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

Senate 

Energy/Farmland Preservation: Senate Bill 298 (Yaw-R-Bradford) amending Act 319 farmland preferential assessment law to allow for the production of alternative energy and splitting off farmland for gas, oil and coal bed methane production was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. 

Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Costs: Senate Resolution 215 (Brubaker-R-Lancaster) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the costs to achieve nutrient reductions from agricultural sources was reported out of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. 

Land Sale Costs: Senate Bill 884 (Waugh-R-York) requiring proceeds from the sale of certain state farms to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Fund was amended and reported from the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. 

Geologists: House Bill 975 (Adolph-R-Delaware) further providing for continuing education for professional geologists was reported from the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. 

House 

Coal Refuse Piles: House Bill 1847 (Harhai-D-Westmoreland) establishing a special review board to arbitrate coal bed methane well-location disputes between land owners and gas companies received final legislative approval this week and is headed to the Governor for his action.

Well Production Reports: Senate Bill 297 (Yaw-R-Bradford) amending the Oil and Gas Act to require seimi-annual well production reporting was reported from the House Appropriations Committee, amended on the House Floor and is now on the House Calendar for a final vote.

2/1/2010