Several environmental bills moved this week. Here’s the rundown….

House

Environmental Education: Senate Bill 410 (M.White-R-Venango) establishing the Pennsylvania Environmental Education Center in law was referred to House Appropriations Committee.

Land Trust Reimbursements: Senate Bill 940 (Waugh-R-York) which would set aside up to $200,000 per year from the Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Fund to reimburse Land Trusts for expenses incurred in acquiring agricultural conservation easements was reported from House Appropriations Committee and is on the House Calendar for action.

Multi-Municipal Planning: House Bill 2040 (R.Stevenson-R-Mercer) providing for the adoption of multi-municipal and county comprehensive plans were mineral and other rights are owned by parties outside the area of the plan was reported from the Subcommittee on Townships to the full House Local Government Committee with recommendations for amendments.

State Energy Office: House Bill 2253 (George-D-Clearfield) which would create a State Energy Office and Energy Advisory Council within the Department of Environmental Protection was referred to House Appropriations Committee.

Senate

Reducing Mercury Emissions By 86 Percent: Senate Bill 1201 (M.J.White-R-Venango) establishing the Clean Air Mercury Compliance Act was reported by a vote of 10 to 1 from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

Healthy Farms, Healthy Schools: Senate Bill 1209 (Waugh-R-York) establishing the Healthy Farms & Healthy Schools Program was referred to House Appropriations Committee.

Emergency Response Team: House Bill 1905 (DiGiroland-R-Bucks) defining members of a community emergency response team as an employee under the Workers’ Compensation Act was amend and reported from House Labor Relations Committee and then re-referred to House Rules Committee.

Funding Sewage Laterals: House Bill 1108 (Rubley-R-Chester) establishing a program within PennVEST to fund repair or replace private sewer laterals was amended and Senate Bill 855 (Pippy-R-Allegheny) authorizing municipalities to expend public funds to repair or replace private sewer laterals were both reported from Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

Bills Introduced

Climate Change: House Bill 2744 (Vitali-D-Delaware) authorizing Municipal Climate Change Action Plans.

Stormwater Impacts: House Bill 2752 (Reichley-R-Berks) amending the Municipalities Planning Code to include an assessment of the impact of stormwater runoff quality, velocity and quality.

Air Quality Improvement Tax Credit: House Bill 2771 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) establishes the PA Coal and Air Quality Improvement Tax Credit giving power plants that install advanced air pollution control equipment and burn Pennsylvania coal a tax credit of $3/ton up to a cap of $30 million annually.

6/16/2006