Saturday PA Environment & Energy Articles - NewsClips: 7.18.26

“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 28, 29, 30

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

November 9, 10

-- Committee Schedule

Senate Voting Schedule

​​September 28, 29, 30

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

November 17, 18

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events 

July 21-- Agenda Posted. DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. Rachel Caron Building, Harrisburg. 9:00 a.m.  (formal notice)

July 22-- Agenda Posted. DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council meeting.  Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00 a.m.  (formal notice)  Read more here on agenda.

July 23-- Agenda Posted. DEP Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board meeting. Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg. 10:00 a.m.

July 27-- Virtual. Outdoor Business Alliance Of PA Hosts Webinar On Outdoor Participation Trends And What They Mean For Your Business.  Noon to 1:00 p.m.

August 4-- DEP: Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority meeting. Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg. 10:00 a.m.

August 5-- Penn State Extension Hosts Webinar On Forested Headwaters And Drinking Water Quality, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

August 6-- DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson. 9:15 a.m. 

August 6-- DEP Agricultural Advisory Board meeting. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, Harrisburg. 1:00 p.m. (formal notice)

-- Read Carefully!  PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - July 18 [PaEN]

-- DEP: PA General Energy Co. Submits Chapter 105 Permit Application For 2.92 Mile Saluda Natural Gas Pipeline, Access Road, Workspace Project In The Loyalsock State Forest, Gamble Twp., Lycoming County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues First Title V Air Quality Permit For The Tenaska PA Partners, LLC Natural Gas Power Plant In South Huntingdon Twp., Westmoreland County After Nearly 8 Years Of Operation  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Chapter 105 Permit For 4.1 Mile EQT ARO LLC Aboveground Plastic Shale Gas Development Water Pipeline In Cascade Twp., Lycoming County [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Chapter 105 Permit For Expand Operating LLC Double 16-Inch Water Pipelines In Wysox Twp., Bradford County  [PaEN] 

-- Lots Going On!  DEP Posted 67 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In July 18 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

-- DEP To Hold Meeting/Hearing Aug. 20 On Water Quality Permits For Carbon Node East Data Center Development In Nesquehoning Boro, Carbon County  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Invites Comments On A Major Amendment To Chapter 105 Permit For Amazon Data Center PHL 100 Project In Salem Twp., Luzerne County  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Invites Comments On Air Quality Permit For 15 Natural Gas Generators For Iron City No. 2 Data Center In Beccaria Twp., Clearfield County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Air Quality Permit For 282 Generators For Amazon Data Center Project In Falls Twp., Bucks County  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Issues Corrected Chapter 105 Permit For Wetlands Impacts At The Homer City Generation Data Center Project In Indiana County  [PaEN]

-- The Allegheny Front: Energy Transfer Seeks To Expand Revolution Natural Gas Processing Plant With History Of Violations, An Explosion In Washington  County

-- DEP Declares Code Orange Air Quality Alert For Saturday, July 18 In Southeast PA 

-- Protect PT, Partners Host July 29 Webinar On How The Shale Gas-Fueled A.I. Data Center Boom Will Increase Risks To Health, Environment Without More Protective Setbacks  [PaEN] 

-- Washington County Invites The Public To Provide Comments On The County Hazard Mitigation Emergency Plan On July 28 At The Washington County Fairgrounds Building  [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: As Air Quality Issues Take Center Stage In Mon Valley, US Steel’s Open House Puts Focus On New Investment 

-- PUC Approves Reduced PA American Water Rate Increases Of 4.75% For Water, 14.17% For Wastewater Customers  [PaEN]

-- WVIA: PA American Water, Sewage Disposal Rates Increasing Again, But Less Than Company Requested

-- Delaware River Basin Commission Hearing Aug. 5, Business Meeting Sept. 2  [PaEN]

-- Lancaster Farming: Rodale Institute Breaks Ground On Center For Regenerative Organic Innovation 

-- Reading Eagle: Rodale Institute Breaks Ground On Center For Regenerative Organic Innovation 

-- PA Emergency Management Agency To Open Multi-Agency Resource Centers In Philadelphia To Aid Victims Of Severe Storms On July 18, 19, 20 At Three Locations

-- Inquirer: PEMA Opening Resource Centers In Philadelphia After Microburst Storms Result In More Than 1,000 Damage Reports

-- 600 Acres In Western PA Conservancy Bear Run Nature Reserve In Fayette County Is Now Part Of The Old-Growth Forest Network [PaEN] 

-- Delaware County Times: $120 Million Delaware County Open Space Referendum To Be Put On Ballot 

-- PennLive: DCNR: 20 PA Wildfire Fighters Deploying To Minnesota To Battle Wildfires

 A.I. /Data Centers

-- WVIA: Clinton Twp. Supervisor Resigns As Residents Question  Ties To A.I. Data Center Developer In Wayne County

