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

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

-- Gov. Wolf, Senate, House Republicans Again Fail To Hold Conventional Oil & Gas Drillers Accountable For Protecting The Environment, Taxpayers On Hook For Billions [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette - Laura Legere: As PA Faces ‘Looming Crisis’ Of New Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells, State Law Will Freeze Well Bonding Rates For A Decade  

“The [Wolf] administration is currently exploring the next steps to ensure the industry is held accountable in order to protect the environment and that we don't lose out on millions of dollars in federal funding for well plugging.”

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: PA Bill Jeopardizing Millions In Oil Well Cleanup Funding To Be Passed By Governor, Say Sources

-- Guest Essay: Gov. Wolf, Don’t Give Money To The Oil Industry - By Rev. Mitchell Hescox & Kim Anderson, Evangelical Environmental Network [PaEN]

-- PA Environmental Council: Without A Veto Of HB 2644, PA's Abandoned Oil & Gas Well Problem May Be All But Permanent

-- DEP Concerned About Impact Of New Law Blocking Conventional Oil & Gas Well Bonding On New Federal Well Plugging Funds, Regulating Waste Injection Wells  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw To Deny Counties Act 13 Drilling Impact Fee Revenue If They Make Only 99% Of Their Land Area Available For Shale Gas Development [PaEN]

-- TribLive Editorial: Veto Of Fracking In Allegheny County Parks Not A Defeat For County Executive, But A Victory For People And Process

-- Warren Times: Warren City Planners Reject Council’s Inquiry Into Allowing Oil Drilling In Parks, Areas Zoned For Preservation

-- The Center Square: More Transparency Sought In PA Oil & Gas Industry Operations

-- Guest Essay: PA Budget's Historic Investments In Clean Water Is A Watershed Moment - By Bill Chain, Interim Director, Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA  [PaEN]

-- Inquirer: You Can Have Nice Bike Lanes, But Only Under These Conditions, Harrisburg Republicans Say

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-- 

Will Gov. Wolf Hold Oil & Gas Drillers Accountable Or Create $5.1 Billion Taxpayer Cleanup Liability?: 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.  The bill became law without the Governor’s signature and is now Act 96.   Read more here.

Bill Calendars

House (September 12): 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 (September 19): Senate Bill 1249 (Comitta-D-Chester) establishing a Pollinator Habitat Program Fund and Program in PennDOT.  <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings 

House 

August 2-- House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee informational meeting on Senate Bill 597 (Stefano-R-Fayette) imposing additional requirements on publicly-owned water and wastewater systems and the status of water and wastewater infrastructure.  Room G-50 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m.

August 9--  House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on Powering PA - Nuclear Fusion. K&L Gates Center, 210 6th Ave., Pittsburgh. 10:00 a.m.

August 9-- House Republican Policy Committee hearing on PA’s emerging critical mineral and rare earth element industry.  Hintz Family Alumni Center, Penn State University, State College. 1:00 p.m.

August 10-- House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on Hydrogen Hub.  Operating Engineers 66, 111 Zeta Dr., Pittsburgh. 10:00 a.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--

House

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

October 24, 25, 26

November 14, 15, 16

Senate

September 19, 20, 21

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

November 15

[Posted: July 24, 2022]

7/25/2022