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

Farm Energy Production:  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 passed by the Senate and now goes to the House for consideration.

Land Conservation:  Senate Bill 884 (Waugh-R-York) requiring proceeds from the sale of certain state farms to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Fund was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Neighborhoods:  House Bill 1609 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) further providing for the definition of traditional neighborhood within the Municipalities Planning Code was Tabled.

Geologists:  House Bill 975 (Adolph-R-Delaware) further providing for continuing education for professional geologists was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

2/8/2010