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According to the American Lung Association, nearly four in 10 people in America live in places with unhealthy levels of air pollution. (Pcess609/AdobeStock)

PA groups monitoring soot pollution pleased by new EPA standards

The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized stronger air quality standards for soot pollution and one regional organization said it is a step in…

A GeoHealth study reveals census tracts with high Hispanic and Latino populations accounted for 40% of 73,000 childhood asthma cases. (Hihitetlin/Adobe Stock)

Study: PA ranks high for health impacts of oil and gas flaring emissions

A new study raised red flags about respiratory health in Pennsylvania, particularly for those living near oil and gas activity. The study by …

A 412Justice report reveals many nearby communities experience higher rates of childhood asthma and more emergency room visits during bad air days, which are happening more frequently. Residents also have experienced higher risk of cancer. (Breathe Project)

Environmental groups rally at U.S. Steel for 'voice at the table'

People working for environmental justice are rallying today at the downtown Pittsburgh headquarters of U.S. Steel, voicing their concerns to company …

Fuel switching to hydrogen for high-temperature processes is a significant decarbonization lever and is applied to 60% of emissions after efficiency by 2050, according to a report from Strategen Consulting. (Antony Weerut/Adobe Stock)

Report: A roadmap for industrial decarbonization in PA

Pennsylvania is a major source of greenhouse gas pollution in the U.S. A new study has identified a path for its industries to reduce their …

An Environmental Defense Fund analysis revealed a shift to electric vehicles could cut more than 800 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year by 2040. (VisualArtStudio/Adobe Stock)

More PA motorists make the switch to electric vehicles

A Pennsylvania environmental group is touting electric vehicles as both cost-effective for drivers and a means to address climate change. Keystone …

A recent economic impact study reveals that more than 123,000 people are employed full- and part-time at iron and steel mills in ferroalloy manufacturing in the Keystone State. (otmman/AdobeStock)

More Time to Comment on EPA Blast Furnace Rules

Emission standards for blast furnaces such as the iron and steel mills in Pennsylvania haven't been updated in years. The Environmental Protection …

In Pennsylvania, the Department of Environmental Protection estimates the average cost of plugging one well to be around $33,000. (onyx124/AdobeStock)

Federal Dollars Could Connect PA Unions to Orphaned Well Clean-Up

Congress allocated billions of dollars in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to plug orphaned well sites across the country, and Pennsylvania is one …

Based on a separate analysis, EPA is projecting its proposed standards for existing gas-fired plants and the third phase of the NSPS could reduce up to 407 million metric tons of CO2 emissions. (Erik Bergin Photos/Adobe Stock)

PA Groups Support New EPA Standards for Coal, Gas Plants

More groups are getting on board, including in Pennsylvania, to support the Environmental Protection Agency's proposal for tougher new carbon …

Researchers reported coal-tar sealant runoff is lethal to juvenile Coho salmon and causes a wide spectrum of abnormalities in zebrafish embryos. (B.J. Small/Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

Some Driveway Sealants Have Health, Environment Risks

Sealing driveways and parking lots may seem like routine maintenance for homeowners, but recent studies raise concerns about the potential health …

Senator Maria Collett (D-Montgomery) recently announced her plans to reintroduce legislation for SB144 to declare PFAS used in firefighting foams, as

EPA Takes Public Input on Proposal to Clean Up PA Drinking Water

The U.S. EPA is hosting a webinar this week on its proposed new drinking water regulations. The Agency has just announced plans to limit harmful …

In addition to more than 100,000 active oil and gas well sites in the state, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has documented about 25,000 abandoned wells. (Bureau of Land Management)

EPA Seeks PA Comments on Stricter Methane Rules

Pennsylvania is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse-gas pollution in the U-S, and the Environmental Protection Agency wants input on a plan …

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, an estimated 330,000 productive oil and gas wells have been drilled in the Keystone State. (donyanedomam/Adobe Stock)

New EPA Methane Rules Could Translate to PA Jobs

New rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency would require regular inspections of all methane-emitting oil and gas production sites throu…

In May, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., announced the Keystone State will receive $26.63 million for the revitalization of abandoned mine land. (Marek_mosinski/AdobeStock)

Benefits From Reclaiming Degraded, Abandoned Lands

A new report from the National Wildlife Federation found reclaiming degraded land could bring hundreds of millions of dollars to the U.S. economy…

Other priorities of the Pennsylvania Lead-Free Promise Project include securing an annual $20 million to establish a lead remediation fund for homeowners facing financial hardship. (Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Lead-Free Promise Project)

'It's Preventable': PA Campaign Urges Action on Lead Poisoning

Advocates have launched a new push focused on getting Pennsylvania lawmakers to pass legislation that protects children from lead-paint poisoning…

Otras prioridades del Lead-Free Promise Project de Pensilvania incluyen asegurar $20 millones anuales para establecer un fondo de remediaci�n de plomo para propietarios que enfrentan dificultades financieras. (Cortes�a del Lead-Free Promise Project de Pensilvania)

Es prevenible: campaña propone medidas contra envenenamiento por plomo

Defensores han lanzado un nuevo impulso centrado en lograr que los legisladores de Pensilvania aprueben una legislación para proteger a los ni…

Federal investments in the Pequea Creek Watershed in Lancaster and Chester counties will help keep soils and nutrients from becoming runoff, with such practices as cover crops, no-till farming and riparian buffers. (Brian Gish/Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

Federal Funds Coming to PA for Watershed Restoration

Pennsylvania is receiving more than $3 million in federal funding for watershed restoration projects. Conservation groups said it will help the …

The Shell petrochemical plant will produce polyethylene, small plastic pellets found in food packaging and vehicle parts. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Benefits from Western PA Petrochemical Plant To Come?

