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

-- Gov. Shapiro’s Budget Proposes Major Initiative To Speed Up DEP Permit Reviews/ Inspections; Double Oil & Gas Fund Investment In State Parks/Forests Infrastructure  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania State Actions Responding To Ohio/PA Train Derailment - Week Of March 6  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Agreement With Norfolk Southern To Pay $7.38 Million In Initial Response Costs, Costs To Businesses, Residents From Train Derailment  [PaEN]

-- AP: Gov. Shapiro: Norfolk Southern To Pay Millions For Train Derailment

-- The Center Square: Shapiro, Norfolk Southern Broker $7.4 Million Aid Deal

Budget

-- Gov. Shapiro’s Budget Proposes Major Initiative To Speed Up DEP Permit Reviews/ Inspections; Double Oil & Gas Fund Investment In State Parks/Forests Infrastructure  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro: Unveils Commonsense Budget To Address The Issues PA Faces

-- DEP Posts Documents On Proposed FY 2023-24 Agency Budget Request

-- DCNR Blog: Gov. Shapiro’s Budget Supports Outdoor Recreation Economy, Park And Forest Infrastructure

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Shapiro’s Budget Proposal Includes Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

-- PennLive: Shapiro Backs ‘Hydrogen Hubs’ In PA, Boosts Plugging Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Shapiro Signals Support For Regional Hydrogen Hub

-- Erie Times: Shapiro Didn’t Mention These Topics In His Budget Address, Why That Matters

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: 6 Proposals In Shapiro’s Budget You May Not Have Heard About, But Should

-- AP: Audit Says Surplus In Senate, House Legislative Expense Accounts Jumped To A Record $261 Million In FY 2022; Spending Reached $392 Million On Themselves

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Legislatures Financial Surplus Sets Record High At $261 Million

-- PennLive Guest Essay: If There’s Any Wasteful Government Spending, It’s In The PA Senate, House - By Mark Singel

Train Derailment

-- Pennsylvania State Actions Responding To Ohio/PA Train Derailment - Week Of March 6  [PaEN]

-- Norfolk Southern CEO To Appear March 20 Before PA Senate Committee To Answer Questions About Ohio/PA Train Derailment; Committee Subpoenas Documents [PaEN]

-- House Democratic & Republican Policy Committees Hold March 14 Joint Hearing On Impact Of Ohio/PA Train Derailment In Beaver County [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Agreement With Norfolk Southern To Pay $7.38 Million In Initial Response Costs, Costs To Businesses, Residents From Train Derailment  [PaEN]

-- DEP Reports No Signs Of Groundwater Contamination With First Results From Water Sampling Near Ohio/PA Train Derailment Site  [PaEN]

-- Dept. Of Health Extends Operation Of Health Resource Center In Beaver County For PA Residents Impacted By Ohio/PA Train Derailment  [PaEN]

-- Moms Clean Air Force: Impacted Parents From Ohio, PA Will Raise Concerns About Chemical Pollution From The Train Derailment, Petrochemical Industry In The Ohio Valley During U.S. Senate Hearing [PaEN]

-- Sen. Bob Casey Testifies Before U.S. Senate Committee On Ohio/PA Train Derailment [PaEN]

-- Politics PA: Sen. Casey, Testifies At U.S. Senate Norfolk Southern Hearing

-- PA Capital-Star: PA House Democrats Call On Congress, Feds To Toughen Regs On Toxic Trains

Environment/Energy Issues

-- Rep. Greg Vitali Named Majority Chair Of House Environmental Committee; House Appoints Committee Members  [PaEN]

-- AP: Audit Says Surplus In Senate, House Legislative Expense Accounts Jumped To A Record $261 Million In FY 2022; Spending Reached $392 Million On Themselves

-- Republicans On Senate Committee Report Out Bill Allowing General Assembly To Kill Regulations By Doing Nothing  [PaEN]

-- The Guardian: One Of The Worst Global Methane Leaks In 2022 Was In PA - Equitrans In Cambria County; Routine Abandonment, Non-Compliance Of Conventional Gas Wells  [PaEN]

-- Senate Passes Bill Blocking Local Elected Officials From Moving To Cleaner Energy Sources To Combat Climate Change [PaEN]

-- Rep. Fiedler, Labor Leaders, Educational, Environmental Leaders Announce Bill To Create Grant Program To Invest In Solar Energy Facilities At Schools  [PaEN]

-- Bill Setting Decommissioning Rules For Utility-Scale Solar Energy Facilities Passes The Senate  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw Proposes Independent Energy Office To Promote Development Of PA’s Diverse Energy Portfolio - Natural Gas, Nuclear Power, Coal [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Greene County House That Exploded In 2018 From Natural Gas Leak Stands As A Monument To Leaking Gas Pipelines, Leaking Gas Wells, Leaking Gas Storage Areas

