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]

House Voting Schedule

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

Senate Voting Schedule

April 20, 21, 22

May 4, 5, 6

June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events

TODAY 11:00: DCNR Kics Off America250PA GeoTrail In York County

TODAY 11:30: DEP, Fish & Boat Commission To Stock Conowingo Creek, Highlight Stream Restoration Projects In Lancaster County

TODAY 12:30: Virtual. PennFuture, Partners Host Webinar On PUC A.I. Data Centers Large Load Model Tariff . 12:30 to 2:00 p.m.

April 13-- NEW. House Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 2076 (Venkat-D- Allegheny, Williams-R-Chester), bipartisan legislation that would establish a regulatory framework for the generation of geothermal resources in the state. [draft amendment]; House Bill 2223 (Fiedler-D- Philadelphia) requiring electric utilities to evaluate the use of advanced transmission technologies when they file transmission line siting applications [draft amendment]; House Bill 2347 (Fiedler-D-Philadelphia) would update the duties of the PA Energy Development Authority and board membership. Room 205 Ryan Building. 10:30 a.m. Click Here to watch online. Read more here on the agenda.

April 13-- Virtual. Penn State Extension Webinar On Geothermal Energy Opportunities. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

April 14-- NEW. House Energy Committee holds a hearing on House Bill 2348 (Fiedler-D- Philadelphia) updating the state’s net metering policy related to renewable and other distributed energy resources. Room 60 East Wing of the Main Capital. 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

April 14-- Agenda Posted. Environmental Quality Board meeting. 9:00 a.m. Contact: Laura Griffin, Regulatory Coordinator, laurgriffi@pa.gov, (717) 772-3277.

April 14-- Agenda Posted. DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. 12:30 p.m. Contact: Ian Irvin iirvin@pa.gov or 717-579-0329. Read more here on agenda.

April 16-- DCED PA Grade Crude [Oil] Development Advisory Council meeting. Penn State, State College. 10:00. Contact: Adam Walters 717-214-6548 or adwalters@pa.gov.

April 30-- DEP Oil & Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting. 10:00 a.m. Contact: Todd M. Wallace twallace@pa.gov. (formal notice)

-- PA Assn. Of Environmental Educators Announce Recipients Of 2026 PAEE Awards, Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience Awards [PaEN]

-- PA Recycling Markets Center Study: Recycling Industries Support Over 319,000 Jobs; Contributes $130.5 Billion To The Economy - Over 3 Times That Of The Shale Gas Industry [PaEN]

-- Local Governments: Apply To DEP’s Community Energy Development Program By April 15 For Help In Developing Energy Transition Plans [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: DEP Fines Eureka Resources $100,000 For Oil & Gas Wastewater Spills, Other Violations In Bradford, Lycoming County

-- Public Source Pittsburgh: DEP Hearing On Shell Petrochemical Plant Air Permit Brings Out Economic Benefits And Health, Compliance Concerns

-- PUC Published Proposed Rule For Comment On Distributed Energy Resources, Virtual Power Plant Participation In Wholesale Energy Markets

-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA Is One Of The World’s Top Energy Producers, So Why Can’t It Build Pipelines? - By T.J. Rooney, Lobbyist, Tri State Strategies [DEP Permits Not The Problem; Pipelines Fined Over $71 Million + Multiple Criminal Charges]

-- PA Capital-Star: President’s ICE Has Appealed DEP Orders Requiring Sewage, Drinking Water Plans For Proposed Warehouse Detention Centers In Berks, Schuylkill County

-- Stroud Water Research Center: New Clean Water Partnership With University Of Pennsylvania’s Veterinary School At New Bolton Center; Bringing Back Eastern Brook Trout; LaMotte Company Honored [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension, Tri-County Conewago Creek Assn. Hold April 25 Volunteer Riparian Buffer Planting In Elizabethtown, Lancaster County. 1:00 p.m.

-- PA Resources Council: Celebrate Earth Day By Attending PRC’s April Events On Backyard Composting, Native Plants, Recycling And Waste Reduction, Much More

-- TribLive: Free Earth Day Celebration Set At Bradford Woods Reserve April 25, Allegheny County

-- April 11 - Pennsylvania Bulletin Now Available

-- Pennsylvania Invests More Than $10.2 Million To Ensure 31 Farms, 2,645 Acres Of Prime Farmland In 20 Counties Stay Farms Forever [PaEN]

-- TribLive: Forecasters Caution Of Wildfire Risk In Allegheny County

-- Wildlands Conservancy Brings Prescribed Fire Back To Maple Tract Preserve In Monroe County

-- Wildlands Conservation April 17 Eco-Tour Of The Maple Tract Preserve Prescribed Burn Tract In Monroe County

-- TribLive: Small Space, Big Environmental Impact: Aspinwall Resident To Plant Public Pollinator Garden In Allegheny County

A.I. /Data Centers

-- Scranton Times: Wildcat Ridge A.I. Data Center New York Developer Launches Campaign Touting Finances, Questioning Opponents Of The Project To Build 12 Data Centers Using 3.3 Million Gallons Of Water/Day, 1.6 GW Of Electricity [PDF of Article]

-- TribLive: Upper Burrell TECFusions A.I. Data Center Town Hall Scheduled For May 5 In Westmoreland County

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Butler Twp. Prepares A.I. Data Center Rules In Luzerne County, May 12 Hearing

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Hunlock Creek 146-MW Natural Gas Power Plant Expresses Interest In Building A.I. Data Center In Hunlock Twp., Luzerne County

-- Morning Call: Lower Mount Bethel Residents Raise Concerns About A.I. Data Center Proposal At Town Hall In Northampton County: ‘We Don’t Want It’

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- Today’s Violations: DEP pre-plugging inspection of 2 EOG Resources, Inc. Oberkamper shale gas wells in Bradford County, Springfield Twp. due to casing/cementing failures discovered 2,468 days ago and counting. DEP inspection report.

-- Today’s Violations: DEP follow-up inspection of 3 Thomas & Jean Thurma conventional wells in Washington County, Cecil Twp. (2) and Beaver County, Independence Twp. found no action taken to cleanup or respond to violations for 112 days and counting. DEP inspection report.

-- Today’s Violations: DEP complaint inspection of MKP Enterprises Inc. conventional well in City of Erie found well abandoned, not plugged and leaking gas, owner failed to submit annual reports. DEP inspection report.

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- April 10 PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Drops 2 Cents From Yesterday, Now $1.06/Gallon Higher To $4.17 Since Feb. 27 [Warren County, PA Climbed To $4.39, Home Of Conventional Oil Industry]

-- April 10: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.15 Ohio- $3.91 PA- $4.17

-- Feb. 27: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $2.98 Ohio- $2.79 PA- $3.11

-- AP: Largest Monthly Jump In Gasoline Prices In 60 Years Lead To Biggest US Monthly Inflation Spike In 4 Years- 3.3%

-- Utility Dive: Supply Crunch For Natural Gas Power Plant Turbines Set To Raise Prices 195% By 2027; 5 Year Wait For Large Turbines, Report

Federal Administration

-- Post-Gazette/AP: President’s EPA Proposes Gutting Rules Targeting Coal Plant Ash Pollution That Threatens Groundwater

-- NRDC: EPA Proposes To Weaken Safeguards Against Coal Ash Pollution In Groundwater

-- EPA Proposes More Changes To Disposal Of Coal Combustion Residuals And Beneficial Use Requirements

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected