Thursday PA Environment & Energy Articles - NewsClips: 6.18.26

“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

June 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

September 28, 29, 30

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

November 9, 10

-- Committee Schedule

Senate Voting Schedule

June 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events 

Anything Can Happen: June State Budget Marathon Happening NOW!

June 22-- NEW. House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee holds informational meeting on House Bill 2553 (Borowski-D- Delaware) updates the Covered Device Recycling Act for recycling electronic waste (sponsor summary). Room G-50 Irvis Building. 11:00 a.m.  Watch Online.

June 23-- NEW. Senate Democratic Policy Committee hearing on Senate Bill 312 (Kane-D- Chester) protects electric utility customers by returning them to default utility provided electricity if they take no action to reenroll in a third party electricity supplier contract (sponsor summary). Room 8E-A East Wing.  9:30 a.m.  Watch Online.

June 23-- Agenda Posted. DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. 12:30 p.m. Contact: Ian Irvin iirvin@pa.gov or 717-579-0329.

June 24-- Community Advocates For Clean Energy Of Greater Philadelphia Webinar On How To Move A Community Energy Project From An Idea To Action. Noon.

June 24-- Virtual. Washington & Jefferson College Center for Energy and the Built Environment Webinar on Getting The Most From Your Building: Smart Assessment And Monitoring. 11:00 a.m. to Noon

June 25-- NEW. House Energy Committee holds hearing on House Bill 2651 (Steele-D- Allegheny) [text of bill] amending the Municipalities Planning Code to establish fair, minimum requirements for siting renewable energy facilities that prohibit municipalities from banning this much needed form of electric generation (sponsor summary). Room 515 Irvis Building. 9:30 a.m.  Watch Online.

June 25-- DEP Hearing On Air Permit For ETC Northeast Pipeline Cryo II Project At The Revolution Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant In Smith Twp., Washington County.  Burgettstown Area Middle/High School Campus, LGI Room, 100 Bavington Road in Burgettstown from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

June 25-- In-Person. ReImagine Appalachia, Ohio River Valley Institute, Partners Host Workshop On Applying For DEP’s RISE PA Industrial Decarbonization Funding. Pittsburgh. 9:00 a.m. to Noon

June 26-27-- In-Person. PA Firefly Festival Exhibits & Entertainment In Downtown Tionesta, Forest County 

-- House Committee OKs Bills To Add Energy Storage To Grid To Improve Reliability; Add Conditions For Receiving State Data Center Tax Credit; Speed Connection Of Clean Energy Generation To Grid To Help Reduce Energy Costs  [PaEN] 

-- PennLive: As PA Data Center Development Surges, PA House Fast-Tracks Bills To Address It [Not Senate] 

-- PA Capital-Star: PA House Bill Would Tie Data Center Tax Break To Transparency, Sustainability

-- The Center Square: PA House Lawmakers Advance Bill To Curb Nondisclosure Agreements On A.I. Data Centers [But Only For Those Seeking State Tax Credit]

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Eos Energy Energy Storage Company Secures Exclusive Distributor For Germany, Austria, Switzerland 

-- PJM Interconnection Issues 4th Hot Weather Alert Of Season For June 18 In Mid-Atlantic, Southern Regions  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square: Republican Senators Ward, Yaw Say State Losing Out Because Of Shapiro-Backed Price Caps On Electricity Prices   [But Yaw Asked FERC In March To Require PJM To Keep Charging PA Ratepayers The Same Record High Rates ]

-- Institute For Energy Economics & Financial Analysis: Pennsylvania’s Shrinking Fossil Fuel Footprint Leaves A Widening Fiscal Gap To Support Tax Credits For Fossil Fuel Industry 

-- Morning Call: PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Found In Delaware River Water, Wildlife; Why This Matters

-- The Allegheny Front: New LCT Energy Rustic Ridge Coal Mine Could Dump 2.8 Million Gallons Of Treated Wastewater Into Westmoreland County Trout Steam

-- Independent: Susquehanna County Conservation District Hosting Student Watershed Day Camp July 21 

-- Reading Eagle: 28th Schuylkill River Sojourn Lands In Pottstown [Photos, Video]

-- Tribune-Democrat: Friends Of Flight 93 Memorial Name Donna Gibson Executive Director

