109 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA

Here are 109 new stories in the PA Environment Digest about individuals, groups, local governments, farmers, businesses, watershed groups and many more working all across Pennsylvania to restore and protect the environment and show others the beauty that surrounds us.

Thank you for your leadership!

-- 26 Projects Advancing Cleaner Air, Water, Environmental Stewardship Across Pennsylvania Recognized With 2026 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence  [PaEN] 

-- Six Years And Counting: None Of The Recommendations The Grand Jury Made To Better Protect Pennsylvanians From The Impacts Of Shale Gas Development Have Been Adopted  [PaEN]   [Warning] 

-- Observer-Reporter: Withdrawal Of Democratic Candidate Opens Way For Environmental Advocate Jodi Borello To Challenge Republican Incumbent Sen. Camera Bartolotta As Independent  [PDF of Article]  [Click Here To Learn More About Her Background]

-- Jodi Borello For State Senate: Accountable To You! Not Corporations

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Monument Dedicated To 40 Coal Miner Heroes In Wilkes-Barre Park [PDF of Article]

-- WVIA: New Monument Honors Coal Miners’ Heroism In Wilkes-Barre

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader: Wilkes-Barre Native, Nonprofit Leader Robert Hughes Receives 2026 Clean Water Champion Award

-- TribLive: Murrysville Residents Tackling Acid Mine Drainage Problems From Multiple Angles In Westmoreland County 

-- Hundreds Of Residents From Communities Across PA Dealing With A.I. Data Center Development Rally At State Capitol To Support Bipartisan Legislation To Enact A 3-Year A.I.  Data Center Moratorium  [PaEN]

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Halt: Capitol Crowd Rallies For A.I. Data Center Moratorium

-- Tribune-Democrat: Celebration Will Mark 50th Anniversary Of Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail: ‘Amazing Asset’ 

-- TribLive: North Area Environmental Council Dissolving After 57 Years With Community Celebration June 28 In North Park, Allegheny County; Other Groups Stepping Up 

-- TheDerrick.com: National Wildlife Federation Certifies New Schoolyard Habitat In Franklin As Garden For Wildlife In Venango County

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - June 20 to 26 - Large Contaminated Groundwater Release From Conventional Well Site; Shale Gas Water Pipeline Issues; DEP Locked Out Of Well Pad; Trouble With Porcupines  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Day 609 - Sample Results Confirm Continued Wastewater Releases At Seneca Resources Taft Shale Gas Well Pad In Middlebury Twp., Tioga County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Finds Large Release Of Contaminated Groundwater From Conventional Well Storage Tanks Flowing Out Of Containment; 4th Major Spill In Warren County In 9 Days  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Coterra Energy Aboveground Shale Gas Water Pipeline Failed Twice In The Same Section 23 Days Apart In Dimock Twp., Susquehanna County  [PaEN]   

-- DEP: E&S Violations Continuing As Keystone Clearwater Solutions Decommissions And Removes Clark To Westholme Shale Gas Aboveground Water Pipeline In Springville Twp., Susquehanna County  [PaEN] 

-- WHYY: Firefighters Contain Large Fire At Monroe Energy Refinery In Delaware County; Shelter-In-Place Order Remains Active 

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Negotiations On Proposed LNG Natural Gas Export Facility In Eddystone Boro On Delaware River Occurring In Secret Under Nondisclosure Agreements With State Officials In Delaware County

-- Delaware County Times: Proposed LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Moving Ahead In Eddystone, Environmentalists Say  

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved 34 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In May; 167 In 2026  [PaEN]  

-- PUC PaOneCall Damage Prevention Committee Announces $144,250 In Penalties For Underground Utility Violations   

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Aug. 26 Webinar On Radioactive Radium And Salinity In Groundwater And How It Affects Drinking Water; Featured Speaker Has Researched Contaminated Groundwater From Oil & Gas Development  [PaEN] 

-- Observer-Reporter: Western PA Revolutionized Energy Extraction With New Techniques, Technology-- Longwall Coal Mining, Shale Gas Drilling 

