Read our advocacy letters, all written with the goal to protect our environment and the health of our community. Advocacy Letters Library Letter to Governor Shapiro: Support a State Moratorium on Data Center Development September 21st, 2026 Governor Shapiro recently filed an executive order that placed several critical restrictions on data center development - protecting Pennsylvanians' rights to clean air, water, and the preservation of their environment. However, the order falls flat, and places communities at risk of increased fracking and use of fossil fuels for power generation. We urge Governor Shapiro and his administration to enact a statewide data centers moratorium in order to develop meaningful protections for our communities against data centers. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to EPA: Do Not Let Construction Begin Before Air Permitting June 22nd, 2026 The EPA is proposing to shut down communities' avenues for self-advocacy by removing its necessary air permitting in the pre-construction phase. In considering allowing companies to begin construction of "non-emitting" infrastructure, the EPA is greenlighting developers to create new infrastructure without considering the ramifications of that infrastructure on the local airshed. Furthermore, the act of construction results in the emission of airborne pollutants - including nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter - due to the use of heavy industrial tools, vehicles, and power generation sources. In altering the air permitting process, the EPA is putting more residents' at risk of development before development has even began. Protect PT demands that the EPA retain their ruling, and uphold residents' avenues for advocacy, instead of closing them down. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: CNX's Application for a Waterline in Beaver Run Reservoir May 4th, 2026 Beaver Run Reservoir serves over 123,000 residents between both Westmoreland and Allegheny County. Despite its status as a critical water source for these communities, CNX is seeking to tap directly into the Reservoir to siphon water for its fracking operations. Protect PT has long held concerns about the use of a residential water supply for fracking, and the Reservoir has already seen two taps installed in 2025 for EQT, another oil and gas operator. Protect PT is writing to make a simple request: Deny the permit, and ensure that residents continue to have access to their water supply for years to come. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Follow-Up on Testing Results from our Environmental Science Team January 20, 2026 Protect PT's Environmental Science team has conducted diligent monitoring of local bodies of water for years. Through our monitoring, our Environmental Scientists have observed results that would conflict with DEP designations for impairment. We believe DEP should consider these results when evaluating the causes and degree of impairment in local bodies of water. We also encourage DEP to engage in further testing to determine whether their designations are still accurate. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC): Adopt a Strong Model Tariff to Regulate Data Centers December 22, 2025 We appreciate the PA PUC’s thorough consideration of stakeholder perspectives in its efforts to create a robust Model Tariff for large data centers. These facilities are new to our state and present a wide range of deleterious impacts on our residents, environment, and economy if improperly managed. Therefore, the PUC’s priority in this process should be protecting those existing ratepayers. The PUC must adopt a Model Large Load Tariff as soon as possible and require that it be followed by the utilities. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to EPA Region 3: Do Not Approve Columbia Gas Injection Well Permit October 16, 2025 Given the proximity of this injection well to residential homes and waterways, the risks are simply too great to overlook. Clean air and water are the foundation of healthy, thriving communities, and once contaminated, they cannot easily be restored. We respectfully urge the EPA to deny this permit and to uphold its responsibility to safeguard the health, safety, and environmental integrity of Beaver County residents and the broader Ohio River Basin. From: Protect PT and Others Read the Letter Letter to EPA: Do Not Repeal the Endangerment Finding September 19, 2025 The EPA 2009 Endangerment Finding was a necessary update to the Clean Air Act that enabled us to more effectively and accurately fulfill the goal of protecting public health and welfare. On April 2, 2007, in Massachusetts v. EPA , the Supreme Court found that greenhouse gases are air pollutants covered by the Clean Air Act. The Court held that the EPA Administrator must determine whether or not emissions of greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles contribute to air pollution that endangers public health, or whether the science is too uncertain to make a reasoned decision. The science was clear. Removing the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions will only undermine existing progress to improve industrial efficiency, adapt our economy, protect public health, and mitigate the wide-ranging and severe effects of climate change. As the rest of the world moves forward, America will lag behind, choosing to regress and stagnate instead of forging a better future. For the sake of our nation, we urge the EPA not to repeal the Endangerment Finding. