Cooperatively owned broadband project in Dryden delayed by supply chain issues
|
“We actually intended to be working currently, like this fall. But because of supply chain issues, fiber is one of the things that was hit particularly hard.”
App NEWS
Lawmakers promote broadband funding in federal infrastructure package
|
Funding from the $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure package signed into law last week, will soon start making its way down to local projects, including broadband internet access.
Energy
Measures to preserve ‘energy choice’ gaining momentum in PA legislature
|
Opponents say the bills would lock in status quo for fossil fuels
Addie Jenne
NY Assembly Holds Hearings on Cryptocurrency Mining
|
“Is it or is it not an energy hog. If it is? If it’s undermining our climate goals then we need to take a really really careful look at it, including saying no.”
Addie Jenne
Public Weighs Greenidge Air Permits At DEC Hearings
|
The IBEW’s now outspoken support of Greenidge indicates that opponents may face a broader front in their efforts to pass legislation implementing a moratorium on cryptocurrency mining.
App NEWS
DEC’s Cryptocurrency Mining Decision To Test New York’s Climate Law
|
“All eyes are on what happens with this particular facility.”
Crime and Justice
PA Charges Energy Transfer With Environmental Crimes Over Mariner East Pipeline Project
|
Texas-based pipeline builder Energy Transfer faces 48 criminal charges related to construction of its Mariner East pipeline project.
Energy
PennEast Cancels Pipeline Project — Months After U.S. Supreme Court Win
|
Company cites lack of environmental permits from New Jersey.
Andrew Zepp
NYSEG Faces Backlash Over Proposed Auction Of 470-Acre Lakefront Property
|
“There has to be some level of ‘Wow, this property is something that we would like to open to the public.'”
Energy
New York Governor Sets New Solar Energy Goal, Announces Major Infrastructure Projects
|
“This is a major, major initiative to deliver clean, healthier air and more electricity to New York City.”
App NEWS
Greenidge’s Air Permits Go To Public Hearing
|
The DEC requested Greenidge specifically outline how its operation will meet the state’s emissions goals under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
Energy
When It Comes To Electricity, Pennsylvanians Have Lots Of Options. Experts Say Do Your Homework
|
Pa. adopted rules intended to protect people from market volatility like what Texas saw last winter
Energy
Renewables Overtake Coal, But Natural Gas Still Dominates U.S. Power Generation
|
Natural gas still leads as the nation’s top source of electricity, generating 1,617 kWh last year, or about 40% of U.S. power generation.
App NEWS
Researchers Identify Battery Alternative To Slow Climate Change
|
“If these batteries are really big, can we use elements, can we use materials that are not very dangerous, that are Earth abundant, that are readily available?”
App NEWS
Environmental Advocates Call for Changes To Proposed Federal Climate Legislation
|
“We would like him to remove all dirty fossil fuel solutions, including, for example, the combined heat and power plants, which run on fracked gas. That, under Mr. Tonko’s definition, is clean energy,”
Energy
EPA-Approved Fracking Fluids Include Substances That Form ‘Forever Chemicals’
|
STATEIMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – Companies that drill for natural gas in Pennsylvania have used EPA-approved PFAS or pre-cursors to PFAS in fracking operations in other states, according to a report by Physicians for Social Responsibility. CLICK HERE.
Energy
Within A Few Years, Renewable Energy In New York Could Hit 50%
|
New York state aims to have 70% of electricity used, coming from renewable resources by 2030.
Energy
State Report: PA Extracted More Natural Gas Than Ever During Pandemic
|
Unconventional wells produced 7.1 trillion cubic feet of gas last year, even as national and regional natural gas prices dipped in response to the pandemic.
App NEWS
SUNY System Considering Retirement Plan Reinvestment In Clean Energy
|
“It’s good economic sense because that is the future. And that’s where you’re going to see all the economic development and jobs being created.”
App NEWS
Tucked Into New PA State Budget, Millions In Sales Tax Breaks For Server Farms
|
Under the tax code section of last month’s budget agreement, any company that builds a center in the Keystone State won’t have to pay sales tax on the thousands of pieces of equipment needed.
App NEWS
Siting Board Denies Rehearing For High Bridge Wind Farm
|
“GCNR’s petition does not establish any error of law or fact to support its rehearing request.”
Dunkirk unveils 7 Possible Re-uses For Former NRG Power Plant
|
Originally known as the Niagara Mohawk Power Plant, the facility operated from the 1950s until 2015. Decommissioning began last year.
anna kelles
NY Senate Passes Crypto Moratorium, Assembly Prospects Remain Unclear
|
Among those in opposition are union groups.
