DEP’s Recycling Fund Advisory Committee and Solid Waste Advisory Committee hold a joint meeting on September 21 to review the proposed Recycling Fund spending plan for FY 2017-18 with real numbers about how the monies in the Fund are used.

The House Republican budget proposal narrowly passed on Wednesday would take $70 million from the Recycling Fund, that’s nearly twice the expected $39.3 million income to the Fund in FY 2017-18.

A $70 million cut, if it stands, will mean DEP will not have the money to pay already approved grants and that any new grants are nearly out of the question.

Also left unresolved by the General Assembly is extending the January 1, 2020 sunset date for the $2 Recycling Fee.

Based on the fee issue alone, DEP had already stopped accepting applications for new Act 101 Recycling Implementation Grants because grantees are typically are reimbursed for what they spend over 2 or 3 years.

In April, Sen. Tom Killion (R-Delaware) introduced Senate Bill 646  eliminating the sunset date altogether.  The bill is supported by environmental groups, including the Professional Recyclers of PA, Keep PA Beautiful, PA Resources Council, PA Environmental Council and others. The Senate passed the bill on June 13.  Click Here for more.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee amended the bill to extend the sunset date by 1 year on June 29 and the bill is now on the House Calendar for action.

The House also amended an Administrative Code bill-- Senate Bill 446 (McGarrigle-R- Delaware)-- on July 11 to include a 3 year extension of the Recycling Fee.  The bill is now in the House Appropriations Committee.  This bill also includes several provisions opposed by environmental and other group

The Senate passed another Administrative Code bill-- House Bill 118 (Kaufer-R- Luzerne)-- on July 27 as part of the budget revenue package that removes the sunset date on the Recycling Fee.  The bill is now back in the House for a concurrence vote.  This bill also includes several provisions opposed by environmental and other groups.

Also on the agenda is--

-- Act 101 Reforms Workgroup discussion;

-- Discussion of recycling convenience centers; and

-- Update on the recycling economic impact study from the PA Recycling Markets Center.

The meeting will be held in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg starting at 10:00. 

For more information and available handouts, visit DEP’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee webpage.  The DEP contact for the Committee is Laura Henry, lahenry@pa.gov or 717-772-5713.

[Posted: Sept. 14, 2017]

9/18/2017