Erie Times: International Recycling Group Cancels Plans For Plastics Recycling Plant In Erie Citing President's Tariffs, Pause In US DOE Funding Commitment

On April 3, the Erie Times reported the International Recycling Group, Inc. has canceled plans for a $300 million chemical plastics recycling plant in Erie citing the President's tariffs and funding commitments issued by the US Department of Energy that failed to come through.

In a statement quoted by the Erie Times, IRG said, "Among these challenges are a hold of unspecified duration placed on funding commitments issued by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office. 

"Additional challenges include recently announced tariffs on materials and on equipment from Europe not made in the U.S., resulting in expectations of substantially higher project development costs than anticipated, as well as difficulties in securing long-term purchase agreements for recycled materials from plastics manufacturers and consumer product groups, many of whom are cutting back on sustainability pledges."

PennEnvironment’s Zero Waste Advocate Faran Savitz released the following statement in response to the announcement--

“IRG abandoning its plan is great news for both the Erie area and for Lake Erie, an iconic body of water consistently plagued by plastic pollution. Recycling is a great tool for addressing our waste crisis, but so-called ‘chemical recycling’ is not truly recycling. Neither is burning plastic waste to make steel. 

"While IRG’s proposal appealed to people unfamiliar with this dirty process, in reality, it would just create another facility encouraging our societal addiction to plastic and leading to more burning of fossil fuels. 

“In Pennsylvania, like in the rest of the country, plastic pollution is a major problem. We shouldn’t waste time and money on these types of flawed and potentially dangerous waste management approaches. 

"Instead, we should implement safer, proven strategies such as passing policies that limit the use of single-use plastics in the first place and that protect our air, water and climate.”

(Photo: Erie Times)

NewsClip:

-- Erie Times: International Recycling Group Cancels $300 Million Plastics Recycling Plant In Erie, Why?

Related Articles This Week:

-- Keep PA Beautiful: Sen. Comitta, Rep. Williams Honor Shakira Davis Of Coatesville, Chester County With Community Pride Award [PaEN] 

-- Litter Love: 50 Volunteers Collected 170 Bags Of Litter In Coatesville, Chester County [PaEN]

-- Keep PA Beautiful Updates Popular Litter Education Series: Open Your Eyes To Litter In A Watershed  [PaEN] 

-- Protecting Clean Water Together: All Those Plastics You Thought You Couldn't Recycle?  Now You Can In Monroe County - By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association  [PaEN]

-- EPA To Hold May 6 Virtual Hearing [If Requested] On Proposed Permit For A Sandstone Development Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Lafayette Twp., McKean County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets April 8 On Climate Action Plan, Solar Panel Recycling, Chesapeake Bay Updates  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: PA Resources Council Household Chemical Collections Start April 12 In Butler County

-- The Nature Conservancy PA: Celebrate Earth Month With A Trash-Tastice Cleanup!  Meet Nature Renaissance Man George Gress; Celebrate Migratory Bird Day May 10 With TNC

-- WHYY: Philly DA Launches Cleaner, Greener Enforcement Unit To Target Illegal Dumping, Other Quality-of-Life Crimes 

-- York Daily Record: Federal Judge Finds Modern Landfill Violated Clean Water Act 419 Times In York County

-- WITF/StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: York County Landfill Found Liable For 419 Water Pollution Violations Over 4 Years

-- Scranton Times: EHB Rules DEP Erred When Approving Keystone Landfill Expansion Without Addressing Leachate, Odor Issues

-- WNEP: Environmental Hearing Board: DEP Erred Approving Keystone Landfill Expansion In Lackawanna County

-- York Daily Record: Environmental Group Suit Alleges Brunner Island Power Plant Failed To Adhere To Coal Ash Regulations 

-- PennLive:  Environmental Group Sues Brunner Island Power Plant Owner Over ‘Toxic Waste’ Pollution

-- TribLive: Decision On 2nd Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Plum Boro, Allegheny County To Come In June, Zoning Board Says 

[Posted: April 4, 2025]  PA Environment Digest

Federal Agency Fires Staff, Guts $378 Million In Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Funding; PA Says It Has Funding To Finish Current Season; Next Year In Doubt

 Utility Dive and the Associated Press report the federal Department of Health and Human Services fired all the staff implementing the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and may not be able to distribute the last $378 million for this season to states that administer the program. 

