|
The House Energy Committee is scheduled to hold a February 4 hearing on House Bill 362 (Fiedler-D-Philadelphia) authorizing the PA Energy Development Authority to establish a $156 million federally-funded Solar For All Program (sponsor summary).
Pennsylvania is now prohibited from investing the $156 million it was awarded by a provision in the Fiscal Code passed last year with the state budget, so legislation like this must be passed to use the funding. [Read more here.]
The President has also ordered a sweeping review of federal funding for programs like this to see if it is in line with the new administration’s objectives. Read more here.
On January 30, E&E NewsPolitico reported the US Environmental Protection Agency sent letters to recipients of the Solar For All Program informing them their grants have been frozen until further notice. Read more here.
The tentative agenda for the hearing includes these presenters-
First Panel
-- Emily Schapira, CEO, Philadelphia Energy Authority
-- (Tentative) Geoff Bristow, COO, PA Energy Development Authority
-- (Tentative) Testifier selected by Chairman Causer, should he include one
Second Panel
-- Ian Smith, Director of Residential Consultations, EIS Solar
-- Justin Mason, Pennsylvania Conservative Energy Forum
-- Joanne Tosti-Vasey, Homeowner, Centre County
The hearing will be held in Room B31 Main Capital starting at 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.
Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Philadelphia) serves as Majority Chair of the House Energy Committee and can be contacted by calling 215-271-9190 or click here to contact. Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-5075 or by sending email to: mcauser@pahousegop.com.
(Photo: EIS Solar installation in Western Pennsylvania.)
NewsClips:
-- E&ENews/Politico: EPA Freezes Federal Solar For All Program Funding Until Further Notice [PA Was Due To Receive $156 Million]
-- AP: President Rescinds Funding Freeze But Uncertainty Lives On For Wide Array Of Environmental Programs
-- AP: President Rescinds Memo Freezing Federal Money After Widespread Confusion; Executive Orders Requiring Funding Review Still In ‘Full Force’
PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - February 1 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 89 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In February 1 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week - Natural Gas:
-- PUC: Calendar Year 2024 Act 13 Drilling Impact Fees To Remain Same As 2023; Dramatic Decline In Financial Support From Shale Gas Industry Continues [PaEN]
-- Range Resources And MarkWest Liberty Midstream File Legal Challenges To The 2,500 Foot Shale Gas Facility Setback Ordinance Adopted By Cecil Township, Washington County [PaEN]
-- Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Compliance With 2022 DEP Methane Reduction Regulation Put On Hold Pending Outcome Of Litigation [PaEN]
-- DEP Releases 2 Contracts For Bidding In Next Round Of Conventional Oil & Gas Well Plugging: 12 Wells In Kinzua State Park, McKean County, 18 Wells In Warren County [PaEN]
-- Rep. Vitali Introduces Bill To Restore DEP Authority To Increase Conventional Oil & Gas Well Plugging Bonds To Prevent Hundreds Of New Well Abandonments A Year [PaEN]
-- PA Republican Senator To Introduce Bill Suspending State Taxes On Natural Gas Producers; Cut DEP Permit Fees; End Drilling Moratorium On DCNR Lands; Exempt Coal-Fired Power Plants From EPA Regulations [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments At March 5 Hearing On Title V RACT 3 Air Quality Permit For Hazleton Generation Natural Gas Power Plant In Luzerne County [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro Proposes ‘Lightning’ Energy Plan To Increase & Diversify Energy Generation; Reduce Climate Changing Pollution; Lower Energy Costs; Create Jobs [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro Reaches Agreement With PJM To Prevent Unnecessary Price Hikes And Save Consumers Over $21 Billion On Utility Bills [PaEN]
-- PA Senate Republican Leader: ‘Every Consumer Of Electricity In This Commonwealth Is Going To Pay More;’ ‘What You’re Going To Face Is Going To Be Really Unpleasant’ [PaEN]
-- Republicans On PA Senate Environmental Committee Report Out Bills To Eliminate Carbon Pollution Reduction Program Covering Power Plants, Establish Independent Energy Office [PaEN]
-- Inquirer: President Wants US To Be ‘Leading’ Producer Of Non-Fuel Minerals; Here’s How PA Could Help; Rare Earth Elements Could Be More Important Than Expansion Of Fracking [PDF of Article]
NewsClips:
-- The Energy Age Blog: Range Resources & MarkWest Liberty Midstream File Legal Challenges Against 2,500 Foot Shale Gas Setback Ordinance In Cecil Twp., Washington County
-- The Energy Age Blog: EQT Should Plug These Abandoned Conventional Wells In Peters Twp., Washington County Before Fracking From Mingo Well Pad
-- PennLive Guest Essay: Natural Gas Industry Operations [Wastewater Pipelines] Are Strongly Regulated In PA - By Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition [Shale Gas Wastewater Pipelines are NOT regulated by the PUC for construction, operations and safety. Read more here. ]
-- Inquirer: President Wants US To Be ‘Leading’ Producer Of Non-Fuel Minerals; Here’s How PA Could Help; Rare Earth Elements Could Be More Important Than Expansion Of Fracking [PDF of Article]
-- NYT: Oil, Gas Companies Embrace New President, But Not ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ [No Plans To Increase Production Unless Prices Rise Significantly]
-- US EIA: Electric Power Sector Has Driven Rising PA Natural Gas Consumption Since 2013
-- UGI Gas Division Filed A Request With PUC To Increase Residential Gas Rates By 10.8%
-- Scranton Times: UGI Seeking To Raise Natural Gas Rates 10.8% For Residential Customers
-- Utility Dive: Calpine To Sell 2 PA Gas Power Plants To Avoid Market Power Concerns From Constellation Merger
-- Reuters: Diversified Energy To Buy Permian Basin Oil & Gas Producer Maverick In $1.3 Billion Deal [Diversified Specializes In Buying Old Wells]
-- Bloomberg: US Natural Gas Producers Likely To Gain Asian Market Share [China Buying 50% More US LNG, Cap Price At $10 - Currently $3.89]
-- Bloomberg: Europe’s Gas Traders Now Fear Summer More Than Winter
-- Reuters: Venture Global Given FERC OK To Start Up Another Louisiana LNG Gas Export Plant
-- Reuters: US EIA Sees 7% Higher US Wholesale Power Prices In 2025; Residential Increase Of 2%
-- Wall Street Journal: New Federal Administration Memo Orders Agencies To Broadly Pause All Federal Grants, Loans, Financial Assistance Programs Pending Review [PDF of Article]
-- AP: Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks New Administration’s Freeze On Federal Grants And Loans
-- AP: President Rescinds Memo Freezing Federal Money After Widespread Confusion; Executive Orders Requiring Funding Review Still In ‘Full Force’
-- E&ENews/Politico: EPA Freezes Federal Solar For All Program Funding Until Further Notice [PA Due To Receive $156 Million]
-- Financial Times: President Wiped Out Dozens Of Biden’s Climate Initiatives In First-Week Blitz
-- Inquirer: Escalating Demand And Diminished Supply Has Spiked PUC Concern About The Future Ability Of State’s Electric Grid
-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Transformational Investments In Renewables, Energy Efficiency Are Designed To Lower Energy Costs For Pennsylvania Consumers - By Molly Parzen, Conservation Voters Of PA
[Posted: January 29, 2025]
|
