PA Environment Digest Blog: 112 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA

Here are 112 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!

-- PA Envirothon Team From Penncrest High School In Delaware County Placed 4th In the 2026 International NCF-Envirothon Competition! [PaEN]

-- Future Master Watershed Steward Club At York Academy Growing Next Generation Of Watershed Stewards - By Roni Reed, Master Watershed Steward & York Academy Regional Charter School Science Teacher [PaEN]

-- TheDerrick.com: Oil City Chapter Of The Izaak Walton League Celebrated Its 100th Anniversary With EnviroBash Outdoor Show At Waltonian Park [PDF of Article]

-- Fox43: Lancaster Clean Water Partners: Over 100 Local Organizations Come Together To Improve Water Quality

-- Master Watershed Steward Volunteer John Dubel From Cameron County Appointed To DEP Statewide Water Resources Committee [PaEN]

-- NRCS-PA: Family Conservation Easement Protects Critical Working Lands In Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape [PaEN]

-- WNEP: Celebrating 100 Years Of Lake Wallenpaupack Recreation, Hydroelectric Generation

-- Daily American: Somerset’s Quecreek Mine Rescue Commemorated 24 Years Later On July 28

-- DEP To Adopt Regulations Limiting Methane Emissions From Conventional Oil & Gas, Shale Gas Infrastructure; Will Outline Approach At Aug. 6 Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee Meeting [PaEN]

-- The Conversation: Pennsylvania Roads Are Being Coated In Radioactive Oil & Gas Wastewater - New DEP Well Permit Allows Uncontrolled Use [PaEN] [Warning]

-- DEP: Equitrans Water SVC LLC [EQT] Suffers Another Contaminated Water Release From Buried Shale Gas Wastewater Pipeline In Aleppo Twp., Greene County [PaEN]

-- DEP: INR Midstream LLC Failed To Prevent Accelerated Erosion, Sedimentation Along Cooper To Jost Van Dyke Gas & Water Pipelines Construction Right-Of-Way In Young Twp., Indiana County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Contaminated Water Storage Tank At Abandoned Conventional Oil Well Site Sat Broken Open For Nearly 3 Years With No Response From Owner In Clover Twp., Jefferson County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Crude Oil Gathering Pipeline Failure In Conventional Oil Well Field Contaminated 750 Feet Of Chappel Fork Creek In Hamilton Twp., McKean County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Raymond D. Langer Fails To Clean Up Contaminated Water Spills, Address Other Violations, Comply With DEP Order For 1,283 Days [PaEN]

-- The Well Done Foundation: The Night The Well Done Foundation’s Well Plugging Mission Began

-- PUC PaOneCall Damage Prevention Committee Announces $363,375 In Penalties For Underground Utility, Pipeline Violations, Next Meeting Aug. 11

-- MotherJones.com: How Fossil Fuel Companies Made Us Believe Natural Gas Was Clean [Warning]

-- Penn State Geography Researchers Want Your Help To Develop Tool To Help Public Better Identify Threats To Health, Environment From Oil & Gas Development [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For Appalachia Midstream Services Natural Gas Pipeline In Elkland Twp., Sullivan County [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On MarkWest Liberty Midstream Project To Daylight 4 Natural Gas Pipelines To Prevent Damage From Longwall Coal Mining In West Finley Twp., Allegheny County [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage Daylighting Project For 30-Inch Natural Gas Pipeline To Prevent Longwall Coal Mining Damage In Greene County [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved 21 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In June; 188 In 2026 [PaEN]

-- EQT Natural Gas Releases 2025 Sustainability Report: ‘Built For What’s Next’ [Look at EQT’s Entire Compliance Record]

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: EQT Natural Gas Hits Net-Zero Emissions For 2nd Straight Year For Natural Gas Production

-- Bloomberg: Constitutional Natural Gas Pipeline Backed By President To New York Struggles For Customers [Warning]

-- Spotlight PA: Josh Shapiro Built National Fame On Getting Things Done, But His Full Record Is Complex [Oil & Gas Issues Mentioned]

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: Gov. Shapiro Walks A Fine Line On Climate; His Opponent Just Wants To Drill For Shale Gas

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: As Utility Rates Continue To Rise In PA, Coalition Is Pushing For Renewables To Rein In Costs