Andrew Cuomo
Cuomo Addresses Bitcoin Mining: “There Are Serious Concerns”
|
Any bills passed would require Cuomo’s signature.
anna kelles
Kelles Pushes Cryptocurrency Bills As State Legislative Session Nears End
|
A separate piece of legislation by Kelles could possibly come up for a final vote as soon as Monday
App NEWS
Broome Co. Wind Project Construction Continuing Through Summer
|
“Our goal this year is to complete as much of the project as we can before the winter hits.”
Energy
Climate Bill Before New York Senate Could Lead To Higher Prices At The Pump
|
“The car is a way of life here. It is not just for recreational purposes. People need this to go to work. People need this to take care of business.”
Energy
New York Lawmakers Seek to Expand Electric Vehicle Access By Allowing Direct Sales
|
“We want to make it easier for customers to have access to them wherever you live in New York state, not just in the downstate markets.”
anna kelles
Amid Environmental Concerns, Lawmaker Calls For Cryptocurrency Mining Moratorium
|
If passed, a moratorium would be the first statewide restriction on cryptocurrency mining in the U.S.
Arts & Culture
New Book Explores Private Land, Public Good And Fracking In PA
|
Fracking caused upheaval over the disruption and environmental degradation in the rural communities surrounding Williamsport, and challenged the rural values of independence and sovereignty over private property.
Energy
In The Fight Against Climate Change, Religious Leaders Urge Fewer Fossil Fuels
|
“We’re working hard on that, and I’m quite optimistic we can meet these goals. But it’s going to take huge participation and buy-in from everyone.”
Energy
New York Invests $400 Million of Pension Fund Into Renewable Sources
|
“New York State’s pension fund is at the leading edge of investors addressing climate risk, because investing for the low-carbon future is essential to protect the fund’s long-term value.”
App NEWS
Biden’s Climate Pitch Could Hit Turbulence From Some Fossil Fuel-Friendly Unions
|
“Jobs in renewables don’t always match up for displaced workers.”
App NEWS
Torrey Planning Board Approves Greenidge Bitcoin Mining Plan
|
“We’re excited to move forward and we can’t wait to start building.”
App NEWS
Torrey Board To Consider Greenidge Cryptocurrency Plan Monday
|
Environmental advocates have been pushing back against the proposal.
New York Announces Agreement To Decommission Indian Point Nuclear Plant
|
New York state leaders say an agreement has been reached concerning the decommissioning and cleanup of the Indian Point nuclear power plant in the lower Hudson Valley.
App NEWS
Schuyler County Tables Vote On Cryptocurrency Mining Recommendation
|
“And looking at the resolution that was presented I looked and said ‘well this is a much bigger issue here than just a particular project.’”
Energy
Injection Wells Exist To Hold Fracking Wastewater, But The Water Can Move. Here’s how
|
Salty wastewater produced by fracking for oil and gas has to go somewhere. Often, it’s injected into disposal wells deep underground. But sometimes that wastewater can find its way back to the surface and cause environmental problems.
App NEWS
Legislative Action On Increasing Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Goals Appears Unlikely
|
Pennsylvania’s targets for renewable energy are set to max out this year unless the General Assembly takes action, and Republican leaders seem ready to leave increasing goals for green energy up to the private sector.
App NEWS
Note To Nesting Songbirds: Avoid Natural Gas Compressors
|
A study by Penn State researchers found that songbirds nesting near the sound of natural gas compressors had fewer hatched eggs.
Economy
Gas Industry Hasn’t Delivered On Its Economic Promises, Report Says
|
Industry rejects report, calls gas development a ‘game-changer for local economies’
Gillibrand Urges Peers To Boost Winter Heat Funds, Hold Trump Accountable
|
The Senator is among lawmakers now calling for increased support for LIHEAP, including at least $10 million in emergency funding.
BU Researchers Say AI Might Boost Solar Connection To Power Grid
|
They say it will be important to find ways for solar farms to store and control how much energy they release to the grid.
App NEWS
With Biden’s Vow To Rejoin Paris Agreement, PA Cities Anticipate Federal Partnership On Climate
|
“We need Joe Biden to demonstrate that he truly is a man that believes in science and believes in honoring the commitment to protect future generations.”
Energy
Governor Unveils Ambitious Green Energy Program For New York
|
Plans include new solar farms and off shore wind turbines, and more transmission lines across the state.
Economy
Families And Advocates Criticize PA’s Fracking Health Studies
|
State announced $3.9 M studies after pressure from families of rare cancer patients in SW PA
Energy
Northern Tier Residents Worry About Planned Fracking Waste Well In Dimock
|
Plans are in early stages, but people weary of water contamination are on edge
Energy
NYSEG To Raise Rates Slightly, Scale Back Natural Gas
|
Under the settlement, NYSEG would halt a proposed pipeline expansion in the Southern Tier and would stop promoting the use of natural gas and commit to net-zero growth in gas sales.
