The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week reported out bills relating to extending the Recycling Fee, providing for additional penalties for violations at landfills, to exempt small refineries from biodiesel mandates and providing funding options to keep State Parks open. The bills include:

--Senate Bill 547 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) providing penalties for repeat violations of landfill regulations;

--Senate Bill 886 (Musto-D-Luzerne) was amended to extend the $2/ton Recycling Fee through 2020, the longest period the fee has ever been extended and to authorize the use of $1.25 million from the Recycling Fund to cleanup waste tire piles; and

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

For more information, visit the Committee webpage.

Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango) serves as Majority Chair of the Committee and Sen. Ray Musto (D-Luzerne) serves as Minority Chair.

6/12/2009