PA Environment Digest Blog: Friday PA Environment & Energy Articles

NOTICE: PA Environment Digest will be closed Jan. 17 through Jan. 20, Will Reopen Jan. 21

“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 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 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

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

January 17-- In-Person. Protect PT Hosts Living Near Shale Gas Facilities Community Workshop. Unitarian Universalist Church of the South Hills, 1240 Washington Road, Pittsburgh. 1:00 to 4:30 p.m.

January 20-- Agenda Posted. Joint House Energy & Consumer Protection Technology and Utilities Committees hearing on Energy Affordability. Room 60 East Wing. 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Click Here to watch online.

January 22-- Agenda Posted. 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 22-- In-Person. Solar United Neighbors, Protect PT Host Solar Energy In Southwest PA Community Meeting In Westmoreland County. Protect PT Community Environmental Education Center, 3344 Route 130 Suite B, Harrison City. 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

January 26-- NEW. House Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 1834 (Matzie-D-Beaver) authorizing the Public Utility Commission to adopt regulations for data centers to protect ratepayers and the electric grid. Room 60 East Wing. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online. Read more here.

January 26-- NEW. House Energy Committee hearing on legislation sponsored by Rep. Kyle Donahue (D-Lackawanna) directing the Center for Local Government Services to draft a model ordinance and offer technical support to municipalities with regard to the siting of data centers [draft language] and legislation sponsored by Rep. Kyle Mullins (D-Lackawanna) requiring data centers in Pennsylvania to send information about their energy and water use to DEP and require DEP to aggregate the information and create an annual report on data center impacts [draft language]. Room 60 East Wing. 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Click Here to watch online. Read more here.

January 27-- House Energy Committee hearing on House Bill 2076 (Venkat-D- Allegheny) establishing a legal framework for the regulation of geothermal energy resources that are greater than 5,000 feet deep. Room B-31 Main Capitol. 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online. [Confirmed speakers Seith Pelepko, DEP Deputy Secretary for Oil and Gas Management, John Walliser, PA Environmental Council.] Read more here.

January 27-- Virtual. Protect PT, FracTracker Alliance Host Online Program Providing The Latest On Shale Gas Development And Information Tool. Noon.

February 2-- NEW. House Energy Committee hearing on legislation sponsored by Rep. Kyle Donahue (D-Lackawanna) to mandate the creation of Virtual Powerplant programs in Pennsylvania [draft language]. Room 60 East Wing. 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Click Here to watch online. Read more here.

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.

February 26-- Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearing: 1:00 - Department of Environmental Protection.

March 2-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearing: 1:00 - Departments of Environmental Protection and Conservation and Natural Resources. Click Here to watch live.

March 3-- Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearing: 1:00 - Public Utility Commission.

March 5-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearing: 1:00 - Public Utility Commission. Click Here to watch live.

-- AP: How The White House And A Bipartisan Group Of Governors, Including Gov. Shapiro, Want To Fix A.I. Power Shortages And Price Spikes; Friday Announcement

-- Bloomberg: President, NE State Governors, Including Gov. Shapiro, Move To Make Tech Giants Pay For Surging Power Costs; Friday Announcement

-- Utility Dive: PJM Updates 20-Year Forecast Of Electricity Demand Growth, Reducing Short Term Growth Estimates By Up To 2.6%, Increasing 2035 Estimate By 3.3% [PaEN]

-- PennTAP Now Accepting Applications For RISE PA Decarbonization Grants For Small, Mid-Sized Manufacturers [PaEN]

-- Green Building Alliance Hosts Jan. 29 Webinar On Opportunities For Training, Certification For Jobs Related To High-Performance Buildings, Sustainability [PaEN]

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: Renewable Energy Projects Could Help With Energy Affordability In PA, Advocates Say

-- PUC Approves Rate Increases For Wellsboro Electric (18.1%), Valley Energy-Gas (12.2%), Citizens’ Electric Of Lewisburg (6.8%)

-- PUC Approves $35,000 Penalty Against Pronto Plumbing For 2022 Natural Gas Home Explosion In Dauphin County [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Launches A.I. Agricultural Information Assistant Tilva™ [PaEN]

-- Schuylkill River Greenways Now Accepting Letters Of Intent For Watershed Restoration Grants [PaEN]