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Beaver County will soon be the home of the largest petrochemical plant in the Appalachia region, but a new report cautions with …

Oil and natural-gas production is the largest industrial source of methane pollution in the country. (Adobe Stock)

Pennsylvanians Make Voices Heard During EPA Methane-Rule Hearing

PITTSBURGH -- Pennsylvanians were overwhelmingly present during three days of virtual public testimony to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) la…

An estimated 5,500 miles of Pennsylvania streams have been polluted as a result of abandoned-mine drainage, according to the state Department of Community and Economic Development. (Adobe Stock)

Infrastructure Mine-Reclamation Funds Promising for PA

ASHLEY, Pa. -- The trillion-dollar infrastructure bill passed by Congress last month includes $11.3 billion for abandoned-mine reclamation and …

U.S. Steel's Clairton plant is the largest coke manufacturing facility in the United States. (Roy Luck/Wikimedia Commons)

Study Details Health Implications of PA Coke-Plant Fire

PITTSBURGH -- In southwestern Pennsylvania, the health effects of an industrial fire more than two years ago are just now coming to light. A new …

Due to higher costs of production, coal-powered electricity's share in Pennsylvania has fallen from 57% in 2001 to 16% in 2021. It's expected to fall to 4%, with or without the state's participation in RGGI, by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Report: RGGI Could Provide Financial Boost to PA Coal Communities

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Pennsylvania's Environmental Quality Board is expected to make its final ruling on whether the state will join the Regional …

Pennsylvania PULSE is expected to create more than 400 jobs and reduce carbon pollution by the equivalent of taking 34,000 cars off the roads. (Johnstocker/Adobe Stock)

PA Announces Major Solar-Energy Project

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday the biggest solar-energy commitment ever undertaken by any government in the United States…

The administration wants to review the Trump EPA's weakening of vehicle-emission standards. (Nady/Adobe Stock)

Biden's Clean-Air, Climate Actions Seen as Benefit for PA

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Environmental advocates say President Joe Biden's actions on clean air and climate will make a big difference for air quality in …

Children, seniors and people living with disabilities are at high risk from air pollution that contributes to climate change. (sofiko14/Adobe Stock)

Medical Professionals Call for Action on Climate Change

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- More than 4,300 doctors, nurses and medical students have signed on to a letter warning that climate change is a clear and present …

A Harvard study has linked higher levels of air pollution to increased death rates from COVID-19. (Andrei/Adobe Stock)

EPA Rolling Back Mercury Rules

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Environmental groups are condemning new rules that threaten to roll back protections from toxic power plant emissions. The …

The rule change would allow many power plants to continue discharging polluted water into waterways. (photostriker/Adobe Stock)

EPA Proposal Would Weaken Clean Water Act

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed extending compliance deadlines and creating new loopholes in clean-water …

As a greenhouse gas, methane is 80 times more powerful in the near term than carbon dioxide. (denismax/Adobe Stock)

EPA Holds Only Hearing on Eliminating Methane Regulations

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Environmental Protection Agency wants to roll back regulations for controlling methane emissions from the oil and gas …

Methane, the main ingredient in natural gas, accounts for an estimated 25% of the global warming now taking place. (Nightman1965/Adobe Stock)

PA Legislators Call for Strong Methane Rules

HARRISBURG, Pa. - State senators and representatives from both major parties joined environmental groups in Harrisburg on Tuesday in urging Gov…

From 2003 to 2018, the waste generated by oil and gas operation in Pennsylvania increased by 1,500%. (FerrizFrames/Adobe Stock)

Interactive Map Identifies Oil and Gas Waste Sites

PITTSBURGH – The amount of toxic waste from oil and gas drilling in Pennsylvania has skyrocketed in recent years, and now a new map published …

In 2012, U.S. power plants produced approximately 110 million tons of coal ash. (Josef17/Pixabay)

EPA Moves to Weaken Coal-Ash Rules

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to roll back coal-ash regulations put in place four years ago to protect …

Pennsylvania�s Lake Erie shore includes parks and natural areas that need protection to ensure water quality and preserve wildlife habitat. (Susan Vineyard/Adobe Stock)

Candidates Pressed for Clean Water Policies

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Environmental groups want the presidential candidates to lay out what they'll do to clean up the Great Lakes and protect …

