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 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

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

DEP ADVISORY: DEP Southwest Regional Office in Pittsburgh Closed April 24 Due To NFL Draft Traffic

April 27-- House Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee meets to consider House Bill 2178 (Warren-R-Bucks) provides for duties and liabilities for persons responsible for a hazardous spill (sponsor summary). Room 205 Ryan Building. 11:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

April 27-- House Professional Licensure Committee meets to consider House Bill 2302 (Takac-D-Centre) requiring the licensing of water well drillers (sponsor summary). Room G-50 Irvis Building. 11:30 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

April 28-- Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee holds another hearing on electric generation resource adequacy, PJM market update, barriers to entry for new power generation. Energy Innovation Center, 1435 Bedford Ave., Pittsburgh. 10:00 a.m. Watch online. [The first meeting in 2026]

April 28-- House Energy Committee hearing on House Bill 2429 (Cerrato-D- Montgomery) which would require utilities to create publicly available distribution system hosting capacity maps (sponsor summary). Room 60 East Wing. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

April 28-- NEW. House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee meets to consider House Resolution 361 (Matzie-D-Beaver) directing the Joint State Government Commission to study the costs and benefits of continued membership in the PJM Interconnection (sponsor summary); House Bill 2145 (Scott-D-Montgomery) banning the use of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in certain products (sponsor summary). Room 423 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

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

-- Tom Ridge Environmental Center Celebrates 20th Anniversary - A Legacy Of Stewardship May 1 In Erie [PaEN]

-- DEP: Day 545 And Counting: Seneca Resources Continues To Release Wastewater, Frack New Shale Gas Wells At Taft Well Pad In Middlebury Twp., Tioga County [PaEN]

-- ‘Emergency’ Upset Flare Still Burning Over Energy Transfer Revolutions Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County Live Breathe Project Cameras [April 24]

-- TribLive: Environmental Group To State: Make Sure Rustic Ridge Coal Mine Has Sufficient Mine Subsidence Bonding In Westmoreland County

-- PennLive - John Beauge: DEP Uses New Athletic Complex In Williamsport To Pitch For Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Funding

-- TheDerrick.com: Workshop Set For May 6 For Clarion Borough Brownfields Plan

-- York Daily Record: J&K Junkyard Owner Says EPA Report Showing No Significant Contamination After Massive Fire Vindicates Him; Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Says EPA Testing More Than A Week Later Is ‘A Day Late And A Dollar Short’

-- Republican Herald Guest Essay: Clean Up Region’s Attitude Toward Illegal Dumping - By Robert Hughes, Eastern PA Coalition For Abandoned Mine Reclamation

-- TribLive: Westmoreland County Envirothon: All Winners In Learning About The Environment

-- PA American Water Awards 12 Organizations $243,349 In Water And Environment Grants [PaEN]

-- RegenAll Funds 130-Tree Silvopasture Project On Lancaster County Farm [PaEN]

-- Foundation For PA Watersheds Accepting Letters Of Interest In Funding For Community-Based Environmental Projects In Raccoon Creek Watershed, Allegheny, Beaver, Washington Counties [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension: Sponsorship Opportunities Available For Sept. 15-17 ACAP Ag Conservation Conference, Indiana County [PaEN]

-- April 25 Pennsylvania Bulletin Now Available

-- WHYY: Philadelphia To Transform Vacant Lots Into Green Community Spaces Under New Pilot Project

-- Warren Times: Prescribed Burn Underway In Allegheny National Forest

-- TribLive: Levi Wilson Takes On Caretaker Role For Rachel Carson Trail In Allegheny County

-- TribLive: Point State Park Becomes Hub Of Excitement With NFL Draft In Pittsburgh

-- Tribune-Democrat: Volunteers Spruce Up Trees At Flight 93 National Memorial

A.I. /Data Centers

-- TribLive: Gilpin Twp. Supervisors Pass Proactive A.I. Data Center Regulations In Armstrong County

-- Reading Eagle: Cumru Twp. Passes Berks’ First A.I. Data Center Ordinance

-- Scranton Times: Scott Twp. Approves Zoning Changes Addressing A.I. Data Centers, Solar Energy Facilities

-- PennLive: Constellation Energy Wants 66% More River Water For Restart Of Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant; Locals Say Big Tech Is Profiting While They Pay The Price

-- ABC27: Residents Weigh In On Water Use Proposal Tied To Restart Of Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant In Dauphin County

-- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA Host May 8 Online Southeast PA Environmental Movement Committee Meeting On A.I. Data Centers, Chester Incinerator, LNG Gas Terminal Proposals [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Pennsylvania’s Huge Advantage In The A.I. Future - Manufacturing, Energy Generation - By PA Manufacturers’s Assn., Pittsburgh Technology Council [Manufacturers Do Not Support Any Caps On What You Pay For Electricity]

-- Washington & Jefferson College: Energy Insecurity On The Rise In US - One-Third Of All US Households Are Struggling To Pay Basic Energy Bills

-- WHYY: President Proposes Completely Eliminating Low-Income Heating Assistance Program Saying It’s ‘Unnecessary’

-- Utility Dive: Independent PJM Market Monitor Opposes Granting Waivers To Constellation Energy To Connect Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant To Grid; Request Meets None Of The FERC Criteria

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- Today’s Violations: DEP inspected six Rottman Gas & Oil Inc. conventional wells in Butler County, Parker Twp. and found them all abandoned and not plugged. The owner failed to submit production, waste generation, well integrity reports for any of them. DEP inspection report.

-- Today’s Violations: DEP notified by Blackhill Energy LLC of a 6th spill on Sultana Pipeline construction project in Bradford County, Springfield Twp., a small one-- 50 gallons. Violations started on March 23, 2026. DEP inspection report.

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- April 24: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Went Up 2 Cents From Yesterday, Now $1.02/Gallon Higher To $4.13 Since Feb. 27 [Warren County, PA highest at $4.296]

-- April 24: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.05 Ohio- $3.91 PA- $4.13

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

-- Financial Times: US Shale Oil/Gas Bosses Resist Boosting Output Over Iran War ‘Chaos’

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- AP: Democrat Gov. Shapiro Tests Political Muscle In Swing-State Pennsylvania’s Midterms

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Supreme Court Considering Challenge To State Elections Officials Over Voter Registration Laws When Driver’s License Or SSN Numbers Don’t Match

-- Spotlight PA: Republican State Treasurer, Candidate For Governor Stacy Garrity Blocks $1 Million Payment For Security Upgrades At Shapiro’s Private Home To Protect The Governor From Attacks

-- Spotlight PA: PA Lawmakers, Shapiro Admin Push To End Practice Of Counties Taking Social Security Money Owed To Foster Kids

-- The Center Square: Fetterman Wants Food Stamps To Cover Hot Rotisserie Chicken