Friday PA Environment & Energy Articles - NewsClips: 7.3.26

“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

-- 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

-- DEP: Seneca Resources Failed To Notify DEP Of Casing/Cementing Failures In 6 Shale Gas Wells For 15 Years In Delmar Twp., Tioga County  [PaEN] 

-- PennLive Letter: Natural Gas Keeps Pennsylvania Powered And Prosperous - By Roger Sutton, Enola  [Number of Gas Industry Job Dropped By Nearly Half Since 2014]

-- DEP/Agriculture Invite Comments On Updated Safeguards To Prevent PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' In Wastewater Biosolids From Polluting Groundwater  [PaEN]

-- PJM Activated Pre-Emergency Demand Response Program To Increase Reserve Generation; Again Extends Maximum Generation And Load Management Alerts To July 3  [PaEN] 

-- Bloomberg: Power Prices Soar As  Energy Emergency Grows In PJM, US Northeast; PJM Electricity Prices Exceed $2,500/MWhour

-- DEP Declares Code Orange Air Quality Alert For Friday, July 3 In Southcentral, Southeast PA 

-- PUC Invites Comments On Potential Regulations For Interconnecting Electric Loads, Including Large Loads, Like Data Centers [PaEN]  

-- TribLive: Citizen Lawsuit Blames Sherwin-Williams’ Beaver County Plant For ‘Noxious’ Fumes

-- WPXI: Tank Truck Leaks 1,000 Gallons Of Oil Into Monongahela River Tributary

-- July 4 - Pennsylvania Bulletin Now Available

-- Dept. Of Agriculture To Start Accepting Applications For Sustainable Agriculture Grants July 13  PaEN]  

-- Kinsley Construction Recognized With Governor’s Environmental Award For Oil Creek Restoration Project In York County 

-- ChestnutHillLocal.com: PA Senate Republican Bill Putting Limits On The Rights Of Private Property Owners To Sell Their Land For Conservation Purposes Opposed By Conservationists  

-- DCNR To Open Southern Portion Of Catawissa Recreation Area, Expanding Off-Highway Vehicle Recreational Opportunities In Weiser State Forest In Schuylkill, Luzerne Counties 

-- York Daily Record - Brian Whipkey: DCNR Opens Catawissa Recreation Area Dirt Bike Trails July 6

-- Tribune-Democrat: 12th Annual Chernisky Classic July 6 On Ghost Town Trail

-- Allegheny Front: Nature’s Upcycling: How To Find Beach Glass Along Shores Of Lake Erie

-- TribLive: Why Early Diagnosis Matters When It Comes To Lyme Disease Carried By Ticks 

-- Post-Gazette: Want More Fireflies?  You Can Attract Them Next Summer With Master Watershed Stewards Native Plant Kits 

 A.I. /Data Centers

-- Inquirer: East Whiteland Twp. Directs A.I. Data Center Developer To Stop Work On Data Center Project On Superfund Hazardous Waste Site So Township, EPA Can Review Health And Safety Plans In Chester County

-- WPSU: Possibility Of A.I. Data Centers In Gregg Twp., Union County Sparks Public Pushback

-- Republican Herald: Foster Twp., Schuylkill County Approves Ordinance Regulating A.I. Data Centers

-- WVIA: Residents Testify Against PPL Electric Transmission Line Project Planned For Data Centers In Luzerne County

-- PUC Invites Comments On Potential Regulations For Interconnecting Electric Loads, Including Large Loads, Like Data Centers [PaEN]  

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant Clears Major Hurdles To Restart, Promises Hundreds Of [Temporary] Skilled Trades Jobs - By Rob Bair, President PA State Building & Construction Trades Council

-- Inside Climate News: Echoes Of The Past In PA Coal Towns’ Fight Against A.I. Data Centers 

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: New Environmental Integrity Project Report Shows How Gas/Fossil Fuel Power Plants Would Significantly Increase Pollution In Pennsylvania 

-- Wall Street Journal: A.I. Data Centers Use Far More Water Than Most Tech Giants Report 

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- DEP: Seneca Resources Failed To Notify DEP Of Casing/Cementing Failures In 6 Shale Gas Wells For 15 Years In Delmar Twp., Tioga County  [PaEN] 

-- Today’s Violation: DEP inspected Apollo Resources LLC conventional well in Cambria County, Clearfield County finding it still abandoned, not plugged. Owner failed to respond to violations issued on Sept. 29, 2025-- 259 days and counting… DEP inspection report. 

