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The information you need to follow legislation in the House and Senate- starting with articles and NewsClips from last week--
Environment & Energy NewsClips--
-- We Remember Sept. 11, 2001 - DEP Responds To A National Tragedy - By David Hess, Former Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection [PaEN]
-- Beaver County Times: Events Planned For 9/11 Anniversary At Flight 93 National Memorial
-- TribLive: Local, State, Federal Officials To Mark 22nd Anniversary Of Flight 93 Crash On 9/11 In Somerset County
-- Post-Gazette: Flight 93 National Memorial At Place To Remember And Reflect
Gov. Shapiro
-- Inquirer: Shapiro Administration Has Slashed Wait Times, Backlogs For State Approvals and Licenses; Money-Back Guarantee Permit Program Starts In November
-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: Environmentalists Demand Answers About PA Governor’s Secretive Committee On Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
-- Office Of Budget Announces Changes To Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Shapiro Administration Announces Redesign, Improvements To Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program
Budget
-- PA Chapter Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Oppose Transfer Of $150 Million From Game Fund To Clean Streams Fund In Senate Budget Bill; Could Make State Ineligible For Federal Wildlife Funds [PaEN]
-- PA Federation Of Sportsmen & Conservationists Oppose State Budget Bill Transfer Of $150 Million From Game Commission Fund To Clean Streams Fund
Oil & Gas Health Study
-- The Guardian: Report - Natural Gas Projects In Australia Risk Exposing People To Cancer And Birth Defects [Following University Of Pittsburgh Studies]
-- University Of Pittsburgh News: Pitt Studies Link Unconventional Natural Gas Development To Childhood Cancer, Asthma Attacks
-- State Dept. Of Health Invites Citizens To File Environmental Health Complaints Related To Natural Gas Development; Health Will Also Review Environmental Test Results [PaEN]
-- TribLive Guest Essay: Leaders Aren’t Helpless And Must Take Action To Protect Constituents From Natural Gas Development Health Impacts - By Tom Pike, Penn Twp., Westmoreland County
-- The Daily Item Guest Essay: Is Natural Gas Development Good For Pennsylvania? $3.8 Billion In PA Taxpayer Subsidies; University Of Pittsburgh Health Studies; Methane Leaks; Jobs Decline - By Sandy Field, Climate Reality Project - Susquehanna Valley Chapter
-- The Guardian: Report - Natural Gas Projects In Australia Risk Exposing People To Cancer And Birth Defects [Following University Of Pittsburgh Studies]
-- Republican Rep. Krupa Introduces HB 1656 To Ban Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Wells To Protect The Public From Radioactive, Toxic Materials [PaEN]
-- Inside Climate News: New PA Legislation Aims To Classify Oil & Gas Wastewater As Hazardous Waste
-- Inquirer Editorial: Natural Gas Development Is Making Pennsylvanians Sick, Lawmakers Must Act
Village Of Reno Water Supply Contamination
-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: Officials Update Sugarcreek Boro On Continuing Reno Water Issues In Venango County, Aqua PA Still Hauling Water To Keep System Going; DEP To Hold Public Meeting [Water Supply Contaminated By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater] [PDF of Article]
Home Explosions
-- DEP: Preliminary Test Results Not Indicative Of Stray Gas Migration Cause Of Plum Boro Home Explosion In Rustic Ridge Allegheny County [PaEN]
-- TribLive: Investigators Say Cause Of Fatal Plum Boro Gas Explosion Came From Inside The Home
-- AP: Investigators Pinpoint House As Source Of Gas Explosion That Killed 6 In Plum Boro, Allegheny County
-- PUC: No Evidence Public Utility Natural Gas Equipment Caused 2022 Hialeah Dr. Home Explosion In Plum Boro, Allegheny County [PaEN]
-- TribLive: PUC Rules Public Utility Equipment Not At Fault In 2022 Plum Boro Home Explosion
Train Derailments
-- PA Capital-Star: PA Cong. Deluzio Pushes For Passage Of Rail Safety Legislation In Congress [PA Bill Stuck In Senate]
PA Politics Of Russian Invasion
-- AAA Gasoline Prices: Pennsylvania $3.85; National $3.82; Ohio $3.52
-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drill Rigs Same As Last Week - 21
-- Bloomberg: Higher Natural Gas Price In Europe Makes Holding Back Supplies For A Month Lucrative
-- NJ Spotlight News - Jon Hurdle: Feds Suspend Rule Allowing Natural Gas To Be Shipped By Train, Another Blow To Plan For LNG Natural Gas Export Terminal In South Jersey
-- Washington Examiner: Fragile LNG Natural Gas Market Vulnerable To Major Price Swings, Supply Shortages
-- Wall Street Journal: Saudi Oil Production Cuts Send World Diesel Prices Soaring
-- AP: Oil Prices Spike As Saudi Arabia, Russia Extend 1.3 Million Barrel A Day Oil Cut Thru December
-- Reuters Column: US Oil And Gas Output Nears Peak In Delayed Response To High Prices In Mid-2022
Environment/Energy Issues
-- KDKA: Natural Gas Gathering Pipeline Crashes Into, Thru Westmoreland County Home And A Loophole In State Law That Doesn’t Regulate Gathering Pipelines For Safety [PaEN]
-- DEP Provides Oil & Gas Advisory Board With Updates On Well Plugging Financial Assurance; Pitt Health Studies; Funding Options For Program; Civil Penalty Policy [PaEN]
-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Lessons Of Equitrans 1.1 Billion Cubic Feet Natural Gas Storage Facility Blowout Just Starting To Surface As Gas Injection Season Nears
-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - September 2 to 8; Equitrans Issued NOVs For Failing To Provide DEP Inspectors Access To Facilities As Requested [PaEN]
-- Republican Rep. Krupa Introduces HB 1656 To Ban Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Wells To Protect The Public From Radioactive, Toxic Materials [PaEN]
-- Inside Climate News: New PA Legislation Aims To Classify Oil & Gas Wastewater As Hazardous Waste
-- State Dept. Of Health Invites Citizens To File Environmental Health Complaints Related To Natural Gas Development; Health Will Also Review Environmental Test Results [PaEN]
-- University Of Pittsburgh News: Pitt Studies Link Unconventional Natural Gas Development To Childhood Cancer, Asthma Attacks
-- TribLive Guest Essay: Leaders Aren’t Helpless And Must Take Action To Protect Constituents From Natural Gas Development Health Impacts - By Tom Pike, Penn Twp., Westmoreland County
-- Inquirer Editorial: Natural Gas Development Is Making Pennsylvanians Sick, Lawmakers Must Act
-- NJ Spotlight News - Jon Hurdle: Feds Suspend Rule Allowing Natural Gas To Be Shipped By Train, Another Blow To Plan For LNG Natural Gas Export Terminal In South Jersey
-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports 2nd Quarter Natural Gas Production Increased 0.3% Over Prior Year; Dramatic Slowdown In Drilling New Shale Gas Wells Taking Hold [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: Support Solar Energy For Family Farms And Build A Stronger Economy And Grid - By Chad Forcey, PA Conservative Energy Forum [PaEN]
-- MCall: PA Towns Would Get More Control Over Warehouses Under Lehigh Valley Lawmaker’s 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]
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 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
September 12-- House Consumer Protection, Technology, Utilities Committee holds hearing on House Bill 1578 (Mullins-D-Lackawanna) training and bonding retail electric and natural gas energy suppliers. Room G-50 Irvis Building. 1:00 p.m. Click Here to watch live online.
September 26-- House Game and Fisheries Committee informational meeting on problems with Game Commission launch of license sales. Room 523 Irvis Building. 9:00 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: September 10, 2023]
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