-- Lt. Gov. Davis Brings Together Utility Industry Experts To Highlight Solutions To Rising Energy Costs

-- Senate Democratic Policy Committee Holds Hearing On Solutions To Lower Consumer Electric Bills

-- PA House Passed 20 A.I. Data Center Bills, Many By Lopsided Bipartisan Votes; PA Senate Acts On Tax Changes  [PaEN] 

-- PA House Passes Bill Giving Individual Municipalities Authority To Pause Consideration Of A.I. Data Center Proposals For 6 Months  [PaEN] 

-- PA House Nearly Unanimously Passes Bill To Repeal State Data Center Computer Equipment Sales Tax Exemption  [PaEN] 

-- PA House Passes Bill Limiting State Data Center Sales Tax Exemption To Those Developers Following Gov. Shapiro's Responsible Infrastructure Development Standards  [PaEN] 

-- PennLive: PA Senate Passes Bill With Changes To Tax Code, Including Repealing Data Center Sales Tax Exemption; Eliminating 6% Gross Receipts Tax On Electricity; Opening Sales Tax Holiday For School Supplies; Other Changes

-- TribLive: PA Senate Passes Its Version Of Repealing State Data Center Sales Tax Exemption, 6% Gross Receipts Tax On Electricity, Education Tax Credit Reform, More 

-- Spotlight PA: Shapiro Wants To Use Tax Incentives To Push A.I. Data Centers To Behave Better; His Own Party And Republicans Want To Repeal Them

-- PennLive: Amid Growing Voter Outcry, A.I. Data Centers Have Emerged As An Election Issue For PA Lawmakers

-- Scranton Times: What’s In Republican Sen. Brown’s ‘Residents First’ A.I. Data Center Legislation Setting Limits On An Industry That’s Inundating Communities In Her District

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Environmental Groups Push PA Lawmakers To Pass HB 1834 To Protect Ratepayers, Regulate A.I. Data Centers

-- Erie Times/USA Today: PA House Bill Would Make Data Centers Pay Seniors’ Property Tax Bills

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: How A.I. Data Centers Lost The PR War And What It Means For Business

-- The Economist: The A.I. Backlash Is Only Getting Started - Here’s How To Deal With It 

-- Financial Times: Exelon CEO Warns US Faces Blackouts As Soon As 2027 Due To Power Supply Shortfall As A Result Of Data Center Power Demands [PDF of Article]

-- PJM Interconnection Holds Next Generation Capacity Auction June 30, Results To Be Announced July 14  [PaEN]

-- PJM Adds New Emergency Procedures To Deal With Strained Grid: A Capacity Advisory; Directive For Data Centers To Use Backup Generators  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Interconnection Issues Hot Weather Alert For June 29 In Western Region, June 30 to July 3 For Entire Service Area; 5th Alert This Season  [PaEN] 

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Project Hazelnut A.I. Data Center Offers $10,000 To Hazle Twp. Households As An Incentive To Approve The Plan  [4,505 Households In Twp. - $45 Million] 

-- The Center Square: A.I. Data Center Developer’s Proposed $10,000 Per Household Payment To Hazle Twp. Residents In Luzerne County Called ‘Bribe’ For Local Approval 

-- Republican Herald: Work Begins On A.I. Data Center Complex In Butler Twp.,  Schuylkill County- 6 Buildings, 1.2 GW Power Plant

-- The Center Square: Big Money, Enforced Silence Play Roles In Pennsylvania’s A.I. Data Center Push 

-- Scranton Times: A.I. Data Center Developer Tells Court Olyphant Boro Public Hearings An Unnecessary Delay, Asks Judge To Compel Boro To Approve Zoning Permit; Residents Disgusted By Company

-- TheDerrick.com: Scrubgrass Twp. Planning Commission Meeting Overrun By A.I. Data Center Concerns In Venango County

-- Inquirer: Constellation Energy Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant Engineer Manager Indicted On Federal Insider Trading Charges Of Illegally Profiting On Stock Options Related To The Plant Reopening

-- TribLive/PennLive: Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant Restart Deal Was Secret, A Constellation Energy Nuclear Engineer Manager Used The Info To Make $1.4 Million, Grand Jury Indictment Says

