12/23/24 - 125 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/433fpruj
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Senate/House Bills Moving
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The following bills of interest saw action this week in the Senate--
Senate Neighborhoods: House Bill 1609 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) amending the Municipalities Planning Code further defining traditional neighborhood development was passed by the Senate without amendment and now goes to the Governor for his action.
"Traditional neighborhood development, or TND, is a better way to develop than sprawl which eats up our farmland and creates traffic congestion nightmares," said Rep. Freeman. "Not only does a TND use less land, it is also pedestrian-friendly and provides for a mix of uses and housing options that foster a greater sense of community than conventional suburban developments. Because a TND creates an actual village or neighborhood rather than a subdivision, it reduces dependence on cars to meet everyday needs."
Energy Production On Farmland: Senate Bill 298 (Yaw-R-Bradford) amends the Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act to allow the splitting off of preserved farm and forest lands used for alternative energy systems and natural gas and coal bed methane was reported from the Senate Rules Committee and was passed by the Senate. The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.
"I am pleased this important legislation has passed the Legislature and I am hopeful the Governor will sign it quickly so we it can get it on the books ," Sen. Yaw said. "Farmers and landowners need this bill to become law because it provides counties across the state with a consistent interpretation of the Clean and Green Program. Ultimately, it will alleviate the financial pressure of having to pay roll-back taxes, interest and penalties on entire properties especially before any royalty payments are made to the property owner."
Blight: Senate Bill 900 (Argall-R-Schuylkill) establishing the Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act was reported from the Senate Rules Committee and was passed by the Senate. The bill now goes to the Governor for his action. "I introduced Senate Bill 900 to carry on the efforts of my predecessor, Senator Jim Rhoades," Sen. Argall said. "This bill will strengthen current law to identify property owners of blighted buildings and hold them responsible for the costs to rehabilitate or demolish these structures. Today, I was pleased to join with my colleagues in finally sending this bill to the Governor."
"Senate Bill 900 is an important victory for communities affected by an aging infrastructure and absentee property owners," said Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware). "This bipartisan comprehensive measure brings certainty to dealing with abandoned and blighted property, and substantially improves how communities can address these issues."
Borough Electric Purchases: Senate Bill 168 (Brubaker-R-Lancaster) further authorizing electric purchases by boroughs was reported from the Senate Rules Committee and was passed by the Senate. The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.
"Rising energy costs are one of the primary concerns for many consumers, so it is very important to give boroughs the ability to negotiate power supply agreements that will benefit members of their community," Sen. Brubaker said. "This bill would give municipalities another option to reduce energy costs for residents."
Local Government Merger: Senate Bill 1429 (Eichelberger-R-Blair) further providing for the merger and consolidations of local governments was reported from the Senate Rules Committee and was passed by the Senate. It now goes to the Governor for his action.
Electronics Recycling: House Bill 708 (Ross-R-Chester) requiring electronics recycling funded by industry fees was amended and passed by the Senate 48 to 1. It now returns to the House for a concurrence vote.
Farm Energy: House Bill 1394 (Houghton-D-Chester) relating to splitting off farm and forest land under preferential assessment for alternative energy production was amended and reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee and was passed by the Senate. It now returns to the House for a concurrence vote.
"My proposal will help strengthen Pennsylvania's homegrown energy production by providing a major boost to the wind and solar industries and thereby propelling us closer to energy independence," Rep. Houghton said. "Like my bill to make Pennsylvania the 21st 'solar access' state in the country, which currently awaits Senate action, this bill will help create green jobs. Further, it will provide an additional revenue source to help farmers to continue to farm on their land."
Recycling Textbooks: Senate Bill 1379 (Musto-D-Luzerne) requiring the recycling of college textbooks was passed by the Senate. It now goes to the House for consideration.
Land Banks: House Bill 712 (J.Taylor-R-Philadelphia) further providing for the creation of urban land banks was amended and reported from the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee and then referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Stormwater Funding: Senate Bill 1422 (D.White-R-Indiana) authorizing PennVEST to fund non-point source management projects including specifically urban stormwater projects and House Bill 2591 (George-D-Clearfield) authorizing PennVEST to fund non-point source management projects including specifically urban stormwater projects were Tabled.
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10/18/2010 |
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