Articles from Scranton PA

The Trump administration has implemented new federal permitting requirements that mandate Interior Secretary Doug Burgum personally approve all solar and wind energy projects on federal lands and waters. This "elevated review" process covers more than 68 activities ranging from leases to construction permits, effectively placing renewable energy projects under heightened scrutiny that could significantly slow approvals and construction timelines. The directive eliminates what the administration calls "preferential treatment" for renewables compared to fossil fuel and nuclear projects.

President Trump and Sen. Dave McCormick will announce $70 billion in AI and energy investments for Pennsylvania at the inaugural Energy and Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon University. The investments include a $25 billion Blackstone project for data-center and energy infrastructure development in Northeast Pennsylvania, expected to create 6,000 construction jobs annually and 3,000 permanent positions.

California-based energy storage innovator Verne Inc. will open its first manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania's Lycoming County. The $4.5 million project will create at least 61 new full-time jobs, with the Commonwealth investing $1.27 million to support the project. The facility will produce hydrogen storage vessels for clean energy applications.

A system outage has affected Pennsylvania's 911 emergency services infrastructure, disrupting emergency response communications across the state. The incident highlights the critical importance of maintaining robust emergency communication systems and infrastructure resilience.