Energy
Cuomo, Lawmakers Unveil Bill Targeting Utility Companies Over Storm Response
|
“Utilities do not have a mandate. They are legally required to provide adequate and reliable service that’s in the public interest … and they have dropped the ball far too long.”
2020 election
NY-22: Candidates Debate Health Care, Policing
|
Democratic incumbent Anthony Brindisi, former Republican representative Claudia Tenney and Libertarian candidate Keith Price covered an array of issues, including policing and climate change.
DEC
Whatever It’s Called, Some Endicott Residents Still Don’t Want It
|
Critics of the facility have called it an incinerator. Under regulatory definitions set by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), it’s not.
App NEWS
Endicott Residents, Akshar Call For Halt To Battery Recycling Facility
|
“We want the village trustees of Endicott to respect their residents, to listen to their concerns and to represent their best interest.”
department of environmental protection
Endicott Residents Protest Proposed Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Facility
|
Protest organizers NoBurnBroome said they will continue to build support and fight the opening of the lithium-ion battery recycling facility.
New York State Bids For Large-Scale Renewable Energy Projects
|
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul tweeted it is “the largest ever combined solicitations for renewable energy ever issued in the U.S.”
Crime and Justice
PA Grand Jury Report On Fracking: State Failed To Protect Public Health
|
Grand jury makes proposals on regulation, oversight of fracking industry
Energy
NYSEG Files Rate Case Settlement With New York’s Public Service Commission
|
NYSEG electric customers would see about a 2.3% increase in the first year, with the average monthly customer seeing a monthly increase of $2.49.
Energy
PA Says 2 Gas Drilling Companies Committed Environmental Crimes. Here’s Why People Are Rarely Charged
|
“When a crime is committed because of how a company does business, rather than an individual’s actions, we charge the company.”
Trump Administration Limits New York’s Power To Stop Oil And Gas Pipelines
|
In recent years, climate activists and states have used the Clean Water Act to block pipelines and other fossil fuel projects. A new EPA rule makes that harder,
Energy
Study Finds Methane Leaks In PA Much Higher Than State Reports
|
Estimates don’t capture leaks from ‘abnormal’ conditions, Environmental Defense Fund says
Energy
Gas Prices Begin To Creep Back Up As Parts Of The Country
|
GasBuddy on Monday reported that the national average price for a gallon of gas has increased 1.5 cents in a week to $1.75.
Economy
Oil And Gas Companies Asked, Then Received Changes To Fed Coronavirus Stimulus Program
|
Help with refinancing debt could help shale companies in PA
Energy
NYSEG Donates Additional $300,000 To Emergency Efforts
|
“What we tried to do today is recognize some of those other organizations that are really on the front lines every single day doing this type of work around food and food care.”
App NEWS
Pipeline Explosion Resulted In Huge State Fine. Now, PA Has Found Hundreds Of New Violations
|
Regulator, company at odds over erosion, hillside slips
Energy
The Struggling Coal Industry Hammered Further By Coronavirus
|
‘Everything that can go wrong, has gone wrong’
New York Utilities See Increased Energy Consumption
|
It’s a different story on the commercial side, with a lot of businesses around the state forced to close if they are considered non-essential.
Energy
After Two Nuclear Workers Test Positive, Energy Companies Require Social Distancing And Test For Symptoms
|
Coronavirus cases at Limerick nuclear station raised concerns. Pa. plants say they’re working to prevent outbreaks during refueling outages.
Energy
Mine Workers’ Union Wants More Protections Against COVID-19
|
“We are following government guidelines with distancing measures being taken, increased cleaning schedules in-place, and limits on gatherings of groups.”
App NEWS
Mariner East Construction Back On After Waiver Requests Approved
|
Wolf administration grants all of Energy Transfer’s waiver requests
App NEWS
Energy Transfer Seeks Waiver To Continue Some Mariner East Work
|
Company says state has allowed some work to continue.
App NEWS
PA’s Coronavirus Shutdown Order Appears To Include Mariner East Pipeline Construction
|
Construction on the Mariner East pipeline appears to be halted by Gov. Wolf’s new order that shuts down all “non-life-sustaining” operations and businesses.
App NEWS
Electricity Usage Down Across Region, Which Helps Power Grid Staffing
|
PJM had prepared for pandemics and even did dry-runs with their staff working from home.
50 New York Lawmakers Want $2-Billion Dedicate To The Reduction Of Greenhouse Gases
|
The money be used to create a state-wide program for weatherization, insulation, and other energy efficiency measures.
