129 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA- January 26

Here are 129 new stories in the PA Environment Digest about individuals, groups, local governments, farmers, businesses, watershed groups and many more working all across Pennsylvania to restore and protect the environment and show others the beauty that surrounds us.

Thank you for your leadership!

-- Iroquois High School Students Recognized For Removing Nearly A Ton of Litter From Four Mile Creek In Erie County  [PaEN] 

-- The Allegheny Front: What Closing The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Means For The Region’s Environmental Reporting 

-- Inquirer Editorial: There Is A Viable Path For Pittsburgh To Save Its Newspaper, Here’s How We Did It With The Inquirer

-- TribLive: How To Become A National Weather Service Reporter In Western PA

-- Gov. Shapiro Signs Disaster Emergency Proclamation To Prepare For Winter Storm  

-- PEMA Encourages Pennsylvanians To Prepare For Weekend Snowstorm

-- PEMA Winter Storm Fern Webpage  

-- PUC Urges Consumers To Prepare Ahead Of Winter Storm Fern And Prolonged Extreme Cold  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive: Ice Blockage Restricting Pittsburgh Water Operations, Water Pressure, Service Could Be Impacted For Some Customers 

-- Aboveground Water Pipelines Feeding Shale Gas Drilling Operations Beginning To Freeze Due To Cold Temperatures; Range Resources Incident Reported In Washington County; Notify DEP Of Pipeline Problems  [PaEN]

-- WPIX:  Washington County Opens Nearly 2 Dozen Warming Shelters During Bitter Cold, Major Winter Storm [The Center Of Shale Gas Fracking, Coal Industry In PA]

-- PJM Interconnect Issues Cold Weather Alert For Western Region Jan. 23 Expanding To Entire PJM Area Jan. 24-27; Regional Grid Could Exceed Winter Demand Record on Jan. 27 & 30  [PaEN] 

-- WNEP: PJM Interconnection: Winter Storm Will Cause Historic Power Grid Strain That Has Never Been Experienced Before

-- Reuters: US Energy Sector Braces For Winter Storm As Crude, Natural Gas Output Fall

-- Reuters: US Refineries Brace For Disruptions As Arctic Blast Hits

-- Bloomberg: Natural Gas Prices Soar 75% In 3 Days As Arctic Cold Grips The US

-- The Center Square: Winter Weather To Disrupt US Natural Gas Production, Increase Prices 

-- Bloomberg: Cold Blast Threatens To Cut US Natural Gas Output By Most Since 2021 Over Next 14 Days, Energy Aspects Says

-- Reuters: US Power Grid Faces Stress Test Amid Arctic Chill, A.I. Data Center Demand; PJM Expected To Set Demand Records

-- Utility Dive: US DOE Orders Diesel Generators To Be Ready As Electric Sector Prepares For Winter Storm Fern; Consumer Advocate Warns The Plan Is Unworkable 

-- Bloomberg: US DOE Calls On A.I. Data Centers To Prepare Backup Power Ahead Of Winter Storm

-- Shale Gas & Public Health Conference -- Our Work, Our Health: Building A Future Beyond Sacrifice To Be Held Feb. 19 In Pittsburgh, Online  [PaEN] 

-- Reminder: DEP To Host Feb. 3 Virtual Hearing On Water Quality Permits For PA General Energy Shale Gas Access Road, Staging Area Project In Loyalsock State Forest, Lycoming County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Cancels March 18 Oil & Gas Technical Advisory Board Meeting, Reschedules For April 30

-- PUC Announces Increase In Act 13 Shale Gas Drilling Impact Fee For Calendar 2025  [PaEN]

-- Financial Times: EQT, Expand Energy Natural Gas Producers Are Methane Super Emitters, Environmental Groups’ Data Shows  [PDF of Article]

-- Courier Times: Victims Struggling After Fatal Nursing Home Natural Gas Explosion

-- DEP Invests $17.3 Million In 89 Local Growing Greener Projects In 40 Counties To Restore Streams, Reclaim Abandoned Mine Land, Improve Fish, Wildlife Habitats  [PaEN]

-- PA infrastructure Investment Authority Invests Record $559.4 Million In 36 Water Infrastructure Projects In 25 Counties  [PaEN]

-- Commonwealth Financing Authority Invests $110 Million In 445 Small Water, Sewer, Stormwater, Flood Control Projects; Multimodal Transportation Funding Also Approved [PaEN]

