The Senate and House took their last scheduled actions on legislation for the 2021-22 legislative session. 

Although the House comes back to session on November 14 and the Senate on November 15, no further votes are expected in this “lame duck” session after the November 8 election.

The formal end of the session is November 30 when all bills and resolutions die and have to be reintroduced and start over in the new session starting January 1, 2023.

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

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

-- Senate, House Pass Massive, 20-Year Taxpayer Subsidies For Natural Gas, Hydrogen And Petrochemical Industries In Hours With No Public Accountability Or Environmental Safeguards [PaEN]

-- StateImpactPA: PA’s Natural Gas Industry Set To Benefit From Billions In State Tax Credits

-- AP: PA Lawmakers Send Gov. Wolf Large Package Of Energy Tax Credits

-- TribLive Editorial: State Fines Should Be Higher Than Tax Cuts To Penalize Environmental Leaks [PaEN]

-- Republican Herald Editorial: State Lawmakers Should Adopt Rules That Preclude State Taxpayers From Subsidizing Pollution From Oil & Gas Industry  [PaEN]

-- Citizens Voice Editorial: State Insists On Paying Polluters  [PaEN]

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Tax Credit Bill Gifts Natural Gas, Dirty Hydrogen With $4 Billion In Taxpayer Subsidies - By Patrick McDonnell, PennFuture

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: Wolf, PA Lawmakers Look To Push Through Massive Tax Incentives For Hydrogen Production, Natural Gas

-- Bill Goes To Governor Creating Well Plugging Grant Program; Senate, House Again Fail To Address Woefully Inadequate Conventional Well Plugging Bonding  [PaEN]

-- Senate Committee OK’d Bills Rebranding Fossil Fuels As ‘Low Emission,’ Eliminating Incentives For EVs; Fails To End Ban On Raising Conventional Oil & Gas Well Bonding; Reports Out EHB Nominee Sarah Clark  [PaEN]

-- Senator Yaw: LNG Exports Critical In Preventing Emissions Backslide  [Real Story Is LNG Exports Keep PA Natural Gas Prices High, Which Is Where Industry Wants Them As Business Media Keeps Reporting]

-- DelcoTimes Letter: Many Questions About Proposed LNG Export Terminal In Chester, Delaware County - PA League Of Women Voters

-- TribLive: Homeowners Brace For Winter As Prices To Heat Homes Skyrocket, Biggest Spike Is For Natural Gas - More Than 34% Increase

-- Erie Times: Fetterman, Dr. Oz Have At Least One Thing In Common To Critics: They’ve Waffled On Fracking

-- Sen. DiSanto Wants Commonwealth Agencies To Pay Their Fair Share Of Local Stormwater Fees

-- Inside Climate News: PA’s Dairy Farmers Clamor For Candidates Who Will Cut Environmental Regulations

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--

Massive Taxpayer Subsidies For Natural Gas, Hydrogen Industries: House Bill 1059 (Hickernell-R-Lancaster) providing $106.6 million in annual taxpayer subsidies to manufacturing and other businesses that use natural gas and hydrogen in their operations for at least 20 years.

The bill also more than doubles the tax credit for using natural gas to make petrochemicals or fertilizer from natural gas.

Over the next 20 years, taxpayer subsidies for these industries will cost over $2.1 billion and that’s on top of the $1.5 billion taxpayer subsidies the General Assembly previously adopted for just one plant-- the Shell Ethane Refinery in Beaver County.

Senate Fiscal Note & Summary.  Read more here.

Well Plugging Bill Grants To Conventional Industry: House Bill 2528 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) would mandate DEP award conventional oil and gas well plugging contracts to Pennsylvania contractors was amended to fix significant problems with the language in the former House Bill 2644-- Act 96-- to meet the requirements of the new federal conventional oil and gas well plugging program [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary].  The Committee again failed to address the biggest problem in Act 96, which is to ban DEP from increasing the conventional oil and gas plugging bonding amounts for 10 years.  Read more here.

Philadelphia LNG Study Task Force: House Bill 2458 (White-R-Philadelphia) create a taskforce to study the exportation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to supply the energy needs of allies around the world and what obstacles are currently preventing Philadelphia from becoming a leader in exporting LNG [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary].  Read more here.

Oil & Gas Royalties: Senate Bill 806 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) further providing for disclosures on statements to oil and gas royalty interest owners [House Fiscal Note & Summary].

Blood Lead Testing For Children: Senate Bill 522 (Baker-R-Luzerne) requiring blood lead level testing in children [House Fiscal Note & Summary].  [Note: This legislation was first proposed in May 2019.  Read more here.]

Increasing Maximum Weight For Electric Trucks: Senate Bill 153 (Langerholc-R-Bedford) increasing the maximum weight for electric trucks [House Fiscal Note & Summary].

Adding Coal Refuse Member To MRAB: House Bill 668 (James-R-Butler) adding a member of the coal refuse reclamation industry to DEP’s Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary].

Uniform Construction Code Changes Related To HFCs: House Bill 2079 (Delozier-R- Cumberland) amending the state Uniform Construction Code to allow the use of EPA-approved refrigerants in place of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary). 

