Awards/Recognition
-- DCNR Feature: America’s Story Lives On Pennsylvania’s Land - DCNR And America250PA [PaEN]
-- DCNR Feature: Women Shaping Pennsylvania’s Forests From Mira Lloyd Dock To Today’s Community Forestry Leaders [PaEN]
-- Society Of Women Environmental Professionals Of Greater Philadelphia Accepting Applications For Grants To Groups, Programs Encouraging Girls & Women In Sciences, Engineering Or Environmental Fields [PaEN]
-- Keep PA Beautiful 2025 Annual Report: 35 Years, 3 Million Volunteers, Cleaned Up 165 Million Tons Of Trash, 1.2 Million Tires [PaEN]
-- TribLive Editorial: Laurels To Fox Chapel Senior Kabeer Chopra For Organizing A Volunteer Recycling Network In Allegheny County
-- Centre County Gazette: ClearWater Conservancy Marks 30 Years Of Watershed Cleanup Day On April 18
-- WNEP: Montour County’s 129-Year-Old Hess Loop Trail Recognized As The Nation’s Oldest Rail-To-Trail
-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Now Accepting Entries For The Save The Bay Photo Contest [PaEN]
Grants
-- DCNR Grants News: Coldwater Conservation Grants; Pine Creek PA Trail Of Year; Western, Eastern PA Trail Summits; Wildfire Fighting Assistance; C2P2 Grants Due April 30
-- Society Of Women Environmental Professionals Of Greater Philadelphia Accepting Applications For Grants To Groups, Programs Encouraging Girls & Women In Sciences, Engineering Or Environmental Fields [PaEN]
Help Wanted
-- Help Wanted: Allegheny County Dept. of Sustainability - Deputy Director For Outreach, Education
-- Help Wanted: Susquehanna Greenway Partnership Program Coordinator, Operations Assistant
Upcoming Events
-- PUC To Host March 19 Meeting Of PA Sustainable Energy Board [PaEN]
-- Penn State's Prepare PA Hosts 4 Regional Meetings Of The PA Climate Network In March, April [PaEN]
-- The Allegheny Front: Penn State’s Prepare PA Network Aims To Help Communities Build Climate Resiliency
-- Observer-Reporter: Lyme Disease Meetings Scheduled In Washington County
-- PA Resources Council Announces 10 Western PA Hard-To-Recycle, Household Chemical Collection Events In 2026 [PaEN]
-- PA Solar Center March 27 Webinar: Helping Faith Institutions Go Solar With Solar Faithful [PaEN]
-- University Of Scranton, Partners Host March 30 In-Person Program On How A.I. Data Centers Are Reshaping Pennsylvania's Energy Landscape, Pearn Auditorium, Scranton [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension March 30 Webinar: Managing Landscapes For Bumble Bees, 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
-- Penn State Extension Hosts March 31 Webinar - A.I. Data Centers In Pennsylvania Part 2 - Why Here? Why Now? [PaEN]
-- South Mountain Partnership Spring Partnership & Regional Trail Coalition Meeting April 10, Dillsburg, York County 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
-- Penn State Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Hosts April 16 Webinar On Cover Crops And Conservation [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension April 28 Webinar On Practical Strategies To Mitigate Concentrated Water Flow And Strengthen The Effectiveness Of Riparian Buffers [PaEN]
Public Participation
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 14 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 77 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 14 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- Mountain Watershed Assn. To Hold March 23 & 24 Public Input Meetings On Youghiogheny River Conservation Plan (Part 2) In Allegheny, Westmoreland Counties [PaEN]
-- DCNR’s Conservation & Natural Resources Council Meets March 25 On Cooperative Efforts To Advance Aquatic Passageways and Habitat Improvements [PaEN]
-- DEP Sets April 9 Hearing On Proposed Hazardous Sites Cleanup Response At The Mahoning Street Milton Radioactive Materials Site In Northumberland County [PaEN]
-- DEP Reaches $11.4 Million Settlement With Four Companies For Bishop Tube Site Cleanup In Chester County; Public Comments Due May 14 [PaEN]
-- WHYY - Zoe Read: DEP Reaches $11.4 Million Deal To Cleanup Toxic Bishop Tube Site In Chester County
-- DEP Accepting Comments On Proposed Consent Agreement On Landis Creek Hazardous Site In Montgomery County; Comments Due May 14 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Proposed Purchase/Cleanup Agreement For The Waynesboro TCE Hazardous Site In Franklin County; Comments Due May 14