-- PennVEST Now Accepting Proposals For Nutrient, Sediment Reduction Projects For Funding Thru Clean Water Procurement Program  [PaEN] 

-- Dept. Of Agriculture Accepting Applications For Innovation Grants Feb. 2 to April 18

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Feb. 16 Funding Conservation Webinar On US Natural Resources Conservation Service  [PaEN]

-- National Fish And Wildlife Foundation Now Accepting Applications For Chesapeake Watershed Defense WILD Grants  [PaEN] 

-- Wildlife For Everyone Foundation: Game Commission Seedlings for Schools Program Starts Accepting Orders Feb. 2  [PaEN] 

-- Wildlife For Everyone Foundation Now Accepting Applications For College Scholarships  [PaEN] 

-- Warren Times: Warren County Conservation District Accepting Scholarship Applications

-- DEP Chesapeake Bay Healthy Waters News: Gov. Shapiro Leads Chesapeake Bay Executive Council; 2024 Annual Report; Grant & Education Opportunities; Mussel Restoration; County Water Quality Improvement Projects ​​

-- Penn State Extension Hosts March 16 Webinar On Water Law Basics For Farmers  [PaEN]

-- Scientists And Lawmakers Kick Off Winter Salt Week March 25 At PA State Capitol To Tackle Road Salt Pollution  [PaEN] 

-- Republican Herald: Winter Salt Week Offers Solutions To Road Salt Overuse [PDF of Article] 

-- Penn State Extension Water Cooler Talk Webinar Feb. 18 - Road Salt Impacts And Solutions  [PaEN]  

-- Delaware River Basin Commission Hosts Jan. 27 Webinar On New Report On The Impact Of Sea Level Rise On Salinity Intrusion In the Delaware River Estuary  [PaEN] 

-- ClearWater Conservancy: Building Our Future Home While Staying True To Our Conservation Mission  [PaEN]   

-- The Derrick: Titusville’s New, Replacement Water Wells Have High Levels Of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Crawford County  [PDF of Article]

-- The Allegheny Front: Temple University Researchers Hope To Remove PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Microplastics With Sustainable Treatment Method

-- DEP, Delaware River Basin Commission Offering 3-Part In-Person Water Loss Management Workshops For Water System Operators In March  [PaEN] 

-- Inquirer: Why Sinkholes Keep Opening Up In Philadelphia [Spoiler: Aging Water Lines]

-- York Dispatch: Water Main Break Floods York City Streets, Avoid Area Officials Say

-- Post-Gazette: DEP Rejects Connoquenessing’s Controversial Sewage Facilities Plan 

-- WHYY: PA Supreme Court Rules Chester, Delaware County, Does Not Have Unilateral Power To Seize Chester Water Authority

-- PA Capital-Star: Cash-Strapped Chester, Delaware County Can’t Sell Water Authority Without Board’s Consent, PA Supreme Court Says

-- Spotlight PA: State Budget Constraints, Lack Of Options Force Berks County School District To Rebuild Where Flood Destroyed School

-- WNEP: 30th Anniversary Of Deadly Flood of ‘96 In Pennsylvania

-- Congress Cut Abandoned Mine Reclamation Funding To PA By $169 Million Canceling Critical Water Quality Restoration Projects  [PaEN] 

-- The Conversation: America’s Next Big Clean Energy Resource Could Come From Abandoned Coal Mine Pollution, If We Can Agree On Who Owns It 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Federal Mine Safety Research Called Back To Work Wonder: Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

-- Post-Gazette: Washington County Clinic Helps Coal Miners With Black Lung Battle For Crucial Benefits, And To Survive 

-- TribLive - Jack Troy: Congress Funds Agency Investigating Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Blast That Killed 2 Workers 

-- Guest Essay: A.I. Data Centers Are Taking Our Beautiful Towns Away, We Need Help! - By Donna Jensen, Resident of Wapwallopen, Luzerne County [PaEN]

-- Concerned Residents Of Western PA To Host Feb. 1 Community Gathering On Proposed Homer City Power Plant And A.I. Data Center In Indiana County  [PaEN]  

-- Scranton Times: Lackawanna County Commissioner: Legislature Should Authorize County-Level A.I. Data Center Impact Fees   [PDF of Article]

-- Scranton Times - Chris Kelly Opinion: Momentum Builds Against A.I. Data Centers  [PDF of Article]  

-- Scranton Times - Chris Kelly Opinion: A.I. Data Centers Set To Make Us Second Class Citizens Of Data Center Valley  [PDF of Article] 

