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

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

-- New Abandoned Wells: DEP Records Show Abandoning Oil & Gas Wells Without Plugging Them Is Pervasive In Conventional Drilling Industry; Who Is Protecting Taxpayers? [PaEN]

-- PG Guest Essay: Creating A Mineral Supply Chain From Mining Wastes - Jennifer Wilcox, DOE [PA Highlighted - Why Don’t State Lawmakers Support This?]

-- PG Editorial: Ukraine Is The End Of Easy Peace, PA Can Play Key Supply Chain Role By Reclaiming Critical Rare Earth Elements From Coal Mine Waste  [Why Don’t PA Lawmakers Support This?]

-- Senate Republicans File To Intervene To Oppose The DEP Lawsuit To Publish Final RGGI Carbon Pollution Reduction Regulations  [PaEN]  [To help with today’s energy prices?  PA will still be at the mercy of international energy markets]

-- Republican Senators Yaw, Pittman, Langerholc Introduce Resolution Urging Biden To Restart The Keystone XL Pipeline [A Canadian Oil pipeline. From American Petroleum Institute Talking Points]

-- WKOK Podcast: Interview With Sen. Yaw On Energy, Harrisburg Issues

-- Fish & Boat Commission: Annual Report Presentation By Timothy Schaeffer, Executive Director; 20212 Annual Report

-- Game Commission: Annual Report Presentation By Bryan Burhans, Executive Director;  2021 Annual Report

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]

Bill Calendars

House (March 21): House Bill 1161 (Mizgorski-R- Allegheny) authorizing the establishment of a local solar energy subscriber program [not preferred by clean energy advocates 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.

Senate (March 28): 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 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 1030 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) to temporarily suspend Pennsylvania’s regulations which adopted California regulations related to heavy-duty vehicle diesel controls, leaving the federal standards to govern while the suspension is in effect [Read more here];  House Bill 221 (Rader-R-Monroe) authorizing use of open space preservation funding for maintenance. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

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

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

Pay For Faster DEP Permit Reviews: House Bill 2365 (Fritz-R-Wayne) would establish a system in DEP where applicants would pay more for faster permit reviews and establish the DEP Permit Decision Guarantee Program in law (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

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

March 28, 29, 30

April 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13

May 23, 24, 25

June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30

2/28/2022