07/08/24 - 115 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/ype6tnrj
| Share this: | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senate Committee OKs Bills On Other State Land Drilling, Gas Leasing Payments, Other Issues
|
|
The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week approved eight bills on a variety of topics including authorizing drilling on other state lands, making sewer laterals eligible for funding, redefining the definition of shoreline along Lake Erie and other issues. The bills included:
-- Senate Bill 292 (Eichelberger-R-Blair) Amends the Flood Control Law by increasing the minimum amount which must be bid through a public advertising process from $4,000 to $25,000 for flood control projects performed by the Water and Power Resources Board;
-- Senate Bill 308 (Pippy-R-Allegheny) further providing for the eligibility of sewer laterals for funding;
-- Senate Bill 367 (D.White-R-Indiana) authorizing the leasing of mineral rights on other state lands and depositing the proceeds in the Environmental Stewardship Fund. The bill was amended to require a minimum of 50 percent of revenue received from bonus and lease payments to go to the Environmental Stewardship Fund or the Key '93 Fund. The remaining revenue will go into the General Fund. All money derived from the PA State System of Higher Education land will be deposited into the Key '93 Fund;
-- Senate Bill 460 (Yaw-R-Bradford) requiring when payment is made for oil or gas production to an interest owner, itemized deduction information will be included on the check stub or an attachment to the form payment. The bill was amended to further defines and details "division order", "interest owner" and the items listed on the check stub, including contact information. Removes Section 3.3 through Section 3.9 dealing with late payments and dissolution of the lease;
-- Senate Bill 469 (Argall-R-Schuylkill) Allows walking, jogging, bicycling, exercising and horseback riding on nature trails as a recreational purpose by limiting liability and was changed by a technical amendment;
-- Senate Bill 618 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) providing independent counsel for Environmental Quality Board;
-- Senate Bill 791 (Earll-R-Erie) Amends the Bluff Recession and Setback Act by further defining "bluff recession hazard area," "bluff toe" and "shoreline;" and
-- Senate Bill 898 (Tomlinson-R-Bucks) Amend the Noncoal Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act to provide that all municipal subdivision and land development ordinances are pre-empted by the Noncoal Act.
Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango) serves as Majority Chair and Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) serves as Minority Chair.
Copies of amendments and a video of the hearing are available at the Committee webpage.
|
|
5/9/2011 |
| Go To Preceding Article Go To Next Article |
