141 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA

Here are 141 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!

-- WeConservePA Honors Cynthia Carrow With 2025 Lifetime Conservation Leadership Award  [PaEN] 

-- Stroud Water Research Center Named Delaware River Watershed Champion  [PaEN] 

-- Master Watershed Steward Dean Neely Takes A Hands-On Approach To Conservation In Monroe County  [PaEN] 

-- From Classrooms To Communities: Keep PA Beautiful Young Ambassadors Are Making a Difference  [PaEN]

-- WHYY: Overbrook Elementary 3rd Graders Are Working To Turn Their Asphalt Schoolyard Into Community Green Space In Philadelphia

-- Tribune-Democrat: ‘Perfect Match:’ NatureWorks, Johnstown Symphony Orchestra Programs Offer Residents A Look At Conservation, Art [PDF of Article] 

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Bridge Contractor, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Partnership Supports High School Urban EcoStewards Program  

-- PA Parks & Forests Foundation: Being Outside In Nature Can Relieve Stress, Improve Mood, Lowers Your Blood Pressure 

-- Warren Times - Audubon Community Nature Center: Nature As A Healer

-- PA American Water Identifies Water Source For New Public Water System To Replace Water Wells Contaminated By Shale Gas Fracking 20 Years Ago In Dimock Twp., Susquehanna County  [PaEN]

-- Scranton Times: PA American To Provide Clean Drinking Water In Dimock To Replace Fracking-Contaminated Private Wells  [PDF of Article]

-- WVIA: PA American Water: Dimock Twp. Residents Will Have Drinkable Water By 2026 

-- Courier Times: PA State Attorney General Investigates Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leaks For Potential Environmental Crimes In Bucks County [Convicted Of Other Criminal Charges, Penalized Over $48.1 Million For Pipeline Violations So Far]   [PaEN]

-- WHYY: Bucks County Residents Continue To Press For Shutdown Of Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline; Bucks County District Attorney Referred Incident To State Attorney General’s Office 

-- Courier Times: PA State Attorney General Investigates Potential Environmental Crimes Amid Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leak In Bucks County 

-- Community Speaks Out Against Expansion Of Harmon Creek Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County  [PaEN] 

-- Washington County Resident To DEP: Harmon Creek Natural Gas Plant Expansion Will Result In A Huge Increase In Air Pollution, It Should Be Required To Have A Major Air Quality Permit, It Is Not A ‘Minor’ Source  [PaEN] 

-- Moms Clean Air Force To DEP: Families In Washington County Are Already Living In The Middle Of Major Natural Gas Industrial Sites - Do Not Expand The Harmon Creek Natural Gas Processing Plant And Make It Worse  [PaEN]

-- PA Shale Gas & Public Health Conference Attended By Nearly 480 People Featured Health Experts, Scientists, Advocacy Groups On Health, Environmental Impacts Of Shale Gas Development  [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette: Chester, Delaware County Leading The Fight For Environmental Justice [LNG Export Facility]

-- Republican Herald Editorial: One-Sided Discussions On Issues Don’t Promote True Progress, EPA Visit Was Not A 'Roundtable Discussion,' But A 'Rally' For Natural Gas In Delaware River Basin  [PaEN] 

-- Marcellus Drilling News: New Federal Administration Considers Strategies To Overturn Delaware River Basin Commission Fracking Ban  [PDF of Article]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Water Quality Permits, 401 Certification For National Fuel Gas Tioga Pathway Natural Gas Pipeline Project In McKean, Potter, Tioga Counties  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 8 to 14 -- 9 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Emergency Access To Gas Storage Area Well Blocked; Now 32 Abandoned Shale Gas Wells This Year  [PaEN] 

-- Gov. Shapiro Marks Milestone Of Plugging 300 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Over 2 Years; New Technology Finding More Abandoned Wells  [PaEN]  

-- Observer-Reporter: Gov. Shapiro Touts Capping Of 300th Conventional Oil & Gas Well At North Franklin Twp., Washington County Site  [PDF of Article]

-- Gov. Shapiro Launches Legislative Push for 'Lightning Plan’ To Build More Energy Projects, Speed Up Permitting, Lower Costs, Create Jobs For Pennsylvanians  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Gov. Shapiro Calls For PA Lawmakers To Act On His Energy Proposals

-- York Dispatch: Gov. Shapiro Touts Plan To Expand Energy Markets In PA While York County Seeks Balance

-- The Center Square: Watch: Former DEP Leader Stumps For Shapiro Energy Plan

-- PUC Enhances Energy-Savings Program For Low-Income Households

-- The Derrick: FrenchCreek Twp., Venango County Commissioner Said They Were Not Aware Of NOVA Cryptocurrency Data Mining Operation Using Natural Gas Well Until It Started [They Did Receive Act 14 Notices]  [PDF of Article]

