Stay informed with the latest news and resources for Pennsylvania townships and boroughs:
Grants and Funding
- Reminder: CFA Multimodal Transportation Fund Grant Applications Due July 31: The Commonwealth Financing Authority is accepting township applications for transportation projects from $100,000 to $3 million through DCED’s online single application, with a deadline of July 31, and no local match is required for grants awarded through December 31, 2027. (https://www.psats.org/reminder-cfa-multimodal-transportation-fund-grant-applications-due-july-31/)
- Reminder: PCCD Accepting Public Safety Grant Applications Until 7/14: The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency announced over $8 million in federal Byrne Justice Assistance Grants for public safety needs and data infrastructure, with roughly 30 to 35 awards expected at budgets up to $250,000 over a two-year period and applications due July 14, 2026. (https://www.psats.org/reminder-pccd-accepting-public-safety-grant-applications-until-7-14/)
Legislation and Advocacy
- PSATS Urges Governor to Veto Solar Decommissioning Bill: PSATS is asking Gov. Josh Shapiro to veto Senate Bill 349, which would set a statewide solar decommissioning framework while invalidating the local decommissioning ordinances many townships already adopted. (https://www.psats.org/psats-urges-governor-to-veto-solar-decommissioning-bill/)
- PSATS Submits Concerns on Federal Financial Assistance Rulemaking: PSATS filed comments with the federal Office of Management and Budget warning that the proposed Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance would create funding uncertainty and discourage local governments from pursuing federal grants. (https://www.psats.org/psats-submits-concerns-on-federal-financial-assistance-rulemaking/)
- Commonwealth Revenue Ends Fiscal Year Above Estimates: The Independent Fiscal Office reports the state closed the 2025-2026 fiscal year $1 billion, or 2.1%, above projections, with Motor License Fund collections totaling $3.2 billion and running 2% above estimate. (https://www.psats.org/commonwealth-revenue-ends-fiscal-year-above-estimates/)
- House Approves Resolution Recognizing Pennsylvania’s Role in America’s Founding: The state House unanimously approved HR 576 marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and encouraging residents to take part in local commemorations. (https://www.psats.org/house-approves-resolution-recognizing-pennsylvanias-role-in-americas-founding/)
Environmental Updates
- DEP Proposes Permit Updates for Wastewater Plants to Remove PFOS, PFAS from Biosolids: DEP has proposed two permit updates requiring wastewater treatment facilities to monitor PFOS and PFOA in biosolids intended for land application, with public comment on the draft open until September 2, 2026. (https://www.psats.org/dep-proposes-permit-updates-for-wastewater-plant-to-remove-pfos-pfas-from-biosolids-for-land-application/)
- PA Drought Task Force Moves Four Counties from Watch to Warning: Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon, and Lehigh counties moved from drought watch to drought warning, while Montgomery County remains among the eleven counties under a drought watch and nine public water suppliers now require mandatory conservation. (https://www.psats.org/pa-drought-task-force-moves-four-counties-from-watch-to-warning/)
Safety and Emergency Preparedness
- Townships Receiving Storm Damage Should Report to County EMC: Storms left 64 of 67 counties with damage, and townships with damaged facilities should have their emergency management coordinator compile and report to the county EMC, since federal and state aid eligibility is based on countywide totals. (https://www.psats.org/townships-receiving-storm-damage-should-report-to-county-emc/)
- Stay Cool in This Week’s Excessive Heat: Extreme heat warnings and advisories covered the commonwealth with heat index values reaching up to 110 in the southeast, and townships were urged to protect outdoor public works crews with frequent shaded rest breaks and adjusted schedules. (https://www.psats.org/stay-cool-in-this-weeks-excessive-heat/)
- Heat Wave Brings More Challenges: Dry ground vegetation combined with holiday fireworks raised wildfire risk, and townships were reminded to keep extra water on hand to douse hot spots and smoldering ground cover. (https://www.psats.org/heat-wave-brings-more-challenges/)
- Feds Grant PJM Request to Use Large Load User Back-up Power During Heat Wave: The U.S. Department of Energy allowed PJM to tap backup generation from large load users, including hyperscale data centers, to prevent blackouts during record demand, with facilities such as hospitals and water treatment plants exempt. (https://www.psats.org/feds-grant-pjm-request-to-use-large-load-user-back-up-power-during-heat-wave/)
- See Something, Say Something to Keep Communities Safe: The Pennsylvania Criminal Intelligence Center is monitoring public safety concerns around America250PA, FIFA World Cup, and holiday events, and asks that suspicious activity be reported to local law enforcement and to tips@pa.gov. (https://www.psats.org/see-something-say-something-to-keep-communities-safe/)
Transportation and Infrastructure
- Turnpike Approves 2027 Toll Hike: The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission approved a 3.5% toll increase for January 2027, moving E-ZPass rates from 7.3 to 7.5 cents per mile and toll by plate rates from 14.6 to 15 cents per mile, the smallest increase in a decade. (https://www.psats.org/turnpike-approves-2027-toll-hike/)
Administrative and Planning
- U.S. Post Office to Increase First Class Postage to 82 Cents on Sunday: First class stamps rose from 78 cents to 82 cents effective July 12, with other mail products increasing by 4.8%, so townships should budget accordingly for mailed notices. (https://www.psats.org/u-s-post-office-to-increase-first-class-postage-to-82-cents-on-sunday/)
- Get Customizable Salary Insights Now with the PSATS Salary Survey: The Salary Survey Plus tool now offers streamlined data entry and year-round report access, and townships that participated in 2025 only need to review, update, and certify their answers for 2026. (https://www.psats.org/get-customizable-salary-insights-now-with-the-psats-salary-survey-7/)
- Pitt Graduate Student Initiative Seeks Interested Townships: The University of Pittsburgh is pairing townships with graduate students to work on technology challenges including AI, data centers, and autonomous vehicles, with interest forms due July 31, 2026. (https://www.psats.org/pitt-graduate-student-initiative-seeks-interested-townships/)
We hope this update provides valuable information for Montgomery County townships. Please check the PSATS website for more news and resources.