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Business, Natural Gas, Oil Groups Urge Shapiro, General Assembly To Promote State’s Energy Industry

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Well Done Foundation Says Taxpayers Shouldn’t Be Stuck With Paying To Plug Oil & Gas Wells, Private Finance Or Corporate Funding Needed

-- Bradford Era Guest Essay: Natural Gas Keeps PA Open For Business - Marcellus Shale Coalition

-- LancasterOnline Guest Essay: Help Europe Replace Russian Natural Gas With U.S. [PA] Natural Gas - PA Chamber Of Business & Industry

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: Support Reliable, Affordable PA Natural Gas, Coal, Petroleum And Grow Renewable Energy - Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie)

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Energy Efficient Appliances Can Help The Environment, Save Pennsylvanians Money - Reps. Jennifer O’Mara (D-Delaware), Tom Mehaffie (R-Dauphin), Sen. Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny), Flora Cardoni (PennEnvironment)

-- Post-Gazette: Smoke Stacks From Closed Hatfield’s Ferry Coal-Fired Power Plant Demolished, Closing Chapter In PA Industrial History In Greene County: ‘I’m Ecstatic. It Was The Dirtiest, Dirtiest Place Ever.  It Put A Blight On Our Community’

-- WESA: CMU Researchers Find High Levels Of A Hazardous Chemical Acrolein Weeks After Ohio/PA Train Derailment [Acrolein Also Used In Shale Gas Fracking Fluid,To Treat Shale Gas Drilling Impoundments]

-- Inquirer: Solar Panels Can Cost $20,000 But Some Philly-Area Homeowners Say They’re Worth The Investment As Energy Prices Go Up [Driven By Natural Gas Price Spikes] 

-- LancasterOnline: New Energy Co-Op Helps Make Switch To Solar Power Easier, More Affordable In Lancaster

-- U.S. EIA: 'Increasing Electricity Generation From Renewable Sources Contributes To Lower Power Prices' In 2023  [PaEN]

-- U.S. Senate Hearing: Energy, Environmental Impacts Of Cryptocurrency Mining In Pennsylvania  [PaEN]

-- PA Capital-Star: U.S. Senate Panel Probes How Cryptocurrency Mining Increases Energy Consumption

-- Nebraska Examiner: U.S. Senate Panel Probes How Cryptocurrency Mining Increases Energy Consumption In Nebraska And PA

-- AP: Business Backlash Pushing Congressional Republicans To Weaken Anti-ESG Proposals

-- Interstate Chesapeake Bay Commission Issues 2022 Annual Report

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]

Senate, House Bills Moving Last Week

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

Senate

Blocking Local Elected Officials From Moving To Clean Energy: Senate Bill 143 (Yaw-R-Lycoming)--  that would block the ability of local elected officials from moving to cleaner sources of energy to address climate change was reported out of the Senate Local Government Committee on a party-line vote-- Republicans supporting-- and was passed by the Senate.  The bill now goes to the House for action.  Read more here.

Decommissioning Solar Energy Facilities: Senate Bill 211 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) the bill sets decommissioning rules for utility-scale solar energy facilities, including preempting local ordinances and regulations on decommissioning; and requiring compliance with the federal Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act was passed by a largely party-line vote-- Republicans supporting--  vote of 36 to 13 and now goes to the House for action.  Read more here.

Restricts One Use Of PFAS: Senate Bill 144 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would restrict the use of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ in firefighting foams, which is only a very small use for the chemicals that can be found in thousands of products was passed by the Senate and now goes to the House for action.

Train Emergency Grant Program: Senate Bill 508 (Mastriano-R-Adams) providing for a Train Derailment Emergency Grant Program to provide financial support for residents and small businesses impacted by the February Ohio/PA train derailment was reported out of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Read more here.

Recognizing Victims Of Ohio/PA Train Derailment: Senate Resolution 59 (Mastriano-R- Adams) recognizing the impact of the February Ohio/PA train derailment on Pennsylvania residents was reported out of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Read more here.

Kill Regulations By Doing Nothing: Senate Bill 188 (DiSanto-R-Dauphin) amending the Regulatory Review Act to authorize the General Assembly to kill “economically significant” regulations by doing nothing was reported out of the Senate Intergovernmental Operators Committee on a party-line vote-- Republicans supporting-- and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Read more here. 

3-Year Review Of Regulations:  Senate Bill 190 (Brooks-R-Crawford) requiring an automatic three-year review of economically significant regulations in a process similar to what was called “sunset reviews” decades ago. That process was abandoned by the General Assembly because it became a costly, time-consuming exercise with little benefit was reported out of the Senate Intergovernmental Operators Committee on a party-line vote, Republicans supporting, and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Read more here.

