PA Environment Digest Blog: Thursday PA Environment & Energy Articles

“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]

Senate Voting Schedule

December 8, 9, 10

-- Committee Schedule

House Voting Schedule

December [canceled- 8, 9, 10], 15 [non-voting], 16, 17

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events

TODAY 1:00: Gov. Shapiro, DEP To Highlight First Applicant To Receive A DEP Permit Thru The Optional SPEED Permit Program

TODAY 10:00: Agenda Posted. DEP Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee meeting. 10:00 a.m. (formal notice) [Note: Conventional Oil & Gas/Shale Gas Emissions Reporting]

November 24-- Outdoor Business Alliance Of PA Webinar: Starting, Growing An Outdoor Business. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

December 1-- DEP hearing on a revised Title V Air Quality permit for the Monroe Energy LLC Trainer Refinery in Trainer Borough, Delaware County. Read more here.

December 2-- DEP Hearing On Revision To Title V Air Quality Permit For a Glass Furnace At The PQ LLC Facility In Chester, Delaware County. Chester City Hall, One 4th Street in Chester. 7:00 p.m.

December 2-- DEP hearing on proposed revisions to the Title V Air Quality Permit for the Delaware County Regional Water Quality Control Authority wastewater plant in Chester, Delaware County. Read more here.

December 2-- DEP hearing on proposed revisions to the Title V Air Quality Permit for the Constellation Energy Generation Co. Limerick Nuclear Power Plant in Limerick Township, Montgomery County. Read more here.

December 2-- DEP hearing on a revised Title V Air Quality permit for the US Steel Fairless Steel Plant in Falls Township, Bucks County. Read more here.

December 4-- DCED PA Grade Crude [Oil] Development Advisory Council meeting. LTBA. Contact: Adam Walters 717-214-6548 or adwalters@pa.gov.

December 11-- DEP Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. 10:00 a.m. Contact: Todd Wallace at twallace@pa.gov or 717-783-6395.

-- NRDC: PJM Grid Members Fail To Recommend Any Of 12 Proposals To Prevent Existing Electric Ratepayers From Bearing The Costs, Reliability Risk Of Soaring A.I. Data Center Energy Demand [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Air Permit For Largest Natural Gas Power Plant In US To Feed Proposed 3,200 Acre Homer City A.I. Data Center Campus In Indiana County [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Violations To Rocksauce Operating LLC For Abandoning, Not Plugging, Not Submitting Well Integrity Reports For A Total Of 83 Conventional Wells In Allegheny, Washington Counties; Abandoned Well NOVs Top 629 [PaEN]

-- Allegheny County Council Votes Unanimously To Approve Air Quality Permit Fee Increases To Fund Allegheny County Health Department [PaEN]

-- TribLive: President’s Administration To Take Stake In Pittsburgh Energy Storage Maker EOS Energy

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: After Years Of Sparring, Gov. Shapiro Abandons PA’s Landmark RGGI Climate Initiative [That Was Never Implemented]

-- Planet Philadelphia Radio Show: Nov. 21 - Combatting Climate Change Disinformation & Unethical Behavior, 4:00 p.m.

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Bellwether District- Site Of Former Philadelphia Refinery-- Could Soon Announce Its First Tenants

-- DEP, EPA, DOJ Reach $1.15 Million Settlement With Hanover Foods Over Federal Clean Water Act Violations In York County

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Gives Thanks For Conservation Efforts By Landowners Like These Turkey Farmers In Adams, Lycoming Counties [PaEN]

-- Republican Herald: Schuylkill, Luzerne County Watershed Projects Receive EPA Section 319 Funding

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Penn State Study Finds Higher Incidence Of Skin Cancers In PA’s Farm Belt

A.I. /Data Centers

-- DEP Issues Air Permit For Largest Natural Gas Power Plant In US To Feed Proposed 3,200 Acre Homer City A.I. Data Center Campus In Indiana County [PaEN]

-- York Daily Record: Here’s Where A.I. Data Centers Have Been Proposed Or Discussed In York County And Their Status https://tinyurl.com/22detfba [PDF of Article]

-- York Daily Record: See Inside A Central PA Data Center As CEO Urges Communities To Research ‘Hyperscalers’ [Video]

-- The Center Square: ‘Ghost’ A.I. Data Center Projects Haunt PJM Power Grid Planners, Raising Energy Costs

-- Utility Dive: North American Electric Reliability Corp: Winter Peak Demand Is Rising Faster Than Resource Additions

-- Post-Gazette: Bipartisan Pair Of PA Lawmakers Outraged At Federal Attempt To Prevent States From Regulating Development, Use Of A.I.

-- Financial Times: President’s Plan To Prevent States From Regulating A.I. Fuels MAGA Backlash

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- Today’s Violations: DEP: issued violations to PPP Future Dev Inc. for abandoning, not plugging a conventional well in Harborcreek Township, Erie County during a first time inspection of a well drilled in 1978. Read more here.

-- Today’s Violations: DEP found no progress in stopping, cleaning up JJ Bucher Producing Corp. conventional oil well spill/release in Sharon Township, Potter County involving buried, corroded metal and wooden storage tanks first discovered on June 20, 2025-- 151 days ago and counting. Read more here.

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- The Center Square: Lawsuits Target Northeast Supply Enhancement Natural Gas Pipeline From PA To NY Backed By President

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- Post-Gazette: PA’s 2026 Legislative Battle Begins Taking Shape As Democrats Defend A One Vote Edge In PA House

-- TribLive Editorial: Why Won’t PA Lawmakers Consider A Gift Ban?

-- Post-Gazette: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Garrity Bashes Bipartisan State Budget Deal As Shapiro Links Her With Republican Sen. Mastriano

-- Erie Times: Gov. Shapiro Says Federal Database Allowed Man With Alleged Terror Ties To Get CDL Driver’s License

-- Warren Times: Increase In English-As-A-2nd-Language Students Drives Need For Additional Teacher In Warren County School District

-- Post-Gazette: Bipartisan Pair Of PA Lawmakers Outraged At Federal Attempt To Prevent States From Regulating Development, Use Of A.I.

-- PennLive - John Baer: Books By Shapiro, Fetterman Are As Different As They Are

-- PA Gaming Control Board: Record iGaming Revenue Highlights October’s 20.22% Increase In Gambling Revenue Over Last October