The following bills of interest saw action in the Senate or House this week--

Senate

Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines: Senate Resolution 375(Dinniman-D-Chester) urging Congress to oppose certain federal rules governing the regulation of interstate transportation of natural gaswas reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and was adopted by the Senate.

Utility Energy Conservation Programs: House Bill 2200 (George-D-Clearfield) requiring electric utilities to implement electric conservation plans was amended and reported out of the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee and recommitted to the same Committee.

Elm Street/Main Street Programs:House Bill 420(Hickernell-R-Lancaster) providing for downtown reinvestment area grants under the Main Street Program and House Bill 2233(Freeman-D-Lehigh) extending the Elm Street Program were both referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Bond Language Fix: Senate Bill 1573(Musto-D-Luzerne), making a correction to the Water Facilities Bond language, was reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Mercury Thermostats: House Bill 44(Rubley-R-Chester), banning the sale of thermostats containing mercury, was amended and reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for final action.

Blighted Property:TheSenate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee amended and reported out Senate Bill 1291(Rhoades-R-Schuylkill) providing additional authority for blight reclamation projects. It is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

House

Significant Developments: House Resolution 845(Petrone-D-Allegheny), directing the Joint State Government Committee to study the impacts of regional significant developments, expanding the work of the task force expanding the Kilbuck Landslide in Allegheny County, was reported from the House State Government Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action.

Transmission Line Compact: House Bill 2480(DeWeese-D-Greene) providing for the adoption of the Mid-Atlantic Area National Electric Transmission Corridor Compact was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Tabled and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Biofuels/Mine Reclamation: Special Session House Bill 55(Brooks-R-Crawford) providing incentives for using switchgrass and other biofuels feedstock to reclaim abandoned mine landswas reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Tabled and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Coal Methane Review Board: Senate Bill 1330(D.White-R-Indiana) establishing the Coal Methane Review Board was amended andreported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Tabled and referred to House Appropriations Committee.

Brownfield Redevelopment: Senate Bill 1062(Wonderling-R-Montgomery) reimbursing brownfield developers for certain costswas reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Tabled and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Tire Pile Remediation: Senate Bill 1050(Baker-R-Luzerne) establishing the Used Tire Pile Remediation Account and making an appropriationwas amended to reduce the amount earmarked from cleanup from $3 million to $1.5 million and reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and referred to House Appropriations Committee.

Growing Greener II Investigation:House Resolution 883(Harper-R-Montgomery) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to review where grants were made under the Growing Greener II programwas reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action.

Alternative Energy Conference:Special Session House Resolution 107(Cohen-D-Philadelphia) resolution calling for the holding of a conference on the use of alternative energy sources in honor of Benjamin Franklin was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action.

Heritage Areas: House Bill 2035(Seip-D-Schuylkill) changing the Heritage Area Program to identify, protect, enhance and promote historic, recreational, natural, cultural and scenic resources by adding a Board of Commonwealth Partners and making other changes was amended and reported from the House Appropriations Committee.

Blighted Neighborhoods:House Bill 2445(Eachus-D-Luzerne) providing for the reclamation of blighted neighborhoods was amended and reported out of the House Labor Relations Committee, Tabled and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Diesel Idling:Senate Bill 295(Browne-R-Lehigh) setting restrictions on the idling of commercial diesel engines was amended and reported out of the House Transportation Committee, Tabled and referred to the House Appropriations Committee. (Note: last week theEnvironmental Quality Boardfinalized regulations on this same topic.)

ATV Registration:House Bill 2043(Haluska-D-Cambria) making changes to the provisions requiring the registration of snowmobiles and ATVs was reported from the House Appropriations Committee, was amended on Second Consideration and is in position for final House action.

Flood Assistance:House Bill 1989(Wansacz-D-Luzerne) establishing a PA Flood Grant and Assistance Program was referred to the House Rules Committee.

9/26/2008