Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA | Taxation
PA Supreme Court Drives Final Nail in the Coffin of RGGI Carbon Tax
In November, Pennsylvania finally passed a budget—four months late. As part of the deal struck between Democrats and Republicans, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) carbon tax scheme was permanently ash-canned (see VICTORY! PA Budget Deal Kills RGGI Carbon Tax for Good). The Dems finally agreed to drop the attempt to force the state to participate in RGGI. However, an outstanding lawsuit was pending before the state Supreme Court to answer whether a governor (then Tom Wolf, now Josh Shapiro) could unilaterally compel the state to participate without the consent of the legislature. That question (and case) is now resolved. Read More “PA Supreme Court Drives Final Nail in the Coffin of RGGI Carbon Tax”
The short answer to the question posed in our headline is, “We sure hope so!” Yesterday, MDN reported that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has officially adopted a final version of updated Environmental Justice (EJ) regulations (see 
The Baker Hughes rig count turned in its weekly report early last week, on Dec. 30 (Tuesday instead of the usual Friday), due to the holiday—for a second week in a row. The Marcellus/Utica rig count gained 1 rig four weeks ago in the Ohio Utica, bringing the total to 39 rigs. For the past four reports in a row, the M-U has maintained that count—the most rigs it has operated in more than a year. It’s a great way to start the New Year! Pennsylvania has held at 18 active rigs for seven consecutive weeks. Ohio has operated 14 rigs for four straight weeks (its highest in over a year). And West Virginia maintained 7 rigs, which it has operated since May 30. There were 24 rigs targeting the Marcellus and 15 targeting the Utica. The national count picked up 1 rig, bringing the total to 546 active rigs. 
On December 17, 2025, a casing failure and loss of well control occurred at one of three wells during fracking operations at a Range Resources pad in Washington County, PA. After gas pressure spiked to 2,000 psi, the company stabilized the well and later installed two kill plugs. Despite Range sending an immediate email notification, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) cited Range for failing to use the required website portal for instant alerts. Additionally, the company missed deadlines for a mandatory Area of Review report regarding potential “communication” with other O&G wells and/or water wells in the area. 
The combined number of new permits issued to drill shale wells across the Marcellus/Utica region was 26 for the week of Dec. 22 – 28, more than double the 12 issued two weeks ago. Pennsylvania issued 15 new permits, Ohio issued 6, and West Virginia issued 5. Among the companies receiving new permits were Antero, EOG, EQT, Hilcorp, INR, and Range Resources. 
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is seeking public comment on water quality permits for Eastern Gas Transmission’s LN-10 pipeline replacement project in Armstrong and Westmoreland counties. Eastern Gas Transmission and Storage (EGTS) is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy. Construction consists of removing and replacing approximately 13.1 miles of 20-inch-diameter natural gas transmission pipeline. Covering Chapter 102 and 105 regulations, the applications are available for review via the Regional Permit Coordination Office. While no public hearings are currently scheduled, they may be requested. Comments are due by January 26. 
The Greene County Planning Commission recently voted 8-1 to approve Phase 1 of “Project Hummingbird,” a massive data center complex proposed for the former Robena Mine site in Monongahela Township. This initial phase focuses on land grading, reclamation, and site preparation for a “power island” featuring two natural gas turbines totaling 910 megawatts (MW) and a water treatment plant. The plant will use Marcellus/Utica gas to power it. 
In April, Knighthead Capital Management, Homer City Redevelopment (HCR), and Kiewit Power Constructors Co. announced a plan to convert the former Homer City Generating Station, previously the largest coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania (Indiana County, 50 miles east of Pittsburgh) into a more than 3,200-acre natural gas-powered data center campus, designed to meet the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (see 
Volatility is the watchword for new permits in the Marcellus/Utica. Three weeks ago, the combined count between Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia was a measly 8 new permits (see 
Data centers—large facilities full of computers—have been in the news a lot over the past year. The internet and tech companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon gave rise to data centers. But a new/renewed emphasis emerged a year ago with the unveiling of artificial intelligence (AI), which is now being used by a large portion of the population. Did you know that there are currently 4,149 active data centers in the U.S.? And that another 2,788 have been announced/planned, primarily related to AI? That’s from a fantastic new report from the American Edge Project (AEP) and the Technology Councils of North America (TECNA). Earlier this week, they released “America’s AI Surge: Powering Investment, Jobs, and Growth in Every State” (full copy below). We’ve extracted information specific to the Marcellus/Utica region from the report. 
In April, Knighthead Capital Management, Homer City Redevelopment (HCR), and Kiewit Power Constructors Co. announced a plan to convert the former Homer City Generating Station, previously the largest coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania (Indiana County, 50 miles east of Pittsburgh) into a more than 3,200-acre natural gas-powered data center campus, designed to meet the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (see