The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet September 28 on legislation that would allocate a portion of the $5 billion Pennsylvania has available in federal American Rescue Fund monies for local environmental improvement projects.

The bills listed for consideration include--

-- Senate Bill 832 (Yaw-R-Lycoming)  to allocate $250 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act to establish a Clean Streams Fund for Pennsylvania (sponsor summary).

WARNING: This bill includes a sneaky attempt to adopt a one-size-fits-all, bureaucratic state-run nutrient credit procurement program that has been promoted in one version or another by one company-- Bion Environmental Technologies-- and its allies which has been rejected by local stakeholders since 2013 [Read more here].

This approach is incompatible with the local, county-based grassroots-driven approach now used to implement the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Plan to reduce water pollution and is drafted to guarantee taxpayers fund the most expensive nutrient reduction technologies promoted by Bion compared to a dozen other options.  Read more here.

It’s a pretend solution to solving Pennsylvania nutrient pollution problem.

And to top it off, there was nothing about this program in the memo sent by the prime sponsor to his colleagues asking them to co-sponsor this legislation-- classic bait and switch move.

Sen. Yaw-- stick with Senate Bill 465-- everyone likes that one and has called for its adoption.  Read more here.

-- Senate Bill 525 (Gordner-R-Columbia, Comitta--D-Chester) is bipartisan legislation allocating $500 million from the federal American Rescue Plan to fund Growing Greener watershed, farm conservation, mine reclamation and recreation projects.  This bill is being promoted by the Growing Greener Coalition and other groups.  Read more here.

-- Senate Bill 806 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) further providing for natural gas royalty interest payment transparency.

Informational Briefing

Also on the Committee agenda is an informational briefing on “PJM’s MOPR proposal and maintaining competitive and reliable energy markets.”

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is holding a similar briefing on September 27. 

The Senate Committee meeting will be held in Hearing Room 1 North Office Building starting at 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch it live.

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-3280 or sending email to: gyaw@pasen.gov.   Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-5709 or sending email to: senatorcomitta@pasenate.com.

NewsClip:

-- Utility Dive Guest Essay: PJM Cities & Communities Coalition To FERC - It’s Time For The MOPR To Go

Related Articles:

-- Senate Bill 832: Fake Solution To Nutrient Pollution Promoted By Bait & Switch

-- Growing Greener Coalition: American Rescue Plan For Water & Green Infrastructure

-- DCNR Secretary: American Rescue Fund Dollars One Option To Address $1 Billion State Parks, Forests Maintenance Project Backlog, Paying Back Oil & Gas Fund  [PaEN]

-- Growing Greener Coalition: Let’s Invest In Natural Infrastructure So We Don’t Have To Worry About Floods

-- Senate/House Return Sept. 20 - Will They Fund Local Flood Prevention, Watershed Restoration, Recreation Projects With Part Of The $5 Billion That’s Laying Around?

-- Presidents Of PA Farm Bureau, Farm Groups: In Chesapeake Bay Watershed Call For USDA To Create $737 Million Resilient Farms Initiative

[Posted: September 24, 2021]

9/27/2021