104 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA

Here are 104 new stories in the PA Environment Digest about individuals, groups, local governments, farmers, businesses, watershed groups and many more working all across Pennsylvania to restore and protect the environment and show others the beauty that surrounds us.

Thank you for your leadership!

-- Sand County Foundation: Troy Firth Receives Pennsylvania Leopold Farm Conservation Award  [PaEN] 

-- Inquirer: Charles D. Dilks, Avid Conservationist, Retired Executive Of University City Science Center, Has Died At 83

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: President Jimmy Carter Loved Fly-Fishing In PA; His Conservation Legacy Lives On - By Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary Of DCNR  [PDF of Article] 

-- Warren Times: Jimmy Carter Raised Climate Change Concerns 35 Years Before Paris Accords 

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Dec. 21 to 31 - Record Number Conventional, Shale Gas Abandoned Well Violations In 2024; Gas Storage Area Well Leaks  [PaEN]

-- Powering The Planet: The Cleanup Bill For The Fracking Boom Is Already Here; Shale Gas Drillers Are Already Abandoning Their Wells - By Justin Mikulka, Powering The Planet [PA Examples]  [PaEN] 

-- Bucks County Beacon - Justin Mikulka: The Cleanup Bill For The Fracking Boom Is Already Here In States Like Pennsylvania 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Abandoned Conventional Well Plugging In Western PA Could Speed Up Under Deal Reached With West Virginia Landowners, Diversified Energy

-- ABCNews: Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells Bring Fears Of Leak Dangers, ABC News Investigation Finds

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - January 1 to 10 - First 4 Abandoned Conventional Wells Of 2025; Methane Reduction Grant Inspections; Well Leaking Gas For 27 Months  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Did Over 107,000 Inspections, Found 35,237 Violations, Responded To 410 Emergencies In 2024 To Protect PA's Environment, Public Safety  [PaEN]

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Fate Of Butterflies And More Depends On Us - ‘We Are The Stewards And Caretakers Of This World, The Only World That We Have, It’s Time We Started Acting Like It’  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive: Environmental Hearing Board To Review DEP Shale Gas Well Permit Renewals To Apex Energy In Penn Twp., Westmoreland County

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Are U-Turn Shale Gas Wells The Future Of Drilling?  One In Susquehanna County Now  [PDF of Article] 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Pittsburgh-Based Epiphany Environmental LLC Frack Waste Treatment Company Files For Bankruptcy - Had Proposed Plant In Potter County With 2023 PennVEST Funding  [PDF of Article] 

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Methane Emission Reduction Is Becoming A Booming Industry In Pennsylvania - By Center for Methane Emissions Solutions

-- The Energy Age Blog: DEP Invites Comments On Draft Guidance For Land Application Of Excess Water From Shale Gas Well Development Impoundments  ​

-- PUC Approves $700,000 Penalty For Columbia Gas Plastic Pipeline Explosion In Clarion County  [PaEN] 

-- PUC Approves Settlement In 2019 Philadelphia Gas Works Explosion That Killed 2, Displaced 60 Residents [PaEN]

-- WHYY: Philadelphia Gas Works To Offer Free Methane Detectors To All Customers As Part Of ‘Landmark’ Settlement Of 2019 Home Gas Explosion

-- Inquirer: PUC Settles Case With PGW Over Deadly 2019 Gas Explosion In South Philly

-- WHYY: Philly Neighborhood Residents Sue PGW, PECO, City  And Neighbors Over Massive 2023 Gas Explosion That Leveled Homes 

-- WESA: Could Locally Drilled Natural Gas Get More Expensive With New Republican Administration’s Push To Increase LNG Gas Exports?  [Spoiler - Yes]

-- Marcellus Drilling News: US Natural Gas Markets (And Prices) Now Linked With Rest Of World  [PDF of Article]

-- Bloomberg: Shale Gas Executives Raising Price Bar Needed To Boost Gas Drilling Survey Says 

-- Philadelphia Tribune Guest Essay: Natural Gas Is Dirty, LNG Gas Proponents Don’t Just Ignore The Facts, They Ignore The Human Toll - By Ben Jealous, Executive Director Sierra Club, University of Pennsylvania Professor

-- E&ENews/Politico: New Republican Administration’s LNG Gas Export Plans Rely On 1970s Safety Rules

-- Stars & Stripes Guest Essay: Don’t Allow Our LNG Gas Resources To Empower Our Rivals While We Shoulder The Burdens - By Steve Anderson, US. Army Brigadier General, Retired 

-- Utility Dive: New York Utilities Urge FERC To Adopt Natural Gas Pipeline Reliability Requirements 

