Here are 148 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.

Thank you for your leadership!

-- PA Recreation & Parks Society CEO Tim Herd Announces His Retirement  [PaEN]

-- StateCollege.com: Adam Smith, US Fish & Wildlife Service Biologist, Named Outstanding Coldwater Conservationist Professional By PA Council Of Trout Unlimited

-- Hollow Oak Land Trust Spotlight: Laura Theofanous - Championing Milkweed At The Nike Missile Site In Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: Meet Winners Of 2024 Sustainable Garden Awards From Phipps Conservatory

-- Choose Clean Water Coalition Now Accepting Applications For Young Environmental Professionals Of Color Mentorship Program  [PaEN]

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: Fracking In Pennsylvania Hasn’t Gone As Well As Some May Think

-- The Allegheny Front - Susan Phillips: Fracking In Pennsylvania Hasn’t Gone As Well As Some May Think

-- LancasterOnline Letter: Remembering The Reality Of Fracking - Doing It Safely Or The Wild West - Not For Or Against - By Bruce Riefenstahl, Mount Joy

-- E&E News/Politico: Fracking In Pennsylvania May Not Be As Important To Voters As Pundits Suggest 

-- The Guardian: Fracking Explained: Why The Fossil Fuel Extraction Process Is So Controversial  [Fracking In Pennsylvania]

-- The Energy Age Blog: JD Vance: ‘Solution’ To Climate Change Is To Unleash More Fracking

-- Center For Coalfield Justice Hosts Oct. 16 In-Person Program In Waynesburg, Greene County On Protecting Public Health, Resources From Shale Gas Development   [PaEN]

-- DEP Begins Accepting Grant Applications Oct. 9 To Plug Orphan Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned By Their Owners  [PaEN]

-- The Energy Age Blog: Update: Emergency DEP Conventional Well Plugging Continues In Allegheny County

-- State Fire Commissioner Now Accepting Applications From Local Fire, Emergency Services For Training, Equipment To Respond To Shale Gas Infrastructure Fires, Emergencies  [PaEN]

-- Federal Pipeline Safety Agency Increases Grants To State With Pipeline, Underground Gas Safety Programs [PA PUC Receive $2.6 Million In Base Grant In 2023]

-- Sen. Yaw Introduces Bill To Prohibit State Government From Owning Any Clean Energy Credits; Would Force The Use Of More Taxpayer Money To Plug Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Routinely Abandoned By Conventional Well Owners  [PaEN]

-- PennFuture: Lawmakers Move Bill To Require Clean Solar Energy Facilities To Have Bonds; But Fail To Have Adequate Plugging Bonds For Dirty Oil & Gas Wells Leaving Taxpayers To Pick Up The Cost  [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Ad Crable: Pennsylvania Factions Spar Over Treating Roads With Drilling Wastewater\

-- PennLive - John Beauge: Construction Of PA General Energy Natural Gas Pipelines In Lycoming County Can Begin Despite Concerns For Trail, Wild Trout Streams  [Read more here ]

-- Olean Times Herald (NY): Marine Vet In McKean County Deals With Fracking Wastewater Injection Well Next Door: ‘I Regret Purchasing This Home’

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Work On Shale Gas Wastewater Injection Well In McKean County Progresses  [PDF of Article]

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 - Five More Abandoned  Shale Gas Well Violations; Failure To Disclose Fracking Chemicals; Failure To Report Waste Generation & Disposal; Lawnmower Causes Conventional Pipeline Gas Leak [PaEN]

-- DEP Violations To 7 Shale Gas Drillers For Failure To Submit Monthly Waste Generation, Disposal, Production Reports - 1 Company For 3 Years; 2 More Drillers Fail To Disclose Fracking Chemicals  [PaEN]

-- DEP Advisory Group To Hear How DEP Proposes To Implement New Federal Methane Reduction Rule For Conventional Oil & Gas, Shale Gas Wells, Infrastructure Oct. 10  [PaEN]

-- The Guardian: LNG Gas Has Far Worse Climate Emissions Than Coal, Cornell Study Finds

