Here are 126 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.

PA Environment Digest Puts Links To The Best Environment & Energy Articles and NewsClips From Last Week Here By Topic--

The PA Association of Environmental Educators is collecting lighthearted stories that celebrate the joy and wonder of teaching about the environment. Stories are due March 21-- the first day of Spring!

On March 5, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Executive Order 2025-01 to help fill critical vacancies in the Commonwealth workforce with experienced former federal employees who have specialized expertise in important fields like civil engineering, nursing, corrections, accounting, and more.

On March 5, the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership (K10) announced plans to add nearly 200,000 new trees to Pennsylvania this year, approaching a lofty goal of 10 million new trees planted by the end of 2025.

In 1990, driven by her love for the outdoors, community steward Sue Wiseman took a stand to protect Pennsylvania's natural beauty.

On February 27, the Physicians for Social Responsibility PA, the League of Women Voters of PA, and the Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering at Duquesne University hosted a Shale Gas and Public Health Conference in Pittsburgh and online.

On February 27, the Physicians for Social Responsibility PA, the League of Women Voters of PA, and the Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering at Duquesne University hosted a Shale Gas and Public Health Conference in Pittsburgh and online.

On February 27, the Physicians for Social Responsibility PA, the League of Women Voters of PA, and the Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering at Duquesne University hosted a Shale Gas and Public Health Conference in Pittsburgh and online.

On February 27, the Physicians for Social Responsibility PA, the League of Women Voters of PA, and the Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering at Duquesne University hosted a Shale Gas and Public Health Conference in Pittsburgh and online.

On February 27, the Physicians for Social Responsibility PA, the League of Women Voters of PA, and the Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering at Duquesne University hosted a Shale Gas and Public Health Conference in Pittsburgh and online.

On March 4, the Oil and Gas and Air Quality Programs of DEP did a joint inspection of a Diversified Production LLC cryptocurrency mining facility in Horton Township, Elk County and found it and two shale gas wells had been abandoned.

This article first appeared in The Derrick on March 8, 2025--

On March 6, the Department of Environmental Protection issued an order to Energy Transfer/Sunoco to provide water to residents in Upper Makefield Township, Bucks County affected by a leak in Energy Transfer’s 14-inch jet fuel/petroleum products pipeline.

From March 1 to 7, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 749 inspection entries. 

DEP’s Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board is scheduled to meet on March 20 to hear updates on water and wastewater shale gas well development pipelines, methane migration and guidance on dewatering water impoundments.

The following notices were published in the March 8 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

On March 4, the York County-based  Evangelical Environmental Network announced the bipartisan Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act has been reintroduced in Congress to help identify and plug orphaned gas and oil wells, which can leak harmful pollution, contaminate groundwater, and threaten public health and safety.

On March 3,  Public Utility Commission Chair Stephen DeFrank, Vice Chair Kimberly Barrow, Commissioner Katie Zerfuss and Commissioner John F. Coleman Jr.  appeared before the House Appropriations Committee to answer questions about the Commission’s 2025-26 budget request.

By Kate Harper and Conor Lamb, Co-Chairs of Energy Future PA

Pennsylvanians will soon be able to apply for Penn Energy Savers rebates to help individual households and multifamily buildings upgrade to energy efficient appliances and do building retrofits to reduce home energy bills.

On March 6, the City of Reading announced it is now moving into the construction phase as part of a strategic partnership with Schneider Electric to implement a Guaranteed Energy Savings Act (GESA) project, reinforcing Reading's commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency.

The House Energy Committee is scheduled to meet March 17 to consider legislation freeing $156.1 million in funding for the Solar For All Program from a self-imposed state funding freeze.

On March 7, the Scrubgrass Creek Watershed Association and PennFuture, represented by Earthjustice, announced they had reached a settlement agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection and Stronghold Digital Mining’s Scrubgrass Reclamation Company to expedite the removal of an unpermitted coal ash pile at the Scrubgrass Waste Coal Power Plant in Scrubgrass Township, Venango County.

This article first appeared in the PA Anthracite Council March Anthracite Report. EPCAMR received a $100,000 grant from the US Department of Energy for the feasibility study but it is now frozen.  See update below.

On March 5, Hanna Smith-Brubaker, Executive Director of PASA Sustainable Agriculture, notified supporters and stakeholders the organization is being forced to institute a phased furlough of most of its employees due to the federal funding freeze.

By Michael Kensinger, Juniata Valley Audubon Society

Grow Rural PA and the North Central PA Regional Planning and Development Commission will host a March 26 lunch and learn about Project NuREEsource Demonstration Scale Rare Earth Metal and Critical Minerals recovery facility in Clearfield County.

The Western PA Conservancy is accepting applications year-round through June 2027 for its Riparian Restoration Tree Planting Initiative, which provides native trees to landowners planted at no cost as part of Pennsylvania’s statewide water quality improvement goals.

The federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative released its Spring multi-state tree planting schedule.

On March 4, the PA iMapInvasive Program announced a new program giving property owners the opportunity to replace up to five invasive or non-native plants with native plants at one of five upcoming in Cumberland, Delaware, Erie, Lackawanna and Westmoreland counties.

The Penn State Extension will host an April 1 webinar on Private Water Supply Education and Water Testing from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The 2025 One Water Summit, organized by the U.S. Water Alliance, will be hosted at Pittsburgh's David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh July 8-11.

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a March 24 hearing on a revision to an Industrial Minerals (noncoal) Mining permit for the Perkiomenville Quality owned by Highway Materials LLC in Marlborough Township, Montgomery County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2019)

Shutterbugs in Pennsylvania of all skill levels are invited to enter their images in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s annual Save the Bay Photo Contest.  Deadline for entries is March 29.

The March 5 issue of the DCNR Resource newsletter features articles on--

The March 7 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

The South Mountain Partnership is now accepting applications for Mini-Grants intended to catalyze on-the-ground projects that further the goals of the Partnership.  Applications due April 30.

The PA Environmental Council is now accepting applications for a new artist-in-residency program focused on watersheds.  Applications are due March 31.

The PA Environmental Council’s In Case You Missed It In February is now available featuring articles on--

By Darian Jones

On March 6, the PA iMapInvasives Program released the results of a citizen science Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt in 2023 and 2024.

Opportunities to learn more about environmental and energy issues affecting Pennsylvania for students and adults--

The PA Firefly Festival is hosting a Firefly Naturalist Guide Training event that will take place on Saturday, June 21 at the Kellettville Firefly Farm in Forest County from 3:00 to 11:00 p.m.

The information you need to follow legislation in the House and Senate- starting with articles and NewsClips from last week--

Articles and NewsClips about federal actions impacting Pennsylvania--

Click Here for a list of public participation opportunities and a calendar of events.

Click Here for grants, awards, recognition programs and contest deadlines.

Highlights of the environmental and energy notices in the March 8 PA Bulletin--

Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to: PaEnviroDigest@gmail.com.

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the PA Outdoor Writers Association, PA PA Council Trout Unlimited, Organization for Watersheds & Rivers and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.