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

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

Gov. Shapiro

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: In Pennsylvania, New Governor Fuels Hopes For Tougher Rules On Energy, Environment

-- Courier Times: Why Josh Shapiro’s DEP Nominee May Be Grilled By PA Senate

-- Gov. Shapiro Issues Order Directing Agencies To Set Deadlines For Permit Reviews, Requires Money-Back Guarantee If Deadlines Not Met; A Similar Program Started At DEP In 1995 [PaEN] 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Business Groups Optimistic About Shapiro’s Efforts To Cut Red Tape

-- Inquirer: How Josh Shapiro Is Starting His Administration With A Pro-Business Focus, And A ‘Money-Back’ Guarantee

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Gov. Shapiro Orders 2,300 State Employees To End Hybrid Remote/In-Office Working And Return To The Office

-- TribLive/PennLive: Shapiro Administration Orders 2,300 State Employees To Return To The Office

-- TribLive Editorial: Let’s Not Forget What Working At Home Taught Us

Budget

-- Senate Appropriations Committee Sets Agency Budget Hearing Schedule  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA State Revenue Estimate Revised Upward $1.5 Billion For FY 2022-23

-- Courier Times: New Financial Report Could Complicate PA’s Budget And Tax Scenario, Here’s How

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA State Treasurer Warns - Fiscal Cliff Ahead [FY 2025-26]

-- Dept. Of Revenue Reports January State Tax Collections Were 5.5%, $205.6 Million Less Than Anticipated, Fiscal Year-To-Date Up $297.5 Million

-- Independent Fiscal Office: January State Revenue 0.9%, $32.8 Million Above IFO Estimates, Up $1.19 Billion For Fiscal Year

Environment/Energy Issues

-- Protecting Clean Water Together: Where Does Your Water Come From? - By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association, Monroe County [PA Has No Water Well Construction Standards]

-- WESA/Lehigh Valley News: Sen. Casey Visits Lehigh Valley Crayola Factory, Highlights Use Of Renewable Energy

-- Feb. 6 PA House Republican Policy Committee Hearing On Rising Price Of Energy In PA.  Room 140 Main Capitol.  10:00 a.m.  [Don’t Forget To Talk About Natural Gas Price Spikes Caused By Volatile Foreign Markets That Control PA Prices]

-- PA Capital-Star: Resolution To Study Wildlife Conservation Corridors To Be Reintroduced In House

-- WHYY/PlanPhilly: Groups Challenge Philly’s Next Mayor - End Illegal Dumping By 2028

-- WHYY: Advocacy Coalition Challenges Philly Mayoral Candidates To Commit To Zero Waste Platform

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Addressing The Complicated Volunteer Firefighting Crisis

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 (February 27): Senate Bill 115 (Stefano-R-Fayette) adopting federal requirements for replacement of oil and oil filters on diesel-powered underground coal mining equipment. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

House (February 27 ): <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings 

House   

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

Lead Exposure Education: Senate Bill 109 (Stefano-R-Fayette) providing for distribution of educational materials on lead exposure and poisoning.

Limits Local Authority To Choose Clean Energy: Senate Bill 143 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) limits the authority of local governments to choose clean energy to reduce climate changing greenhouse gas emissions. Legislation like this was vetoed by Gov. Wolf in 2022.  Read more here.

Combined Heat & Power Systems: Senate Bill 181 (DiSanto-R-Dauphin) amending the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act to include combined heat and power systems.

Expanding Bureaucracy/Cost Of DEP Permit Reviews: Senate Bill 185 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) expanding existing permit review bureaucracy and cost by adding a third-party review of DEP permit applications.  Read more here.

Bonding/Decommissioning Solar Energy Facilities: Senate Bill 211 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) setting requirements for decommissioning solar energy facilities, including bonding.   Read more here.

Lyme Disease Education: Senate Bill 233 (Brooks-R-Crawford) further providing for Lyme Disease education.

Appointments To Air Quality Advisory Committee: Senate Bill 274 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) changing who appoints members to DEP’s Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee because the Committee voted to support the RGGI carbon pollution reduction regulation.  Read more here.

Water Resource User Fee: Senate Bill 278 (Muth-D-Chester) establishing a fee for the use of water owned by taxpayers of the Commonwealth to fund projects to improve water quality. 

Increasing Air Pollution Penalties: Senate Bill 280 (Muth-D-Chester) increasing penalties for air pollution violations. 

Redefining Water Pollution/Spill Reporting: Senate Bill 286 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) redefining what constitutes water pollution and leaving it to polluters to determine when to notify DEP of a spill at the request of Merck Sharp & Dohme.  Read more here.

Farmland Preservation Funding: Senate Bill 288 (Mastriano-R-Franklin) dedicating additional funding from the Realty Transfer Tax to farmland preservation.

Mandate Private Review Of Permit Applications: Senate Bill 350 (Phillips-Hill-R-York) requires all state agencies to establish a program to require the review of permit applications by private contractors for applications that have been “delayed,” eliminating agency review of permit applications on behalf of the public and adding more state bureaucracy and cost on taxpayers.  Read more here.

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

February 27

Senate

February 27, 28

March 1, 6, 7, 8

Budget hearings: March 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30 and April 11, 12, 13

April 24, 25, 26

May 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10

June 5, 6, 7, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

[Posted: February 5, 2023]

2/6/2023