Thursday PA Environment & Energy NewsClips - 7.18.24

"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 Fall Voting Schedule

-- September 23, 24, 25, 30

-- October 1, 2, 21, 22, 23

-- November 12, 13

-- Committee Schedule

Senate Fall Voting Schedule

-- September 16, 17, 18, 30

-- October 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 21, 22, 23

-- November 13, 14

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events 

TODAY 9:30; Agenda Posted. DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting.  Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 9:30 a.m.  Visit the Committee webpage for options on joining the meeting remotely. Contact: Bob Haines  robhaines@pa.gov. 

TODAY:. In-Person. PASA Sustainable Agriculture Hosts Maximizing Your Farm Operation With Silvopasture Pasture Walk. Lancaster County.

TODAY 6:00: Virtual. Spotlight PA Hosts Panel Discussion On How Unreliable Small Private Water Systems Affect Quality Of Life In PA. 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Legislative Update--

These bills signed into law Wednesday--

Solar For Schools Grants: House Bill 1032 (Fiedler-D-Philadelphia) establishing a grant program to support solar energy facility projects at schools [Senate Summary & Fiscal Note].  Signed by Gov. Shapiro as Act 68.   Read more here.

Anti-SLAPP Lawsuits: House Bill 1466 (Bizzarro-D-Erie) that would help prevent powerful interests from filing SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) lawsuits to silence citizen critics and chill free speech  [House Summary & Fiscal Note]. Signed by Gov. Shapiro as Act 72.   Read more here.

Geologic Sequestration Of Carbon Dioxide: Senate Bill 831 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) establishing a framework for authorizing the geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide through injection wells.  Signed by Gov. Shapiro as Act 87. Read more here.

Alternative Fuel Vehicle Tax: Senate Bill 656 (Rothman-R-Cumberland) providing for an annual tax on alternative fuel vehicles [House Summary & Fiscal Note].  Signed by Gov. Shapiro as Act 85.

=======================

-- PennVEST Makes $257 Million Investment In 18 Water Infrastructure Projects In 13 Counties  [PaEN]

--- The Allegheny Front: Chalfant Run In Allegheny County Getting Federal Help To Clean Up Its Abandoned Coal Mine Pollution 

-- Forests For The Chesapeake Bay: Heat Wave!  Sustainable Forest Harvests; Rattlesnakes; Upcoming Events 

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Bartram’s Garden Closes Trail Because Of ‘Potential Chemical Contamination’ Nearby

--WHYY: PA Officials Criticized Over Response To Chemical Spill At Bartram’s Garden In Philadelphia

-- TribLive: Beaver Run Reservoir Water Levels OK Despite Dry Spell, Westmoreland Authority Says

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Cleanup Of Radioactive Oil & Gas Wastewater Sludge At PA Company’s Martins Ferry, OH Plant To Begin By End Of The Month 

-- PA Solar Center: $74 Million In Potential Energy Savings Over 25 Years Found In Beaver County If 7 Communities Go Solar  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Western PA Ready To Lead Hydrogen Energy Revolution - By Conor Lamb & Kate Harper,  Energy Future PA 

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Geologic Sequestration Bill Step In Right Direction

-- Pennsylvania Power Outages: 41,580 [6:54 a.m.]

-- DEP Received 17,026 Permit Applications Since Nov. 2023: 13,616 Decided; 3,410 Pending; 8 Did Not Meet Decision Deadlines Eligible For PAyback Refund: Zero Asked For Refunds

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: US Steel Plant Manager Urges More Review Of Proposed Allegheny County Air Permit Fee Increases

-- YourErie.com: Asbury Woods Educator Speaks About Week-Long Environmental Education Workshop On Lake Erie 

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: State Budget Increases In-Lieu Of Tax Payments To Local Governments, School Districts For Land Owned By DCNR, Game Commission

-- DCNR Sets July 31 Public Meeting On Final Conceptual Plans For Susquehanna Riverlands State Park In York County  [PaEN] 

-- DCNR Blog: Playgrounds For All Abilities

-- WITF: What’s New To Come At Pennsylvania State Parks

-- Tribune-Democrat: Johnstown Native Leah Yingling Tackles 100-Mile Courses As Ultrarunner: ‘Great Way To See The World’

-- Warren Times Editorial: DCNR Grant To Make 3 Downtowns More Bike Friendly A Nice Addition To Encourage Tourism 

-- WNEP: Game Warden Camp, Inspiring The Next Generation Of Game Wardens

-- York Daily Record - Brian Whipkey: Chop And Drop Projects Are Happening Across The State In Wild Trout Waters, Here’s Why

Gas Explosions

-- KDKA: Plum Residents Have Some Answers 1 Year After Deadline Natural Gas Explosion That Killed 6

Train Derailments

-- Washington Examiner - Salena Zito: The Most Important 42 Miles In American Politics - Butler, PA To East Palestine, OH

-- AP: EPA Watchdog Investigating Delays In How The Agency Used Sensor Plan After Fiery Norfolk Southern Train Derailment In Ohio

6th Oil/Natural Gas Spike: True Energy Independence Means Renewables

[There Is No Limit To What Oil/Natural Gas Industry Can Make You Pay]

-- Bloomberg: Major Texas LNG Gas Export Facility Outage Dented Exports, Points To Massive US Natural Gas Supply Glut

-- Bloomberg: Hurricane Beryl Serves As Ominous Warning For Gulf Coast LNG Gas Export Facilities  [LNG Gas Facilities Vulnerable To Many Weather Threats]

-- YaleEnvironment360: A Gulf Coast Activist Rallies Her Community Against LNG Gas Export Facilities 

Other States/National/International

-- The Guardian: 14 States Urge Federal Govt. To Declare Wildfire Smoke And Extreme Heat Major Disasters

-- Bloomberg: US Public Electric Vehicle Chargers Set To Surpass Gasoline Stations In 8 Years 

-- Scientific American Guest Essay: New Satellites Alone Won’t Stop Methane Emissions From Oil & Gas Industry

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- Post-Gazette: As Republicans Talk Of Winning Pennsylvania, Democrats Earmark $2 Million For The State

-- Post-Gazette: Assassination Attempt Reignites Concerns About Western PA’s History Of Violent Extremism

-- WESA: Composite Portrait Of Alleged Shooter: Quiet, Smart, Conservative

-- PA Capital-Star: Republican National Committee Is About 2024, But 2020, Assault On US Capitol Are Still On Minds Of Pittsburgh Delegates

-- Washington Examiner - Salena Zito: The Most Important 42 Miles In American Politics - Butler, PA To East Palestine, OH

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: PA Legislators Want To Advance Nation’s Genetic Surveillance Dragnet

-- PennLive: Workers, Lawmaker To Rally At Gaming Conference To Demand Smoke-Free Casinos In PA

-- Post-Gazette: PA State-Owned Universities Freeze Tuition For 7th Consecutive Year

-- Spotlight PA: Penn State Trustee Sues University For Keeping Critical Financial Records From Him

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: PA’s Lack Of Support For Public Defenders Is ‘Unconstitutional,’ So We’re Suing

Click Here for latest PA Environmental News

Like PA Environment Digest on Facebook

Follow PA Environment Digest on Twitter  

Read Weekly PA Environment Digest

[Posted: July 18, 2024]  PA Environment Digest