Tuesday PA Environment & Energy Articles - NewsClips: 7.14.26

“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 

TODAY 6:00 p.m.: DEP Hosts Community Meeting July 14 On Proposed Air Quality Permit For Amazon Data Center In Falls Twp., Bucks County 

TODAY 6:00 p.m.: 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-- Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA To Hold State Technical Committee Meeting In Harrisburg 

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

July 22-- Agenda Posted. DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council meeting.  Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00 a.m.   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.

-- More Reactions: Final State Budget Fails To Take On Growing Concerns About Energy Affordability And Keeping The Lights On  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Issues Hot Weather Alert For July 14 - 17; PJM Confirmed It Reached New All-Time Peak Load Demand 2,595 MW Over Previous Record [PaEN] 

-- DEP Declares Code Orange Air Quality Alert For Tuesday, July 14 For Southwestern PA

-- KDKA: PJM Interconnection To Release Results Of Latest Electricity Auction Today

-- The Allegheny Front: Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Authorize Balcony Solar To Offset Electricity Bills

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: RISE PA Decarbonization Grants Expected To Reduce Industrial Air Pollution In Pennsylvania

-- PennLive: After Years Of Complaints About Brutal Odors, Legislation Sets Course To Regulate Food Waste Residual Disposal On Farms

-- PA Capital-Star: Farmers’ Use Of Food Processing Waste Will Be Regulated Under New PA Law

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

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

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

-- Central Pennsylvania Conservancy To Hold Special Fundraising Event Aug. 29 At The Cameron-Masland Mansion At Kings Gap State Park In Cumberland County  [PaEN]

-- Erie Times: Festival On July 18-19 To Celebrate Return Of Piping Plover To Presque Isle State Park

 A.I. /Data Centers

-- TODAY 6:00 p.m.: DEP Hosts Community Meeting July 14 On Proposed Air Quality Permit For Amazon Data Center In Falls Twp., Bucks County 

-- York Daily Record: Remember The $5 Billion A.I. Data Center Planned In Peach Bottom? It Could Be Dead

-- LancasterOnline: Residents Of Rural Drumore Twp. Register Concerns Against A.I. Data Centers Ahead Of Draft Ordinance 

-- Scranton Times: A.I. Data Center Developer Sues Jessup Boro Asking Court To Clear The Way To Building 7 Data Center Buildings

-- WNEP: Farmers In Union, Lycoming Counties Share Concerns About Proposed PPL Transmission Line Project That Would Help Power Proposed A.I. Data Center

-- Morning Call: Allentown Planning Commission To Review Plans For A.I. Data Center At July 16 Meeting; Here’s What To Know

 -- Pittsburgh Business Times: PA State Budget Saves $500 Million Data Center Sales Tax Exemption Amid Growing Opposition To A.I. Boom 

-- Reuters: US PJM Power Grid Auction Prices Expected To Stabilize Near Record Highs

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- Today’s Violation: DEP notified by Diversified Prod LLC of a release at a conventional well site on State Game Lands in Clearfield County, Bell Twp. and found an animal chewed thru the bottom of a 1,260 gallon tank releasing unknown quantity of contaminated water. Initial cleanup underway.   DEP inspection report. 

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- July 14: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Increased 1 Penny Since Yesterday, Now $3.97/Gallon - $.86/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Beaver County Average Price Still Highest at $4.26]

-- July 14: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.85  Ohio- $3.78  PA- $3.97

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

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- TribLive Editorial: How Would You Score Pennsylvania On State Budget?

-- PennLive: Here’s What’s In And Not In $50.8 Billion State Budget

-- The Center Square: ‘Fiscally Responsible’ Budget Pushes Billions ‘Off The Books’ Says Republican Rep. Diamond

-- PennLive: PA Lawmakers Break Without Taking Up Unconstitutional Murder Sentences Leaving 1,000 Individuals Serving Life In Prison In Limbo

-- PennLive: PA Legislature Awards Millions In No-Bid Contracts With Vague Receipts

-- PennLive: PA Taxpayers Paid $34 Million For Each Of 4 House, Senate Caucuses To Operate Their Own Computer Systems

-- PennLive: PA Replies To President’s Dept. Of Justice Letter Threatening Criminal Charges For Violating Federal Voting Regulations

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[Posted: July 14, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

More Reactions: Final State Budget Fails To Take On Growing Concerns About Energy Affordability And Keeping The Lights On

Environmental and energy organizations continue to express concerns about the final FY 2026-27 state budget and the fact it did not take on growing concerns about energy affordability and keeping the lights on.

