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

-- DEP Secretary Negrin Resigns Effective Dec. 8, On Medical Leave; Jessica Shirley Named Interim Acting Secretary  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - October 21 to 27 -- Plugging 100th Well Tough Going; 30 Abandoned Conventional Wells Confirmed To 1 Operator  [PaEN]

Oil & Gas Health Impact Studies

-- The Allegheny Front: New Report Compiles Years Of Data About Health Risks Associated With Natural Gas Development, Infrastructure

-- WESA/Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Research By Public Health Experts Shows ‘Damning’ Evidence On The Harms Of Fracking

-- PA League Of Women Voters, University Of Pittsburgh Graduate School Of Public Health Nov. 14 Shale Gas & Public Health Conference  [PaEN]

-- Inside Climate News - Jake Bolster: Should Wastewater From Conventional Oil & Gas Drilling Be Spread On Pennsylvania Roads?

-- House Environmental Committee To Hold Oct. 30 Hearing On Bill Increasing Setback Safety Zones From Shale Natural Gas Drilling Sites, Infrastructure Based On Latest Science, Grand Jury Report  [PaEN]

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: PA’s Shale Gas Industry Used 160 Million Pounds Of Fracking Chemicals From 2012 to 2022, New Report Says

-- Post-Gazette/Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Report: PA’s Oil & Gas Industry Used 160 Million Pounds Of ‘Secret’ Chemicals From 2012 to 2022

-- Better Path Coalition: Nov. 2 Brown Bag Briefing On Fracking And PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' In Pennsylvania  [PaEN]

-- Marcellus Drilling News: East Dunkard Water Users Sue Water Authority, CNX, Others For Tainted Water  [PDF of Article]   [Copy of Lawsuit]

-- Observer-Reporter: PUC Dismisses Joint Settlement, Civil Penalty Against East Dunkard Water Authority  [PDF of Article]

Budget

-- WITF: Penn State Sounds The Alarm On State Funding

-- Post-Gazette: University Of Pittsburgh Funding Frozen By Harrisburg Infighting; Ripple Effects Have Blocked $57 Million In Agriculture Assistance

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: PA University Chiefs Urge Lawmakers ‘In Strongest Possible Terms’ To End Funding Stalemate

November 2023 Election

-- City & State PA: A Q/A With PA’s Chief Election Official

-- LancasterOnline: State And Local Election Officials Disagree On How To Fix Ballot Errors Sent To Mail-In Voters

-- TribLive Editorial: Get The Info You Need To Make Good Voting Choices

-- PoliticsPA: 2023 Election: PA Voter Registration Numbers

-- PA Capital-Star: Spending By Jeff Yass-Backed Conservative PAC Tops $4 Million In PA Supreme Court Race

Emergency Response

-- Large Heating Oil Spill In Cumberland County Highlights A Hole In Storage Tank Act, Availability Of Voluntary Underground Tank Leak Cleanup Insurance  [PaEN]

-- PennLive: Mandatory Water Conservation Order Lifted In Cumberland County Days After Heating Oil Spill Impacts The Conodoguinet Creek

-- KDKA: DEP Investigating Oil Slicks On Monongahela River Near McKeesport

-- Warren Times: Clarendon Volunteer Fire Dept. To Utilize DCNR Grant On Wildfire Equipment

-- WITF/Spotlight PA: Centre County Fire Company’s All-Female Attack Line Makes History

Flooding

-- WNEP: Scranton Officials Working With Scranton Community Foundation To Offer Flood Recovery Grants To Victim’s Of Last Month’s Flooding

-- Scranton Times: Application Window Opens Monday For Flood Relief Grants

-- Wilkes-Barre Times: Collaborative Emergency Flooding Solution For Spencer Lane Announced, Including ‘Beaver Deceiver’

Hydrogen Hubs

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Appalachian Hydrogen Hub Companies And Projects Finally Revealed: ‘The Cloak Has Been Removed’ [ ARCH2 Presentation ]  [ ARCH2 website ]

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Hydrogen Is Coming To Pennsylvania, Now What? 

