Climate & Energy

WITF’s climate and energy reporting can also be found on StateImpact Pennsylvania, a collaboration among WITF, WHYY, and the Allegheny Front.
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Susan Phillips
Pa. drillers abandoned thousands of natural gas wells in 5 years, ignored state law, report says
Gov. Tom Wolf ordered the review, but it will be up to new Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration to take any action.
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Reid R. Frazier
In Pa., heat pumps could be a climate change solution. But contractors and customers would need to buy in
Natural gas heats most homes in Pennsylvania. Heat-pump technology could help reduce one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases in America: home heating.
By Reid Frazier -
Rachel McDevitt
Claim that Pa. climate program was unlawfully delayed is moot, court says
Because the rule is now official, the court says the case is moot and any judgment given would not have an effect.
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Emma Lee
Pennsylvania sets drinking water standards on two ‘forever chemical’ PFAS compounds
There are no federal maximum contaminant levels for PFAS. Pennsylvania joins others states that have set their own.
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Buying an electric car? You can get a $7,500 tax credit, but it won’t be easy
The tax credits for purchasing electric vehicles (EVs) got a major overhaul on Jan. 1
By Camila Domonoske/NPR -
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Pa. natural gas plant explosion under investigation in Washington County
A Christmas-morning explosion at an Energy Transfer plant caused a fire but didn’t injure anyone.
By Reid Frazier -
Marie Cusick
Ex-Pennsylvania DEP secretary: Agency’s underfunding will test its new leader
Former DEP secretary Patrick McDonnell says the new leader will have his management skills tested at an agency that’s been constrained by a decade of underfunding.
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Marie Cusick
Josh Shapiro nominates former Philadelphia deputy mayor to top environmental job
The Shapiro transition team says Negrin will be the first Latino to lead DEP.
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Climate change makes heat waves, storms and droughts worse, climate report confirms
By Rebecca Hersher/NPR -
Bastiaan Slabbers
People in Bucks and Montgomery County learn more about their exposure to the toxic chemicals in PFAS study
More than 1,000 people have had their blood tested for the so-called “forever chemicals” to help scientists understand more about the health effects of the class of chemicals found in several products.
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Groups, residents want EPA to protect Pittsburgh region from ‘unacceptably high’ levels of benzene pollution from U.S. Steel
A known carcinogen threatens ‘imminent danger’ to residents, groups argueBy Reid Frazier