Here are 139 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--

On February 7, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful recognized individuals, government, organizations and businesses whose efforts support and strengthen the mission of a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania.

Late last month, more than 300 volunteers and about 30 organizations in Pennsylvania and Delaware answered Stroud Water Research Center’s call to gather chloride data from streams for Winter Salt Week, a multistate effort to raise awareness about the threat of road salt to fresh water.

On February 13, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced the Delaware River has been named Pennsylvania’s 2025 River of the Year after securing the most votes in a public competition

Gov. Josh Shapiro has proposed a $51.1 billion 2025-26 budget proposal that includes $2 billion more for human services, primarily to pay for rising medical care costs for the poor; $526 million more for K-12 schools; $300 million for transit; and the Lightning Energy Plan initiative he announced previously to lower energy costs, increase and diversify electric generation resources.

On February 13, Gov. Josh Shapiro filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional freeze of federal funding.

On February 11, Appalachian Voices, a group that brings together people from across Appalachia to advance a just transition to an equitable clean energy economy, released this statement on the "freeze" in federal funding for abandoned mine reclamation--

On February 12, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition organized more than 130 farmers, ranchers, and community advocates to call for urgent action on Capitol Hill around the ongoing federal funding freeze and critical farm bill and appropriations priorities.

 Appalachian Voices warns funding for programs that help hardworking rural Americans thrive is at risk! Soon, Congress will vote on sweeping cuts to vital community programs to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporations.

On February 13, the Natural Resources Defense Council said the President's freeze on funding for the Solar for All grants across the US is impacting 60 programs, including Pennsylvania.

On February 14, the PA Association of Environmental Educators urge educators to take action in response to new federal directives impacting environmental education programs.

By Hilary Harp Falk, President, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

On February 11, CNX Resources CEO Nicholas Deluliis told DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council a year and a half of air and water monitoring shows “no material impact” to air or water quality from their natural gas development operations.

The state Department of Health and Penn State Project ECHO will host a February 13 webinar from Noon to 1:00 p.m. on Caring for Persons Living and Working in Communities Involved in Oil and Natural Gas Extraction.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the February 8 PA Bulletin saying Southwestern Energy Production Company failed to comply with the Act 2 Land Recycling Program cleanup standards at the Greenzweig shale gas wastewater impoundment in Herrick Township, Bradford County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1377)

On January 21, the Department of Environmental Protection and Roulette Oil & Gas Co., LLC signed a consent order and agreement requiring the company to plug a shale gas well that was abandoned for 8 years in Hebron Township, Potter County.

From January 25 to February 14, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 3,168 inspection entries during this time.

On February 7, Washington County Court of Common Pleas Judge Brandon P. Neuman ruled Sunoco Pipeline, LLC did not have eminent domain authority to take property for the Mariner East Pipelines in 2013 from Bradley and Amy Simon and possibly many other property owners.

The Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled a March 11 hearing on a proposed Air Quality Plan Approval permit covering new air pollution control equipment to be installed at the Harmon Creek Natural Gas Processing Plant in Smith Township, Washington County.  (PA Bulletin, pages 1328- 1329)

The Governor’s Office published an updated agency-by-agency Regulatory Agenda in the February 15 PA Bulletin that lists regulations in development, an estimated schedule of consideration and opportunities for public comments.  Read more here.

On February 13, Marcellus Drilling News reported the Canadian firm Rain City Resources from Vancouver, BC and Kendra II, a waste disposal company in Springville, Susquehanna County, signed an agreement to establish a pilot plant to extract lithium from Marcellus Shale wastewater in Susquehanna County.

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

The following notices were published in the February 15 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is scheduled to hold its next business meeting on March 13 to consider water withdrawal requests, a new general permit for into basin diversions of water and other agenda items.  (formal notice)

On February 12, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the PJM Interconnection, Inc.’s Reliability Resource Initiative (RRI) proposal to “fast track” natural gas power plants at the exclusion of renewable and other clean energy projects, leaving them stuck in the permitting queue.

On February 14, the President issued an executive order establishing the National Energy Dominance Council to promote the use of crude oil, natural gas, lease condensates, natural gas liquids, refined petroleum products, uranium, coal, biofuels, geothermal heat, the kinetic movement of flowing water, and critical minerals.

On February 10, the Department of Environmental Protection and Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the award of $14,866,280 in grants to support 79 local water quality improvement projects.

The American Water Charitable Foundation announced it is now accepting applications for 2025 Water and Environmental Grants.  The deadline to apply is March 7.

