The natural gas company EQT Corporation helped bring the parties together to advance the transaction in support of the Penguins Pledge Sustainability Initiative.
The Penguins purchased and retired the credits generated from forested lands permanently protected and stewarded by ALT in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Certified through City Forest Credits, the credits represent verified carbon captured, stormwater absorbed and air quality improved through conserved forests across the region.
Once purchased and retired on behalf of the Penguins, the credits are no longer available for sale.
By partnering with ALT, the Penguins are addressing a global climate challenge while directly investing in forests local to the communities where their fans live and work.
The transaction connects international climate responsibility with measurable local impact.
“Protecting forests is one of the most effective climate strategies we have,” said Carrie Gilbert, ALT President & CEO. “By protecting forests and quantifying their climate benefits, we’re creating locally rooted solutions that address global challenges while improving quality of life across our region.”
What Is A Carbon Credit?
A carbon credit represents one metric ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) that has been removed from the atmosphere or prevented from being released. Forests naturally absorb and store carbon.
Through third-party certification, the stored carbon in forests can be measured, verified and issued as credits.
When an organization purchases and retires a credit, it uses that verified carbon storage to balance its own emissions as part of a broader sustainability strategy.
ALT generated carbon credits by acquiring forested land for permanent conservation and stewardship to benefit the public in perpetuity.
The credits in this transaction originate from ALT’s successful permanent protection of the following lands:
-- Buena Vista Heights Conservation Area (155 acres, conserved in 2020, Elizabeth Township, Allegheny County)
-- Buerkle Woodlands Conservation Area (64 acres, conserved in 2022, Sewickley Hills Borough and Ohio Township, Allegheny County)
-- Glade Run Lake Conservation Project (53 acres, conserved in 2022, Middlesex Township, Butler County – ownership transferred to the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission)
These lands contribute to long-term carbon storage, air quality improvements, watershed protection, habitat conservation and public access to green space.
To qualify, ALT completes a rigorous application process that includes a forest inventory, carbon baseline analysis and a third-party verification.
The credits reflect the real carbon sequestered from permanent land protection and active stewardship.
Through the program, ALT holds ongoing responsibility to monitor these places for forty years, even after the credits are retired.
“At EQT, we believe meaningful environmental stewardship begins in the communities where we live and work,” said Mike Starck, Head of New Ventures at EQT Corporation. “Facilitating this investment connects EQT’s and the Penguins’ Net Zero partnership with permanently protected forests here in southwestern Pennsylvania.
“By supporting locally generated, third-party verified carbon credits, we’re helping translate sustainability goals into measurable benefits for our region, strengthening forests, improving air and water quality and delivering lasting value for local communities,” Starck said
While many carbon markets involve distant projects, this transaction hyper-focuses investment in the Pittsburgh region.
The Penguin's purchase reinforces that global climate solutions can be enacted locally.
Through its partnership with the Penguins, EQT is helping to align corporate sustainability leadership with tangible, regional impacts that strengthen forests visited and enjoyed by local community members.
“We’re grateful to the Pittsburgh Penguins and EQT for proactively supporting the environment right at home,” Gilbert said. “This partnership shows how we can come together to create measurable impact for both people and the planet.”
The specific financial details of the contract and the transaction are private information, according to the Trust.
Click Here for the Trust announcement.
For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming educational programs and other events, visit the Allegheny Land Trust website. Click Here to read the Trust’s most recent newsletter. Click Here to add your email to their mailing list. Click Here to support their work.
PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Feb. 28 to March 6 - Abandoned Conventional Wells Hit 100; Investigating Seismic Event Near Wastewater Injection Well; Well Transfer Violations [PaEN]
-- DEP Investigating Seismic Event Near Penneco Environmental Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Plum Boro, Allegheny County [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 7 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Air Quality Permit For MarkWest Harmon Creek Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County [PaEN]
-- DEP Accepting Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For 8 Mile, 24-Inch EQT ARO LLC Water Pipeline To Support Shale Gas Development In State Forest Land In Lycoming County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For A Double 16-Inch Expand Operating LLC Water Pipelines To Support Shale Gas Development In Standing Stone Twp., Bradford County [PaEN]
-- DEP Accepting Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For Double 16-Inch Expand Operating LLC Water Pipelines To Support Shale Gas Development In Forkston, North Branch & Windham Twps., Wyoming County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 74 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 7 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- PA Shale Gas & Public Health Conference: Dr. Gary Allison - 75% Of Shale Gas Chemical Disclosure Listings Hide What’s In 200 Million Pounds Of Materials Used In PA Fracking; A Colorado Law Would Fix That [PaEN]
-- Protect PT To Hold Workshops In Plum Boro March 12, Monessen March 19 On How To Protect Your Community From Environmental Threats Caused By Shale Gas Development [PaEN]
-- Environmental Quality Board Meets March 10 On Final Stream Redesignations Package; Report Due On DEP Review Of The Petition To Increase Setbacks From Shale Gas Wells, 4 Other Petitions [PaEN]
-- DCNR House Budget Hearing: House Republicans Propose More Shale Drilling In State Forest Land, Under State Parks; Gas Drilling Has Caused The Loss Of 30,000 Acres Of Core State Forest Land So Far [PaEN]
-- Senate PUC Budget Hearing: PUC Chair Says PJM Market Auction Not Designed For Data Center Demands; PA Needs To Diversify Fuels Used To Generate Electricity; Bring Your Own Power Critical [PaEN]
-- House Committee Reports Out Bills To Require Data Centers To Disclose Energy, Water Use, Direct DCED To Develop Model Data Center Ordinance [PaEN]
-- New Comprehensive Report Lays Out Case For 3-Year A.I. Data Center Moratorium To Be Introduced In Pennsylvania [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension Hosts April 7 Webinar On Data Centers - State And Local Regulation [PaEN]
-- Sen. Yaw Urges FERC To Allow PJM To Keep Charging Pennsylvania Ratepayers Record High Capacity Auction Prices For Power, But Charge Other States Even More [PaEN]
-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - March 9 [PaEN]
-- PUC Issues Cybersecurity Advisory To Electric, Natural Gas Other Utilities Amid Growing Global Tensions [PaEN]
-- PA Solar Center, Capital Good Fund Partner On Pennsylvania BRIGHT To Deliver Nearly 70 Solar Energy Projects Worth Up To $40 Million [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Needs To Act Now To Prevent A New $700 Million Increase In Electric Costs For Ratepayers - By Steve DeFrank, Chairman, Public Utility Commission [PaEN]
-- Energy Efficiency Alliance: March 12 Webinar - How Virtual Power Plants Strengthen Our Grid, Protect Ratepayers [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension Hosts April 13 Webinar On Geothermal Energy Opportunities [PaEN]
-- Pittsburgh Penguins Reduce Carbon Footprint By Buying Carbon Credits Supporting 272 Acres Of Green Space In Allegheny County [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- WESA/The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: MarkWest Spills Over 1 Million Gallons Of Drilling Fluid Into Abandoned Coal Mine During Pipeline Construction In Washington County
-- Bradford Era: No Injuries In Overnight Fire At American Refining Group Refinery In Bradford, McKean County
-- The Allegheny Front: Ohio - Water Districts, Municipalities Join Call For Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Moratorium
-- Utility Dive: US Warns Energy Companies To Increase Security In Response To Potential Threats From Iran; Utilities Lack Tools To Guard Grid From Drone Attacks
-- Morning Call/AP: Iran Strikes Amazon Data Centers In Middle East Highlighting Industry’s Vulnerability To Physical Disasters
-- The Derrick: War In Iran To Cause Massive Disruption In Oil Industry, According To Oil City Native & Middle East Expert Andrew Tabler [PDF of Article]
-- War Profits: Windfall Profits Tax On The Oil & Gas Industry? Household Rebates To Offset Spiking Energy Costs
-- Inside Climate News - Kiley Bense: How Will President’s War On Iran Affect Your Utility Bills?
-- Financial Times: Coal Prices Jump As Utilities Seek Alternative To Spiking Natural Gas Prices Due US President’s War With Iran
-- Reuters: There Is Little LNG Producers Can Do To Immediately Replace Lost Qatari Cargoes
-- Bloomberg: Oil Market Chaos Set To Deepen As More Gulf Giants Cut Output Because Of President’s Iran War
-- TribLive/AP: Energy Prices Surge As Tanker Disruptions And Facility Shutdowns Rattle Global Supply [US Natural Gas Prices Linked To World Markets Thanks To LNG]
-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Hit 3-Year High As Qatar LNG Halt Rocks Markets [US Natural Gas Prices Linked To World Markets Thanks To LNG]
-- The Economist: The Nightmare Iran Energy Scenario Is Becoming Reality [PDF of Article]
-- Bloomberg: President’s War On Iran Has Traders Staring Down An Energy Crisis [War-Caused Price Spikes Good For Oil & Gas Companies, Bad For Consumers]
-- Financial Times: US Shale Drillers Resist Quick Ride To Rescue For Iran War Oil Disruption [PDF of Article]
[Posted: March 4, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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