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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--
Gov. Shapiro
-- The Lever: Interview With Gov. Shapiro About His First Year In Office; PA Matters In 2024
-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Shapiro Needs To Build Bridges With Republicans - By Commonwealth Foundation
Oil & Gas Health Impact Studies
-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - November 4 to 10 - Eight More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Venting Gas; Improper Plugging, Failed To Restore Well Pads [PaEN]
-- Environmental Health Project: Gov. Shapiro Must Acknowledge Health Risks Of Natural Gas Development And Take Meaningful Action To Protect The Public [PaEN]
-- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA: Gov. Shapiro's Announcement With CNX Does Not Go Far Enough In Protecting Public Health And The Environment From Natural Gas Development [PaEN]
-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: Gov. Shapiro’s Deal With Fracking Company Splits Environmentalists
-- TribLive Editorial: Is Shapiro's Voluntary Agreement With CNX The Right Move For Gas Well Safety? 'We Do Not Trust Foxes To Guard Henhouses' [PaEN]
-- Beaver County Times: Sunday Sirens At Shell Petrochemical Plant ‘False Alarm;’ Facility ‘Down For Maintenance’ [4 Days Later]
-- Financial Times: Shell Taps Gamers, Surfers, Influencers To Boost Image Among The Young
-- Financial Times: Shell Sues Greenpeace For $2.1 Million For Occupying Oil/Gas Production Storage Platform To Draw Attention To Climate Issues
-- Protect PT, Three Rivers Waterkeeper File Appeal Of EPA Permit For Penneco Oil & Gas Injection Well Permit In Allegheny County
-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Unplugged, Hazardous Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Have Been The Norm For Generations In PA; We Can’t Afford To Kick This Can Down The Road To The Next Generation - Zefiro Methane Corp
-- Observer-Reporter Guest Essay: Greene County’s Latest Water Crisis In East Dunkard Water System Is A Stark Reminder Band-Aids Aren’t Made For Water Systems - By Joseph Casilli, Casper Colosimo & Son, Inc.
Budget
-- Independent Fiscal Office Holds Nov. 15 Economic And Budget Outlook Briefing At 1:30 p.m.
Natural Gas Explosions
-- WPXI: 1 Hospitalized, 15 Evacuated After Strong Natural Gas Odor At McCandless Retirement Community
-- PUC Seeks More Information On Peoples Gas Over-Pressurization Incident In Indiana County That Damaged Hundreds Of Appliances, Caused Distribution Pipeline Leaks [PaEN]
Train Derailments
-- LancasterOnline: PA Attorney General Urges Feds To Require Railroads To Release More Information On Toxic Freight In Emergency Situations
-- Inside Climate News/The 19th: Misti Allison Lost Her Bid To Become Mayor In Ohio Town Impacted By Norfolk Southern Train Derailment
-- The Guardian: US Faces Almost Daily Hazardous Chemical Accidents, Research Suggests
PA Politics Of Russian Invasion
-- AAA Gasoline Prices: PA- $3.63; National- $3.39; Ohio- $3.24
-- Baker Hughes PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Drop 1 To 19 From Last Week
-- New NERC Winter Reliability Assessment Finds Elevated Risk Of Blackouts In Extreme Weather Conditions; Natural Gas Supplies Still Vulnerable To These Conditions With 'Devastating Consequences' [PaEN]
-- Utility Dive: Much Of North America- Including PJM-- Faces ‘Elevated Risk’ Of Blackouts In Extreme Weather Conditions - North American Electric Reliability Corp [Key Issue Is Will Natural Gas Supplies Fail Again?]
-- Center For American Progress: LNG Natural Gas Exports Raise Natural Gas Prices For Americans
-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Prices Slide 2% To 2-Week Low On Record Output, Mild Winter
-- Reuters: FERC Calls For Natural Gas Supply Protections After 2022 Winter Power Outages
-- Reuters: US Power Use To Slide In 2023 On Milder Weather Forecasts
-- Reuters: How Shipping More US Natural Gas LNG To Europe Helped Fuel Carbon Pollution
-- Reuters: EIA: US Natural Gas Output And Demand To High Records Highs In 2023
Environment/Energy Issues
-- House Committees Hold Hearings On Hydrogen Hubs, Appliance Energy Efficiency; Consider Bills Increasing Recycling Fee, Study Solar Energy On Farms [PaEN]
-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - November 4 to 10 - Eight More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Venting Gas; Improper Plugging, Failed To Restore Well Pads [PaEN]
-- Environmental Health Project: Gov. Shapiro Must Acknowledge Health Risks Of Natural Gas Development And Take Meaningful Action To Protect The Public [PaEN]
-- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA: Gov. Shapiro's Announcement With CNX Does Not Go Far Enough In Protecting Public Health And The Environment From Natural Gas Development [PaEN]
-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: Gov. Shapiro’s Deal With Fracking Company Splits Environmentalists
-- TribLive Editorial: Is Shapiro's Voluntary Agreement With CNX The Right Move For Gas Well Safety? 'We Do Not Trust Foxes To Guard Henhouses' [PaEN]
-- Black Appalachian Coalition Urges Allegheny County Health Dept. To Hold US Steel Accountable, Protect Community Health, From Clairton Coke Works [PaEN]
-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Outside Coal & Steel Conference, Residents Rally Against Pollution In Pittsburgh
-- WPXI: Environmental Groups Rally For Environmental Justice At Coke, Coal & Steel Industries Conference In Pittsburgh
-- National Environmental Justice Art Campaign - We Refuse To Die - Launching In Pittsburgh Area [PaEN]
-- Williamsport Sun: Sen. Yaw, PA, Ohio Reps Meet About Power Grid
-- The Center Square: Electronics Waste Recycling Struggles Drawing State’s Attention
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
House (November 13): 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
November 13-- House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee holds hearing on hydrogen hubs and climate change. Room G-50 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live. Read more here.
November 14-- House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee holds hearing on appliance energy efficiency legislation - House Bill 1615 (O’Mara-D-Delaware). Room G-50 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live. Read more here.
November 15-- House Local Government Committee meets to consider House Bill 223 (Isaacson-D-Philadelphia) increasing the recycling fee on municipal waste disposed in the state to $5/ton from $2/ton (sponsor summary); House Resolution 224 (Rabb-D-Philadelphia) directing the Joint State Government commission to do a study and establish an advisory committee to analyze opportunities for solar energy facilities on farms (sponsor summary). Room 205 Ryan Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live. Read more here.
<> 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
November 13, 14, 15
December 11, 12, 13
House
November 13, 14, 15
December 11, 12, 13
[Posted: November 12, 2023]
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