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News From PA House & Senate
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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-- -- The Dick Thornburgh Forum For Law & Public Policy Oct. 5 Preserving Democracy - The Critical Role Of The Media Featuring CNN Senior Reporter Katelyn Polantz 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Gov. Shapiro -- AP: PA Makes It Easier To Register To Vote When Drivers Get Or Renew A License -- Warren Times Editorial: PA Joined 21st Century In Making Voter Registration Easier This Week -- TribLive Editorial: Easier Voter Registration Is Better For Everyone Budget -- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: PA Lawmakers Trying To Revamp K-12 Education Funding Formula -- PennLive: PA House Republican Leader: ‘No Movement’ On College Funding As Lawmakers Return Oil & Gas Health Study -- Senators Santarsiero, Comitta To Introduce Bill Increasing Setback Safety Zones From Shale Natural Gas Drilling Sites From 500 To 2,500 Feet, Based On Latest Science [PaEN] -- Pittsburgh Business Times: Senators To Introduce Bill To Increase Setbacks On Gas Drilling -- Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition Lobbyist Responds To Health Concerns Raised In Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial - ‘Fracking Is Making Pennsylvanians Sick, Lawmakers Must Act’ -- Tribune-Democrat Guest Editorial: Natural Gas Development Making Pennsylvanians Sick, Lawmakers Must Act -- What It’s Like To Raise A Family In The Most Fracked County In PA - Washington County: PA Physicians For Social Responsibility [Video] -- Uncontrolled Natural Gas Emissions From Equitrans Steelhead Compressor Station, Washington County: PA Physicians For Social Responsibility [Video] -- The Allegheny Front: ‘Ezell: Ballad Of A Land Man’ Performance About Fracking And Belonging Coming To Pittsburgh [Sept. 28 to Oct. 1] -- Post-Gazette - Salena Zito: A Place Where Young People Actually Go To Church [Plum Boro, Allegheny County] Village Of Reno Water Supply Contamination -- Petro Erie, Inc. Appeals 2nd DEP Order Requiring The Operator To Restore The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply Contaminated By A Spill Of Conventional Oil Well Wastewater In Venango County [PaEN] -- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: Petro Erie Appeals DEP July Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill That Contaminated The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County [PDF of Article] Natural Gas Explosions -- PUC Responds To NTSB Actions Regarding Reading Factory Natural Gas Explosion -- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: NTSB Kicks PUC Out Of Investigation Into Deadly Natural Gas Explosion At A Chocolate Factory In Reading -- Reading Eagle: West Reading Chocolate Factory Explosion: Feds Demand PUC Hand Over UGI Inspection Reports -- AP: NTSB Investigators Subpoena PUC Records Related To Reading Factory Natural Gas Explosion -- PennLive: Lancaster County House Explosion Leaves 1 Man Dead: Police -- 6ABC News: 100 Residents In Delaware County Evacuated After Natural Gas From A Ruptured Gas Line Leaked, Caused 2 Houses To Explode -- MCall: Natural Gas Leak In Lehigh Valley Prompts Brief Shelter-In-Place Order Wednesday Train Derailments -- PA Capital-Star: PennDOT, Norfolk Southern Reach Agreement On Expanded Ambrak Service To Pittsburgh -- WESA/AP: Biden Says Norfolk Southern Must Be Held Accountable For Ohio Train Derailment, But Won’t Declare Disaster -- WITF/AP: Railroads Working To Make Sure Firefighters Can Quickly Look Up What Is On A Train After A Derailment PA Politics Of Russian Invasion -- AAA Gasoline Prices: PA- $3.94; National- $3.85; Ohio- $3.56 -- Williamsport Sun: Local, State Gasoline Prices Climb Again -- TribLive: Refinery Issues Could Offset Lower Prices Cheaper Winter Gasoline Typically Brings, Analyst Says -- Financial Times: Hedge Fund Speculators Add Fuel To Oil Price Rally With Bets On Rise Above $100 -- Reuters: US Oil Output From Top Shale Areas To Fall For 3rd Straight Month In October, EIA Says [Oil, Natural Gas Firms Still Focused On Returning Money To Investors] -- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drill Rig Count Remains At 21 -- Bloomberg: Europe’s Natural Gas Hits One-Month High As Russian Risks Rattle Markets -- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Slump As Risks Ease In Norway, Australia -- Pittsburgh Business Times: EQT Natural Gas, Commonwealth LNG Reach Agreement To Supply Gas To Louisiana Facility -- The Economist: Why Uranium Prices Are Soaring Environment/Energy Issues -- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 16 to 22 - 2nd Abandoned Shale Gas Well Pad? 5 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Failure To Comply With Order [PaEN] -- Petro Erie, Inc. Appeals 2nd DEP Order Requiring The Operator To Restore The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply Contaminated By A Spill Of Conventional Oil Well Wastewater In Venango County [PaEN] -- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: Petro Erie Appeals DEP July Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill That Contaminated The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County [PDF of Article] -- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: IFO Report: PA Natural Gas Prices Down, Shale Gas Drilling Falls -- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, NERC Final Report On Winter Storm Elliott Says Legislative Action Needed To Establish Reliability Rules For Natural Gas Infrastructure [PaEN] -- Utility Dive: Record 13% Of Eastern US Electric Generation Capacity Failed - 63% Natural Gas-Fired During Winter Storm Elliott [70% In PJM Were Natural Gas Failures] -- Financial Times: Bets On Energy Transition Spark Rise In North American Pipeline Deals -- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: New FERC Rule Aims To Ease Connection Between New Renewable Power Generation And Electric Grid -- PUC Invites Comments On Proposed Policy Statement On Use Of Electric Storage To Enhance Grid Reliability And Resilience [PaEN] -- House Environmental Committee Meets Sept. 26 On Cryptocurrency Mining Moratorium Bill [PaEN] -- Erie Times - Brian Whipkey: Study Finding Rampant PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Leads To Increased Water Monitoring Across PA -- Altoona Mirror: Martinsburg Files Federal Lawsuit Against Chemical Companies For PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Contamination Of Borough’s Water Supply -- Inquirer: Why Worries About PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ And Injuries Might Push NFL To Ditch Artificial Turf -- WITF/AP: Firefighters Fear PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Their Gear Could Be Contributing To Rising Cancer Cases -- DEP Hears Concerns, Some Support From Water Resources Committee On Draft Reg. On Reporting Unauthorized Spills, Releases [PaEN] -- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Lawmakers Want Western PA Search & Rescue Team For Disasters Like Fern Hollow Bridge Collapse 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 PennDOT Use Of Native Vegetation: House Bill 797 (B.Miller-R-Lancaster) requires PennDOT to plant native vegetation along highways was amended and reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary] and passed by the Senate and is now in the House for a concurrence vote. Lake Erie Fee Exemption: Senate Bill 382 (Laughlin-R-Erie) exempting certain landowners from paying annual fee for constructing groins into Lake Erie was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and passed by the Senate. It is now in the House for consideration. 2-Year Ban For Public Employees: Senate Bill 723 (Phillips-Hill-R-York) prohibits public employees from lobbying the agencies they worked for for two years, not one was reported out of the Senate State Government Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. [Does not apply to lawmakers or lawyers.] Redefining Water Pollution: Senate Bill 286 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would amend the Clean Streams law to redefine water pollution and let polluters decide when to notify DEP of a spill was Tabled. Read more here. Geologic Sequestration Of Carbon: 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 was Tabled. Read more here. House Allow Increase In Conventional Oil & Gas Well Bonds: 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 was removed from the Table and is now on the House Calendar for action. Read more here. Littering Acknowledgment On Licenses & Registrations: House Bill 1044 (Ciresi-D- Montgomery) would require a plain language acknowledgement on driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations of the state anti-littering laws was removed from the Table and is now on the House Calendar for action. Reauthorize Authority For Fish & Boat Commission To Adopt Fees: House Bill 1409 (Kulik-D-Allegheny) reauthorize authority for Fish and Boat Commission to adopt its own fishing and boating fees was removed from the Table and is now on the House Calendar for action. Allow Consideration Of Cumulative Risk In Issuing DEP Permits: House Bill 652 (Bullock-D-Philadelphia) requires an environmental impact report on certain major sources of pollution in environmental justice communities already burdened by pollution was removed from the Table and referred to the House Rules Committee. Read more here. Excluding Cryptocurrency Operations From Tax Credit: House Bill 1282 (Vitali-D- Delaware) would exclude cryptocurrency operations from the state Data Center Sales Tax Exemption was removed from the Table and referred to the House Rules Committee. Preventing Wind Mills From Interfering With Military Air Space: House Bill 1323 (Mako-R-Northampton) preventing wind mill development from interfering with military aircraft operations was removed from the Table and referred to the House Rules Committee. DCNR Fee Discount For Individuals Serving In Military: House Bill 1532 (Madsen-D- Dauphin) providing a 15% discount for individuals serving in the military, veterans and their families was removed from the Table and Referred to the House Rules Committee. Bill Calendars 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; House Bill 1044 (Ciresi-D- Montgomery) would require a plain language acknowledgement on driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations of the state anti-littering laws; House Bill 1338 (Neilson-D- Philadelphia) preventing ATVs, dirt bikes off road vehicles from operating on streets in City of Philadelphia; House Bill 1409 (Kulik-D-Allegheny) reauthorize authority for Fish and Boat Commission to adopt its own fishing and boating fees; 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. Senate (October 2): Senate Bill 723 (Phillips-Hill-R-York) prohibits public employees from lobbying the agencies they worked for for two years, but does not apply to lawmakers or lawyers. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar. Committee Meetings House September 26-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 1474 (Ciresi-D-Montgomery) expanding C-PACE clean energy financing program to include electric vehicle charging infrastructure and House Bill 1476 (Vitali-D-Delaware) providing for a moratorium on issuing air permits for electric generation facilities used by cryptocurrency mining operations and direct DEP to conduct an impact study on cryptocurrency operations (sponsor summary). Room 140. 10:00 a.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 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 24, 2023] |
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9/25/2023 |
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