-- Spotlight PA: Officials Celebrate PA’s Two Hydrogen Hubs, But Many Details Remain Shrouded In Secrecy

-- FOX43: Hydrogen Hubs Generate Environmental Concerns From Experts

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: What Is The Philly-Area Hydrogen Hub, Who’s Behind It, How Will It Work?

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Air Liquide Plans Hydrogen Plant In Pittsburgh Region

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Mapping The Hydrogen Hub In The Midst Of DEP’s ‘Environmental Justice’ Communities On PennEnviroScreen 

-- Republican Senators Bartolotta, Ward, Pittman, Robinson, Yaw Highlight Benefits Of Hydrogen Hubs

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Republican Lawmakers All-In On Hydrogen Hubs

-- Scranton Times: Landfill Gas Plant At Keystone Landfill To Explore Storing Carbon Dioxide Deep Underground 

-- Bloomberg: What Carbon Capture Failures Say About Its Future

-- Bloomberg: Occidental Petroleum Quietly Ditched World’s Biggest Carbon Capture Plant In Texas

Natural Gas Explosions

-- TribLive: ‘We’re All Coming Together,’ Plum Boro Teachers Revive Festival To Support Victims Of Natural Gas Explosion In Rustic Ridge Community, Allegheny County

-- The Guardian: Gas Leaks Advocacy Group’s Ad Latest Push To Counter Fossil Fuel Industry Messaging

Train Derailments

-- Attorney General Henry Leads Coalition Urging Feds To Mandate Railroads Improve Communications With First Responders Over Hazardous Material Loads

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Soil, Water Cleanup After Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Almost Finished, EPA Says

-- AP: Soil Removal From Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Site Is Nearly Done, But Cleanup Isn’t Over

-- The Allegheny Front: Churches Provide Vital Services As Town Recovers From Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- WITF/AP: Norfolk Southern Ohio/PA Train Derailment Cleanup Costs Grow To $966 Million; But Railroad’s Trains Moving More Smoothly

-- AP: Norfolk Southern Investing In More Automated Inspection Systems On Its Railroad To Improve Safety

PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- AP: Many Families To Get A Break On Winter Heating Costs But Uncertainties Persist

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Pennsylvanians Could Save On Energy Bills This Winter

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: PA- $3.70; National- $3.50; Ohio- $3.18

-- Erie Times: Gasoline Prices Fell In Erie For 5 Weeks, Will Trend Continue?

-- Warren Times: Price Of Gasoline Continues To Fall In Region

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Increase By One To 22

-- Reuters: Report: EU On Track To Quit Russian Fossil Fuels; Energy Markets Remain Vulnerable, Gas Infrastructure Needs To Be Protected

-- The Economist: Who Is Sabotaging Underwater Natural Gas Infrastructure In The Baltic Sea?

-- Reuters: IEA Says ‘Unprecedented’ Natural Gas Supply Surge Could Lead To LNG Glut From 2025

-- AP: Gaza War Has Oil Markets On Edge, That Could Build More Urgency To Shift To Renewables, IEA Head Says

-- Financial Times: IEA Warns Energy Companies Against Banking On Strong Oil Demand, Risks Of Over-Investment In Fossil Fuels 

-- Reuters: World Oil, Natural Gas, Coal Demand To Peak By 2030, IEA Says

-- Reuters: Exxon Posts Sharply Lower $9.1 Billion Profit On Lower Oil, Natural Gas Prices

-- Reuters: Chevron’s 3rd Quarter Profit Slumps, Shares Fall

Environmental Heritage

-- NextPittsburgh: After 75 Years, ‘Willful Ignorance’ Remains The Donora Smog’s Lasting Fallout

-- TribLive: Film Screening Next In 75th Anniversary Of Deadly Donora Smog Disaster

Environment/Energy Issues

-- House Committee To Hold Oct. 30 Hearing On State’s Electronics Waste Recycling Law; Current Program Is Broken  [PaEN]

-- Senate Environmental Committee Reports Out Bills On Garage Drain Water Disposal, Crematory Operating Temperatures  [PaEN]

-- Senate Appropriations Reports Out ‘Stream Cleaning’ Bills  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square: Crematories Want To ‘Cool The Degrees Down’ In PA

-- Williamsport Sun: Reps. Hamm, Flick Address Concerns In Legislature, Including Extending Safety Zones Around Natural Gas Infrastructure