In a press release April 3, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh said despite news of federal staffing cuts to the office that oversees LIHEAP, there are currently no changes to this season’s program in Pennsylvania because DHS has adequate funding to continue the current season ending April 18, 

While this season is not expected to be impacted, continued federal funding and support are critical to DHS’ ability to provide uninterrupted assistance for Pennsylvanians during the next winter season.

The LIHEAP Program is vital for over 300,000 Pennsylvania families and is especially critical for older adults and low-income families so they can safely heat their homes during the colder months. 

[The LIHEAP Program is supported by electric and natural gas utilities, heating oil and propane distributors in Pennsylvania that supply home heating energy.]

Click Here for the Pennsylvania announcement.

NewsClips:

-- Utility Dive: President Guts $378 Million In Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Funding To States Already Approved By Congress 

-- AP: Federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Staff Fired

[Posted: April 4, 2025]  PA Environment Digest

PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In March Now Available

The PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In March features articles on--

-- Tom Gilbert: Urgent Need For PA To Lead The Charge For Cleaner, Healthier Future

-- Stewardship Sometimes Starts With Outdoor Adventure

-- Register Now For June 7 Bikeout, Sept. 27 Public Lands Ride

-- PEC Podcast: All Of The Below - Geothermal Energy In PA

-- May 22: Western PA Awards - Celebrating Champions: Cynthia Carrow

-- Meeting Today’s Environmental Challenges Requires Your Help & Support of People Like You

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the PA Environmental Council website, visit the PEC Blog, PEC Bill/Regulation Tracker, follow PEC on Twitter or Like PEC on Facebook.  Visit PEC’s Audio Room for the latest podcasts.  Click Here to receive regular updates from PEC.

[Posted: April 3, 2025]  PA Environment Digest

Keep PA Beautiful: Sen. Comitta, Rep. Williams Honor Shakira Davis Of Coatesville, Chester County With Community Pride Award

State Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester) and Rep. Dan Williams (D-Chester) awarded 2nd Century Alliance and Shakira Davis, Coatesville Community Coordinator, with the prestigious Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Community Pride Award for their outstanding community-wide improvements. 

Fifty dedicated volunteers collected an impressive 269 bags of litter and 26 tires, while also removing weeds, cigarette butts, and yard signs from Coatesville streets and sidewalks. 

With the support of Home Depot, the city of Coatesville, and Philadelphia residents, volunteers enhanced the curbside appeal by planting bulbs and flowers in three garden planters.

In addition, thirty volunteers continued the cleanup efforts, collecting 168 bags of litter, abandoned electronic devices and appliances, and over 300 political signs, which were recycled through an initiative started by Keep Chester County Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

Both events were remarkable community efforts, with state agencies, businesses, local organizations, and government officials joining in by donating time, services, food and beverages, vests, trash bags, gloves, and the hauling away of litter.

“Community is more than just the space we live in. It's about the people and the actions we take to make it the best home possible. The great work being organized by the Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance, Shakira Davis, and their volunteers is all about community and helping ensure Coatesville remains clean, healthy, and beautiful. I was glad to be joined by Rep. Dan Williams in nominating their work for the Community Pride Award from Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and to help kick off their Spring cleanup,” said Sen. Carolyn Comitta.

“We are incredibly proud to see Shakira, a valued member of our 2nd Century Alliance team, recognized with the Community Pride Award. Her passion for Coatesville shines through in everything she does, from championing community cleanups to inspiring others to take pride in their neighborhoods. Shakira’s dedication embodies the mission of 2nd Century Alliance, and we’re thrilled to celebrate her impact,” said Amber Little-Turner, Executive Director, 2nd Century Alliance.

“We are thrilled that Senator Comitta and Representative Williams honored the 2nd Century Alliance and Shakira Davis with the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Community Pride Award. Their dedication to improving the Coatesville community through extensive cleanup efforts and beautification projects exemplifies the spirit of our mission. Their work not only enhances the environment but also fosters a sense of pride and unity within the community,” said Shannon Reiter, Executive Director, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. 

