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

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

-- PG - Robert Swift: PA State Senators Propose Tapping American Rescue Plan Money To Fund Local Environmental Restoration Projects

-- Senate Environmental Committee Sets Sept. 14 Meeting To Consider Resolution Killing Final Power Plant Carbon Pollution Reduction Regulations  [PaEN]

-- WilliamsportS Editorial: Sen. Yaw Correct About State Collaboration With RGGI

-- House Committee Sets Sept. 27 Hearing On Biosolids Permit Revisions [PaEN]

-- House Adds Sept. 20, 21, 22 To Voting Session Schedule

PA Capitol News: Top 10 Stories From Harrisburg Last Week--

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- PA Capitol News: Top 10 Stories From Harrisburg Last Week  [PaEN]

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 20): 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   

September 27-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee hearing on “Biosolids Management Permit Revisions.” Room G-50 Irvis Building. 9:30.  Click Here to watch the hearing online.  Click Here for more on the agenda.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

September 14-- Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets on a concurrent resolution to kill final power plant carbon pollution reduction regulations.  Hearing Room 1 North Office Building.  11:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch the meeting live.  (Click Here for more on the agenda.) 

October 1-- Center For Rural Pennsylvania hearing on solar energy development in rural Pennsylvania-- policy approaches, starting and decommissioning a solar project.  Shippensburg University Conference Center, 2nd Floor, 500 Newburg Road, Shippensburg.  9:00 a.m.  Click Here to register to join via Zoom.  Contact: Christine Caldara-Piatos, caldarac@rural.pa.gov.

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

Changing Definition Of Water Pollution: House Bill 1842  (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) amends the state Clean Streams Law to redefine what constitutes water pollution and allows a company to decide when to report spills and discharges causing pollution-- companion to Senate Bill 619 Yaw-R-Lycoming) last session.  Read more here.

            The Senate moved similar legislation-- Senate Bill 545 (Yaw-R-Lycoming)-- out of Committee in June.  It is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Read more here.

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  [Updated]

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

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

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

December 13, 14, 15

9/13/2021