Environment & Energy Educational Opportunities For Students & Adults

Opportunities to learn more about environmental and energy issues affecting Pennsylvania for students and adults--

Awards/Recognition

-- The Nature Conservancy-PA: Celebrating 50 Years Of Conservation In Pennsylvania

-- Western PA Conservancy: Explore The Untold Stories Of PA Parks & Forests In StoryMaps And Videos 

-- LandForce CEO Ilyssa Manspeizer Recognized With National AARP Purpose Prize Award  [PaEN] 

-- Morning Call: Northampton County Farmland Preservation Program Reaches 20,000 Acres

Grants

-- Bristol Township Environmental Advisory Committee Members Honored With Keep PA Beautiful's Community Pride Award In Bucks County  [PaEN]

-- Western PA Conservancy, PA American Water Celebrate 25 Years Of Sponsoring Community Gardens At Downtown Pittsburgh Event 

-- Penn State Student Caroline Hunter Honed Passion For Environmental Policy As DEP Intern

-- TribLive: Meet Winners Of 2025 Phipps Sustainable Garden Awards From Phipps Conservatory In Pittsburgh

Upcoming Events

-- DCNR Organizing Walk In Penn’s Woods Events This Weekend And In October To Celebrate Pennsylvania’s Free State Parks And Forests

-- Republican Herald: Walk In Penn’s Woods Events Set For Sunday In Schuylkill

-- Planet Philadelphia Radio Program: Oct. 3 - Sustainability And The Ocean, 4:00 p.m.

-- Beaver Times: PA Resources Council Hosts Oct. 4 Household Chemicals Collection Event

-- Erie Times: Oct. 8 Public Meeting On Future Of Abandoned Erie Coke [Coal] Works Property

-- Williamsport Sun: Susquehanna TU Chapter Meeting Oct. 8 To Feature Discussion Of Trout Unlimited Abandoned Mine Reclamation Efforts

-- The Derrick: Drake Energy Security Forum Returns To Oil City Oct. 13-14 Bringing Officials, Industry Leaders And Experts From Around The Globe  [PDF of Article]   [Drake Forum website]

-- Explore Clarion: Clarion Conservation District Holds Oct. 15 Meeting On Assessment Of Canoe Creek Watershed

-- Pike/Wayne County Conservation Districts:  Stream Keepers Program Oct. 25 For Students 11-14 

-- Penn State Extension Community Forestry Institute Webinars, Learn How To Plan, Manage, Advocate For Public Trees To Strengthen Green Infrastructure, Starting Oct. 27; Other Upcoming Extension Programs  [PaEN] 

-- PA Forestry Association: 139th Forest Symposium Nov. 1 In State College On Wildlife Habitats And The Game Commission  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Nov. 19 Webinar On A.I. Data Centers And Water Resources  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Dec. 17 Advice From The Woods - Ask Our Experts! Webinar, Noon to 1:00 p.m. 

-- Shapiro Administration Announces 2025 PA Farm Show Theme - Growing A Nation

Public Participation

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - October 4 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 74 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 4 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets Oct. 14 To Hear Presentations On Environmental, Property Damage Caused By Longwall Coal Mining  [PaEN]

-- DEP To Hold Nov. 14 Hearing On Renewal Of An Air Quality Permit For The Coal, Natural Gas-Fired Brunner Island Power Plant In York County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Sets 3 Hearings On Air Quality Standards For Plastics Resin Manufacturers Shell Chemical Appalachia, Rohm & Haas Co. Multi Plastics Extrusions  [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Air Quality Permit For 77 Emergency Power Generators At The Amazon Data Center In Salem Twp., Luzerne County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Invites Comments On An Air Quality Permit For The Tenaska PA Partners, LLC Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant In Westmoreland County  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Accepting Comments On The Renewal Of An Air Quality Permit For The Wolf Run Energy, LLC Natural Gas Power Plant In Bradford County   [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Comments Now Being Accepted For An Air Quality Permit For The Hunterstown Power, LLC Peaking Electric Generation Facility In Adams County  [PaEN]  

-- NRCS-PA Invites Comments On Chester County Mushroom Composting Water Quality Plan; Oct. 15 Webinar  [PaEN] 

