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 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 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events

Anything Can Happen: June State Budget Marathon Happening NOW!

TODAY 1:00: 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.

TODAY 6:00: In-Person. DEP Hearing On Water Quality Permit For Rustic Ridge II Coal Mining Permit In Westmoreland County. 6:00 p.m.

June 17-- House Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 2380 (Rivera-D- Lancaster) requiring electric utilities to set targets and procure grid-stabilizing battery energy storage; House Bill 2595 (Inglis-D-Allegheny) establishes deadline requirements for the interconnection safety reviews of small-scale energy projects [draft amendment]; House Bill 2539 (Steele-D-Allegheny) requires data centers seeking sales tax exemptions to obtain recognized energy efficiency certifications, such as LEED, Energy Star, Green Globes, or International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Room 523 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

June 17-- Community Advocates For Clean Energy Of Greater Philadelphia Webinar On How To Move A Community Energy Project From An Idea To Action. 3:00 p.m.

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

June 24-- Virtual. Washington & Jefferson College Center for Energy and the Built Environment Webinar on Getting The Most From Your Building: Smart Assessment And Monitoring. 11:00 a.m. to Noon

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

June 26-27-- In-Person. PA Firefly Festival Exhibits & Entertainment In Downtown Tionesta, Forest County

-- DEP Finds Large Releases Of Contaminated Groundwater From Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Killed Vegetation, Soaked Soil, Polluted Roadside Ditches In Warren County [PaEN]

-- PUC Announced Distribution Of $243.8 Million In Act 13 Shale Gas Drilling Impact Fees For PA Communities, State Environmental, Other Programs [PaEN]

-- TribLive: New Shale Gas Wells, Higher Natural Gas Prices Raise State’s Drilling Impact Fee Distribution To $243.8 Million

-- PennDOT Now Accepting Applications For National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grants In Western And Southeast PA; June 25 Webinar For Western Applicants [PaEN]

-- TribLive Letter: Let’s Correct The Record, LCT Energy Does Have Violations At Its Rustic Ridge No. 1 Underground Coal Mine In Westmoreland, Fayette Counties - By Stacey Magda, Mountain Watershed Association

-- Penn State Master Watershed Steward Ken Pledger's Enthusiasm For The Environment Takes Root In Projects In Adams, Cumberland Counties [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension July 15 Webinar On Private Water Supply Testing Packages Available From Penn State's Agricultural Analytical Services Lab [PaEN]

-- Save The Date: Penn State Ag Progress Days - August 11-13

-- Health, DCNR, DEP Provide Tips, For Preventing Lyme Disease And Tick Bites [Video &Photos]

-- TribLive: Part Of Great Allegheny Passage To Close Next Month For Landslide Repairs

-- Call For Presentation Proposals: PA Recreation & Park Society Annual Conference & Expo March 16-19 [PaEN]

-- PA Capital-Star: E-Scooters Are Everywhere In PA, This Legislation Would Make Them Legal

-- Fort Indiantown Gap Offering Tours Of Rare Regal Fritillary Butterfly Habitat In Lebanon County [PaEN]

-- Williamsport Sun: Hughesville Library Holds Release Of Trout In The Classroom Rainbow Trout Fingerlings

-- LancasterOnline: 2.4 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Maryland/PA

A.I. /Data Centers

-- Scranton Times: Olyphant Residents Who Oppose A.I. Data Centers Raising Money To Hire Attorney; Archbald Group Laid Groundwork For Resistance, Now Other Communities Are Fighting Back

-- The Citizens’ Voice: 3rd A.I. Data Center Proposal In Salem Twp. Could Generate $1.2 Billion For Landowners In Luzerne County

-- York Daily Record: Manchester Twp. Passes Ordinance To Restrict A.I. Data Centers

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- Today’s Violations: DEP: inspections of 3 Daniel L. Heath conventional wells in Venango County, Cranberry Twp. found the wells abandoned, not plugged like 6 other wells last week. DEP notes owner was ‘recently deceased.’ Violations issued. Example DEP inspection report.

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- June 16: PA Average AAA Gasoline Prices Down 2 Pennies From Yesterday, Now $4.19/Gallon - $1.08/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Elk County Average Price Now Highest at $4.65]

-- June 16: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.04 Ohio- $4.01 PA- $4.19

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

-- AP: Higher Prices For Gasoline, Groceries And Flights Will Likely Outlast The President’s War With Iran

-- Financial Times: President To Allow $300 Billion Privately Funded Reconstruction Fund For Energy Rich Iran Contingent On Final War Settlement

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- The Center Square: Observers Hope Election Will Turn Up Heat On State Budget Process

-- Spotlight PA: PA Supreme Court Rules ‘Skill’ Gambling Games Are Slot Machines, Must Adhere To PA’s Gambling Law

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Supreme Court Finds ‘Skill’ Gambling Games Are Unlawful

-- PennLive: PA Supreme Court Ruling Puts Future Of ‘Skill’ Gambling Games In Question