Thursday PA Environment & Energy Articles - NewsClips: 10.22.26

“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

October 22 (nonvoting)

November 9, 10

-- Committee Schedule

Senate Voting Schedule

October 22 (nonvoting)

November 17, 18

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events 

TODAY 9:00: DEP State Water Plan Upper/Middle Susquehanna Regional Water Resources Committee meeting. 9:00 a.m. (formal notice)

TODAY 10:00: Agenda Posted. DEP Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00 a.m.

October 24-- WeConservePA: 2026 Environmental Advisory Council and Municipal Sustainability Conference. Fort Washington, Montgomery County

October 24-- National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Events Planned

October 27-- DEP State Water Plan Statewide Water Resources Committee meeting.  Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00 a.m. (formal notice)

October 27-- Virtual. US EPA Invites Comments On Reissuance Of Expired EXCO Resources (PA) Oil & Gas Waste Injection Well Permit In Bell Twp., Clearfield County; Virtual Hearing Set For Oct. 27 [If Requested]  

October 28-- DEP Radiation Protection Advisory Committee meeting.  Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:00 a.m.  (formal notice)

October 28-- In-Person. Telephonic. Susquehanna River Basin Commission To Hold Hearing On Proposed Fee Increase, Records Policy And Water Withdrawal Requests, Including One For Shale Gas Development.  5:00 p.m.

October 28-- Virtual. PA Technical Assistance Program, Catalyst Connection Webinar On No-Cost Energy Efficiency Resources To Boost Manufacturing Competitiveness. 11:00 a.m. to Noon.

October 29-- DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson. 9:00 a.m.

-- DEP Celebrates Plugging 500th Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Well; DEP Continues To Issue Violations By The Hundreds To Conventional Well Owners For Abandoning Wells  [PaEN] 

-- Senate Committee Reports Out Resolution Authorizing Study Of The Economic Importance Of Conventional Oil & Gas Industry; Forgetting The Billions In Costs The Industry Dumps On Taxpayers  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: Salem Twp., Westmoreland County Officials To Shale Gas Well Opponents: No Local Authority Over Drilling Without Local Zoning 

-- PennVEST Invests $190.3 Million Across 19 Counties To Support Local Drinking Water, Clean Water And Water Infrastructure Projects  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Offers Master Watershed Steward Training Thru County Programs  [PaEN] 

-- Tribune-Democrat: Vision Together, Western PA Conservancy Brings Tree Planting Initiative To Local Schools, Communities

-- Penn State Extension To Host 9-Part Woods In Your Backyard - Why Are They Important Webinar Series  [PaEN] 

-- Sponsors/Exhibitors: Penn State Extension Forest Landowners Conference March 4-6 In State College  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive: New Kensington Animal Rescue To Have Solar Panels Installed To Curb Costly Energy Bills; The Public Can ‘Adopt’ 1 With Donation In Westmoreland County 

-- Penn State Oct. 26 EarthTalks Features American Rivers’ Adam Schellhammer On Centering Rivers For Healthier Communities, Watersheds, 4:00 p.m.

-- DCNR To Hold Oct. 28 Meeting On Presque Isle State Park Complex Master Plan

-- DCNR Grants News: $81 Million In C2P2 Grants Announced; Register For Nov. 5 Grants Webinar; Strawberry Hills Soccer Complex 

-- Morning Call: Continued Work On Jordan Creek Greenway Trail In South Whitehall Is Approved In Lehigh County

-- Game Commission Urges Drivers To Stay Alert As Deer Activity Peaks 

  A.I. /Data Centers

-- Scranton Times: Archbald Council Unanimously Denies Wildcat Ridge A.I. Data Center Complex In Lackawanna County 

-- WVIA: Archbald Council Unanimously Denies Zoning For Wildcat Ridge A.I. Data Center Complex In Lackawanna County

-- Scranton Times Chris Kelly Opinion: Residents Of Mobile Home Park Chased Out After A.I. Data Center Developer Buys Land; A Fire Kills Affected Resident

-- PennLive: Union County Tells A.I. Data Center Developer To Stop Construction On Electrical Substation That Would Serve Proposed Development

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Hazle Twp. Planning Commission Sets Oct. 27 Meeting On Proposed A.I. Data Center Ordinance In Luzerne County

-- Morning Call: Parkland School Board Joins Opposition To Project Atlas A.I. Data Center Across The Street From School; A ‘Ticking Time Bomb,’ Member Says 

-- PennLive: A.I. Data Center Developer ‘Underestimated The Public Outcry:’ Pulls Proposal In Upper Hanover Twp., Montgomery County

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: How A.I. Data Center Battles In Philadelphia Suburbs Could Impact Party Control Of The PA General Assembly 

-- AP: Facing Pushback On A.I. Data Centers, Tech Giants Are Promising Hosts More Money, Fewer Secrets [PA Included]

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations/Inspections

-- DEP: Routine Inspections Find 7 Anderson Energy SVC LLC Conventional Wells Abandoned, Not Plugged In Forest County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Follow-Up Inspections Of 4 Michael Harju Conventional Wells Found They Continue To Be Abandoned, Not Plugged Going Back To 2020 In Westmoreland County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Routine Inspections Find 3 Keystone Crude LLC Abandoned, Unplugged Conventional Gas Wells In Allegheny County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Bialy Gas Production Intent To Plug Abandoned Conventional Well Leads To Discovery Of Severely Corroded Contaminated Water Tanks With Holes, Leaking Fluids In Beaver County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Contaminated Water Release Discovered At Deer Run Oil & Gas LLC Conventional Oil & Gas Well Site In Crawford County  [PaEN]

