• Supreme Court ruling could affect pollution entering Pa. waters: The future of water pollution regulation in Pennsylvania is uncertain following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority. Earlier this month, in a 5-4 ruling the court determined the EPA cannot impose “end result” provisions in permits that regulate water pollution. San Francisco sued EPA over discharge permits for its combines sewer systems, which can overflow during heavy rain and claimed the laws allow the EPA to set specific pollutant limits but not to hold permits holders responsible for overall water quality. The Supreme Court sided with the City. Combined sewer systems are common in older cities in Pennsylvania, including Lancaster and Harrisburg. Lancaster city is under a 2017 consent decree with the EPA to address sewer overflows to the Conestoga River. (Source: LNP)
• Pa. Republicans urge Trump to halt new Medicaid initiative for vulnerable groups: Republican leaders in the State Senate are urging the Trump administration to revoke Medicaid waivers that expand social services for low-income mothers and children, the homeless, and individuals set to leave incarceration. The debate over, Medicaid Section 1115 waiver, is engulfed in two broader issues: President Donald Trump’s attempt to drastically downsize federal government, and Pennsylvania Republicans’ budget struggle with Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat. Waivers give states the ability acquire Medicaid funding outside the standard scope of the healthcare program. (Source: Penn Live)
• Federal Funding released for plugging Pa’s well’s but Trumps admins uncertainty concerns contractors: Pennsylvania celebrates plugging 300 abandoned oil gas wells since 2023, but ongoing lawsuits against the Trump administration over federal funds is causing uncertainty for contractors. The infrastructure investment and Jobs Act allocated $4.7 billion to address orphaned wells. Pa. could receive over $400 million over the next decade. The money was delayed as Trump ordered federal agencies to stop disbursing funds. The Shapiro administration filed a lawsuit challenging the freeze stating the commonwealth was “entirely unable to access $1.2 billion in federal funding, with an additional $900 million requiring an undefined review by federal agencies before it can be drawn down. (Source: Spotlight PA)
• Lancaster County lawmaker created new initiative to spur immigration with ‘Office of New Pennsylvanians’: State Rep. Ismail Wade-El-Smith (D-Lancaster) has introduced legislation to create the Office of New Pennsylvanians, to support, attract, and retain immigrant in Pa. by providing a centralized resource for benefits and services. The bill is stalled in the House’s State Government Committee during the last legislative session but President Donald Trump’s policies targeting immigrants could propel Smith-Wade-El’s pitch into the spotlight this year, as the majority-wielding House Democrats in Pennsylvania look to push back on the GOP’s agenda. (Source: LNP)
• Nation/world: DeSantis threatens consequences for local officials if they don’t cooperate with ICE (Source: AP News) Colleges cut ties with nonprofit amid anti-DEI policies (AP News) U.N migration agency reports record deaths (Source: UPI) Tesla recalls Cybertruck (Source: BBC New)