The EPA plan leaves it up to states to set limits on power-plant carbon emissions. (Jim/Adobe Stock)

EPA Power Plant Rules Called Bad for PA

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Environmentalists say the Environmental Protection Agency’s rollback of the Clean Power Plan will put Pennsylvania …

Coal-fired power plants are the source of an estimated 75 percent of U.S. mercury pollution. (Max Musterman/Pixabay)

Moms Tell EPA “Keep Clean Air Regs”

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Dozens of moms have lined up in the nation's capital to speak out against an Environmental Protection Agency proposal to weaken …

Oil and gas operations in Pennsylvania emit an estimated 54,000 tons of volatile organic compounds and 520,000 tons of methane a year. (Shutterstock)

PA Moves to Cut Emission of Smog-Forming VOCs

HARRISBURG, Pa. – New rules to cut smog-forming emissions from thousands of oil and gas facilities across Pennsylvania have taken a step …

Some major retailers no longer sell methylene chloride paint strippers, but they remain widely available. (Photo: USDA)

EPA Faces Legal Action for Delay in Toxic Chemical Ban

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Environmental Protection Agency has been put on notice that it faces a lawsuit for delaying the finalization of a ban on …

The oil and gas industry is the largest industrial source of methane pollution in the United States. (olafpictures/pixabay)

EPA Proposes Rolling Back Methane Rule

PHILADELPHIA – Clean-air advocates are vowing to fight the latest proposal to roll back regulations on methane emissions from the oil and gas in…

Public-health advocates say switching to electric cars will clear the air and help children breathe. (USAF)

AG, Health Advocates Oppose Fuel-Efficiency Rollback

HARRISBURG, Pa. – State leaders and health advocates say the EPA's plan to freeze the fuel efficiency standard is bad for public health…

Many facilities in Allegheny County are operating with expired Title V pollution permits. (imagii/Pixapbay)

Use of County Clean-Air Funds for Building Renovation Challenged

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Clean air advocates contend using the County Clean Air Fund for Allegheny County Health Department office renovations is …

The EPA has found chlorpyrifos residue at levels not considered safe on fruits and vegetables in grocery stores. (Pixabay)

Court Urged to Overturn EPA Refusal to Ban Pesticide

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The EPA must be ordered to ban a pesticide known to cause brain damage in children. That's the message delivered to a federal …

In 2014 a broken pipe in North Carolina released 39,000 tons of coal ash into the Dan River. (EPA/WikimediaCommons)

Environmentalists Condemn EPA Coal-Ash Proposal

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Environmental groups say changes proposed by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt would gut federal coal-ash …

Gas wells, pipelines and industrial sites contribute to air pollution in Southwest Penn. (jplenio/Pixabay)

Mobilizing 1,000 to Fight for Clean Air

PITTSBURGH — A new grassroots initiative hopes to educate and mobilize at least 1,000 people to fight for clean air in and around Allegheny Coun…

With the loophole, some polluters could more than quadruple their emissions. (bhumann34/Pixabay)

Environmental Groups Sue to Close EPA Loophole

Harrisburg, Pa. – Clean-air advocates want the federal courts to stop a new rule that would allow major polluters to turn their pollution …

The Delaware River watershed provides drinking water to 17 million people. (Perkons/Pixabay)

Comment Period on Delaware Watershed Fracking Regulations Ending

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The period for submitting written comments on the Delaware River Basin Commission's draft natural-gas drilling regulations …

Groups are seeking an injunction to halt construction where drilling-fluid spill protocols have been weakened. (Ohikulkija [CC BY-SA 3.0]/Wikimedia Commons)

Mariner 2 Restart Deal Called Breach of Contract

PHILADELPHIA — Environmental groups claim the agreement to restart the Mariner East 2 pipelines is illegal. Pipeline construction permits …

Sediment contaminated by oil and gas well wastewater can be 600 times more radioactive than sediment from upstream. (Jwvein/pixabay)

Research Shows Oil and Gas Wastewater Makes Streambeds Radioactive

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Over time, treated oil and gas wastewater is leaving radioactive deposits in the stream beds where it is released, scientists …

Switching to renewable energy and electric vehicles would help reduce carbon emissions, environmentalists stress. (stux/Pixabay)

Bill Would Keep Paris Climate Accord Goals for PA

PITTSBURGH – Three state senators have introduced legislation to bring Pennsylvania into line with the carbon emission goals of the Paris Agreem…

States are expected to sue as the Trump administration tries to repeal the Clean Power Plan. (stevepb/Pixabay)

States are Fighting Back Against Trump Environmental Actions

HARRISBURG, Pa. – States in the Northeast and on the West Coast are challenging Trump administration changes to environmental regulations…

The Mariner East 2 pipeline would carry ethane, which can be explosive even in small amounts. (StockSnap/Pixabay)

PA Pipeline Delayed, But Its Critics Push for More

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Environmental groups are calling on the state to cancel construction of the Mariner East 2 pipeline. Last week, the Pennsylvania …

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