The House and Senate return to voting session on June 8.

Session Schedule

Here's the House and Senate session schedule through June 2009--

House

June 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 20

Senate

June 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30

Calendars

House (June 8): House Bill 687 (Dermody-D-Allegheny) expanding the guaranteed energy savings contract provisions to include technology upgrades designed to reduce water and wastewater consumption or operating expenses; House Resolution 17 (Harper-R-Montgomery) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to review the Growing Greener Program and the Community Conservation Partnerships Program.

Senate (June 8): Senate Bill 783 (MJ White-R-Venango) requiring additional reporting on the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund, House Bill 262 (Haluska-D-Cambria) establishing prescribed burning practices, House Bill 263 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) further authorizing agreements to protect the Appalachian Trail.

Committees

The following Committees have meetings this week--

House: the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meets to consider House Bill 984 (Kessler-D-Berks) would limit the roll-back taxes when a landowner leases land enrolled in the program for a wind power generation system, and House Bill 1394 (Houghton-D-Chester) would clarify the status of land leased for exploration of oil and gas, coal bed methane extraction and commercial wind energy production; the Local Government Committee meets to consider House Bill 1609 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) amending the Municipalities Planning code to further define traditional neighborhood development.

Senate: the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 547 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) providing penalties for repeat violations of landfill regulations, Senate Bill 886 (Musto-D-Luzerne) eliminating the sunset date for the $2/ton Recycling Fee, Senate Bill 901 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson) exempting certain small refineries for one year from biodiesel mandate; the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 298 (Yaw-R-Bradford) allowing the split off of preserved farmland for drilling purposes, Senate Bill 698 (Waugh-R-York) creating the PA Farms to Fuels Incentive Act.

Other: Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee holds an Environmental Issues Forum discussing alternative energy sources in PA.

Bills Introduced

These bills of interest were introduced this week--

Senate

Biodiesel Fuel Exemption: Senate Bill 901 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson) exempting certain small refineries for one year from biodiesel mandate.

Natural Gas Severance Tax: Senate Bill 905 (Musto-D-Luzerne) authorizing a severance tax on natural gas production with the proceeds going to the General Fund.

House

Water Sponsorship Program: House Resolution 324 (Gibbons-D-Beaver) urging PennVEST and the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt an Ohio program that allows borrows to sponsor water resources projects to lower their interest rates.

Waste Tires: House Bill 1577 (Harper-R-Montgomery) providing for an investment tax credit for utilizing waste tires.

Sewer Laterals: House Bill 1603 (Readshaw-D-Allegheny) including sewer lateral as eligible for funding through PennVEST and House Bill 1604 (Readshaw) authorizing local funding of sewer laterals.

Traditional Neighborhood Development: House Bill 1609 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) amending the Municipalities Planning code to further define traditional neighborhood development.

Alternative Energy Testing: House Bill 1624 (Cohen-D-Philadelphia) establishing the PA Solar and Alternative energy Testing Laboratory Act.

6/5/2009