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP Secretary Shirley: Hold Operators Accountable for Violations August 28, 2025 We are writing to express our appreciation to your office and the Department’s Southwest Regional Office for their discovery of a series of willful, severe violations found at EQT Prod. Co.’s Porter Well Pad in Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County. We write further to formally request that the Department follow these violations with a consent assessment of civil penalty or an assessment of civil penalties to EQT Prod. Co. of an amount at least equivalent to the gross profits resulting from EQT’s refusal to delay fracking operations at the Porter Well Pad from July 10, 2025 to July 28, 2025 to conduct environmental remediation in compliance with the law in order to deter willful, knowing, and severe violations of Pennsylvania law and the degradation of Pennsylvania’s environment. Photo credit: PA DEP inspection report From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to Fish & Wildlife Service: Do not rescind the definition of “Harm” under the Endangered Species Act May 19, 2025 Protect PT submitted comments to oppose the Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal to remove the definition of “harm” from federal regulations without any replacement definition due to concerns for endangered species. If the agency wishes to revise the meaning of "harm," it should do so after a fully considered analysis by engaging in a study of the foreseeable impacts of this regulation as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. It should not, under any circumstances, eliminate the meaning of "harm.” From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Hold a Public Hearing on the Draft Permit for Blue Moon Compressor Station March 3, 2025 Commenters request that DEP hold a public hearing for Blue Moon’s Draft Permit due to numerous complaints from local residents of the Facility and how it disrupts their homelife and health. Since starting operations around 2017, residents around the Facility experience health symptoms that include burning eyes and trouble breathing. From: Protect PT, Clean Air Council, Breathe Project, Environmental Integrity Project Read the Letter Letter to Allegheny County Health Department: Permit Errors for Monroeville Landfill September 23, 2024 The Environmental Integrity Project, alongside Protect PT, found several errors in the Draft Title V Renewal Permit (“Draft Permit”) issued by the Allegheny County Health Department (“ACHD”) for the Monroeville Landfill, operated by Chambers Development Company Inc. (hereinafter “CDC”). This comment letter explains the errors and asks that they be addressed. From: Environmental Integrity Project and Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to Governor Shapiro: Improving Drilling Setbacks December 18, 2023 Protect PT and 6 other environmental groups attended a press conference in front of the Southwestern PA DEP Office to ask Governor Shapiro to direct DEP to improve its regulations by increasing distance between the waters of the Commonwealth and fracking operations. From: Protect PT and Others Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Comment on Hyperion Midstream LLC; Delmont North Pipeline Individual Erosion and Sedimentation Control Permit April 21, 2023 Protect PT wrote a letter to the Pennsylvania DEP to deny the issuance of the Delmont North Pipeline Erosion and Sedimentation Control Permit to Hyperion Midstream, LLC. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Apex Energy LLC; Draftina Central Well Pad-31 ESCGP-3 Jan 11, 2023 Protect PT wrote a letter to deny the Erosion and Sedimentation Control General Permit - 3, proposed in December 2022. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Comment on Level Green and Lyons Run Pipelines Nov 8, 2022 Protect PT wrote to the DEP to deny the permitting of the Level Green and Lyons Run pipelines. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Further Comment on Permit #PAS2D702BALL, Penneco Environmental Solutions, Sedat 4A Underground Injection Well Aug 22, 2022 Protect PT wrote to the EPA to deny a permit for Sedat 4A Underground Injection Well. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Draft General Permit WMGR163 March 11, 2022 Protect PT and Three Rivers Waterkeeper wrote a letter to the Bureau of Waste Management to address the inadequacies of Draft General Permit WGMR163. Image credit: FracTracker. From: Protect PT, Three Rivers Waterkeeper Read the Letter Comment to PA DEP on Drakulic Well Pad Aug 26 2021 Protect PT wrote a letter to PA DEP about the Drakulic Well Pad in Penn Township requesting a public hearing on two new well permits. Photo Credits: Jason Cohn (Pittsburgh Foundation) From: Protect PT Read the Letter Titan Pipeline Letter July 13, 2021 Protect PT wrote to the Murrysville Planning Commission regarding the pipeline near the Titan Well Pad. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill Concerns April 21, 2021 Protect PT and Environmental Health Project co-wrote a letter to the PA DEP Southwest Regional Director Jim Miller to follow up on requests made by residents during a community meeting in March. From: Protect PT, EHP Read the Letter Letter to EPA: Do Not Limit Public Participation in Minor NSR Air Permitting August 21st, 2026 EPA is attempting to roll back the minimum public participation requirements for State Implementation Plan Minor New Source Review (NSR) permitting programs. This means allowing states to effectively cut the public out of decision-making processes for projects that directly impact public health and wellbeing - like data centers. This unnecessary and unjustified regulatory change undermines the purpose of the Clean Air Act and would bring direct harm to frontline communities. Therefore, Protect PT is urging the EPA to rescind this proposed rule and maintain the current regulatory language. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to the Allegheny County Health Department: Prioritize Resident Health Over Data Centers June 9th, 2026 Springdale's new data center, which is being developed by Allegheny DC Property Co., is located on the same site as the former Cheswick generating plant. During its operation, the Cheswick plant left the community so polluted that it was closed for its consistent impacts to residents' property and personal health and well-being. While the plant is gone, the neighborhood surrounding the former plant has been designated an Environmental Justice community with a pollution burden score in the 97.4th percentile. To keep residents' health and safety at the forefront of development, Protect PT requests that the Allegheny County Health Department require Allegheny DC to apply for an air permit and hold an Environmental Justice community public hearing (before the comment period is over) to allow residents to express their concerns directly. From: Protect PT and Others Read the Letter Letter to the Allegheny County Health Department: Do Not Grant EQT a Dehydrator Permit April 15th, 2026 Currently, EQT is pursuing a permit that would allow the installation of a Tri-ethylene glycol (TEG) dehydration unit, reboiler, and enclosed combustor at their Leto well pad in West Deer. The Leto well pad is located in close proximity to several residential areas and occupied commercial buildings. The granting of this permit would allow EQT to pollute the air with additional contaminants, which increase health risks already posed to residents living within 5 miles of the well pad. We are asking the Allegheny County Health Department to consider these health implications before making their final decision on the permit. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Strengthen the Proposed Erosion and Sedimentation Control Rulemaking January 20, 2026 After reviewing the DEP's proposed rulemaking on policy for erosion and sediment control and stormwater management for earth disturbance associated with oil and gas exploration, production, processing, or treatment operations or transmission facilities, we propose strengthening this rulemaking in places, such as accounting for documented and expected increases in erosion and sedimentation risk as a result of climate forcing and considering cumulative impacts on an area instead of allowing projects to be segmented and reviewed in isolation. From: Protect PT, FracTracker Alliance, Three Rivers Waterkeeper Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Allow Residents to Hold the Tenaska Westmoreland Generating Station Accountable November 3rd, 2025 The Tenaska Westmoreland Generating Station has requested a Title V Operating Permit for their activity. However, the draft permit does not include monitoring provisions sufficient to determine compliance within emission limits as required by the Clean Air Act. This poses a risk to local residents, especially those living in identified Environmental Justice tracts. DEP should hold a public hearing prior to considering this permit, and allow residents to raise their concerns, prior to increasing pollution burden on them. From: Environmental Integrity Project, Mountain Watershed Association, Environmental Health Project, Protect PT, and Others Read the Letter Letter to FERC: Do Not Grant Permit for JB Tonkin Compressor Station October 3, 2025 Based on the Air Quality General Permit 5 (“AQ GP 5”) application by EGTS to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) for the JB Tonkin Compressor Station and Exhibit F-I of the Resource Report submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") by EGTS, granting this permit to EGTS would not be in the public convenience and necessity. The Appalachian Reliability Project ("ARP") would severely pollute the air in Murrysville with increased quantities of criteria air pollutants, hazardous air pollutants (“HAPs”), carbon dioxide, and noise, creating a severe impact on the surrounding community that EGTS has not proposed to adequately mitigate. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Deny Air Quality General Permit 5 for compressor and associated machinery at the JB Tonkin Compressor Station September 18, 2025 Based on the permit application by Eastern Gas Trans & Storage Inc (“EGTS”), granting this permit would violate the Air Pollution Control Act (“APCA”), violate the constitutional rights of Pennsylvanians, and result in an unreasonable degradation, diminution, and destruction of Pennsylvania’s natural environment and airborne resources. To summarize, the permit application proposes that EGTS should be permitted to significantly increase the Compressor Station’s emissions of nitrogen oxides by 34% to 95.08 tons per year (“tpy”), carbon monoxide by 16% to 31.40 tpy, sulphur dioxide by 29% to 1.40 tpy, all particulate matter by 49% to 13.41 tpy, hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) by 18% to 14.19 tpy, and CO2 equivalent emissions by 328% to 128,495.79 tpy. This is despite the Department’s decision to downgrade the Compressor Station from a major source of air pollutants to a minor source of air pollutants in 2022. That decision ignored failures to comply with emission testing standards at the Compressor Station that indicated asserted emissions levels could be lower than actual potential levels of air pollutant emissions. Though this testing failure was detailed in a 2022 comment by the Clean Air Council (CAC), the Department did not heed CAC’s warning at the time. The Department has another opportunity now to fix its mistake and prevent a radical increase in air pollution in Westmoreland County. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Create a Strong, Durable, and Protective State Methane Emission Reduction Plan July 25, 2025 Pennsylvania residents are directly exposed to methane pollution and regulatory standards need to be in place to protect them. Roughly 1.2 million Pennsylvania residents live within a half-mile of an active oil or gas wellsite. Those residents are vulnerable to developing serious health conditions. Additionally, this pollution disproportionately impacts low-income and vulnerable populations, as these are the communities most likely to live near oil and gas wells. By cutting methane emissions, we also cut air pollution, and we stand the chance to cut down hardships faced by our residents. Photo credit: Farm in Washington County, PA by Karen Kasmauski, Environmental Integrity Project From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Notification Requirements for Unauthorized Discharges to Waters of the Commonwealth May 15, 2025 We understand the intention of this proposed rulemaking is to streamline the process for responding to unauthorized discharges. However, the proposed rule creates a process of self regulation that leaves open multiple avenues for operators to err on the side of self-interest, rather than operating in a way that protects the people and resources of the commonwealth. From: Three Rivers Waterkeeper and Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Do not Renew Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill's Air Quality Title V Operating Permit November 18, 2024 The PA DEP should only consider renewing the Title V permit for the WSL when WSL, LLC can show that it can meet its obligations under Pennsylvania’s Article 1 Section 27 rights to clean air and water, comply with its existing regulatory obligations and agreements with the DEP, and refrain from unequally and unlawfully infringing on the rights, health, and safety of Pennsylvania’s citizens living in the surrounding communities. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Mamont 12 Well Pad Erosion and Sedimentation Plan September 9, 2024 Protect PT submitted comments regarding the Mamont 12 site and the pending Erosion & Sedimentation plan due to concerns about erosion and sedimentation at this facility and the impact this facility can have on the community both in regards to the environment and the health of nearby residents, especially noting that this is an environmental justice area. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Collaborative Group Comments on Proposed EJ Policy Revision November 30, 2023 Protect PT and 17 other groups collaborated on a letter to DEP regarding concerns that DEP's proposed policy does not have the ability to create actual change and improve the environmental pollution impacts in EJ communities. From: Protect PT and Others Read the Letter Monroeville Council Public Hearing, April 4, 2023 April 14, 2023 FairShake Environmental Legal Services wrote a letter to the Mayor of Monroeville regarding the mishandling of Monroeville Council's Public Hearing on April 4, 2023. From: Protect PT, FairShake Environmental Legal Services Read the Letter Apex Energy LLC Backus Well Pad ESCGP-2 Jan 11, 2023 Protect PT wrote a letter to deny the Erosion and Sedimentation Control General Permit - 2 proposed in November 2022. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Comment on Lyons Run Pipeline Project Oct 4, 2022 Protect PT wrote to the DEP to deny the permitting of Lyons Run Pipeline. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Comment on Permit #PAS2D702BALL, Penneco Environmental Solutions, Sedat 4A Underground Injection Well June 28, 2022 Protect PT wrote to the EPA to deny a permit for Sedat 4A Underground Injection Well. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Mariner East Chapter 102 Permit Comment Jan 25, 2022 Protect PT partnered with other organizations from Pennsylvania to write a comment on the renewal of permits for Sunoco's Chapter 102 permits. From: Protect PT and partners Read the Letter Letter to EPA: Revoke the Plum Injection Well Permit Aug 2 2021 Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services wrote to the US EPA on behalf of Protect PT to advocate for the revocation of the Sedat 3A Injection Well Permits. PC: FracTracker Alliance From: Fair Shake Read the Letter Letter to the U.S. Coast Guard June 28, 2021 Protect PT and partner organizations wrote to the US Coast Guard and the US Army Corps of Engineers to request them to not allow fracking waste to be barged on the 3 rivers. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Acknowledge the Risk of Radioactivity in Landfill Leachate July 23rd, 2026 In March of 2026, the DEP released a long-awaited study that revealed landfills across Pennsylvania contained significant concentrations of radium in their liquid leachate. Despite radium concentrations exceeding 600 picocuries per liter in several landfills, Secretary Jessica Shirley has insisted (in the absence of a public health study) that radium in landfill leachate poses "no risk to human health". We urge DEP to reconsider the methodology used to gather these results, and publicly acknowledge the significant potential risk this poses, adjust its methodological approach, and educated the public on the risk. From: Protect PT and Others Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Acknowledge the Risk of Radioactivity in Landfill Leachate May 14th, 2026 In 2021, then-Governor Tom Wolf ordered the DEP to investigate the presence of radium, and radioactivity, in untreated leachate from municipal landfills across PA. On March 13th, 2026, the DEP released a report stating that the radioactivity in untreated leachate posed "... no risk to human health" despite there being no risk study done in association with the report. Their own report cites radioactivity in the thousands of picocuries per liter - well over the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's legal limit for waste from certified nuclear facilities. Our municipal sewage treatment plants are not capable of filtering out radium. DEP must consider this, and take action to prevent harm to public health from radioactive landfill leachate. From: Protect PT and Others Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Enforce the Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill's Consent Order March 3rd, 2026 Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill (WSL) has a long-running history of violations, which impact residents of nearby Environmental Justice tracts. Despite the requirements listed under its Consent Order, WSL has failed to permanently correct issues including the tracking of materials onto Tyrol Boulevard, and the repeated incidence of intermittent odors emanating from the site. DEP should exercise its power granted by the Consent Order to assess appropriate civil penalties against WSL for these repeated and disruptive violations. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Deny Permits for the TL-636 Pipeline January 12, 2026 After reviewing the environmental damage that will be caused by the TL-636 pipeline, the Department should deny a SWQC, Chapter 102 Permit, and Chapter 105 Permit for the TL-636 pipeline. Based on the contents of the permit applications and information provided by EGTS, granting these permits would endanger local residents and risk irreversible damage to the local environment in Westmoreland County. Given the significant degree of public interest in this project indicated by this comment and by the proximity of the TL-636 pipeline in Westmoreland County to thousands of local residents, including multiple members of Protect PT, Protect PT requests that the Department schedule and notify the public of a public hearing nearby the location of the TL-636 pipeline for the Department to consider in-person comments from local residents. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to EPA: Do Not Reconsider the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) November 3, 2025 Protect PT strongly opposes the EPA’s reconsideration of the GHGRP. The U.S. is a major emitter and will have an outsized impact on the entire globe’s progress towards mitigating climate change, making the proposed near total elimination of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program a devastating blow to at-risk communities all around the world. Our country is already afflicted by sea level rise, increased natural disasters, and longer wildfire seasons, and ceasing data collection on the root cause of these calamities will only leave our scientists, engineers, policy-makers, and business leaders in the dark as they try to address them. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to EPA: Do Not Delay Methane Rule Compliance September 26, 2025 The 2024 EPA methane rule would prevent 58 million tons of methane emissions from 2024 to 2038, helping to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Pushing back compliance deadlines only undermines any progress already made by industry towards improved efficiency and will slash any protections and benefits promised to residents. Delaying compliance for the methane rule shows a blatant disregard for the health of our communities. Therefore, Protect PT is opposed to the EPA’s Extension of Deadlines in Standards of Performance for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources and Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sources in the Oil and Natural Gas Sector and requests that the EPA reconsiders this compliance delay immediately. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to AI Strike Team & Advisory Committee: Lessen the Public Health and Economic Impacts of Fueling Data Centers with Fracking by Considering Renewable Energy Sources September 9, 2025 We urge the AI Horizons Summit Planning Committee to promote discussion through plenaries on diversifying energy sources for AI and considering community impacts in future summit events. We know that this year’s summit features some renewable energy-focused speakers, which is encouraging, but there is room for greater inclusion of both renewable energy speakers and community representatives. AI Horizons can foster true innovation by connecting renewable energy leaders, who are creating some of the fastest growing and least expensive energy on the market, with AI developers. From: Protect PT and Others Read the Letter Letter to Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC): Consider the Potential Environmental, Health, and Increased Electric Rate Impacts of Hyperscale Data Centers May 21, 2025 Along with 14 of our partner organizations, we urge the Pennsylvania PUC Chairman and Commissioners to exercise the utmost caution, care, and restraint in integrating data centers and other large load customers. Hyperscale data centers are profoundly different from other customers and present numerous, wide-ranging impacts on other ratepayers and Pennsylvania residents as a whole. From: Protect PT and Others Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Deny Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill's NPDES Permit Application April 2, 2025 Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill, LLC has been dumping toxic, radioactive fracking waste into its landfill for well over a decade. The residents of Monessen, Rostraver, and Belle Vernon have been opposing the operation of the WSL for at least as long. This NPDES permit application is the last gasp of a landfill which has failed at every other method of dealing with the problem which it created itself through its mismanagement, negligence, and disregard for the local community in pursuit of private gain. The WSL has tried smuggling its leachate into local sewage systems, a move a judge required the WSL to stop. The WSL has tried using storage tanks and trucks, but the storage has quite literally overflowed. The WSL tried to evaporate its leachate into the air, but abandoned this plan after it could not meet federal permitting requirements to have it approved. Unable to legally pollute our wastewater treatment plants, our soil, and our air, the WSL is now trying to pollute our water. For the reasons given in this and other comments both in-person at the March 20th DEP hearing and in writing, the DEP should not allow this to happen. The DEP should, first and foremost, deny the Permit. If the DEP approves the Permit or any amended variant, the DEP must send that permit to the EPA for review. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Expand Ambient Air Monitoring around Shale Gas Extraction October 21, 2024 Protect PT urges the PA DEP to expand their current ambient air monitoring in areas of increased industrialization and shale gas development due to known health effects from said infrastructure. Other recommendations include increasing the quality of monitors and standardizing the chemicals measured from one monitor to another to allow for comparison. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Improving Erosion and Sedimentation Permitting Processes July 26, 2024 The health of Pennsylvania’s environment, waterways, and people are important to Protect PT and 3WRK. We recommend changes and revisions to the updated erosion and sediment permit process. We believe these changes will better protect the environment and ensure that the Department of Environmental Protection is fulfilling their mission to guarantee Pennsylvanians their constitutional rights to a clean and healthful environment. From: Protect PT and Three Rivers Waterkeeper Read the Letter Letter to Governor Shapiro: Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Issues August 23, 2023 Protect PT wrote a letter to PA Governor Shapiro to call out undemocratic government proceedings and demand change. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Comments and proposed changes to the 2023 Update of the PEMA State Hazard Mitigation Plan Jan 11, 2023 Protect PT and partners wrote to PEMA and Vernon Land Use LLC about the 2023 update of the PEMA State Hazard Mitigation Plan. From: Protect PT, BCMAC, FracTracker Alliance, Cathy Lodge Read the Letter Comment on JB Tonkin gas compressor station Dec 16, 2022 Protect PT wrote to the DEP to deny the renewal of the Tonkin gas compressor station. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to the DEP Sep 19, 2022 Protect PT wrote a letter to deny the application for a leachate evaporator at the Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Comments to Revised ME2 E&S Permit Renewal Applications April 29, 2022 Protect PT and partners wrote a letter to the DEP regarding commenting on Sunoco's Mariner East pipeline. Image Credit: FracTracker From: Protect PT, Clean Air Council, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Mountain Watershed Association, Food & Water Watch Read the Letter Drakulic Well Pad Sign-on Letter Oct 21, 2021 Protect PT wrote a letter to PA DEP to request the denial of the drill and operate permits for the 1H and 7H wells. Several organizations signed on. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Letter to PA DEP: Stop Fracking Near Beaver Run Reservoir July 22, 2021 Protect PT wrote to the PA DEP requesting them to stop CNX operations near the Beaver Run Reservoir to protect the source water area. From: Protect PT Read the Letter Invenergy Comment June 8, 2021 Protect PT commented during the hearing for the Invenergy proposed Allegheny Energy Center 639 megawatt combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plant, permit number 0959-I001, in Elizabeth Township, Allegheny County From: Protect PT Read the Comment Support Our Work

