The information you need to follow legislation in the House and Senate- starting with articles and NewsClips from last week--

-- House Republicans Now Want To Take Away All DEP’s Application Fee Revenue To Further De-Fund Environmental Protection Programs [PaEN]

-- House Environmental Committee Sets Aug. 17 Hearing On Environmental, Economic Benefits Of Pipelines; DEP Fined Pipelines Over $55 Million For Violations Over Last 5 Years  [PaEN]

-- Senate Environmental Committee: Meets Aug. 18 To Vote On Letter Disapproving Final Carbon Pollution Reduction Reg. Covering Power Plants [RGGI]  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw: SB 465 Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program A Win-Win For PA’s Farmers And Local Water Quality [If passed and funded]

Bill Calendars

Senate (September 20): Senate Bill 284 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would load up renewable energy projects, energy efficiency products and high-efficiency  locomotives with bonds to prevent their development.  Read more here; Senate Bill 435-- encouraging the development of clean transportation infrastructure to support electric, natural gas and hydrogen vehicles; Senate Bill 545 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) changes the definition of what constitutes reportable water pollution under the state Clean Streams Law. Read more here; Senate Bill 597 (Stefano-R- Fayette) would impose conflicting and expensive requirements on small water and wastewater systems for no benefit to their customers and if they can’t comply they would come under the regulation of the Public Utility Commission Read more here; Senate Bill 717 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) create a new stand for review of DEP permit actions that narrows the grounds for appeals by citizen groups and companies. Read more here; Senate Bill 718 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) shorten the terms of a judge on the Environmental Hearing Board from six to five years. Read more here. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

House (September 27): House Bill 591 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) providing for exemptions for NPDES water quality permits;  House Bill 763 (B-Miller-R-Lancaster) would require PennDOT to develop a list of native vegetation species that can be used in roadside work that is done throughout the state. <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar. 

Committee Meetings

House   

-- August 10-- House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on infrastructure and green spaces. Holy Family University, 9801 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia.  10:00 p.m.

-- August 17-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee hearing on the “environmental and economic benefits of pipelines.”  Room G-50 Irvis Building.  11:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

-- August 26-- House Consumer Affairs Committee hearing on solar energy in PA.  Penn State Brandywine Campus, Media, Delaware County. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live [if available].

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

-- August 18-- Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to trove on letter disapproving final Carbon Pollution Reduction Regulation Covering Power Plants.  Room 461 Main Capitol. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch online [If Available]    Click Here for more on the agenda.

-- August 24-- Center for Rural Pennsylvania public hearing on invasive species in rural Pennsylvania.  10:00 a.m.  Click Here to register to attend online.

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

Taking DEP Permit Fees: House Bill 1755 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) would take away all Department of Environmental Protection permit application fees collected by the agency and deposit them into the General Fund rather than into the accounts now set up in law to pay for specific environmental protection programs.  Read more here.

Expanding C-PACE:  House Bill 1760 (Heffley-R-Carbon) expanding the Property Assessed Clean Energy Program- C-PACE-- to multifamily commercial buildings, indoor air improvements and resiliency improvements (sponsor summary).

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.

Session Schedule

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

Senate

September 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29

October 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27

November 15, 16, 17

December 13, 14, 15

House 

September 27, 28, 29

October 4, 5, 6, 25, 26, 27

November 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17

December 13, 14, 15

8/9/2021