-- Williamsport Sun: A.I. Data Center Developer Claims Lack Of Action By Muncy Twp. On His Proposal Means It Is ‘Deemed’ Approved In Lycoming County

-- Scranton Times: NY Developer With Russian Ties Eyes Archbald For A 7th A.I. Data Center Proposal 

-- Scranton Times: Archbald Residents Fighting A.I. Data Centers Get Win In Court - Can Challenge Boro Zoning Ordinance Despite Living More Than 600 Feet From Proposed Data Center Sites

-- Morning Call Guest Essay: Blueprint For Smart A.I. Data Center Development Can Start In Our Region - by Josphene Ferro

-- The Center Square Guest Essay: PA Lawmakers Are Trying To Single Out A.I. Data Centers For ‘Onerous’ Tax Treatment By Trying To Repeal State Sales Tax Exemption - By Russ Marchand, Taxpayers Protection Alliance

-- Utility Dive: PJM Generation Capacity Auction Results Compound ‘Alarm Bells:’ FERC Chairman

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- July 18: PA Average AAA Gasoline Prices Jumps 6 More Cents To $4.17/Gallon - $1.07/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Warren County Average Price Highest at $4.35] 

-- July 18: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.99  Ohio- $3.90  PA- $4.17

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

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs - 17 - Same For Last 10 Weeks

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- TribLive Editorial: State Lawmakers Have No Defense In Missing Deadline To Address Unconstitutional Felony Murder Convictions

-- TribLive: Penn State Hikes Tuition For 2027-28 School Year

-- Republican Herald Editorial: Congressional Republican SAVE America Act Is The Real Threat To Elections

-- PA Capital-Star: President’s Dept. Of Homeland Security Warns Of Possible Prosecution For Election Officials In PA Over Voter Roll Access

-- TribLive/AP: President’s Claims Of Election Interference Not Justified By Documents Released By White House

-- Post-Gazette: President Pushes Election Fraud, Interference Again Based On Debunked Claims

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Diversity - Equity - Inclusion

[Posted: July 18, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

PUC Approves Reduced PA American Water Rate Increases Of 4.75% For Water, 14.17% For Wastewater Customers

On July 16, the Public Utility Commission approved a modified water and wastewater rate changes for Pennsylvania American Water Company-- cutting the utility’s originally requested increase by more than half while adopting a series of measures designed to enhance customer service and strengthen consumer protections.

The Commission voted 4-1 to approve a motion by Chairman Steve DeFrank modifying the company’s proposed rates for water and wastewater services and adjusting the recommended return on common equity for PAWC. 

Vice Chair Kimberly M. Barrow issued a statement regarding her dissent, and Commissioner Kathryn L. Zerfuss issued a separate statement regarding her position on the Commission’s final decision.

The Commission approved an overall annual revenue increase of $74.9 million – which includes an annual revenue increase of $45,299,821 (approximately 4.75%) for PAWC’s water operations along with an annual revenue increase of $29,623,619 (approximately 14.17%) for the company’s wastewater operations.

Under the original rate request, water rates would have increased by more than $143.4 million (approximately 15%) while wastewater rates would have increased by more than $16.1 million (approximately 7.7%).

The new rates, consistent with the Commission’s Order, will take effect on and after August 13, 2026.

PAWC, which provides water and wastewater services to approximately 810,000 customers in portions of 38 counties across the Commonwealth, last filed for an increase in water distribution and wastewater base rates in 2023.

Click Here for the PUC announcement with other details of the rate settlement.

Related Articles This Week:

-- PA Infrastructure Investment Authority Invests $306.4 Million In 29 Local Safe Drinking Water, Wastewater Infrastructure Projects In 23 Counties  [PaEN]  

-- PUC Approves Reduced PA American Water Rate Increases Of 4.75% For Water, 14.17% For Wastewater Customers  [PaEN]

-- Western PA Conservancy, Partners Dam Removal Project To Improve Fish Habitat On Callen Run In Jefferson County  [PaEN] 

-- 2027 Penn State Extension Landowners Conference Sponsor, Exhibitor Opportunities - March 4-6, State College

-- Penn State Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Hosts Aug. 19 Webinar On Staying Safe During Farm Visits, 9:00 a.m.

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Sept. 30 Webinar For Manure Injection For Water Quality, Noon to 1:00 p.m.

NewsClips:

-- Republican Herald: Schuylkill Headwaters Assn. Receives $6.6 Million Federal Grant To Restore Coal Waste In North Manheim Twp

-- York Daily Record: Codorus Creek Greenway Project Could Begin In 2027

-- Fox43: EPA Administrator Tours Watershed Alliance Of York Projects

-- Inside Climate News: Chesapeake Bay Program Delays Decision On Tribes’ Place In Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Agreement

-- WVIA: PA American Water, Sewage Disposal Rates Increasing Again, But Less Than Company Requested

-- Scranton Times: PUC Reduces PA American Water’s Rate Increase Requests

[Posted: July 18, 2026]  PA Environment Digest