-- Williamsport Sun: Sen. Yaw Focuses On Lycoming County’s Population Loss At Legislative Breakfast

-- The Guardian: Fossil Fuel Firms Spent Millions On US Lawmakers Who Sponsored Anti-Protest Bills  [Sen. Martin, Sen. Regan Sponsored Bills In PA]

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

Flood Insurance Task Force: House Bill 735 (Warren-D-Bucks) establishing a Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force to develop recommendations on premium discount programs, local government flood mitigation efforts, potential changes to statutes or practices of this Commonwealth, strategies for public education on flood risks and insurance choices, as well as methods to encourage the purchase of flood insurance was amended and passed by the Senate.  It now returns to the House for a concurrence vote.

10-Year ‘Stream Cleaning’ Permit: Senate Bill 689 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would authorize DEP to issue a 10-year “stream cleaning” permits to local governments or PennDOT without need for further preapprovals for actions in the stream regardless if stream conditions changes within their jurisdictions was reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary] and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

County ‘Stream Cleaning’ Permit: Senate Bill 690 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would authorize county conservation districts to develop a complex and expensive program related to “reconstruction emergency permit authorizations” to conduct “stream cleaning” operations was reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee [Senate Fiscal Note & Summary] and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Garage Floor Drains: Senate Bill 265 (Laughlin-R-Erie) amending the Sewage Facilities Act to allow garage floor drains to discharge into on-lot septic systems was reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Read more here.

Crematory Operating Temperatures: House Bill 1246 (Malagari-D-Montgomery) reducing the operating temperatures of crematories from 1,800 degrees to 1,600 degrees was reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Read more here.

State Employee Bar On Future Employment: 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, was Tabled.

Bill Calendars

House (October 30): House Resolution 196 (Matzie-D-Beaver) designating the week of September 18-24 Rail Safety Week; House Resolution 228 (Otten-D-Chester) designating the week of October 1 through 7, 2023, as "Climate Week" in Pennsylvania. <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (November 13): Senate Bill 265 (Laughlin-R-Erie) amending the Sewage Facilities Act to allow garage floor drains to discharge into on-lot septic systems;  Senate Bill 689 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) would authorize DEP to issue a 10-year “stream cleaning” permits to local governments or PennDOT without need for further preapprovals for actions in the stream regardless if stream conditions changes within their jurisdictions; Senate Bill 690 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) would authorize county conservation districts to develop a complex and expensive program related to “reconstruction emergency permit authorizations” to conduct “stream cleaning” operations; House Bill 735 (Warren-D-Bucks) establishing a Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force to develop recommendations on premium discount programs, local government flood mitigation efforts, potential changes to statutes or practices of this Commonwealth, strategies for public education on flood risks and insurance choices, as well as methods to encourage the purchase of flood insurance; House Bill 1246 (Malagari-D- Montgomery) reducing the operating temperatures of crematories from 1,800 degrees to 1,600 degrees.  <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

October 30-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee holds a hearing on House Bill 170 (Otten-D-Chester) extending setback safety zones around natural gas facilities. Room G-50 Irvis Building.  10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live.    Read more here.

October 30--House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee holds a public hearing on House Bill 1607 (Borowski-D-Delaware) a comprehensive rewrite of the state electronics waste recycling law (sponsor summary).  Room 205 Ryan Building.  10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.   Read more here.

October 30-- House Republican Policy Committee holds hearing on ‘Stopping Disastrous Energy Policies.’  Room 418.  Off the Floor.  Click Here to watch live.

November 1-- House Philadelphia LNG Natural Gas Export Task Force meeting to consider Task Force Report.  Room 515 Irvis Building.  9:30.  Click Here to watch live.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

November 2-- Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee hearing with the Ohio Public Utilities Committee on interstate relationships with the PJM Interconnection and the election grid.  William Penn Omni Hotel, Lawrence Welk Room, Pittsburgh.  10:00 a.m.   Click Here to watch live.

 <>  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

November 13, 14, 15

December 11, 12, 13

House

October 30, 31

November 1, 13, 14, 15

December 11, 12, 13

[Posted: October 29, 2023]

10/30/2023