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - June 29  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces RISE PA Grant To Support Sanofi Pasteur Project To Replace Natural Gas-Fired Dehydrators With A Cleaner, More Efficient Option In Monroe County; RISE PA Applications Being Accepted Now  [PaEN] 

-- WNEP: Gov. Shapiro Speak At Sanofi Pasteur Highlighting Grant To Reduce Air Pollution, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, By Replacing Natural Gas-Fired Equipment 

-- Williamsport Sun: Muncy Creek Twp. Supervisors OK Conditional Use For Solar Energy Facility, Chicken Egg Farm In Lycoming County

-- TribLive: Westmoreland County Pulls Plug On Electric Vehicle Charging Station Contract That Sat Dormant For Years

-- Spotlight PA: President’s Cuts To Clean Energy Tax Credits Threatens Planned Renewable Projects Across PA  [Warning] 

-- The Allegheny Front: Groups Say Nippon Steel Investments Will Perpetuate Coal And Air Pollution In The Mon Valley

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: First Chrome Production Facility In US In Decades Comes To Lawrence County

-- LancasterOnline: F&M Students, Professor Study What’s Behind Lancaster County’s Poor Air Quality 

-- Reuters: Federal Court Rejects EPA Bid To Ease Regulations For Coal-Fired Power Plants

-- DEP Continues To 'Get Stuff Done' At The Speed Of Business, 2 More Permits Issued Under SPEED - Streamlining Permits For Economic Expansion And Development  - Program  [PaEN]

-- Read Carefully!  PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 27 [PaEN] 

-- Lots Going On!  DEP Posted 67 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 27 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

-- EPA Announces $1 Million In Brownfields Grants To Revitalize Communities In Pennsylvania [PaEN]

-- PA Recycling Markets Center Hosts July 16 Recycled Paper & Plastics Commodities Markets Update Webinar  [PaEN]  

-- Altoona Mirror: Intermunicipal Relations Committee Holds Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event At Jaffa Shrine Center July 18

-- Morning Call: Lehigh Valley Farmers Devastated By Fruit Crop Losses Find Only Limited Relief Available  [Warning] 

-- Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program Ag Conservation Con Set For Sept. 15-17 At Indiana University Of PA  [PaEN]  

-- Western PA Conservancy Awards 16 BHE GT&S Mini-Grants To Improve Local Watersheds  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Hosts July 29 Webinar On Agricultural Best Management Practices To Protect Soil And Water Resources Essential To Maintaining Productive And Sustainable Farms  [PaEN]

-- NRCS-PA: $310 Million In Partnership Project Funding Available Nationwide To Boost Farm Operations, Conserve Natural Resources

-- NRCS-PA Announces Funding To Address Resource Concerns At Mushroom Composting Sites In Southern Chester County  

-- PA Interfaith Power & Light Now Accepting Applications For Community Tree Project Technical Assistance; Apply For Free Trees  [PaEN]  

-- Penn State Extension Hosts July 29 Webinar On Agricultural Best Management Practices To Protect Soil And Water Resources Essential To Maintaining Productive And Sustainable Farms  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Sept. 4 Webinar On Beech Leaf Disease Nematodes, 1:00 to 2:15 p.m.

-- Western PA Coalition For Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Partners Hosting Sept. 15-17 NTTP Passive Mine Drainage Treatment Course In State College  [PaEN] 

-- The Conversation: Should You Swim In Pittsburgh’s Rivers?  A Water Researcher Breaks Down The Answer - By Daniel Bain, Associated Professor Of Geology & Environmental Science, University of Pittsburgh

-- Observer-Reporter Guest Essay: East Dunkard Water Authority Turnaround In Southwest PA - By Jared Edgreen, Greene County Commissioner

-- The GIANT Company, Keep PA Beautiful Award 21 Community Grants Totalling $100,000 To Support Local Native Plant Projects  [PaEN] 