Trespassing Charges Dropped Against Ithaca Chase Bank Protesters
|
The group said it occupied the bank to protest its investment in the fossil fuel industry.
App NEWS
Improper Disposal Of Cellphone Suspected In Taylor Garbage Fire
|
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, between 2009 and 2017 lithium-ion batteries were the “root cause” of at least 195 fires.
App NEWS
PA Governor’s Cap-And-Trade Proposal Takes Step Forward
|
DEP acting on governor’s executive order — which Republicans are challenging
Proposals To Ban Fracking Could Hurt Pennsylvania Democrats
|
Some Democratic presidential candidates want to ban fracking to help address climate change. That attracts young people, but may alienate swing voters in key oil and gas states like Pennsylvania.
App NEWS
Feds Lower Coal Mine Cleanup Funds For PA
|
Pennsylvania is getting less money from the federal government this year to clean up its old abandoned mines.
App NEWS
Pennsylvania Poll Finds Registered Voters Split On Fracking Ban
|
Support for a ban strong in cities and suburbs; weak in rural SW Pennsylvania
Energy
PA Orders Range Resources To Clean Up Its Act On Lycoming County Well
|
DEP quietly withdrew the fine for faulty drilling after the company promised to fix the problems.
App NEWS
Despite GOP Compromise, PA Governor Says Drilling Bill Still Too Risky
|
Republicans are pushing for looser regulations on conventional oil and gas drillers, who generally run small operations and work with relatively shallow wells.
Energy
Trump Wants To Roll Back Environmental Reviews Of Major Projects Like Pipelines
|
“What will change is the unchecked power of just a handful of opponents to delay or block development of critical infrastructure projects that benefit the greater good.”
Energy
Study: Replacing Coal Plants With Natural Gas Cuts Pollution, Saved Lives
|
Fracking pollution not included in study; could lessen health benefits, author says
App NEWS
PA Levies Record $30M Fine Against Pipeline Company
|
The settlement also lifts a nearly year-long permit freeze on the company’s other pipeline projects, including the cross-state Mariner East pipelines.
Energy
Natural Gas Production Heads For Slowdown In 2020
|
Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia accounted for one third of the country’s shale gas production in 2019.
App NEWS
Study: Shale Gas Development Has Brought Economic Benefits, Premature Deaths
|
Carnegie Mellon University study focused on Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia
App NEWS
Binghamton University Nobel Laureate Accepts His Prize
|
Nobel Laureate and Binghamton University Professor Dr. Stan Whittingham accepted his prize Tuesday in Stockholm, Sweden. At the same time, BU held a watch party in Vestal.
Energy
Johns Hopkins Researcher: PA Should Ban Fracking
|
“What would I say now? I would say because of the regional and local health concerns and concerns about climate change, we should stop fracking–everywhere.”
As Oil Prices Drop And Money Dries Up, Is The U.S. Shale Boom Going Bust?
|
The boom that helped make the U.S. the world’s largest oil producer could be ending. Oil prices are down amid weak demand and investors no longer seem willing to write the industry a blank check.
Energy
PA Lawmakers, Criticizing Executive Order On Cap-And-Trade Program, Say It’s Their Call To Make
|
Proposed bill would require Legislature to OK Pennsylvania becoming part of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
Economy
Despite Scotland’s Fracking Ban, Imported American Shale Gas Is Key To One Town’s Economy
|
Natural gas is mostly used for heating homes or fueling power plants. But when it comes out of the ground, it contains another key ingredient — ethane, a building block of plastics.
Crime and Justice
PA’s Governor Says He’s Unaware Of Wrongdoing In Mariner East Pipeline Permitting Process
|
Tom Wolf, a Democrat, addressed the situation for the first time Wednesday afternoon, saying he is not aware of any wrongdoing.
Energy
PA Senator Takes Preventative Measures As Dems Call For Fracking Bans
|
Pennsylvania’s Republican US Senator introduced a resolution he hopes will enable Congress to defeat future presidents’ fracking bans in court.
App NEWS
Ithaca Council Compromises On 2020 Budget For City’s Green New Deal
|
The compromise comes after cries for more of an investment to fight climate change.
Energy
Trump Administration Proposes Rollbacks For Two Obama-Era Coal Pollution Rules
|
Rules on coal ash ponds, wastewater from coal-fired power plants are targeted
App NEWS
Neighbors Of Mariner East Pipelines Will Urge A Regulator To Stop The Project. It Might Be Their Last Chance
|
Almost a year after lines opened, residents will say the project remains a risk to public safety
App NEWS
New York Counties Accepting HEAP Applications in Mid-November
|
Home Energy Assistance Program is a federally funded program meant to help low-income households pay for heat during the winter.
