The following bills of interest saw action last week in the Senate--

Senate

Local Energy Project Funding: Senate Bill 234 (Blake-D-Lackawanna) would authorize local governments to create energy improvement districts to help fund energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation projects by commercial and industrial buildings to reduce their operating costs, was amended and reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee and passed by the Senate. A Senate Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill now goes to the House for action.  Click Here for more

Growing Greener III: Senate Bill 799 (Alloway-R-Franklin) a voluntary program to allow municipalities to pay for nutrient reductions was amended on the floor to include the Growing Greener III initiative in Senate Bill 705 (Killion-R-Delaware) without funding and with changes to the underlying bill and was passed by the Senate 47 to 2.  The bill now goes to the House for action.  Click Here for more.

DEP Permit Program Review: Senate Resolution 226 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct an independent performance evaluation of DEP’s Chapter 102 Erosion and Sedimentation) and Chapter 105 (Water Obstruction and Encroachment) permitting programs (sponsor summary) was unanimously reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Click Here for more.

Urge End To DCNR Drilling Moratorium: Senate Resolution 104 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) resolution urging the Governor to end the moratorium on new non-surface disturbance natural gas drilling on state forest land (sponsor summary) was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee with Republicans supporting, Democrats opposed and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Deep Mine Rescue Medical Certification: House Bill 1341 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) further providing for training and certification of emergency medical personnel responding to bituminous deep mine accidents (House Fiscal Note and summary) was unanimously reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Exempt Ag High Tunnels From Stormwater Permitting: House Bill 1486 (Zimmerman-R- Lancaster) exempting agricultural high-tunnel structures from the Stormwater Management Act (House Fiscal Note and summary), with opposition from the departments of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee with one opposing vote.

Preserved Farm Restrictions: House Bill 1550 (Klunk-R-York) changing restrictions on preserved land to allow for an additional residence (House Fiscal Note and summary) was reported from the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Stormwater Fee Package: House Bill 913 providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by incorporated towns; House Bill 914 providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by boroughs; House Bill 915 providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by first class townships; and  House Bill 916 providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by Cities of the Third Class was reported out of the Senate Local Government Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

2/5/2018