Senate, House Bills Moving Last Week

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

House 

Oil & Gas Royalties: Senate Bill 806 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) further providing for disclosures on statements to oil and gas royalty interest owners was amended and reported out of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee [House Fiscal Note & Summary] and passed by the House.  The Senate concurred in House changes and sent the bill to the Governor for his action.

Increasing Maximum Weight For Electric Trucks: Senate Bill 153 (Langerholc-R-Bedford) increasing the maximum weight for electric trucks was reported out of the House Appropriations Committee [House Fiscal Note & Summary] and passed by the House without change.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.

Blood Lead Testing For Children: Senate Bill 522 (Baker-R-Luzerne) requiring blood lead level testing in children was amended and reported from the House Children and Youth Committee, referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee [House Fiscal Note & Summary] and passed by the House.  The Senate concurred in House changes and sent the bill to the Governor for his action.  [Note: This legislation was first proposed in May 2019.  Read more here.]

Diesel Mining Equipment: Senate Bill 1255 (Pittman-R-Indiana) revising the regulation to require oil and oil filters in diesel-powered equipment in underground coal mines was reported out of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and referred to the House Appropriations Committee. 

California Car Regulation Repeal: House Bill 2890 (Heffley-R-Carbon) repeal PA California low emission vehicle regulation reported out of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action.

Senate

Nominations: The Governor’s nomination of Sarah Clark to the Environmental Hearing Board was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee with a favorable recommendation and confirmed by the Senate.

Massive Taxpayer Subsidies For Natural Gas, Hydrogen Industries: House Bill 1059 (Hickernell-R-Lancaster) providing $106.6 million in annual taxpayer subsidies to manufacturing and other businesses that use natural gas and hydrogen in their operations for at least 20 years.  The bill also more than doubles the tax credit for using natural gas to make petrochemicals or fertilizer from natural gas. The bill now goes to the Governor for his action. Read more here. 

Well Plugging Bill Grants To Conventional Industry: House Bill 2528 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) would mandate DEP award conventional oil and gas well plugging contracts to Pennsylvania contractors was amended to fix significant problems with the language in the former House Bill 2644-- Act 96-- to meet the requirements of the new federal conventional oil and gas well plugging program.

The Committee again failed to address the biggest problem in Act 96, which is to ban DEP from increasing the conventional oil and gas plugging bonding amounts for 10 years.  Read more here.

The bill was held in Committee after it was amended and then reported out at a second meeting later in the day.

The bill was amended again on the Floor of the Senate and passed by a vote of 47 to 2 and concurred in by the House 198-0.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.  Read more here. 

Philadelphia LNG Study Task Force: House Bill 2458 (White-R-Philadelphia) create a taskforce to study the exportation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to supply the energy needs of allies around the world and what obstacles are currently preventing Philadelphia from becoming a leader in exporting LNG was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary] and passed by the Senate without changes.  It now goes to the Governor for his action.  Read more here.

Adding Coal Refuse Member To MRAB: House Bill 668 (James-R-Butler) adding a member of the coal refuse reclamation industry to DEP’s Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary] and passed by the Senate without changes.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.

Rebranding Fossil Fuels:  Senate Bill 1338 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) and Senate Bill 1339 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) which try to rebrand fossil fuels like natural gas, propane into “low emission transportation fuels” and eliminate rebates and incentives for hybrid and electric vehicles were reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and are now on the Senate Calendar for action..  Read more here.

Pollinator Habitat Program: Senate Bill 1249 (Comitta-D-Chester) establishing a Pollinator Habitat Program Fund and Program in PennDOT was Tabled by the Senate.

Bill Calendars

House (November 14): 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 (November 15): Senate Bill 1331 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would deny counties revenue from the Act 13 drilling impact fee if they ban fracking on county-owned lands.  Read more here; Senate Bill 1338 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) and Senate Bill 1339 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) which try to rebrand fossil fuels like natural gas, propane into “low emission transportation fuels” and eliminate rebates and incentives for hybrid and electric vehicles Read more here;   House Bill 2367 (Mako-R -Northampton) would limit the issuance of permits for construction of wind turbines that could negatively affect military air space; House Bill 2406 (Fritz-R-Susquehanna): Would create a permit specific to smaller maintenance projects for the mitigation of flood-related hazards of less than 250 linear feet. This permit would be reviewed and issued by the local county conservation district Read more here; House Bill 2407 (Hamm-R- Lycoming): Would clarify that the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has no authority for permitting or enforcement related to stream clearing or maintenance activities Read more here; <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

Require State To Pay Stormwater Fees: Senate Bill 1360 (DiSanto-R-Cumberland) requiring state government to pay municipal stormwater fees (sponsor summary).

Greenhouse Gas Emission Fee: House Bill 2907 (Rabb-D-Philadelphia) establishing a greenhouse gas emission fee on manufacturers to provide funding to the Whole-Hone Repairs Program.

Benefits Of Nuclear Power: House Resolution 238 (Mehaffie-R-Dauphin) directing the Joint State Government Committee to conduct a ‘holistic study on the benefits of nuclear energy and small modular reactors.

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

November 15 [All Bills Die]
House

November 14, 15, 16  [All Bills Die]

[Posted: October 30, 2022]

10/31/2022