Nobel Laureate Explains How Lithium-Ion Battery Was Created And Its Future
|
Stan Whittingham is regarded as the man who laid the groundwork for the science.
App NEWS
With Cold Weather Approaching, NYSEG Details Signs Of Natural Gas Leak
|
According to NYSEG there are three ways to identify a leak: by smell, by sound, or by sight.
App NEWS
PA, CNX Reach $1.48M Settlement On Abandoned Wells
|
Resolves 2018 order involving more than 1,000 wells.
Uncategorized
Reed Blames New York’s Governor For Death Of Compressed Gas Truck Driver
|
Reed said Cuomo opted for a virtual pipeline with roughly the same route but less efficient, less safe and more expensive.
High School Students Question Congressman On Climate Change Policy
|
Reed said that nuclear energy has to be part of the transition away from fossil fuels even with its risks.
Economy
In Scotland, This Town Evolved With Its Refinery And The Arrival Of Shale Gas
|
“The benefit is there’s employment in the area. But the rest of the town’s neglected and I don’t feel our town of Grangemouth benefits as much as it should, with an oil refinery on our doorstep.”
App NEWS
As Three Mile Island Stops Generating Electricity, This PA Community Is Bracing For Change
|
Last Friday around noon, Three Mile Island nuclear power plant stopped producing electricity, part of Exelon Corp.’s plan to close and decommission the plant over the next 60 years.
App NEWS
With Three Mile Island Closed, Nuclear Advocates Shift Their Concerns To PA’s Other Plants
|
Those people who support nuclear worry that without tax breaks, the plants will be shut out of a competitive energy market
App NEWS
Small Hydropower Plants Say New York Should Help Keep Clean Power Competitive
|
Owners of existing clean energy power plants in New York say they’d like the same support from the state for their businesses that new ones get.
Energy
GOP Lawmakers In PA Re-Launch Pro-Natural Gas Package
|
The raft of proposals serves as a rejection of Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s own energy plan.
Energy
Court Ruling Clears Way For Mariner East Construction To Restart
|
The Commonwealth Court said last week that the Democratic senator, an outspoken critic of Sunoco, did not have personal or legislative standing to bring a complaint
Energy
In The UK, Fracking’s Not A Thing — So Shale Gas From PA Has Become Their Workaround
|
For decades, the United Kingdom has relied on oil and gas from the North Sea. Those fields, first developed in the 1960s and 70s, are declining.
Energy
Environmentalists Pressure PA’s Governor For Faster Action On Methane Emissions
|
Their call for action comes as the Trump administration works to loosen federal regulations on the powerful greenhouse gas.
App NEWS
At Grangemouth Refinery In Scotland, A Plastics Evangelist Says PA’s Shale Gas Is Vital
|
The massive refinery and petrochemical complex in Grangemouth, Scotland, run by INEOS, was one of the first overseas plants to receive Pennsylvania ethane.
App NEWS
Federal Appeals Court Strikes Blow To PennEast Pipeline Project
|
A federal appeals court has blocked PennEast pipeline company from condemning state-owned land for its proposed 116-mile long line that would ship Marcellus Shale gas from northeast Pennsylvania to New Jersey.
App NEWS
Abundant Solar Hopes to Lease Six Sites in Steuben County
|
Abundant Solar said the chances are high that they will develop on the other sites.
App NEWS
Steuben Looks To Benefit From Solar Project
|
Toronto-based Abundant Solar Incorporated will install solar panels at the county’s landfill in Bath.
Power Mostly Restored In Southern Tier After Sunday Storms
|
NYSEG estimates fewer than 750 people were without power as of Monday afternoon. This comes after about 19,000 people lost power. Outages stretched from Elmira to Oneonta.
App NEWS
Assemblywoman Questions NYSEG Rate Increases
|
“This is particularly worrisome for customers with low and fixed incomes, as well as small businesses.”
App NEWS
In Ithaca, Customers Deride Proposed NYSEG Increases
|
Over 50 people at a public hearing called on the Public Service Commission to deny rate increase.
Energy
PA Ordered Sunoco To Release Its Calculations On Pipeline’s Potential Blast Zones
|
Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission demanded information from Sunoco Pipeline last year about what would happen if its Mariner East natural gas liquids pipelines failed, according to a newly discovered letter.
PA’s Energy Boom Began Years Before Trump Took Office
|
President Trump tours a Pennsylvania petrochemical plant Tuesday to highlight the U.S. energy boom. Trump claims credit for surging oil and gas production, but the trend began before he took office.
Energy
Experts: Vapor Buildup Likely Led To Explosion At PA Pump Station
|
For now, independent pipeline experts say the blast appears to have been caused by the relighting of a pilot in a flare used by Sunoco for burning off excess gases, at a time when vapor had accumulated there.
