PA Environment Digest Blog: Wednesday 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

May 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 6

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

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events

TODAY Call Of Chair: House Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 2264 (Davidson-D- Cumberland) establishes requirements for regulating virtual power plants [draft amendment] [draft amendment]; House Bill 2429 (Cerrato-D-Montgomery) requires utilities to publish accessible maps showing distribution system hosting capacity [draft amendment]; House Bill 2450 (Mehaffie-R- Dauphin) increases and makes other changes to the fees for nuclear power plants to fund safety and emergency preparedness programs. Room 60 East Wing Capitol at Call Of Chair. Click Here to watch online. Read more here.

TODAY Off The Floor: Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 2017 (Giral-D-Philadelphia) reducing radiation safety/emergency fees for modular nuclear power reactors. Rules Room [No video coverage].

TODAY 10:00: Agenda Posted. DEP Environmental Justice Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00 a.m. Contact: Fernando Treviño, Special Deputy Secretary, (717) 783-7753, FTrevinoMa@pa.gov. (formal notice)

May 7-- Agenda Posted. DEP Public Water System Technical Advisory Center Board meeting. Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg.9:00 a.m.

May 7-- In-Person. PA Emergency Management Agency Flood Recovery Workshop. Allegheny Co Public Safety Center, 150 Hookstown Grade Road, Coraopolis. 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

May 7-- Virtual. POWER Interfaith Webinar On Energy Rate Cases And Energy Affordability Advocacy At The PUC. 6:00 p.m.

May 7-- Tri-County Regional Planning Commission 60th Anniversary Luncheon featuring guest speaker Jill Whitcomb, DEP Deputy Secretary for Water Programs. Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel, 4650 Lindle Road, Harrisburg. 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

May 8-- Virtual. 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. 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

May 11-- In-Person. DEP Hearing On North Centre Twp. PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Hazardous Site Response In 12 Municipalities In Columbia County Involving Contaminated Sewage Sludge. Central Columbia High School Auditorium 4777 Old Berwick Road, Bloomsburg. 5:00 p.m. open house. 7:00 p.m. hearing.

May 12-- CANCELED. Environmental Quality Board meeting. 9:00 a.m. Contact: Laura Griffin, Regulatory Coordinator, laurgriffi@pa.gov, (717) 772-3277. (formal notice)

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

May 12-- In-Person. DEP Hearing On Individual Stormwater Permit For the 5.8 Mile HCPP 30-Inch Natural Gas Pipeline Serving The 4.5 GW Homer City A.I. Data Center Campus Power Plant In Indiana County. Indiana Theater, 637 Philadelphia Street in Indiana. 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

-- PA House Energy Committee Meets May 6 To Act On More Bills To Authorize Virtual Power Plants, Address Grid Reliability [PaEN]

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader Guest Essay: Myths And Facts About Solar Energy Facilities - Relax, Solar Panels Won’t Give You Cancer

-- The Center Square: Report: RGGI Carbon Taxes Cost Pennsylvania $5 Billion [RGGI Was Never Implemented In PA Due To Court Challenge, Other Market Forces Were At Work]

-- TribLive Editorial: Rising Electric Bills Leave Pennsylvanians Powerless

-- Inquirer - Andrew Seidman: Inside Merck’s Lobbying Of Gov. Shapiro’s Office To Ease Water Pollution Reporting Regulation [DEP Abandoned Revisions]

-- Registration Open! Keep PA Beautiful 2026 Annual Conference Oct. 14-15 In Reading [PaEN]

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Turnpike Plan To Cut An Open Gash In The Allegheny Mountain To Bypass Tunnel Draws Opposition In Somerset County

-- Tribune-Democrat: Group Takes Fight Against PA Turnpike Proposal To Make A Massive Cut Thru The Allegheny Mountain To Harrisburg: ‘We Won’t Be Ignored’

-- Observer- Reporter: $2.8 Million Needed To Reopen Montour Trail Tunnel

-- Singletracks.com: New 37.5 Mile Mountain Bike Trail Expansion Coming To Ohiopyle State Park In Fayette County

-- PA House Passes Resolution Directing State Officials To Do An Assessment On How To Better Protect Bees, Butterflies, Fireflies And Other Native Pennsylvania Insects [PaEN]

-- LancasterOnline: Bird Flu Discovery At Conowingo Dam Closes Parts Of 2 Trails

A.I. /Data Centers

-- TribLive: Upper Burrell Twp. Residents Seek Answers On TECfusion A.I. Data Center Campus Proposal At Town Hall In Allegheny County

-- Scranton Times: Archbald Boro Sets May 11, May 14 Hearings On A.I. Data Center Proposals