When the Army Corps of Engineers removed a dam on the Monongahela River a couple of years ago, the water level dropped more than some businesses expected. Researchers are working on buoys that combat harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie by releasing an algaecide. Council members in a Jefferson County borough are putting a nearly six-month pause on data center development, and state lawmakers have passed three measures this week to pump the brakes on data center development. Environmental groups say recent investments announced by Nippon Steel for its US Steel plants in the Pittsburgh area won’t do much to improve the region’s air quality. How restaurants are managing recycling, composting and sustainability, and training customers along the way.
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Pa. House passes data center ‘pause’ along with Shapiro’s plan for ‘responsible’ development - Both chambers have approved a repeal of the commonwealth’s sales tax break on computer equipment for data centers.
Jefferson County borough passes 180-day moratorium on data center development - The pause will give the Brookville Borough Council until sometime in December to finalize data center rules. "We just want to be sure if one comes into our territory, it's done correctly.” 
Pa. bill aims to create a level playing field for direct-to-consumer EV sales - The bill would open the direct sales model to other EV makers besides Tesla that don’t have a network of franchised dealerships.
Groups say Nippon Steel investments will perpetuate coal and air pollution in the Mon Valley - They say upgrades don’t incorporate newer technologies but instead are "stopgap things to make U.S. Steel profitable in the short term." 
Beyond the compost bin: How Pittsburgh restaurants are reimagining waste - From spent grain and citrus peels to reusable containers and local sourcing, food establishments across Pittsburgh are redesigning systems one decision at a time.