Clean and beautiful communities tend to see less littering and other illegal behavior, making it a better place for all residents and providing a foundation for community and economic development. 

The Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Community Pride Award recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship by an individual, school, community organization or civic group that makes an outstanding commitment to litter control, recycling, or general environmental stewardship. 

The community Pride Award is available to elected officials to recognize those in the community working to change behaviors at the local level.  

Elected officials interested in nominating a constituent should visit the Community Pride Award webpage.  The award is open on a rolling basis.   

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, visit their YouTube Channel.

The 2025 Pick Up Pennsylvania Initiative starts March 1!  Questions should be directed to Michelle Dunn at 1-877-772-3673 Ext. 113 or send email to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

(Photo: Shakira Davis, 2nd Century Alliance, Sen. Carolyn Comitta, Rep. Dan Williams, and Andy Warntz, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful board member.)

Related Articles This Week:

-- Keep PA Beautiful: Sen. Comitta, Rep. Williams Honor Shakira Davis Of Coatesville, Chester County With Community Pride Award [PaEN] 

-- Litter Love: 50 Volunteers Collected 170 Bags Of Litter In Coatesville, Chester County [PaEN]

-- Keep PA Beautiful Updates Popular Litter Education Series: Open Your Eyes To Litter In A Watershed  [PaEN] 

-- Protecting Clean Water Together: All Those Plastics You Thought You Couldn't Recycle?  Now You Can In Monroe County - By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association  [PaEN]

-- EPA To Hold May 6 Virtual Hearing [If Requested] On Proposed Permit For A Sandstone Development Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Lafayette Twp., McKean County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets April 8 On Climate Action Plan, Solar Panel Recycling, Chesapeake Bay Updates  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: PA Resources Council Household Chemical Collections Start April 12 In Butler County

-- The Nature Conservancy PA: Celebrate Earth Month With A Trash-Tastice Cleanup!  Meet Nature Renaissance Man George Gress; Celebrate Migratory Bird Day May 10 With TNC

-- WHYY: Philly DA Launches Cleaner, Greener Enforcement Unit To Target Illegal Dumping, Other Quality-of-Life Crimes 

-- York Daily Record: Federal Judge Finds Modern Landfill Violated Clean Water Act 419 Times In York County

-- WITF/StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: York County Landfill Found Liable For 419 Water Pollution Violations Over 4 Years

-- Scranton Times: EHB Rules DEP Erred When Approving Keystone Landfill Expansion Without Addressing Leachate, Odor Issues

-- WNEP: Environmental Hearing Board: DEP Erred Approving Keystone Landfill Expansion In Lackawanna County

-- York Daily Record: Environmental Group Suit Alleges Brunner Island Power Plant Failed To Adhere To Coal Ash Regulations 

-- PennLive:  Environmental Group Sues Brunner Island Power Plant Owner Over ‘Toxic Waste’ Pollution

-- TribLive: Decision On 2nd Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Plum Boro, Allegheny County To Come In June, Zoning Board Says

[Posted: April 3, 2025]  PA Environment Digest

EPA To Hold May 6 Virtual Hearing [If Requested] On Proposed Permit For A Sandstone Development Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Lafayette Twp., McKean County

On April 3, the US Environmental Protection published notice it will hold a May 6 virtual hearing [if requested] on a proposed underground oil and gas wastewater injection well for enhanced recovery of oil and gas owned by Sandstone Development, LLC in Cyclone, Lafayette Township, McKean County.

Sandstone applied for one UIC Class IIR injection well permit for the injection of produced fluids in the McKay 7A conventional well for the enhanced recovery of oil and gas in the McKay Lease area.

The draft permit will allow Sandstone to inject up to 10,500 gallons of oil and gas wastewater a day into the Upper Devonian Kane Sandstone Formation in the subsurface interval between approximately 2,295 feet to 2,315 feet below ground surface.

If the EPA issues the final permit to Sandstone, the permit will remain in effect for the operational life of the facility.

Hearing

If requested, the virtual hearing will be held on May 6 starting at 6:00 p.m..  No in-person hearing will take place.

Requests to hold this public hearing must be received by the EPA via email or telephone by April 29, 2025.

