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

House

Freezing Environmental Project Funding: House Bill 1822 (M.Keller-R-Perry) was amended by Republicans in the House Appropriations Committee to include a provision freezing any new funding commitments from 16 different special fund, nearly all funding local recreation, conservation and environmental restoration projects, for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency.  The bill was passed by the House on a party line vote-- Republicans supporting-- and now goes to the Senate for action.  Read more here 

Blocking Environmental Regulations: Senate Bill 327 (Argall-R-Schuylkill)-- that would also open many businesses immediately was amended to take out a provision allowing counties to lift COVID-19 restrictions on business and language added from House Bill 2416 blocking any regulations from being final for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency.  The bill was passed by the House on a party line vote-- Republicans supporting-- and returned to the Senate for a concurrence vote.  Read more here.

Blocking Environmental Regulations: House Bill 2416 (Everett-R-Lycoming) that would stop any proposed or final environmental or other state agency regulation from being finalized until at least 90 days after the March 6 COVID-19 emergency declaration by the Governor is terminated was reported out of the House State Government Committee by a party line vote-- Republicans supporting-- and is now on the House Calendar for action.  Read more here.

Senate

State Game Lands: House Bill 752 (Turzai-R-Allegheny) eliminating the cap on the purchase of State Game Lands in Allegheny County was passed by the Senate without amendment and the bill now goes to the Governor for his action (Senate Fiscal Note & Summary).

On-lot Septic Systems: Senate Bill 1030 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) amending the Sewage Facilities Act to change the process for considering alternative on-lot sewage disposal systems (sponsor summary) and seeks to supercede 2018 draft Technology Verification Protocol and site suitability requirements being developed by DEP that has not yet been finalized or presented in final draft form to DEP’s Sewage Advisory Committee was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Stream Cleaning: Senate Bill 679 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) directs the Environmental Quality Board to develop regulations that authorize counties to adopt a program for “stream cleaning” and maintenance and the removal of obstructions and flood-related hazards from our local waterways (sponsor summary) was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  [Note: This bill would impose significant costs on county conservation districts over a period of years and does not provide any funding to implement and it is based on a program established in Bradford County that cannot be easily duplicated elsewhere.]

4/27/2020