PA Environment Digest Blog

“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

-- Adjourned to Sept. 28 - Call Of The House Speaker

September 28, 29, 30

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

November 9, 10

-- Committee Schedule

Senate Voting Schedule

-- Call Of The Senate President Pro Tempore

September 28, 29, 30

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

November 17, 18

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events

Anything Can Happen: State Budget Marathon Continues!

July 8-- Agenda Posted. DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg. 9:30 a.m. [Agenda includes update on State Water Plan]

July 8-- DEP State Board for Certification of Sewage Enforcement Officers meeting. Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg. 10:00 a.m.

July 8-- DEP Technical Advisory Committee on Diesel-Powered [Mining] Equipment Meeting. DEP New Stanton Office. 10:00 a.m.

July 9-- DCNR Delaware Canal State Park Advisory Committee meeting. Delaware Canal State Park, Bucks & Northampton Counties. 10:30 a.m. Contact for Location: 610-982-5560 or ra-nrspdela@pa.gov. (formal notice)

July 10-- Telephonic. Public Utility Commission Hearing On PPL Condemnation Of 30 Properties For The Sugarloaf 500/230KV Transmission Line In Luzerne County To Serve Data Centers 10:00 a.m.

July 14-- Agenda Posted. Environmental Quality Board meeting. 9:00 a.m. Contact: Laura Griffin, Regulatory Coordinator, laurgriffi@pa.gov, (717) 772-3277. Read more here on agenda.

July 14-- Virtual. Penn State Extension Webinar: Preview Of 2026 Watershed-Friendly Tree And Shrub Sale To Help You Choose Plants Confidently. 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

July 15-- Agenda Posted. DEP Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board meeting. Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg. 9:30 a.m.

July 15-- Virtual. Penn State Extension Webinar On Private Water Supply Testing Packages Available From Penn State's Agricultural Analytical Services Lab. 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

July 15-16-- In-Person. PA Sea Grant Aquaponics Educator Workshop. Tom Ridge Environmental Center, Erie.

July 16-- In-Person. Penn State Extension Workshop On Understanding PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Private Water Supplies. Uniontown, Fayette County. 1:00 p.m.

July 16-- In-Person. Powering America's Next 250 Years Energypath Conference Set For At Moravian University

-- UPDATED: DEP: Equitrans Water SVC Reports Wastewater Release From Pipeline Connected To Richter Shale Gas Water Impoundment During Reclamation In Aleppo Twp., Greene County; Drainage Pipes Held Together By Duct Tape [PaEN]

-- York Daily Record: Firefighters Battle Blaze At The 839 MW Hunterstown Natural Gas Power Plant In Adams County

-- House Committee Amends Senate-Passed Tax Code Bill On Data Centers, Then Adjourned To Sept. 28 [PaEN]

-- PennLive: With A.I. Data Centers In Mind, PA House Votes 193-9 To Close Sunshine Act Public Meeting Notice Loophole After PA Supreme Court Ruling [House Bill 2146] [Senate Passed Senate Bill 1150 In June]

-- PJM Extends Maximum Generation And Load Management Alerts To July 2; Forecast Power Peak On July 2 Still Above All Time Record [PaEN]

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: How The Heatwave Is Straining Pittsburgh’s Electric Grid

-- PUC Invites Comments On Potential Regulations For Interconnecting Electric Loads, Including Large Loads, Deadline July 24

-- DEP Declares Code Orange Air Quality Alert For Thursday, July 2 In Southeast PA

-- PA House Republicans Unveil Energy Package To Eliminate Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards; Take Away Citizen Appeal Rights; Eliminate Right Of Citizens To Petition For Rule Changes; Limit Environmental Standards To Federal Standards [PaEN]

-- Canary Media: Mid-Sized, Community Solar Energy Facilities Could Help Bring Down Electricity Bills In Pennsylvania [No Fuel - No Price Spikes]

-- Environmental Quality Board Meets July 14 To Consider Final PFAS Land Recycling Program Regulation Changes, Hear Fee Reports On Water Quality Permits, Erosion & Sedimentation Permits [PaEN]

-- DEP Chesapeake Bay Program Update Highlights 10 Millionth Tree Planted; County Water Quality Improvement Projects; Education Opportunities [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Draft General Permits For Beneficial Use Of Wastewater Biosolids, Includes Provisions Related To Managing PFAS ‘Forever Chemical’ Contamination

-- DEP Briefing: Proposed Changes To Biosolids Permits To Reduce Risks From PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Phosphorus Pollution, Improper Storage, Set More Robust Testing Standards [PaEN]

-- EPA Seeks Comment On Draft Guidance For Reducing Risks From PFOA/PFOS In Wastewater Biosolids [When Released] [PaEN]

-- The Citizens’ Voice: EPA Outlines Remediation Plan For Former Foster Wheeler Superfund Site In Wright Twp., Luzerne County

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Federal Court Hears Arguments To Halt Cuffs Run Pump-Storage Susquehanna River Hydroelectric Project In York County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Drought Conditions In Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh Counties Worsen From Drought Watch To Warning [PaEN]

-- Dept. Of Agriculture Accepting Applications For Agriculture Sustainable Agriculture Grant Program, Deadline Aug. 28

-- July 4 - Pennsylvania Bulletin Now Available

-- Erie Bird Observatory, Presque Isle State Park, Tom Ridge Environmental Center Host Pennsylvania Piping Plover Fest In Erie On July 18-19 [PaEN]

-- Planet Philadelphia Radio Show: July 3 - Saving Nature In Urban And Wild Lands, 4:00 p.m.

