The Penn State Extension, in collaboration with the Penn State Center for Energy Law and Policy and the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, is pleased to announce the fifth annual Solar Law Symposium, scheduled for Thursday, August 21, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

"We are excited to partner again with our colleagues from the University to present various topics related to large-scale solar energy. Large-scale solar has become a hot topic locally and at the state level," said Joseph Conklin, Extension Educator.

This virtual event is designed for attorneys, energy professionals, policymakers, and local government officials interested in the evolving legal landscape of solar energy development.

According to Michael Helbing, Staff Attorney at Penn State's Center for Energy Law and Policy, "The program was expanded this year so that registrants can earn up to six Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits (five substantive, one ethics). The ethics component was identified as a need from previous symposiums." 

Building upon the success of previous years, the 2025 symposium will delve into critical topics such as:

-- Large-scale solar development and its regulatory frameworks.

-- The role of PJM Interconnection in utility-scale solar and the wholesale electricity markets.

-- Solar leasing agreements and associated legal considerations.

-- Local ordinances impacting solar project implementation.

-- Environmental impacts, including stormwater management.

-- Tax implications and effects on property values.

-- Ethical considerations in solar leasing practices.

The event is tailored for individuals with beginning to intermediate levels of solar law knowledge, providing valuable insights into the intersection of law, policy, and renewable energy development.

"We are seeing a lot more of the smaller projects popping up. Projects in the dozens of acres as opposed to hundreds of acres. The projects are more widespread and are a concern for municipalities across the Commonwealth," according to Matthew Svetz, Extension Educator.

Click Here to register and for more information.

Upcoming Event

-- October 10:  Energy And Agriculture Conference, Harrisburg

Resource Links:

-- Penn State Extension: Geothermal Energy And Agriculture In Pennsylvania

-- Penn State Extension: Energy Essentials Newsletter

(Photo: Solar energy facility in Franklin County generating power for Penn State University.)

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - July 19 to 25 - More Criminal Charges; Weeks Long Wastewater Cleanups Continue; 27 More Abandoned Conventional Wells  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - July 26  [PaEN]

     -- DEP Invites Comments On Water Quality Permits For Daylighting 5.33 Miles Of 4 Texas Eastern Natural Gas Pipelines To Allow For Longwall Coal Mining In Greene County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 78 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In July 26 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

Related Articles This Week:

-- Attorney General Sunday Files Criminal Charges Against Equitrans For 2022 Leak Of 1.1 Billion Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas From Its Rager Mountain Gas Storage Field In Cambria County [PaEN]

     -- WJAC: Attorney General Files Charges Against Gas Company Responsible For 2022 Natural Gas Leak In Cambria County

     -- Tribune-Democrat: Attorney General Files Charges Against Company Over 2022 Natural Gas Leak At Cambria County Storage Field

     -- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: EQT Faces Criminal Charges Over Equitrans Natural Gas Storage Well Leak In Cambria County

-- DEP: Cleanup Efforts Continue At Repsol Shale Gas Well Pad Where A Well Control Problem Caused An Uncontrolled Release Of Wastewater For 34 Hours In Bradford County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Samples Confirm Contaminated Wastewater Released During Well Plugging Operations Polluted Areas Off The Seneca Resources Vandergrift Shale Gas Well Pad In Tioga County; Cleanup, Monitoring Continue From May Incident  [PaEN]

-- Protect PT: CNX Appeals EHB Decision Requiring DEP To Enforce Local Environmental Protection Settlement At The Drakulic Shale Gas Well Pad In Westmoreland County  [PaEN]

-- Guest Essay: Rewriting The Energy Story — Together - By Stephen M. DeFrank, Chairman, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission  [PaEN]

-- PUC: Brace For Higher Electric Bills As A Result Of Soaring Power Use; Consumers Should Review Energy Options  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Electricity Capacity Auction Bids For 134,311 MW Come It At Highest Price Allowed Under FERC-Approved Cap  [PaEN] 

-- What The A.I. Data Center & Energy Summit Missed: Exploding Electricity Demand Already Raising Prices - Ratepayers Need Protection; No Longer An ‘All Of The Above’ Energy Strategy [PaEN]

-- What The A.I. Data Center & Energy Summit Missed: It’s Deja Vu - False Promises, Dirty Power - Our People And Communities Deserve Respect  [PaEN]

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Who Pays The Price For New A.I. Data Centers? - By Destinie Nock, Carnegie Mellon University Professor, Founder Of Peoples Energy Analytics

-- TribLive Guest Essay: A.I., Cryptocurrency And PA’s War On The Little Guy - By Joe Morinville, Energy Independent Solutions

-- Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Is Being Whipsawed On Energy, We Need A Comprehensive Strategy - By Kate Harper and Conor Lamb, Co-Chairs Of Energy Future PA  [PaEN]

-- PJM Interconnection Issues Hot Weather Alerts For Mid-Atlantic, Southern Regions July 26 & 27, And For The Entire Service Area On July 28  [PaEN]

-- PJM Interconnection Continues Maximum Generation And Load Management Alerts For July 25  [PaEN]

-- PJM Interconnection Issues Maximum Generation And Load Management Alerts For July 24  [PaEN]

-- PJM Interconnection Issues Another Hot Weather Alert, Return To Generation Service For July 23 In Its Western Region, Including Parts Of PA  [PaEN] 

-- July 31 Webinar - Why Is My Electricity Bill So High?  PJM Decisions Have Driven Up The Cost Of Electricity  [PaEN]

-- PUC Safety Division Continues Examination Of June Fatal Rowhouse Explosion In Philadelphia Focused On Natural Gas Utility Infrastructure [PaEN]

-- PUC: Pennsylvania Doubles Solar Power Generation In Just 17 Months To 2 Gigawatts  [PaEN]

-- Registration Open! Penn State University To Host 5th Annual Online Solar Law Symposium Aug. 21  [PaEN] 

-- Whitehall Borough Launches New Rooftop Solar System Installed With Help From PA Solar Center, Elysium Solar Energy In Allegheny County  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- A.I./Data Center Articles - NewsClips - 7.28.25

[Posted: July 21, 2025]

7/28/2025