Nov. 10, 2025Keith Srakocic / Associated PressDemocrats may sacrifice climate program to break Pennsylvania's budget impasseby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAPennsylvania’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a key climate change program, has been tied up in litigation for years.
Oct. 17, 2025Feixu Chen / Next Generation NewsroomAI boom sparks battle over giant data centers in Pennsylvania townsby Jon Hurdle of Inside Climate NewsBoosters say these complexes are big taxpayers and bring jobs. Critics cite constant low-frequency noise to spiking electric bills and major water usage.
Oct. 14, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesHow Josh Shapiro wants to reshape the region’s power grid operator as prices riseby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAShapiro thinks Pennsylvania’s electric grid operator, PJM, moves too slowly. He wants states to have more control.
Sept. 22, 2025Keith Srakocic / APPa. once pioneered the renewable energy transition. What happened?by Kiley Bense and Dan Gearino of Inside Climate NewsNatural gas was pitched as a bridge from coal to renewables. Fifteen years later, the bridge seems to extend endlessly into Pennsylvania’s future.
Sept. 22, 2025Eric Risberg / APThe natural gas boom in Pa. was supposed to lower energy bills here. Why didn’t that happen?by Kiley Bense and Dan Gearino of Inside Climate NewsPennsylvania sends more electricity outside its borders than any other state and exports three-quarters of the gas it produces. But these shifts have not lowered costs for Pennsylvanians.
Aug. 22, 2025Gene J. Puskar / APCostly Pa. Shell plant could be up for sale soon despite $1.65B tax break, years of developmentby Kiley Bense of Inside Climate NewsThe oil company has not announced a sale of the $14 billion plant, but its talk of “exploring strategic and partnership opportunities” is raising the eyebrows of analysts and Beaver County residents.
Aug. 15, 2025Caleb McCartney / Next Generation NewsroomMore Pa. government agencies are turning to AI. Critics say that’s risky.by Abigail Hakas of Next Generation NewsroomThe state launched a yearlong generative AI pilot program last January, with 175 employees across 14 agencies incorporating ChatGPT into their work.
Aug. 15, 2025Gene Puskar / APFatal US Steel plant blast prompts more air quality monitoring in Pittsburgh areaby Associated PressThe Allegheny County Health Department says mobile air units will be stationed in the Mon Valley.
Aug. 12, 2025AP / Gene PuskarShapiro says workers owed answers for deadly explosion at Pa. coke plantby Associated PressThe Democratic governor said Tuesday that steelworkers deserve an “answer for what happened.” The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Aug. 12, 2025Gene Puskar / APVideo shows workers scrambling into wreckage left by explosion that killed 2 at US Steel plantby Associated PressTwo people were killed and more than 10 were injured, including one who spent hours trapped in rubble left Monday by the blast.
Aug. 11, 2025Gene J. Puskar / APExplosion at US Steel plant in Pittsburgh leaves 2 dead, 10 injuredby Associated PressOne worker was pulled from the wreckage hours after the explosion sent black smoke spiraling into the midday sky in the Mon Valley.
Aug. 11, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesWhat Trump’s solar crackdown could mean for Pennsylvania energy billsby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAExperts say the rollback will decrease energy production and add $130 on average to bills by the end of the decade.
Aug. 1, 2025Feixu Chen / Next Generation NewsroomData centers gobble up energy. Regulators want to ensure Pa. consumers don’t foot the bill.by Abigail Hakas of Next Generation NewsroomAs data center developers invest billions of dollars in Pennsylvania to fuel the AI boom, state regulators are weighing who should pay for their arrival.
July 30, 2025Eric Risberg / APWhy Pennsylvanians may see higher electric bills this summer — and nextby Katie Meyer of Spotlight PARecord-setting usage fueled by heat waves, plus the region’s electrical grid, is behind the increases.
July 11, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesA popular, bipartisan solar program to save Pa. schools on energy costs might soon go darkby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PATrump’s tax and spending bill will end federal support, and state lawmakers are unsure if they’ll renew their portion.
