Here are 78 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--

At the October 18 event marking the plugging of the 100th conventional oil and gas well this year, Gov. Josh Shapiro made some strong statements about the ‘corporate greed’ that left communities and taxpayers holding the bag for these wells.

On October 18, the FracTracker Alliance announced the winners of the 2023 Community Sentinel Awards to honor the leadership of individuals working to protect communities from the harms of the fossil fuel industry.

The Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled three more hearings on its Interim Final Environmental Justice Permit Review Policy before the November 30 end of the public comment period.

On October 18, Dr. Sandra Steingraber, Senior Scientist with the Science and Environmental Health Network, provided an overview of findings from the newly published 9th Compendium of Scientific, Medical, Media Findings Demonstrating Risk, Harms of Natural Gas Development and Infrastructure during a briefing hosted by the Better Path Coalition.

On October 18, Gov. Josh Shapiro, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council marked the plugging of the 100th conventional oil and gas well– more wells than were plugged in the prior 6 years combined. 

From October 14 to 20, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 461 inspection entries.

The following DEP notices were published in the October 21 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

On October 17, the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held an informational briefing on Project Canary, a company that measures, analyzes and reports on methane emissions from natural gas production and distribution infrastructure.

On October 19, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mid-Atlantic Region will open a public phone line (800) 438-2474 and roll-out a webpage to increase transparency and inform the public about the Fairmont Brine site in Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia, where state and federal agencies are working to secure the site and control any potential release of radioactive and hazardous materials.

On October 17, the Public Utility Commission announced pipeline engineers from the PUC’s Safety Division are investigating an ongoing incident in Beaver County that has disrupted natural gas service to several thousand residents and businesses served by Columbia Gas.

On October 18, the Safety Division of the Public Utility Commission announced it is continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding a December 2022 house explosion and fire in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is scheduled to hold a November 2 hearing on water withdrawal requests-- including seven related to shale gas drilling-- to be considered at its December 14 business meeting.  (formal notice) 

In September, the Executive Director of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission gave his approval to 19 water use permits for individual shale gas well drilling pads in Bradford, Susquehanna, Tioga counties.  (formal notice) 

On October 16, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee reported out a cryptocurrency mining bill without a permit moratorium and a resolution encouraging geothermal energy from abandoned mine pools.

By Rev. Mitchell Hescox, Evangelical Environmental Network - Action

On October 19, the Public Utility Commission approved a Proposed Policy Statement requesting public comment on proposed guidelines for electric utility rate design for electric vehicle (EV) charging.

The PA Emergency Management Agency is now accepting letters of interest for the FEMA Flood Mitigation and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grant programs.  Letters are due to PEMA by October 31.

On October 18, the US Department of Energy Awarded nearly $3.5 billion in grants for 58 projects across 44 states to strengthen electric grid resilience and reliability across America.

On October 19, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced the investment of $175.7 million for 25 drinking water and wastewater projects across 16 counties through the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority.

On October 16, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz announced a $9.6 million investment into restoring water quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed funded by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

On October 16, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation and Perdue Farms, announced a new initiative to support conservation practice implementation on poultry farms throughout Pennsylvania.

On October 19, the Department of Environmental Protection announced the award of over $3.8 million in federal Section 319 grants to 15 projects across Pennsylvania that will help communities restore impaired watersheds.

On October 16, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Pennsylvania announced funding for landowners interested in restoring, enhancing, and protecting agricultural land and wetlands through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP).

On October 16, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission announced it will begin accepting nutrient and sediment reduction project proposals under the Maryland Conowingo Watershed Implementation Plan Program on October 24  The deadline for proposals is December 20.

On October 17, the Fish and Boat Commission announced it is now accepting applications for the York & Lancaster Counties Habitat Improvement Grant Program.  The deadline for applications is January 15.

The latest UpStream newsletter from Chester County-based Stroud Water Research Center features articles on a new educational program bring stream life to you, shows how adding green space can reduce flooding and that you’re never too old to learn how to build soil health.

On October 20, the Department of Environmental Protection announced, after a meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force, that York County remains in Drought Warning, 14 counties remain in Drought Watch and six counties have returned to normal.

On October 17, the Department of Environmental Protection responded this morning to reports of a petroleum-type odor and sheen on the Conodoguinet Creek in Silver Spring Township, Cumberland County.

On October 18, Encina Fort Union LLC withdrew its NPDES stormwater permit application for a facility that chemically recycles waste plastics after DEP cited major deficiencies in the application on July 6, 2023.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the October 21 PA Bulletin it has banned the sale of electronic products by Trexonic in Pennsylvania as a result of non-compliance with the electronic waste recycling law.  (PA Bulletin, page 6627)

On October 17, Energy Vision announced the Dickinson College Farm anaerobic digester was one of three winners of its 17th Annual Leadership Awards recognizing renewable energy projects in the U.S. that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by converting organic waste into sustainable energy.

On October 18, the Department of Transportation and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful announced 33 high school student members of the 2023-2024 cohort of Young Ambassadors of Pennsylvania.

The PA Resources Council is expanding its Traveling Glass Recycling Bin Program through a pilot program starting in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County October 21 to 26.

On October 20, regional conservation partners North Branch Land Trust, Earth Conservancy, and the Department of Conservation of Natural Resources announced they finalized the conservation of 1,400 acres in Hanover and Newport townships in Luzerne County known as Wilkes Barre Mountain, including the Hanover Reservoir.

On October 18, Natural Lands announced it has added 47 acres of land to the William Penn State Forest in Berks County. Natural Lands purchased the property and then transferred ownership to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

On October 19, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources issued its fourth Weekly Fall Foliage Report showing there will be impressive color just about anywhere in Pennsylvania the week of October 19 to 25.

On October 17, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced Pennsylvanians are being asked to nominate their favorite trail for the 2024 Trail of the Year.

In a social media announcement, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced it will hold a November 6 public meeting on the planning process for the new Big Elk Creek State Park in Chester County.

Nominations are now being accepted for WeConservePA's Lifetime Conservation Leadership Award which recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to conservation in Pennsylvania over the course of their life.

On October 16, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced the award of $883,143 in grants to help Pennsylvania’s rural communities increase protection from wildfires.

On October 16, the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership announced it is now accepting applications for 2023 Mini-Grants.  The deadline to apply is November 30.

The October 20 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation featuring articles on--

The Fall issue of Penn’s Stewards from the PA Parks & Forests Foundation features a history of the Lehigh Gorge State Park Wilderness in Carbon and Luzerne counties.

On October 20, Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Adams) began circulating a co-sponsor memo announcing he plans to introduce legislation to establish a process for the formal recognition of the Lenape Nation by the Commonwealth.

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

On October 20, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan announced EPA is accepting applications for the 2024 President’s Environmental Youth Awards and Presidential Innovation Awards for Environmental Educators.  The deadline for nominations is January 15.

On November 16, Penn State Extension will host a webinar on Agrivoltaics and Large-Scale Solar Facilities from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Protect PT and other partner groups will host an October 26 webinar on PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' in Pennsylvania's Oil and Gas Production starting at 6:30 p.m.

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

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet October 24 on legislation regulating garage drain water disposal and crematory operating temperatures.  The bills include--

On October 18, two environmental organizations announced they are investing more than $250,000 in an Independent Expenditure for the open seat on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, which they said is critical to protecting Pennsylvanians’ constitutional right to “clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic, and esthetic values of the environment.”

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 October 21 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.