The Department of Environmental Protection's Environmental Justice Office will hold a March 20 hearing on a new NPDES Water Quality Permit for the Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill in Rostraver Township.  (PA Bulletin, page 1543-1544).

The Department of Environmental published notice in the February 15 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a proposed Advanced Restoration Plan for impaired waters [as opposed to a TMDL Plan] in subwatersheds of the Fishing Creek Watershed in Lancaster County. (PA Bulletin, page 1599)

The energy industry and its potential impacts to freshwater resources in the Lake Erie watershed will be the focus of the next Pennsylvania Lake Erie Environmental Forum, hosted virtually on February 18 at 1:00 p.m..

In response to rapidly growing public interest in residential stormwater management and community greening methods, four watershed organizations in southeastern Pennsylvania have partnered to launch the Growing Greener Communities website.

The North Central Grassroots Conservation Fair will be held March 14 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Wellsboro Fireman's Annex, East Avenue, Wellsboro, Tioga County.

On February 12, the North Branch Land Trust announced it received a Susquehanna River Basin Commission Stream and Watershed Enhancement Grant to develop a Guide for Watershed Guardians in Luzerne County.

The Penn State Extension will host an in-person workshop March 29 on Rain Barrel Discover - Explore and Learn at the Mount Gretna Firehall in Lebanon County from 11:00 a.m. to Noon.

The Department of Environmental Protection is scheduled to hold a March 19 hearing on the RACT 3 Air Quality Permit for the Cleveland Cliffs Butler Steel Works in Butler Township, Butler County.  (PA Bulletin, page 1553)

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the February 8 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a new, proposed Air Quality General Permit GP-14 for human or animal remains crematory incinerators.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the February 15 PA Bulletin inviting comments on an analysis designating an Exceptional Event under the federal Clean Air Act related to Canadian wildfires in June and July 2023 and their impact on air quality in Pennsylvania.

The Penn State Extension will host a February 27 webinar to provide a General Update of Large-Scale Solar In Pennsylvania from 11:00 a.m. to Noon.

The Public Utility Commission published the final Policy Statement On Electric Utility Rate Design for Electric Vehicle Charging in the February 15 PA Bulletin finalized at the Commission’s December 19, 2024 meeting.

On February 13, the Department of Agriculture announced the investment of $6,699,378 to purchase development rights for 1,837 acres on 19 farms in 16 counties, protecting them from future residential or commercial development.

The PA Office of Outdoor Recreation is hosting a series of ten regional outdoor recreation industry works designed to help shape the future of recreation in Pennsylvania.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is now accepting applications for members on the agency's Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council.

On February 13, Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor released an audit of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that showed it did not award all Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) grants competitively, instead using its own discretion when awarding some grants despite advertising it as a competitive process. 

The February 14 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

The Rothrock Trail Alliance, a committee of ClearWater Conservancy, has launched construction on new, multi-use, single track natural surface trail in the Rothrock State Forest.

On February 11, the Keystone Trails Association announced it will hold its annual Spring Hiking Weekend from April 25 to 27 in Huntingdon County, home of Pennsylvania’s Raystown Lake.

The Penn State Extension and DCNR's Bureau of Forestry will host a March 13 webinar on Forest Health, Insect and Disease Update from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m.

The Pennsylvania Firefly Festival announced that since 2012, the PAFF has hosted 4,931 festival patrons at the annual Forest County festival and this past year over 2,500 lottery applications were submitted for the one hundred sixty event tickets.

On February 13, the Fish and Boat Commission announced the award of the first round of grants awarded in 2025 through the Boating Facility Grant Program.

The Fish and Boat Commission announced a virtual public information session will be held on Tuesday, February 25, at 6:00 p.m., to discuss the new Delaware River Tailwaters Joint Trout Management Plan. 

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

The Western PA Conservancy hosts a March 11 webinar featuring five women talking about careers in conservation and preservation as part of the International Women and Girls In Science Day celebration starting at Noon.

The Allegheny County Department of Sustainability is seeking qualified candidates to fill a summer sustainability intern position.  The deadline to apply is March 7.

The PA Association of Environmental Professionals will host a March 18 webinar providing an overview of emerging PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' treatment technologies starting at Noon.

On March 11, the PA Recycling Markets Center will host a webinar providing an update on recycled paper commodities markets, including the impacts of tariffs, from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.

The PA Association of Environmental Professionals are now accepting presentation proposals for their annual conference to be held September 10-12 in State College.  The deadline for submissions is April 7.

By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association, Monroe County

By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association, Monroe County

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 February 8 PA Bulletin-- 

Highlights of the environmental and energy notices in the February 15 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.