Get in touch with Protect PT. Please note that our mailing address is different from our office address. Office Address: 3344 Route 130, Suite A Harrison City, PA 15636 Mailing Address: PO BOX 137 Harrison City, PA 15636-0137 Phone: 724-392-7023 Fax: 724-392-4780 Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Contact Us Social Media How can we help? Organization: Gillian Graber Executive Director gillian@protectpt.org Environmental Science: Advocacy & Policy: James Cirilano Community Advocate james@protectpt.org Lauren Posey Environmental Policy Advocate lauren@protectpt.org Yvonne Sorovacu Environmental Scientist yvonne@protectpt.org Mina Kimak Environmental Program Assistant mina@protectpt.org Connect: Noah Bedard Communications Assistant noah@protectpt.org Kyle Zboran Project Coordinator kyle@protectpt.org Sara Majorsky Community Organizer sara@protectpt.org

The communities of the Turtle Creek watershed and airshed have come together to demand sustainable change to protect the interconnected water and airsheds that encompass these connected communities. There are over 30 municipalities that are touched by these networks of creeks, rivers, and traveling air pathways. Meetings began in December 2019 to explore options for sustainable community development actions based on what people of the community wanted to see done. ReImagine TCWAC What Is Reimagine TCWAC? The communities of the Turtle Creek watershed and airshed have come together to demand sustainable change to protect the interconnected water and airsheds that encompass these connected communities. There are over 30 municipalities that are touched by these networks of creeks, rivers, and traveling air pathways. Meetings began in December 2019 to explore options for sustainable community development actions based on what people of the community wanted to see done. Protect PT is a fiscal sponsor of Reimagine TCWAC. TCWAC Website Vision Re-Imagine Turtle Creek Watershed and Airshed Communities Plus (TCWAC+) is a community-led initiative to envision and implement sustainable community and economic development for the TCWAC and beyond. The counties of eastern Allegheny and western Westmoreland, in which the communities reside, are focusing on sustainability tactics for Human Health and Wellness, Land Management, Renewable Energy and Green Infrastructure, Urban Agriculture, and Single-Use Plastics Diversion. By looking within ourselves and working to improve our relationship with the earth, we will improve the greater Western PA Watershed and Airshed region. “Healing and coming back to the balance of the air and the people that live within it,” as Moni Wesner commented, is the future we see and are building ahead. Communities of the Turtle Creek Watershed Although TCWAC+'s scope reaches the majority of SWPA, the Turtle Creek Watershed is the heart of our sustainable development efforts. The watershed makes up the suburbs east of Pittsburgh in east Allegheny County and west Westmoreland county. It reaches 32 municipalities (listed below) and over 320,000 individuals of all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. In creation of TCWAC+, we organized around the watershed and airshed in recognition of how our actions are interconnected by geological features, not political lines. How we treat the air and water affects everyone downwind and downstream. Adamsburg Borough Braddock Hills Borough Chalfant Borough Churchill Borough City of Greensburg City of Jeannette Delmont Borough East Pittsburgh Borough Export Borough Forest Hills Borough Hempfield Township Irwin Borough Manor Borough McKeesport Borough Municipality of Monroeville Municipality of Murrysville Municipality of Penn Hills North Braddock Borough North Huntingdon Borough North Irwin Borough North Versailles Borough Penn Township Pitcairn Borough Plum Borough Salem Township Trafford Borough Turtle Creek Borough Wall Borough Washington Township Wilkins Township Wilkinsburg Wilmerding Photo by Bob Donnan

Join our team! Become an intern and get school credit or volunteer hours. Internships What You Need to Know We are seeking socially and environmentally conscious people who are strong communicators and have a passion for helping others and the community in areas of science, organizing, sustainability, communications, environmental policy, and environmental law. A successful applicant will embody our organization’s core tenets of Creativity, Quality Communication, Education & Leadership of Others, Culture of Service, Relationship Building, Adaptability, and Effective Time & Project Management. We offer unpaid internships (for course credit). If offered an internship position, we will work around school requirements and work schedules as much as possible to ensure that the Intern's needs are met during their time on our team. If you are interested in a position, please click the "Apply Now" button and complete the application form with a resume and cover letter. Contact kyle@protectpt.org with any questions. Internship Type General Intern Environmental Policy & Advocacy Intern Digital Media & Outreach Intern Legal Research & Writing Intern Environmental Science & Research Internship Community Organizer Intern SPRING/SUMMER 2026 APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN! Protect PT is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. Therefore, qualified applicants will be considered regardless of sex, race, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or any other protected category. Apply Now! What Do We Look For?

