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

-- Spotlight PA: We Tracked Shapiro’s 11 Biggest Campaign Promises Thru His First Year, See How He Did

-- DEP Plugs 132 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells So Far;  DEP Issued 499 NOVs For New Conventional Well Abandonments So Far In 2023  [PaEN]

Budget

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: A Leaky Roof Is About To Close The PA House Chamber For Months, Can The Legislature Finish A Budget First?

Oil & Gas

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Senate Republican Leaders Urge DEP To Withdraw Environmental Justice Policy Saying They Lack Statutory Authority, And Out-of-State Groups Not Actual Residents Express EJ Concerns  [PaEN]

-- PA Business Report: Senate Republicans Urge DEP To Withdraw Updated Environmental Justice Policy

-- Williamsport Sun Guest Essay: Refund Should Be Due For University Of Pittsburgh’s Shale Gas Health Impact Studies - By Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair Senate Environmental Committee  [Sen. Yaw called bill to reduce shale gas industry impacts ‘stupid’ ]

Natural Gas Explosions

-- TribLive: Natural Gas Smell Causes Evacuation At Plum Boro Middle School, Allegheny County  [Plum Boro Natural Gas Home Explosion Killed 6 People In August] 

-- WESA: More Than A Year After Natural Gas Explosion, McKeesport’s 9th Street Clinic Reopens In New, Permanent Space

-- The Derrick Editorial: Reliable Power Means Shoring Up Natural Gas Infrastructure

Train Derailments

-- KYW: Freight Train Derails In South Philadelphia Overnight

-- WESA/AP: Norfolk Southern To End Relocation Aid After One-Year Anniversary Of Ohio Train Derailment

PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: PA- $3.51; National- $3.16;  Ohio- $2.84

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports 3rd Quarter Natural Gas Production Down 0.5% Over 3rd Quarter 2022, But Increased Over Last 12 Months  [PaEN]

-- Baker Hughes: Natural Gas Drill Rigs In PA Drop By 1 to 20 Over Last Week

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA May See Biggest Drop In Decade For New Shale Gas Wells

-- TribLive: Southwest PA Enjoying Low Natural Gas Prices After Large Drop From Last Year

-- Tribune-Democrat: Peoples Gas Says Credit Offsets 149% Natural Gas Price Hike

-- Inside Climate News: Massachusetts Public Utilities Agency Sets Framework For Reducing Natural Gas Use For Heating

-- Bloomberg: Europe’s Winter Natural Gas Price Slump Shifts Focus To Summer Storage

-- AP: Leaked OPEC Letter Shows The Oil Cartel’s Worry Over The COP28 Climate Talks, Environmentalists Say

Environment/Energy Issues

-- Patch: Democratic Sen. Comitta Announces She Will Run For Reelection

-- Politics PA: Democratic Sen. Comitta Announces Reelection Run

-- House Environmental Committee To Hold Dec. 11 Hearing On Bill To Expand Renewable Energy Mandates In Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards  [PaEN]

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: What’s The Current State of Clean Energy Transition?

-- The Derrick Editorial: Reliable Power Means Shoring Up Natural Gas Infrastructure

-- Centre Daily Times Guest Essay: Time To Make Our Electric Grid More Reliable By Increasing Renewable Energy, Storage - By State College Citizens’ Climate Lobby

-- Hydrogen Tax Credit Changes, Riparian Buffers, Light Pollution On House Environmental Committee Agenda For Dec. 13  [PaEN]

-- PA Senate Hearing Focuses On Minimizing Risk And Harm In Development Of PA’s Hydrogen Infrastructure  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Concerns Grow Over Perceived Viability Of Hydrogen Hubs

-- PA Capital-Star: Hydrogen Hubs Face Scrutiny At PA Senate Dems Hearing

-- Williamsport Sun Guest Essay: Hydrogen Hubs Won’t Create Jobs - By Commonwealth Foundation

-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA US Senators Are Going To Bat For Hydrogen Hubs, Treasury Needs To Listen - By PA Building & Construction Trades Council

-- Williamsport Sun: Rep. Flick To Host DCNR Grant Seminar Dec. 20

-- The Allegheny Front: PA Senate Bill And Federal Rule Could Protect Kids From Lead In Water At School

