Here are 110 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 December 4, Rep. Leslie Rossi (R-Westmoreland) announced Mark Nobile of Unity Township, Westmoreland County has been recognized with the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Community Pride Award, celebrating his unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship and community improvement.

The PA League of Women Voters, Duquesne University and other partners will host the 2026 Shale Gas and Public Health Conference February 19 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The PA Council of Trout Unlimited, the Keystone Trails Association and the Responsible Drilling Alliance have requested DEP to hold a hearing on the Chapter 105 permit for a 3.9 mile shale gas access road and staging area proposed by PA General Energy in Gamble and Cascade Townships, Lycoming County. 

On November 26, 2025, the Department of Environmental Protection received a notification from CNX Gas Co. LLC there was a shale gas well casing failure in one of three wells being zipper fracked simultaneously at the WFN12 well pad in West Finley Township, Washington County.

The Department of Environmental Protection has now issued violations to Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC for casing/cementing failures in four shale gas wells at the Broadleaf Holdings well pad in Troy Township, Bradford County after one of the wells experienced an uncontrolled release of wastewater in July.

On November 13, 2025, the Department of Environmental Protection issued Chesapeake Appalachia LLC new violations for casing/cementing failures in four shale gas wells at the Linski well pad in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County.

On December 2, 2025, the Department of Environmental Protection issued violations to 13 conventional oil and gas well owners for failing to submit annual production, waste generation/disposal or well integrity reports for the up to 988 wells they own.

On November 25, 2025 and December 1, 2025, the Department of Environmental Protection was notified by MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC that horizontal drilling operations on the construction of the shale gas-related Chiarelli to Imperial pipeline resulted in two more incidents of losing drilling fluids into coal mine voids under Mount Pleasant Township, Washington County.  

From November 29 to December 5, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 705 inspection entries, plus reports from past weeks entered later. 

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the December 6 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a draft Policy for Erosion and Sedimentation Control and Stormwater Management for Oil and Gas Production, Processing or Treatment Operations or Transmission Facilities.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the December 6 PA Bulletin inviting comments on an Air Quality Plan Approval covering the uprate of three natural gas-fired turbines at the Hummel Station Power Plant in Shamokin Dam Borough, Snyder County.  (PA Bulletin, page 8279)

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the December 6 PA Bulletin inviting comments on the first Title V Air Quality Permit for the natural gas-fired Hill Top Energy Center Power Plant in Cumberland Township, Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 8281)

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the December 6 PA Bulletin inviting comments on the renewal of the Title V Air Quality Permit for the Constellation Energy Generation, LLC fuel oil-fired Falls Generation Station in Falls Township, Bucks County. (PA Bulletin, page 8281)

The following notices were published in the December 6 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice in the December 6 PA Bulletin the Executive Director gave his approval to or renewed 76 general water use permits in August for individual shale gas well drilling pads in Blair, Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Huntingdon, Lycoming, McKean, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Tioga counties in Pennsylvania and one permit in Steuben County, New York..

Pennsylvania and related groups said the US Environmental Protection Agency’s compliance delay of the 2024 U.S. EPA Methane Rule, which requires industry polluters to cut dangerous methane emissions and harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs), puts Pennsylvania’s public health, climate, and natural resources at risk.

On December 3, the Independent Fiscal Office reported natural gas production in Pennsylvania from shale gas wells increased 5.1% in the third quarter over the third quarter a year ago and the number of new wells drilled in the quarter-- 53-- increased 84.1% over a year ago.

On December 4, the Public Utility Commission voted to approve modified natural gas distribution rate changes for Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania Inc. (Columbia Gas), cutting the utility’s originally requested increase by nearly half and adopting a series of measures designed to strengthen consumer protections, support at-risk households and guide future safety improvements.

In a December 3 letter to the Chair of the PJM Interconnection Board, six state governors-- including Gov. Shapiro-- said PJM's most recent efforts to deal with A.I. data center electricity demands have failed and urged the grid operator to take 'decisive action' to avoid 'extraordinarily high prices' and to add new electric generation.

Here are Articles and NewsClips on A.I. and data center issues from last week you may have missed--

On December 5, the Public Utility Commission announced the scheduling of an additional in-person hearing on Thursday, December 18, 2025, to gather public input on the proposed 7% rate increase proposed by PPL Electric Utilities. 

The Pennsylvania Solar Center and Philadelphia Energy Authority will host a webinar December 12 from Noon to 1:15 p.m. on how nonprofits, schools, municipalities and faith groups can take advantage of federal incentives to go solar.

On December 2, Chesapeake Bay Executive Council met and formally approved a revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

On December 2, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it signed a Consent Order and Agreement (COA) with United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel) on November 20 to address repeated oil sheening discharges from the company’s Mon Valley Works Irvin Plant in West Mifflin, Allegheny County.

On December 2, the Department of Environmental Protection announced the award of $168,000 in grants in the Lake Erie Coastal Zone and $580,000 in grants in the Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone to protect and restore coastal Resources.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA  Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program helps local communities recover after natural disasters strike.

The PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers will host a webinar December 17 showcasing collaborative community watershed organization capacity building successes from Noon to 1:30 p.m.

Gale Blackmer, the Pennsylvania state geologist and director of the Bureau of Geological Survey in the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, will deliver a public talk at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 8, in 112 Walker Building on Penn State's University Park campus.

By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association

If you have canceled, suspended, or unwanted pesticides, you can schedule disposal through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture CHEMSWEEP Program.  The deadline to schedule disposal is March 31.

On December 5, the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority announced the award recipients of the 2025 CCRRA Recycling Mini-Grant. 

By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association, Monroe County

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

On December 1, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced a recent visit to Northampton County to award a $730,000 investment through federal Highlands Conservation Act funding to conserve the Bauer Preserve in Northampton County.

On December 1, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced it is seeking public input to help shape the next 25 years of the Presque Isle State Park Complex in Erie County which includes Presque Isle State Park, the [Governor] Tom Ridge Environmental Center and Erie Bluffs State Park.

On December 5, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources launched the PA Community Tree Assistance Program, a new initiative backed by $1.8 million in available funding for 2026.

On December 2, Pennsylvania Master Naturalist announced eight PA Master Naturalists completed training to become Climate Stewards as part of a pilot program.

The 2026 PA Firefly Festival will be held in Forest County on June 26 and 27 with interpretive programs and guided tours.  The raffle for tickets will open on January 1.

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

The PA Association of Environmental Educators is now accepting registrations for its 2026 Annual Conference to be held in Gettysburg March 8-10.

The Wildlife Leadership Academy in Lock Haven is now accepting nominations for the 2026 residential Field School experiences to empower students 14 to 17 to become certified Conservation Ambassadors.

The Cumberland Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited is now accepting applications for  the Rivers Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp to be held June 21 to 26 at Messiah University in Cumberland County.  Application deadline December 31.

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 December 6 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.

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