Newtown Borough’s Environmental Advisory Council has opened discussion about regulating gas-powered leaf blowers, citing concerns about noise, emissions and potential health impacts. The EAC says more than 200 communities nationwide have taken action, while nearby Lower Merion and Narberth have adopted phase-outs.

No ban has been proposed yet. Council members discussed options ranging from restrictions on commercial operators only to starting with public education and resident input before considering regulations.

What do you think? Ban them, limit commercial use, or leave the choice to residents?

Plymouth Township Shows How NOT to Back Down to Data Center

The Plymouth Township Statement on Proposed Conshohocken Road Data Center is an official statement from the Plymouth Township Council regarding a controversial proposal to build a hyperscale data center at the site of a former steel plant.

While Pennsylvania law requires the municipality to permit all legitimate land uses, the Council is formally opposing the current application because the developer rejected a comprehensive list of safety and environmental safeguards.

These proposed mandates include strict noise and vibration limits, green building certifications, and the use of closed-loop cooling systems to protect local resources.

The text emphasizes the local government's commitment to prioritizing resident welfare over the interests of the developer, who has challenged the township's zoning authority. 

This news report details a cleanup strategy proposed by Energy Transfer and Sunoco following a massive jet fuel leak that contaminated residential wells in Upper Makefield.

The companies plan to implement a 30-day trial of a multi-phase extraction system designed to remove hazardous vapors and pollutants from the local soil and groundwater.

During a public meeting, community members and local officials expressed significant anxiety regarding the ongoing safety of their drinking water and the logistical impact of the remediation machinery.

While residents advocated for a permanent connection to public water, the current proposal focuses on mechanical recovery and hauling away toxic fluids. State environmental regulators must still review and approve the effectiveness of this plan before it can be fully authorized.

[Source: Bucks County Herald, July 10, 2026]

Residents and officials in Upper Makefield recently confronted representatives from Energy Transfer and Sunoco regarding a Remedial Action Plan for a massive jet fuel leak.

Image: Kim Brunnquell came to the podium with a tube covered in plastic. When she unwrapped the canister-shaped filter, she said it had been white when installed at her home three months ago. It was supposed to last a year but the contaminants it was filtering out of her well water had already stained it almost black.

While the companies proposed a multiphase extraction project to remove thousands of gallons of contaminants, local leaders criticized the report for failing to provide a permanent alternative water supply for those with polluted wells.

Community members expressed deep frustration over the slow pace of recovery and the continued reliance on temporary filtration systems that are quickly overwhelmed by fuel. In response to the crisis, state and federal legislators are advocating for stricter pipeline safety laws and increased independent oversight of the environmental cleanup. 

On July 8, 2026, Sunoco Pipeline LP (SPLP), an Energy Transfer partnership, held a public meeting to present its Remedial Action Plan (RAP) concerning a jet fuel leak in the Mt. Eyre Manor neighborhood of Upper Makefield Township, Pennsylvania. The leak, discovered in February 2025 from the Twin Oaks-Newark 14-inch diameter pipeline, resulted in an estimated release of 6,500 gallons of jet fuel into the local soil and fractured bedrock.

Listen to this informative podcast summary...

On May 27, 2026, the Upper Merion Township Planning Commission held a meeting that drew more than 1,000 residents opposed to a massive data center development proposed by MLP Ventures. Developer Brian O’Neill is seeking approval for a cluster of facilities totaling more than 4.6 million square feet — nearly double the size of the King of Prussia Mall.

While the developer has emphasized projected tax revenue and educational funding benefits, residents raised intense concerns about environmental impacts, public health, noise, water and energy use, and the developer’s fiscal track record.

The EPA has reportedly drafted a plan to eliminate all limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, according to documents obtained by The New York Times. Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence technology, demand on power plants is increasing, in large part due to AI’s reliance on data centers. 

The environmental impact of AI data centers is huge and it's growing. AI data centers are massively contributing to the continued rise in power demand, which itself contributes to the continued rise in global emissions. And most importantly, it's growing faster than grid capacities.

The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors convened on April 8, 2026, to address various municipal administrative matters and public concerns.

During the session, the board approved significant expenditures for police vehicles and maintenance equipment, while the Solicitor advanced a long-standing wireless facilities ordinance and a ceremonial street renaming.

Chief John Hearn provided an extensive police report for March, detailing criminal activity, a high-value investment scam, and upcoming community safety events.

A local resident criticized the board for failing to appoint members to the Environmental Advisory Council, warning that the group lacks the necessary quorum to meet during Earth Month.

Other discussions included the limitations of enforcing noise ordinances related to commercial truck braking and an update on a fire services agreement.

The meeting concluded with positive feedback regarding a recent community event and the scheduling of future town activities.

The thirst for digital speed and processing power necessitates a physical cooling process that places a massive strain on our most precious liquid resource - water.