-- Utility Dive: Natural Gas Association Warns Of Colder Winter, Higher Gas Prices On Heels Of North American Electric Reliability Corp Concerns About Sufficient Gas Supplies

-- Reuters: Natural Gas Producer EQT To Lay Off 15% Of Workforce

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: EQT Natural Gas Driller Announces Plan To Cut 15% Of Its Workforce-- About 250 Employees

-- Observer-Reporter: Marcellus Shale Has Wealth Of Natural Gas And More [Royalty Payments, Act 13 Drilling Impact Fees]  [PDF of Article]  [Part 3]

-- Independent Fiscal Office Projects Another $100+ Million Drop In Act 13 Shale Gas Drilling Impact Fee Revenue In 2023 And 2024 From 2022  [PaEN] 

-- No Decision Posted Yet From DEP On Whether Flare Gas Chemical Makeup, Volume At Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County Is Confidential Business Information  [PaEN]

-- The Allegheny Front - Kara Holsopple: New Guidelines Center On The Needs Of People With Disabilities During Petrochemical Disasters

-- Washington Post: US Supreme Court Refuses To Block EPA Limits On Oil & Gas Methane, Power Plant Mercury Pollution

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Federal Court Certifies Class Action Lawsuit Against Range Resources For Potentially 204 Landowners Over Lease/Royalty Issues  [PDF of Article ]

-- Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Now Accepting Applications For EPA Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grants In EPA Region 3  [PaEN]

-- Mon Valley Clean Air Fund Sets 3 Outreach Sessions Starting Oct. 9 In Allegheny County Communities Affected By US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Plant Fire  [PaEN] 

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Mon Valley Clean Air Fund Sets 3 Outreach Sessions In Communities Affected By US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Plant Fire Starting Oct. 9

-- WESA: Pittsburghers Pledge To Get Out Of The Car For ‘Week Without Driving’

-- House Environmental Committee Moves Solar Energy Facility Decommissioning Best Practices; Food Processing Waste Bills  [PaEN]

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Solar Energy Companies Would Need Plan For Eventual Cleanup Under Bill In State House

-- Post-Gazette: USDA Announces Major Investments In Rural Communities: Somerset Farmer’s Solar Energy Project Highlighted 

-- Observer-Reporter: New Solar Farms Look To Shine Bright In Southwestern PA [Mitsubishi Solar Energy Facilities]   [PDF of Article]

-- Post-Gazette: Massive Solar Farms Are Eating Up Acreage Across Rural PA Triggering Fear, Anger, Heated Disputes  [PDF of Article]

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Flips Switch On First Of 3 Massive Solar Energy Projects In Fayette, Somerset Counties To Add 43 MW To PJM Grid

-- Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority Receives $75,000 West Penn Energy Fund Grant For Solar Energy Array; Will Save $2 Million Over 25 Years; Power Renewable Gas Facility  [PaEN]

-- Stroud Water Research Center Receives $141,000 Grant From Green Mountain Energy Sun Club For New 55-Kilowatt Rooftop Solar Energy System  [PaEN]

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Solar Co-Op Aims To Lower Cost For Rooftop Solar In Dauphin, Cumberland Counties

-- Tribune-Democrat: Upper Yoder Twp. Drawing Up Regulations For Possible Solar Energy Facilities

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Old Lycoming Twp. Solar Energy Facility Permit Good For Energy Needs, Liberty

-- Philadelphia Solar Energy Assn.: Nov. 2 Teacher Training For Junior Solar Sprint

-- No False Solutions PA Coalition: 2nd Carbon Dioxide Leak Reported At ADM Carbon Capture Plant In Illinois, Delay In Notifying Public  Should Give PA Pause On Carbon Capture Storage  [PaEN]

-- Inside Climate News: Carbon Capture Monitoring Well Leaking In Illinois; Most Residents Found Out When The World Did, Failed To Follow Emergency Procedures

-- Delaware River Basin Commission/EPA Climate Practitioners Workshop Oct.28, 4:00 p.m.

