This week Senate Republicans posted a list of their 2021 Senate Accomplishments during the first half of the 2021-22 legislative session.  Of the 112 bills and resolutions listed, only three were positive environmental proposals.

The positive bills were--

-- Reducing Pollution From Turf Fertilizer:  Senate Bill 251 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) which sets standards for the application of fertilizer to turf, provides for the certification of professional fertilizer applicators and for labeling and an education program that has been pending in the General Assembly for 11 years. It is now in the House for action.

-- Earmark Farmland Preservation Money For Land Trusts: Senate Bill 64 (Martin-R- Lancaster) directs that a portion of the state-allocated farmland preservation funding be set aside annually for use by land trusts [does not increase funding].

-- Increases Permitted Weight Of Electric Vehicles: Senate Bill 153 (Langerholc-R-Bedford) increases the permitted weight of electric powered trucks from 80,000 pounds to 82,000 pounds to accommodate the weight of the battery or battery pack.

Other Bills Highlighted

Other bills highlighted by Senate Republicans were--

-- Resolution Disapproving Carbon Pollution Reduction Program Covering Power Plants: Senate Concurrent Resolution #1 disapproving of the final regulation limiting carbon emissions from power plants consistent with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative passed the Senate and is now being considered by the House.  Read more here.

-- Bill Killing Carbon Pollution Reduction Program Covering Power Plants: Senate Bill 119 (Pittman-R-Indiana) would kill the proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Program covering power plants consistent with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.  The bill is now in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

-- Prohibit Communities From Promoting Clean Energy/Energy Efficiency: Senate Bill 275 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) which would limit the ability of communities to offer new and clean energy sources and energy efficiency programs by locking in the status quo, in particular natural gas was passed by the Senate and now goes to the House for action.  Read more here.

-- Restricts Does Not Ban PFAS In Fire Fighting Foams: Senate Bill 302 (Yaw) restricts but does not ban the use of “Class B” firefighting foams containing added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for training purposes.

-- Exempts Certain Vehicles From Emissions Testing: Senate Bill 777 (Langerholc-R- Bedford) exempts the five newest model year vehicles from the vehicle emissions test.

-- Kill Regulations By Doing Nothing: Senate Bill 520 (DiSanto-R-Dauphin) contains the single provision authorizing the General Assembly to kill economically significant regulations by doing nothing is now in the House State Government Committee.  Read more here from last session’s bill

-- Don’t Tell The Public Why A Regulation Is Being Proposed: Senate Bill 426 (Gordner-R- Columbia) prohibits agencies from publishing statements with regulations explaining the purpose of the regulation, why the regulation changes are being made and what those changes are.  Read more here.

-- Sets Up New Third Party Permitting Bureaucracy: Senate Bill 28 (Phillips-Hill-R-York)  that requires all state agencies to establish a new bureaucracy to require the review of permit applications by private contractors for applications that have been “delayed,” eliminating agency review of permit applications on behalf of the public and adding more state bureaucracy and cost on taxpayers is in the House Environmental Committee.  Read more here.

-- Reviving Old Sunset Review Process, In-Part: Senate Bill 126 (Brooks-R-Mercer) provides for an automatic review after three years of all regulations with an economic impact or cost to the Commonwealth, local governments and the private sector exceeding $1 million.  This brings back the old sunset review process, in-part, that legislators concluded years ago was a waste of time.

Click Here for the Senate Republican Accomplishments Report.

Related Article:

-- Good Environmental Bills Are Missing On The List Of Senate, House Accomplishments For 2021

[Posted: December 2, 2021]

12/6/2021