Data centers are energy intensive facilities that contain a large network of computer servers that store, manage, back up, and recover data. In January of 2025, Protect PT learned about a proposed data center located in Upper Burrell, PA, at the old Alcoa plant. According to TECfusions, the company responsible, this one data center will consume three gigawatts of electricity—more electricity than produced by solar in the state of Pennsylvania. Data Centers & Fracking Proposed Data Centers Near You in Southwestern PA Sign up for Email Updates A data center is a warehouse-like building containing rows of networked computer servers and equipment used for the remote processing, storage, and distribution of data. Municipalities across Pennsylvania are currently receiving many proposals for large data center projects, primarily for the purpose of allowing technology companies to power AI tools and cloud computing. These hyperscale facilities can cover hundreds of acres of land and require vast amounts of energy and water. Our Advocacy Target Areas: Regional sites where we actively mobilize community members around shared concerns. Upper Burrell Springdale Get Involved Upcoming Events SAVE (Save Allegheny Valley Environment) Springdale Resident Meetings Date : Every Wednesday Time : 7 PM - 8:30 PM Location : From Italy Pizza Restaurant 1115 Lincoln Ave, Springdale, PA 15144 Monthly Upper Burrell Community Meetings Date : Last Wednesday of Each Month Time : 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Location : Penn State New Kensington 3550 7th Street Rd, New Kensington, PA 15068 Download our fact sheets! Get your own yard sign! Homer City Data Center Impacts to Residents and the Environment from Large Scale Data Centers Increased Electric Costs Data centers use tremendous amounts of electricity. New hyperscale facilities, which are designed to support AI development, demand hundreds of megawatts (MW) or even several gigawatts (GW) of energy. That's as much energy as a mid-size city like Pittsburgh. This can drive up costs for local residents and small businesses. People in northern Virginia, the "Data Center Capital of the World," are already facing rate hikes as data centers consume more than 25% of the state's electricity . Fracking Operations A sudden influx in energy-intensive data center projects would strain our resources, encouraging more unconventional oil and gas development. Many of these facilities are being proposed alongside gas-fired power plants. Southwestern Pennsylvanians are already facing the burdens of fracking in the form of negative health impacts, disturbances, and stress. We are concerned that data center development would be a significant roadblock to moving in the right direction for a clean and healthy energy future. High Water Usage Data centers have become a top 10 water consuming industry in the United States. Hyperscale facilities can consume up to five million gallons of water per day to cool their servers. In fact, each 100-word email generated by an AI Chatbot using GPT-4 requires 519 millimeters of water for cooling, which is more than 1 standard bottle of water. Not all water authorities may be capable of or suitable for serving these data centers. This high water use could also pose a problem during periods of drought. Air Pollution Noise and Light Pollution Many of these data centers would be powered by gas-fired power plants or mobile gas turbines, which release harmful pollutants into the air. Data centers are also often equipped with backup diesel generators, which kick for additional power use. These noisy generators produce particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, which can cause breathing problems in exposed populations. People living near data centers are sometimes affected by noise and light pollution. Data centers emit constant, low-frequency noise, which can affect physical and mental wellbeing. The type of activity that a data center is used for can affect how much sound it produces, with cryptocurrency mines being especially loud. Careful facility siting and design is necessary to prevent data centers from emitting nuisance noise. Resources AI Data Centers & Fracking - Video Playlist Frac Tracker - National Data Centers Tracker EESI - Data Centers & Water Consumption Large Scale Data Center Impacts - Resource Guide Water Keepers Chesapeake - Water Supply Article: SWPA Residents Rage Against the Machines ORVI - Fracking & Economics

Our work involves community education and involvment with the beaver run well pad, youth climate action, oil and gas waste, and legal advocacy. Our Work We work in communities across Westmoreland and eastern Allegheny counties impacted by unconventional oil and gas development. What We Do Using grassroots organizing, policy analysis, environmental science, and community education, and legal advocacy, we work to protect our public health and preserve our natural environment here in southwest PA. We collaborate with a diverse network of non-profit organizations as well as local and state government officials to enact change that benefits local residents. Legal Advocacy Our legal team works to protect Pennsylvanian's right to clean air and pure water, as as acknowledged under the Pennsylvania Constitution, Article 1 Section 27. Learn More Focus Areas Penn Township Protect PT's home base, Penn Township, has had significant levels of unconventional oil and gas development in the past decade, including over ten proposed well pads and two compressor stations. Learn More Beaver Run Reservoir Located in Westmoreland County, Beaver Run is a public water source for 150,000 people in the 39 surrounding townships. More than 50 wells are located near the reservoir; many less than 1,000 feet from the water's edge. Learn More Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill This landfill produces significant health and environmental impacts to nearby residents in Rostraver, Monessen, and Belle Vernon. Learn More Operator Accountability Holding local operators accountable for their actions is critical to protecting our rights to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of our environment. View our permitting digest, find out what operators are near you, and report your observations here! Learn More Data Centers and Fracking As of early 2025, Protect PT has begun working around a proposed data center located in Upper Burrell Township that would negatively impact residents. Learn More Plum Injection Well The Plum Injection Well is situated near the Allegheny River, the drinking water source for the city of Pittsburgh and surrounding communities. A leak from the injection well could impact hundreds of thousands of residents. Learn More Additional Resources 1. Fracking 101 Learn what fracking is and how it can impact you, your family, and your community. Learn More 2. Leasing Information Learn everything you need to know before you consider signing a lease. Learn More 3. Permitting and Violations Stay up to date about new permits and operator violations near you. Learn More Support our Work Become a member of Protect PT and help us continue providing essential programs that protect our environment and public health here in southwest PA. I WANT TO BE A MEMBER!