-- PUC Seeking Nominations For PA OneCall Damage Prevention Committee 

Programs/Information

-- Scranton Times: Abandoned Mine Reclamation In Scranton Paves Way For Development  [PDF of Article] 

-- PA Capital-Star/Inside Climate News: Chesapeake Bay Program Reaches A Crossroads; PA Remains The Outlier With Decades Of Shortfalls In Curbing Farm Runoff Frustrating Other States 

-- The Allegheny Front: Heinz Award-Winning Environmental Justice Leader Says The EJ Movement Is ‘Not Over’

-- WESA: Dollar Energy Fund Opens For Winter Season With $500 Grants For Heating Aid In Western PA; Peoples Natural Gas Customers Can Also Apply For Assistance

-- Centre Daily Times: No Injuries From ‘J4’ Cave Rescue In Spring Twp., Centre County; Police Caution Cave Explorers 

-- Penn State Student Caroline Hunter Honed Passion For Environmental Policy As DEP Intern

-- Northampton, Bucks Authority: US Navy Expanding Public Water Access To Additional Residents Affected By PFAS Contamination In Bucks County 

-- York Dispatch: Red Lion School Upgrades Water Filtration In Response To PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’

-- City & State PA: PA School Districts Working To Improve Buildings, Environments [Asbestos, Lead In Drinking Water]

-- WNEP: 6-Year-Old Welcomed Home After ATV Crash Recovery In Schuylkill County

-- Reading Eagle: Swarm Of At Least 1,000 Motorcycles, ATVs Block Old Route 22 In Northern Berks County

-- Tribune-Democrat: Windber Ordinance Would Open Streets To ATV Traffic

-- Inquirer: Climate Scientist Michael Mann Steps. Down From Administrative Role At Penn; Faced Criticism Over Posts On Killing Of Charlie Kirk

-- BBC: Pope Leo Condemns Climate Change Critics

-- Financial Times: Pope Leo Contradicts US President And Calls For Action On Climate Change

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Jeremy Cox: New Preserve, Nature Center To Offer Urban Respite In City Of Lancaster

-- DCNR: October 2 Fall Foliage Report, Expected Cooldown Should Stimulate Noticeable Color Changes 

-- DCNR Urges Caution To Prevent Wildfires Amid Increased Risk Due To Dry Conditions 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: Forests, Urban Tree Canopy Still Shrinking In Chesapeake Bay Watershed

-- Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly News: Yard Waste And Lanternflies; Removing Egg Masses; Control Options; Business Training  

-- Protecting Clean Water Together: Drought Conditions, Water Stress And Evergreens In Monroe County - By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association  [PaEN]

-- USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service-PA: Lancaster County Farmer Transforms Land With Conservation-Focused Farming  [PDF of Article] 

-- WHYY: Drexel University’s Academy Of Natural Sciences Cuts Museum Hours Over Funding Concerns

-- PA Capital-Star: Flood Disclosure Bill To Help Home Buyers Recognize Risks Passes PA House

-- Williamsport Sun: How Does Low Water Impact A Fishery?  A Closer Look

-- Williamsport Sun: Reflections In Nature - So What’s The Difference Between Algae And Scum?

A.I./Data Centers

-- NPR: Kiss Reality Goodbye - A.I. Generated Social Media Has Arrived 

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - October 6  [PaEN] 

Background On Issues

-- DEP Names Seth Pelepko, P.G. Deputy Secretary For Oil & Gas Management  [PaEN]  

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 - 940,000 Gallon Shale Gas Wastewater Spill; Order Ceasing Production Of 551 Conventional Wells; Is Conventional Well Owner Abandoning 475 Wells In 6 Counties?  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: EQT Production Co. Challenges Records Requests In Ongoing Investigation Of The 2020-21 Release Of 940,000 Gallons Of Shale Gas Wastewater In North Bethlehem Twp., Washington County And Similar Failures At At Least 6 Other EQT Well Pads  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Orders Stonehaven Energy To ‘Immediately Cease And Desist Producing, Extracting, Or Injecting’ Oil, Natural Gas, Wastewater From 551 Conventional Wells In Clarion, Clearfield, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson, McKean, Venango, Warren Counties  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Orders Timberline Energy, Inc. To Submit Production, Waste, Well Integrity Reports For 475 Conventional Oil, Gas Wells In 6 Counties; Recent Inspections Show Many Wells Appear Abandoned  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Conventional Gas Well Owner Uses Wastewater To Water Freshly Seeded Well Site, Discharging Wastewater Into Ditch, Storm Sewer In Warren County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Blackhill Energy LLC 2nd ‘Inadvertent Return’ During Horizontal Drilling Of Brad-Tenn Loop Pipeline In Bradford County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Moves To Dismiss BCD Properties Appeal Challenging A DEP Letter Advising It Does Not Comply With Waste Regulations Allowing The Disposal Of Its Oil And Gas Wastewater By Road Dumping  [PaEN]