June 30, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesThe unknown costs of Amazon’s $20B promise to build 2 data centers in Pennsylvaniaby Stephen Caruso and Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAMany key details, like the centers’ full impact on electricity supply and prices, and the amount of tax revenue the state will forfeit to Amazon, are still unknown.
June 9, 2025Ted Shaffrey / APAmazon to spend $20B on data centers in Pennsylvania as AI fuels demandby Associated PressOne center is being built alongside a nuclear power plant that has drawn federal scrutiny.
June 4, 2025Courtesy of Allegheny National Forest Visitors BureauLogging will increase by 10% in Pa.’s only national forest this year under Trump directiveby Abigail Hakas of Next Generation NewsroomThe move has sparked fierce debate between environmentalists and pro-logging groups who disagree on cutting trees to reduce wildfire risks or improve forest health.
June 2, 2025Jenny Kane / APAI boom drives states to offer big incentives for data center developmentby Associated PressIn Pennsylvania, lawmakers are writing legislation to fast-track permitting for data centers.
April 30, 2025Gene J. Puskar / APNorfolk Southern abandoned promise to build student wellness center, new East Palestine lawsuit saysby Associated PressThe school district claims the company abandoned a $30M wellness center plan and failed to cover costs from a disaster that drove away students.
April 26, 2025Gene J. Puskar / APA big winner in big tech's frantic search for power? Old coal power plants.by Associated PressHigh-voltage grid connections make closed fossil fuel facilities in Pa., nationwide attractive targets for new power as demand skyrockets.
April 10, 2025Courtesy of the Allegheny National Forest Visitors BureauCritics fear Trump admin’s logging order will harm mature trees, endangered species at Pa.’s only national forestby Abigail Hakas of Next Generation NewsroomGrowing concern over wildfires has spurred proponents to push for more logging as a way to mitigate risk. But some say it just adds fuel to the fire.
March 31, 2025Courtesy Allegheny National Forest Visitors BureauMore logging could be coming to Pa.’s only national forest under Trump directiveby Abigail Hakas of Next Generation NewsroomCash-strapped rural counties welcome a potential increase in federal timber harvesting, though forest management challenges remain.
March 20, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesFederal money to plug Pa.’s dangerous wells is unfrozen, but Trump admin uncertainty plagues contractorsby Kate Huangpu and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAPennsylvania has supercharged the number of abandoned wells it plugs thanks to federal money, but the future of that work is unclear as lawsuits play out.
Feb. 3, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesLegal weed, more money for Pa.’s poorest schools will likely be in Shapiro’s budget pitchby Stephen Caruso, Kate Huangpu, and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAGov. Josh Shapiro is expected to reuse ideas from his first two years in office that have yet to win enough support in the legislature.
Jan. 31, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesFiery resignation by Pa.’s consumer advocate breeds fear office will lose independenceby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAPatrick Cicero’s resignation echoes the early years of the consumer advocate’s office, in which its first leader clashed with utilities and warned the office must remain independent.
Jan. 10, 2025Courtesy U.S. Department of EnergyShapiro says this 'broken process' could lead to higher electricity costs. Here's what to know.by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAPennsylvania’s governor wants federal regulators to force the state’s power grid to lower prices before a projected cost spike this summer.
Dec. 24, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesThe Trump admin could make Pennsylvania’s clean energy projects less environmentally friendlyby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAClean energy laws passed under the Biden administration are slated to route billions of dollars to Pa. Experts say Trump likely can’t repeal them, but he could weaken them.
Oct. 14, 2024Courtesy of U.S. Department of EnergyNobody is using $2.6B in Pa. tax credits. Gov. Josh Shapiro wants a rewrite to boost electricity production.by Stephen Caruso and Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAA union-backed rewrite by the Shapiro admin would subsidize energy production as well as lower the bar for investment.
Aug. 30, 2024Kent M. Wilhelm / Spotlight PAAbortion, climate change cases await decisions from Pa.’s highest courtsby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAWhile the Pennsylvania Supreme Court often has the final say on major policy decisions, it can take months or years for the justices to render their opinions.
Booklight PA: Author Sara Novic on finding herself through hearing loss in ‘Mother Tongue’AttendJun 25