Major technology corporations like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are facing intense scrutiny from investors and local communities regarding the massive environmental footprint of their data centers.

Shareholders are demanding greater transparency through formal resolutions, specifically seeking detailed data on water consumption and carbon emissions as computing needs surge due to artificial intelligence.

While these tech giants have pledged to improve sustainability, reports indicate that their resource usage is rising significantly, often rivaling the water needs of entire major cities.

Investors argue that site-specific disclosures are essential to evaluate the long-term operational and financial risks associated with these expansions. In response, industry leaders are attempting to improve community engagement and refine their cooling technologies to mitigate the ecological impact of their infrastructure. Currently, the lack of standardized reporting continues to leave many stakeholders feeling uninformed about the true environmental costs of digital growth.

Briefing Document provides details of the March 11, 2026, Newtown Township Board of Supervisors meeting, covering legislative actions and community concerns.

Key administrative outcomes included approving conditional use for a new P.J. Whelihan’s restaurant, updating landscaping ordinances, and authorizing the purchase of a dump truck.

During public comment, residents raised urgent issues regarding missing buffer fences, recurring sinkholes caused by failing storm pipes, and a request for solar-powered speed signs.

Local activist John Mack specifically advocated for reconstituting the Environmental Advisory Council and preserving abandoned sewer authority land as permanent open space.

Additionally, the police chief provided a significant report on recent criminal activity, including a local connection to a thwarted terrorist plot investigated alongside the FBI.

The Pennsylvania Environmental Cleanup and Responsibility Act (ECRA)

• Mandatory Residential Standards: Cleanups would be required to meet residential safety standards rather than looser industrial standards.
• Immediate State Action: The bill empowers the state to take immediate action when hazardous substances are released.
• DEP Authority: The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) would have the power to step in if responsible parties fail to act.
• Financial Accountability: The legislation ensures that "the polluter, not the taxpayer, pays" for cleanup efforts.

This Deep Dive podcast is focused on the January 2026 Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) reorganization meeting, where members reappointed leadership and address local environmental initiatives. The meeting - as always with EAC meetings - was open to the public.

Key agenda items included managing a native plant project at Robert’s Ridge Park, coordinating a tree giveaway, and exploring solar energy grants for a local 100-acre parcel fo land. The plans for a partial ban on gas leaf blowers was also discussed.

A significant portion of the dialogue focuses on a controversial proposal for a pedestrian bridge over Newtown Creek, highlighting disagreements regarding floodplain protection and the impact on natural resources.

The meeting concluded with tension over the EAC’s authority to issue formal opinions to the Board of Supervisors without further data or consensus.

[Source of original article: The Economist]

Leaf blowers have emerged as a surprising source of political and cultural conflict, as municipalities across the U.S. move to restrict or ban gas-powered models due to noise, air pollution, and quality-of-life concerns. More than 160 cities now have some form of restriction. In Lower Merion Township (PA), the township commission adopted an ordinance on November 19, 2025, following nearly three hours of public comment from more than 50 residents. Supporters described gas leaf blowers as excessively loud and toxic, while opponents—particularly landscaping business owners—warned the ban would hurt small businesses operating on thin margins.

The issue has taken on clear political overtones, with bans more common in left-leaning communities and pushback framed around property rights and local control. As suburban communities continue to wrestle with environmental regulation, neighborhood harmony, and economic impacts, the humble leaf blower has become an unexpected symbol of America’s deepening civic divides.

As the bans spread, and Democrats and Republicans compete harder for the votes of residents of leafy suburbs, rancour will surely grow. At last year's Democratic convention Barack Obama compared Donald Trump to "the neighbour who keeps running his leaf blower outside your window every minute of every day". Mr Trump's supporters say: sure, your neighbour might suck, but that's his right. Leaf him alone

The September 2025 EAC Meeting Highlights outlines several environmental and community initiatives in Newtown. It details the progress of a pollinator garden project at Roberts Ridge Park, including planting schedules, volunteer recruitment, and community outreach efforts.

The highlights also mention a planned native planting event with Newtown Borough, the installation of nesting boxes for Prothonotary Warblers at Silver Lake Park, and a discussion on restricting gas-powered landscaping tools.

Furthermore, it covers the use of tree bank funds for the pollinator project, updates on a native plant ordinance, and the ongoing water testing by the Newtown Creek Coalition.

Finally, it addresses the closure of Nature Center trails and the construction of a PFAS filtration plant by the Newtown Artesian Water Company.

More details...

This presentation made before the #NewtownPA Planning Commission on 2 September 2025 focuses on the revised landscape ordinance for the township, specifically the new requirement for 100% native plants.

Kim Flanders, a registered landscape architect at CKS Engineers, defines native plants as those that have evolved in a given place, forming complex relationships with their environment and other organisms, and distinguishes them from cultivars, hybrids, and adaptive plants.

The discussion highlights the benefits of native plants for wildlife, particularly insects and birds, and addresses common misconceptions, such as them being easier to grow or immune to diseases.

