Friday PA Environment & Energy NewsClips - 3.21.25

“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

March 24, 25, 26

April 7, 8, 9, 22, 23, 24

May 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 24

June 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30

-- Committee Schedule

Senate Voting Schedule

March 24, 25, 26, 31

April 1, 2

May 5, 6, 7, 12, 13

June 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events 

March 24-25-- PA Solar Center, Partners Host PA Renewables Summit & Lobby Day In Harrisburg.

March 25-- PA Outdoor Recreation Regional Outdoor Recreation Industry Workshop.  3:00 p.m. Tom Ridge Environmental Center, 301 Peninsula Dr, Erie

March 26-- Agenda Posted. DCNR Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building.  10:00 a.m.  Contact: cnrac-admin@growconservation.com.   Read more here.

April 1--  DEP To Host Webinar On New Program To Reduce Methane Pollution From Oil And Gas Operations. Noon to 1:00 p.m. 

April 1-- Environmental Health Project Webinar On What The Shapiro Administration Can Do To Better Protect Public Health From The Impacts Of Shale Gas Development. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

-- Lt. Gov. Davis, DEP, Community Celebrate The Opening Of Federal/State Funded Blacklick Creek Mine Drainage Treatment Plant To Clean Up 25 Miles Of Waterways In Cambria, Indiana Counties  [PaEN]

-- Indiana Gazette: Blacklick Abandoned Mine Drainage Treatment Facility Celebrated Near Vintondale

-- DEP Now Accepting Applications For First Round Of Federally-Funded Local Abandoned Mine Reclamation Grants, Deadline April 25  [PaEN] 

-- Spotlight PA: Federal Money To Plug PA’s Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned By Their Owners Is Unfrozen, But Federal Uncertainty Plagues Contractors 

-- WTAE: DOGE Targets Shutdown Of Federal Offices In Western PA, Including 3 Mine Safety & Health Administration Offices 

-- PASA Sustainable Agriculture Joins Lawsuit To Restore Federal Funding To Farmers; March 26 Online Town Meeting  [PaEN] 

-- Presentations Posted From 2025 Shale Gas & Public Health Conference Featuring Health Experts, Scientists, Advocacy Groups, Workers On Health, Environmental Impacts Of Shale Gas Development  [PaEN] 

-- Dallas-based Law Firm Wins $51.98 Million Judgment Against Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Company In Beaver County Court In Contract Dispute; Court Also Found Negligent Construction Of Revolution Pipeline Contributed To Its Explosion In Beaver County

-- Coming Soon: National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund Request For Proposals   [PaEN] 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal Forum: Our Charge Is Clear - Focus On What People And Nature Need For Chesapeake Bay Restoration - By Hilary Harp Falk, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

-- WITF/StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: US Supreme Court Ruling Could Affect Pollution Entering PA Waterways [But State Law Still Applies]

-- Observer-Reporter: Shale Gas Industry Leaders Reflect On Industry’s Direction At Range Resources Event  [PDF of Article]

-- Warren Times: Warren City Council Approves Conventional Drilling Permit Near Betts Park

-- Sen. Yaw Reintroduces Bill Prohibiting Local Governments From Banning Any Fuel Source For Appliances, Heating Homes Or Business

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves New Into-Basin Transfer General Permit, Water Withdrawals, Including 6 Shale Gas Development Water Withdrawals  [PaEN]

-- Inside Climate News: EPA Considers Giving Oil & Gas Companies More ‘Flexibility’ To Dispose Of Their Highly Toxic Wastewater 

-- The Allegheny Front: As Fracking At Ohio’s Largest State Park Gets Underway, How The Industry Has Changed This Rural County 

-- Guest Essay: Solar Power Can Propel Pennsylvania Towards Meeting Energy Demands -  By Sharon Pillar, Pennsylvania Solar Center  [PaEN] 

-- Williamsport Sun: Solar Farm Owners Appeal Old Lycoming Twp. Land Use Decision

-- Washington & Jefferson College To Host April 9 Webinar On Energy, Economy And A.I. - Data Centers And Pennsylvania's Future  [PaEN] 

-- PUC To Hold Hearings Starting April 7 On Proposed UGI Gas Rate Increase Of Up To 10.8% 

-- PUC’s Be Utility Wise Conference Attracts About 150 Community Providers, Empowers Frontline Advocates

-- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA, Climate Action Campaign Host March 24 Webinar On Impacts Of Climate Change On Women's Health  [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Westinghouse Mulls Beaver County For Major Microreactor Factory

-- House Committee OKs Increase In Per Ton Recycling Fee To Support Local Recycling Programs, Waste Disposal Planning  [PaEN] 

-- NextPittsburgh: Is Hyperlocal Recycling The Future? 2 Pittsburgh Companies Say Yes

-- Tribune-Democrat: Electronics Recycling Event Set For May 3 At Windber Public Library

-- March 22 Pennsylvania Bulletin Now Available

-- Planet Philadelphia Radio Show: Friday, March 21 - Regional Environmental Legal And Regulatory Issues, 4:00 p.m.

-- WHYY: Montgomery County Releases Community Health Assessment Report: Environmental Safety, Mental Health, Chronic Disease Among Top Health Concerns

-- PA Assn. Of Environmental Professionals Now Accepting Applications For Environmental Science Scholarships  [PaEN]   

-- DCNR State Parks Environmental Ed Newsletter Blooming With Spring Teaching Ideas, Exploring Outdoors, Educator Workshops  [PaEN] 

-- KRUNK Movement Goes Global: A Cross-Cultural Music Collaboration Creates Suubi A Global Anthem For Change To Amplify Sustainability, Hope, And The Arts Linking Allegheny County And Uganda  [PaEN] 

-- Lancaster Conservancy Now Accepting Applications For Susquehanna Riverlands Conservation Landscape Mini-Grants  [PaEN]

-- Tribune-Democrat: Long Timeline Ahead To Revitalize Struggling Tree Areas At Flight 93 National Memorial

-- PA Wilds Artisan Collaborative to Hold Pre-Launch Celebration In Saint Marys, Elk County On April 8 

-- Inquirer: An Invitation To Walk 100 Miles Around Perimeter Of Philadelphia Combines Lessons In Ecology, Infrastructure, Civis, History

-- LancasterOnline: 10 Spring Wildflowers To Find And 2 To Avoid In Lancaster County

-- Lehigh Valley’s Wildlands Conservancy Highlights April Educational Programs; Tree Planting; Hikes; Summer Camps 

-- Erie Times - Brian Whipkey: Invasive Rusty Crayfish, Sometimes Called Gladiators, Monitored In Various PA Waterways 

Train Derailments

-- Post-Gazette: Train Derails In Fayette County, Shutting Down Street, Knocking Out Power

Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant Restart

-- LancasterOnline - Rachel McDevitt: Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant Begins Evaluating Environmental Impacts Of Restart  [PDF of Article] 

-- PA Capital-Star: Nuclear Regulators Hear Concerns About Plan To Restart Three Mile Island Reactor

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

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Prices Drop 6% To 2-Week Low On Surprise Storage Build, Lower Demand

-- Wall Street Journal: Frackers, Once Jubilant, Are Unnerved By President’s First Weeks In Office [Federal Job Cuts, Tariffs, Push For Lower Energy Prices Creating More Uncertainty]    [PDF of Article] 

--  Forbes: Shale Oil, Gas Producers Face Uncertain Future Despite The New Federal Administration’s Agenda  

New Federal Administration

-- WTAE: DOGE Targets Shutdown Of Federal Offices In Western PA, Including 3 Mine Safety & Health Administration Offices 

-- Spotlight PA: Federal Money To Plug PA’s OIl & Gas Wells Abandoned By Their Owners Is Unfrozen, But Federal Uncertainty Plagues Contractors 

-- PASA Sustainable Agriculture Joins Lawsuit To Restore Federal Funding To Farmers; March 26 Online Town Meeting  [PaEN] 

-- Reuters: President Invokes Emergency Powers To Boost US Critical Minerals Production

-- The Guardian: Energy Transfer/Sunoco Court Win Against Dakota Pipeline Protesters Will Embolden Big OIl,Gas To Pursue Protesters: ‘No One Will Feel Safe’

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- AP: What To Expect In PA’s State Legislative Special Elections Next Week

-- Post-Gazette: Control Of PA House Up For Grabs On Tuesday As Mon Valley Voters Pick A Lawmaker

-- PA Capital-Star: ACLU: ‘Notice And Cure’ County Policies Helped  9,000 Pennsylvanians Have Their Votes Counted

-- MCall Guest Essay: Gov. Shapiro’s Proposed Budget Features Major Flaws - By Sen. Jarrett Coleman-R

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: This Year, Harrisburg Must Lock In Recent Improvements To System Of Disability Care  

-- Inquirer: PA Supreme Court Expands Legal Definition Of Parenthood, Seen As Win For LGBTQ Community

-- York Dispatch: Dover School District Policies Set Stage For Bullying And Abuse, Civil Rights Advocates Say

-- Inquirer: Delaware County Poised To Be First Philadelphia Suburb To Ban Ghost Guns, Rapid Fire Devices

-- PA Capital-Star: More Local Governments Move To Ban Ghost Guns As PA Supreme Court Weighs Whether Its Legal

-- Spotlight PA: 25 Years Of State Board Of Pardons Votes Now Available To The Public

-- Inquirer: Republican Con. Dan Meuser Came To Germantown And Made A Very Philly Pitch For His Likely Run Against Gov. Shapiro

-- WHYY: Republican Con. Dan Meuser Signals Possible Governor Bid During Philly Visit, As Democrats Voice Frustration Over Federal Cuts

-- MCall: At People’s Town Hall, Lehigh Valley Residents, Politicians ‘Attack’ Republican Cong. Mackenzie, National Republicans

-- MCall: Medicaid Cuts, Ukraine, DOGE Cuts: Takeaways From Republican Cong. Mackenzie’s First Telephone Town Hall

-- Post-Gazette: ‘This Game Is Not Over… Our Democracy Is Worth Fighting For’ Is Democratic Cong. Summer Lee’s Rallying Cry

-- Post-Gazette: President To Gut Federal Dept. Of Education, Raising Questions Over Federal Funding For PA Teachers, Programs

-- Republican Herald: Schuylkill School Officials Sound Off On Potential Impact Of Federal Education Cuts; Could Deliver Devastating Blow To Students 

-- Erie Times: Republican PA Lawmakers Push Push For Display Of Ten Commandments In Public Schools 

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Leaders Push Back As Possible Federal HUD Field Office Closure Threatens Low-Income Housing

-- WTAE: DOGE Targets Shutdown Of Federal Offices In Western PA, Including 3 Mine Safety & Health Administration Offices 

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[Posted: March 21, 2025]  PA Environment Digest