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: A.I. Data Center-Driven Electricity Demand In PA, Surrounding States Outstripping Supply, Keeping Prices High

-- Utility Dive: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Fails To Shield PJM Consumers From Data Center Power Transmission Costs Says PA Consumer Advocate, 4 Other State Ratepayer Advocates

-- Utility Dive: PJM Market Monitor: Data Centers Drove $6.3 Billion In July PJM Generation Capacity Auction Costs; Over Last 4 Auctions - $29.4 Billion In Costs

-- PA Coalition Launches Building A Brighter PA To Lower Energy Bills, Build A Clean-Energy Economy Over The Next 4 Years [PaEN]

-- Utility Dive: Natural Gas Power Generation Decreased 4% In 2025; Coal-Fired Power Plant Generation Increased 13%; Wind & Solar Generation Increased 3% and 34%

-- Utility Dive: GE Vernova Natural Gas Power Turbine Backlog Now 116 GW And Growing; Ordering Now For 2031

-- Inquirer: Gov. Shapiro Plans To Take More Executive Action To Better Regulate A.I. Data Centers In Coming Weeks Since Senate Republicans Failed To Act

-- The Allegheny Front: Where Pennsylvania Stands With Regulating 80 A.I. Data Center Proposals

-- Spotlight PA: PA Lawmakers Leave $2 Billion A.I. Data Center Sales Tax Exemption Untouched In PA Budget

-- President Expands Ratepayer Protection ‘Pledge’ For A.I. Data Centers To Pay Full Cost Of Energy, Supporting Infrastructure [PJM Ratepayers Already Paying $29.4 Billion In Added Electricity Costs] [PaEN]

-- PennLive: PPL Signs Pledge To Protect Consumers From Higher Electric Bills Due To A.I. Data Center Demand Saying It Already Follows Principles [PPL Ratepayers Now Paying For Grid Upgrades For Data Centers, Much Higher Power Bills Due To Spiking Demand]

-- The Center Square: PPL Electric Condemnation Of Land For Transmission Lines Needed To Feed A.I. Data Centers Triggers Stress, Anxiety In Luzerne County

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - July 27 [PaEN]

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Solar For Schools Program Renewed For Third Year To Cut Energy Costs

-- DCED Approves $1.6 Million In Solar For Schools Grants To Help 3 School Districts Reduce Their Energy Bills In 6 School Buildings Using Solar Power [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw: Bill Signed Into Law To Ensure Responsible Solar Development [No Provisions Like This In Place For Natural Gas-Fired Power Plants, A.I. Data Centers, Natural Gas Processing Plants, Pipelines, Compressor Stations And Other Infrastructure Presenting Real Hazards]

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Pittsburgh-based Exus Renewables Secures $356 Million For 2 Wind Projects In Cambria County As Demand From Data Centers Accelerates

-- Tribune-Democrat: Exus Renewables Closes On Wind Energy Facility Financing For Cambria County Project

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Mainspring Linear Generator Secures State Funding For 600-Job Plant Near Pittsburgh

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Wilkes-Barre Parking Authority Might Bring First Electric Vehicle Chargers To City

-- Erie Times: Electric Airplane Lands In Erie To Recharge

-- TribLive/AP: President’s Administration Admits In Court $7.6 Billion In Clean Energy Grants Were Canceled Based Solely On Politics In 16 States That Voted For Democrat Kamala Harris

-- Governor’s Office Published Regulatory Agenda, DEP Published Non-Regulatory (Technical Guidance) Agenda To Provide Opportunities For Public Involvement [PaEN]

-- AP: President’s Administration Seeks To Eliminate Radiation Safety Foundational Principle Of ‘Low As Reasonably Achievable’ Standard For Regulating Radiation Exposure For Nuclear Power Plants, Hospitals, Academic Institutions

-- DEP Declares Monday, July 20 A Code Orange Air Quality Day In Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, Westmoreland, Somerset Counties Due To Wildfire Smoke

-- KDKA: Wildfire Smoke Rolls Into Pittsburgh Area Today As Scattered Storm Chances Loom

-- WESA: Pittsburgh Air Pollution Levels Last Week Hit Second-Highest All Time Since Measuring Began In 1999 Due To Wildfire Smoke

-- PennLive: PA’s 2026 Tornado Count Is Already Twice Its Yearly Average, What’s Happening?