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

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

-- Spotlight PA: Where Candidates For Governor Stand On Energy, Environment

-- The Hill: Fetterman, Dr. Oz At Odds Over Natural Gas, Environmental Concerns

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: RGGI: PA Leadership Tale Of Opposition, Support And Ambivalence

--  City & State PA: Legal Challenges To RGGI Keeping Millions In Carbon Allowances From Flowing To PA

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Missing Out On Millions As RGGI Battle Drudges On

-- Bay Journal: Community Solar Energy Projects Slowly Expand In The Chesapeake Bay Region [Except In Pennsylvania Where Legislation Is Needed] - By Ad Crable

-- PA Capital-Star: ‘Tired Of Talking’: Advocates Call On Legislature To Address Environmental Justice Issues

-- House Democrats: State Government Should Refocus Efforts On Environmental Justice, Prepare Permit Environmental Impact Assessments

-- TribLive - Deb Erdley: Some Say Legislation Requiring Radon Testing In Schools Comes Down To Politics, Others Say It’s Money 

-- TribLive - Deb Erdley: For Children, Radon Risks Outweigh That For Adults

-- TribLive Editorial: PA Needs To Test Schools For Radon

-- WPost: U.S. Is World’s Largest Oil & Natural Gas Producer, But You’ll Still Pay More For Gasoline, Natural Gas

-- AP Explainer: How Will OPEC+ Production Cuts Affect Oil Prices, Inflation?  [Spoiler - Prices, Inflation Go Up]

-- October 24-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee hearing on “fossil fuels - driving America’s economy and quality of life.”

-- Bills Establishing Incentives For Using Fossil-Fueled Vehicles Introduced In The House, Senate; Eliminates Support For Hybrid, Electric Vehicles  [PaEN]

-- Daily Review: Sen. Yaw Talks Energy Independence During Visit To Bradford County [Dependence On Natural Gas]

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Big Natural Gas Has Throttled PA’s Economy For The Last 15 Years - By Joseph Minott, Clean Air Council

-- Sen. Yaw Announces Legislation To Ban Food Packaging Containing PFAS ‘Forever’ Chemicals

-- Centre Daily Times - Mark Nale: Afield - In Outdoor World Or In Politics, Extreme Views Rarely Solve Anything

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

Senate (October 17): Senate Bill 1249 (Comitta-D-Chester) establishing a Pollinator Habitat Program Fund and Program in PennDOT.  <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

House (October 24): 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. 

Committee Meetings

House   

October 24-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee hearing on “fossil fuels - driving America’s economy and quality of life.”  Room G-50 Irvis Building. 9:30 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

October 14-- Senate Environmental Resources & Energy and Labor & Industry Committees joint hearing on importance of PA’s waterways to energy and economic development.  Allegheny County Courthouse, Gold Room, 4th Floor, 436 Grant St., Pittsburgh.  9:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live and more more information [when posted]

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

Environmental Justice Policy Center: House Bill 2866 (Rabb-D-Philadelphia) establishing the PA Environmental Justice Policy Center (sponsor summary).

New Incentives For Fossil-Fueled Vehicles: House Bill 2870 (Guzman-D-Berks) amends the Alternative Fuels Incentive Act to eliminate incentives for hybrid and electric vehicles and replace them with natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane, hydrogen, biomass and other fossil fuels (sponsor summary).  Read more here.

New Incentives For Fossil-Fueled Vehicles: House Bill 2871 (Gleim-R-Cumberland) adds natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane to the “biofuel” program under the Biofuel Development And Instate Production Act Program (sponsor summary).  Read more here.

New Incentives For Fossil-Fueled Vehicles: Senate Bill 1338 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) adds natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane to the “biofuel” program under the Biofuel Development And Instate Production Act Program (sponsor summary).  Read more here.

New Incentives For Fossil-Fueled Vehicles: Senate Bill 1339 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) amends the Alternative Fuels Incentive Act to eliminate incentives for hybrid and electric vehicles and replace them with natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane, hydrogen, biomass and other fossil fuels (sponsor summary).  Read more here.

Ban On Food Packaging With PFAS: Senate Bill 1351 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) banning food packaging with PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ (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

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

November 15 [All Bills Die]

House

October 24, 25, 26

November 14, 15, 16  [All Bills Die]

[Posted: October 9, 2022]

10/10/2022