Wednesday PA Environment & Energy Articles - NewsClips: 11.11.26

“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]

NOTICE: PA Environment Digest Will Be CLOSED Nov. 11 to Nov. 16

House Voting Schedule

January 1

-- Committee Schedule

Senate Voting Schedule

November 17, 18

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events 

November 12-- DEP Public Water System Technical Assistance Center Board meeting. Next scheduled meeting Nov. 12.  (formal notice)

November 12-- In-Person. PA Organization For Watersheds & Rivers Hosts In-Person Southeast Regional Watersheds Workshop In Montgomery County. 

November 12-- Virtual. PA Interfaith Power & Light, Partners Host Webinar -- Canopy Calling: Tree Equity From The Roots Up, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

November 12-- In-Person. Penn State Extension To Hold In-Person Workshop On Solar Energy Trends - Siting, Law And Local Impact On Communities. Tionesta, Forest County.  6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

November 13-- WeConservePA: 2026 Municipal Open Space Summit.  Chester Springs, Chester County.

November 14-- In-Person. Regenall Climate Summit In Lancaster County.  8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  

November 14-- In-Person. Penn State Extension Volunteer Riparian Buffer Plantings. City of Lancaster, Lancaster County. 9:00 a.m.

November 16-- DEP - PA Energy Development Authority Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00 a.m.

November 16-- Virtual. Western PA Conservancy Webinar On Freshwater Mussel Conservation Plan To Help Guide Conservation Efforts In Pennsylvania. Noon.

November 17-- In-Person/Virtual. Public Utility Commission To Hold Technical Conference On Utility Costs Driven By A.I. Data Centers, Other Large Loads. 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

November 18-- Agenda Posted. DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Meets Nov. 18 On Conservation And Wildlife Law Enforcement.  10:00 a.m.  Read more here.

November 18-- In-Person. DEP Hearing on Individual Stormwater Permit for the Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC 10.4 mile Segment 2 - Bushkill Falls To Birchwood Lakes Electric Substation transmission line project in Lehman and Delaware Townships, Pike County.  5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

November 18-- Virtual. DEP Informational Meeting On PECO Limerick 67 MW Transmission Line Crossing Schuylkill River In Chester, Montgomery Counties. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  Read more here.

November 18-- In-Person. DEP Hearing RACT III Title V Air Quality Permit For Lehigh Heavy Forge Corp In Bethlehem, Northampton County. DEP Northwest Regional Office. 10:00 a.m.

November 18-- In-Person. DEP hearing on proposed revisions to the State Air Quality Implementation Maintenance Plan for the Lancaster Nonattainment Area for Fine Particulate.  DEP Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg. 1:00 p.m.  (formal notice)

November 19-- Virtual. DEP Clean Energy Spotlight: Webinar - Power Up Your Energy Independence With Microgrids, Noon. 

-- DEP: About 25 Data Center Projects In Some Stage Of Permitting In PA, None Have Signed A Consent Order Saying They Will Comply With GRID Standards Under Governor’s Executive Order  [PaEN] 

-- Spotlight PA: Utility Customers Who Shop For Energy Suppliers Pay More; PUC Agrees Numbers Raise Concerns, But Root Cause Of Extra Costs Is Unclear

-- WESA: Help With Heating Bills Now Available For Some PA Residents Through Low-Income Home Energy Assistance

-- TribLive: Future Of $3 Billion US Steel Hot Strip Mill Roils Mon Valley As Company, Union Say Mill Is Needed Progress, Residents, Environmentalists Say Otherwise 

-- WPXI: Residents Debate Breathable Air, Economic Progress At Hearing On $3 Billion US Steel Hot Strip Mill In Mon Valley

-- TribLive: Rustic Ridge Coal Mine Foes: Donegal Area Damaged Enough By Mining In Westmoreland County 

-- DEP Clean Energy Spotlight: Nov. 19 Webinar - Power Up Your Energy Independence With Microgrids, Noon. 

-- Observer-Reporter: South Strabane Planning Commission Tables Fossil Fuel Siting Ordinance In Washington County

-- Susquehanna University Hosts First Chesapeake Bay Advocacy Institute In Snyder County  [PaEN] 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Microplastic Pollution Common In Susquehanna River, Chesapeake Bay Watershed

-- Penn State Extension: Dec. 9 Webinar - Grow Your Own Trail Mix, 7:00 p.m.

