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

September 9, 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

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

August 5-- Delaware River Basin Commission virtual hearing. 1:30 p.m. (formal notice) Read more here.

August 5-- Penn State Extension Hosts Webinar On Forested Headwaters And Drinking Water Quality, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

August 6-- Agenda Posted. DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson. 9:15 a.m. [Oil & Gas Methane Reduction Regulations On Agenda: Read more here.]

August 6-- DEP Agricultural Advisory Board meeting. DEP Southcentral Regional Office, Harrisburg. 1:00 p.m. (formal notice)

August 11-- Environmental Quality Board meeting. 9:00 a.m. Contact: Laura Griffin, Regulatory Coordinator, laurgriffi@pa.gov, (717) 772-3277.

August 11-13-- In-Person. Penn State Ag Progress Days

August 12-- DEP Environmental Justice Advisory Board meeting. Room 105 Rachel Carson. 10:00 a.m.

-- DEP Notice: DEP Northwest Regional Office CLOSED Today Due To Cooling System Failure

-- July 27 - Weekly PA Environment Digest Now Available [PaEN]

-- 112 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA [PaEN]

-- Stories You May Have Missed Last Week: PA Environment & Energy Articles & NewsClips By Topic - July 27 [PaEN]

-- Environment & Energy Educational Opportunities For Students & Adults [PaEN]

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

-- Top 10 Stories: Harrisburg/PA Politics Reported By Local News Media Last Week [PaEN]

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

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports Average Cost Of Electricity In PA Jumped 14.6% Over Past Year, Total Average PA Electricity Bill Has Increased 20.6% Since 2024 [PaEN]

-- FYI: -- A.I. Data Center Legislative Scorecard: Pennsylvania Failed To Finalize Meaningful Legislation On Energy Affordability, To Increase Electric Generation And Give Communities The Tools They Need To Cope With A.I. Proposals [PaEN]

-- WESA: PA DEP Says Landfill Leachate From Oil/Gas Wastes Poses No Health Risk; Environmentalists Aren’t So Sure [DEP Said Its Results Were Based On ‘Limited’ Data, More Analysis Is Warranted ]

-- Phys.org: Pennsylvania Roads Are Being Coated In Radioactive Oil & Gas Wastewater - Here’s Why - By William Burgos, Nathaniel Warner, Penn State University, The Conversation

-- Observer-Reporter: DEP, Washington Conservation District Visit West Pike Run Twp. To Inspect Road Deteriorating Under The Impact Of Heavy Shale Gas Development Truck Traffic

-- Americans-Dream.com: EQT Natural Gas & Toby Rice Should Have A Heart And Pave West Pike Run Twp. Road In Washington County, Parents Fear For Disabled Son’s Safety

-- Observer-Reporter: DEP To Develop New Methane Rules For Oil & Gas Operations

-- York Daily Record: Republic Services Ordered To Pay $9.2 Million Penalty For Violations At York County Landfill As A Result Of Lawsuit By Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper

-- PennLive: Republic Services Faces $9.2 Million Penalty For Repeated Violations At York County Landfill As A Result Of Lawsuit By Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper

-- PennLive: Wildfire Smoke Coming Back ‘Across Pretty Much All Of PA:’ Potentially Dangerous Storms Will Cross The State

-- TribLive: Hundreds Sign Up For Westmoreland Water Authority Lead Drinking Water Line Replacement Program

-- Scranton Times: 2nd Major Water Main Break In Downtown Scranton In As Many Weeks

-- TheDerrick.com: 6-Day, 105-Mile Allegheny River Odyssey From Warren To Emlenton Launches

-- Republican Herald: Outdoor Wildlife Learning’s Summer Nature Camps Help Students Learn About Nature, Environment, Art

-- The Allegheny Front: Discover The Carnivorous Plants Of Spruce Flats Bog At Laurel Summit State Park In Westmoreland County

-- DCNR Names Drew Leidich Manager Of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Cumberland County

-- Erie Times - Brian Whipkey: State Game Warden Explain What It’s Like To Protect, Manage Wildlife At Junior Warden Camps

A.I. /Data Centers

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports Average Cost Of Electricity In PA Jumped 14.6% Over Past Year, Total Average PA Electricity Bill Has Increased 20.6% Since 2024 [PaEN]

-- WHYY - Zoe Read: ‘We Will Not Be Bullied:’ Plymouth Township Pushes Back Against Developer Or Proposed A.I. Data Center In Montgomery County

-- Inquirer: Plymouth Township Officials In Montgomery County Say A.I. Data Center Developer ‘Bullied’ And ‘Intimidated’ Them, He Says That’s A ‘Bold-Faced Lie’ Bringing Legal Challenge To Local Zoning

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: A.I. Data Center Developer Closes On Purchase Of 650 Acre Shippingport Property, Former Site Of Bruce Mansfield Coal-Fired Power Plant

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper Blog: Concerned Citizen Involvement Is Vital In Addressing A.I. Data Center Projects And There Are Many Ways To Get Involved

-- PennLive Guest Essay: A.I. Data Center Are Coming To PA, Here’s How Watts Twp., Perry County Can Protect Itself While Benefiting - By Jim Enders, Member Plumbers, Pipefitters Local 520 [Who Construct These Facilities And Move On, Rarely Living With The Consequences - Although Enders Says He’s From Perry County]

-- AP: Democrat’s TV Ad Uses Data Centers In Effort To Oust PA Republican Congressman

-- Bloomberg: Backlash Over A.I. Data Centers, Energy Costs Tests Republican Hold On Ohio

Today’s Oil & Gas Violations

-- DEP: Apollo Resources Reports Released Of 3,200 Gallons Of Contaminated Water From Conventional Oil & Gas Well Storage Tank In Snow Shoe Twp., Centre County [PaEN]

International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

[Energy Independence Means Renewables]

-- July 28: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Down 1 Penny From Yesterday To $4.22/Gallon - $1.11/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Pike County Average Price Highest at $4.35]

-- July 28: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.09 Ohio- $3.86 PA- $4.22

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

Federal Administration

-- Utility Dive: President’s ‘Vindictive’ Use Of $7.6 Billion In Energy, Other Grants Sparks Backlash

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected