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

-- SpotlightPA: Why Some Shapiro Cabinet Picks Are Still ‘Acting’

Budget

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: IFO Says PA’s New Labor Contracts To Cost Taxpayers $3.2 Billion Over 4 Years

-- Independent Fiscal Office: Budget Impact Of New Union Contract FY 24-25 - $696 Million 

Oil & Gas Development Health Study Results

-- University Of Pittsburgh School Of Public Health Studies Find Shale Gas Wells Can Make Asthma Worse; Children Have An Increased Chance Of Developing Lymphoma Cancer; Slightly Lower Birth Weights  [PaEN]

-- State Dept. Of Health Apologizes For Not Listening To Communities Suffering Health Impacts From Shale Gas Development; New Health Study Results ‘Just The Tip Of The Iceberg’  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Who Pays For Natural Gas Development’s Harm?  Pennsylvania Should Acknowledge The Clear Fact That Fracking Has Hurt People, Specifically Children  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square: Natural Gas Well Setbacks May Not Be Protective Enough After Health Impact Study Results

-- Post-Gazette: Processing Research On Southwestern PA Natural Gas Development And Health, Residents Seek Answers Together: ‘We Deserve Better’

Village Of Reno, Venango County Contaminated Water Supply

-- The Derrick: DEP Issues Order To Petro Erie, Inc. To Restore Village Of Reno Water System, Cleanup Contamination Caused By Its Conventional Well Wastewater Release; 1 Month Without Clean Water  [PaEN]

-- The Derrick - Luka Krneta: Petro Erie Ordered To Rectify Issues Related To Village Of Reno Water Supply Contamination By DEP In Venango County  [PDF of article]

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: PUC Issues Emergency Order To Aqua Pennsylvania To Operate The Village Of Reno Water System In Venango County Contaminated By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater   [PDF of article ]

-- WTAE: To The Frustration Of The Village Of Reno Residents, ‘Do Not Consume’ Water Advisory Approaches One Month Mark In Venango County, After Contamination By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill  

-- The Derrick - Luka Krneta: Consumable Water For Village Of Reno, Venango County, Might Not Be Far Off, After Contamination By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill  [PDF of article]

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: Fundraising Event Brings In $1,000 For Village Of Reno Water Emergency Fund In Venango County  [PDF of article]

Plum Borough Home Explosion

-- DEP Investigating Other Possible Sources Of Methane As Part Of Response To Plum Borough Home Explosion, Including Nearby Conventional, Shale Gas Wells  [PaEN]

-- Public Utility Commission Safety Investigation Ongoing Following Deadly House Explosion In Plum Borough, Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: 6th Victim Dies From Plum Borough House Explosion

Train Derailments

-- WTAE: Darlington Twp., Beaver County Residents Express Concerns 6 Months After Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- Beaver County Times: Casey, Fetterman Urge Norfolk Southern To Join Federal Program That Shields Railroad Workers Who Report Close Calls On Rail Safety

PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: Pennsylvania- $3.90; National- $3.86;  Ohio- $3.58

-- The Hill: Gasoline Prices On The Rise Despite High Oil Production In The US  [Because It’s A World Market]

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drill Rigs Up 2 From Last Week To 21

-- Gas Outlook: IEA - Natural Gas Demand Could Peak Sooner Than Thought; Revises Natural Gas Demand Forecast Down By 40% Due To War In Ukraine

Environment/Energy Issues

-- NBC News: Millions In US Live Near Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Linked To Explosions And Toxins [Pennsylvania Profiled]

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Control Leaks From Natural Gas Pipelines

-- NBCNews: EQT Natural Gas, Abandoned Well Frack-Out In New Freedom, Greene County Stirs Suspicion And A Year Of Frustration In Tiny PA Town

-- DEP Investigating Other Possible Sources Of Methane As Part Of Response To Plum Borough Home Explosion, Including Nearby Conventional, Shale Gas Wells  [PaEN]

-- Public Utility Commission Safety Investigation Ongoing Following Deadly House Explosion In Plum Borough, Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - August 12 to 18; DEP Orders Restoration Of Water Supply; Conventional Wells Abandoned; Leaking Methane, Fluids  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - August 19  [PaEN]

-- DEP, SRBC Invite Comments On New Permits For PA General Energy Shawnee Shale Gas Drilling Water Withdrawal On The Loyalsock Creek, Lycoming County After Failure To Comply With Its First Permit  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square: Senate Republican Suggests Curbing Powers Of Acting Cabinet Secretaries

-- The Center Square Guest Essay: Tourism, Leveraging Our Abundant Natural Resources, Is The Keystone To A Prosperous Tomorrow - By Rep. Ann Flood (R-Northampton)

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Increase In-Lieu Of Tax Payments On State Land

Other

-- AP: PA’s Jobless Rate Has Fallen To A New Record Low, Matching The National Rate 

-- Dept. Of Labor & Industry Reports Record Low 3.5% Unemployment Rate In July

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 (September 18): Senate Bill 286 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would redefine when a spill needs to be reported by letting the polluter decide when to notify DEP taking into account control and remedial measures, whether the discharge will harm receiving waters or public health  Read more here; Senate Bill 382 (Laughlin-R-Erie) exempting Lake Erie coastal property owners from annual groin structure fees; Senate Bill 831 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would direct the state to apply for primary authority to regulate Class VI carbon dioxide underground injection wells from the U.S. EPA  Read more here.  <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

House (September 26): House Bill 962 (Vitali-D- Delaware) to restore DEP’s authority to review conventional oil and gas well plugging bonding amounts to help prevent the routine abandonment of between 400 and 600 conventional oil and gas wells a year by operators Read more here;  House Resolution 79 (Pisciottano-D- Allegheny) urging the Biden Administration and Congress to designate Pennsylvania as a hydrogen hub.<> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

August 22-- House Republican Policy Committee hearing on PA Rare Earth Minerals.  River’s Landing & Event Center, 139 W. Market St., Clearfield.  10:00 a.m.

August 22-- House Philadelphia LNG Natural Gas Export Task Force hearing on economic impact and other consideration for a potential LNG export terminal in or around the Port of Philadelphia.  Widener University, University Center, Webb Room, One University Place, Chester, Delaware County.  10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch online [If Available]

September 8-- House Agriculture and Rural Affairs informational meeting on invasive species in Pennsylvania.  Temple University - Ambler, 580 Meetinghouse Road, Ambler.  9:30 a.m.  Click Here to watch live online.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

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

September 18, 19, 20

October 2, 3, 4, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25

November 13, 14, 15

December 11, 12, 13

House

September 26, 27

October 2, 3, 4, 16, 17, 18, 30, 31

November 1, 13, 14, 15

[Posted: August 20, 2023]

8/21/2023