-- Keep PA Beautiful Now Accepting Litter Hawk Youth Award Entries Thru Jan. 31

-- DCNR Unveils New Plan To Protect Pennsylvania’s Parks And Forests From The Impacts of Climate Change  [PaEN]

-- York Daily Record: Codorus State Park Officials Seek Info On Illegal Dumping Incidents In Park  

A.I. /Data Centers

-- PennLive: 2nd Major A.I. Data Center Proposal Moving Forward In Swatara Twp. Despite Utility, Pollution Concerns From Neighbors In Dauphin County [No Hearings Were Held On The Proposals, Comments Were Only Allowed During Normal Meeting Comment Periods]

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Hazle Twp. Residents Critique Latest Draft Of A.I. Data Center Rules In Luzerne County

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Newport Twp. Replaces Solicitor, Hires Special Counsel To Advise Officials On A.I. Data Center Development

-- Utility Dive: Permitting Reform Bill Advances In US Senate, But Election Results Cast Doubt On Its Future 

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- November 11: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Down 2 More Pennies Since Yesterday- $4.31/Gallon - $1.20/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Beaver County $4.62 Highest Average Price]  

-- November 11: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.94  Ohio- $3.69  PA- $4.31

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

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Democrats Praised Shapiro For His Role In Their Success In The State

-- WESA: PA House Panel Votes To Censure Republican Rep. Bernstine Over Alleged Slurs

-- TribLive: 5 Measles Cases Now Confirmed In Butler County As Infections Across PA Top 1,500 

-- PA Capital-Star: Gambling Problems In PA Used To Be Near Casinos, Now They’re Everywhere

-- PA Capital-Star: PA State Police Report Near Total Compliance With ‘Skill’ Gambling Games Removal

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports Structural Budget Deficits After FY 26-27 Will Range From $6.6 to $7.4 Billion Per Fiscal Year

-- TribLive: PA Democratic Congressman Deluzio Points To Local Police Cooperation As Driver Of President’s ICE Detentions 

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: November 11, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

DCNR Unveils New Plan To Protect Pennsylvania’s Parks And Forests From The Impacts of Climate Change

On November 10, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn unveiled a new Climate Action Plan at the Mira Lloyd Dock Resource Conservation Center, establishing measurable goals and actions to make the Commonwealth’s public lands and DCNR operations more sustainable and resilient through 2050.

Pennsylvania is already experiencing the effects of a changing climate, including increased flooding, more extreme heat days, harmful algal blooms, and shifting seasonal patterns. 

These changes can threaten public safety, harm natural resources, and affect the places Pennsylvanians and visitors enjoy for outdoor recreation. 

The plan builds on work already underway and sets goals for making DCNR’s operations and public lands more sustainable and resilient for future generations.

Governor Josh Shapiro and his Administration are committed to protecting Pennsylvania’s environment and ensuring that future generations can enjoy the Commonwealth’s natural resources and outdoor spaces, including upholding Pennsylvanians’ constitutional right to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of the environment.

“Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests are among our greatest natural resources, and we have a responsibility to protect them for generations to come,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “This plan builds on the work DCNR is already doing to prepare our public lands for the impacts of climate change, protect the natural resources Pennsylvanians depend on, and reduce our own emissions. We’re setting clear goals and taking practical steps to ensure these special places remain safe, healthy, and accessible for everyone.”

The 182-page plan outlines steps DCNR will take to prepare its lands and facilities for climate impacts, protect visitors, and help communities address climate-related risks.

Drawing on findings from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Climate Change Impact Assessment, the plan identifies how changing weather patterns and more extreme conditions could affect DCNR’s lands, operations, and mission.

The plan includes:

-- Updated climate projections for Pennsylvania.

-- A department-wide climate risk assessment.

-- DCNR’s first greenhouse gas inventory.

-- Agency-wide and bureau-specific climate actions and performance indicators.

-- Guidance on climate-resilient land management, carbon sequestration, and emerging technologies.

“As the effects of a changing climate continue to expand, DCNR’s work on their Climate Action Plan is another way that Pennsylvania is focused on the future,” said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. “DCNR’s tremendous work will help to preserve the natural and scenic beauty at state parks, forests, and public and private lands as guaranteed in Pennsylvania’s Constitution. As DCNR uses the plan to guide future actions, it will allow them to mitigate and adapt our public lands to continue to be an amazing resource for future generations.”

What’s in This Plan

The plan establishes specific goals and accountability measures, prioritizes support for vulnerable communities, and includes:

-- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions directly resulting from DCNR operations by 80 percent by 2050.

-- Generating or offsetting all electricity used by DCNR from carbon-free sources by 2035.

-- Providing both general and specialized climate change training to all DCNR staff by 2030.

-- Establishing 60 measurable climate action goals across the agency.

--  Implementing 49 bureau-led actions to strengthen climate resilience in infrastructure, grant programs, operations, natural resources, recreational spaces, and other agency functions.

-- Reporting progress each year to ensure transparency and accountability.

Helping Communities Prepare for Climate Impacts

DCNR designed the Climate Action Plan to serve as a resource for local governments, school districts, universities, and conservation organizations working to address climate change. 