Our Mission Protect PT (Penn-Trafford) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring residents' safety, security, and quality of life by engaging in education and advocacy to protect the economic, environmental, and legal rights of the people in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties.  ​ About Us Our Mission Protect PT (Penn-Trafford) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring residents' safety, security, and quality of life by engaging in education and advocacy to protect the economic, environmental, and legal rights of the people in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties. Protect PT was established in 2014 as a grassroots community-based nonprofit organization designed to protect our community from the harmful environmental impacts of fossil fuel activity. We are dedicated to ensuring Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties residents’ safety, security, and quality of life. Meet the Team Gillian Graber (She/Her) Jim Cirilano (He/Him) Yvonne Sorovacu (She/Her) Kyle Zboran (They/Them) Sara Majorsky (She/Her) Lauren Posey (She/Her) Mina Kimak (She/Her Noah Bedard (He/Him) Brandon Mutschler (He/Him) Community Environmental Education Center Our Financial Supporters Our financial supporters include community member contributions as well as the organizations below that fiscally support our work in a variety of ways. 2026 The Heinz Endowments 11th Hour Project The Schmidt Family Foundation EPA ARP Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring for Communities Equation Campaign Just Fund Frontline Justice OVR Participatory Fund Patagonia Environmental Grants Rural Climate Democracy 2025 The Heinz Endowments 11th Hour Project The Schmidt Family Foundation Rural Climate Democracy EPA ARP Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring for Communities Equation Campaign Pittsburgh Wishbook Patagonia Environmental Grants OVR Participatory Fund Park Foundation Just Fund Frontline Justice

Get Involved As a grassroots organization, Protect PT encourages all community members to get involved in our work by becoming a member, volunteering, joining our board, or applying for internships or jobs with us! Become a Member Support Protect PT's Work By becoming a member, you are ensuring that we have the legal standing needed to continue advocating for your rights and the rights of your community. Every membership increases our ability to fulfill our mission to ensure the safety, security, and quality of life for our community. Become a Member Take Action Check out our updated list of actions that residents can take to better our community and support our continued advocacy. Take Action Internships Protect PT offers several internships for high school and college students looking to gain experience in our focus areas, including environmental policy, law, community organizing, and digital marketing. Click below to see what internship positions are currently available. Internships Careers Protect PT offers a supportive and flexible working environment and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All of our positions are based in our home base of Harrison City, PA. Click below to see what positions are currently available. Careers Volunteer If you are a socially and environmentally conscious person who has a positive attitude, flexibility, enthusiasm, and a passion for helping others and the community, please join us by volunteering your time. Volunteer With Us Join our Board We are always looking for board members with experience in the following areas: legal, grant writing/development, environmental science/engineering, and finance/business operations. If you have experience in any of those areas and would like to serve your community, please consider joining our board. Join our Board Mentorship We strive to be of service to other communities in the southwestern Pennsylvania region to help them better protect themselves from unconventional gas development and its associated infrastructure. In order to serve other communities, we are offering mentorship and guidance to individuals or groups that want to work toward social change in their community. Learn More

Join our team! Be a member of our board, volunteer, or intern to create change in your community. Become an intern and get school credit or volunteer hours. Careers at Protect PT PPT offers a supportive and flexible working environment and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. If you have any questions about job oppertunities at Protect PT, email us at info@protectpt.org . If you would like to support Protect PT's mission but are not currently seeking an employee position, you can visit our Take Action! page and sign up to be a volunteer . Additionally, you can donate and become a PPT member. Internship applicants can learn more about our openings and apply on our internship page . Current Positions Community Organizer (Full-Time) Are you a socially and environmentally conscious individual with a passion for helping the community? Protect PT wants you to apply to our full-time Community Organizer role! We're seeking an energetic self-starter, ideally with experience in community organizing, who strongly believes that our communities deserve to be empowered with the tools to participate in environmental advocacy. If this sounds like you, please view the job details at the link above, and apply at https://protectpt.info/apply . Applicants should be sure to include a cover letter, resume, and writing and design samples! Our Core Tenets Protect PT's Inclusion Policy Protect PT is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. Therefore, qualified applicants will be considered regardless of sex, race, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or any other protected category. The work I do here affects my friends and family. My parents get their drinking water from Beaver Run Reservoir. If you apply for a job here, you’ll be fighting for my parents, too. [Additionally], I’m disabled. I need accommodation under the ADA in order to do my job. Of all the places I’ve worked, Protect PT has done the best job of accommodating me. Management’s focus is always on the results I achieve. When personal health issues come up, Protect PT has stood by me. Tom P. Former Environmental Policy Advocate

Operator Accountability Weekly Permitting and Violations Digest Are you concerned with unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) in Southwest PA? Do you worry about how oil and gas companies are impacting the environment? If so, sign up to receive a weekly round-up from Protect PT on any new permits filed by oil and gas companies operating in the area or notices of violations. Citizen watchdogs help ensure the Department of Environmental Protection is adequately addressing the impacts of fracking, and that they hold oil and gas companies to the highest standard when complying with the law. All reports are sourced from the Department of Environmental Protection's Pennsylvania's Environment Facility Application Compliance Tracking System (eFACTS) . Use our map to find operators near you! Subscribe Here See Something? Say Something. Use our reporting app to notify community of environmental hazards in your area! IF YOU ARE WITNESSING AN ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY, CONTACT THE DEP IMMEDIATELY AT 800-541-2050 Report Your Observations You can report observations at home or on the go with our environmental reporting tool . This mobile responsive website can be used on any device. You can record observations of environmental hazards and health impacts, as well as find additional directions on reporting these impacts to the proper agencies. You should report... Air pollution Noise and Nuisance related to development Water contamination Headaches, dizziness, or other symptoms caused by pollution Safety concerns And more! Be sure to also report your observations to the DEP in order to hold operators accountable for their actions. Protect PT will follow up on any reports you make through the app, but will not disclose any personal information to third parties without your consent. If you have questions about using this tool, contact the Environmental Science team at enviroscience@protectpt.org . Learn to Make a Report! OR Download Our App! We Can Hold Them Accountable Check out these recent enforcement actions by the DEP. View more on our Instagram! File Your Report Here Or, scan this QR code with your phone to file a report on your mobile device!

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