Here are 68 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--

From December 16 to 22, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 534 inspection entries. 

At 5:50 a.m. on December 19, 2023, the MSL Oil & Gas Corp well tender reported a fire in crude oil storage tanks at the Dutter 235 conventional oil well in Wetmore Township, McKean County.

On December 18, the Shapiro Administration announced CNX Resources has begun to disclose general information on the chemicals it uses in fracking shale gas wells and some air monitoring results at two of its well pads.

Unconventional, conventional, pipeline, storage and other oil and gas facilities have been self-reporting air emissions from their facilities since 2012 and do so regularly under Title V and other Air Quality permits issued by the Department of Environmental Protection.

By Michael Rubinkam, Associated Press

On December 18, representatives of the nonprofit HEI Energy and Penn State researchers provided an overview of how they used nearly 28,500 water sample results to help identify oil and gas industry groundwater pollution as part of the Community Exposures To Oil and Gas Development and Groundwater Contamination study.

The following DEP and other notices were published in the December 23 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

On December 14, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission approved water withdrawal requests-- including seven related to shale gas drilling in Bradford, Lycoming, Snyder and Tioga counties and the Loyalsock and Pine Creek Exceptional Value Watersheds.

In November, the Executive Director of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission gave his approval to 32 water use permits for individual shale gas well drilling pads in Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming counties.  (formal notice)

On December 20, the PJM Interconnection announced the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a $1.25 billion Winter Storm Elliot Settlement with 81 settling parties.

Pipeline safety engineers from the Safety Division of the Public Utility Commission– which is part of the Commission’s independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (I&E) – initiated an investigation into the December 12th incident in Sewickley Heights Borough, Allegheny County, which destroyed a home and injured one person.

On December 20, Project InnerSpace announced the kick-off of two additional state-specific geothermal studies in Oklahoma and Pennsylvania—two historically significant traditional U.S. energy states.

On December 22, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service released proposed regulations on the Clean Hydrogen Production Credit established by the federal Inflation Reduction Act.

On December 21, Earthjustice, on behalf of Scrubgrass Creek Watershed Association and PennFuture, announced they have filed an appeal with the Environmental Hearing Board to overturn or modify DEPs decision to allow the Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. cryptocurrency Scrubgrass power plant a four-year delay to remove its unpermitted coal ash pile situated near the Allegheny River in Kennerdell, Venango County.

On December 23, the Public Utility Commission published notice in the PA Bulletin inviting comment on a Proposed Policy Statement requesting public comment on proposed guidelines for electric utility rate design for electric vehicle (EV) charging.

During its final public meeting for 2023, the Public Utility Commission continued a tradition of highlighting major accomplishments over the past year.

On December 22, the Department of Environmental Protection announced, after a meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force, that a drought watch will continue for 13 counties and a drought warning will continue for Clinton and York Counties.

On December 20, the Commonwealth Financing Authority announced the award of $320 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding for water infrastructure projects through two programs--

On December 14, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission honored a couple whose devotion to the restoration of the Tioga River Watershed will soon turn its orange, polluted waters into clear, healthy flows.

On December 19, the PA Association of Conservation Districts announced the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) ended 2023 with more than 82,000 acres enrolled in the conservation program.

Liquid manure doesn’t run off of Greg Strayer’s Cumberland County beef farm and threaten the Conodoguinet Creek any longer, thanks to a new 185,000-gallon storage area made possible with cost-share funds through Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP).

By Megan Hopkins-Doerr, Master Watershed Steward Coordinator Chester, Delaware Counties 

The latest UpStream newsletter from the Chester County-based Stroud Water Research Center highlights the expansion of its outreach efforts to farmers and landowners to improve water quality... and much more!

Crawford County-based Allegheny College has been awarded a grant of $3,500 for water quality monitoring supplies as part of the college’s Creek Connections Program.

On December 18, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a 2023 round of funding for the Chesapeake Watershed Investments to Landscape Defense (WILD) projects.

Increased and sustained funding for farm practices, and more streambank fencing are among what the Chesapeake Bay Foundation sees as legislative priorities for Pennsylvania in 2024.

On December 19, the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement announced $8 million in grants for states and Tribes to update their abandoned mine land inventories, to support future remediation efforts.

The latest Environmental Justice Update from the Department of Environmental Protection includes a quick summary of just some of the comments made on the revised Environmental Justice Permit Review Policy and highlights upcoming funding opportunities, public participation and educational opportunities.

On December 19, in response to a Right To Know Request, the Governor’s Office released the list of state permits, licenses and authorizations covered by the Shapiro Administration’s PAyback Permit Fee Refund Program.

The Department of Environmental Protection is inviting comments and has set a February 8 hearing on a proposed RACT 3 Air Quality Permit for the Magnesita Refractories Co. facility in West Manchester Township, York County.  (Dec. 23 PA Bulletin, page 7967)

On December 22, the Department of Agriculture announced it had preserved another 2,553 acres on 30 farms in 21 counties, forever protecting them from residential or commercial development.

On December 18, the Western PA Conservancy announced the permanent protection of 460 forested acres in Keating Township, McKean County.

On November 20, ClearWater Conservancy finalized an agreement to permanently conserve a 35.46-acre property in the Roaring Run Watershed in Madisonburg, Centre County.

By Susquehanna Greenway Partnership

The December 22 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

On December 19, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission invited comments on a proposed general permit covering cooperative fish nurseries (GP-03).

The Centre County-based ClearWater Conservancy is seeking qualified candidates to fill the position of Communications Director.

The Allegheny County-based Allegheny Land Trust is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Field Coordinator.

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

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 23 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 Organization for Watersheds & Rivers, PA Outdoor Writers Association, PA Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.