-- Warren Times: Members Of Rainbow Family Of Living Light Gathering In Allegheny National Forest 

 A.I. /Data Centers

-- Republican Herald: Amazon Web Services Outlines Plans For 380 Acre A.I. Data Center In Kline Twp., Schuylkill County 

-- Morning Call: Faced With Massive A.I. Data Center Proposal, Lower Mount Bethel Twp. Is Latest To Consider Ordinance 

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Dallas Twp. Delay On A.I. Data Center Ordinance Prompts Public Alarm In Luzerne County 

-- TheDerrick.com: Venango County Residents Pack Meeting To Voice Concerns Over Proposed A.I. Data Center Proposal In Scrubgrass Twp. At Scrubgrass Power Plant  [PDF of Article]

-- Natural Resources Defense Council Blog: President Wants PJM To Give The Gas Industry A Multibillion Gift To Supply Power To A.I. Data Centers In Upcoming Power Auction - By Tom Rutigliano  

-- The Guardian: How The Fight Over US A.I. Data Centers Is Scrambling Pennsylvania’s Politics: ‘We Don’t Want It’

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- Today’s Violations: DEP now issued Daniel L. Heath 10 more violations for abandoning conventional wells in Venango County, Cranberry Twp. this week, now total 16. DEP notes owner was ‘recently deceased.’ Example DEP inspection report. 

-- In Case You Were Wondering: Breathe Project Cams: ‘Emergency’ Flares Still Burning At MarkWest Harmon Creek, Energy Transfer Revolution Natural Gas Processing Plants In Washington County 6.17.26 

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- June 18: PA Average AAA Gasoline Prices Down 3 Pennies From Yesterday, Now $4.14/Gallon - $1.03/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Elk County Average Price Still Highest at $4.65] 

-- June 18: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.99 Ohio- $3.93  PA- $4.14

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

-- Utility Dive: US EIA: Natural Gas Generation Down 60% From 2024 On Same Capacity In California As Cheaper Solar, Power Imports Surge 

Federal Administration

-- AP: President’s Administrations Buys Back 4 Invenergy Wind Energy Projects For $765 Million, Will Invest In Natural Gas, Geothermal Ventures Instead

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- New Franklin & Marshall Poll--

-- 50% to 28% Shapiro Lead Over Garrity

-- 48% - Shapiro Dong Excellent, Good Job

-- 47% - Said state is on the wrong track, up from 44% in March

-- 58% - President Doing Poor Job - Up from 51% - F On Inflation, Immigration, Foreign Policy

-- 47% - Worse off than a year ago

-- 32% - Expect situations to worsen

-- 73% - Disagreed With Statement Federal Government Has Very Little Official Corruption

-- 70% - Support Independent Commission To Redraw Legislative Districts, Not Legislators

-- 58% - Oppose redistricting efforts before elections

-- 58% - Favor more gun regulations

-- 72% - Support prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity

-- 71% - Support regulating ‘skill’ gambling games

-- 89% - Support limits on student cellphone use

-- 86% - Said abortion should be legal in any or some circumstances

-- Erie Times/USA Today: What To Know About PA’s Rainy Day Fund And 2026-27 State Budget

-- PA Gaming Control Board Reports Record Revenue In May

-- TribLive: A Year Later, US Steel Workers Remain Divided Over Benefit Of Nippon Steel Takeover 

-- Morning Call Guest Essay: Juneteenth A Reminder To Keep Fighting For Justice - By Mohammid Khaku, Past President Al Ahad Islamic Center, Allentown

-- TribLive Editorial: Latest Examples Of Efforts To Narrow Public Discourse Should Be Opposed

-- WESA: Butler County Woman Pleads With Local Officials On Immigration After Husband Is Detained By ICE

-- TribLive/Inquirer: PA Member Of Congress Madeleine Dean Blocked From Speaking To Detainees At Clearfield County ICE Immigrant Detention Center

-- PennLive Editorial: We Can’t Say We Don’t Know What’s Happening At Clearfield County ICE Immigrant Detention Facility 

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Diversity - Equity - Inclusion

[Posted: June 18, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

House Committee OKs Bills To Add Energy Storage To Grid To Improve Reliability; Add Conditions For Receiving State Data Center Tax Credit; Speed Connection Of Clean Energy Generation To Grid To Help Reduce Energy Costs

On June 17, the House Energy Committee approved and reported out bills to add energy storage to the grid to improve reliability, add conditions for receiving the existing state data center tax credit and speed connections of clean energy generation to the grid to help address rising energy costs.

