PA Environment Digest Blog: Friday 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

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

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

-- DEP Northwest Regional Office Closed Due To Water Main Break Jan. 30

February 2-- 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. 9:30 a.m. Click Here to watch online. Read more here.

February 2-- Agenda Posted. 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.

February 2-- House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee meets to consider House Bill 1759 (Scott-D-Montgomery) allows municipalities to adopt penalties for dumping tires (sponsor summary). Room 515 Irvis Building. 11:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

February 3-- Governor’s Budget Address

February 3-- House Game & Fisheries Committee informational meeting on Game Commission 2025 Annual Report. Room 523 Irvis Building. 9:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

February 4-- House Game & Fisheries Committee informational meeting on Fish & Boat Commission 2025 Annual Report. Room G-50 Irvis Building. 9:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

February 5-- Agenda Posted. DEP Agricultural Advisory Board meeting. 1:00 p.m. Contact: Bob Haines robhaines@pa.gov or 717-787-7565.

February 5-- Agenda Posted. DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. 9:15 a.m. Contact: RA-EPAQTAC@pa.gov.

February 6-- Agenda Posted. DEP Environmental Justice Advisory Board meeting. 9:00 a.m. Contact: Mariana Fletcher marifletch@pa.gov or 717-497-0714.

February 9-- NEW. House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee to hold hearing on Stream Impairment In Pennsylvania. Room G-50 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

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.

-- Conestoga River Named Pennsylvania’s 2026 River of the Year; The Conestoga River Club Dedicated The Honor To Ad Crable, A Revered Outdoor Journalist [PaEN]

-- LancasterOnline: The Conestoga Wins 2026 PA River Of The Year

-- LehighValleyLive: Once Polluted, Conestoga River In Lancaster County Now PA River Of The Year For 2026

-- Registration Open! WeConservePA Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference April 29 - May 1 In Lancaster [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Feb. 24-25 In-Person Trees, Watersheds And Streams Educators Workshop In Chester County [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Watershed News: PFAS In Surface Water & Fish; Why Are Streams Heating Up; Watershed-Friendly Deicing; Online Learning Opportunities

-- PJM Interconnection Cold Weather Operations To Continue Thru Feb. 2; Electricity Demands Now Projected To Be Below Record Winter Peak [PaEN]

-- Observer-Reporter: Officials Monitoring Ice Build-Up On Western PA Rivers, No Threat For Ice Jams Just Yet

-- Post-Gazette: As Ice Forces Restrictions On Allegheny River Traffic, Businesses Stuck Waiting

-- PennLive: Carlisle Water Main Break Flooded, Froze Streets In Cumberland County

-- DCED Now Accepting Applications For PA Solar For Schools Grants [PaEN]

-- TribLive: US Army Corps Of Engineers Seeking Public Input On Project To Cleanup Nuclear Waste Dump In Parks Twp., Armstrong County

-- PennLive - John Beauge: Lycoming County Turns To Clinton County For Help To Get Landfill Back To Profitability

-- York Dispatch: Modern Landfill In York County Has At Least 5 Years To Operate, Officials Say

-- January 31 - Pennsylvania Bulletin Now Available

-- WESA: Union Workers Launch Initiative To Research Options For Soon-To-Be Closed Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

-- Courier Express: DuBois City Council Moves Forward With Creating Environmental Advisory Council In Clearfield County

-- Erie Times: Erie’s Amazing Ice Dunes Aren’t Safe, Enjoy These Photos Instead

-- Erie Times: New Tom Ridge Environmental Center Exhibit Highlights Wetland Wonders At Presque Isle

-- Discover NE PA: Explore Schuylkill County This Season With Outdoor Adventures, Parades and Can’t-Miss Events

-- PA iMapInvasives Program News: Critical Needs Identified In Updated Invasive Species Plan; Anglers Help Shape Invasives Strategies; New Year Invasive Species Challenge

-- Game Commission: Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area 2026 Event Guide Now Available

-- Help Wanted: Pennsylvania Sea Grant Part-time Digital Engagement Specialist [PaEN]

-- Help Wanted: PA County Conservation Districts Are Hiring!

A.I. /Data Centers

-- Scranton Times: Jermyn Boro To Hold Feb. 5 A.I. Data Center Town Hall In Lackawanna County [PDF of Article]

-- Inquirer: Developer Looks To Expand Data Center Onto Superfund Site In East Whiteland Twp., Chester County

-- WHYY: Delaware Lawmakers Want To Protect Residents From A.I. Data Center-Driven Electricity Rate Hikes

-- Inside Climate News: A.I. Data Centers On PJM Grid Can Rely Solely On Generators During The Cold, DOE Rules

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- Today’s Violations: Courier Times: Cong. Fitzpatrick, Officials Still Seek Answers To Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Rupture In Upper Makefield Twp. Bucks County A Year Later [PDF of Article]

-- Today’s Violations: DEP inspection of a Oil & Gas SVC Inc. conventional oil and gas well in Pike Twp., Clearfield County found the owner failed to plug this abandoned well for 6,158 days and counting. Read more here.

Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Explosion

-- TribLive: Pollution Control Equipment At US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Fails Resulting In Elevated Hydrogen Sulfide Levels

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Equipment Failure Leads To Elevated Air Pollution Readings

-- Post-Gazette: Allegheny County Warns Of Limited Pollution From US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Pollution Controls Failure

Gas Explosions

-- Republican Herald: House Passes Legislation To Address Natural Gas Safety After Fatal Reading Chocolate Factory Blast Killed 7 People [PDF of Article]

-- WNEP: Homes Evacuated After Natural Gas Pipeline Hit In Scranton

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- Utility Dive: US Coal-Fired Generation Jumped 31%, Gas-Fired Generation Increased 14% During Winter Storm Fern: US EIA

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- Tribune-Democrat: Garrity Backs Allegheny County Republican Chair For PA Lt. Gov