-- Scranton Times Chris Kelly Opinion: The Cumulative Impacts Of A.I. Data Center Development [PDF of Article] 

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Beyond NIMBY vs. Progress: How Pennsylvania Can Secure A ‘Durable Yes’ For A.I. Data Centers [Honestly Address Issues Of Concern] - By Desmond Daley, Pittsburgh Resident 

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - January 26  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Approves Air Quality Permit For Installation Of 53 Emergency Power Generators At The Amazon Data Center In Salem Twp., Luzerne County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Invites Comments On Individual Stormwater Permit For The 150 Mile Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC Piney-Seward, Erie South Piney Transmission Line Project Thru 8 Counties  [PaEN]

-- Utility Dive: PJM Considering $1.7 Billion Transmission Line Project Across PA Based On Year-Old A.I. Data Center Demand Forecasts Is A ‘Poster Child’ For Overbuilding, According To PA Consumer Advocate

-- Spotlight PA: Lawmakers Move To Close Local Meeting Notice Loophole After Ruling Weakens PA Transparency Law

-- House Energy Committee Meeting To Consider Bill Giving PUC More Authority To Regulate A.I. Data Centers Moved To Feb. 2  [PaEN]  

-- Gov. Shapiro: Major Utilities, Power Producers, Tech Companies, Experts Endorse Federal/Northeast PJM Governors’ Plan To Meet Surging A.I. Data Center Energy Demands - Will PJM Listen?  [PaEN] 

-- Morning Call: Federal, State Officials Pressure Regional Electric Grid Operator To Lower Electricity Prices; Here’s What Could Come Next

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: PJM Must Reform Now To Protect Consumers And Keep Electricity Affordable, Experts Say 

-- Inside Climate News: Clean Energy Advocates Criticise ‘Glaring’ Omission In White House/Northeast Governor’s Plan To Fuel A.I. Data Centers In PJM Region

-- Morning Call: PPL Backs Push By President, Shapiro To Bring Down Electric Prices Amid A.I. Data Center Surge 

-- PA House Committees Hearing: Witnesses Agree - A.I. Data Centers - Real And Purely Speculative - Are Driving Up The Cost Of Electricity; Without Effective Action Energy Increases Will Not End   [PaEN] 

-- WITF: PA Consumer Advocates Urge House Committees To Tax A.I. Data Centers, Offset Home Energy Spikes At Hearing

-- Post-Gazette: PA House Members Hear Warnings On A.I. Data Centers, Rising Electric Costs At Hearing

-- Tribune-Democrat: Electric Grid Concerns Aired By PA Lawmakers As Frigid Weather Settles In

-- The Center Square: NJ, PA Retool Power Load Forecasting Oversight

-- Futurism: A.I. Data Centers Pushing Electric Grid Into Meltdown

-- York Dispatch Guest Essay: Republicans Add To The Pain Of Soaring Energy Costs - By Katherine Pichardo, Latino Victory and David Kieve, Environmental Defense Fund Action  [PaEN] 

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: NJ Governor Issues State Of Emergency On Energy Costs; Orders State Regulators To Boost Renewables, Battery Storage In Light Of Rising Electricity Prices

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Clean Energy Provides Jobs, Consumer Savings - By Erika Strasburger, Pittsburgh City Council

-- WHYY - Sophia Schmidt: This Philly Rowhouse Has Seen Over 250 Years Of Energy Transitions: Firewood To Solar

-- Post-Gazette - Laura Legere: Shopping For Energy Has Cost PA Residents $400 Million In Overpayments For Gas, Electric In 2024 Alone [‘We’re Starting To See Customers Not Reap The Benefits That Were Promised’]

-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA Families Have A Powerful Tool Against Rising Energy Costs - Shopping For Gas, Electric Suppliers - By Frank Caliva, Retail Energy Supply Association

-- WHYY: As Electricity Rates Soar, PECO Adds $2.5 Million In Aid For Low-Income Customers 

-- Utility Dive: PJM Board Calls For Backstop Capacity Auction In New A.I. Data Center Interconnection Plan

-- Utility Dive Guest Essay: A PJM Backstop Capacity Auction Could Fill The Large Load Supply Gap To Address Reliability - By Mac McFarland, Talen Energy CEO

-- Spotlight PA: Utility And A.I. Interests Spending Millions Lobbying Congress, President To Support Data Center Boom

-- Financial Times: A.I. Data Center Groups Plan Lobbying Blitz To Counter A. I. Energy Backlash  [PDF of Article] 