-- Philadelphia Air Management Services To Hold Virtual April 30 Hearing On Air Quality Permit For Children’s Hospital Of Philadelphia Parking Garage [PaEN]
-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Invites Comments On DEP's Act 54 Report Documenting Adverse Impacts Of Longwall And Underground Coal Mining On Structures, Surface And Ground Water; Report Says 20% Of Undermined Streams Damaged [PaEN]
-- DEP Briefing: Proposed Changes To Biosolids Permits To Reduce Risks From PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Phosphorus Pollution, Improper Storage, Set More Robust Testing Standards [PaEN]
-- Reading Eagle: New Plan Floats Improvements For Kernsville Dam Recreation Area
Programs/Information
-- DEP Invests $15.2 Million In Federal Fund To Support 15 Local Abandoned Mine Reclamation Projects In 11 Counties; Next Grant Round Opens April 1 [PaEN]
-- Tribune-Democrat: Bens Creek Mine Drainage Treatment Project, Adams Township Coal Cleanup Receive State Funds In Somerset County
-- Republican Herald: 2 Abandoned Coal Mine Sites In Schuylkill County To Be Reclaimed With $8 Million In State Grants
-- The Allegheny Front: USDA Restores $59 Million Contract With PASA Sustainable Agriculture Farm Group To Strengthen Agricultural Communities
-- Keep PA Beautiful 2025 Annual Report: 35 Years, 3 Million Volunteers, Cleaned Up 165 Million Tons Of Trash, 1.2 Million Tires [PaEN]
-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: PA Hosting More Than 209 Million Visitors In 2026 - PennDOT Encourages Participation In Pick Up Pennsylvania Litter Cleanup Initiative
-- TribLive: Volunteers Needed For Spring Cleanup, Adopt-A-Road Program In McCandless, Allegheny County
-- Hazelwood Initiative, Inc., Volpatt Construction, Construction Junction Pilot Material Reuse Strategy For Affordable Housing Renovation In Pittsburgh [PaEN]
-- TribLive: Hazelwood Home Renovation Tests Power Of Recycled Building Materials In Pittsburgh
-- Post-Gazette - Mary Ann Thomas: After 3-Year Preservation Project, Tours Begin March 14 At Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater
-- PA Natural Heritage Program: New Fungus, Mushroom, Lichen Species Lists [PaEN]
-- Lancaster Farming: Penn State Study - Biochar Boosts Soil Water Retention
-- Senators Malone, Miller Announce Bill To Protect Private Well Users By Licensing Water Well Drillers [PaEN]
-- PUC & Partners Offer ‘Be Utility Wise’ Human Services Professional Development Conference, Consumer Assistance & Resources In Philadelphia
-- Post-Gazette - Laura Legere: Making Homes More Energy Efficient Means Using Better Methods, A Conversation With Energy Efficiency Empowerment Founder Lucyna de Barbaro
-- TribLive: NFL Draft Sustainability Plan Calls For Tree Planting, Food Recovery In Pittsburgh
-- DCNR Feature: America’s Story Lives On Pennsylvania’s Land - DCNR And America250PA [PaEN]
-- Sen. Yaw Highlights Pennsylvania’s Leadership, Regional Progress in 2025 Chesapeake Bay Commission Annual Report [PaEN]
-- PennLive Guest Essay: Conservation Works For Farms, But Congress Must Keep It Going In Federal Farm Bill Funding - By William Thiele, Butler County Dairy Farmer
-- Lancaster Farming: Neighboring Stream Buffers A Win-Win For Farmers And Chesapeake Bay In Lancaster County
-- LancasterOnline: New Group Celebrates Art Inspired By Susquehanna River, Wants To Open Museum
-- Susquehanna Greenway Partnership: Spring On The Wing - Bird Migration Season On The Susquehanna River
-- PennLive: Spring Is In The Air And Snakes Are Out, PA Has 3 Venomous Species To Be Aware Of
A.I./Data Centers
-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewsClips From Last Week - March 16 [PaEN]
-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader Guess Essay: PA Never Had A Plan To Prepare For A.I. Data Centers, We Need A Temporary Statewide Moratorium - By Bill Jones, Republican Candidate For PA House District 117
-- Spotlight PA: Pennsylvania’s A.I. Data Center Boom, By The Numbers: 53 Data Center Proposals; State Could Lose $2 Billion In Tax Money; 800% Increase In PJM Power Costs
-- ReedSmith Law: Navigating Permitted Challenges: A Practical Guide For A.I. Data Center Development In Pennsylvania
-- Erie Times: Can Tech Companies Bring Their Own Electricity To Power A.I. Data Centers [Like They Promised The President] In PA? [PDF of Article]
-- LehghValleyLive.com: New Jersey Promoting Community Solar Energy Projects That Offer Steep Cuts To Electric Bills [Why Not PA?]
