Stay informed with the latest news and resources for Pennsylvania townships and boroughs:
Grants and Funding
- Main Street Matters Grant Window Opens: DCED is accepting township applications through August 31, 2026 for Planning Grants and District Development Grants that support downtown cores, commercial districts, and adjacent neighborhoods. (https://www.psats.org/main-street-matters-grant-window-opens/)
- Townships Receive Green Light-Go Grants: PennDOT awarded $38 million to 86 municipalities for traffic signal upgrades, including $466,760 to Upper Providence Township in Montgomery County for safety and operation improvements at eight intersections. (https://www.psats.org/townships-receive-green-light-go-grants-2/)
- Reminder: Community Policing Microgrants Applications Due 8/17: Deadline approaching for local law enforcement agencies to apply for FY26 Community Policing Development Microgrants from the U.S. Department of Justice COPS Office by August 17, 2026. (https://www.psats.org/reminder-community-policing-microgrants-applications-due-8-17/)
- Townships NOT Filing April 2026 ARPA/SLFRF Report May Have to Return Funds: PSATS sent courtesy notices to more than 100 member townships that risk repaying federal funds, some approaching $2 million, unless they file the delinquent Project and Expenditure Report promptly. (https://www.psats.org/townships-not-filing-april-2026-arpa-slfrf-report-may-have-to-return-funds/)
Legislation and Advocacy
- Fetterman, McCormick Introduce Bill to Stop Spread of Spotted Lanternflies: Pennsylvania’s U.S. senators introduced the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act to make the invasive species a federal research priority, citing an estimated $324 million in annual state economic damage and more than 2,800 jobs at risk. (https://www.psats.org/fetterman-mccormick-introduce-bill-to-stop-spread-of-spotted-lanternflies/)
- Lycoming County Court Upholds Authority Stormwater Management Fee: A trial court ruled that a municipal authority’s stormwater fee of $10 per month for every 2,711 square feet of impervious coverage is a permissible service fee under the Municipal Authorities Act, not an impermissible tax. (https://www.psats.org/lycoming-county-court-upholds-authority-stormwater-management-fee/)
- Township Code Officer Provides Input on Data Center Impacts to Municipalities: A Salem Township code officer told a Center for Rural Pennsylvania panel that data center proposals bring water quality study costs, packed meetings, traffic management demands, and Right-to-Know requests over DEP permit decisions townships do not control. (https://www.psats.org/township-code-officer-provides-input-on-data-center-impacts-to-municipalities/)
Safety and Regulations
- Call Before You Dig: August 11 Marks National 811 Day: The PUC reminds residents and contractors that state law requires contacting Pennsylvania One Call at least three business days before excavation so utilities can mark underground lines. (https://www.psats.org/call-before-you-dig-august-11-marks-national-811-day/)
- New On-Demand Training Available for Naloxone, Opioid Overdose Response: The state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs released free, self-paced online training on administering naloxone and responding to overdoses, with two hours of continuing education credit for professionals who complete it. (https://www.psats.org/new-on-demand-training-available-for-naloxone-opioid-overdose-response/)
- Avoid Ticks, Lyme Disease This Summer and Fall: Northeast states report the highest tick bite emergency room rates in 2026 at about 112 visits per 100,000, so crews working outdoors should use repellent, wear light protective clothing, treat gear with 0.5% permethrin, and run a tick check at the end of the day. (https://www.psats.org/avoid-ticks-lyme-disease-this-summer-and-fall/)
Cybersecurity
- Federal Agencies Update Cybersecurity Advisory for Water, Wastewater Systems: CISA, the FBI, and the EPA updated a joint advisory on Iran-based attacks against internet-connected operational technology, adding indicators of compromise, detection guidance, and mitigation steps for drinking water and wastewater systems. (https://www.psats.org/federal-agencies-update-cybersecurity-advisory-for-water-wastewater-systems/)
Environmental Updates
- PA Drought Task Force Moves Three Counties from Watch to Normal: Blair, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties returned to normal status, while drought warnings remain in eight counties, including Berks and Chester, and watches remain in eight others, including Bucks and Delaware. (https://www.psats.org/pa-drought-task-force-moves-three-counties-from-watch-to-normal/)
- Watch Out for Aggressive Invasive Plant Species: DCNR is urging residents to identify and treat Japanese knotweed, which grows 3 to 12 feet tall, spreads through an extensive root system, and crowds out the native plants that local birds and insects depend on. (https://www.psats.org/watch-out-for-aggressive-invasive-plant-species/)
Transportation and Infrastructure
- State Transportation Commission Adopts 2027 12-Year Program: The commission adopted Pennsylvania’s updated mid-range planning tool, which assigns funding to statewide projects over 12 years and sets the first four years as the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. (https://www.psats.org/state-transportation-commission-adopts-2027-12-year-program/)
- Bid Now on Surplus PennDOT Equipment, Including Dump Trucks and Heavy Machinery: The Department of General Services opened an online GovDeals auction of surplus state equipment, including dump trucks and off-road machinery, that ran through August 14. (https://www.psats.org/bid-now-on-surplus-penndot-equipment-including-dump-trucks-and-heavy-machinery/)
Administrative and Planning
- IRS Increased Mileage Allowance for Second Half of 2026: The business mileage rate rose from 72.5 cents to 76 cents per mile effective July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026, and boards may adjust their township rate to match. (https://www.psats.org/irs-increased-mileage-allowance-for-second-half-of-2026/)
- Salary Survey Down for Maintenance, New User-Friendly Look Coming Soon: PSATS took the Salary Survey Plus portal offline from August 10 through August 14 to launch a rebuilt interface with clearer progress tracking, downloadable interactive graphs, and custom reports built from favorite data points. (https://www.psats.org/salary-survey-down-for-maintenance-new-user-friendly-look-coming-soon/)
- Census Bureau Details Population Trends, Considerations on Housing: New 2025 estimates show Pennsylvania’s population aged 65 and older grew 13% since 2020 and now makes up 21% of residents, with the state gaining 27 seniors for every 10 residents under 25 it lost. (https://www.psats.org/census-bureau-details-population-trends-considerations-on-housing/)
Events and Networking
- PAMA 67th Annual Conference: Special Hotel Rate Ends August 22: Deadline approaching for the discounted DoubleTree room rate for the PAMA conference running September 13 to 16, 2026 in Pittsburgh Cranberry, with sessions on municipal employment law, grant management, AI tools for administrative workflows, and a state legislative update. (https://www.psats.org/pama-67th-annual-conference-special-hotel-rate-ends-august-22/)
Other Updates
- Ground Broken for Fallen Firefighters Memorial: Pennsylvania’s first permanent statewide memorial to firefighters who died in the line of duty broke ground in Somerset County at the Remember Me Rose Garden near the Flight 93 National Memorial. (https://www.psats.org/ground-broken-for-fallen-firefighters-memorial/)
We hope this update provides valuable information for Montgomery County townships. Please check the PSATS website for more news and resources.