-- French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust Preserves 34 Acres In North Coventry Twp., Chester County [PaEN]

-- Inquirer: Schwenksville Couple Builds Wildflower Meadow In Their Front Yard In Montgomery County

-- City & State PA: Philly’s New Tree Coalition Leading Street Tree Planting Movement And Cooling Neighborhoods In The Process

-- DCNR Grants News: 4 City Outdoors For All Day Tour Kicks Off; All-Wheels Skatepark Opens In State College; Friendship Park Opens In Bethlehem; Conestoga River Of The Year

-- TribLive: International Junior Athletes To Compete For Disc Golf Championship In Western PA

-- State Agencies Launch Initiative To Make Roads Safer, Reduce Wildlife Collisions By Developing A Statewide Wildlife Connectivity Strategy To Promote Wildlife Crossings [PaEN]

-- Beaver Times - Brian Whipkey: Pennsylvania Creates Work Group To Create Road Crossings For Wildlife

-- Penn State Extension: Pennsylvania Roots Of American Plant Knowledge- John & William Bartram, Henry Muhlenberg

-- The Nature Conservancy-PA News: Enjoy Guided Hikes, Summer Experiences; Students - Dive Into Creek Critter Adventure! Volunteer For Cove Mountain Preserve Restoration

-- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Highlights Summer Experiences, Events, Educational Programs

A.I. /Data Centers

-- Reading Eagle: A.I. Data Center Developer Appeals East Vincent Twp. Denial Of 1.9 Million Square Foot Data Center In Chester County

-- TribLive: First Allegheny County Economic Development Division Meeting On Springdale A.I. Data Center Could Happen In September, Details Of Next Steps Still Hazy

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Police Remove Former Rep. Eachus From Amazon Data Center Hearing In Kline Twp., Schuylkill County

-- The Shenandoah Sentinel: Former Rep. Todd Eachus Dragged Out Of Kline Twp. Planning Commission Hearing On A Proposed A.I. Data Center Development In Schuylkill County

-- Williamsport Sun: Williamsport City Council Declared City Zoning Ordinance Invalid As Step Toward Developing A.I. Data Center Ordinance

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Middlesex Twp. A.I. Data Center Project Gets More Green Lights For 2nd Of 3 Data Center Campuses Even As Legal Hurdles Loom In Cumberland County

-- PennLive: Proposed A.I. Data Center Ordinance Meeting Draws 100+ To South Hanover Twp. Meeting In Dauphin County

-- Republican Herald: Schuylkill County Commissioners Again Hear Concerns About A.I. Data Centers

-- Times News: Palmerton Borough Adopts Ordinance To Regulate A.I. Data Centers In Carbon County

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Legislature Wrestles With How To Handle A.I. Data Center Developments; Lawmakers Have Largely Resisted Any Comprehensive Regulation

-- WESA: PA Lawmakers Move Quickly On Bills To Pause A.I. Data Center Developments

-- PA Capital-Star: Advanced Electricity Transmission Tech Could Cut Costs For Consumers, Advocates Say; PA House Passed Bill To Assess Its Uses In Building New Power Lines

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Environmental Integrity Project Report Details Climate And Health Impacts Of Natural Gas Power Plants For PA Data Centers: ‘Fossil Fuels Should Not Power A Technology Of The Future’

-- Bloomberg: Amazon, Google Report Carbon Emissions Spike With Runaway Growth Of A.I. Data Centers

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- Today’s Violations: DEP did its first inspection ever of conventional well owned by Beverly J. Hopkins in Erie County, Millcreek Twp. and found it abandoned, not plugged, owner did not submit annual reports. Violations issued. DEP inspection report.

-- Today’s Violations: DEP follow-up inspection of a Diversified Prod LLC conventional well in Clearfield County, Jordan Twp. found it was still leaking gas into the ground indicating casing/cement failure. Owner is electing to plug the well at some point. DEP inspection report.

Storms/Power Outages

-- WPXI: Beaver County Community Sweats It Out During Day-Long Blackout Amid High Temperatures

-- TribLive: West Penn Power: Demolition Contractor Hits Utility Line In Irwin Causing Power Outage For 1,200 Customers In Westmoreland County

-- Pennsylvania Power Outages:

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- July 2: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Down 1 Penny Since Yesterday, Now $3.97/Gallon - $.86/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Beaver County Average Price Still Highest at $4.44]

-- July 2: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.83 Ohio- $3.70 PA- $3.97

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

-- Reuters: US LNG Natural Gas Exporters Divert Cargoes To Asia Where Prices Surge

-- Bloomberg: Bad News For LNG Natural Gas Buyers As Qatar’s Export Revival Falters

Federal Administration