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets Oct. 8 On Hydrogen Hubs, Data Centers, Food Processing Residuals, PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Regulation  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Nuclear Energy Growing, But Power Demand Still A Problem

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Nuclear Power At Three Mile Island Plant Is No Climate Solution, Why Would Anyone Tempt Fate?  - By Jane Fonda  [PDF of Article]

-- Financial Times: Is Nuclear Energy The Zero-Carbon Answer To Powering AI?  [Whose Capital Is Going To Help Underwrite The Risk?]

-- Washington Post: Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant Owner Seeks $1.6 Billion In Federal Loan Guarantees To Back Restart Deal With Microsoft AI Project

-- Scientific American: Power-Thirsty AI Turns To Mothballed Nuclear Power Plants, Is That Safe? [TMI Restart]

-- MCall: Talks Could Bring Amazon Data Center To Lehigh Valley At Site Of Electric Plant And Fmr Portland Generating Station

-- Utility Dive: PJM Interconnection Inflates Electricity Prices By Billions By Not Consistently Accounting For Reliability Must-Run Contracts, Campaign Alleges

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Company Pioneers Heat Pump Technology To Warm, Cool Buildings

-- WHYY: Wilmington’s Hagley Museum Using Historic Dams Along Brandywine River To Get Off Electric Grid

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: ‘Life Waste’ Is A Musical Tour Of The Potential Of Biogas [Dickinson College Farm Methane Digester]

-- Penn State Center for Energy Law & Policy Oct. 7 EarthTalk On Sustainable Aviation Fuel And The Policies Impacting Its Development.  4:00 to 5:00 p.m.

-- Sen. Robinson Announces Introduction of Senate Bill 1328 Requiring Radon Testing In Schools Every 5 Years

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Helene Should Be A Siren For Pittsburgh - Get Prepared For More Extreme Weather

-- WTAE: National Weather Service Lowers Height Of Flood Stage Level On Ohio River At Pittsburgh To Provide Earlier Warning Of Flooding

-- WHYY: East Falls, Manayunk, Publish Flood Mitigation Study 3 Years After Hurricane Ida

-- WHYY: PA Task Force 1 Search & Rescue Leader Describes Challenges Faced During Hurricane Helene Deployment

-- PEMA Supporting Response Efforts In Aftermath Of Hurricane Helene

-- TribLive: Western PA Firefighters Organizing Relief Effort For Counterparts Devastated By North Carolina Flooding

-- WNEP: Local Businesses Going To Work To Help Helene Relief

-- Warren Times: Warren Rallies To Assist In Helene Relief

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Pittsburghers Collecting Supplies, Funds For Flood-Devastated Western North Carolina

-- Tribune-Democrat: Johnstown Firefighters Collecting Goods To Benefit North Carolina Storm Victims

-- LancasterOnline: Agencies From Lancaster County, PA Back Hurricane Helene Relief Effort

-- 200+ Attend Delaware River Watershed Forum In Bethlehem - The Power Of Collaboration  [PaEN]

-- Delaware River Basin Commission Reports Outline Need To Improve Estuary Dissolved Oxygen Levels

-- TribLive: Westmoreland Conservation District Honors Unity Family’s Organic Dairy Farm As Conservation Farmer Of The Year

-- NRCS-Pennsylvania Announces Sign-Up For Conservation Easement Programs  [PaEN]

-- USDA NRCS-PA: Farm Conservation Funding Opportunities For FY 2025

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: Chesapeake Bay Cleanup At A Crossroads; New Path Or Stay The Course?

