PA Environment Digest Blog: Tuesday 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

June 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

June 9, 10, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events

Anything Can Happen: June State Budget Marathon Happening NOW!

June 5-15-- PA Society For Ornithology 2026 Breeding Bird Blitz

TODAY 1:00: Penn State Extension Webinar On Creating Connections Through Citizen - Community Science. 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

June 11-- Virtual. Team PA Webinar On Pennsylvania Nuclear Energy Roadmap. 11:30 a.m. Click Here for more on Nuclear Roadmap

June 16-- Virtual. ReImagine Appalachia, Ohio River Valley Institute, Partners Host Webinar On Applying For DEP’s RISE PA Industrial Decarbonization Funding. 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

June 23-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council meeting. 12:30 p.m. Contact: Ian Irvin iirvin@pa.gov or 717-579-0329.

June 25-- DEP Hearing On Air Permit For ETC Northeast Pipeline Cryo II Project At The Revolution Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant In Smith Twp., Washington County. Burgettstown Area Middle/High School Campus, LGI Room, 100 Bavington Road in Burgettstown from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

June 25-- In-Person. ReImagine Appalachia, Ohio River Valley Institute, Partners Host Workshop On Applying For DEP’s RISE PA Industrial Decarbonization Funding. Pittsburgh. 9:00 a.m. to Noon

-- PennLive - John Beauge: Attorney General Sunday Files Criminal Charges Against Eureka Resources For Oil & Gas Wastewater Leaks From Its Now Closed Standing Stone Facility In Wysox Twp., Bradford County

-- House Committee Moves Bills To Prohibit Road Dumping Contaminated Groundwater Released By Conventional Oil & Gas Well Drilling; Setting Minimum Standards For Power Plant Community Benefit Agreements; Encouraging Native Insect Habitats [PaEN]

-- State Budget Brief: DEP Oil & Gas Program Enforcement & Permitting Staff Has Been Frozen For Last 10 Years, Meanwhile Drilled Shale Gas Wells Increased By Nearly 50% [PaEN]

-- House Passes Bill To Ban Toxic PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' In Baby, Personal Care Products With Bipartisan Support [PaEN]

-- The Center Square: Banning PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Consumer Products Gets Overwhelming Support In PA House

-- Spotlight PA/Grist: Meat Plant Spreads Thousands Of Gallons Of Animal Blood On Fields In 2019, Fouling Water Supplies In Loganton, Clinton County

-- Erie Times: Erie Experiences City-Wide Penelec Power Outages June 5, 6

-- TribLive: West Nile Virus Confirmed In Allegheny County Mosquitoes

-- DEP West Nile Virus Map: 9 Counties Have Confirmed West Nile Virus Mosquito Results [Allegheny Added]

-- Morning Call: Smoke From New Jersey Wildfire Drifts Into Lehigh Valley

-- EPA AirNow Wildfire And Smoke Map Showing Present Conditions

-- Delaware Highlands Conservancy: Diane Rosencrance Leaving After 10 Years Of Service To Take A New Position; Trey Talley To Serve As Acting Executive Director [PaEN]

-- Tribune-Democrat: Well-Known Outdoor Writer, Photographer Tim Flanigan Dies From Heart Surgery Complications

-- LancasterOnline: 2 Eaglets Fledge From Lancaster County Bald Eagle Nest

A.I. /Data Centers

-- Scranton Times: Public Hearings In Archbald Will Determine Fate Of Nearly 2 Dozen A.I. Data Centers, Natural Gas Power Plant

-- Observer-Reporter: South Strabane Twp. To Hold June 9 Hearing On Proposed A.I. Data Center Ordinance In Washington County

-- River Reporter: A.I. Data Center Proposal In Clinton Twp., Wayne County Includes 21 Buildings

-- Tri-County Independent: Linde’s Proposed 520 Acre A.I. Data Center And Power Plant In Wayne County Would Have 21 Buildings

-- Williamsport Sun: Group Seeks To Put A.I. Data Center In Muncy Twp., Lycoming County Despite Assurances In April No Plan Was Submitted By Twp. Supervisor [PDF of Article]

-- Williamsport Sun: PPL Transmission Line Project To Feed A.I. Data Center Draws Residents’ Questions In Lycoming/Union Counties [PDF of Article]

-- Williamsport Sun Letter: Protect Our State Game Lands From PPL Transmission Line Project - By Matthew DeWire, Allenwood, Union County

-- Erie Times: Erie County Proposes Rules For A.I. Data Centers, Where Would They Apply?

-- Morning Call: Reports From Local Agencies Reveal Concerns Over A.I. Data Center Proposal Near School In South Whitehall Twp., Lehigh County

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Republican Candidate For Governor Garrity Breaks With Shapiro As She Calls For Pause In A.I. Data Center Development

-- Morning Call: State Sen. Coleman Hosting June 10 Telephone Town Hall On A.I. Data Centers, Here’s How To Join

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- Today’s Violations: DEP notified of another wastewater spill at the Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC Ugliuzza L shale gas well pad in Bradford County, Pike Township due to valve malfunction. A 166,729 gallon spill occurred at this same pad in March, contamination remains. Violations issued. DEP inspection report.

-- Today’s Violations: DEP: Inspection of 1 Fairman Corp conventional well in Clearfield County, Bell Twp. found patched bullet holes in a contaminated groundwater storage tank were leaking on the ground. Violations issued. DEP inspection report.

-- Today’s Violations: DEP follow-up inspection of First Amer Energy Inc. conventional well in the Allegheny National Forest in McKean County, Foster Twp. found cleanup of contaminated soil not completed, soil stored improperly for 61 days and counting. Violations continued. DEP inspection report

-- Today’s Violations: On June 5 DEP assessed a civil penalty on Oil & Gas MGMT Inc. owner of 163 conventional wells based in Allegheny County for failure to submit annual production, waste generation/disposal and well integrity reports. [Not online] [Same address as Washington Energy Co LLC]

-- Today’s Violations: On June 5 DEP assessed a civil penalty on Washington Energy Co LLC owner of 118 conventional wells (including 6 abandoned wells) based in Allegheny County for failure to submit annual production, waste generation/disposal and well integrity reports. [Not online] [Same address as Oil & Gas MGMT Inc.]

Storms/Power Outages

-- TribLive: 6 Tornadoes Confirmed In Westmoreland, Fayette, Washington Counties

-- Pennsylvania Power Outages

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- June 9: PA Average AAA Gasoline Prices Dropped 2 Cents From Yesterday, Now $4.31/Gallon - $1.20/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Venango County Average Price Still Highest at $4.70]

-- June 9: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.16 Ohio- $4.11 PA- $4.31

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

Federal Administration

-- PA Capital-Star: Bill Requiring Owners To Lock Up Guns Advances To PA House Over Republican Objections

-- The Center Square: Lt. Gov. Davis Says Shapiro Administration Will ‘Halt’ Federal ICE Plans For Warehouse Detention Centers

-- The Allegheny Front: How President’s $700 Million Coal Industry Funding Could Impact Pennsylvania [No Power Plants In PA]