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

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Gov. Shapiro Gets A Thumbs-Up From Both Parties For His First 100 Days

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: 100 Days In Office, Gov. Shapiro Describes The Experience As ‘Humbling’

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Shapiro’s PUC Nominee Kimberly Barrow Is Right Pick, But Faces Challenges

Budget

-- House Committee Meets May 2 On Bill To Restore Authority To Review Conventional Oil/Gas Well Plugging Bonding Amounts; Help Prevent Routine Abandonment Of An Average Of 561 Wells A Year  [PaEN]

-- EDF: Pennsylvania Has 55,000 Oil/Gas Wells At High Risk Of Being Abandoned; 51,000 Wells At Risk Of Being Transferred To Low Solvency Owners; Current Conventional Well Owners Abandon 561 Wells A Year, On Average  [PaEN]

-- House Hearing: Let’s Work Together To Make Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Practices Cleaner, Respect Property Rights, Protect Taxpayers And Prevent New Abandoned Wells  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: House Committee Warned Of Lurking Taxpayer Cost For Plugging Conventional Oil & Gas Wells

-- Bradford Era: Rep. Causer Applauds Conventional Oil/Gas Well Owner Art Stewart For Testimony On Orphan Wells [Actually They’re Confused-- Current Conventional Operators Abandon 561 Wells A Year, On Average; 55,000 More At High Risk Of Abandonment]

-- Bradford Era/The Center Square: Committee Warned Of Lurking Taxpayer Cost For Plugging Conventional Oil/Gas Wells

-- Guest Essay: Conventional vs Unconventional Oil & Gas Wells - Not As Different As You Might Think - By Laurie Barr, Save Our Streams PA  [PaEN]

Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- WESA: Train Derailments Could Pose A Major Risk To Southwestern PA’s Rivers, Pitt Researchers Say

-- WTAE: Rail Disaster Probability Discussed In Thursday Night Town Hall In Pittsburgh

-- DEP Posts Soil, Water Sampling Results Related To Monitoring PA For Impacts From Norfolk Southern Train Derailment  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: DEP Says Soil, Water Samples Remain Safe After Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- TribLive Editorial: DEP Must Remain Vigilant With Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Testing

-- UnionProgress.com: Third Beaver County School District Sues Norfolk Southern Over Train Derailment

-- Altoona Mirror Editorial: Altoona Keeping Close Watch On Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Issues

-- WESA/The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Incinerated Waste From Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Raises Concerns In Ohio Town

-- WESA: Could New Rail Safety Rules Prevent The Next Norfolk Southern Train Derailment?  More Sensors Could Be Key, Experts Say

-- AP: Railroads Warned About Problems Long Trains Can Cause

-- WSJ: Norfolk Southern Says Ohio Train Derailment Has Cost $387 Million, Not Including Cost Recovery From Insurance

Environment/Energy Issues

-- DEP, DCNR, Guests Honored Franklin Kury, Author Of PA Environmental Rights Amendment, With Dedication In Rachel Carson Building  [PaEN]

-- House Committee Meets May 2 On Bill To Restore Authority To Review Conventional Oil/Gas Well Plugging Bonding Amounts; Help Prevent Routine Abandonment Of An Average Of 561 Wells A Year  [PaEN]

-- EDF: Pennsylvania Has 55,000 Oil/Gas Wells At High Risk Of Being Abandoned; 51,000 Wells At Risk Of Being Transferred To Low Solvency Owners; Current Conventional Well Owners Abandon 561 Wells A Year, On Average  [PaEN]

-- House Hearing: Let’s Work Together To Make Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Practices Cleaner, Respect Property Rights, Protect Taxpayers And Prevent New Abandoned Wells  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: House Committee Warned Of Lurking Taxpayer Cost For Plugging Conventional Oil & Gas Wells

-- Bradford Era: Rep. Causer Applauds Conventional Oil/Gas Well Owner Art Stewart For Testimony On Orphan Wells [Actually They’re Confused-- Current Conventional Operators Abandon 561 Wells A Year, On Average; 55,000 More At High Risk Of Abandonment]