The bills include--

-- Procuring Grid-Scale Energy Storage: House Bill 2380 (Rivera-D-Lancaster) requiring electric utilities to set targets and procure grid-stabilizing battery energy storage was amended to increase storage requirement and make other changes and reported out by a vote of 14 to 12-- Republicans opposed;

-- Deadlines To Connecting Clean Energy Sources:  House Bill 2595 (Inglis-D-Allegheny) amends the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act to establish deadline requirements for the interconnection safety reviews of small-scale clean energy projects was amended to slightly increase deadlines for completing reviews and was reported out unanimously, with Republicans saying they still have concerns.

-- Adding Conditions To Receiving State Data Center Tax Credit/Nondisclosure Agreements: House Bill 2359 (Ciresi-D-Montgomery) was amended with a gut and replace amendment changing the bill to a Tax Code bill adding conditions for qualifying for the existing data center tax credit-- 

-- Submitting a community protection plan setting public participation and transparency requirements; 

-- Submitting a project footprint report on the size of the facility, electricity generated and used, water consumption; and 

-- Certifying the project has not entered into any nondisclosure agreements with local or state officials about the project.  

These conditions do not apply to any data centers not applying for the state tax credit or any data centers with an electric demand of less than 10 MW.

[Note: The conditions are similar to Gov. Shapiro’s GRID Standards.]

The amended bill was reported out by a vote of 23 to 3-- Republicans were 3 no votes. 

Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron), Minority Chair of the Committee, said he still had concerns about this bill, but voted to report it out of Committee to move the process along.

Other Data Center Bills Moving

The House also moved these other bills related to data centers--

-- Pause In Local Consideration Of Data Center Proposals: House Bill 2496 (Friel-D- Chester) amends the Municipalities Planning Code authorizing local governments to pause consideration of data center proposals for 180 days was amended and unanimously reported out of the House Local Government Committee and referred to House Rules Committee.

-- Adopting Governor’s GRID Standards As Conditions For Receiving State Tax Credit: House Bill 2650 (Webster-D-Montgomery) amending the Tax Code to add Gov. Shapiro’s GRID Standards as conditions for receiving state data center tax credit was introduced June 16, reported out of the House Finance Committee June 17 and referred to House Rules Committee

Energy Storage Bill

House Bill 2380 (Rivera-D-Lancaster) would require electric utilities to procure 3.5 GW of grid scale energy storage and does not allow the utility to actually own the storage.

The prime sponsor Rep. Nikki Rivera (R-Lancaster) introduced the bill saying-- “Pennsylvania needs to implement practical solutions that help to keep the lights on and the electric bills affordable. Battery storage is one of those solutions. 

“This bill sets clear energy storage targets that will help to save electricity when it's plentiful and use it when its demand is the highest. 

“That means a more reliable grid, fewer power shortages during peak periods, and greater resilience when the system is under stress. 

“Battery storage can also help lower costs by reducing congestion on the grid, limiting the need for expensive infrastructure upgrades, especially when we're not using 100% of what we currently have, and cutting reliance on the costly peak power purchases. 

“This bill includes competitive procurement requirements and strong oversight to ensure projects deliver value for rate payers. 

“It's a smart investment in a stronger, more reliable, and more affordable energy future for Pennsylvania and for our families and businesses.” 

Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron), Minority Chair of the Committee, said-- “​​This [bill] would be a very large new mandate for the electric distribution companies procuring 3,000 megawatts of storage capacity. 

“The requirement that's in the bill is equal to roughly four times the capacity of Three Mile Island, the Crane Clean Energy Center [835 MW]. 

“I think this is a huge mandate, a very costly mandate, and I will ask for a negative vote on the amendment and the bill.”

[Note: The cost of not having a reliable grid is blackouts and grid collapse that threaten lives and businesses. The 2021 electric grid collapse caused by a winter storm in Texas cost at least $80 billion.]

