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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-- -- 6th Oil/Natural Gas Shock: U.S. - European Commission Agreement Calls For Reducing Demand For All Natural Gas And Accelerating Deployment Of Clean Energy Measures -- Republican House Bill Contains Natural Gas Industry Wish List Of Measures To Expand Natural Gas Drilling, Subsidize Pipeline Expansion, Automatically Approve Well Permits, Preempt Local Governments [PaEN] -- Republican Rep. Fritz Introduces Bills To Unilaterally Amend Delaware River Basin Commission Compact To End Fracking Moratorium [PaEN] -- TribLive Guest Essay: PA Should Take Lead In Hitting Russia In Its Budget By Unleashing Natural Gas Industry - House Republican Leader [See this week’s 6th Oil/Natural Gas Shock for the real story] -- Inquirer Editorial: Republicans In Harrisburg Are Using Ukraine To Promote A Climate-Denialist Agenda -- PG - Anya Litvak: Natural Gas, Industry, Labor Coalition Has Some Advice For PA’s Next Governor [No RGGI, Faster DEP Permit Reviews] - 40% Of Gas Well Permits Go Unused -- WHYY/PlanPhilly: PA Legislative Committee Evaluates Changing Tort Claims Cap That Shortchanges Victims Of Costly Water Main Breaks -- Republican Sen. Langerholc To Introduce Legislation Allowing Bitcoin Mining On Oil And Gas Well Sites -- WESA: Democratic Candidates For U.S. Senate Spar Over Climate Crisis, U.S. Supreme Court In Debate 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 Calndars NEW. House Republican Week Ahead Summary Of Expected Actions House (March 28): 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 30): 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 March 28-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee holds a hearing on “Oil & Gas Byproducts - Could We Live Without Them?” Room G-50 Irvis Building. 9:30 a.m. Click Here to watch live. Click Here for more on the agenda. March 28-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee holds a to consider Senate Bill 119 (Pittman-R- Indiana) taking away DEP’s statutory authority to adopt regulations to reduce carbon pollution from any source, including power plants consistent with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The legislation would kill the final RGGI regulations now pending for publication. It is a companion to House Bill 637 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) that is in the House Appropriations Committee; House Resolution 187 (Saylor-R-York) urging the Governors of New York and New Jersey to end anti-pipeline policies that block Pennsylvania natural gas from reaching markets in New England (sponsor summary). Room 515 Irvis Office Building starting at 1:00 p.m. Click Here to watch live. Click Here for more on the agenda. March 29-- House Transportation Committee meets to consider House Resolution 74 (Daley-D-Montgomery) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study of wildlife conservation corridors. Room 523 Irvis Office Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here for more on the agenda. April 5-- House Democratic Policy Committee informational meeting on toxic schools. Francis Scott Key Elementary School, 2230 S. 8th Street, Philadelphia. 3:00 p.m. April 20-- House Republican Policy Committee hearing on exploring hardwood forestry issues in PA. The Red Fern Banquet & Conference Center, 421 Old Kersey Road, Kersey, Elk County. 1:30 p.m. <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule. Senate March 29-- Senate Environmental Resources and Energy and Community, Economic and Recreation Development Committees joint hearing on Economic Impacts of DEP Carbon Pollution Reduction Program Covering Power Plants (RGGI). Hearing Room 1, North Office Building starting at 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live. Click Here for more on the agenda. <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule. Bills Introduced Natural Gas Industry Wish List: House Bill 2444 that contains a natural gas industry wish list of measures they want to expand natural gas drilling, subsidize pipeline expansion using DCNR Oil and Gas Fund revenue, automatically approve of well permits and preempting local government regulation of all facilities regulated by DEP. Read more here. Unilateral Change To DRBC Voting: House Bill 2450 (Fritz-R-Wayne) proposes to unilaterally change the 1 state 1 vote now in the Delaware River Basin Commission compact to a system awarding votes based on the land area of each state in the Delaware Watershed. It would give Pennsylvania 6 votes, New Jersey 3 votes, New York 2 votes, Delaware 1 vote and the federal government 1 vote. This is another in a years-long attempt by Republicans to reverse the unconventional shale gas fracking moratorium adopted by the Commission in various forms starting in 2010. Obviously, unilateral changes to the DRBC compact don’t have any effect. That’s not how interstate compacts work. Any changes must be adopted by all member entities and approved by the U.S. Congress. Note: 40 percent of the shale gas drilling permits issued by DEP have not been used in the remainder of the state [Read more here.] and 65 percent of the existing State Forest land shale gas leases have not been developed [Read more here.]. Seems like there’s a lot of slack in the industry already. Unilateral Change To DRBC Fracking Ban: House Bill 2451 (Fritz-R-Wayne) proposes to unilaterally change the Delaware River Basin Commission compact by including a provision that would reverse the unconventional shale gas fracking moratorium adopted by the Commission in various forms starting in 2010. Obviously, unilateral changes to the DRBC compact don’t have any effect. That’s not how interstate compacts work. Any changes must be adopted by all member entities and approved by the U.S. Congress. Note: 40 percent of the shale gas drilling permits issued by DEP have not been used in the remainder of the state [Read more here.] and 65 percent of the existing State Forest land shale gas leases have not been developed [Read more here.]. Seems like there’s a lot of slack in the industry already. Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force: House Bill 2458 (White-R-Philadelphia) establishing a Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force to identify obstacles preventing the Port of Philadelphia from becoming an LNG export terminal and develop a plan on the issue. End Moratorium In Leasing More State Forest Land For Drilling: House Bill 2461 (Owlett-R-Tioga) would end Gov. Wolf’s moratorium on leasing more State Forest land for oil and gas development and directing DCNR to establish a program to lease more lands for drilling (sponsor summary). [Note: 65 percent of the current, prime State Forest land leased for shale gas drilling has not been developed.] End NY, NY Anti-Pipeline Policies: House Resolution 187 (Saylor-R-York) urging the Governors of New York and New Jersey to end anti-pipeline policies that block Pennsylvania natural gas from reaching markets in New England (sponsor summary). Note: This resolution is due to be considered by the House Environmental Committee on March 28. Read more here. Expand PA Oil & Gas Infrastructure: House Resolution 189 (Metcalfe-R-Butler) resolution urging President, Congress to take measures to expand Pennsylvania’s and the country’s oil and gas infrastructure [oil and gas industry wish list]. 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 28-Non-voting, 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 [Updated] 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 |
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3/28/2022 |
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