-- Inside Climate News - Kyle Bagenstose: Appeal Could Make It Easy For Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners To Dispose Of Their Wastewater By Road Dumping 

-- PA Capital-Star/Inside Climate News - Kyle Bagenstose: PA Appeal Could Make it Easier For Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners To Dispose OfTheir Wastewater By Dumping It On Roads

-- DEP Opportunity To Bid On Plugging 15 Abandoned Conventional Oil, Gas Wells At Taxpayer Expense In Butler County

-- Beaver Times Guest Essay: Shell Petrochemical Plant Amplifies Misleading Claims About Beaver County Population Growth [And Other Misleading Statements] - By Daniel Rossi-Keen, RiverWise  [PDF of Article]

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Is There Opportunity For Population Growth In Pittsburgh’s Outlying Counties? [Shell Petrochemical Plant Increases In Jobs, Gross Domestic Product ‘Do Not Yet Appear In The Data’]

-- Mountain Watershed Assn., LCT Energy Reach Agreement On Stronger Protections For Watershed While EHB Appeal Of Rustic Ridge #1 Coal Mine Expansion In Fayette, Westmoreland Counties Moves Forward  [PaEN] 

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: Is The Sun Setting On PA’s Solar Future As President Rescinds $156 Million In PA Solar Funding Blocking Power Production  

-- AP: From Composting To Solar Panels, NFL Stadiums Are Working To Be More Sustainable [Eagles Solar Energy, Recycling Highlighted]

-- TribLive Letter: PA Can Finally Catch Up On Solar Energy By Passing Community Solar Bill - By Jen Bannan, Bloomfield

-- NRDC, PennFuture, EDF Challenge Order In Federal Court To Keep Aging Eddystone Power Plant Open Passed Its Closing Date In Delaware County

-- Financial Times: US Climate Groups Reframe The Green Energy Pitch Around Record High Energy Costs 

-- Environmental Defense Fund: President’s Subsidies For Costly Coal Saddle Families With High Electric Bills, More Pollution 

-- AP: President’s Administration Opens More Public Land For Coal Mining, Offers $625 Million To Boost Coal-Fired Power Plants

-- Post-Gazette/Bloomberg: President Launches Broad Effort To Help Revive Flagging US Coal; Blocking Clean Energy Projects

-- US Dept. Of Energy Announces $625 Million Investments In Recommission, Retrofit Coal-Fired Power Plants  

-- Politico.com: US Dept. Of Energy Adds ‘Climate Change’ And ‘Emissions’ To Banned Words List

-- The Center Square: PA House Passes Bipartisan Landslide Insurance Bill; State To Step In Where Insurance Companies Step Out

-- Inquirer: Bankruptcy Of Re-Match Leaves 11,000 Tons Of Artificial Turf Containing PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Abandoned Across PA

-- Scranton Times: Re-Match Recycling Company’s Bankruptcy Leaves Tons Of Discarded Artificial Turf In Luzerne, Schuylkill Counties 

-- WNEP: Household Chemicals Collection Event A Success In Lackawanna County

-- WNEP: Volunteers Cleanup Local Rivers, Creek At Fall River Cleanup In Union County 

Visit the  DEP Calendar of Events;  PA Parks & Forests Foundation’s Events webpage and DCNR’s Calendar of Events for activities happening near you.

Visit DEP’s Teaching Green webpage to learn about more environmental education resources.

Visit the PA Environment Digest Calendar Of Events for more opportunities.

[Posted: October 5, 2025]  PA Environment Digest