-- PA House Passes Bill To Encourage Pollinator, Native Insect Habitat On State-Owned Property  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Master Gardeners Of Cumberland County Host Aug. 13 In-Person Workshop On Gardening With Nature - Prairie Pockets - Plants For People And Pollinators  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension July 18 Webinar On Natural Colors - Using Plant Materials To Dye, 9:30 a.m. to Noon

-- TribLive: Community Gardens Sprout Opportunity, Produce Across Western PA

-- LancasterOnline: Rev. Henry Muhlenberg Was Lancaster’s Revolutionary Botanist - By Lois Miklas, Master Gardener

-- PennLive: Lancaster Conservancy To Purchase 31 Acres To Add To Robert A. Kinsley Nature Preserve In Hellam Twp., York County 

-- WPSU: Community Discusses Hopes, Concerns For Future Land Use Of 5,700 Acres At Recently Closed Rockview Prison In Centre County

-- Centre Daily Times: Environmentalists Discuss Future Of Rockview Land: ‘Its Use In The Future Will Affect All Of Us’

-- DCNR Now Accepting Nominations For 2027 Pennsylvania Trail Of The Year  [PaEN] 

-- DCNR Invests $500,000 To Expand Musser Gap Trail, Build 50 Mile Trail Network In Rothrock State Forest, Centre & Huntingdon Counties [PaEN]

-- Centre Daily Times: New 11-Mile Trail Opens In Rothrock State Forest As Part Of $3 Million Trail Project

-- Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission Approves $4.55 Million To Advance The Circuit Trails Network In Philadelphia Region 

-- Tribune-Democrat: Celebration Will Mark 50th Anniversary Of Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail: ‘Amazing Asset’ 

-- DCNR Commemorates Juneteenth At Historic Mifflin Farm In York County, Highlights Investment In Future Susquehanna National Heritage Area Park

-- DCNR Helps Kick Off Outdoors For All Celebration In Philadelphia  [Video+Photos]

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Pennsylvanians Agree On This - Our State Parks Need Funding Now - By Bradley Mallory, PA Parks & Forests Foundation Board Member

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: Purple PA Might Be Divided, But Not On This: Tell Lawmakers To Fund State Parks, Forests - By Former Rep. Kate Harper, PA Parks & Forests Foundation

-- WITF: Plans Evolve At York County’s Susquehanna Riverlands State Park

-- Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation Now Available

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Field Notes - Thankful For Pennsylvania Parks

-- WITF - The Spark: PA Author Tory Mather Highlights Hidden Natural Wonders Across The Commonwealth

-- WVIA: Luzerne County Native Hits Halfway Point In Trek From Georgia To Maine On Appalachian Trail

-- Outdoor Business Alliance Of PA Hosts July 7 Webinar On Accessing Funding For Your Outdoor Business   [PaEN] 

-- LancasterOnline - PJ Reilly: Conestoga River Club Aims To Create Universally Accessible Boat Launch

-- Courier Times: Kayakers Make Their Way Thru Bucks County Via Delaware River

-- Tribune-Democrat: 9/11 Trail Alliance Acquires Portage Property, Eyes ‘Much Better Route’ Through Cambria

-- Warren Times: Knox & Kane Rail Trail Completed From Forest County Line To Kinzua Bridge

-- TribLive: Armstrong County Trail Groups Say Vandalism Diverts Resources From Improvements And Maintenance 

-- Observer-Reporter: North Strabane Twp. To Assess Land For Recreation Complex In Washington County 

-- Inquirer: Chester County Lake Planned For Draining As Dam Decommissioned To Restore Chester Creek’s Natural Path

-- Susquehanna Greenway Partnership Names Alana Jajko Executive Director  [PaEN]

-- Reading Eagle: Peregrine Falcons Nest For The 20th Season In Downtown Reading 

-- KDKA: Video Shows 2 Eaglets In US Steel Nest Take First Flights: ‘An Incredible Milestone’

-- Erie Times: The Willow Ptarmigan, Alaska’s State Bird, Shows Up At Presque Isle State Park  

-- Erie Times - Brian Whipkey: Help Game Commission Biologists Track Wild Turkeys

Visit the PA Environment Digest website to learn more.

REAL Leadership:

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[Posted: June 28, 2026]   PA Environment Digest