PA Environment Digest

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News From PA House & Senate

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

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

-- Two Bipartisan Bills Just Sitting In Senate Waiting To Address Record Number Of Water Quality Impaired Streams Reported In 2022 [PaEN]

-- Senate Democratic Policy Committee Jan. 28 Hearing On $300 Million Anthracite Ridge Wind Farm In Schuylkill County [PaEN]

-- MCall Guest Essay: How We Helped Stabilize PA’s Economy During Pandemic - Sen. Browne (R) [Spoiler: He didn’t thank Biden/Congress for the federal aid that propped up state, local budgets.]

-- Gov. Wolf Vetoes Resolution That Would Kill Carbon Pollution Reduction Program For Power Plants; General Assembly Failed To Act Within Statutory Deadlines [PaEN]

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Wolf Vetoes Measure To Block RGGI Entrance

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: With Veto, Wolf Keeps Key Climate Change Initiative Breathing, Why Should You Care?

-- PA Cap-Star: Wolf Vetoes Republican Effort To Block Carbon Fee On PA Power Plants

-- Gov. Wolf: Energy, Environment, Faith Sustainability, Immigration Advocacy Groups Support Veto Of RGGI Resolution

-- Republican Sen. Pittman Reacts To Wolf Veto Of RGGI Disapproval Resolution

-- Senate Republican Caucus Response To Gov. Wolf’s Veto Of RGGI Resolution

-- Sen. Yaw: Override Necessary To Protect Pennsylvanians From Gov. Wolf’s Carbon Tax

-- Sen. Bartolotta: Online Meeting Of PA Legislative Gas & Oil Caucus - Prices Increases For Natural Gas & Oil Primary Topic - Video

-- TribLive Guest Essay: What Critics Get Wrong About Energy ‘Choice’ Legislation - Sen. Yaw

-- YorkDR: Rep. Gillespie Elected Chair Of PA Chesapeake Bay Commission Delegation

Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week--

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Top 10 Stories: Harrisburg/PA Politics Reported By Local News Media Last Week [PaEN]

Bills Moving Last Week

House

Exempt Certain Lake Erie Structures From Fees: House Bill 2019 (Wentling-R-Mercer) would exempt certain Lake Erie shoreline structures from paying annual fees was reported out of the House Appropriations Committee and passed by the House. The bill is now in the Senate for consideration.

Prohibit Local Governments From Promoting Clean Energy: House Bill 1947 (O’Neal-R- Washington) would prohibit local governments from promoting clean energy and energy efficiency was reported from the House Appropriations Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action. [Read more here.]

Expanding C-PACE Program: 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 was amended and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Tax Breaks For Fossil Fuel Industry: House Bill 199 (Dunbar-R-Westmoreland) providing a significant state tax break to the fossil fuel industry by creating a Personal Income Tax deduction for the cost or percent depletion of mines, oil and gas wells, coal and other natural deposits. The potential impact on state revenues has not been estimated by the Department of Revenue. The bill was reported out of the House Finance Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action. It is part of a package of bills House Republicans are moving to make state tax code provision match up with the federal tax code.

Bill Calendars

Senate (January 18): 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 522 (Baker-R-Luzerne, Yudichak-I-Luzerne) further providing for the testing of blood lead levels in children; 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. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

House (January 24): House Bill 1947 (O’Neal-R- Washington) would prohibit local governments from promoting clean energy and energy efficiency [Read more here.]; 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 [Read more here]; 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 [Read more here]. <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House

February 15-- House Appropriations Committee state budget hearings begin. 10:00-Dept. Of Revenue. House Floor. Click Here to watch live.

February 23-- House Game and Fisheries Committee informational meeting on Game Commission Annual Report. Room 60 East Wing. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live.

February 24-- House Game and Fisheries Committee informational meeting on Fish and Boat Commission Annual Report. Room 60 East Wing. 1:00 p.m. Click Here to watch live.

February 28-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearing: 10:00- Department of Environmental Protection. House Floor. Click Here to watch live.

March 2-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearing: 10:00- Department of Agriculture. House Floor. Click Here to watch live.

-- Click Here for full House Budget Hearing Schedule

<> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

January 19-- Senate Transportation Committee meets to consider House Bill 763 (B.Miller-R- Lancaster) directing PennDOT to use nature plants along highways. Room 461. 10:00 a.m. May be available online.

January 24-- Performance-Based Budget Board meets on Independent Fiscal Office review of Coal Refuse and Reclamation and other tax credits. Room 140. 10:00.

January 26-- Performance-Based Budget Board meets on Dept. of Agriculture report. Room 140 Main Capitol. 10:00 a.m.

January 28-- Senate Democratic Policy Committee hearing on Anthracite Ridge Wind Farm Project. Live Stream. 10:00 a.m. Read more here.

February 22 - Senate Appropriations Committee state budget hearings begin. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live.

March 2 - Senate Appropriations Committee state budget hearings: 10:00 - Department of Conservation & Natural Resources; 2:30 - Department of Environmental Protection. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live.

March 3 - Senate Appropriations Committee state budget hearings: 10:00 - Department of Agriculture. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live.

-- Click Here for full Senate Budget Hearing Schedule.

<> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

Eliminating EQB: House Bill 2242 (Keefer-R-York) would abolish the Environmental Quality Board as the rulemaking body for the Department of Environmental Protection and give that authority to the Secretary like in other state agencies.

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

January 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