Susquehanna River Basin Commission Reports Low-Flow Stream Conditions Trigger Stop To 11 Shale Gas Water Withdrawals, 7 More Put On Watch Status

On October 31, 2026, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission Hydrologic Conditions Monitor Dashboard shows low-flow stream conditions have triggered a stop to 11 shale gas water withdrawals and put 7 more on Watch status approaching operating restrictions.

The 11 water withdrawals are in Bradford, Susquehanna and Tioga counties.

Shale gas water withdrawal points are among the first to be restricted by low flow and ice conditions because many of the withdrawals are on smaller streams.

No Western PA Information

Similar information is not available for the Northwest and Southwest areas of the state in the Ohio River Watershed where there is shale gas drilling because there is no agency like SRBC to regulate water withdrawals.

DEP does require shale gas drillers to have water management plans that include low-flow restrictions, but that’s just one more thing DEP has to enforce.

Report Violations

Contact the Susquehanna River Basin Commission to report suspected violations of these requirements.

Visit SRBC’s Hydrologic Conditions Monitor webpage to learn more.

PA Oil & Gas, Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Weekly Oil & Gas Compliance Snapshot - October 24 to 30

-- DEP: Fracking Fluid Hose Rupture Contaminates Range Resources Appalachia Shale Gas Pad, And Down The Well Pad Slope In Washington County  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Release From Diversified Production LLC Conventional Contaminated Water Pipeline Pollutes Field In Indiana County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Investigates Transfer Of Conventional Well Ownership, Finds Abandoned, Unplugged Well Leaking Gas 10 Feet From Apartment Building In Washington County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Diversified Prod LLC Failed To Comply With Order To Stop Gas Venting From 2 Abandoned Conventional Wells In Westmoreland County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Inspections Of 5 Shale Gas Pads Found 2 New Well Casing/Cementing Failures, 7 Continuing Well Failures in Bradford, Susquehanna, Westmoreland, Wyoming Counties  [PaEN] 

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - October 31 [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Chapter 105 Permit For 4.5 Mile EQT ARO Natural Gas Pipeline On State Forest Land In Lycoming County  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Issues Another Extension Of Air Quality Plan Approvals Allowing Temporary Operation Of The Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County; Title V Application Still Under Review Since July 2024  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 59 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 31 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]  

-- DEP To Hold Dec. 3 Meeting/Hearing On Air Permit For Installation Of Emergency Generators At Aligned AI PA Data Center In Shippingport Boro, Beaver County  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Issued Air Quality Plan Approval Extension For Installation Of Emergency Generator For Innovation 411 Fee Owner LLC Data Center Chilled Water Expansion  Project In Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County  [PaEN] 

Related Articles This Week:

-- EPA Proposes Changes To OOOOb/c Oil & Gas Industry Methane Reduction Rules To Help Reduce Burdens On Oil & Gas Industry; Over 99% Of PA Conventional Well Owners Failed To Comply With DEP's 2022 Methane Rules  [PaEN]  

-- FracTracker Alliance: A.I. Data Center Developers Propose 12.5 GW Of Natural Gas-Fired Power Plants To Feed 12 Data Center Projects In Southwest PA  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Awards $2.4 Million Grant To Penn State To Study How Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Impact Health  [PaEN]

-- DEP Partners With Harrisburg University To Update, Digitize PA Oil & Gas Well Mapping [Video] 

-- Protect PT Hosts Nov. 18-19 Online Workshop On Living Near Shale Gas - How To Protect Yourself From Health, Environmental Impacts  [PaEN] 

-- Consumer Alert!  If You Shopped For Your Electric, Natural Gas Supplier In 2024, You Paid $350 Million Too Much For Energy  [PaEN]  

-- PJM Interconnection Files Revised Reliability Backstop Generation Procurement Proposal With FERC; Looks To Hold Next Auction March 2027 With Price Cap Of $555/MW-Day  [PaEN]  

NewsClips:

-- TribLive/AP: President Says He’s Ending Restrictions On Climate-Warming Methane From Oil & Gas Industry

-- The Allegheny Front: How A Federal Rollback Of Methane Reduction Rules For Oil & Gas Operations Could Impact Climate, Public Health 

