Here are some upcoming activities by Senate and House Committees….

House Committees: the Appropriations Committee will hold budget hearings on the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Transportation, the Game & fisheries Committee meets to hear the Game Commission present their annual report.

Senate

Senate Committees: the Appropriations Committee will hold budget hearings on the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Agriculture and the Public Utility Commission.

Bills Introduced

Several more environmental bills were introduced this week, here’s the rundown…

Mine Families First: House Bill 483 (Bastian-R-Somerset) creating the Mine Families First Program to provide assistance to family members of trapped or injured mine workers.(text not yet online)

Energy Efficiency Home Assistance: House Bill 543 (Watson-R-Bucks) creating an Energy Efficiency Home Assistance Program within the House Finance Agency.(text not yet online)

Deer Management: House Bill 550 (Hershey-R-Chester) authorizing owners of agriculture commodities to better protect their property from destruction by deer and revising the requirements for applying for community hunts.(text not yet online)

Fuel-Efficient Vehicles: House Bill 552 (DePasquale-D-York) requiring the Commonwealth to purchase or lease fuel efficient vehicles.(text not yet online)

Hybrid Exclusion: House Bill 563 (Preston-D-Allegheny) excluding electric, hybrid and zero emission vehicles from state Sales Tax and House Bill 564 excluding the same vehicles from state inspections.(text not yet online)

Energy Freedom Account: House Bill 566 (Benninghoff-R-Mifflin) establishing the Pennsylvania Energy Freedom Support Account within the Energy Development Fund.(text not yet online)

Counsel to EQB: Senate Bill 105 (Musto-D-Luzerne) authorizing the Environmental Quality Board to appoint an independent counsel to serve the Board.

Rail Transport of Waste: Senate Bill 106 (Musto-D-Luzerne) amending the Public Utilities Code to require the consideration of alternate routes for trains transporting water material for beneficial use through Cities of the Third Class.

Historic Preservation Grants: Senate Bill 109 (Piccola-R-Dauphin) establishment of the Historic Preservation Incentive Grant Program.

3/2/2007