PennFuture's President & CEO Patrick McDonnell issued the following statement-- 

“Today’s state budget agreement fails Pennsylvanians - despite the overwhelming bipartisan support for sensible policies that would reduce utility bills for families, advance clean energy, promote clean water, and regulate data centers, none of that made it into this deal.

“In fact, this budget prioritizes fracked gas companies by allowing them to drill even deeper, a strategy that only serves to further enrich wealthy CEOs as the rest of us watch our electricity bills climb higher due to our overreliance on this unreliable and expensive energy source.

“In contrast, this budget continues to cut funding for our popular state parks and forests. 

“Politicians continue the dangerous shell game of tying funding for parks to an unstable revenue source based on the very fracking that threatens them.

“This budget does take a small and important step to increase transparency around the impact of data center development through reporting on energy and water usage. 

“However, this measure does nothing to mitigate the negative impact of unchecked development across Pennsylvania.

“In March, PennFuture called for a statewide moratorium on data center development pending the successful adoption of policies to protect all of us from this extractive industry. 

“Lawmakers must act when session resumes in the fall.

“Pennsylvanians suffer from high costs and very real concerns about our ability to keep the lights on and protect our natural resources. 

“But this legislative session has seen numerous attacks on clean energy, clean air, pure water, and our most treasured parks and forests. 

“This budget process provided an opportunity to advance real solutions to these issues. 

“Today’s budget deal defers critical decisions to a future legislature and Governor when we are out of time.

Alex Bomstein, Executive Director of Clean Air Council, said--

“The negotiations around the budget this summer were an opportunity to move ahead on important legislation such as a moratorium on new hyperscale data centers and removing barriers to clean and abundant renewable energy. 

“And this budget should have secured critical funding for transit systems across rural and urban Pennsylvania communities.

“Instead, legislators passed a state budget that doesn’t change much and left the Capitol without taking meaningful action on the issues that matter most to Pennsylvanians. 

“While a status quo budget could be a lot worse, it is a missed opportunity. 

“This will continue to force transit agencies across the state to cut services and increase fares. 

“Big tech and fossil fuel interests will continue to pollute our air, raise our energy bills, and take advantage of our communities.”

Resource Links:

-- Budget First Look: At Best A Cost To Carry Environmental Budget, Supports Oil & Gas Program Operations, Several Data Center Provisions But Not A Moratorium Or Pause  [PaEN]

-- A.I. Data Center Legislative Scorecard: Pennsylvania Failed To Finalize Meaningful Legislation On Energy Affordability, To Increase Electric Generation And Give Communities The Tools They Need To Cope With A.I. Proposals  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental/Energy Groups: Final State Budget Fails To Address Critical A.I. Data Center Issues And Skyrocketing Energy Bills  [PaEN] 

Related Articles This Week:

-- PJM Issues Hot Weather Alert For July 14 - 17; PJM Confirmed It Reached New All-Time Peak Load Demand 2,595 MW Over Previous Record [PaEN]  

-- DEP Declares Code Orange Air Quality Alert For Tuesday, July 14 For Southwestern PA 

NewsClip:

-- PA Capital-Star: In Wake Of Record-Breaking Heat Waves In PA, Experts Reflect On Preparing For Future

[Posted: July 14, 2026]  PA Environment Digest 

DEP Hosts July 30 Webinar On Helping Businesses, Municipalities And Nonprofits To Transition To Solar Energy Through The PA Solar Center GET Solar Program

Join DEP for a July 30 webinar to learn about how the PA Solar Center's GET Solar Program can help businesses, municipalities and nonprofits transition to solar energy to stabilize and reduce their energy costs.

GET Solar is a streamlined process that instills organizations and communities with confidence in the process of going solar by using trusted tools and resources that connect organizations to qualified professionals making the process straightforward and simple.

This is your opportunity to connect with DEP staff and affiliated entities to ask questions and learn how you and your communities can take advantage of these offerings!

The webinar will be held from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Click Here to register and for more information.

Visit the PA Solar Center's GET Solar Program webpage for more information on this program.

[Posted: July 13, 2026]  PA Environment Digest