07/15/24 - 152 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/45529742
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Lots Of Environmental Bills Await Action In Senate, House In 2010
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Dozens of Senate and House bills and other issues remain in Committee or on the Calendars for action covering topics as varied as recycling fees, water infrastructure, green buildings, biofuels, alternative energy and the box turtle. Here is a sampling of the pending bills and issues--
Reports Growing Greener Program: The House adopted 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. The Committee's report is due no later than June. REAP Farm Conservation Tax Credit: The House adopted House Resolution 127 (Levdansky-D-Allegheny) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to determine the impact of tax credit programs on the Commonwealth's economy, job market and state and local tax revenues, including the Resource Enhancement and Protection Farm Conservation Tax Credit. The reports are due no later than March. Senate Nominations: The Senate has 25 legislative days to consider the nomination of John Quigley to be Secretary for Conservation and Natural Resources. Recycling Fee/Tire Piles: House Bill 1768 (Wansacz-D-Lackawanna) further defining host municipality for landfill programs was amended to extend the $2/ton Recycling Fee to 2020 and create a new Used Tire Pile Remediation Account to fund waste tire pile cleanups and reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. The bill was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. House Bill 961 (Buxton-D-Dauphin) extending the sunset date on the $2/ton Recycling Fee to 2015 was reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Senate Bill 886 (Musto-D-Luzerne) extending the $2/ton Recycling Fee through 2020 and authorizing $1.25 million from the Recycling Fund to cleanup waste tire piles was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Flood Control: Senate Bill 235 (Wozniak-D-Cambria) authorizing the use of non-structural flood control alternatives was reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now in the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration. Coal Refuse Disposal/Coal Methane: House Bill 1847 (Harhai-D-Westmoreland) further providing for the siting of coal refuse disposal areas was amended in Senate Appropriations to include a Coal Bed Methane dispute resolution process and passed by the Senate. The bill is now in the House Rules Committee for action. Green Buildings: House Bill 444 (M.Smith-D-Allegheny) requiring buildings built and funded by the Commonwealth to meet green building standards was passed by the House and is now in the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for action. Guaranteed Energy Savings: 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 was passed by the House and is now in the Senate State Government Committee for action. Energy Office: House Bill 786 (George-D-Clearfield) creating a State Energy Office within DEP was passed by the House and is now in the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for consideration. Biofuels: Senate Bill 698 (Waugh-R-York) creating the PA Farms to Fuels Incentive Act was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Farms- Energy Production: 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 was passed by the House and is now in the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee for action. Farm-Drilling: Senate Bill 298 (Yaw-R-Bradford) allowing the split off of preserved farmland for drilling purposes was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Nutrient Credit Trading: Senate Bill 767 (Vance-R-Cumberland) establishing the Nutrient Credit Trading Program in law and creating a Nutrient Credit Trading Bank is in the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Cost: Senate Resolution 215 (Brubaker-R-Lancaster) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the costs to achieve the Chesapeake Bay Program nutrient load reductions required by agricultural sources and to evaluate funding strategies is in the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. Permit Extensions: House Bill 1056 (M.O'Brien-D-Philadelphia) provides for a one year extension of any permit or approval issued by or for a municipality under the Dam Safety and Encroachments Act, Clean Streams Law, Sewage Facilities Act, Stormwater Management Act or any ordinance of a municipality is which expires after December 31, 2008 and before January 1, 2011 shall be extended for one full calendar year passed by the House and is now in the Senate Local Government Committee for consideration. Open Space: House Bill 951 (Dally-R-Northampton) providing additional tools to acquire and hold open space was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee and Senate Bill 172 (Brubaker-R-Lancaster) further authorizing local governments to preserve, acquire or hold land for open space purposes was also referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Traditional Neighborhood: House Bill 1609 (Freedom-D-Lehigh) further providing for the definition of traditional neighborhood within the Municipalities Planning Code was reported from the Senate Local Government Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. Main Street Program: House Bill 102 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) extending the duration of Main Street Program Grants was passed by the House and is now in the Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee for action. Landfill Penalties: Senate Bill 547 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) providing penalties for repeat violations of landfill regulations was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Historic Preservation: House Bill 42 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) providing for Historic Preservation Grants was passed by the House and is now in the Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee for consideration. Box Turtle: House Bill 621 (Curry-D-Montgomery) naming the Eastern Box Turtle as the official reptile of the Commonwealth was passed by the House and is now in the Senate State Government Committee for action. House Natural Gas Severance Tax: House Bill 1489 (George-D-Clearfield) authorizing a natural gas severance tax was referred back to the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Oil And Gas Wells: House Bill 1155 (George-D-Clearfield) providing for addition protection of surface rights owners and requiring compensation agreements with those holding oil and gas well drillers and was referred to the House Appropriations Committee. Protecting Water Supplies: House Bill 1205 (Pickett-R-Bradford) providing further protection of water supplies from oil and gas drilling through pre-drilling water well surveys was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and referred to the House Appropriations Committee. Oil & Gas Well Reporting: Senate Bill 297 (Yaw-R-Bradford) requiring annual reporting a oil and gas well production was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and referred to the House Appropriations Committee. Rate Caps: House Bill 20 (McCall-D-Carbon) phasing in electric rate increases was amended and reported out of the House Consumer Affairs Committee and was referred to House Appropriations Committee. Alternative Energy/Carbon Network: House Bill 80 (Vitali-D-Delaware) expanding the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards and authorizing a carbon sequestration network is on the House Calendar for action. Green Schools: House Bill 689 (Drucker-D-Chester) providing for reimbursements for schools which meet LEED green building standards was amended and reported from the House Education Committee and was referred to House Appropriations Committee. Green Building Credit: House Bill 43 (Harper-R-Montgomery) establishing a high-performance, green building construction tax credit was amended and reported out by the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and then referred to House Appropriations Committee. Energy Star Tax Credit: House Bill 448 (M.Smith-D-Allegheny) providing for an Energy Star rated glass tax credit was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and then referred to House Appropriations Committee. Stormwater Planning: House Bill 1390 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) authorizing local integrated water resources plans was amended to allow local governments to avoid the mandate for stormwater planning if the state does not provide its share of funding and reported from the House Local Government Committee and was referred to the House Appropriations Committee. Biofuels Exemption: Senate Bill 901 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson) would provide a one year exemption from biodiesel mandates for small refiners was amended and reported from the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and then referred to the House Appropriations Committee. Distribution System Improvement Funding: The House Consumer Affairs Committee reported out House Bill 194 (Preston-D-Allegheny) providing for a DISC program for wastewater systems and House Bill 744 (Solobay-D-Washington) providing for a DISC program for natural gas systems. Both bills were referred to the House Appropriations Committee. County Waste Fee: House Bill 1069 (Scavello-R-Monroe) authorizing a county waste management fee was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and was referred to the House Appropriations Committee. Electronics Recycling: House Bill 708 (Ross-R-Chester) establishing an electronics waste recycling program was reported out of the House Rules Committee, then referred to the House Appropriations Committee. Permit Extension: Senate Bill 569 (Pileggi-R-Delaware) extending any agency approval or permit for one year for approvals issued after December 31, 2008 and ending before July 2, 2011 was passed by the Senate and is now in the House Local Government Committee. State Parks: Senate Bill 974 (D.White-R-Indiana) directing DCNR to honor leases during periods when State Parks or Forests are closed due to an action of the agency was passed unanimously by the Senate and is now in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for action. Open Space: House Bill 1772 (Matzie-D-Allegheny) further authorizing local governments to hold open space for preservation was amended and reported from the House Local Government Committee and was referred to the House Appropriations Committee. Acceptable Data: Senate Bill 136 (Erickson-R-Delaware) requiring the submission of acceptable data to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission to support regulatory proposals was referred to the House Appropriations Committee. Nutrient Trading: House Bill 1381 (DePasquale-D-York) establish the Nutrient Credit Trading Program in law is now in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for action. Hazardous Sites Reporting: Senate Bill 783 (MJ White-R-Venango) requiring additional reporting on the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund was passed by the Senate and is now in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for consideration. Air Quality Plans: Senate Bill 115 (MJ White-R-Venango) requiring publication of changes to the State Air Quality Implementation Plan was passed by the Senate and is now in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for action. DEP Special Funds: Senate Bill 116 (MJ White) requiring additional reporting for DEP special funds was passed by the Senate and is now in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for action. Keystone Fund: Senate Bill 117 (MJ White) requiring additional reporting for expenditures from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund was passed by the Senate and is now in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for action. |
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1/4/2010 |
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