App NEWS
NYSEG’s Request To Boost Rates Criticized At Hearing
|
More public input sessions on the NYSEG rate hike are set in Ithaca, Binghamton and the Adirondacks in the next week.
Energy
Sunoco Says Mariner East 2 System ‘Backfired’ During Maintenance
|
The company did not explain what caused the backfire but apologized for the noise, which alarmed neighbors and fueled longstanding concerns about the safety of the new pipelines, which carry highly volatile natural gas liquids.
Anti-fracking movement
New York Study: Fracking Causes Environmental Damage, Birth Defects
|
A New York metastudy details the adverse effects fracking has on Pennsylvania’s environment, its climate and human health.
Energy
PA Pipeline Foe Expected State Information On Mariner East Risk. But Now He’s Facing Court Fight
|
An opponent of the Mariner East project says he will ask an appeals court to order the Public Utility Commission to disclose documents containing its calculations on the effects of an accidental release of natural gas liquids from the pipelines.
Energy
Three Mile Island Unit 2, Site Of Nation’s Worst Nuclear Accident, To Be Sold, Dismantled
|
A Salt Lake City-based company is in talks to purchase and dismantle Three Mile Island’s long-mothballed Unit 2 reactor — the site of the nation’s worst nuclear accident in 1979.
Energy
Nation’s Largest Power Grid Operator Asked To Focus On Clean Energy
|
The power grid operator has received appeals from around the country to ensure its next leader prioritizes clean energy.
Featured in Category
New York Adopts The Nation’s Most Aggressive Targets For Reducing Carbon Emissions
|
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation Thursday mandating 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040, and an 85% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. That’s below levels from 1990.
App NEWS
Trespass Charges Dropped Against Pennsylvania Pipeline Protesters
|
HARRISBURG (WITF) – A Lancaster County judge on Monday dismissed trespassing charges against seven protesters who blocked construction of the Atlantic Sunrise natural gas pipeline almost two years ago. Judge Howard Knisely of the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas released the defendants without charge after the district attorney dropped the misdemeanors in exchange for community service. The judge welcomed the agreement and said peaceful, nonviolent protest is protected, albeit with limitations, by state and federal law. Legislatures, not the courts, are the proper place to protect the natural environment and public safety, he said. But he urged citizens to elect lawmakers who truly represent public interests rather than their own.
App NEWS
Tompkins/Cortland Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton On 2019 Legislative Session
|
ITHACA, NY (WSKG) – The 2019 New York legislative session saw the passage of a raft of legislation that has been blocked in previous years. Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton spoke with WSKG’s Celia Clarke in the Ithaca studio. She represents Tompkins County and part of Cortland County in the state Assembly. Lifton spoke about the new farm labor rights, legalization of electrically-assisted bicycles and scooters, and why she thinks marijuana legalization is inevitable. The conversation begins with Lifton talking what she considers the most important accomplishment of the session.
Allegheny County PA
US Steel, Allegheny County Have A Draft Agreement On Pollution Violations
|
HARRISBURG, PA (WITF) – The Allegheny County Health Department and U.S. Steel have a draft agreement to resolve multiple air pollution violations from the company’s Clairton Plant over the past two years. The agreement calls on the company to pay $2.7 million in fines and put in place a suite of pollution upgrades at the plant. The company said the price of those upgrades is $200 million. The agreement does not resolve legal issues between the county and the company over air pollution problems that resulted from a Dec. 24 fire.
App NEWS
Pennsylvania Natural Gas Impact Fee Revenue Rises To 7-Year High, Boosted By Stripper Wells
|
Pennsylvania’s impact fee on natural gas producers raised more money in 2018 to offset the effects of shale development than at any time in the fee’s seven-year history
App NEWS
Lansing Residents Hear Plans For Cayuga Power Plant, Landfill
|
“I’m concerned about the coal ash landfill, I do think that that needs further remediation. It’s definitely old technology that was used.”
Energy
Trump Ditches Obama Climate Policy That Targeted Coal Emissions
|
Pennsylvania is the third-largest coal producing state in the country. But coal generated electricity plants have struggled to compete with cheaper natural gas and renewable energy.
Energy
As States Diverge On Climate Policies, Nation’s Largest Power Grid Operator Grapples With Carbon Pricing
|
PJM is now trying to walk a fine line between respecting states’ rights and figuring out how to incorporate their climate polices into its wholesale electricity market.
App NEWS
SUNY Conference Addresses College Student Hunger
|
“They’re used to access to food from school. And then, of course, when you get to college — especially when you live on a campus — you’re expected to pay for those meals.”
App NEWS
Governor’s Infrastructure Plan Has Bipartisan Support, But Not From PA Leaders
|
After touting it across the state for months, lawmakers have finally introduced Governor Tom Wolf’s ambitious infrastructure proposal as a concrete piece of legislation.
