Short Week - PA Environment Digest - 4.15.25

“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]

NOTICE: PA Environment Digest Will NOT Publish On Any Platform April 16 to 21

Here Are News Headlines For This Short Week--

-- Articles & NewsClips You May Have Missed This Week

-- PUC Releases Agenda For April 24 Hearing On Its Review Of Electric Grid Impacts From Data Center Growth  [PaEN]

-- New Report: Fixing PJM’s Broken Electric Generation Approval Process Can Lower Energy Costs, Create Jobs Across The Mid-Atlantic  [PaEN] 

-- North American Electric Reliability Corp. Files Proposed Cold Weather Standard To Improve Reliability For Natural Gas-fired, Other Electric Generators  [PaEN]

-- PUC Commissioners Urge Congressional Action To Preserve $19 Million In Remaining LIHEAP Funds For PA This Year  [PaEN] 

-- PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference Oct. 14-16 In State College; Sponsorships, Exhibit Space Available  [PaEN] 

-- USDA Cancels Partnership For Climate-Smart Commodities Grants; Up To $911 Million Impact On Pennsylvania Farmers  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw Introduces ‘Skill’ Gambling Games Regulation Bill Directing Some Revenue To Clean Streams Fund  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Water Cooler Talk: April 30 - Small Pennsylvania Watershed, Big Impact - Restoration Of Halfmoon Creek, Centre County  [PaEN] 

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Highlights Updated Water Quality Maps; Natural Gas Water Use Report; Impact Of Federal Cuts  [PaEN] 

-- USGS PA Water Science Center Highlights New Interactive Water Quality Dashboards; Drought Monitoring Network; PFAS Aquatic Exposure Effects  [PaEN] 

-- Communities Celebrate Earth Day By Joining Keep PA Beautiful’s Pick Up Pennsylvania; How To Join Or Host Events  [PaEN]

-- Little Juniata River Association Organized 150 Volunteers To Clean Up 20 Miles Of River Banks In Blair, Huntingdon Counties  [PaEN] 

-- Help Wanted: PA Resources Council Zero Waste Events Coordinator  [PaEN] 

-- Western PA Environmental Education Summit June 10; Next Meeting Of Southwest PA Environmental Literacy Coalition April 24  [PaEN] 

-- PA Organization For Watersheds & Rivers Announces River Sojourn Grants, Schedule  [PaEN]

-- CBF: Pollen Explosion Sometimes Creates Strange Green/Yellow  Slicks On Waters In Chesapeake Bay Watershed  [PaEN] 

-- Brandywine Conservancy Launches New Website For Getting Started With Native Plants; Native Plant Sales In Delaware, Westmoreland Counties  [PaEN]

-- North Branch Land Trust Hosts May 10 Event In Luzerne County On Exploring The Beauty And Importance Of Native Plants  [PaEN]

-- Citizen Scientists Help Toads Cross The Road In Roxborough Neighborhood Of Philadelphia; 22,000 Toads Saved Over 16 Years  [PaEN] 

EPA Deregulation For Industry

-- White House Memorandum On Leveraging Modern Technology To Conduct Environmental Reviews, Evaluate Permits  

-- NYT: Inside President’s Plan To Halt Hundreds Of Health, Safety, Environmental, Food Regulations

New Federal Administration

-- Delaware Currents: Four Experts Weigh In About Possible White House Impacts On The Delaware River Watershed  

-- E&ENews/Politico: President’s Push For More LNG Gas Exports Risks Domestic Price Surge  

President’s Tariffs

-- Financial Times: Growth In Oil Demand Expected To Slow Sharply As A Result Of Presidents Tariffs 

-- The Guardian: President’s Tariffs Will Mean World Uses Less Oil This Year, IEA Says

Federal Funding Cuts, Freeze

-- USDA Cancels Partnership For Climate-Smart Commodities Grants; Up To $911 Million Impact On Pennsylvania Farmers  [PaEN]

-- Lancaster Farming: USDA Cancels Partnership For Climate-Smart Commodities Grants [Climate Projects Tied To PA Got $900 Million]

-- LancasterOnline: USDA Secretary Says Agency Plans Farmer Aid Program To Combat Tariff Turmoil During Lancaster County Stop 

-- York Daily Record: USDA Secretary Defends President’s Policies During Lebanon County Farm Tour

-- United Mine Workers, United Steelworkers File Action In Federal Court To Overturn MSHA Delay In Enforcing Silica Rule To Protect Mine Workers 

-- TribLive: Delay In Federal ‘Silica Rule’ Leaves Some Coal Miners’ Advocates Worried

-- PublicNewsService.org: Proposed Federal NIOSH Cuts Could Affect Health Of Coal Miners

-- PUC Commissioners Urge Congressional Action To Preserve $19 Million In Remaining LIHEAP Funds For PA This Year  [PaEN] 

-- Energy Association Of PA [Utilities] Calls For Protection Of LIHEAP Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program

-- WHYY: American Public Gas Assn. That Includes Philadelphia Gas Works Lobbies Against Federal Funding For Philadelphia, State

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-- David Hess

Former Secretary, PA Department of Environmental Protection

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[Posted: April 15, 2025]  PA Environment Digest