Land Bank Environmental Liability:  Senate Bill 466 (Brown-R-Lackawanna) providing for land bank environmental cleanup liability was reported out of the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Lyme Disease Education: Senate Bill 232 (Brooks-R-Crawford) requiring lyme disease education of parents and establishing protocols for tick bites in schools was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Bill Calendars

Senate (April 24): Senate Bill 188 (DiSanto-R-Dauphin) amending the Regulatory Review Act to authorize the General Assembly to kill “economically significant” regulations by doing nothing;  Senate Bill 190 (Brooks-R- Crawford) requiring an automatic three-year review of economically significant regulations in a process similar to what was called “sunset reviews” decades ago. That process was abandoned by the General Assembly because it became a costly, time-consuming exercise with little benefit; Senate Bill 508 (Mastriano-R-Adams) providing for a Train Derailment Emergency Grant Program to provide financial support for residents and small businesses impacted by the February Ohio/PA train derailment;  Senate Bill 466 (Brown-R-Lackawanna) providing for land bank environmental cleanup liability; Senate Resolution 59 (Mastriano-R- Adams) recognizing the impact of the February Ohio/PA train derailment on Pennsylvania residents.  <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

House (April 24): <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

March 14-- Joint Hearing By Democratic & Republican Policy Committees on impact of Norfolk Southern train derailment.  Darlington Fire Dept., 3590 Darlington Road, Darlington, Beaver County. 1:00 p.m.  Click Here to watch live.

March 22-- House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearing: 1:00- Dept. of Agriculture.  Click Here to watch live.

March 23-- House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings: 10:00- Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources; 1:00- Dept. of Environmental Protection.  Click Here to watch live.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

March 20-- Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee hearing to question Alan Shaw, CEO of Norfolk Southern on the Ohio/PA train derailment. Room 8E-B Capitol. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.  Click Here to read more on agenda.

March 21-- Senate Appropriations Committee Budget Hearing: 9:30 - Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building.  Click Here to watch live.

March 22-- Senate Appropriations Committee Budget Hearing: 9:30 - Department of Environmental Protection . Hearing Room 1, North Office Building.  Click Here to watch live.

March 28-- Senate Appropriations Committee Budget Hearing: 1:00 - Department of Agriculture. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building.  Click Here to watch live.

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

Train Emergency Grant Program: Senate Bill 508 (Mastriano-R-Adams) providing for a Train Derailment Emergency Grant Program to provide financial support for residents and small businesses impacted by the February Ohio/PA train derailment was reported out of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Read more here.

Recognizing Victims Of Ohio/PA Train Derailment: Senate Resolution 59 (Mastriano-R- Adams) recognizing the impact of the February Ohio/PA train derailment on Pennsylvania residents was reported out of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Read more here.

Authorizing Stormwater Management Fees: House Bill 31 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) authorizing Boroughs to enact stormwater management fees; House Bill 32 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) authorizing Townships Of First Class to enact stormwater management fees.

Opening State Forests/Parks To Oil/Gas Drilling: House Bill 55 (Owlett-R-Tioga) opening State Forests and State Parks to oil and natural gas development.

Providing ForDepletion Of Mines, Oil & Gas For Tax Purposes: House Bill 81 (Dunbar-R-Westmoreland) providing for cost and percent depletion of mines, oil and gas wells and other natural deposits for tax purposes.

State Sales Tax Holiday For Energy Star/WaterSense Products: House Bill 122 (Ciresi-D-Montgomery) providing for a Sales Tax holiday for Energy Star and WaterSense products.

Repealing RGGI Carbon Pollution Reduction Program: House Bill 195 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) repealing the Carbon Pollution Reduction Program covering power plants consistent with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

“Stream Cleaning”: House Bill 200 (Owlett-R-Tioga) establishing a “stream cleaning” program for local governments.

Exemptions From Federal MS4 Stormwater Requirements: House Bill 207 (Gleim-R-Cumberland)  would grant exemptions from federal MS4 stormwater management requirements states are not authorized to give.

Increasing Recycling Fee: House Bill 223 (Isaacson-D-Philadelphia) would increase the state’s Act 101 recycling fee from $2 to $5/ton.

Rebuild PA Program:  House Bill 224 (Isaacson-D-Philadelphia) would establish the Rebuild PA Program to fund flood control, green infrastructure, stormwater facilities, cleanup brownfields, remediate schools and childcare centers, fund energy efficiency, disaster response and transportation infrastructure by earmarking $3 billion from the General Fund.

Flood Hazard Map Notification: House Bill 246 (T.Davis-D-Bucks) providing for notification of property owners of federal special flood hazard area map changes.

Lake Erie Wind Energy: House Bill 254 (Merski-D-Erie) establishing the Lake Erie Wind Energy Development Act to lease Commonwealth-owned lake bottom for wind energy facilities.

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

Budget Hearings: March 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, April 11, 12, 13, 14

April 24, 25, 26

May 1, 2, 3, 22, 23, 24

June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

Senate

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: March 12, 2023]

3/13/2023