Stay informed with the latest news and resources for Pennsylvania townships and boroughs:
Grants and Funding
- Reminder: EPA Grants to Address Storm/Wastewater Challenges: The U.S. EPA is making $25.5 million available to help small and rural communities address wastewater infrastructure challenges, with applications from water technical assistance providers accepted until August 14, 2026. (https://www.psats.org/reminder-epa-grants-to-address-storm-wastewater-challenges/)
- USDA Loans for Community Facilities and Water, Wastewater Systems: USDA Rural Development offers year-round loan and grant programs for essential community facilities in townships under 20,000 residents and for water and waste disposal systems in rural areas of 10,000 or fewer. (https://www.psats.org/usda-loans-for-community-facilities-and-water-wastewater-systems/)
Safety and Regulations
- Distracted Driving Data: PennDOT reports that of 109,541 crashes in Pennsylvania in 2025, over 9,000 involved a distracted driver, causing more than 300 serious injuries and 44 fatalities, a reminder to put the phone down since handheld device use is now illegal while driving. (https://www.psats.org/distracted-driving-data/)
- PUC Committee Actions on Facility Owners, Excavators, and Project Owners: The PUC’s Damage Prevention Committee issued 500 disciplinary actions, including $363,375 in penalties, for damage to underground lines, and its next meeting is August 11, 2026. (https://www.psats.org/puc-committee-actions-on-facility-owners-excavators-and-project-owners/)
Environmental Updates
- Water Conservation for Hotter, Drier Conditions in PA: With 11 counties under a drought watch and eight more under a drought warning, DEP encourages simple water-saving steps such as watering at dawn or dusk, mulching beds, raising mower blades, and fixing leaks. (https://www.psats.org/water-conservation-for-hotter-drier-conditions-in-pa/)
Transportation and Infrastructure
- New PennDOT Webpage for Municipal Resources: PennDOT launched a Municipal Resources webpage with drop-in webinars, tech sheets, past newsletters, and a form to request one-on-one help on transportation and land planning topics from your Municipal Services representative. (https://www.psats.org/new-penndot-webpage-for-municipal-resources/)
Events and Networking
- National Night Out: The community-building event promoting police-community partnerships is Tuesday, August 4, and townships can send event photos to PSATS by September 9 to be featured in the October issue of Pennsylvania Township News. (https://www.psats.org/national-night-out/)
- Municipal Administrators Conference Coming in September: The PAMA Annual Conference runs September 13 to 16 at the Doubletree by Hilton Pittsburgh-Cranberry, with sessions on budgeting, zoning compliance, funding strategy, and HR, plus CGA certification and first-time attendee grants. (https://www.psats.org/municipal-administrators-conference-coming-in-september/)
Other Updates
- Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) Research Brief: PA July Electricity Update: The latest weighted price to compare is 12.61 cents per kWh for June to November 2026, up 11.9% from a year ago and the third consecutive period of double-digit increases, driven largely by higher wholesale energy costs. (https://www.psats.org/independent-fiscal-office-ifo-research-brief-pa-july-electricity-update/)
We hope this update provides valuable information for Montgomery County townships. Please check the PSATS website for more news and resources.