The Senate and Senate return to voting session June 4. Here’s what’s on the agenda this week--

House

Calendar: House Resolution 112 (Mann-D-Lehigh) directing DEP to implement policies that encourage electronic waste recycling; House Resolution 193 (Haluska-D-Cambria) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the future value of assets on Game Commission land; House Bill 772 (Hershey-R-Chester) establishing the Keystone Energy and Environmental Excellence Awards program and an energy efficiency and pollution reduction initiative; House Bill 894 (Leach-D-Montgomery) authorizing additional reimbursements for school building construction which meets the LEED standards; House Bill 1280 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) amending the Municipalities Planning Code to further define traditional neighborhood development; House Resolution 122 (George-D-Clearfield) petitioning the President and Congress to increase funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program; House Resolution 268 (Rohrer-R-Berks) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study Game Commission forestry and mineral development policies.

Committees: the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee holds a public hearing on the Governor’s Energy Independence Initiative, in particular House Bill 1200 (DePasquale-D-York) providing additional authority to the PA Energy Development Authority inYork.

Other Meetings: the Public Utility Commission holds a briefing on electric reliability

Bills Introduced

Several more environmental bills were introduced this week…

Clean Fuels: House Bill 1202 (Gerber-D-Montgomery) providing for the sale of transportation fuels containing clean, renewable ro alternative fuel content.

State Energy Office: House Bill 1207 (King-D-Bucks) creating a State Energy Office.

DEP Fee Increases: House Bill 1206 (Surra-D-Elk) a series of permit and application fee increases for the Department of Environmental Protection to implement Gov. Rendell’s proposed 2007-08 budget.

Free Parking: House Bill 1293 (McGeehan-D-Philadelphia) would mandate free parking for hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles.

Transfer Funds. House Bill 1295 (Hanna-D-Clinton) transferring the entire amount of the Realty Transfer Tax to the State System of Higher Education for fiscal year 2006-07. The DCNR’s portion earmarked to the Keystone Recretion, Park and Conservation Fund was already transferred to the General Fund for this fiscal year 2006-07.

Sales Tax Exemption: House Bill 1296 (Leach-D-Montgomery) excluding compact fluorescent bulbs from Sales Tax.

Animal Waste Recycling: House Bill 1306 (Caltagirone-D-Berks) providing tax credits to animal waste recycling facilities and exempting the purchase of certain items from Sales Tax.

Alternative Energy Tax Credit: House Bill 1315 (DePasquale-D-York) providing a tax credit to any taxpayer using alternative energy sources for at least 50 percent of their property energy supply.

Solar Energy Tax Credits: House Bill 1316 (DePasquale-D-York) providing a Sales Tax exemption for the purchase of solar energy systems.

Flood Control Funding: House Bill 1355 (Scavello-R-Monroe) authorizing a $150 million bond to fund flood control projects.

Open Space/Flood Mitigation Funding: House Bill 1363 (Petri-R-Bucks) authorizing a $150 million bond issue for preservation of open space and for flood hazard mitigation.

Flood Hazard Mitigation: House Bill 1364 (Petri-R-Bucks) provide for the acquisition of property to mitigate flood hazards.

Agricultural Waste: House Bill 1380 (Bennington-D-Allegheny) prohibiting the release of untreated agricultural waste containing arsenic or arsenic derivatives.

Transmission Lines: House Resolution 297 (DeWeese-D-Greene) expressing opposition to the designation of national interest electric transmission corridors.

Agriculture Security Law: Senate Bill 863 (Waugh-R-York) amending the Agricultural Area Security Law requiring proceeds from the sale of Commonwealth owned property be credited to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Fund.

5/25/2007