Send a request for a hearing to: Kevin Rowsey, EPA, R3_UIC_Mailbox@epa.gov or call 215-814-5463

The call-in number is (484) 352-3221, Conference ID: 381 733 216#. The hearing will also be available by Microsoft Teams.

There is no need to register in advance for the virtual hearing.

The deadline for public comments is May 6.

Click Here for a copy of the application, public notice and other information on the Sandstone Development, LLC UIC application.

Another Injection Well In Cyclone

In January 2024, DEP issued a permit to Catalyst Energy, Inc. for a controversial oil and gas wastewater injection well in Cyclone, Keating Township, McKean County.

EPA issued a permit for the well in August of 2022.

DEP’s permit has since been appealed.

See Resource Links for articles related to this injection well and water well issues in the same area.

NewsClip:

-- TribLive: Decision On 2nd Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Plum Boro, Allegheny County To Come In June, Zoning Board Says

Resource Links - McKean Injection Wells:

-- Homeowner Complaint Results In DEP Emergency Plugging Of A Penn Resources, Inc. Conventional Oil Well Leaking Gas, Oil, Wastewater In McKean County  [PaEN]  [Lafayette Twp.]

-- Exploding Water Well Shed Triggers DEP Investigation Of 59+ Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Cyclone, McKean County; Highlights Limits On Providing Temporary Water For Well Owners Impacted [PaEN] 

-- Marcellus Drilling News: DEP Approves Catalyst Energy Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In McKean County [Jan. 26 Inspection Found Gas Bubbling From Well]  [PaEN] 

-- Guest Essay: DEP Ignored Abandoned Wells During Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Permitting Process  [PaEN]

-- 40 Individuals File Appeals, Most Handwritten, Of DEP’s Permit For Catalyst Energy Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In McKean County  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Hearing Board Denies Supersedeas, Allows Operation Of Catalyst Energy, Inc. Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In McKean County During Appeal [PaEN] 

-- Bradford Era: 7-Part Series Details Concerns Residents Of Cyclone, McKean County Have With Catalyst Energy Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Environmental Health Project Releases New White Paper: PA's Shale Gas - What We Can Do Now To Better Protect Public Health  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Health Project: Lois Bower-Bjornson Shares Her First-Hand Experiences With Shale Gas Health, Environmental Impacts In Washington County  [PaEN] 

-- 7 Years Ago, People From Over 70 Households Gave First-Hand Accounts Of How The PA Shale Gas Industry Impacted Their Health, Lives And Communities To A State Grand Jury Describing The ‘Sometimes Harsh Reality’ Of These Operations  [PaEN] 

-- DEP To Use General Permit To Implement New Federal Oil & Gas Facility Methane Reduction Regulation  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Hearing Board Denies EQT Shale Gas Motion To Exclude Evidence Of Medical Conditions, Toxicology Reports Related To A Landowner Appeal Of A DEP Water Supply Contamination Determination  [PaEN]

-- House Environmental Committee Meets April 7 On Bill To Establish DEP Environmental Justice Permit Review Program To Analyze, Consider Cumulative Impacts Of Pollution From Some New Facilities  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: PA Health Advocates Say Gov. Shapiro Has Let Residents Down On Shale Gas Fracking Protections

-- TribLive: Decision On 2nd Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Plum Boro, Allegheny County To Come In June, Zoning Board Says 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Karl Blankenship: Report Says Pennsylvania Poised To Be Geothermal Energy Leader

-- Wall Street Journal: Homer City Coal Power Plant Was Just Imploded To Make Way For An A.I. Data Center, The Country’s Largest Natural Gas Power Plant [PDF of Article] 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Homer City Coal Power Plant Site To Become A.I. Data Center With Massive Gas-Fired Power Plant 

-- Energy Choice Matters: Peoples Natural Gas Rate For Gas To Increase Another 14% April 1  

-- Altoona Mirror: Peoples Natural Gas Raises Gas Rate Another 14% April 1 

-- The Center Square: Critics: Climate Change Lawsuit Against Oil & Gas Companies On Tenuous Legal Grounds  [Bucks County Example]

[Posted: April 3, 2025]  PA Environment Digest