-- Bradford Era/The Center Square: Committee Warned Of Lurking Taxpayer Cost For Plugging Conventional Oil/Gas Wells

-- Guest Essay: Conventional vs Unconventional Oil & Gas Wells - Not As Different As You Might Think - By Laurie Barr, Save Our Streams PA  [PaEN]

-- Republican Herald Editorial: Implement Reforms For Natural Gas Drilling, Fracking  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 22 - 28; Conventional Wells Venting Gas; Shale Gas Well Pad Spills  [PaEN]

-- Citizen Complaint Results In Finding 2 Abandoned Conventional Wells Owned By Prosperity Oil Co. Continuing To Vent Natural Gas In Washington County  [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Appalachia: DEP Inspections Find Violations For Spills, Releases, Continuing Defective Casing/Cementing At Shale Gas Well Pads In Bradford, Susquehanna Counties  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - April 29  [PaEN]

-- DEP Tentatively Sets May 18 Online Public Conference On Proposed Roulette Oil & Gas Waste Injection Well In Clara Twp., Potter County; Opponents Again Call For Robust Public Participation Process  [PaEN]

-- Washington Examiner Guest Essay: EPA Slowing Down Process For Approving Waste Injection Wells

-- Sen. Yaw To Introduce Bill To Remove ‘Protection’ From The Name Of The Department Of Environmental Protection  [PaEN]

-- Bloomberg: Climate Activists Urge US Officials To Drop The ‘Natural’ In Natural Gas - Fossil Gas One Alternative

-- Senate Environmental Committee Holds May 1 Hearing On Electric Grid Reliability Looking At Natural Gas, Other Generation Failures During Winter Storm Elliot In December [PaEN]

-- Marcellus Shale Coalition: Pro-Natural Gas Policies Necessary To Unlock Economic Growth, Environmental Gains In Northeast PA

-- DEP: New Webpage Outlines Plan To Streamline Permit Process Without Sacrificing Thorough Reviews, Public Participation

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Natural Gas Prices Are Down, But The Industry’s Spirits Are High

-- NRDC: U.S. Dept. Of Transportation Denies Special Permit For Shipping LNG Natural Gas By Rail From A Proposed Bradford County LNG Plant  [PaEN]

-- Fox News: Federal PHMSA Decides Not To Grant Permit For Transporting LNG Natural Gas From A Proposed Wyalusing, Bradford County Plant Via Railroad

-- The Guardian: US DOT Denies ‘Bomb Train’ Permit To Ship LNG Gas Through Populated Areas In Pennsylvania

-- WHYY: Controversial Plan To Ship LNG Natural Gas By Rail From Proposed Bradford County LNG Plant Hits Another Roadblock

-- Eyes On Shell Reports Shell Petrochemical Plant Fenceline Monitors Found Benzene Emissions Above Toxic Substances Limits; No Timeline For Restarting Plant; DEP Issued Another NOV For Air Violations  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Shell Addresses Bad Smell, Elevated Benzene Emissions At Beaver County Chemical Plant

-- Beaver County Times: Questions Remain After Shell Air Monitors Detect Benzene At Petrochemical Plant

-- TribLive: Operations On Hold At Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Shell Apologizes For Recent Odor At Petrochemical Plant, Promises To Do Better In The Future

-- Beaver County Times: Shell To Address Flaring, Odor At Petrochemical Plant Tuesday

-- Beaver County Times Guest Essay: Community Matters: Shell Petrochemical Plant’s Claim To Be A Good Neighbor Is Insulting To Beaver County Residents - By Daniel Rossi-Keen, Ph.D, RiverWise

-- House Consumer Protection Committee Reports Out Solar Energy Decommissioning Bills For Rereferral To House Environmental Committee  [PaEN]