Train Derailments

-- Courier Times: Train Derailments Like The One This Week In Bucks County Appear To Be On The Decline

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- July 3: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Down 1 Penny Since Yesterday, Now $3.96/Gallon - $.85/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Beaver County Average Price Still Highest at $4.43]

-- July 3: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.82 Ohio- $3.66  PA- $3.96

-- 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 8 Weeks

-- Fox Business: President Demands Gasoline Stations Lower Pump Prices Immediately, Renews Push For $2.50 Gasoline

-- Bloomberg: Fracking, Booming Energy Demand, Enthusiastic Political Support Power Natural Gas Rise, But For How Long?; LNG Exports Likely To Raise Domestic Prices Undermining Competitive Advantage Of Gas

Federal Administration

-- US DOE: CONSOL Innovations, LLC Selected To Participate In $75 Million Program To Recover Critical Minerals From Coal, Coal-Based Feedstocks 

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- TribLive Editorial: Why Does Pennsylvania Even Have A Budget Deadline?

-- AP: Shapiro, Democratic Governors Press US Postal Service To Drop Plan To Not Deliver Mail-In Ballots In States Not Complying With President’s Election Order

-- Altoona Mirror: Election Laws Still Point Of Debate In Pennsylvania

-- The Center Square: Shapiro Says ‘Radical Reform’ Needed On US Supreme Court 

-- TribLive: Western PA Democrats Outside Allegheny County Losing Ground In State Legislature

-- Erie Times: State Buys $500,000 Worth Of Erie County Grapes After Contracts Canceled By Beverage Maker; Grapes Will Be Used By Food Banks

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[Posted: July 3, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

DEP: Seneca Resources Failed To Notify DEP Of Casing/Cementing Failures In 6 Shale Gas Wells For 15 Years In Delmar Twp., Tioga County

On June 18, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection issued violations to Seneca Resources Co LLC for failing to notify DEP of casing/cementing failures and for the failures themselves in six shale gas wells at the Erickson well pad in Delmar Township, Tioga County .

DEP inspection reports said prior samples since May and June 2011 confirmed the presence of combustible gas in well annular spaces of  well 1H, well 2H, well 3H, well 4H, well 5H and well 6H  which “is a violation of the Department’s regulations.”

The wells were drilled in September 2010.

The June 18 inspections also documented the results of a 72-hour buildup test of the six wells and the collection of gas samples for isotopic analysis.

DEP quoted its regulations saying-- “If the defect cannot be corrected or an alternate method is not approved by the Department, the well shall be plugged.”

DEP requested a written response by August 3 on how Seneca intends to comply with the regulations.

Large portions of Delmar Township in Tioga County are in Tioga State Forest.

Report Violations

To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.

Text photos and the location of abandoned wells to 717-788-8990

Check These Resources

Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database and Inspection Reports Viewer webpages to search their compliance records by date and owner.

Sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE service which sends you information on oil and gas and other permits submitted to DEP for review in your community.

Use DEP’s Oil and Gas Mapping Tool to find if there are oil and gas wells near or on your property and to find wells using latitude and longitude on well inspection reports.

(Photos: well 1H, well 2H, well 3H, well 4H, well 5H and well 6H.)

[Note: If you believe your company was listed in error, contact DEP’s Oil and Gas Program.]

[Note: These may not be all the NOVs issued to oil and gas companies during this time period.  Additional inspection reports may be added to DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database.]

Resource Links - Seneca Resources:

-- Attorney General Sunday: Criminal Charges Filed Against Seneca Resources For 64 Counts Of Illegal Dumping Of Shale Gas Waste In Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga Counties  [PaEN]

-- No One Warned A Cameron County Family Their Water Well Was Contaminated By A Seneca Resources Shale Gas Wastewater Pipeline Rupture [PaEN]

-- DEP: Seneca Resources Failed To Notify DEP Of Casing/Cementing Failures In 6 Shale Gas Wells For 15 Years In Delmar Twp., Tioga County  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Day 609 - Sample Results Confirm Continued Wastewater Releases At Seneca Resources Taft Shale Gas Well Pad In Middlebury Twp., Tioga County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Day 587 And Counting: Seneca Resources Continues To Release Wastewater, Frack New Shale Gas Wells At Taft Well Pad In Middlebury Twp., Tioga County [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Day 545 And Counting: Seneca Resources Continues To Release Wastewater, Frack New Shale Gas Wells At Taft Well Pad In Middlebury Twp., Tioga County [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Seneca Resources Still Experiencing Spills, Releases While New Well Development Continues At Taft Shale Gas Well Pad In Middlebury Twp., Tioga County For 426 Days And Counting [PaEN]

-- DEP: Spills, Releases Continue At Seneca Resources Taft Shale Gas Well Pad In Middlebury Twp., Tioga County For 373 Days And Counting [PaEN]

-- DEP Day 239: Seneca Resources Wastewater Cleanup, Monitoring Efforts Continue At Vandergrift Shale Gas Well Pad In Charleston Twp., Tioga County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Day 155 - Contaminated Water Still Flowing From Seneca Resources Vandergrift Shale Gas Wells, Well Pad; Cleanup Continues In Charleston Twp., Tioga County  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Seneca Resources Ignores NOVs On DCNR Shale Gas Well Pad Cleanup For 7 Months & Counting; Citizen Complaint Finds Homeowner Well Venting Gas; Multiple Tanker Truck Spills  [PaEN]

-- Citizen Complaint, Company Report Results In DEP Inspection Finding 63,000 Gallon Wastewater Spill At Seneca Resources Shale Gas Well On State Game Lands In Elk County; More Leaks, Spills  [PaEN]

-- Pine Creek Headwaters Protection Group Asks DCNR To Protect State Forest Land From Seneca Shale Gas Drilling Well Pad, Comply With PA Supreme Court Decision, Protect Recreation, Wildlife  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- 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]   

-- DEP: Seneca Resources Failed To Notify DEP Of Casing/Cementing Failures In 6 Shale Gas Wells For 15 Years In Delmar Twp., Tioga County  [PaEN]

-- PUC Investigation Finds Fatal 2025 Philadelphia Rowhouse Natural Gas Explosion Not Related To Philadelphia Gas Works Facilities, Operations  [PaEN] 

-- 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] 

NewsClips:

-- Erie Times: Citing Health Concerns, FracTracker Appeals DEP Mineral Brine Conventional Well Permit In Erie County

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: New Environmental Integrity Project Report Shows How Gas/Fossil Fuel Power Plants Would Significantly Increase Pollution In Pennsylvania

-- 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’ 

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

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Negotiations On Proposed LNG Natural Gas Export Facility In Eddystone Boro On Delaware River Occurring In Secret Under Nondisclosure Agreements With State Officials In Delaware County 

-- Inside Climate News: What Happened When An LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Came To A Louisiana Town 

-- Inquirer: US Refinery Accidents, Including In PA, Raise Questions About Cost Impact As Fuel Demand Rises; Monroe Energy Refinery Fire Recent Example In Delaware County 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Natural Gas Powers The Region, So Why Are Pennsylvanians Paying More? - By Sen. Kim Ward [Reality - Data Center Demand Spikes, 60% Of Electric Comes From Natural Gas And Its Price Spikes] 

-- 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

[Posted: July 3, 2026]  PA Environment Digest