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Cryptocurrency Data Mining Company Agrees To Speed Cleanup Of Coal Ash Pile At Scrubgrass Waste Coal-Fired Power Plant In Venango County 

-- The Center Square: Demand Booming For Solar Energy At Schools Funding In PA

-- Steelton-Highspire School District, Tröegs Independent Brewing Show Benefits Of Going Solar, Driving Electric Busses In Dauphin County  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Energy Essentials News: Solar Energy Credits In PA; Anaerobic Digestion; Learning Opportunities 

-- PA Interfaith Power & Light Hosts March 13 Webinar On PA Bright Solar Leasing Program  [PaEN]

-- LSPower To Add 700MW Of New Generation Projects In PJM Investing More Than $1 Billion, Including 3 Projects In PA

-- Washington & Jefferson College: Pennsylvania Is An Energy Powerhouse In Region And Beyond

-- Washington & Jefferson College: US Energy Sector Has Undergone A Transformation In Last 50 Years

-- WESA: Next Up For Nuclear Power: Small, Transportable And Made In A Factory Near Pittsburgh 

-- WNEP: Luzerne County Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant Found To Have ‘Low To Moderate’ Safety Issue In Annual Performance Review

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Future Of National Energy Technology Lab In Pittsburgh’s Backyard In Doubt 

-- Observer- Reporter: Project Aims To Increase Geothermal Energy Use In State  [PDF of Article] 

-- Guest Essay: Geothermal Might Have The Answer For Pennsylvania's Clean Energy Needs - By John Walliser, PA Environmental Council & Kevin Sunday, McNees Wallace & Nurick   [PaEN] 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: CNX Resources [Again] Pauses Involvement In Remaining Appalachian Hydrogen Hub Projects Amid Federal Policy Uncertainty  

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Philadelphia Gas Works Decaying Infrastructure A Ticking time Bomb Beneath Our Streets - POWER Interfaith Climate Justice And Jobs Team

-- Lancaster Conservancy, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Coalition Partners Appeal FERC's Decision On Susquehanna River Pumped-Hydroelectric Project To Federal Court   [PaEN]

-- Lancaster Farming: Environmental Groups Appeal Cuffs Run Hydroelectric Project In Court

-- LancasterOnline: Environmental Groups Escalate Opposition To Susquehanna River Pump-Hydroelectric Project 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Karl Blankenship: Pennsylvania Program To Boost Innovation And Conservation On Farms 

-- WESA: Southwest PA Works Toward Water Quality Improvements With $2.7 Million In Growing Greener Plus Grants From DEP

-- Volunteers Needed!  Alliance For Chesapeake Bay To Hold Back-to-Back TreeLay Planting Events On April 5 At 3 PA Locations  [PaEN] 

-- ClearWater Conservancy: Stream Of Volunteers Needed For 29th Watershed Cleanup Day April 12 In Centre County  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Agriculture & Environment Center’s Greening The Lower Susquehanna Program Hosts April 5 In-Person Riparian Buffer Maintenance Workshop In Lancaster County  [PaEN]

-- Williamsport Sun: March 15 Bringing Nature Back One Yard At A Time Symposium By Lycoming County Master Gardeners

-- Penn State Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Hosts April 29 Webinar On Effective Outreach Engagement On Adopting Farm Conservation Practices  [PaEN]

-- PA Dept. Of Agriculture Invests $502,140 To Support Urban Farmers, Increase Availability Of Fresh Food In Cities Across PA 

-- Scranton Times: Mayfield To Put Major Mine Reclamation Project Out To Bid, Making Way For Logistics Park

-- Scranton Times: Taylor Borough, DEP To Use Federal Grant To Remove Fire-Damaging Mining Building

-- WESA: ALCOSAN Says Pittsburgh Region Should Begin Seeing Fewer Sewer Overflows Later This Year

-- MCall: Palmer Twp. Wins 2nd Court Case Over Warehouse, Manufacturing Development In Northampton County

-- TribLive: Flood Control Project Proposed For Northmont Neighborhood Of Greensburg In  Westmoreland County

-- AP: Study Shows Rain-Soaking Atmospheric Rivers Are Getting Bigger, Wetter, More Frequent

-- PUC Issues Emergency Order To Veolia Water To Take Over Wonderview Sanitary Water Facilities In Columbia County After Owner Abandoned The System  [PaEN]

-- PUC Acts To Appoint PA American Water Company To Operate Rock Spring Water Company, Negotiate Long-Term Solution With State College Water Authority  [PaEN]

