Senate Approves Bill Extending Deadline For PA Climate Change Action Plan

The Senate this week unanimously approved Senate Bill 829 (MJ White-R-Venango) to extend the deadline faced by the Department of Environmental Protection for submitting a Pennsylvania Climate Change Action Plan.

 

Act 70 of 2008 requires DEP to submit a plan by October 9. The department has acknowledged it will miss the deadline, but it cannot do so without a statutory extension. Senate Bill 829 extends the deadline by three months.

 

Sen. White said the measure ensures that the public has a 60-day public comment period before the plan is finalized, and ensures an opportunity for the public's comments and recommendations to be incorporated into the final plan.

 

"The Senate takes the issue of climate change seriously," said Sen. White. "To ensure the credibility of any recommendations put forth by the Governor on climate change, it is imperative that the final plan be the product of a robust public input and review process as envisioned by the Act 70, the Pennsylvania Climate Change Act."

 

Act 70 was sponsored by Sen. Ted Erickson (R-Delaware) and was amended by Sen. White to create the Climate Change Advisory Committee within DEP. The Committee voted last week to endorse passage of Senate Bill 829.