Rep. Craig Willliams (R-Chester) said-- “Now, are already getting unbelievable bills from our utilities, not because our utilities are charging us necessarily more, but because there's not enough electricity on the grid as it is. 

“And all of these costs would be socialized on our ratepayers, every nickel of it.”

“That's number one problem in addition to the physical impossibility that four nuclear power plants worth of batteries does not exist yet.”

[Note: Eos Energy, a Pittsburgh-based company, is building grid-scale energy storage now and just opened a second manufacturing plant in Western PA.  Read more here.]

“We need to be encouraging gigawatts, gigawatts worth of new generation predominantly in Western Pennsylvania taking advantage of Marcellus shale [gas] and we are the number one electricity exporter in the country and we could double down on that right now and overnight immediately reduce our ratepayers’ bills and instead we're doing this.”

[Note: Natural gas prices fluctuate wildly in response to world and market events and Pennsylvania is locked into those prices. We generate 60% of our electricity with natural gas now. We need diversity of supply, not more cost spikes.]

Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Philadelphia), Majority Chair of the Committee, said-- “I do want to emphasize that this legislation is an important step to increasing reliability for people across Pennsylvania. 

“And for anybody who has lost power, experienced a blackout, a brownout, or been afraid that that might happen, a real reality for a lot of people in Pennsylvania, this bill is directly related, directly targeted to eliminating those situations. 

“And so we talk a lot about generating new energy. I do disagree with the idea that the only thing we can do is try to get more generation online. 

“That is one of the things, a very, very important thing. And I think we have some other bills coming up today that I hope will help to accomplish that. 

“But I think in addition to getting more generation online in Pennsylvania, an absolutely important and critical issue, we need to do everything we can to increase reliability.”  

Conditions On Data Center Tax Credit

House Bill 2359 (Ciresi-D-Montgomery) had a gut and replace amendment added to put conditions on receiving the state data center tax credit.

Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Philadelphia), Majority Chair of the Committee, the sponsor of the amendment said-- “Pennsylvania currently does offer the sales and use tax exemption for data centers. 

“And while many proponents talk about the fact that these facilities can bring investment and jobs to our Commonwealth, we know that as the chairman has described, there are also many concerns and this is very fast moving development in many cases. 

“When a company receives a significant public tax benefit such as this, we believe that transparency and community engagement are even more critical than usual. 

“And so I thank the [Rep. Ciresi] for bringing this legislation to us. 

“This also ensures that government agencies cannot be bound by secrecy agreements that keep the public in the dark. 

“I think that piece is important so that as you heard, folks can know what is being built in their backyard.”

Rep. Eric Nelson (R-Westmoreland) said-- “I respectfully oppose this amendment and think it is an extremely dangerous practice. 

“In a sense, we are creating a bait and switch.This legislature passed a sales tax exemption for data centers and we know these data centers are coming. 

“Whether they come in Pennsylvania or they come in Maryland and Virginia, they are coming. 

“And the more that we sable rattle against them, our workers are going to lose the opportunity to build these facilities. 

“In the West, we are repurposing thousands of blighted acres of abandoned facilities, restoring taxes for our schools, building and extending water lines, repurposing acid mine drainage to be able to use for cooling systems. 

“These data centers are doing in our communities things that we were never able to achieve at all. 

“And now we want to tug at the rug underneath them and tell them if you don't comply with these additional requirements that aren't placed upon them from other states, we are going to cost you millions of dollars.” 

Rep. Craig Willliams (R-Chester) said-- “So they're building facilities that require seven to eight or more nuclear power plants. That's how big they are. That's how much money they're spending. 

“So we're putting a bunch of requirements on data centers and a tax bill as a prerequisite for them getting a tax break, which I believe they'll say, "Take your tax break. We're good. We're just not going to comply with any of your requirements."

“[For] small data centers, this will be appreciable. Hyperscale data centers will pay no attention to this, which is why we have some in that industry not even commenting on the bill because they know they're just not going to pay attention to it because they're going to move on with their plans and not take advantage of the tax break.” 

On the issue of nondisclosure agreements, Rep. Joe Ciresi (D-Montgomery) said-- “So this situation came up because it was brought to our attention that within our district where I am, they were under an NDA [nondisclosure agreement] that they could not give all the information out to the local board of supervisors. 