-- House Environmental Committee Reports Out Bipartisan Bills On School Solar Energy Grants For Rereferral, Local Notice Of Toxics Violations  [PaEN]

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Bill Would Replicate Steelton-Highspire Schools’ Solar Energy Facility Across PA

-- House Environmental Committee Sets May 1 Hearing On Cryptocurrency And Climate Change; Background Brief  [PaEN]

-- The Allegheny Front/WPSU: Violation At PA Natural Gas Drilling Site Raises Questions About Lack Of Cryptocurrency Regulation

-- PennLive: 100+ People To Be Laid Off Due To Homer City Coal-fired Power Plant Closure

-- Post-Gazette: WV Electricity Customers Would See Their Bills Increase $36 Million To Keep Coal-Fired Power Plant Open

-- Post-Gazette/Capitolwire.com - Robert Swift: House Panel Passes Toxic Violations Notification Bill For Incidents Like Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- Post-Gazette/Capitolwire.com - Robert Swift: PA Senate Panel OKs Bills To Change Vehicle Emission Inspection Program

-- WHYY: Bill Aims To Increase Penalties For Illegal Dumping In Philadelphia

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Biden Administration Providing Bold Leadership To Combat Climate Change - By Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia)

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Gov. Shapiro’s Climate Panel Should Be Open

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Bill Establishes Protocol For Removal Of Ticks From Students In School

-- Scranton Times: What To Know About Tick, Lyme Disease Season Following A Mild Winter

-- WSJ: US Wants A Rare Earths Supply Chain, Why It Won’t Come Easily [PA Cong. Reschenthaler Bill]

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--

House

School Solar Energy Grants: House Bill 137 (Fiedler-D-Philadelphia) establishing a grant program to support solar energy installations in schools was reported out of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and rereferred to the House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee. Read more here.  [Note: A new bill was introduced with the same program-- House Bill 1032 (Fiedler-D-Philadelphia)-- and is scheduled for a hearing by the House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee on May 2.]

Solar Energy Facility Decommissioning: House Bill 925 (Rapp-R-Warren) and Senate Bill 211 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) establishing standards for solar energy facility decommissioning were reported out of the House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee and rereferred to the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

Notice Of Toxic Substances Violations: House Bill 718 (Mako-R-Northampton) requiring DEP to notify a municipality when it receives notice from EPA of a violation of the federal Toxic Substances Control Act was reported out of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and Tabled.

Flood Insurance Task Force: House Bill 735 (Warren-D-Bucks) establishing a  Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force was reported from the House Insurance Committee and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Increasing Penalties For Dumping In Philadelphia: House Bill 95 (Bullock-D-Philadelphia) increasing penalties for illegal dumping in Philadelphia was reported out of the House Judiciary Committee and Tabled.

Native Vegetation Along Highways: House Bill 797 (B.Miller-R-Lancaster) providing for native vegetation along state highways was reported out of the House Transportation Committee and Tabled.

Senate

Cleanup Liability Protection For Land Banks: Senate Bill 466 (Brown-R-Lackawanna) providing for environmental cleanup liability protection for land banks was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and passed by the Senate.  It now goes to the House for action.

Lyme Disease/Tick Education: Senate Bill 232 (Brooks-R-Crawford) providing for Lyme Disease and Tick Bites in schools was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and passed by the Senate.  It now goes to the House for action.

Killing 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 referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee

3-Year Reviews 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 referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee

Vehicle Emissions Inspection Changes: Senate Bill 561 (Langerholc-R-Cambria) and Senate Bill 562 (Langerholc-R-Cambria) exempting certain counties from vehicle emissions inspections and newer vehicles were reported out of the Senate Transportation Committee and are now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Train Derailment Impact: Senate Resolution 59 (Mastriano-R- Adams) recognizing the impact of the February Norfolk Southern train derailment on Pennsylvania residents adopted by the Senate.

Conservation District Week: Senate Resolution 84 (Vogel-R-Beaver) designating April 23 to 29 Conservation District Week  [Read more here.]

