PA Environment Digest

Share this:

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--

-- Take Action Now! State Budget Isn’t Done! - Help Bipartisan Lawmakers, Wildlife, Farm, Environmental, Recreation Groups Working To Get Growing Greener III Funding [PaEN]

-- DCNR Discusses Infrastructure Needs At Shikellamy State Park, Across State Parks And Forests [PaEN]

-- Daily Item: Rep. Culver, DCNR Secretary Say State Considering Adding State Park Infrastructure Funding To Budget

-- Republicans On Senate Committee Report Out Bill Exempting Conventional Oil & Gas Wells From Plugging Bonds Sticking Taxpayers With $5.1 Billion In Cleanup Liability [PaEN]

-- Evangelical Environmental Network Testifies In Congress On Need To Defend Our Children’s Health & Taxpayers By Fixing Oil & Gas Facility Methane Leaks, Require Real Well Plugging Bonding [PaEN]

-- PA Capital-Star: House Passes Bill To Block Wind Energy Projects That Interfere With Military Installations’ Airspace

-- Warren Times: House Members Introduced Fracking Health Protection Bill

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Freeing Competitive Markets Where Only A Handful Of Corporations Control The Prices You Pay - Rep. Pisciottano (D-Allegheny) & Rep. Innamorato (D-Allegheny)

-- Daily Item: 20.5% Of All The Act 13 Drilling Impact Fee Revenue Statewide Goes To One State Senate District - Sen. Yaw (R-Lycoming); 47.5% Of Statewide Revenue Goes To Just 2 Senate Districts-- Sen. Yaw and Sen. Bartolotta

-- Sen. Bartolotta: 27% Of All County, Municipal Distributions Of Act 13 Drilling Impact Fees For The Entire State Goes To One Republican State Senate District - Greene, Washington, Beaver Counties [Marcellus Shale Coalition]

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Dr. Oz’s Misinformed Oil & Natural Gas Policies - Penn State Public Policy Student

-- PennLive Guest Essay: We All Benefit By Helping People In Need Pay Utility Bills [LIHEAP] - By Rep. Matzie (D-Beaver)

-- MCall - Ford Turner: Sen. Boscola Proposes Temporary Halt To Gasoline, Diesel Taxes In PA

-- Sen. Yaw: House Committee Moves PFAS Firefighting Foam Legislation To Full House

-- Post-Gazette - John Hayes: PA Boat Registration Process Simplified

-- Sen. Robinson’s Boat Registration Bill Becomes Law

-- KYW: Lawmakers Pass Bill To Crack Down On Illegal Dirt Bikes, ATVs On City Streets [Returns To Senate for concurrence - Senate Bill 1183]

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--

Reassigning Floodplain Management Program: House Bill 1598 (Boback-R-Luzerne) reassigning floodplain management responsibilities to PEMA from DCED [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary].

Senate, House Bills Moving Last Week

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

Senate

Extending Storage Tank Cleanup Programs: House Bill 1780 (Armanini-R-Clearfield) extending the sunset dates for underground storage tank cleanup program from June 30, 2022 to December 31, 2027 was reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary] and was passed unanimously by the Senate. The bill was concurred in by the House and now goes to the Governor for his action.

Reassigning Floodplain Management Program: House Bill 1598 (Boback-R-Luzerne) reassigning floodplain management responsibilities to PEMA from DCED was reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary] and was passed by the Senate, concurred in by the House. The bill now goes to the Governor for action.

PennDOT Pollinator Habitat Program: Senate Bill 1249 (Comitta-D-Chester) establishing a Pollinator Habitat Program Fund and Program in PennDOT was amended and reported from the Senate Transportation Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. Read more here.

Exempting Conventional Oil & Gas Wells From Bonding: House Bill 2644 (Causer-R- Cameron) blocking any increase in conventional oil and gas well plugging bonds, exempting pre-1985 wells (which is most of them) from any bonding leaving taxpayers liable for $5.1 billion in cleanup costs was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee by a party-line vote-- Republicans supporting-- and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. Read more here.