Challenges with implementing the new ordinance are explored, including plant availability, specific growing conditions, and the need for planting diversity to mitigate disease impact.

The presentation also touches on practical considerations like street tree placement to avoid infrastructure damage and the importance of professional landscape review.

Upper Makefield residents are suing the pipeline operators after an undetected crack leaked jet fuel into their private wells, contaminating at least 12.

The complaint, which was filed March 27, accuses pipeline operator Sunoco LP and its parent company, Energy Transfer, of negligence. Plaintiffs alleged that the companies failed to properly maintain the 70-year-old pipeline, identify leaks and investigate potential damage.

Following the leak in the Mount Eyre Road neighborhood, which the companies apparently did not detect for at least 16 months, 12 homes have tested positive for chemicals related to jet fuel, including benzene.

Although residents of the Mount Eyre Road neighborhood reported an unusual odor in their water as early as September 2023, the pipeline operators failed to detect a leak, and additional residents reported water taste and smell changes in 2024.

In 2023, the pipeline companies dug just yards away from where the leak was ultimately discovered*, but they didn't find the leak until January 2025 after consulting service records and digging at the location of a 1990s dent repair.

At the January 22, 2025, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Middletown resident Ray Post - a professional engineer with 49 years of experience in water treatment - commented on the amount of Phosphorus and Nitrogen that the proposed #NewtownPA Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) will release into the already environmentally "impaired" Lake Luxembourg.

Mr. Post used numbers from the Wolcott WWTP to calculate his estimates for the Newtown plant that will be patterned after the Wolcott plant.

Read the Patch article "Water Treatment Expert Comments on Proposed Newtown WWTP" for more details.

At the January 22, 2025, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Middletown resident Gloria Post commented on the potential for releasing PFAS "forever" chemicals into Lake Luxembourg via the effluent of the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) proposed by the Newtown Sewer Authority.

I mentioned this at aSewer Authority meeting as well as at the Newtown Environmental Advisory Council (EAC). At the Sewer Authority meeting it was suggested since PFAs will be removed from Newtown drinking water (read "#NewtownPA Artesian Water Wins Zoning Variances to Build PFAS Filtration Facility"; https://sco.lt/7nmpd2) and thus not be present in Waste Water processed by the WWTP. Ms. Post pooh poohed this notion, pointing out sources of PFAs other than drinking water that end up in waste water sent to the plant and then onward to Lake Luxembourg in the effluent.

At the 16 December 2024 Middletown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Middletown Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) Vice Chair Andy McAloon expressed concerns about potential flooding caused by the plant, which will dump million of gallons per day of effluent into Core Creek.

At the 16 December 2024 Middletown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Kevin Deeny - a member of Middletown's Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) - expressed concern about the environmental impact of the planned sewage treatment plant on Lower Silver Lake Rd bordering Middletown.

Middletown Township residents packed the Board of Supervisors meeting Monday evening to sound off against a planned wastewater treatment plant.

The Newtown Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority, responding to an invitation from local officials, detailed plans for a $128 million wastewater treatment facility intended to address capacity issues and provide greater local control over wastewater management.

Environmental Concerns

Andy McAloon, the vice chairperson of the Middletown Township Environmental Advisory Council, raised concerns about flooding that could come from the plant putting water in area waterways, like the Core Creek.

Kevin Deeny, a member of the Middletown Township Environmental Advisory Council, said he only heard of the plan after reading news reports about it recently. He stated that he has concerns about environmental impacts of the plant, including potential water quality impacts on Core Creek Park.

[Read FULL TRANSCRIPT of their comments.]

Read More...

At the November 26, 2024, BOS meeting, Swan Point, Middletown resident Bill Everett expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the proposed sewage treatment plant on Lower Silver Lake Road.

Mr. Everett spoke about the impact on Core Creek - the “Crown Jewel” of the Bucks County park system. He noted that the delay in Wawa construction was due to the need to drill a waste water tunnel in bedrock UNDER Core Creek. He recommended an INDEPENDENT environmental impact analysis.

At the 13 November 2024 Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) public meeting, Friends Village residents Tom Cadwallader and Kip Cherry as well as Terry Christiansen requested that the township pass an ordinance to ban gas-powered leaf blowers.

"This would cut down on exhaust and noise and be safer for workers. The noise and the pollution are major, major problems,” said Cadwallader, president of the Residence Association at Friends Village.

“We’ve been cursed with a lot of leaf-blowing activity at our village and it has really brought it to our attention - the fact that these leaf blowers that use gasoline are creating a lot of noxious fumes, a lot of noise, are very hard on the workers and are more expensive to use than the electric and battery-operated leaf blowers," said Cherry, vice president of the association.

Mr. Christian noted how the noise of gas leaf blowers were a danger to seeing impaired pedestrians who use hearing to avoid cars when crossing road.