PA Environment Digest Blog: Thursday 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 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

TODAY 10:00: 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)

TODAY 6:00: 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-- 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-- 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-- 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 3-- NEW. 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-- NEW. 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 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.

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

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

-- 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]

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

-- 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 Feb. 16 Funding Conservation Webinar On US Natural Resources Conservation Service [PaEN]

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

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