-- Erie Times-News - Brian Whipkey: Conventional Well Plugging Hits Milestone In PA, But Thousands Remain To Be Fixed

-- PennLive: Home Heating Oil Prices Have Doubled Since 2025, As Customers Brace For Winter And High Costs

-- WHYY: President’s Heating Oil Reserve Release Unlikely To Ease Sky-High Prices In Pennsylvania, Experts Say; Heating Oil Price Nearly Doubled Since Last Fall

-- PA Petroleum Distributors Assn: No Change In Handling Of Dyed Diesel Fuel In PA 

-- AP: In His Own Words: President On Gasoline Prices And Energy Costs Since Launching The War With Iran: ‘We’re Making A Freaking Fortune’

-- Bloomberg: President To Ease Oil, Gas Well Methane Curbs In Bid To Lower Costs 

-- Bloomberg: US Natural Gas Price Falls To 6-Month Low On Warm Weather Forecast 

-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Just Hit Highest Price Since 2022 On Winter Risks

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Why EQT Wants To Acquire Range Resources: Capture Growing Demand For Data Centers, Exports, Cut Operating Expenses $325 Million

-- Fortune: EQT Becomes Nation’s Leading Natural Gas ‘Juggernaut’ With A $13 Billion Deal As A.I. Data Center, Export Demand Surges

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: EQT Natural Gas Driller To Acquire Range Resources In $50 Billion All Stock Deal 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: EQT To Buy Range Resources In All Stock Deal

-- TribLive: EQT Moves To Acquire Range Resources In $13 Billion Stock Deal

[Posted: October 31, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

Saturday PA Environment & Energy Articles - NewsClips: 10.31.26

“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

November 9, 10

-- Committee Schedule

Senate Voting Schedule

November 17, 18

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events 

November 3-- In-Person. Penn State Extension Volunteer Riparian Buffer Plantings. Elizabethtown, Lancaster County. 9:00 a.m.

November 4-- Agenda Posted. DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:30 a.m. [Draft Revisions To Chapter 105 on the agenda.]

November 4-- In-Person. DEP Sets Hearing [If Requested] On Reissuance Of Title V Air Quality Permit For The NLMK Pennsylvania, LLC Farrel Steel Plant In Mercer County

November 5-- CANCELED. DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:15 a.m.

November 5-- Virtual. DCNR Grant Applicant Workshop Webinar.

November 6-- In-Person. PA Environmental Council: Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Gathering In Somerset County

November 7-- In-Person. PA Forestry Association Annual Forest Symposium In State College  

November 10-- Joint DEP Citizens Advisory Council + DEP Environmental Justice Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 12:30 a.m. 

November 10-- In-Person. DEP meeting/hearing on renewal of NPDES Water Quality Mining Activities for the LCT Energy Rustic Ridge #1 underground coal mine in Donegal Township, Westmoreland County and Saltlick Township, Fayette County.  St. Raymond of the Mountains Parish, 170 School House Lane, Donegal. 6:00 p.m.

November 10-- Virtual. Environmental Health Project, Food & Water Watch, Partners Host Webinar On Shale Gas Fracking, Data Centers And Your Health. 7:00 p.m.

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - October 31 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Issues Chapter 105 Permit For 4.5 Mile EQT ARO Natural Gas Pipeline On State Forest Land In Lycoming County  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Issues Another Extension Of Air Quality Plan Approvals Allowing Temporary Operation Of The Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County; Title V Application Still Under Review Since July 2024  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 59 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 31 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

-- DEP To Hold Dec. 3 Meeting/Hearing On Air Permit For Installation Of Emergency Generators At Aligned AI PA Data Center In Shippingport Boro, Beaver County  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Issued Air Quality Plan Approval Extension For Installation Of Emergency Generator For Innovation 411 Fee Owner LLC Data Center Chilled Water Expansion  Project In Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County  [PaEN] 

-- Inside Climate News - Kyle Bagenstose: PA Legislature Is Losing Its Climate Champion, Rep. Greg Vitali Has Been An Unflinching Advocate For The Environment For 34 Years

-- Green Building Alliance Hosts Nov. 10 Resilient Reading Progress Report -- Revitalizing Buildings And Strengthening Community In Berks County  [PaEN]  