Energy
$3-Million Settlement Revealed In High-Profile Fracking Case
|
The court document was issued under seal, but was discovered last week in a public database by a public radio reporter. After issuing an injunction, Judge Katherine B. Emery on Tuesday ruled it could be published.
Energy
PA Judge Bars Release Of Document In Gas Drilling Suit
|
A Washington County judge has issued a court order barring The Allegheny Front, StateImpact Pennsylvania and 90.5 WESA from publishing the content of a publicly available legal document obtained by a reporter for the news organizations.
Winter Solar Energy Shortage Could Be Solved By Increasing Storage Capacity
|
Solar energy is plentiful in the summer, but when cold winter mornings return, a Cornell researcher has found the Northeast will still rely on fossil fuels for heat.
Energy
Wolf Rejects PA Senate’s Infrastructure Proposal Funded By Forest Drilling
|
After months of Democratic Governor Tom Wolf promoting a sweeping infrastructure plan funded by a tax on natural gas drillers, some Senate Republicans have come up with an alternative.
Economy
Tompkins Solar Farm Stays Mowed Thanks To Sheep
|
There’s a new solar project in Tompkins County that has farmers and solar companies helping each other.
Andrew Cuomo
Trash Incinerators Banned In Finger Lakes Region
|
A bill that would ban trash incinerators in the Finger Lakes is now law.
Finding New Opportunity For PA’s Old Coal-Fired Power Plant Sites
|
Coal-fired power plants keep closing and communities around the country must decide what to do with those sites. Pennsylvania has a plan, aiming to create new jobs where the old ones have been lost.
Energy
NYSEG and RG&E Propose Increases In Electric And Gas Rates
|
Under the proposal, NYSEG natural gas customers would see a 1.9% increase, or about $1.05 more per month.
Energy
Federal Pipeline Safety Regulators Issue Warning On Floods
|
“They’re saying ‘it’s a bad idea to put pipelines in areas where damage to the pipeline could be caused by earth movement. If you know there’s potential damage, don’t put them there.”
App NEWS
Cayuga Lake Coal-Fired Power Plant To Convert To Solar Powered Data Center
|
The owners want to convert it into a 100 megawatt data center. Their proposal includes a seventy-five acre solar farm, and they will apply to the state for a 125 megawatt renewable energy allocation.
Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant To Close
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The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, site of the nation’s worst nuclear accident, will shut down by the end of September. Backers failed to secure subsidies to keep the plant operating.
Tompkins County Legislature Hears From Opponents To Ithaca Airport Expansion
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Their main objection is the addition of a customs building and one customs inspector. Customs is part of the federal Customs and Border Protection, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security.
App NEWS
Bipartisan Bills Have PA Powered 100% By Renewable Energy
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“It’s not just about the environment. It’s about jobs. These are great, high-paying jobs we can create by going to renewable energy.”
Energy
Maid Of The Mist Launching New Electric Boats
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“It seems natural for us to do that, with the hydroelectric power generation that goes on here.”
Energy
Congressional Hearing Focuses On Struggling PA Nuclear Industry
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Experts testified before a House Science, Space, & Technology subcommittee that nuclear energy is important in limiting air pollution from the power sector, and for national security.
Uncategorized
PA Prosecutors Eye Potential ‘Environmental Crimes.’
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“All they’ve ever gotten is a slap on the wrist. It’s time for that to change. I’ll hold the oil and gas companies criminally liable for poisoning our air and our drinking water.”
Energy
PA Lawmaker Faces Backlash For Bringing Nazis Into Pipeline Debate
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“It’s a poor choice of words. It’s not a fair comparison. I mean these are working folk, these are salt-of-the-earth people.”
As Nuclear Waste Piles Up At A PA Power Plant, Private Companies Pitch New Ways To Store It
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Nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania and around the country are running out of room to store spent fuel. Private companies are pitching their own solutions.
App NEWS
One State, Two Disparate Visions For Natural Gas
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The state House Speaker and other Republican lawmakers announced a slate of bills Monday that are aimed at bolstering Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry.
Energy
State Senators Seek Answers From DEP Chief Over PA Pipeline
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“Why did they (state inspectors) grant these water permits the way they did? What was the rush in February, 2017? Did anyone put pressure on them to encourage that?”
1.5 degrees
Binghamton Undergraduates Call For Faster Action Against Climate Change
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BINGHAMTON, NY (WSKG) – Some Binghamton University students are pushing Congressman Anthony Brindisi to do more to address climate change.
