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News From PA House & Senate
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The information you need to follow legislation in the House and Senate- starting with articles and NewsClips from last week-- Environment & Energy NewsClips-- -- Good Environmental Bills Are Missing On The List Of Senate, House Accomplishments For 2021 [PaEN] -- House Republicans Schedule Nov. 16 Committee Meeting On Bills Amending State Constitution To Invalidate Regulations Unilaterally Without Any Review Of Their Actions [PaEN] -- Spotlight PA: Republican House Speaker Wants To Greatly Expand Lawmakers’ Power Over Governor, Executive Branch -- City & State: Republicans Unveil New Constitutional Amendments To Curb Executive Power -- Senate, House Legislation Would Raise $350 Million A Year To Clean Up Polluted Water [PaEN] -- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Republican Lawmakers Push For More Say On DEP Air Quality Advisory Board 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]
Senate & House Bills Moving Last Week House Mining & Reclamation Advisory Board: House Bill 668 (James-R-Venango) adding a member of the coal refuse industry to DEP’s Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board was reported out of the House Appropriations Committee [House Fiscal Note & Summary] and was passed by the House. It is now in the Senate for action. Protecting PA Refineries: House Resolution 148 (White-R- Philadelphia) urging EPA to revise nationwide Renewable Fuel Standard to provide relief to refiners in Pennsylvania was adopted by the House. Kill RGGI Regulations: Senate Concurrent Resolution #1 disapproving of the final regulation limiting carbon emissions from power plants consistent with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was reported out of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee on a party-line vote-- Republicans supporting-- and is now on the House Calendar for action. Read more here. Wildlife Conservation Corridors: House Resolution 74 (Daley-D-Montgomery) directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study of conservation corridors in Pennsylvania. A conservation corridor is defined as habitat linkage that joins two or more areas of wildlife habitat, allowing for fish passage or the movement of plant or animal wildlife from one area to another (sponsor summary). The resolution was reported out of the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee and referred to the House Transportation Committee.
Senate $500 Million For Conservation: 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 [Read more here] was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Establish A Fake Program To Reduce Water Pollution: 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 and establish a fake program to help reduce nutrient pollution [Read more here] was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Air Quality Advisory Committee: Senate Bill 301 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) eliminating appointment of DEP’s Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee members by the Governor and changing it to appointments made by the House, Senate and the Governor. [Note: The bill was originally introduced last session because Sen. Yaw was unhappy the Committee did not outright oppose DEP’s proposed regulation to reduce carbon pollution from power plants consistent with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. In May of this year, the Committee voted to approve the final regulation for consideration by the Environmental Quality Board. ] The bill was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee in a party-line vote-- Republicans supporting-- and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. Garage Floor Drains: Senate Bill 776 (Laughlin-R-Erie) to amend Act 537 to allow garage floor drains to be discharged to an on-lot sewage system was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee in a party-line vote-- Republicans supporting-- and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. Prescriptive Easements: House Bill 598 (Oberlander-R-Clarion) would limit actions to create prescriptive easements to public entities like state agencies and local governments, not private entities was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee in a party-line vote-- Republicans supporting-- and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.
Bill Calendars Senate (December 13): 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 301 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) eliminating appointment of DEP’s Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee members by the Governor and changing it to appointments made by the House, Senate and the Governor; 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]; House Bill 598 (Oberlander-R-Clarion) would limit actions to create prescriptive easements to public entities like state agencies and local governments, not private entities; Senate Bill 776 (Laughlin-R-Erie) to amend Act 537 to allow garage floor drains to be discharged to an on-lot sewage system. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar. NEW. House Republican Summary Of House Floor Action House (November 15): <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.
Committee Meetings House -- November 15-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 2075 (Knowles-R- Schuylkill) abrogating DEP’s air pollution control regulations covering heavy-duty trucks [Note: DEP already suspended enforcement of these regulations November 6 - Read more here.]; House Bill 2019 (Wentling-R-Erie) exempting landowners along Lake Erie from annual submerged land fees to state for groin structure (sponsor summary); House Resolution 149 (Rigby-R-Cambria) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the “harmful economic impacts” of DEP’s proposed biosolids permit revisions. [Note: DEP is just at the beginning of the process to develop proposed permit changes.]. Room B-31 Main Capitol. 11:00 a.m. Click Here to watch the meeting online. -- November 15-- House Education Committee meets to consider House Bill 465 (Boback-R-Luzerne) require schools to test water for lead. Room 523 Irvis Building. 10:30. Click Here to watch the meeting online. -- November 16-- House State Government Committee meets to consider House Bill 2069 (Cutler-R-Lancaster) Amend Article III, Section 9, to exempt the disapproval of a regulation by the General Assembly from the presentment requirement for the governor’s approval or disapproval; House Bill 2070 (Cutler-R-Lancaster) Amend Article IV, to add a new section providing that any executive order or proclamation issued by the governor, which purports to have the force of law, may not be in effect for more than 21 days, unless extended by concurrent resolution of the General Assembly. Room 515 of the Irvis Office Building. 8:30 a.m. Click Here to watch the meeting online. Click Here for more on the agenda. <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule. Senate -- November 17-- Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee holds a hearing on Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery site and cleanup effort. The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Rosenberger Hall Room 102, 600 S. 43rd Street. 10:00 a.m. Click Here for information coming to watch online. <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.
Bills Introduced Oil & Gas Well Setbacks: House Bill 1465 (Otten-D-Chester) establishing setback distances from well sites, compressors stations and other natural gas infrastructure (sponsor summary). Original Jurisdiction For Environmental Crimes By Attorney General: House Bill 1466 (Otten-D-D-Chester) providing for original jurisdiction for environmental crimes by the Attorney General (sponsor summary). Eliminating Governor From Regulatory Process: House Bill 2069 (Cutler-R-Lancaster) proposing an amendment to the constitution eliminating presentment to the Governor for resolutions disapproving of regulations. Read more here. Limiting Terms Of Executive Orders: House Bill 2070 (Cutler-R-Lancaster) proposing an amendment to the constitution to limit the term of any Executive Order that has the force of law issued by a Governor to 21 days, unless it is extended by the General Assembly. Read more here. AEPS Credits For Combined Heat & Power Facilities: Senate Bill 929 (DiSanto-R- Cumberland) increasing the eligibility of combined heat and power facilities for renewable energy credits under the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards to benefit Penn State Hershey Medical Center, according to the 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-- House November 15, 16, 17 December 13, 14, 15 January 4 (NV), 10, 11, 12, 24, 25, 26 February 7, 8, 9 March 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 April 11, 12, 13, 25, 26, 27 May 23, 24, 25 June 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30 September 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 October 24, 25, 26 November 14, 15, 16 Senate December 13, 14, 15 |
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11/15/2021 |
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