-- WESA/NPR: Easy-To-Use, Plug-In Solar Energy Panels To Reduce Electric Bills Are Here, But Utilities Are Trying To Delay Them
-- TribLive/AP: A.I. Data Centers Spurring A Big Expansion Of High-Voltage Power Lines, Landowners And Locals Are Fighting Back [PA Highlighted]
-- PJM Interconnection Latest Power Auction Results In $164.70/MW-Day Clearing Price, Well Below $329/MW-Day Price Cap, Below Collar Floor [PaEN]
-- Utility Dive: ‘Clear Warning Signs’ As PJM Wholesale Power Costs Jump 54% In One Year
-- PPL Utilities Files Non-Unanimous Rate Settlement Cutting Increase From $13.37/month To $7.42/Month; Providing 2-Year Freeze On Rates; Adding Large Load Tariff; $11 Million In Low-Income Energy Assistance [PaEN]
-- Bloomberg: US Natural Gas Prices Following Global Prices Up And Down During President’s War With Iran
-- Financial Times: US Oil/Gas Producers In Line For $63 Billion Windfall From Gulf War Disruption [PDF of Article]
Background On Issues
-- DEP Tells Environmental Quality Board It Is Looking To Make A Recommendation On Petition To Increase Setbacks From Shale Gas Wells By The End Of 2026 [PaEN]
-- Environmental Hearing Board Grants Request By Center For Coalfield Justice To Intervene In EQT Production Co. Appeal Of DEP Records Request In Ongoing Investigation Of 940,000 Gallon Shale Gas Wastewater Spill In Washington County, Six Other Well Pads [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 7 to 13: Spring Break Out Of E&S Violations; New Shale Casing/Cementing Failures; 840,000 Gallon Freshwater Release; 21 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations [PaEN]
-- DEP Working With Heirs Of Deceased Owner Of 43 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells On State Game Land In Venango County To Clarify Current Status [PaEN]
-- DEP’s Initial Findings In First Report On Sampling Landfill Leachate For Radioactive Radium-- 'No Significant Risk To Human Health’ Based On Concerns About Radioactive Materials In Oil/Gas Drilling Wastes; ‘Limited’ Data Means More Sampling Needed [PaEN]
-- Post-Gazette - Laura Legere: DEP Study Finds ‘No Risk To Human Health’ From Radiation In Wastewater From PA Landfills; More Sampling Recommended
-- Inside Climate News - Kiley Bense: PA DEP Publishes Long-Awaited Study On Radioactivity In Landfill Leachate [Former DEP Radiation Protection Director Said Annual Sampling Required Because Landfills Change Over Time]
-- WHYY: Philadelphia Officials Announce New Funding For Cobbs Creek Restoration Project
-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Philly To Spend $9 Million To Restore Streams At Cobbs Creek Golf Course To Stem Flooding
-- US Fish & Wildlife Service: Restoring Yellow Creek In Bedford County - Conservation For Wildlife, Water And Communities
-- York Daily Record: Timeline Shows Environmental Disaster Unleashed By J&K Junkyard Fire In York County
-- York Daily Record: Crews Find 47 Drums Of ‘Unknown Product” At J&K Junkyard Fire Site In York County
-- York Daily Record: York County Junkyard Fire Cleanup Moves To Next Phase, Investigations To Follow
-- LancasterOnline: EPA: No Contamination From York County Junkyard Fire Found In Susquehanna, Investigations Underway
-- York Daily Record: Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper Asks Federal Court To Shut J&K Junkyard, Site Of Massive Fire, For Violating Environmental Laws
-- LancasterOnline: Federal Judge Orders York County Junkyard To ‘Cease Operations’ Over Environmental Impact After Recent Fire
-- Post-Gazette: Debate Continues Over 730-Acre, $300 Million Solar Energy Facility In Jefferson Twp., Washington County
-- TribLive: East Huntingdon Twp., Developer Reach Deal To End Lawsuit Challenging Solar Energy Facility Ordinance In Westmoreland County
-- WNEP: Wind Turbine Catches Fire In Wayne County
-- PennLive - John Beauge: Sanctions Sought In Federal Court By Lancaster Consultant Against Texas Developer That Proposed Now Defunct $1.1 Billion Plastics Processing Facility In Northumberland County For Not Paying Its Bills
-- Financial Times: Iran War Energy Shock Will Force Businesses To Rethink Energy [Beyond Oil/Natural Gas] ‘No One Will Leave Themselves Exposed Like This Again’ [PDF of Article]
-- The Economist: An Attack On The World Economy - Whatever Happens In The Strait Of Hormuz, Energy Markets Have Been Changed For Ever [PDF of Article]
-- WHYY: PA Wants To Reduce Vehicle Collisions With Animals Using Wildlife Corridors
-- Post-Gazette: Penn Hills Wildlife Rehab Center Pauses New Admissions To Prepare For Baby Season
-- WNEP: Wildlife Rehabilitation Center To Open In Lycoming County
Visit the DEP Calendar of Events; PA Parks & Forests Foundation’s Events webpage and DCNR’s Calendar of Events for activities happening near you.
Visit DEP’s Teaching Green webpage to learn about more environmental education resources.
Visit the PA Environment Digest Calendar Of Events for more opportunities.
[Posted: March 15, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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