-- DEP Chesapeake Bay Healthy Waters Newsletter Highlights Funding Opportunities; County Clean Water Projects; Accomplishments  [PaEN]

-- Episcopal News Service: Lancaster Clean Water Partners Grant Will Help Manheim Church Do Its Part To Clean Up Chesapeake Bay 

-- Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition Receives Grant To Rehab De Sale Passive Mine Drainage Treatment System;  Participates In WV Mine Drainage Conference; Learn More About Datashed.org  [PaEN]

-- Conservation District Invites Pike County Citizen Scientists To Participate In Study Of Microplastics  [PaEN]

-- Buffalo Creek Coalition Meets Nov. 14 In Butler County On State Of Watershed, Habitat Restoration, Lingering Hemlock Project  [PaEN]

-- Watershed Success Spotlight: Allegheny Land Trust + Chalfant Run-Thompson Run Watershed Assn., Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- US Forest Service Watershed Forestry Team Hosts Webinar On Riparian Forest Buffer Success And Innovation Begins Oct. 10  [PaEN]

-- Pottsville Republican Herald Guest Essay: Riparian Buffers Necessary In Age Of Stronger Storms - By Alliance for The Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

-- Stroud Water Research Center Highlights Streamside Forests & Climate Resilience; How Many Trees To Protect A Stream?; Herbicides & Buffers; Honoring Paul Greenberg  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna University: Grant From Richard King Mellon Foundation To Support Freshwater Research Institute

-- The Daily Item: Susquehanna University Receives $600,000 Mellon Foundation Grant To Fund Freshwater Research

-- Penn State Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Hosts Oct. 23 Webinar On Identifying Environmentally Sensitive Areas On The Farm - Wetlands  [PaEN]

-- Williamsport Sun: Susquehanna Chapter Trout Unlimited Hosts Oct. 9 Program On PA Forest Health

-- PA Environmental Council Will Start Accepting Applications Oct. 21 For Protect Your Drinking Water Grants In Southeast PA Funded By Aqua Pennsylvania  [PaEN]

-- PA American Water Celebrates Source Water Protection Week With Education Program  [PaEN]

-- EPA Announces Availability Of $30 Million To Help Small, Rural Communities Protect Drinking Water, Local Waterways

-- KYW: Philadelphia Water Dept. Rebukes Report Claiming Stormwater Management System Is Overwhelmed By Climate Change

-- WNEP: Schuylkill County Conservancy Hosts 100 5th Graders For Outdoor Learning Day

-- DEP Permitting Efficiency: 22,411 Permits Since 11/2023; Decisions On 18,655;  Three  Currently Eligible For PAyback Did Not Meet Decision Deadlines; ZERO Application Fees Refunded [10.4.24] 

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: EPA Issues New Order For MAX Environmental Hazardous Waste Landfill Over Stream Pollution In Yukon, Westmoreland County

-- Beaver County Times: Beaver County To Host Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Oct. 12

-- PA Resources Council, Allegheny County Host Final Hard-To-Recycle Collection Events This Year On Oct. 5 & 26  [PaEN]

-- Food Processing: Keystone Potato Products Takes Sustainability To New Levels In Schuylkill County

-- PennLive: Cumberland County Township Stops Farm From Joining Farmland Protection Program Over Use Of Food Processing Waste

-- DEP Now Accepting Applications For Food Waste Reduction Grants To Help Fight Hunger  [PaEN]

-- New Cumberland Library In Cumberland County To Hold Oct. 20 Lecture, Book Signing Event For Cradle Of Conservation, An Environmental History of Pennsylvania  [PaEN]

-- DCNR: Study Finds Northcentral Regional ATV Trail Connector Generates $23.5 Million In Revenue Over 2-Year Period [Northcentral Regional ATV Trail]

-- York Daily Record - Brian Whipkey: Look What’s Coming To New Susquehanna Riverlands, Big Elk, Vosburg Neck State Parks

-- DCNR: Second Fall Foliage Report: Best Viewing In Northeast, Southwest PA  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: Dry Summer, Warm Fall May Dampen PA’s Autumn Splendor

-- PA Forestry Association Walk In Penn’s Woods Oct. 5-6 - Find A Walk Near You!

