Pittsburgh, PA and Washington, DC
FNREL Mineral and Energy Law Newsletter
Pennsylvania – Oil & Gas
(By Joseph Reinhart, Sean McGovern, Gina Buchman and Matthew Wood)
On June 20, 2026, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) published a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin of the availability of the 2026 Annual Ambient Air Monitoring Network Plan (Plan) for public comment. 56 Pa. Bull. 3692 (June 20, 2026). Under the Clean Air Act, states and the federal government work together in regulating air pollution.
To monitor compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires states to create a network of ambient air monitors to measure air quality. Pennsylvania’s Plan includes 63 stations in 39 counties and prioritizes new and expanded monitoring near industrial sources, including ozone, hydrogen sulfide, and PM2.5 monitoring sites. Each monitor has a statement of purpose and evidence that the monitor’s location and operation meets federal requirements pursuant to the national ambient air monitoring requirements codified at 40 C.F.R. pts. 53 and 58.
The Plan has been updated to address changes to Pennsylvania’s ambient air monitoring network and to identify changes anticipated to occur in the remainder of 2026 and in 2027. For example, PADEP plans to install a temporary Special Purpose Monitor at Fort McIntosh due to the proximity to major nitrogen dioxide emitting sources, including the Shell Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex in Beaver County.
The public comment period closed on July 20, 2026. After considering and responding to comments, PADEP will submit the final Plan to the regional EPA administrator for review and inclusion in Pennsylvania’s state implementation plan. Upon review, EPA will publish a proposed rule in the Federal Register approving or disapproving Pennsylvania’s final Plan.
Copyright © 2026, The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law, Westminster, Colorado