-- PUC Approves Sale Of Troubled East Dunkard Water System In Greene County To PA American Water Company  [PaEN] 

-- Observer-Reporter: PUC Approves Troubled East Dunkard Authority Sale To PA American Water   [PDF of Article]  

-- TribLive: Under Pressure: Water Flow Issues Can Cripple Firefighters Who Rely On Patchwork Of Unregulated Hydrants

-- WHYY: 6 Water Providers Among 22 Statewide That Fail To Meet State PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Drinking Water Standard 

-- DEP To Hold March 19 Hearing On North Centre Twp. PFAS Investigation Site In Columbia County

-- NBC10: Levels Of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In 4 Schools In Southeast PA Violate DEP Drinking Water Standard

-- One United Lancaster To Canvas Lancaster Neighborhoods For Lead Water Service Line Inventory

-- MCall Guest Essay: PA Must Protect Citizen’s Health By Removing Lead Water Pipes - By Food & Water Watch

-- DEP Provides Update On Lancaster County Plane Crash Cleanup  

-- Environmental Council Of The States, Other State Organizations Write Congress About The Importance Of Federal Funding To State Agencies Implementing Federal Programs  [PaEN] 

-- WHYY- Susan Phillips: Former Regulators Say EPA’s Planned Rollbacks Would Reverse 50 Years Of Environmental Progress 

-- Evangelical Environmental Network: EPA Announces Plan To Put Pollution Before Our Health  [PaEN]

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley Transportation, Climate Projects In Limbo Due To Federal Funding Uncertainty

-- Frederick News-Post: FEMA Cancels In-Person, Most Virtual National Fire Academy Training For First Responders In Emmitsburg, MD, Disrupting Training 

-- York Daily Record: DOGE Closure Of National Fire Academy In Emmitsburg, MD Alarms York County Fire Chiefs 

-- WNEP: NOAA/Weather Service To Cut More Than 1,000 Jobs On Top Of Firing Nearly All New Employees Last Month 

-- PA Council Of Trout Unlimited: Millions In Trout Unlimited Watershed Projects Improve The Environment, Local Economies Across The US; Federal Funding Freeze, Office Closures, Staff Cuts 'Sacrificing Our National Conservation Legacy'  [PaEN] 

-- Pocono Record - Brian Whipkey: Trout Unlimited Officials Worry Over Potential Impacts From Reduced Federal Funding In PA [PDF of Article] 

-- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: USDA Staffing Cuts Hurt Farmers And Rural Communities; Staffing Chaos Has Reigned 

-- Beaver Times: USDA To Cut $36.7 Million From Local Food Purchase Assistance In PA

-- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Responds To Termination Of Critical USDA Local Farm To School, Child Care Food Purchase Program  [PaEN] 

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: EPA Deregulation Bombshell A Blow To The Chesapeake Bay  [PaEN] 

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Poll - Chesapeake Bay Watershed Cleanup Faces Unprecedented Federal Upheaval; Restoring The Bay Is Now MORE Of A Priority  [PaEN] 

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: What’s the State Of Bay Restoration 50 Days Into the New Administration? 

-- PennLive: Federal Cuts Force Shutdown Of Campgrounds, Beaches, Recreation Areas At Popular Raystown Lake (Huntingdon County), Tioga-Hammond, Cowanesque Lakes (Tioga County) [Local  Recreation Economy To Take A Hit] 

-- WITF/WPSU: Raystown Lake Federal Recreation Area Cancels Campground Reservations Amid Federal Job Cuts, Hiring Freeze 

-- Rails To Trails Conservancy: US DOT Has Frozen Trails, Biking Improvements Funding; Act Now To Make Decision Makers Know How Important This Funding Is

-- MCall Guest Essay: Musk’s Reckless Business Model Imperials Our National Parks - By John Plonski 

-- WESA: PA Says Hundreds Of Fired Federal Workers Have Applied For State Jobs

-- Post-Gazette: Allegheny County Receives Over 80 Applications In First Week Of Job Portal Aimed At Laid-Off Federal Workers

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: As Washington Unwinds Its Commitments, State And Local Governments Will Have To Step Up

-- EPA Advances Major Cleanup Plan For Jackson Ceramix Superfund Site In Jefferson County  [PaEN] 

-- Keep PA Beautiful Open Your Eyes To Litter In A Watershed Activity Books Now Available In English, Spanish  [PaEN]  

-- The Allegheny Front - Kara Holsopple: New Tool Help Beaver County Residents Evaluate Air Quality

-- TribLive Letter: Increase Allegheny County Permit Fees To Curb Pollution - By SWPA Grassroots Air Quality Town Halls

