Pa. Gov. Shapiro signs executive order to ‘rein in’ data center development
The order will force data center developers to abide by several rules, including a requirement to obtain a stamp of approval from local officials.
Energy
Policy playbook urges Pa. lawmakers look to renewables, not fossil fuels, for energy affordability
The playbook calls for legalizing community solar, which are neighborhood-scale solar arrays that people nearby can subscribe to directly.
State to study whether area in Laurel Highlands is ‘unsuitable’ for coal mine
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will conduct an expansive technical review of the Rustic Ridge coal mine, studying impacts to drinking water, wildlife, and tourism.
U.S. Steel’s ‘ineffective’ safety procedures led to explosion that killed two, federal chemical safety board concludes
U.S. Steel failed to follow industry guidelines that could have prevented or reduced the severity of the explosion, a federal agency found.
Environmental group claims DEP is falling behind reporting on underground mining damages in Pa.
The Citizens Coal Council says the quality of information in DEP’s latest report represents a backslide compared to previous ones.
How ICE and a data center turned a small Pittsburgh suburb into a civic battleground
In Springdale, a borough of 3,000 east of Pittsburgh, a year of immigration arrests, data center opposition and confrontations with local officials has fueled a new wave of organizing.
Pa. DEP says landfill leachate poses no health risk. Environmentalists aren’t so sure.
A citizen group based in Westmoreland County hosted a webinar to share information about what they say is the report’s incomplete investigation of the potential harm to the Commonwealth.
Pennsylvania Solar for Schools program renewed for third year
The program, funded in the new state budget for $25 million, now covers 75% of the cost for Pennsylvania school districts to install solar.
Pa. environmental groups turn to crowdfunding to challenge Homer City data center project
The gas-fired power plant that would power the data center could be the biggest in the country, emitting as much pollution as all the cars on Pennsylvania’s roads.
Where Pennsylvania stands with regulating data centers
The passing of Pennsylvania’s new budget means that several bills to slow down data center development in the state are on hold, like repealing a key tax exemption.
