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

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

-- Guest Essay: Investments In Clean Pennsylvania Air, Land And Water Will Pay Off For Decades - By Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary of DCNR & Ramez Ziadeh, Acting Secretary of DEP  [PaEN]

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: PA Budget Delivers Big Wins For Lake Erie Cleanup, Recreation, More - PennFuture

-- Penn State Calls For Taking Next Step To Demonstrate Technology For Recovery Of Rare Earth & Critical Minerals From Mine Drainage, Coal Refuse - Build A Processing Facility  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Reclaiming Rare Earth Elements Could Clean Up PA Acid Mine Drainage

-- Warren Times: Reclaiming Rare Earth Elements Could Clean Up PA’s Acid Mine Drainage

-- U.S. DOE Invites Comments On Implementing A Rare Earth & Critical Materials Research, Development, Demonstration & Commercialization Program  [PaEN]

-- Scranton Times Editorial: State’s Rare Opportunity In Rare Earth Minerals

-- House Hearing: Development Of Hydrogen Hub In Western PA Offers Benefits, Obstacles [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Advocates Warn PA Hydrogen Hub Expensive, Inefficient

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Legislators Hear Pros, Cons Of Hydrogen/Carbon Capture Hub

-- Public Source: Explainer: Western PA’s Bid To Be A ‘Clean Hydrogen Hub’ Relies On Fossil Fuel And Capturing Climate-Warming Carbon

-- Financial Times: Why The U.S. Fossil Fuel Industry Wants To Get In On Hydrogen

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Electric Vehicles Not A Winning Issue For Democrats In PA - DC Polling Firm

-- EQB Approves Final Reg. Setting Manganese Toxics Water Quality Standard, RACT For Major Sources Of Nitrogen Oxides  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw: DEP’s Onerous Manganese Regulation Plays Favorites  [Click Here for whole story]

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: PA Legislators Stall Oil & Gas Facility Emission Regulation

-- Sharon Herald Editorial: House Committee Irresponsible By Opposing Drilling Regulations [Regulations To Reduce VOC/Methane Emissions From Oil & Gas Facilities] 

-- Gettysburg Times Guest Essay: Why Republicans Are Bad For The Economy - Agriculture, Energy - Gettysburg Area Democracy For America

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: What Democrats Get Wrong About Climate Change - Commonwealth Foundation

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 (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 15-- House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on healthy parks and open spaces, Kingsessing Recreation Center, 4901 Kingsessing Ave., Philadelphia. 1:00 p.m.

August 30-- House Republican Policy Committee hearing on Hydrogen, Carbon Capture.  Western PA Operating Engineers, 457 Christopher Road, New Alexandria, Westmoreland County.  2:00 p.m.  Click Here to watch online.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

The following bills of interest were introduced this week--

-- Electronic Waste Recycling: Senate Bill 1310 (Cappelletti-D-Delaware) makes a major overhaul of the state’s Electronic Waste Recycling Program under the Covered Device Recycling Act (sponsor summary).

-- Heritage Areas: House Bill 2764 (James-R-Venango) consolidates law related to Heritage Areas into one place (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

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: August 14, 2022]

8/15/2022