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Better Air, Less Asthma: Pittsburgh’s Air Is Improving, But It Needs To Be Even Cleaner

-- House Environmental Committee Meets March 18 On Bills To Regulate Food Processing Waste; Notice Of Oil & Gas Permits; Expanding C-PACE Financing For EV Charging, More  [PaEN] 

-- WNEP: Wildfire Season Underway Across The State

-- WPXI: Beaver County Man Killed In Brush Fire 

-- TribLive: Brush Fire Season Comes In Like A Lion In Western PA 

-- Reading Eagle: Wildfire Season Rears Its Head In A Big Way In Berks, Surrounding Counties

-- York Dispatch: Dry Conditions Prompt York County Drought Watch, Burn Ban In One Township

-- Williamsport Sun: Firefighters Urge Residents Of Lycoming, Surrounding Counties Not To Burn

-- Inquirer: Brush Fire Closes Part Of Route 422 In Montgomery County

-- York Daily Record: Wildfire Risks Remain High This Week After 3.9 Acre Wildfire Near Popular Trail At Codorus

-- MCall: Meet The Lehigh Valley Drone Pilots Helping To Fight Wildfires, Protect Musikfest  

-- WHYY: Philadelphia Area Deals With Elevated Wildfire Risk

-- Lebanon Valley Conservancy Partners With 2 Farm Owners To Preserve 120 Acres Of Farmland In Lebanon County  [PaEN]

-- Williamsport Sun: DCNR: Forest Landowners Should Plan For Spongy Moths

-- Scranton Times: Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Killed Horse In Lackawanna County, No Human Cases Reported Yet 

-- Reading Eagle: Volunteers Help Remove Invasive Plants From Berks Park

-- Inquirer: EPA Pulls Back $700,000 Grant To Overbrook Environmental Education Center As Part Of Federal Cuts 

-- DCNR, Fish & Boat Commission Highlight Fishing Opportunities, Campgrounds At State Parks

-- DCNR, Fish & Boat Commission Highlight Fishing Opportunities, Lending Fishing Gear In Selected State Parks [Video]

-- Republican Herald - Tyler Frantz: Reeling In Smiles - Keep Youth Fishing Fun, Comfortable, Engaging 

-- York Dispatch - Anthony Maenza: No Fishing Gear?  No Problem This Trout Season; Borrow Fishing Equipment At Selected State Parks 

-- Inquirer: PA’s Fallingwater Was Frank Lloyd Wright’s Most Iconic Home, Renovations Will Require More Than A Trip To Home Depot

-- March 14 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation  [PaEN] 

-- PA Wilds: 2025 North Clarion Art Exhibition Opens April 12 At Marienville PA Wilds Conservation Shop 

-- The Derrick: Cranberry Supervisors Hear About Venango County ATV Initiative To Create Network Of Local Roads ATVs Are Allowed To Ride; 17 of 31 Municipalities Approved The Ordinance [PDF of Article] 

-- TribLive: Portion Of Rachel Carson Trail, Amid Indiana Township Watershed, Nearing Preservation Status In Allegheny County 

-- WNEP: Cyclists Gear Up For Spring On D&L Trail 

-- Scranton Times: Scranton Plans $1 Million Upgrade To 16-Acre Connell Park In South Side

-- Williamsport Sun: Leaders Complile List Of Ideas For Williamsport Parks

-- WESA: Pittsburgh Gives Final Approval To Downtown Arts Landing Park

-- WNEP: Boy, 13, Dies In Lackawanna County ATV Wreck  

-- Delaware Highlands Conservancy 2024 Annual Report Now Available

-- Pennsylvania's Bat-Woman: Bat Conservation & Rehabilitation Executive Director Shares Her Mission  [PaEN]

-- North Branch Land Trust Hosts Amphibian Migration Watch March 29 In Lackawanna County  [PaEN]

-- MCall: Frog Crossing: Northampton County Road To Close For Weeks To Protect Breeding Amphibians  [PDF of Article]  

-- LancasterOnline: Want To Attract Some Of The 100 Bird Species Spotted In Lancaster County This Year?  Here’s How

-- Williamsport Sun - Bill Bower: Reflections In Nature: The Signs Of Spring Appearing Are All Around Us Now

-- PennLive - Cindy Ross: Deer Often Shed Their Antlers In The Woods: Here’s How You Can Spot Them

-- Beaver Times - Brian Whipkey: Purple Martins That Winter In Brazil Now Being Spotted In Pennsylvania 

Visit the PA Environment Digest website to learn more.

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[Posted: March 16, 2025]   PA Environment Digest