanna River Access Sites

-- TribLive: Allegheny Regional Asset District Board Proposes Nearly $153 Million In Funding For Parks, Libraries And Arts

-- Erie Times - Brian Whipkey: PA Senator Pushes To Enshrine Hunting, Fishing Rights In PA Constitution

 A.I. /Data Centers

-- Republican Herald: Kline Twp. Planning Commission In Schuylkill County Approves Amazon Data Center Plans With Conditions Over Public Objections; Twp. Supervisors To Vote On Plans Wednesday [Sept. 30]

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Sugarloaf Twp. Supervisors Table Resolution To Write New Rules For A.I. Data Centers After Residents Ask If It Would Hurt Their Active Legal Case Involving A Challenge By A Data Center Developer

-- Scranton Times Guest Essay: Northeast PA Must Seize The Opportunity Of A Digital Future - By John Yudichak, Luzerne County Community College President, Former State Senator

-- TheDerrick.com: Data Center Developer KEEL Infrastructure VP Tries To Quell Concerns About Data Center Plans In Venango County

-- Tribune-Democrat: Somerset County Resident Pack Hearing To Urge Officials To Strengthen Proposed A.I. Data Center Regulations

-- PennLive - John Beauge: A.I. Data Center Project In Muncy Twp., Lycoming County Focus Of Court Challenge To PA’s ‘Deemed Approval’ Planning Code Provision

-- WITF: Central PA Residents At Cumberland County Forum Raise Concerns About Growing A.I. Data Center Development

-- SightLine: NRC Clears Environmental Review For Three Mile Island Data Center Nuclear Power Plant Restart

-- Tribune-Democrat: PA Lawmakers Advance Ban On Data Center Nondisclosure Agreements [Senate], Prohibit Public Utility Status [House]

-- The Center Square: PA Senate Committee Backs Ban On Governments Signing Data Center Nondisclosure Agreements

-- Utility Dive (Deep Dive): A.I. Data Center Boom Continues, But Projects Face Mounting Obstacles: Equipment, Labor Shortages; Utility Infrastructure; Cost/Reliability Of Power & Natural Gas Supplies And Mounting Public Opposition  

-- Utility Dive (Deep Dive): Efforts To Curb A.I. Data Center Speculation Gain Ground Across The US 

-- AP: President Said He Will Never ‘Stifle’ Growth Of A.I.; Promotes Voluntary Self-Policing Of A.I. Development

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- DEP: Equipment Failure At Catalyst Energy Injection Well Results In Contaminated Water Discharges In Keating Twp., McKean County [PaEN] 

-- DEP - Day 202: Ows Acquisition Co Conventional Well Site Still Discharging Contaminated Water In the City Of Hermitage, Mercer County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Pipeline Excavation Hits Conventional Oil & Gas Well Drill Cuttings Disposal Area At Eastern Gas Transmission Oakford Gas Storage Area In Westmoreland County  [PaEN]

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- September 30: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Down 1 Penny Since Yesterday $4.52/Gallon - $1.41/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Warren County $4.77  Highest Average Price]

-- September 30: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.43  Ohio- $4.23  PA- $4.52-- Feb. 27: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $2.98  Ohio- $2.79  PA- $3.11

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- TribLive: Could The 1,100 People Serving Life For Unconstitutional 2nd Degree Murder In PA Get Resentenced?

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Supreme Court Agrees To Address Whether Those Serving Life As A Result Of Unconstitutional Felony Murder Convictions Can Seek Parole

-- WITF: York House Republicans Force Movement On Bill Banning Gits To Public Officials

-- Attorney General Sunday: PA Businesses Must Remove ‘Skill’ Gambling Games By Oct. 14 Or Risk Law Enforcement Action

-- TribLive: Republican House Member Calls On Gainey To Resign From PA Gaming Control Board Amid Probe Into Alleged Bid-Rigging While Gainey Was Major Of Pittsburgh

-- Tribune-Democrat: PA House Votes In Favor Of Semi-Open Primary Election Proposal

-- TribLive: Racist Flyers Appear In Pittsburgh, Eastern Suburbs In Wake Of UPMC Doctor’s Slaying

-- Post-Gazette: Carnegie Mellon To Open Campus In Miami, Florida After $3 Billion Donation From Hedge Fund CEO

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Federal ICE Arrests Of Poultry Workers In Lancaster County Spell Trouble For Our Economy And Values

-- Post-Gazette/AP: Americans’ View Of The Economy Sinks To The Lowest Level Since 2014, Conference Board Survey Says 

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[Posted: September 30, 2026]  PA Environment Digest