Liat David is 19, a sophomore at the University. At a recent forum she helped organize, she said climate change has made her re-think having children. “Do I have that right as a woman that I can have a child and be proud of the earth that I live in and say that this child is going to be living in a regenerative and sustainable future?” she said. “I can’t necessarily say that right now, which is very sad to say because that is my right as a woman to say that I can have a child if I want to, but I really feel like that was taken away from me this past generation.”
Energy
Methane Hearing Draws Concern Over PA Rules
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Several members of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee met in Pittsburgh for a hearing on methane, the main component of natural gas and a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.
Energy
How Much Would A Nuclear Subsidy Add To A Pennsylvanian’s Electric Bill? Here’s A Breakdown
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The amounts shown represent the annual impact of HB 11 during reporting year 2019.
App NEWS
Trump Order Could Revive Construction Of Constitution Pipeline In PA And New York
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It takes aim at states like New York that have blocked pipeline projects that would carry Marcellus Shale gas to markets in the Northeast.
Education
As Baby Boomers Retire, Power Companies Look To Build The Next Generation Of Workers
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“We want to make sure you have the appropriate skilled, trained personnel on-hand to deal with providing that reliable service.”
App NEWS
Gas, Nuclear Lobbies Butt Heads As PA Senate Takes Up Nuclear-Rescue Bill
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“No real reason has been given to pass this legislation, other than we need the money to enhance our profit margin and to charge more for nuclear power.”
Energy
Trump Orders May Limit New York’s Power To Block Pipelines
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Demand for natural gas is growing across the Northeast. Meanwhile, natural gas production is booming in Pennsylvania. Connecting the two requires building pipelines across New York State.
Energy
Political Fight Begins Over Bill To Rescue Pennsylvania Nuclear Industry
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The bills recognize nuclear plants as sources of carbon-free electricity and create new requirements about how electric utilities are to purchase power.
App NEWS
Sunoco Agrees To Settlement After Mariner East 1 Leak
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If approved, company will pay $200,000 fine and step up safety inspections of aging pipeline
Energy
PA Senate Introduces Nuclear Bailout Bill, Similar To $500 Million House Plan
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Senate Bill 510 recognizes the plants as carbon free energy and adds nuclear power to the state’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard
Energy
PA Plaintiffs Settle Class-Action Suit With Sunoco Over Mariner East
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The suit accused Sunoco of negligence and several other counts in its construction practices.
Cornell Law Professor Says A “Green Amendment” Won’t Bring Changes To Slow Climate Change
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“The real challenge with the Green Amendment is that it may not even mean anything, but even if it does it could take decades for it to become meaningful.”
Energy
40 Years Later, The Prospect Of A Three Mile Island Evacuation Remains
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“You can practice it in the best-case scenario, but what we know is people will be scared,”
App NEWS
Higher Operating Pressure Prompts New Safety Concerns Over Sunoco’s Mariner East 2X Pipeline
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Pipeline opponents are raising new concerns about the safety of Energy Transfer/Sunoco Logistics’ Mariner East 2x natural gas liquids line.
Energy
PA Governor Pushes For Severance Tax By Highlighting Philly School Conditions
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The location was strategic, giving Wolf a chance to highlight the kind of infrastructure projects he’d like to complete with the $4.5 billion his administration says the tax would produce.
New York Senate Votes Unanimously To Ban Finger Lakes Trash Incinerator
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It is the latest step in efforts to block the construction of the trash incinerator in the town of Romulus.
Featured in Category
Crews Investigate Possible Leak In Pipeline That Feeds PA’s Northern Tier, New York State
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The line transports petroleum products from Sunoco’s Montello terminal near Reading to north-central Pennsylvania and New York state.
Economy
Romulus Residents Eager For NYS Senate To Ban Finger Lakes Incinerators
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“We are really, really thrilled,” said Mary Anne Kowalski, Seneca Lake resident. “I think the fact that is impressing me most is that we’ve got bipartisan support on this bill.”
Energy
Japan Looks Beyond Electric Cars And Envisions A ‘Hydrogen Society’
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The country has ambitious goals to become the “hydrogen society,” and right now, the focus is on its automakers.
Energy
Watchdog Group Wants A Nuclear Regulatory Commission Investigation At Three Mile Island
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The nuclear watchdog group is asking federal regulators to analyze what the group calls a “potentially dangerous and risky condition”
Crime and Justice
PA Attorney General, Delaware County District Attorney Launch Criminal Investigation Into Sunoco, Energy Transfer
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The Department of Environmental Protection has issued more than 80 violations, halted construction at times along the route, and fined the company $12.6 million.
Energy
PA Lawmaker Talks Up Nuclear Bailout Bill; Opponents Line Up To Trash It
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Opponents criticized the measure as too expensive and said it squanders an opportunity to fully address climate change.
