A Pa. Supreme Court decision says groups that appeal environmental permits can recoup legal fees from companies
Appealing environmental permits is expensive. The decision can make it more cost-effective.
Energy
In western Pa., Shell flares burn bright after equipment malfunction at ethane cracker
Shell says its Beaver County plant suffered an equipment malfunction. It has had air pollution problems since opening in November.
Pa. drillers abandoned thousands of natural gas wells in 5 years, ignored state law, report says
The state found the conventional oil and gas industry abandoned 3,000 wells, violating state law and leaving taxpayers on the hook for cleanup.
Interior Secretary visits Pittsburgh area home to tout Biden abandoned well money
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law sets aside $4.7 billion to clean up the country's 2 million abandoned wells. Pennsylvania has more than any other state.
Groups file legal notice of intent to sue Shell for air violations at Beaver ethane cracker
Two environmental groups say Shell continues to violate its air permit. The company has reported excess air pollution levels and visible emissions.
Claim that Pa. climate program was unlawfully delayed is moot, court says
The opinion in this case doesn’t affect Pa.’s attempt to join RGGI, a program among 11 eastern states to cut CO2 emissions from power plants.
The modest heat pump could be a climate solution, but getting them into houses will be hard
What electric vehicles are for transportation, heat pumps could be for heating homes. But it will take some convincing.
DEP issues scathing report on the conventional oil and gas industry
DEP calls out the industry as having "a culture of noncompliance as an acceptable norm."
Pa. natural gas plant explosion under investigation in Washington County
The Christmas Day explosion at Energy Transfer's Revolution Cryo plant caused a fire to burn for most of the day, venting gases and flames.
Federal spending bill includes long-term cleanup of streams polluted by abandoned mines
The bill addresses an issue with last year's Infrastructure Law which limited how states spend $11.3 billion for mine cleanups.
