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

-- Beaver County Times Guest Essay: Shapiro Shows How Unfortunate Circumstances Can Still Produce Noble Results - By Daniel Rossi-Keen  [$10 Million Shell Petrochemical Plant Penalty]

-- Broad+Liberty Guest Essay: Gov. Shapiro’s Support For RGGI Puts Us On A Dangerous Path - By Commonwealth Foundation

-- DCED: Gov. Shapiro Launches First Statewide Economic Development Strategy In Nearly 2 Decades

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Shapiro Pays Hollow Lip Service To Natural Gas In New Economic Strategy [PDF of article]

-- PennFuture/Conservation Voters Of PA: Gov. Shapiro Unveiled An Economic Development Strategy That Lacks Innovation In Energy Production

Budget

-- Politics PA: Five Things To Watch In Governor’s Budget Address

-- Erie Times: Marijuana To Mental Health, 5 Questions Ahead Of Shapiro’s 2nd Budget Address

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: More Money Requested For Popular $120 Million Home Repair Program

Gas Explosions

-- PUC To Seek Comment On $250,000 Penalty Settlement With Peoples Gas On Natural Gas Over-Pressurization Incident In Indiana County That Damaged Hundreds Of Appliances, Caused Distribution Pipeline Leaks  [PaEN] 

Train Derailments

-- Rep. Matzie Calls On State Senate To Pass Bipartisan House Rail Safety Bill

-- Gov. Shapiro: One Year After Norfolk Southern Train Derailment, State Agencies Focused On Supporting Local Communities, First Responders

-- Beaver County Times: PA Residents Seek Aid From Darlington Twp. A Year After Norfolks Southern Train Derailment

-- The Allegheny Front: A Year Later, A PA Resident Impacted By Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Pushes For Answers

-- PA Capital-Star: Ohio, PA Mark One Year Anniversary Of Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Don’t Forget About Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- The Allegheny Front: Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Reveals Gaps In Public Health Response To Chemical Emergencies, Experts Say

-- WESA: A Year After Norfolk Southern Train Derailment, East Palestine Businesses Try To Move Past ‘Toxic’ Perception

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Scientist Questions EPA’s Handling Of Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Cleanup: ‘They Should Have Tested Correctly’

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: On A Frigid And Fiery Night 1 Year Ago, A Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Upended Lives In East Palestine

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Testing, Recovery Efforts Ongoing At Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Site

-- AP: A Year On, Small Ohio Town Is Recovering From Norfolk Southern Train Derailment, But Health Fears Persist

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Drone Photographer Saw A Cloud And Thought, “It Was Much Larger Than I Ever Expected’

-- WTAE: Norfolk Southern Report Successful Remediation, Water Sampling At Train Derailment Site

-- Post-Gazette/AP: New Videos Show Towers Of Fire That Prompted Evacuations After Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- AP: Railroads Say They’re Making Safety Changes To Reduce Derailments After Norfolk Southern Crash

-- TribLive: Biden Will Visit Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Site

PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- AAA Gasoline Prices:  PA- $3.37  National- $3.15  Ohio- $3.01

-- TribLive: Steeper Gasoline Price Increases Expected In Mid-February, Analyst Says

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Shifting The Power Grid From Coal, Natural Gas To Wind And Solar Isn’t As Easy As Flipping A Switch  [PA Senate Committee Hearing]

-- DelcoTimes.com: Chester Mayor Says LNG Natural Gas Export Plant ‘Dead In The Water’

-- Inquirer: Biden’s Pause On New LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Approvals May Have ‘Saved Chester,’ The City’s New Mayor Says

-- WHYY: Chester LNG Natural Gas Export Project Promises Return, Despite Biden’s Pause And Other Hurdles

-- The Hill: European Union Lawmakers To Biden: We Don’t Need More US Natural Gas 

-- The Energy Age Blog: Liquefied Natural Gas Or LNG: EU Lawmakers To Biden - We Don’t Need More US Natural Gas

-- Reuters: US LNG Natural Gas Exports Fall In January On Arctic Freeze, Plant Outages

-- Inquirer: Casey, Fetterman Split With Bide Over LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Pause

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Casey, Fetterman Say They’re Concerned About Biden’s LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Pause

-- PA Business Report: Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition, Other Groups Call For End To Permit Halts For New LNG Export Facilities

-- E&E News Energy: FERC Continues To Review LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Permit Despie Biden’s Pause

-- Financial Times: Household Energy Costs Factor Into Biden’s Pause On New LNG Natural Gas Export Facilities  [Industrial Energy Consumers: “More Exports Equal More Reliability And Price Risk”]

-- Baker Hughes PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Same As Last Week - 21

-- MorningStar: US Natural Gas Futures Drop Over 8% On Texas LNG Facility Outage, Milder Weather

-- Bloomberg: Canada Energy Minister Sees Opportunity In US Pause On LNG; They Have Been Considering Climate Impacts Of LNG Facilities For Years

-- Reuters: US Pause On New LNG Natural Gas Export Facilities Raises Pressure On Canada, BC To Do The Same

-- Bloomberg: Biden’s LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Pause Has Asian Fuel Buyers Hunting For Other Options

-- Bloomsberg: Europe’s LNG Natural Gas Rush Spurs $223 Billion Of New Polluting Investment

-- Reuters: Shell Posts $28 Billion Profit In 2023, Boosts Dividend

-- Financial Times: ExxonMobil, Chevron Notch 2nd Biggests Profits In Decade

-- Bloomberg: Japan May Open $20 Billion Hydrogen Plan Applications In Summer

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 (February 5): 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; House Bill 95 (Bullock-D- Philadelphia) increasing penalties for scattering rubbish <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

House (February 6):  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.

Committee Meetings

House   

February 14-- House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee hearing on House Bill 1842 (Schweyer-D-Lehigh) authorizing community solar energy programs.  Room G-50 Iris Building. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch online.

February 22-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearing - Dept. Of Agriculture.  Room 140 Main Capitol. 1:00 p.m. Click Here to watch online.

February 28-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearing - Departments Of Conservation & Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.  Room 140 Main Capitol. 1:00 p.m. Click Here to watch online.

March 19-- House Game & Fisheries Committee informational meeting on Fish & Boat Commission’s 2023 Annual Report.  Room 523, Irvis Building. 9:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

March 20-- House Game & Fisheries Committee informational meeting on Game Commission’s 2023 Annual Report.  Room 523, Irvis Building. 9:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

February 5-- Senate Appropriations Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 832 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) establishing an Independent Energy Office; House Bill 1246 (Malagari-D-Montgomery) set operational temperature of crematories.  Rules Room.  Off the Floor.  [No video coverage]

February 5-- Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 1058 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) abrogating the final regulation reducing carbon pollution from power plants [RGGI].  Rules Room.  Off the Floor.  [No video coverage]

February 8-- Senate Game & Fisheries Committee hearing on Annual Reports from Fish & Boat and Game Commissions.  Room 8E-A East Wing. 9:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

February 27-- Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearing - 9:30 a.m. - Fish & Boat Commission; 1:00 p.m. - Dept. of Agriculture. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building. Click Here to watch online.

February 29-- Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearing - 9:30 a.m. - Dept. Of Environmental Protection. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building. Click Here to watch online.

<>  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

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

February 6

House Agency Budget Hearing Schedule

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: February 4, 2024]

2/5/2024