-- Penn State Extension To Release New Pennsylvania Farm Energy Guide At Nov. 6 PA Energy & Agriculture Conference 

-- Penn State Extension Energy Essentials News: Farm Energy Guide; Battery Storage Systems; Data Centers Common Questions; Learning Opportunities

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Dec. 7 What's In Your Drinking Water Glass? (Educators/ Students); Dec. 9 - Understanding Your PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' Water Test Results  [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette - Mary Ann Thomas: Landslides And Dangerous Boulders On Great Allegheny Passage Trail In Pittsburgh Area Add Challenges And Costs

-- DCNR Invests Nearly $1 Million At Mount Davis In Forbes State Forest Somerset County [From Oct. 7]

-- Tribune-Review: DCNR Highlights Nearly $1 Million In Improvements At Somerset County’s Mount Davis, Highest Point In PA

-- Erie Times-News Guest Essay: PA Company Hopes To Restore Presque Isle Beach Concessions - By John Loyer

A.I. /Data Centers

-- Scranton Times: Olyphant Borough Officials Meet Nov. 5 On A.I. Data Center Developer’s $101 Million Proposal To Bypass Conditional Use Process, Forgo Public Hearings To Build The Project In Lackawanna County [PDF of Article]

-- WVIA: Lackawanna County Judge Denies A.I. Data Center Developer Claim Project Was ‘Deemed Approved’ In Jessup Borough 

-- Scranton Times: City Of Scranton Moving Ahead With Regulation On Potential A.I. Data Centers

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Hazle Twp. Residents Debate Proposed A.I. Data Center Ordinance In Luzerne County

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: A.I. Data Center Developer Delays Tenant Reveal Amid Potential ‘Revisions’ Of Plans In Middlesex Twp., Cumberland County

-- PennLive: Las Vegas-Based A.I. Data Center Developer Reveals More Plans For 400 Acre Complex At Former Race Track In Big Beaver Boro, Beaver County

-- Williamsport Sun: Gregg Twp. Supervisors Give Approval To Start Work On A.I. Data Center In Union County

-- WESA: A.I. Data Centers Scrambled PA’s Political Map, But What Happens After Nov. 3?

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations/Inspections

-- DEP: Diversified Prod LLC Failed To Comply With Order To Stop Gas Venting From 2 Abandoned Conventional Wells In Westmoreland County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Inspections Of 5 Shale Gas Pads Found 2 New Well Casing/Cementing Failures, 7 Continuing Well Failures in Bradford, Susquehanna, Westmoreland, Wyoming Counties  [PaEN]

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- October 31: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Down 1 Penny Since Yesterday $4.43/Gallon - $1.32/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Lawrence County $4.69 Highest Average Price] 

-- October 31: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.18  Ohio- $4.17  PA- $4.43

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

-- The Citizens’ Voice: NE PA Residents Feeling The Shock Of Record Heating Oil Costs 

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs- 15-- Same Last 8 Weeks

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- Spotlight PA: PA Democratic Caucus Committees Outspent Republican Counterparts 2 to 1 With Control Of Legislature At Stake

-- WITF: Harrisburg-Area TV Stations Pull Some Ads By Republican Con. Scott Perry Claiming Public Nudity

-- WITF: Criminal Charges Filed After Dauphin County Found Falsified Requests For Mail-In Ballots 

-- Observer-Reporter: Fayette County Elections Officials Report 300 Voters Who Requested Mail-In Ballots Were Never Mailed

-- WESA: A.I. Data Centers Scrambled PA’s Political Map, But What Happens After Nov. 3?

-- PA Capital-Star: President Loses Appeals Over California Ballots, Homeland Security Operations In PA And Else As Administration Tries To Assert Authority Over Elections

-- WVIA: President’s Tariffs, Other Factors Push Up Halloween Candy Prices In NE PA, Nationwide

-- The Center Square: PA’s ‘Advanced Age’ Population Balloons As Number Of Kids Shrinks

-- TribLive: With Enrollment Cliff Looming, Pittsburgh-Area Colleges Are Adapting

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh’s Region’s Elderly Population Is Projected To Spike

-- TribLive: Federal Judge In Pittsburgh Holds Top Federal Officials In Contempt Of Court In Immigration Case

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[Posted: October 31, 2026]  PA Environment Digest