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

House

Nuclear Reactor Fees: Senate Bill 1355 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) increasing nuclear reactor and nuclear fuel transportation fees was passed by the House and concurred in by the Senate.  A summary and House Fiscal Note are available.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.

Public Disaster Grants: Senate Bill 720 (Baker-R-Luzerne) establishing the Public Disaster Assistance Grant Program was reported from the House Appropriations Committee, was passed by the House and concurred in by the Senate.  A summary and House Fiscal Note are available.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.

Geospatial Board: Senate Bill 771 (Gordner-R-Columbia) establishing the State Geospatial Coordinating Board was passed by the House without amendment and now goes to the Governor for his action.  A summary and House Fiscal Note are available.

Senate

Anti-Stream Buffers: House Bill 1565 (Hahn-R-Northampton) that environmental groups say weakens DEP requirements for stream buffers in Special Protection Watersheds was passed by the Senate 27 to 22 and returned to the House which voted 118 to 79 to concur in the amendments made by the Senate.  A summary of the House Fiscal Note are available.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.

NewsClips:

Stream Buffer Bill Wins Final OK

Senate Removes Stream Buffers For New Developments

Senate OKs Bill Overhauling Stream Pollution Rules

Bill Altering Buffer Zones Could Threaten Clean Streams

Bill Would Eliminate Buffer Requirement For PA’s Cleanest Streams

Op-Ed: Legislature Shouldn’t Gut State’s Streamside Protections

Veto Of Climate Plan: House Bill 2354 (Snyder-D-Fayette) which authorizes a one-House of the General Assembly to veto any greenhouse gas emission reduction plan required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  The Senate reverted to the House-passed language by a vote of 29 to 20 and it was then passed by the Senate 31 to 17. A summary and House Fiscal Note are available. The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.

NewsClips:

Senate OKs Larger Role For General Assembly Climate Plan

Lawmakers OK Bill To Approve Greenhouse Gas Plans

Is Climate Plan Bill A Victory For Coal Or Much Ado About Nothing?

Letter: PA Climate Plan Should Get Legislative Review

Editorial: Pre-Emptive Strike On Cleaner Air By House

Editorial: Politics Won’t Clean The Air

Oil & Gas Royalties: House Bill 402 (Pickett-R-Bradford) further providing for the recording of oil and gas leases was passed by the Senate without amendment and now goes to the Governor for his action.  A summary and House Fiscal Note are available.

Oil & Gas Well Production Reporting: House Bill 2278 (Pickett-R-Bradford) requiring semi-annual reporting of oil and gas production was passed by the Senate without changes and now goes to the Governor for his action. A summary and House Fiscal Note are available.

10/20/2014