energy.gov announces a $14 million federal project led by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to convert a horizontal shale gas well to geothermal and test enhanced geothermal systems in the Appalachian Utica Shale as a replicable model for the eastern US.

keystonenewsroom.com reports Pennsylvania House Democrats joined building trades leaders and environmental advocates to promote a 10-bill clean energy package covering geothermal expansion solar-ready warehouses and battery storage infrastructure.

safetyandhealthmagazine.com covers a new California law requiring automated external defibrillators at electrical utility worksites championed by IBEW members following the death of a utility worker who could not be reached by emergency services in time.

ibew.org reports Nashville Local 429 is staffing a major Modular Power Systems prefabrication facility in Mount Juliet Tennessee where up to 1400 IBEW electricians will build electrical components for data centers and cell towers across the eastern US.

datacenterdynamics.com reports the Sangamon County Board narrowly approved a $500 million CyrusOne data center campus in Waverly Illinois spanning 280 acres with up to 634MW of capacity and backed by local building trades unions over significant community opposition.

wweek.com reports a Democratic candidate for Oregon House District 52 lost a building trades endorsement after taking an anti-data center position illustrating the tension between environmental concerns and union construction jobs in the growing sector.

dbknews.com examines how data center growth in Maryland is creating significant union construction work including for IBEW Local 26 while also raising community concerns about energy demand water use and environmental impact.