DEP Invites Comments On Stormwater Permit For PPL Electric Hauto Frackville Transmission Line Project To Serve A.I. Data Center In Schuylkill County

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the August 8 PA Bulletin inviting comments on an individual stormwater permit for the PPL Electric project to rebuild 18.1 miles of the Hauto Frackville Transmission Line to serve an A.I. data center project  in Schuylkill County. (PA Bulletin, page 5281)

The project will disturb a total of 271.6 acres along a route through Blythe, Butler, West Mahanoy, New Castle, Rush, Ryan and Schuylkill townships in Schuylkill County.

The following waterways will be impacted: Little Mahanoy Creek, Schuylkill River, Little Schuylkill River and Nesquehoning Creek (High Quality).

No hearing has been scheduled, but one may be requested.

Comments are due September 7-- 30 days from this notice.

Comments should be sent to: DEP Northeast Regional Office, 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 or by email to: RA-EPWW-NERO@pa.gov. 

To arrange to review a copy of the application, contact the DEP Northeast Regional Office File Review Coordinator at 570-826-5472.

Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for more information.  (PA Bulletin, page 5281)

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website.  Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

Related Articles This Week:

-- PPL Electric Reports 31.8 GW In A.I. Data Center Demand Pipeline, Including 11 GW Under Signed Agreements; Its Joint Venture With Blackstone Has Secured Sites To Build Up To 14 GW Of Generation In PA  [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Stormwater Permit For PPL Hauto Frackville Transmission Line Project To Serve A.I. Data Center In Schuylkill County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Invites Comments On Stormwater Permit For Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission Bushkill Falls To Birchwood Lakes Electric Substations In Pike County  [PaEN] 

-- PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In July: State Budget Leaves Data Center Issues Unresolved; Western PA Trails & Greenways Summit - Aug. 26 & 27  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Health Project: Resources For Communities Concerned About Health Impacts Of A.I. Data Centers  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Issues Hot Weather Alert Aug. 9 - 11 For Mid-Atlantic - Including PA - Southern Regions Of Service Area  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Accepts 715 Projects With 201.4 GW Of New Electric Generation For 1 to 2-Year Review; 39.8 GW Of Projects In PA; PJM Also Accepting State Identified Projects For Expedited Process  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Morning Call: Electricity Prices In PA Will Continue To Rise Through 2030 As PJM Regional Grid Strains To Meet Increased Demand From A.I. Data Centers 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: PA Can’t Let A.I. Data Centers Write Their Own Rules - By Dana Kuhnline, ReImagine Appalachia  

-- PennFuture Blog: Bring Your Own Generation Isn’t The Solution - Homer City 3,200 Acre A.I. Data Center Case Study - Bring Your Own CLEAN Energy Is 

-- PA Capital-Star/Inside Climate News: A.I. Data Centers - Coming To Some Of Pennsylvania’s Most Picturesque Places 

-- WVIA: Wildcat Ridge A.I. Data Center Developer Wants 6 of 7 Archbald Boro Council Members To Recuse Themselves From Voting On Their Proposal; Air Quality In Focus Again 

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: A.I. Data Center Developer Had A More Than A Year’s Headstart With Township Officials On Looking At Monroe Twp., Cumberland County For Data Center Project Before Public Knew

-- Ohio River Valley Institute: Jobs, Wages Falling Behind In PA's Fracking Counties; New Data Center, Natural Gas Development Will Fail To Deliver Long-Term Economic Growth, Report Suggests 

-- Utility Dive: Facing 374 GW Of Grid Connection Requests, Texas Governor Hits Brakes On Data Centers Saying Development ‘Could Endanger The Reliability And Stability Of The Texas Electric Grid’ 

-- Utility Dive: Texas Governor’s Pause On A.I. Data Center Grid Connections Puts 20% Of US Data Center Proposals At Risk

[Posted: August 8, 2026]  PA Environment Digest