PA Environment Digest Blog: Friday PA Environment & Energy Articles & NewsClips: 1.2.26

“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]

"It is never too late to do the right thing." -- Nelson Mandela

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

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

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events

January 6-- DEP Public Meeting On Project Gravity A.I. Data Center Proposal Water Quality Permits In Archbald Boro, Lackawanna County. Valley View High School, 1 Columbus Drive Archbald, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

January 6-- Southwest PA Environmental Literacy Coalition Online Meeting. 4:00 p.m.

January 10-17-- 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show. Harrisburg.

January 13-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. 12:30 p.m. Contact: Ian Irvin iirvin@pa.gov or 717-579-0329.

January 13-- DEP Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board meeting. 10:00 a.m. Contact: Daniel E. Snowden (717) 783-8846 or RA-EPMININGADVISORY@pa.gov. (formal notice)

January 13-- Penn State Extension Webinar - Spotted Lanternfly Research Updates & Panel Discussion. Noon to 1:30 p.m.

January 14-- Agenda Posted. DEP Water Resources Advisory Committee meeting. 9:30 a.m. Contact: Bob Haines robhaines@pa.gov or 717-787-7565. [Agenda: Biosolids Program Update, Draft Fee Reports]

January 14-- DEP Coastal Zone Advisory Committee meeting. 9:30 a.m. Contact: Stacey Box 717-772-5622 or sbox@pa.gov.

January 14-- DEP Technical Advisory Committee on Diesel-Powered [Coal Mining] Equipment meeting. DEP New Stanton Office. 10:00 a.m. Contact: Peggy Scheloske mscheloske@pa.gov or 724-404-3143.

January 14-- Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper Hosts Data Centers in the Susquehanna River Basin – Let's Talk Water Usage With SRBC. Wrightsville, York County. 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

February 19-- In-Person/Online. PA League Of Women Voters, Duquesne University Host Shale Gas & Public Health Conference. Pittsburgh. 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

-- DEP Publishes Final Environmental Justice Permit Review And Public Participation Policy, Update To PennEnviroScreen EJ Tool [PaEN]

-- Protect PT Hosts Jan. 17 Living Near Shale Gas Facilities Community Workshop In Pittsburgh [PaEN]

-- Protect PT, FracTracker Alliance Host Jan. 27 Online Program Providing The Latest On Shale Gas Development And Information Tools [PaEN]

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: New CNX Resources CEO Takes The Helm Following Rapid Rise Through Company Ranks [PDF of Article]

-- Western/Eastern PA Coalitions For Abandoned Mine Reclamation Now Accepting Applications For ARIPPA Watershed Restoration Grants [PaEN]

-- Solar United Neighbors, Protect PT Host Jan. 22 Solar Energy In Southwest PA Community Meeting In Westmoreland County [PaEN]

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: Electric Vehicle Chargers Now Available For PA Turnpike Travelers

-- DEP: A&M Composting Facility Fire In Penn Twp., Lancaster County Reignited Dec. 28 And Continues To Burn Within The Facility

-- January 3 - Pennsylvania Bulletin Now Available

-- NorthPennNow.com: Montgomery County Partnership For Transportation Launches New Project To Expand The Liberty Bell Trail

-- York Daily Record- Brian Whipkey: Here’s Why Few Brook Trout Are Stocked In PA Streams

-- The Derrick: Seneca Rocks Audubon Chapter Holding Winter Bird Seed Sale Until Jan. 10

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- Today’s Violations: DEP issued violations to Chesapeake Appalachia LLC for new shale gas well casing/cementing failures at 2 shale gas wells [3H well, 24HC well] on the Shumhurst well pad in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County.

-- Today’s Violations: DEP: On Dec. 11 Rice Drilling B LLC [EQT] notified DEP of a release at a shale gas well pad in Aleppo Township, Greene County on Dec. 18 DEP found an unknown quantity of wastewater washed out of containment on to well pad, cleanup not completed. DEP inspection report.

-- Today’s Violations: DEP: Inspection of Seneca Resources Co LLC Chaapel Hollow pad shale gas well for casing/cementing failure in Gamble Township, Lycoming County first discovered on Dec. 31, 2015-- 3,638 days and counting. DEP inspection report.

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- National Fuel Gas Projects 2026-27 Natural Gas Costs To Increase 6.82%

-- WTAJ: National Fuel Natural Gas Prices Set To Rise For Over 200,000 Pennsylvanians In 2026

-- Beaver Times: National Fuel Gas Projected To Raise PA Customers’ Rates 6.82% In August

Other States/National

-- Fortune: Negative Prices For Electricity Getting More Common In Europe With Increase In Renewable Generation, While Americans Face Rising Energy Bills

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- Altoona Mirror Editorial: Pennsylvania Will Again Be In Political Spotlight In 2026 [PDF of Article]

-- CBS21: Sources: Gov. Shapiro To Kick Off Reelection Campaign Jan. 8

-- Morning Call: Candidate Selection Process For PA House Special Election Leads One Candidate To Withdraw

-- Post-Gazette: Investors Remain Outraged Over President’s Order To Free Convicted Fraudster That Fleeced Thousands Of People With Ties To Pittsburgh Area