“And one of my board of supervisors came to us and said, "Well, we can't hear everything that we need to hear. How do we really do the right thing by our community? How do we come out and tell our community what's happening if the five of us sitting here can't hear all the information?" 

“Every one of us who live in a community should have a right to know who's building next to us. 

“Now, I'm going to also say to your comment that it doesn't mean we stop what's happening, but you have a right to know what is happening. 

“That's what local government is supposed to give us, the right to know what's happening, who's developing. So we have a say.”

Rep. Joshua Kail (R-Beaver) said-- “The Shell Petrochemical Facility was built in my district and there was a lot of early on NDAs and things. 

“And it's not so much about keeping information away from the public. It's not that at all, actually. 

“It's about keeping information away from competitors. It's about concern about stocks and insider trading and things of that nature. 

“They want to evaluate a situation and get all of the pieces and data points on the table first before they make a final decision. 

“And this not having those types of NDAs in place could potentially really scuttle it. 

“I understand the concern from a community concern. 

“We represent our local township supervisors to make decisions on our behalf. Those local township supervisors are getting this information and they hopefully have the discretion to make wise decisions on our behalf.” 

Click Here to watch a video of the meeting.

Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Philadelphia) serves as Majority Chair of the House Energy Committee and can be contacted by calling 215-271-9190 or click here to contact.    Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-5075 or by sending email to: mcauser@pahousegop.com.

(Photo: Pittsburgh-based Eos Energy builds utility-scale energy storage.)

NewsClips:

-- PennLive: As PA Data Center Development Surges, PA House Fast-Tracks Bills To Address It [Not Senate]

-- PA Capital-Star: PA House Bill Would Tie Data Center Tax Break To Transparency, Sustainability

-- The Center Square: PA House Lawmakers Advance Bill To Curb Nondisclosure Agreements On A.I. Data Centers [But Only For Those Seeking State Tax Credit]

Resource Links - Storage:

-- Senate DEP Budget Hearing: How Energy Storage Can Add Capacity To The Grid; Chesapeake Bay Cleanup  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Seeks Proposals For Electric Generation, Battery Storage To Quickly Enter Service To Feed Rising Energy Demands From A.I. Data Centers, Improve Grid Reliability, Address High Energy Costs  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Issues Request For Information On Proposed Electric Generation Or Storage Projects Eligible For State Sponsorship Under PJM Expedited Interconnection Track  [PaEN] 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Eos Energy Energy Storage Company Starts Production At 2nd Facility In Pittsburgh Area

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Eos Energy Energy Storage Company Secures Exclusive Distributor For Germany, Austria, Switzerland

Related Articles This Week:

-- PA House Passes Legislation Authorizing Virtual Power Plants To Use Existing Energy Resources More Effectively, Address Grid Reliability, Rising Energy Bills; 16 House Energy Bills Now In Senate  [PaEN]  

-- PJM Interconnection Issues 4th Hot Weather Alert Of Season For June 18 In Mid-Atlantic, Southern Regions  [PaEN] 

-- First United Presbyterian Church Of Crafton Heights In Pittsburgh Cut Energy Bills By More Than 2/3, Now Invests More In People, The Community  [PaEN] 

-- PennDOT Now Accepting Applications For National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grants In Western And Southeast PA; June 25 Webinar For Western Applicants  [PaEN]

-- Allegheny County To Host June 24 Virtual Meeting Inviting Public Input On The County's First-Ever Climate Action Plan  [PaEN]  

NewsClips:

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Eos Energy Energy Storage Company Starts Production At 2nd Facility In Pittsburgh Area

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Eos Energy Energy Storage Company Secures Exclusive Distributor For Germany, Austria, Switzerland

-- The Center Square: PA’s Energy Future A Defining Issue In Gubernatorial Race 

-- TribLive: Assistance Available As Electric Bill Costs Rise Faster Than Inflation Rate 

-- AP: President’s Administrations Buys Back 4 Invenergy Wind Energy Projects For $765 Million, Will Invest In Natural Gas, Geothermal Ventures Instead

-- Inside Climate News: President’s Administration Abandons Fight Against Wind Energy As Much Needed Clean Energy Output Surges  

[Posted: June 17, 2026]  PA Environment Digest