Bill Calendars

Senate (May 1): Senate Bill 232 (Brooks-R- Crawford) providing for Lyme Disease and Tick Bites in schools; Senate Bill 466 (Brown-R-Lackawanna) providing for environmental cleanup liability protection for land banks;  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 561 (Langerholc-R- Cambria) and Senate Bill 562 (Langerholc-R-Cambria) exempting certain counties from vehicle emissions inspections and newer vehicles;  <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

House (May 1): <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

May 1-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee holds a hearing on cryptocurrency and climate change.  Room 523 Irvis Building.  10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch online.  Read more here.

May 1-- House Transportation Committee holds a hearing on electric vehicle fees. Room 140 Main Capitol.  9:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch online.

May 2-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 962 (Vitali-D-Delaware), legislation that would restore DEP’s authority to review conventional oil and gas well plugging bonding amounts every two years. Room 60 East Wing. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live.  Read more here.

May 2-- House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee holds hearing on House Bill 1032 (Fiedler-D-Philadelphia)  establishing a grant program to support solar energy installations in schools.  Room G-50 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live.

May 3-- House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee meets to consider House Bill 1028 (Matzie-D-Beaver) setting certain rail safety and oversight requirements, reporting system for hazardous materials and waste, restrict unsafe train length, prompted by Norfolk Southern train derailment..  Room G-50 Irvis Building.  10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

May 3-- House Local Government Committee meets to consider House Bill 246 (T.Davis-D- Bucks) requiring municipalities to notify property owners of changes to FEMA special flood hazard area maps.  Room 515 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

May 3-- House Tourism & Economic & Recreational Development Committee meets to consider House Bill 33 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) encouraging landowners to open their property to recreation.  Room 515 Irvis Building. 9:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule. 

Senate

May 1-- Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee informational briefing from energy industry operators to discuss grid reliability as well as PJM policies and procedures.  Room 8E-B East Wing Capitol Building. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

May 1-- Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee hearing on reauthorization of Chapter 14 related to termination of utility customers.  Room 8E-A East Wing.  10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

May 19--  Senate Democratic Policy Committee hearing on unsafe practices in the railroad industry.  Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, 10 S. 19th Street, Pittsburgh. 11:00 a.m.

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced 

Suspending Act 13 Impact Fee Revenue To Counties That Restrict Natural Gas Drilling On Land They Own:  Senate Bill 617 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) prohibiting counties that ban natural gas drilling on land they own from receiving Act 13 impact fee revenue.  [In response to Allegheny Council Council voting to ban shale gas drilling on land they own which is less than 1% of the land area of the county.  99% of the land in the county is open for leasing for gas drilling.  Read more here.]

Creating A Permit ‘Sandbox’: Senate Bill 633 (Coleman-R-Bucks) establishing a Regulatory Relief Office in the Governor’s Office with the authority to waive or replace any regulatory requirements proposed by permit applicants with minimal public review.  Read more here about similar legislation last session.. 

Rail Safety Requirements: House Bill 1028 (Matzie-D-Beaver) setting certain rail safety and oversight requirements, reporting system for hazardous materials and waste, restrict unsafe train length, prompted by Norfolk Southern train derailment.  [Note: Scheduled to be considered by the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee May 3.]

School Solar Energy Grants: House Bill 1032 (Fiedler-D-Philadelphia) establishing a school solar energy grants program like in House Bill 137 (Fiedler-D-Philadelphia).  [Note: The bill is scheduled to be considered by the House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee on May 2.]

Designation PA A Hydrogen Hub: House Resolution 79 (Pisciottano-D-Allegheny) urging Congress and the Biden Administration to designate Pennsylvania a hydrogen hub.

Wildlife Conservation Corridors: House Resolution 87 (Daley-D-Montgomery) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study of wildlife conservation corridors.  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

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

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

Senate

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

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

[Posted: April 30, 2023]

5/1/2023