It includes regional climate projections, a statewide climate risk assessment, and guidance on forest management, carbon sequestration, and climate-resilient recreation design.
These tools can help communities identify and prepare for risks such as flooding, landslides, and extreme heat.

Building on Climate Action Already Underway

DCNR has already made significant progress in climate mitigation and adaptation. The agency has installed 40 small-scale solar arrays, added more than 50 public electric vehicle charging stations across state parks and forests, built 18 high-performance LEED-certified buildings, and converted about 10 percent of its vehicle fleet to electric or hybrid models. 

DCNR’s Bureau of Facility Design and Construction consistently incorporates climate-resilient and sustainable design into its projects, including the rebuilt aqueduct at Delaware Canal State Park, which was engineered to withstand future storm events.

Adaptation efforts include upgrading trails and recreation infrastructure to withstand more severe storms, enhancing emergency response training, and expanding forest management practices that reduce wildfire risk, control invasive species, and strengthen ecological resilience. 

DCNR serves as the lead agency for all wildfires in Pennsylvania and provides grants to volunteer fire departments to help equip and train crews across the state.

Investing in Communities and Local Resilience

DCNR invests millions of dollars each year through the Community Conservation Partnership Program to help local governments and nonprofits build climate-resilient parks, trails, and recreation areas, including a recent $81 million investment in community projects statewide. 

Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has invested approximately $315 million in more than 1,100 park and recreation projects.

More than 70 percent of Pennsylvania's forests are privately owned, meaning the long-term resilience of the state’s forests depends on the stewardship of private landowners.

Through its network of county-based service foresters, DCNR provides technical assistance and guidance to landowners, communities, and forest managers on sustainable forestry practices that strengthen forest health, protect water resources, enhance wildlife habitat, and prepare forests for future climate challenges.

Click Here to read the Climate Action Plan.

Here’s what Pennsylvania’s environmental and climate leaders are saying about the Climate Action Plan:

-- Lori Brennan, Executive Director, The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania and Delaware: “DCNR’s new Climate Action Plan establishes a science-based and measurable roadmap to conserve Pennsylvania’s natural resources against the most urgent threat facing people and nature. 

“The actions outlined in the plan address the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, emphasizing conservation, stewardship, and increased connectivity for wildlife across the Commonwealth’s wild lands. 

“DCNR also leads by example in our great Commonwealth, demonstrating clean energy and other sustainable solutions at scale in its park facilities. TNC applauds DCNR for its proactive approach to climate change adaptation and mitigation across Pennsylvania.”

-- Prepare PA, joint statement: "The 2026 DCNR Climate Action Plan responds to the pressing challenges of climate change by charting a course to protect Pennsylvania's natural resources, communities, and infrastructure from increasing threats such as extreme heat, wildfire, and flooding. 

“Through a set of practical, actionable strategies, DCNR is demonstrating leadership in building resilience across the Commonwealth. We look forward to leveraging Penn State's research, educational, and outreach capabilities, together with our broad network of partners, to help advance these important efforts."

-- Andy Loza, Executive Director, WeConservePA: “Climate change threatens wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and the economic productivity of our forests. It jeopardizes human health and safety with increased extreme weather events and flooding. WeConservePA greatly appreciates that DCNR is doing its part to proactively to address the problem.”

-- Belle Sherwood, Clean Energy and Climate Advocate, PennEnvironment: “DCNR's new climate plan serves as a role model for ways that agencies can help reduce climate pollution and protect our planet. From the new solar panel installations to more electric vehicle chargers, it’s clear that DCNR has already been a leader in making Pennsylvania cleaner and greener. PennEnvironment applauds DCNR’s ‘Forever Green' program and is looking forward to supporting the ambitious goals set out in this plan.”

The Mira Lloyd Dock Resource Conservation Center began as a small forest nursery in 1908 and has evolved into a statewide hub for reforestation and conservation support.

DCNR staff collect native seeds to preserve genetic diversity, grow trees and shrubs for restoration projects, and collaborate with researchers to improve forest health — work that directly supports the climate adaptation and mitigation goals outlined in DCNR’s Climate Action Plan. 

The center also houses DCNR’s woodshop and sign shop, producing durable wood products and infrastructure used throughout state parks and forests.

Visit DCNR’s website for more information about climate change and sustainability.

Click Here for the DCNR announcement.   Click Here for video + photos.

Visit Explore PA Trails and Get Outdoors PA for recreation areas near you.

Visit the PA Parks & Forests Foundation’s Events webpage and DCNR’s Calendar of Events for activities happening near you.

  For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s website.  Click Here to sign up for the Resource newsletter.

[Posted: November 10, 2026]  PA Environment Digest