PA Environment Digest Blog: Thursday 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

September 28, 29, 30

October 5, 6, 7, 19, 20, 21

November 9, 10

-- Committee Schedule

Senate Voting Schedule

September 28, 29, 30

October 5, 6, 7, 19, 20, 21

November 17, 18

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events

TODAY 1:00: In-Person. Penn State Extension Workshop On Understanding PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Private Water Supplies. Uniontown, Fayette County. 1:00 p.m.

TODAY In-Person. Powering America's Next 250 Years Energypath Conference Set For At Moravian University

July 22-- Agenda Posted. DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson Building. 10:00 a.m. Read more here on agenda.

July 23-- Agenda Posted. DEP Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board meeting. Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg. 10:00 a.m.

July 27-- Virtual. Outdoor Business Alliance Of PA Hosts Webinar On Outdoor Participation Trends And What They Mean For Your Business. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

August 4-- DEP: Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority meeting. Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg. 10:00 a.m.

-- DEP Declares Statewide Code Red Air Quality Alert For Thursday, July 16 Due To Impacts Of Wildfire Smoke from Canada And Minnesota

-- TribLive: Wildfire Smoke Again Headed For Pittsburgh Region

-- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Under Code Red Air Quality Alert As Wildfire Smoke Moves In

-- EPA Smoke Conditions Map

-- PJM Extends Maximum Generation Alert To July 16; Hot Weather Alert To Continue Thru At Least July 17 [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro's Legal Action To Impose Price Cap On PJM Interconnection Generation Capacity Auctions Results In Saving Consumers $13.3 Billion In Latest Power Auction [PaEN]

-- Delaware RiverKeeper: Congressional Effort To Overturn Fracking Ban In Delaware River Watershed Died In Committee, This Time [PaEN]

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Fracking Ban In The Delaware River Basin Survives A Republican Congressional Challenge - For Now

-- PA US Sen. McCormick Announces Nearly $10 Billion In Defense Investments: Eos Energy Storage, Firepoint Energy Coal Waste Recovery Project

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Eos Energy Storage Company Tapped To Power Golden Dome Missile Defense System

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: 74% Of Americans Want Action On Climate, But Many Philadelphians Don’t Know They’re Part Of A Majority

-- Planet Philadelphia Radio: July 17 Understanding Radical Climate Activists , 4:00 p.m.

-- PA Infrastructure Investment Authority Invests $306.4 Million In 29 Local Safe Drinking Water, Wastewater Infrastructure Projects In 23 Counties [PaEN]

-- York Daily Record: Codorus Creek Greenway Project Could Begin In 2027

-- Inside Climate News: Chesapeake Bay Program Delays Decision On Tribes’ Place In Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Agreement

-- WNEP: EPA Administrator Visits Luzerne County Superfund Site To Witness $39 Million Groundwater Cleanup Project Launch

-- WNEP: Goodwill Industries, Reworld Partner For Electronics Recycling In Lackawanna County

-- DEP To Conduct Mosquito Control In Ridley, Darby, Tinicum Townships, Delaware County Related To West Nile Virus

-- DCNR Grants News: Thank You Park & Recreation Professionals Day July 17! Bridgeton Nature Preserve Opens; Conestoga River Of The Year Video; Meadow Management Workshop July 21

-- Western PA Conservancy, Partners Dam Removal Project To Improve Fish Habitat On Callen Run In Jefferson County [PaEN]

-- The Allegheny Front: New Book By Pittsburgh Author Tory Mather Explores The Natural Wonders Of Pennsylvania

A.I. /Data Centers

-- Inquirer: Upper Merion Planning Commission Set To Discuss 5 Building A.I. Data Center Proposal By Brian O’Neill July 22 In Montgomery County

-- TribLive: East Deer Twp. Commissioners Take Initial Step Toward Regulating Potential A.I. Data Centers In Allegheny County

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Dallas Twp. Residents Pack Meeting Amid Fears Of A.I. Data Center Development In Luzerne County

-- LancasterOnline: New Rules Erase Future A.I. Data Center Sites In Lancaster City, Does Not Impact Projects Already Proposed

-- Gov. Shapiro's Legal Action To Impose Price Cap On PJM Interconnection Generation Capacity Auctions Results In Saving Consumers $13.3 Billion In Latest Power Auction [PaEN]

-- Utility Dive: PJM Generation Capacity Auction Prices Hit Price Cap, Reserve Shortfall Grows

-- Morning Call: A.I. Data Centers Bump Power Cost 60% As Mega US Grid Fails To Hit Supply Goal

-- Scranton Times: US DOE Authorizes PJM To Require A.I. Data Centers To Use Backup Power To Avoid Outages

-- Inside Climate News: New York Becomes First State To Pause New A.I. Data Center Development

-- Wall Street Journal: The A.I. Backlash Has Tech Executives Fearing For Their Lives

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- Today’s Violation: DEP met with owner of Thomas & Kimberlie Dawson conventional well at the site in Erie County, Union Township on what was needed to clean up contaminated water discovered on Nov. 6, 2025 and bring the well into compliance. 245 days and counting. DEP inspection report.

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- July 16: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Increases Back To $4.00/Gallon - $.90/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Potter County Average Price Highest at $4.26]

-- July 16: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.94 Ohio- $3.79 PA- $4.00

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

-- WESA/NPR: Oil Companies Are Making Billions, Calls To Tax Their Windfall Profits Are Growing

-- Bloomberg: First US LNG Natural Gas Cargo In A Year Docks In Yangpu Port To Power Chinese Economy

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- PennLive: Independent Fiscal Office: PA Still Faces Underlying $5 Billion Deficit, Despite Budget Reprieve

-- Inquirer Editorial: PA Lawmakers Passed A Budget And Ducked Every Hard Question

-- PennLive Editorial: It’s Time For PA Voters To Demand Accountability From Their Free-Spending Lawmakers

-- The Center Square: Quinnipiac University Poll Has Shapiro Leading Garrity 53% to 40%