-- Scranton Times: Legislators - Time To Flood PUC Over PA American Water Rate Hike Request

-- New Legislation Creates Task Force To Address Rising Flood Insurance Premiums  [PaEN]

-- Courier Times: PA Creates Flood Mitigation Task Force, What It Will Do And What It Means For Homeowners

-- WESA/WPSU: New PA Task Force To Increase Accessibility To Flood Insurance

-- PA Capital-Star: Millions In Federal Farm Conservation Funds In Jeopardy For PA Farmers If Programs Eliminated By Congress

-- Courier Times Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Can Shape Its Conservation Future By Leading On New Federal Farm Bill - By PA Cong. Brian Fitzpatrick & Molly Parzen, Conservation Voters Of PA

-- Rep. Rob Mercuri Presents Allegheny County Resident Lynn Appman With Keep PA Beautiful Community Pride Award  [PaEN]

-- US DOT Awards Pennsylvania $840,000 To Develop Statewide Wildlife Crossings Plan  [PaEN]

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: PA Gets $840,000 Federal Grant To Reduce Animal-Vehicle Crashes

-- PA Capital-Star: PA To Receive Grant Funding For Development Of Wildlife Corridors Plan

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 (December 11): 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 (December 11): 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 831 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) would direct the state to apply for primary authority to regulate Class VI carbon dioxide underground injection wells from the US Environmental Protection Agency and establish a legal and regulatory framework for potential carbon dioxide capture, utilization and sequestration in Pennsylvania. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

December 11-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee holds hearing on House Bill 1467 (Otten-D-Chester) expanding the mandate for renewable energy under the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards to 30% by 2030.  Room G-50 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.   Read more here.

December 11-- House Education Committee meets to consider House Bill 1542 (Markosek-D- Allegheny) establish a grant program to help school districts transition to electric school buses (sponsor summary).  Room B-31 Main Capitol.  Noon.  Click Here to watch online.

December 11-- House Transportation Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 656 (Rothman-R- Cumberland) setting annual fee for electric and alternative fueled vehicles.  Room 140 Main Capitol.  10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

December 12-- House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee hearing on Act 12 - private acquisition of public water & wastewater systems-- House Bill 1862 (Matzie-D- Beaver), House Bill 1863 (Matzie-D-Beaver), House Bill 1864 (Matzie-D-Beaver), House Bill 1865 (Matzie-D-Beaver) (sponsor summary).  Room G-50 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch online.

December 13-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 1215 (Vitali-D- Delaware) the state Act 108 tax credit for hydrogen production would be limited to hydrogen produced for hard-to-electrify sectors, expanded to include a larger incentive to companies using hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources and requires hydrogen producing companies to sequester a larger proportion of carbon emissions to receive the tax credit (sponsor summary); House Bill 1275 (Webster-D-Montgomery) authorizes municipalities to protect water quality and reduce flooding by protecting streams with forested buffers; House Bill 1803 (Pielli-D-Chester) requiring the use of light fixtures that reduce light pollution in state-owned or leased buildings (sponsor summary).  Room 205 Ryan Building.  9:30 a.m.  Click Here to watch online.  Read more here.

December 13-- House Local Government Committee meets to consider House Bill 31 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) authorize boroughs and cities to adopt stormwater management fees; House Bill 32 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) authorize Townships of the First Class adopt stormwater management fees. Room 60 East Wing.  10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

December 11-- Senate Judiciary Committee meets to consider House Bill 95 (Bullock-D- Philadelphia) increasing penalties for scattering rubbish Rules Room.  Off the Floor.  No Video Coverage.

 <>  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

December 11, 12, 13

January 2, 16, 17

February 5, 6, 7

Budget Hearings: February 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29; and March 5, 6, 7 

Click Here for Senate Agency Budget Hearing Schedule.

March 18, 19, 20

April 8, 9, 10, 29, 30

May 1, 6, 7, 8

June 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

House [Updated]

December 11, 12, 13

January 2 (non-voting)

February 6

March 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27

April 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 29, 30

May 1, 6, 7, 8, 20, 21, 22

June 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

[Posted: December 10, 2023]

12/11/2023