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- October 22: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Down 1 Penny Since Yesterday $4.47/Gallon - $1.36/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Crawford County $4.77 Highest Average Price] 

-- October 22: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.27  Ohio- $4.07  PA- $4.47

-- Feb. 27: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $2.98  Ohio- $2.79  PA- $3.11

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- LancasterOnline: Garrity (30%) Struggles To Keep Up With Shapiro’s (52%) Lead In PA Governor Race In Latest F&M Poll

-- PennLive: Postal Union Leader Says Postal Service Investigating 4 Undelivered Mail-In Ballots In Dauphin, Lancaster Counties 

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: How A.I. Data Center Battles In Philadelphia Suburbs Could Impact Party Control Of The PA General Assembly

-- Spotlight PA: Lawmakers Send Shapiro Bill To Close Meeting Notice Loophole In Sunshine Law

Click Here for latest PA Environmental News

Like PA Environment Digest on Facebook

Follow PA Environment Digest on Twitter  

Read Weekly PA Environment Digest

Diversity - Equity - Inclusion

[Posted: October 22, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

DEP: Follow-Up Inspections Of 4 Michael Harju Conventional Wells Found They Continue To Be Abandoned, Not Plugged Going Back To 2020 In Westmoreland County

On October 13 & 16, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection did follow-up inspections on 4 Michael Harju conventional oil and gas wells in Westmoreland County and found they continued to be abandoned and not plugged.

The wells include--

-- Upper Burrell Twp: N. Watson 1 (Abandoned since 11.8.2020), 

-- Washington Twp: George Hill 1 (Abandoned since 6.15.2023), JB Kerns 2 (Abandoned since 6.15.2023), WW Swank 4 (Abandoned since 11.18.2020)

DEP also found the owner failed to submit any production, waste generation or well integrity reports for the wells, which DEP noted is a violation of an order issued to the owner.

DEP continued the abandoned well violations and requested a written response by November 6.

Michael Harju holds 158 permits, including 13 other abandoned wells.

DEP has issued multiple orders to Michael Harju to plug abandoned wells and failed to get a response and had to start plugging several wells at taxpayer expense.  Read more here.

Report Violations

To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.

Text photos and the location of abandoned wells to 717-788-8990.

Check These Resources

Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database and Inspection Reports Viewer webpages to search their compliance records by date and owner.

Sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE service which sends you information on oil and gas and other permits submitted to DEP for review in your community.

Use DEP’s Oil and Gas Mapping Tool to find if there are oil and gas wells near or on your property and to find wells using latitude and longitude on well inspection reports.

[Note: If you believe your company was listed in error, contact DEP’s Oil and Gas Program.]

[Note: These may not be all the NOVs issued to oil and gas companies during this time period.  Additional inspection reports may be added to DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database.]

PA Weekly Oil & Gas Compliance Snapshot - October 17 to 23

-- DEP - Day 119: Contaminated Water Discharges Continue, Failure To Comply With Cleanup Order At Equitrans Water SVC [EQT] Richter Impoundment In Greene County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Routine Inspections Find 7 Anderson Energy SVC LLC Conventional Wells Abandoned, Not Plugged In Forest County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Follow-Up Inspections Of 4 Michael Harju Conventional Wells Found They Continue To Be Abandoned, Not Plugged Going Back To 2020 In Westmoreland County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Routine Inspections Finds 3 Keystone Crude LLC Abandoned, Unplugged Conventional Gas Wells In Allegheny County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Contaminated Water Tank Failed Causing Release At Diversified Production LLC Conventional Oil & Gas Well Site In Warren County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Contaminated Water Release Discovered At Deer Run Oil & Gas LLC Conventional Oil & Gas Well Site In Crawford County 

-- DEP: Bialy Gas Production Intent To Plug Abandoned Conventional Well Leads To Discovery Of Severely Corroded Contaminated Water Tanks With Holes, Leaking Fluids In Beaver County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: EQT Production Site Prep For Well Plugging Leads To Significant Well Pad, Access Road Erosion Violations In Fayette County  [PaEN] 

-- PUC Accepting Nominations For PaOneCall Damage Prevention Committee

Related Article This Week:

-- DEP Celebrates Plugging 500th Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Well; DEP Continues To Issue Violations By The Hundreds To Conventional Well Owners For Abandoning Wells  [PaEN] 

-- Senate Committee Reports Out Resolution Authorizing Study Of The Economic Importance Of Conventional Oil & Gas Industry; Forgetting The Billions In Costs The Industry Dumps On Taxpayers  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Health Project, Food & Water Watch, Partners Host Nov. 10 Webinar On Shale Gas Fracking, Data Centers And Your Health  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- TribLive: Proposed Shale Gas Well In Salem Twp. Concerns Local Residents In Westmoreland County  

-- Bloomberg Commentary: President’s Arm-Twisting For New York’s Constitution Natural Gas Pipeline May End In Regret

-- Inside Climate News: After A Decade Of Efforts To Regulate Methane From Oil & Gas Industry, The President’s Administration Promises New Rules, Has Rolled Back Or Blocked Previous Attempts

[Posted: October 22, 2026]  PA Environment Digest