Here are the Senate and House Calendars for the next voting session day and Committees scheduling action on bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--

Bill Calendars

House (June 18): House Bill 1401 (DiGirolamo-R-Bucks) which amends Title 58 to impose a sliding scale natural gas severance tax, in addition to the Act 13 drilling impact fee, on natural gas production (NO money for environmental programs) and includes provisions related to minimum landowner oil and gas royalties; House Bill 1446 (Quinn-R- Bucks) encouraging infrastructure for electric and natural gas fueled vehicles;  House Bill 1284 (Peifer-R-Pike) directs DCED to develop a one-stop-shop online permitting portal for business (sponsor summary); House Resolution 284 (Moul-R-Adams) urging Congress to repeal the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s MS4 Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (sponsor summary).  <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (June 18): Senate Bill 819 (Aument-R-Lancaster) amending the Agricultural Security Law to provide for agritourism uses on protected land was referred into and out of the Senate Appropriations Committee (Senate Fiscal Note and summary); Senate Bill 820 (Aument-R- Lancaster) providing liability protection for owners and operators of on-farm agritourism activities (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 917 (Dinniman-R-Chester) amends Act 101 Municipal Waste Planning and Recycling Act to include spent mushroom compost under the definition of “compost materials to encourage its reuse (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 930 (Dinniman-D- Chester) sets notification requirements related to pipeline emergencies (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 931 (Dinniman-D-Chester) requires the installation of automatic or remote controlled safety values in natural gas pipelines in densely populated areas; Senate Bill 1171 (Brooks-R- Crawford) replacing the Nutrient Management Advisory Board with the Farm Animal Advisory Board (sponsor summary); 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); Senate Resolution 326 (Vogel-R-Beaver) encourage Congress to recognize the Eastern Legacy of the Lewis and Clark National Trail for its historic national significance (sponsor summary); Senate Resolution 373 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) is a concurrent Senate-House resolution to establish a Senate-House legislative Commission to Study Pipeline Construction and Operations and to recommend improvements for the safe transport of oil, natural gas and other hazardous liquids through pipelines; Senate Resolution 375 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) urging Congress to support the development of an ethane storage hub in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary);  House Bill 544 (Moul-R-Adams) further providing for liability protection for landowners opening their land for public recreation; House Bill 927 (Rader-R-Monroe) amends Act 101 Municipal Waste Planning and Recycling Act to eliminate the mandate on smaller municipalities to have a leaf waste collection program (House Fiscal Note and summary); House Bill 1782 (Delozier-R-Cumberland) authorizing alternative ratemaking such as decoupling, performance-based, multiyear and other mechanisms for utilities regulated by the PUC, including electric, natural gas, water and wastewater services. (House Fiscal Note and summary). <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

House: the Consumer Affairs Committee holds a hearing on competitive energy supplier sales and marketing practices; the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 2304 (Fritz-R-Susquehanna) which would enact the oil and gas well permitting reforms proposed by Gov. Wolf in January; the State Government Committee meets to consider House Bill 2105 (Fritz-R-Susquehanna) eliminating outdated boards and commissions (including the Energy Development Authority) (sponsor summary); the Consumer Affairs Committee meets to consider House Bill 107 (Godshall-R-Montgomery) providing a mechanism to cover costs of extending natural gas distribution systems (sponsor summary), House Bill 2075 (Charlton-R-Delaware) lead water service line and damaged sewer lateral replacement (sponsor summary).  <>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate: the Judiciary Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 1199 (Rafferty-R- Montgomery) providing for a landowners’ bill of rights in cases of eminent domain, including by private entities like pipeline companies (sponsor summary); the Urban Affairs and Housing Committee and Senate Republican Policy Committee Joint Workshop on Historic Preservation Tax Credits  <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Other: the Senate House Nuclear Energy Caucus meets.

Bills Pending In Key Committees

Check the PA Environmental Council Bill Tracker for the status and updates on pending state legislation and regulations that affect environmental and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.

Bills Introduced

The following bills of interest were introduced last week--

Growing Greener: House Bill 2485 (English-R-Allegheny) adding new categories of energy, community redevelopment and environmental projects and existing programs like the REAP farm conservation tax credit program to be funded through the Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund and removing the requirement that debt service for the Growing Greener II bond issue be paid from the Fund ($20 million, which means a net loss of Growing Greener funding because of the existing programs added to the Fund, page H25) (sponsor summary).

Keystone Tree Fund: House Bill 2486 (Everett-R-Lycoming) establishing a check off on vehicle registrations and drivers licenses for the Keystone Tree Fund (sponsor summary).

Dredging Schuylkill River: House Resolution 979 (Cephas-D-Philadelphia) urging Congress to allocate funding for dredging the Schuylkill River near Philadelphia (sponsor summary).

Keystone Tree Fund: Senate Bill 1208 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) establishing a check off on vehicle registrations and drivers licenses for the Keystone Tree Fund (sponsor summary).

Loyalsock Creek: Senate Resolution 388 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) recognizing the Loyalsock Creek as the 2018 River of the Year (sponsor summary).  The House adopted an identical resolution Tuesday-- House Resolution 964 (Everett-R-Lycoming).

Session Schedule

Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--

Senate

June 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29

House

June 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

Governor’s Schedule

Gov. Tom Wolf's work calendar will be posted each Friday and his public schedule for the day will be posted each morning.   Click Here to view Gov. Wolf’s Weekly Calendar and Public Appearances.

6/18/2018