The Senate will be in session the week of March 26, but the House is on break until April 16, except for committee meetings.

House

Committees: the Tourism and Recreational Development meets to consider House Bill 221 (Tangretti-D-Westmoreland) providing for Historic Preservation Grants.

Senate

Calendar: Senate Bill 356 (MJ.White-R-Venango) establishing the PA Center for Environmental Education in statute and Senate Bill 637 (Baker-R-Luzerne) requiring Senate confirmation of the director of the PA Emergency Management Agency.

Committees: the Appropriations Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 355 (MJ.White-R-Venango) requiring additional public review of Air Quality State Implementation Plans and their publication on the Internet; and the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee holds a hearing on the nomination of Kathleen McGinty to be Secretary for Environmental Protection.

Senate/House Bills Moving

These environmental bills moved in the Senate and House last week…

Chester County Land Conveyence: Senate Bill 21 (Dinniman-D-Chester) removes earlier restrictions from a state land transfer in Chester County to allow the conveyance of a property to the Natural Lands Trust.

PA Environmental Ed Center: Senate Bill 356 (MJ.White-R-Venango) establishing the PA Center for Environmental Education in statute was amended and reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Air Quality Plans: Senate Bill 355 (MJ.White-R-Venango) requiring additional public review of Air Quality State Implementation Plans and their publication on the Internet was referred to Senate Appropriations.

PEMA Director: Senate Bill 637 (Baker-R-Luzerne) requiring Senate confirmation of the director of the PA Emergency Management Agency was reported from Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Bills Introduced

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

Affected Municipality: Senate Bill 519 (Boscola-D-Lehigh) Amending Act 101 to add a definition of affected municipalities for the purposes of host benefit fees.

Waste Permits: Senate Bill 520 (Boscola-D-Lehigh) Amending Act 97 to require a local referendum on certain waste facility permits.

Waste Truck Penalties: Senate Bill 521 (Boscola-D-Lehigh) establishing increased penalties for vehicles carrying waste that exceed weight limits.

Housing Land Bank: Senate Bill 533 (Greenleaf-R-Montgomery) authorizing the establishing of land bank programs for affordable housing.

Water Recreation: Senate Bill 565 (Greenleaf-R-Montgomery) establishing the Water Recreation Advisory Board and providing for a statewide inventory of water recreation opportunities.

Bike/Jogging Path: Senate Bill 566 (Greenleaf-R-Montgomery) requiring the construction of a bike/jogging path in any State Park of 1,000 acres or more in size.

Lyme Disease Education: Senate Bill 573 (Greenleaf-R-Montgomery) providing for a Lyme Disease education, prevention and treatment program.

Prototype School Design: Senate Bill 607 (Waugh-R-York) requiring the Department of Education to develop prototype school designs and a new system for evaluating school designs based on health, safety, environmental protection and energy efficiency.

PA Energy Development Authority: Senate Billl 661 (Wozniak-D-Cambria) providing additional authority to the PA Energy Development Authority to acquire and sell alternative energy credits, establish rebate and incentive programs for alternative energy products, acquire, hold, sell, transfer and redistribute electric power, natural gas, liquid fuels and transportation fuel and deletes the $300 million cap on outstanding debt.

High Performance Building Tax Credit: Senate Bill 673 (Ferlo-D-Allegheny) Providing a tax credit for High Performance Buildings.

Solor Energy Incentives: Senate Bill 675 (Erickson-R-Delaware) establishing the Solar Energy System Incentives program to provide rebates for residential solar photovoltaic systems.

Forest Regeneration: House Bill 849 (Haluska-D-Cambria) requiring that 10 percent of the revenues received from timber contracts by the Game Commission be used for forest regeneration.

Excluding Hybrids from Sales Tax: House Bill 857 (DePasquale-D-York) excluding hybrid electric vehicles from Sales and Use Tax.

School Building LEED Standards: House Bill 894 (Leach-D-Montgomery) authorizing additional reimbursements for school building construction which meets the LEED standards.

Coal and Air Quality Tax Credit: House Bill 898 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) providing a tax credit for the installation of certain air pollution control equipment on coal-burning power plants.

Development Moratoriums: House Bill 904 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) amending the Municipalities Planning Code to authorize temporary development moratoriums.

Low-Income Weatherization: House Bill 913 (Vereb-R-Montgomery) authorizating an evaluation of the Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program and providing additional funding.

Overnight Facilities: House Resolution 164 (Haluska-D-Cambria) directing the Tourism and Recreational Development Committee to study and make recommendations on establishing overnight facilities in State Parks.

3/23/2007