Posts by popemaster
When the Water Runs Orange: Cleaning Up Mine Drainage Is Also Bringing People Back
New University of Pittsburgh research shows that restoring rivers polluted by acid mine drainage helps Pennsylvania coal communities hold onto residents, and costs less than traditional economic incentives.
Read MoreThe Contaminants Your Water Rules Haven’t Caught Up To Yet
A July 2026 report from The Water Center at Penn shows how far U.S. drinking water rules lag behind the science on contaminants of emerging concern, and what it means for Pennsylvania.
Read MoreMountain Watershed Association Hosts Public Meeting on Youghiogheny River Conservation Plan July 30
Mountain Watershed Association is holding a public meeting Thursday, July 30 from 6 to 8 pm to gather community input for the Youghiogheny River Conservation Plan, a chance for paddlers, anglers, and watershed volunteers to shape priorities for the river. Two more MWA dates to circle: August 1: Blue Hole, A Community Reflection August 14:…
Read MoreNonprofits Crowdfund Legal Challenge to Homer City Data Center
Environmental groups are raising funds for a legal challenge to the massive gas-powered data center campus planned at the former Homer City power plant site in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. The project sits in the Two Lick Creek and Blacklick Creek drainage of the Conemaugh watershed, and the challenge focuses on the permitting of what would…
Read MoreComments Still Needed on Rustic Ridge II Deep Mine Permit Near the Yough Headwaters
Mountain Watershed Association is urging residents to submit comments to PA DEP on the proposed Rustic Ridge II coal mine wastewater permit, which the group says threatens water supplies and headwater streams in the Indian Creek and upper Youghiogheny watershed. A newly released engineering analysis of the existing Rustic Ridge mine revealed previously undisclosed subsidence…
Read MorePA DEP AML/AMD Grants: Federal Mine Reclamation Money, Consultations Open on a Rolling Basis
Pennsylvania DEP’s Abandoned Mine Land and Abandoned Mine Drainage Grant Program continues to move federal infrastructure law dollars into local reclamation work, with $15.2 million awarded to 15 projects earlier this year and the current round open since April 1. There is no fixed application date. Instead, interested groups schedule an Initial Project Consultation with…
Read MoreChemours to Pay $450 Million and Cut PFAS Discharges into the Ohio River
In the first federal PFAS enforcement settlement of its kind, Chemours agreed to a $450 million package covering its Washington Works plant near Parkersburg, West Virginia. The deal includes a $22.5 million fine, roughly $60 million in emission reduction upgrades at the plant, and $280 million for clean drinking water supplies near affected facilities, plus…
Read MoreColcom Foundation: Next Grant Deadline August 31, Letters of Inquiry Accepted Anytime
Pittsburgh-based Colcom Foundation, one of the region’s largest environmental funders, reviews grants quarterly. The next full application deadline is August 31, 2026 for its November board meeting. First-time applicants start with a letter of inquiry, which is accepted on a rolling basis, so groups new to Colcom should submit an LOI soon to be in…
Read MoreOhio Orders Four Injection Wells Shut as Frack Wastewater Migrates Underground Near Marietta
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ordered four fracking wastewater disposal wells in Washington County to stop operating after evidence that injected waste is migrating underground, already infiltrating dozens of nearby oil and gas production wells. Local groups including Buckeye Environmental Network and the City of Marietta have pushed the state on this issue for…
Read MoreWV Stream Partners Grants: Up to $5,000 for Watershed Groups, Apply by September 15
West Virginia’s Stream Partners Program is accepting applications for its annual mini grants of up to $5,000 for local watershed improvement projects, from cleanups and plantings to monitoring and outreach. Any organization based in the immediate area of its stream is eligible, and eligibility is determined by the group’s mission statement and membership. Key details:…
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