-- Foundation For Sustainable Forests Wall In Penn’s Woods Oct. 6 Northwestern REC Community Forest In Crawford County

-- North Branch Land Trust Walk In Penn’s Woods Oct. 6 Sugar Notch Trails Hike & Sip In Luzerne County

-- Williamsport Sun: Rider Park To Host Walk In Penn’s Woods Day Oct. 6

-- TribLive: St. Xavier In Unity To Host Fall Walk Oct. 6, Road Ramble, Input On Nature Preserve Plans Oct. 2 In Westmoreland

-- Oct. 4 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation  [PaEN]

-- PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In September Now Available  [PaEN]

-- RiverLife Pittsburgh Receives $1 Million Buhl Foundation Grant For Redesign Of Allegheny Landing RiverFront Park In Pittsburgh

-- BikeOut: One Day Ride - Explore Delaware River Towns Oct. 19

-- Warren Times - Josh Cotton: Rehab Of Canoe/Kayak Launch In Sheffield Underway

-- WPXI: Dormont Closing All Playgrounds Due To Loss Of Insurance Coverage

-- DCNR Grants Newsletter: Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape; New Lloyd Clark Trail; Boating Facility Grants; Young Professionals Of Color Mentorship Program

-- Public Comments Invited On Draft Juniata River Watershed Conservation Plan By Western PA Conservancy [PaEN]

-- Western PA Conservancy, Partners Invite Residents Of French Creek Watershed To Comment On Conservation Plan At Oct 22 Meeting In Saegertown, Crawford County  [PaEN]

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Turnpike Hears Strong Opposition To Allegheny Mountain Bypass

-- Hollow Oak Land Trust Spotlight: Laura Theofanous - Championing Milkweed At The Nike Missile Site In Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: Meet Winners Of 2024 Sustainable Garden Awards From Phipps Conservatory

-- Penn State Extension Home Garden News: Fall Garden Care For Pollinators; Not-So-Nice Native Plants; Spooktacular Flora And Fungi

-- Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly News: Tips For Handling Yard Waste In Quarantined Areas; How To Protect Your Business; Online Learning Opportunities

-- Warren Times - Audubon Community Nature Center: Boogie-Woogies In The Woods

-- Altoona Mirror: Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, PA Interfaith Power & Light  Volunteers Prepare To Give Away 4,500+ Native Plants Requested By Individuals

-- The Nature Conservancy PA Nature News: Creating Resilient Forests Video; Oct. 12 Family Day Cove Mountain Preserve; Why Does Biodiversity Matter?; Bats In Focus

-- LancasterOnline: New Holland Breaks Ground On Community Butterfly Garden

-- Citizens Voice: North Branch Land Trust Receives PPL Foundation Grant To Help Protect Land In Hazleton Area

-- Delaware Highlands Conservancy Announces Winners Of Confluence: Land, Water, Wildlife Photo Contest; ARTery Gallery Exhibition  [PaEN]

-- New PA Sportsman License Plate Unveiled To Benefit Youth Hunting & Fishing Programs  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA Unveils Speciality License Plate For Sportsmen

-- Echo-Pilot - Brian Whipkey: House Committee Advances Sunday Hunting Legislation, Votes Down Change To Rifle Deer Opener

-- Spotlight PA: Farmer Support Could Lead PA To Lift Its Near-Total Ban On Sunday Hunting

-- Slippery Rock University Installs Deer Exclosures To Educate People About The Effects Of Overgrazing In Forests

-- KYW: Delaware RiverKeeper Files Lawsuit Against EPA for Failing To Protect Atlantic Sturgeon

-- AP: Push To Map Great Lakes Bottom Gains Momentum Amid Promises Effort Will Help Fishing, Shipping

-- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Highlights October Events: Accessible Hawk Watch; Incredible Invertebrates; History Of Hawk Mountain; Owloween; Wilderness First Responder Course

-- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: Wilderness First Responder Certification Course, Deadline To Register Nov. 1

-- Delaware RiverKeeper Aquatic Plant Survey [Video]

Visit the PA Environment Digest website to learn more.

REAL Leadership:

-- 148 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA

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-- 120 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA

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-- 4,258 Stories In 2023 - Environmental & Conservation Leadership, Significant Events In PA  [PaEN]

-- 3,190 New Stories In 2022 - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership [PaEN]

[Posted: October 6, 2024] 

10/7/2024