-- WESA: PA Residents Should Test For Radon, A Leading Cause Of Lung Cancer; Coal Mines Give Radon An Easy Path To The Surface 

-- Inquirer: National Vulcanized Fiber Superfund Site In Chester County Could Become Housing Development - After It’s Decontaminated

-- PA Recycling Markets Center Feb. 18 Webinar On Glass For A Sustainable Future, Update On Penn State LionGlass Project  [PaEN]

-- Inquirer: Philly Council Bill To Ban Waste Incineration Gets Put On Hold After Failing To Gain Support

-- Outdoor Business Alliance Of PA Hosting PA Outdoor Economy Summit + Industry Expo April 26-28 In State College  [PaEN] 

-- Register Now For PA Recreation & Park Society Conference & Expo March 24-27 Featuring Keynote Speaker Dr. Dexter Shorter  [PaEN]  

-- DCNR 2026 Annual Report: Halfway To 60 Has Never Looked Better - By Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary  [PaEN] 

-- DCNR Resource News: 2026 Annual Report; Upcoming Outdoor Experiences In State Parks 

-- DCNR: Schedule Of Presque Isle State Park Complex Advisory Committee Meetings Starting Feb. 19

-- Commonwealth Financing Authority Invests $110 Million In 445 Small Water, Sewer, Stormwater, Flood Control Projects; Multimodal Transportation Funding Also Approved [PaEN]

-- DCNR Invests $500,000 To Support Trail Project In Easton

-- Morning Call: Seeking Solitude? Go For A Winter Hike On These Lehigh Valley Trails

-- Susquehanna Greenway: From The Susquehanna To Katahdin: A Pennsylvania Thru-Hiker’s Journey On The Appalachian Trail

-- Williamsport Sun: River Trip Helped Bring Awareness To West Branch Of Susquehanna [PDF of Article] 

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Looks To Better Connect Beltzhoover With McKinley Park Amenities

-- The Allegheny Front: New Project To Study Fire Is An Effort To Get Ahead Of Eastern Forest Wildfire Risks

-- NextPittsburgh: What Happens At A Beaver County Christmas Tree Farm After The Holidays?

-- PA Native Plant Society Now Accepting Applications For Grants Supporting Conservation Of Native Plants, Including Student-Led Projects  [PaEN] 

-- Republican Herald: Artist’s Fireflies Burn Brightly At New Penn State-Schuylkill Campus Art Gallery [PDF of Article] 

-- The Allegheny Front: Early Spring Wildflowers Are Blooming Even Earlier Thanks To Climate Change

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Earth Conservancy Announces Winners Of Pollinator Seed Packet Design Contest

-- Inquirer: Slavery Exhibits At Independence National Historic Park President’s House Removed In Philadelphia Following President’s Push To Remove ‘Inappropriately’ Disparaging Exhibits 

-- AP: Philadelphia Sues President’s National Park Service Over Removal Of Slavery Exhibit At Independence National Historical Park

-- Fish & Boat Commission Board Meeting Rescheduled To Jan. 30

-- Fish & Boat Commission Quarterly Board Meeting Set For Jan. 26 In Harrisburg

-- Game Commission Approves Preliminary 2026-27 Hunting Seasons And Bag Limits, But No Major Changes To Deer Season

-- Post-Gazette - Mary Ann Thomas: Game Commission Board Votes Down Moving Deer Rifle Opener To Saturday Before Thanksgiving

-- TribLive: PA Deer Hunting Opener Stays Saturday After Thanksgiving ‘For Now’

-- Game Commission Highlights From Jan. 24 Commissioners Meeting

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Developer’s Land Swap With Game Commission Stirs Furor In Limerick, But Delaware County Would Gain Its First State Game Land

-- Reading Eagle: Christmas Trees Find New Purpose Creating Fish Habitat At Blue Marsh Lake Federal Recreation Area

-- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Hosts Winter Artisan 8 Workshop Series Starting Feb. 16 With How To Draw Owls With Local Artists

-- Lehigh Valley-based Wildlands Conservancy Highlights Upcoming Educational Programs And Outdoor Experiences: Winter Bird Walk; Snowshoe With Your Sweetheart; Flying Squirrel Research 

-- TribLive: PETA Proposes Replacing Punxsutawney Phil With Giant Hologram 

Visit the PA Environment Digest website to learn more.

REAL Leadership:

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[Posted: January 25, 2026]   PA Environment Digest