PA Environment Digest

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Feature - Legislative & Program Milestones in 2005

Photo: Bruce Golden

Passage of the $625 million environmental bond issue by over 60 percent of voters and the accompanying implementing legislation by the General Assembly reallocating existing environmental funding were clearly the major legislative highlight of 2005.

But the General Assembly also passed legislation that authorized more local funding for watershed associations, provided funding for DEP’s Storage Tank regulatory program and established an alternative to local regulation of farming activities.

The year also saw a number of major program and policy initiatives starting from scratch or being implemented from legislation passed last year, including regulations implementing the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards, a proposed Pennsylvania-only rule limiting mercury emissions, the release of Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy and an interim final Nutrient and Sediment Trading Policy, proposed adoption of the California vehicle emission standards, a major state land use policy initiative, the swearing in of a new Attorney General with a strong environmental enforcement policy, utilities making major investments in pollution controls and much more.

Here’s a quick rundown on the environmental legislation passed and some major actions taken on the policy and program side in 2005.

Environmental Legislation Passed

Growing Greener II Ballot Question: House Bill 2 (Quigley-R-Montgomery) authorizes a $625 million environmental bond issue question to be put to voters on May 17 was Act 1 of 2005.

Environmental Bond Implementation: House Bill 3 (Quigley-R-Montgomery) implementing legislation for the $625 million environmental bond issue and reallocating funding from the Environmental Stewardship Fund is Act 45.

Watershed Assn. Funding: House Bill 136, House Bill 266 and House Bill 267 (Fleagle-R-Franklin) authorizing local government funding of watershed associations were signed by the Governor and are now Acts 11, 13 and 14

Scenic Byway: Senate Bill 721 (Lemmond-R-Luzerne) designating a portion of Route 6 in Wyoming County and Route 92 in Susquehanna County a scenic byway is Act 35.

Freezing Storage Tank Fees: Senate Bill 722 (Musto-D-Luzerne) extending the sunset date for the small heating oil storage tank cleanup program, making tank registration fees permanent for a period of four years and authorizing transfer of administrative funds to DEP upon USTIF Board Approval was signed by the Governor and is Act 36

ACRE Proposal: House Bill 1646 (Hershey-R-Chester) providing a process for appealing local ordinances in conflict with the Right to Farm Act was signed into law and is now Act 38

Infrastructure Security Projects: House Bill 612 (Rubley-R-Chester) authorizing funding for water and sewage system security projects signed into law as Act 61.

Sewage Task Force: House Resolution 88 (Hutchinson-R-Venango,) establishing a sewage management and treatment task force and directing the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee

Low-Income Energy Help: House Bill 1539 (Nickol-R-York) to provide emergency heating assistance to low-income households was signed into law as Act 81.

Tributary Strategy: House Resolution 539 (Nailor-R-Cumberland) urges the Department of Environmental Protection to delay implementation of the Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy for nine months to allow time for the agency to meet with stakeholders and determine the cost and economic impact of compliance strategies was passed unanimously by the House December 14.