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Last 2 Days Of Voting Session Coming Up, Senate Not Interested In Lame Duck

Tuesday and Wednesday of next week will be the last two days of voting session for the year, if the Senate sticks by its opposition to a lame duck session after election day.

As of now, any bills not on the Governor’s desk by the close of business on October 15 will have to start all over in the new session in January.

PA Legislative Services reported Thursday Senate Majority Leader Domini Pileggi (R-Delaware) told House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny his members were not interested in a lame duck session after election day to vote on pension reform or anything else.

“Our caucus is not interested in a lame duck session,” said Sen. Pileggi. “We haven’t discussed it.”

Environmental Bills That Could See Final Action

With just two voting days left this session for the House and Senate-- October 14, 15-- the General Assembly is poised to take final votes on these environmental bills--

-- Senate: Elimination Of Buffer Requirement: House Bill 1565 (Hahn-R-Northampton) eliminating the current requirement for stream buffers in High Quality and Exceptional Value streams.  The Senate is to take a final vote on the bill Tuesday and must then send it back to the House for a concurrence vote.  Click Here for background on the bill.

-- Senate: Legislative Approval Of DEP Climate Plan: House Bill 2354 (Snyder-D-Fayette) which requires Senate and House approval of any plan DEP submits to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants is also set for a final vote in the Senate Tuesday and must then send it back to the House for a concurrence vote.  Click Here for background on the bill.

-- Nuclear Reactor Fees: Senate Bill 1355 (Yaw-R-Lycoming)-- is now on the House Calendar for action and could be passed in the final two days of session.  It will have to return to the Senate for a concurrence vote.

Not Enough Time To Finalize These Bills, Probably

Here are bills on our watch list, but either not enough time remains for the Senate or House to take final action or no action has been scheduled yet on the bills.

Senate

-- Drinking Water Well Standards: House Bill 343 (Miller-R-York) setting standards for drinking water wells is still in the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

-- Green State Buildings: House Bill 34 (Harper-R-Montgomery) setting green building standards for state owned or leased buildings.  A similar bill-- Senate Bill 1061 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery)-- was amended to include the provisions of House Bill 34 and then referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee this week.

-- Eliminating Protections For Endangered Species: Senate Bill 1047 (Scarnati-R- Jefferson)  would eliminate some protections for endangered species and set additional requirements for adopting Wild Trout Streams. It remains in the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee.  Click Here for background on the bill.

-- Conventional Well Regulation: Senate Bill 1378 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson) regulating conventional oil and gas wells differently than unconventional, Marcellus Shale wells, is in the Senate Appropriations Committee. A provision similar to this was included in the Fiscal Code bill signed into law in July, but the House still moved its version of the bill recently.  Click Here for background on the bill.

-- Nutrient Reduction Watershed Scheme: Senate Bill 994 (Vogel-R-Beaver) would construct an unaffordable scheme to fund one technology that claims to reduce nutrients from manure. The bill remains Tabled in the Senate.  Click Here for background on the bill.

-- Leasing DCNR Land For Alternative Energy Development: Senate Bill 684 (Wozniak-D- Cambria) further providing for the leasing of DCNR lands for wind, solar and other energy projects is in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

-- Backup Generators: House Bill 1699 (Ross-R-Chester) setting air quality standards for backup generators is in the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

House

-- Eliminating Protections For Endangered Species: House Bill 1576 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) would eliminate some protections for endangered species and set additional requirements for adopting Wild Trout Streams remains on the House Calendar.  Click Here for background on the bill.

-- Conventional Well Regulation: House Bill 2350 (Causer-R-Cameron) regulating conventional oil and gas wells differently than unconventional, Marcellus Shale wells. The bill remains Tabled in the House.  A provision similar to this was included in the Fiscal Code bill signed into law in July.  Click Here for background on the bill.

-- Sewer/Water P2 Partnerships: House Bill 2239 (Evankovich-R-Armstrong) authorizing public-private partnerships for sewer, water, school district projects remains Tabled in the House.

-- PA Grade Crude Development Advisory Council: Senate Bill 1310 (Hutchinson-R- Venango) creating the PA Grade Crude Development Advisory Council within DEP was passed by the Senate this week and now goes to the House for consideration.

-- Leasing State Lands For Mineral Development: Senate Bill 1443 (White-R-Indiana) amending the Indigenous Mineral Resources Development Act to authorized state agencies (other than DCNR) to release mineral rights whether they owned the surface rights or not is in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

-- Natural Gas Royalties: House Bill 1684 (Everett-R-Lycoming) which seeks to clarify a minimum royalty payment in state law has been on the House Calendar for action.

-- Natural Gas Royalties: Senate Bill 1236 would expand upon the Oil and Gas Lease Act by allowing royalty interest owners the opportunity to inspect records of natural gas companies to verify proper payments.  In addition, the bill requires all royalty payments be made within 60 days of production unless otherwise stated in the contract.  Any delinquent payments are to be paid with interest.  The bill is in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

-- Natural Gas Royalties: Senate Bill 1237 would prohibit a gas company from retaliating against any royalty interest owner by terminating their lease agreement or ceasing development on leased property because a royalty interest owner questions the accuracy of current royalty payments.  Companies found to have violated the provisions of this act face civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day. The bill is in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

-- Natural Gas Royalties: Senate Bill 1238 would require a gas company to record a surrender document in the county Recorder of Deeds office where the oil and gas well is located within 30 days upon expiration, termination, or forfeiture of an oil and gas lease. The surrender document will release the gas company’s interests in the oil and gas. This is similar to what a mortgage company would be required to do after a mortgage was paid in full.  The bill is in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

-- Variable Electric Rate Contracts: House Bill 2104 (Godshall-R-Montgomery) further providing for consumer protections in variable rate electric supplier contracts is on the House Calendar for action.

-- State Geospatial Coordinating Board: Senate Bill 771 (Gordner-R-Columbia) establishing the State Geospatial Coordinating Board is on the House Calendar for action.

-- North American Oil Reserves: House Resolution 249 (Swanger-R-Lebanon) supporting increased development and delivery of oil from North American oil reserves- sponsor summary-- is on the House Calendar for action.

NewsClips:

PLS: Senate Not Interested In Lame Duck Session

PLS: Stream Buffer Bill Could See Final Passage

Stream Buffer Bill Clears Senate Hurdle

Putting A Price Tag On Clean Water In PA

Bill Would Have Lawmakers Approve Climate Plan

PA Industry Leaders Take Aim At EPA Climate Rule

Editorial: PA Senate Should Leave Carbon Plan To Experts


10/13/2014

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