Here's a quick rundown on environmental bills moving in the Senate and House--

Storage Tanks: Senate Bill 722 (Musto-D-Luzerne) extending the sunset date for the small heating oil storage tank cleanup program and making tank registration fees permanent and authorizing transfer of administrative funds to DEP upon USTIF Board Approval was passed by the Senate.

Environmental Education: Senate Bill 410 (MJ White-R, Musto-D) establishing the PA Center for Environmental Education was passed by the Senate unanimously. (see separate story) NewsClip: Senate Passes Environmental Education Bill

Oil and Gas Leasing: Senate Bill 594 (MJ White-R-Venango) establishing the Dormant Oil and Gas Act to create trusts for prior oil and gas well owners was passed by the Senate. NewsClip: Senate Approves Oil and Gas Bill

Watershed Assn. Funding: House Bill 136, House Bill 266 and House Bill 267 (Fleagle-R-Franklin) authorizing local government funding of watershed associations were reported from the Senate Local Government Committee and are now on the Senate Calendar.

Energy Star Credits: Senate Bill 266 (C.Williams-D-Montgomery) providing a sales and use tax exclusion for appliances meeting the energy star requirements was re-referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Landfill Permitting: Senate Bill 197 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) allowing the review of repeat violations in the decision to permit landfills, as amended from Senate Appropriations and is now on the Senate Calendar.

Ag. Security Areas: Senate Bill 723 (Wenger-R-Lancaster) making changes to definition of eligible entity in the Agricultural Security Law was reported from Senate Appropriations and is now on the Senate Calendar.

ACRE Proposal: House Bill 1646 (Hershey-R-Chester) providing a process for appealing local ordinances in conflict with the Right to Farm Act was amended to incorporate a process involving the Attorney General determining constitutionality of these local ordinances which is reviewed by a master judge from Commonwealth Court. This process replaces the creation of a special appeals board. The bill was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee and re-referred to House Rules.

NewsClip: Farmers Need Protection from Local Governments, Sec. Wolff

Bill Successfully Addresses Local Farming Ordinance Controversy

Farmers, Officials Take Stock of ACRE Compromise

Hunting Licenses: House Bill 887 (Pickett-R-Bradford) certain exceptions for hunting license fees was reported from Senate Appropriations.

Historic Tax Credit: Senate Bill 571 (Piccola-R-Dauphin) establishing a tax credit for historic properties was re-referred to Senate Appropriations.

Land Preservation: House Bill 87 (Steil-R-Bucks) further authorizing local governments to preserve open space through the waiver of certain service fee was reported from the Senate Local Government Committee.

In the House

Hazardous Sites Cleanup: Senate Bill 149 (MJ White-R-Venango) providing funding for the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund was reported from House Appropriations and is now on the House Calendar.

Funding Laterals: House Bill 1108 (Rubley-R-Chester) providing funding for water and wastewater laterals was reported from House Rules.

Bills Introduced

Chesapeake Watertrail: Senate Resolution 138 (Waugh-R-York) Resolution expressing support of the efforts of the United States Secretary of the Interior to study the feasibility of designating the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Watertrail as a national historic trail.

6/24/2005