Preventing Communities From Moving To Clean, Cheaper Energy To Address Climate Change: House Bill 1947 (O’Neal-R- Washington) prohibits counties, local governments and authorities from promoting clean, cheaper energy sources to reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Read more here.

Limiting Scope To Appeal DEP Permits: Senate Bill 718 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) limiting scope of DEP permit appeals was Tabled. Read more here

House

Expanding C-PACE Energy Efficiency Funding: Senate Bill 635 (Yudichak-I-Luzerne) which expands the C-PACE energy conservation, water reduction funding program tied to property taxes was removed from the Table and referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee [House Fiscal Note & Summary] and was passed by the House. The bill now goes to the Governor for his action. Read more here.

ATVs, Dirt Bikes On City Streets: Senate Bill 1183 (Browne-R-Lehigh) providing additional penalties for riding ATVs and dirt bikes on city streets reported out of the House Appropriations Committee [House Fiscal Note & Summary] and passed by the House. Returns to the Senate for a concurrence vote.

Fertilizer Regulation: 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 was removed from the Table, was amended, referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee and passed by the House. The bill now goes to the Senate for a concurrence vote. Read more here.

Protecting Military Airspace From Windmills: House Bill 2367 (Mako-R-Northampton) would prohibit the construction of wind turbines that negatively affect military installations (sponsor summary) was reported out of the House Rules Committee, amended on the House Floor, referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee and passed by the House. Now goes to the Senate for action..

Federal MS4 Stormwater Program: House Bill 2331 (Gleim-R-Cumberland) that conflicts with federal MS4 Stormwater Program requirements and could risk $7 million in much needed funding to support DEP’s water quality permitting program was reported from the House Rules Committee and referred to the House Appropriations Committee. Read more here.

LIHEAP Program: House Bill 2691 (Matzie-D- Beaver) requires Dept. of Human Services to expend all federal LIHEAP money annually was amended and reported from the House Consumer Affairs Committee and referred to the House Rules Committee.

Not Banning Firefighting Foam With PFAS: Senate Bill 302 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) providing for certain restrictions and warning labels on firefighting foams containing any intentionally added PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ and specifically does not ban the manufacturing of foams containing PFAS chemicals was changed with a gut-and-replace amendment and reported out of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee and Tabled.

Electromagnetic Pulse Attacks/Solar Flares: House Resolution 213 (Metcalfe-R-Butler) urging Congress to fund measures to protect the power grid from electromagnetic pulse attacks and solar flare incidents (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House 165 to 35..

Bill Calendars

Senate (July 5): Senate Bill 692 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) which makes fundamental changes in the erosion and sedimentation permitting requirements for conventional and unconventional oil and gas activities, including well pads, pipelines, processing and treatment facilities; Senate Bill 1249 (Comitta-D-Chester) establishing a Pollinator Habitat Program Fund and Program in PennDOT; House Bill 1947 (O’Neal-R- Washington) which prohibits counties, local governments and authorities from promoting clean, cheaper energy sources to reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions; House Bill 2075 (Knowles-R-Schuylkill) would suspend DEP’s regulations setting heavy-duty diesel emissions standards based on California standards; House Bill 2644 (Causer-R- Cameron) blocking any increase in conventional oil and gas well plugging bonds, exempting pre-1985 wells (which is most of them) from any bonding leaving taxpayers liable for $5.1 billion in cleanup costs Read more here. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

House (July 5): 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; 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. <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House

<> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

July 19-- Senate Game and Fisheries Committee hearing on the Fishery Of Lake Erie and its economic impact on the region. H.O. Hirt Auditorium, Biasco Memorial Library, Erie. 2:00 p.m.

<> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

Natural Gas Facility Impact Statements: House Bill 2724 (Rabb-D-Philadelphia) requires reporting of impacts on communities and public resources caused by unconventional shale gas production (sponsor summary).

Impeach Fmr DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell: House Resolution 219 (Metcalfe-R-Butler) a resolution impeaching former DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell (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--

Senate

July 5

September 19, 20, 21

October 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26

November 15

House

July 5

September 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21

October 24, 25, 26

November 14, 15, 16