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

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

-- Senate Passes Heavily Amended Senate Bill 284 To Set Decommissioning Rules For Utility-Scale Solar Energy Facilities  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw To Introduce Bill Promoting Carbon Capture, Utilization And Sequestration  [PaEN]

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Energy Freedom In PA Would Help Support Our European Allies - Boost Solar Energy & Micro Hydro - By Rep. Mike Puskaric (R-Allegheny) & Rep. Frank Burns (D-Cambria)  [PaEN]

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Dear Republican Cong. Smucker - Proliferation Of Natural Gas Production Has Resulted In More Methane Emissions - Michael Wright, Climate Psychology Alliance Of North America

-- Dog Whistles: House Republicans Pass Bills Adding More Bureaucracy To DEP Permits Reviews; Pretending To Increase Natural Gas Production In PA  [PaEN]

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Polluters Can’t Regulate Themselves [That’s What House Republican Bills Would Do]

-- TribLive Letter: Local Energy Choice Means Progress On Environment, Economy - PA Chamber  [Except communities are banned from making a clean energy choice under this legislation.]

-- TribLive: Lawmakers Calls On DEP To Again Reject Driller’s Application To Draw Water From Big Sewickley Creek For Fracking

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]

On The Governor’s Desk

The following bill was given final action by the Senate and House and now is on the Governor’s desk for his action--

Open Space Maintenance Funding: House Bill 221 (R-Monroe) authorizes use of a portion of open space funding for maintenance purposes [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary].

Senate, House Bills Moving Last Week

The following environmental and energy bills saw movement last week--

House

DEP Permit Applicants Always Right: House Bill 604 (Fritz-R-Susquehanna)  adding more bureaucracy to the DEP permit review process, declaring in law the applicant for an environmental permit is always right and ignoring environmental justice concerns.  The bill was passed by the House 115 to 85 and is now in the Senate for action.   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.  The bill was passed by the House 116 to 84 and is now in the Senate for action. Read more here.

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.  The bill was passed by the House 110 to 90 and is now in the Senate for action.  Read more here.

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).   The bill was passed by the House 116 to 84and is now in the Senate for action  Read more here.

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.  The bill was passed by the House 124 to 74 and is now in the Senate for action.  Read more here 

Senate

Open Space Maintenance Funding: House Bill 221 (R-Monroe) authorizes use of a portion of open space funding for maintenance purposes was passed by the Senate without amendment and now goes to the Governor for his action.

Decommissioning Utility-Scale Solar Energy Facilities: Senate Bill 284 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) was amended with a gut-and-replace amendment that totally refocused the bill on setting decommissioning rules for utility-scale solar energy facilities.  The Senate then passed the bill by a bipartisan vote of 35 to 14.  It is now in the House for action.  Legislation similar to the amended Senate Bill 284-- House Bill 2104 (Rapp-R-Warren) is pending in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.  Read more here.

Imposing Small Water System Requirements: 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 was amended on final consideration and passed by the Senate.  The bill is now in the House for action.  Read more here

Redirecting Coal Mining Penalties: Senate Bill 1038 (Stefano-R-Fayette) redirecting civil penalties related to coal mining to O&M Trust Account for treating postmining pollution discharges [about $31,000] was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Bill Calendars

House (April 25): 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];  House Resolution 74 (Daley-D-Montgomery) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study of wildlife conservation corridors  <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (May 23): Senate Resolution 229 (Dush-R-Jefferson, Yudichak-I-Luzerne, Flynn-D-Lackawanna) was introduced directing the Joint State Government Commission to study the economic, environmental and health impacts related to the development of a critical and rare earth mineral industry in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary). <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

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

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

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--

Senate

May 23, 24, 25

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

House

April 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 

[Posted: April 17, 2022]

4/18/2022