-- WHYY - Sophia Schmidt: New Federal Clean Energy Rebates In Limbo For Residents Of PA, DE, NJ 

-- ReImagine Appalachia's Virtual Strategy Summit Set For Jan. 14 -15  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Begins Accepting Applications For First Round Of Local Abandoned Mine Reclamation Grants March 3   [PaEN] 

-- AP: Efforts Continue To Stabilize Area Where PA Woman Fell To Her Death In Abandoned Mine Sinkhole 

-- TribLive: About $500,000 Of Work To Fill Westmoreland Abandoned Mine Sinkhole Nearly Complete 

-- WPXI: DEP Determining Size, Extinguishing Fayette County Mine Fire That May Have Been Burning For Months

-- Citizens Voice: Anthracite Mining Heritage Month Events: Digging Up The Past

-- Wilkes-Barre Times: Anthracite Mining History Month Celebrated In Ashley

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets Jan. 14 On Data Centers, Three Mile Island Unit 2 Nuclear Plant Decommissioning, Abandoned Mine Land Reforestation  [PaEN]

-- PennTAP: Small & Mid-Size Industries Must Complete Pollution Prevention & Energy Efficiency Site Assessment To Be Eligible For RISE PA Decarbonization Grants [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Shared Energy Manager Program Saved Local Governments $2.8 Million; Apply Now To Join Program [PaEN] 

-- ABC27: Three Mile Island ‘No-Restart’ Group Calls On Dauphin County Commissioners To Not Cooperate In Restart

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: Climate Change Attorneys Say A PA Statute Could Be Used To Prosecute Fossil Fuel Companies

-- PA Assn. Of Environmental Educators: Jan. 15 Webinar: Walking Softer Education - Empower Youth, Activate Change, Noon to 1:00 p.m. 

-- Philadelphia Solar Energy Assn.: Solar For Schools Middle School Curriculum Now Available  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive: Solar Energy Company Wins Zoning Approval In North Huntingdon, Westmoreland County

-- Altoona Mirror: Logan Twp. Approves Solar Energy Facility In Blair County

-- Spotlight PA: Shapiro Says ‘Broken’ PJM Power Auction Process Could Lead To Higher Electricity Costs; Here’s What To Know  

-- WHYY/BillyPenn: Why Gov. Shapiro Sued To Limit Future Electric Bill Hikes

-- Utility Dive: PJM ‘Shovel-Ready’ Interconnection Plan Draws Mixed Reviews At FERC 

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: How Blocking Nippon/US Steel Sale Could Impact Western PA Air Quality

-- TribLive: Pittsburgers Reflect On Region’s Industrial Arc In Wake Of Blocked US Steel Deal

-- DEP Encourages Pennsylvanians To Test Their Homes For Radon During January, National Radon Action Month  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: PA Needs To Get Serious About Radon 

-- Post-Gazette: Why Radon Gas Deserves Pennsylvanians’ Attention

-- Sen. Yaw Re-Elected Chair Of PA Delegation To Chesapeake Bay Commission, Maryland To Chair Commission In 2025  [PaEN]

-- Reminder: Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Hosts Jan. 28 Conservation Cornerstone Webinar On Climate-Smart Ag Through CARAT  [PaEN]

-- Register Now! PASA Sustainable Agriculture Conference Feb. 5-7 In Lancaster  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Announces Award Of $155,000+ To Support 34 Local Watershed Improvement Projects  [PaEN] 

-- PA Interfaith Power & Light Jan. 14 Watersheds And Their People Webinar Sharing Watershed Project Stories  [PaEN] 

-- Western PA Conservancy Seeks Riparian Steward Volunteers In Armstrong, Erie, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson, Potter, Venango Counties [PaEN] 

-- Gettysburg Connection: Watershed Alliance Of Adams County Seeking Citizen Scientists To Test For Salt In Waterways As Part Of SALT WATCH

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Salt On Snow And Ice Makes A Bad Brew For Local Waterways - Watch Winter Salt Week Webinars - By Harry Campbell, Science Policy & Advocacy Director  [PaEN] 

-- USGS PA Water Science Center Releases Highlights Of Water Quality Monitoring In Chiques, Swatara Creek Watersheds

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Jan. 21 Webinar On Private Water Supply Education, Offers Free Well Water Testing  [PaEN]

-- PA Assn. Of Environmental Professionals Hosts Jan. 28 Webinar On PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' And Impacts To Local Waterways  [PaEN] 

-- Three Rivers Waterkeeper Highlights Accomplishments In 2024 Annual Report

-- Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay Wild & Scenic Film Festival March 5 In Lititz, Lancaster County  [PaEN] 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: Chesapeake Conservancy Leader Steps Down After 14 Years

-- Spotlight PA: What To Do If You Have An Issue With Your Municipal Water, Wastewater Authority

-- Register Now!  PA Assn. Of Environmental Educators Annual Conference March 10-12 In Erie  [PaEN] 

-- PA Assn. Of Environmental Educators: Feb. 12 Webinar: Cradle Of Conservation - An Environmental History of Pennsylvania, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. 

-- Post-Gazette: Honeybees And Pollinators Carry Young FFA Speaker To New Heights

-- PA Horticultural Society Shares Top 10 Gardening Trends For 2025 

-- PA Resources Council Announces 2025 Lens On Litter Photo Contest, Including New Before & After Prize Category  [PaEN] 

-- Reminder: Keep PA Beautiful Litter Hawk Youth Award Program Accepting Nominations For Students In Grades K to 6  [PaEN] 

-- DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Meets Jan. 22 On Accessible Recreation Topics  [PaEN]

-- DCNR Hosts 5 Webinars On Draft State Outdoor Recreation Plan Starting Feb. 3  [PaEN] 

-- DCNR Grants Newsletter: Mifflin Square Park Renovations; New Outdoor Recreation Plan Webinars Coming Feb. 3; 2024 Grant Accomplishments 

-- Jan. 10 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation  [PaEN]

-- Apply Now! Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps Youth Employment Program Now Accepting Applications  [PaEN]

-- DCNR/PA Environmental Council Host Jan. 30 Webinar On New Outdoor Ambassador Program Launching In The Laurel Highlands And Poconos Conservation Landscapes [PaEN]

-- PA Environmental Council Announces $30,000 In Water Trail Mini-Grants To 8 Groups  [PaEN]

-- Bicycle Coalition Of Greater Philadelphia: Schuylkill River Trail In Philadelphia Receives $13.7 Million In Federal Transportation Funding 

-- Register Now! PA Recreation & Parks Society Annual Conference & Expo March 16-19 In Hershey  [PaEN]

-- Registration Now Open! WeConservePA PA Land Conservation Conference April 2-4 In State College  [PaEN]

-- Western PA Conservancy Preserves 28 Acres Along The Allegheny River In Warren County Thanks To Easement Donation By Randall Gustafson  [PaEN]

-- Citizen Voice: Countryside Conservancy Announces 37-Acre Lake Carey Easement To Forever Preserve Forested, Natural Land

-- Delaware Highlands Conservancy Accepting Scholarship Applications From Wallenpaupack Area, Honesdale, Delaware Valley, Western Wayne School Districts In PA  [PaEN]

-- Natural Lands: Participate In A Jan. 20  MLK Day Of Service Event In One Of Our Preserves

-- Natural Lands: Apply Now For Class Of 2025 Force Of Nature Volunteer Program  

-- The Nature Conservancy-PA Newsletter: Reflecting On 2024; Forest Resiliency Insights; Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, TNC Chief Scientist

-- PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In December Now Available  [PaEN]

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley Trail Gap Will Be Linked Up This Year In Bethlehem Greenway - Saucon Rail Trail With $4.3 Million Purchase From Norfolk Southern

-- PA iMapInvasives Newsletter Highlights Jumping Worm Jamboree, Benefits Of Regional Invasive Species Partnerships, Plant Patrol In Indiana County, Restoring Mussels In Dunkard Creek  [PaEN]

-- Town Hall Meeting On Wildlife Damage To Agricultural Crops Held At PA Farm Show

-- Lancaster Farming: PA Builds Collaboration On Deer Damage To Crops

-- Citizens Voice: Rep. Stambaugh To Introduce Bill To Fund Deer Fencing To Prevent Crop Damage From Game Commission’s $500 Million Surplus

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: NJ, PA, NY Join Forces To Protect Dwindling Brook Trout 

-- Republican Herald: Christmas Trees Go From Holiday To Habitat

-- Fish & Boat Commission Feb. 12 Webinar: Women’s Intro To Fly Fishing Program, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m

-- KDKA: Signs Of Hope That Pittsburgh’s Hays Bald Eagles Could Rebuild Nest

-- TribLive: Fox Chapel Officially Designated An Audubon ‘Bird Town’ In Allegheny County 

-- ABC6: John James Audubon Center In Montgomery County Teaches You Everything You Wanted To Know About Birds 

-- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Hires Megan Roselli As Director Of Education 

Visit the PA Environment Digest website to learn more.

REAL Leadership:

-- 104 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA

-- 5,895 Stories In 2024 - Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA

-- 4,258 Stories In 2023 - Environmental & Conservation Leadership PA 

-- 3,190 New Stories In 2022 - Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA

[Posted: January 12, 2025]   PA Environment Digest