PA Environment Digest Blog: Monday 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

January 6, 26, 27, 28

February 2, 3 (Governor’s Budget Address), 4

Budget hearings will be held February 23-26, and March 2

March 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25

April 20, 21, 22

May 4, 5, 6

June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30

-- Committee Schedule

House Voting Schedule 2025

December 15 [non-voting], 16, 17

-- Committee Schedule

House Voting Schedule 2026

January 6 (NV), 26, 27, 28

February 2, 3 (Governor's Budget Address, 4

Budget hearings will be held February 23-26, and March 2

March. 23, 24, 25

April 13, 14, 15, 27, 28, 29

May 4, 5, 6

June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

September 28, 29, 30

October 5, 6, 7, 19, 20, 21

November 9, 10

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events

TODAY 10:00: Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Committee Meeting, DCED PA Grade Crude [Oil] Development Advisory Council. DEP Moshannon District Office, 186 Enterprise Drive, Philipsburg. 10:00 a.m. [This meeting is not open to the public.]

December 16-- Agenda Posted. DEP Climate Change Advisory Committee meeting. 9:00 a.m. Contact: Lindsay Byron, lbyron@pa.gov or 717-772-8951

December 17-- House Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee meets to consider House Bill 1116 (Pugh-R-Luzerne) requires DEP to conduct a study of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in biosolids; House Resolution 66 (Pielli-D-Chester) directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study and issue a report on wild native terrestrial invertebrate management; House Resolution 352 (Ciresi-D-Montgomery) directs the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on litter law enforcement and provide recommendations. Room 205 Ryan Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

December 17-- DEP Hearing On Air Quality Permit For The PEI Power LLC Natural Gas Power Plant In Lackawanna County. DEP Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre. 10:00 a.m. Read more here.

December 17-- DEP hearing on a revised Title V Air Quality Permit for the Portland Power, LLC 400 MW power plant in Upper Mount Bethel Township, Northampton County hoping to attract an A.I. data center project. DEP Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre. 10:00 a.m. Read more here.

December 17-- DEP Hearing On Air Quality Permit For Ecopax LLC Facility In Forks Twp., Northampton County. DEP Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre. 10:00 a.m. Read more here.

December 17-- DEP hearing on a revised Title V Air Quality Permit for the Surteco North America facility in West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County. DEP Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre. 10:00 a.m. Read more here.

December 17-- Virtual. PA Organization For Watersheds & Rivers To Host Webinar Showcasing Collaborative Community Watershed Organization Capacity Building Successes. Noon to 1:30 p.m.

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

December 17-- Virtual. Penn State Extension: Forest Farming - Maple Syrup Webinar. 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

December 18-- Virtual/In-Person. DEP Sewage Advisory Committee meetings on Chapter 71-73 proposed on-lot septic system regulation changes. Boyertown Community Ambulance Service Building, 2 East 2nd Street, Boyertown, Berks County. 9:00 a.m. Contact: Tomisa Kiskadden at tkiskadden@pa.gov or (814) 332-6677. (formal notice)

December 18-- Virtual. Penn State Extension Hosts Webinar On Fireflies In Pennsylvania. 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

-- December 15 - Weekly PA Environment Digest Now Available [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Dec. 6 to 12 - MarkWest Pipeline Loses Another 31,000 Gallons Into Mine Voids; Abandoned Conventional Well Violations Reach 666

[PaEN]

-- DEP Investigating Another 31,000 Gallon Spill Into Mine Voids From MarkWest Liberty Midstream Pipeline Construction In Washington County; 360,000 Gallons Lost So Far [PaEN]

-- READ CAREFULLY! PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - December 13 [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Water Quality Permit Approvals For Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage Appalachian Reliability Pipeline Project In Armstrong, Greene, Westmoreland Counties [PaEN]

-- READ CAREFULLY! DEP Posted 61 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In December 13 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Permits For 5 Large Electric Transmission, Substation Projects In 14 Counties, Including 150 Mile Piney-Seward and Erie South-Piney Transmission Project Crossing 8 Counties [PaEN]

-- PennLive: PA DEP Staffing Lagging As State Faces Natural Gas Fracking, Air, Water Pollution Issues: Report

-- LancasterOnline: PA Counties Near Farmland Have Higher Melanoma Cancer Rates, Penn State Researchers Find [PDF of Article]

-- WESA: Pittsburgh Greenways To See Pilots In Stewardship, Pollinators, Signage Thanks To Trust For Public Lands