The following bills and resolutions moved in the Senate and House this week--

Senate

Brownfield Covenants: House Bill 43 (Rubley-R-Chester) providing for uniform environmental covenants for brownfields projects was amended, passed by the Senate and returns to the House for a concurrence vote.

Climate Change: Senate Bill 266 (Erickson-R-Delaware) requiring DEP to inventory greenhouse gases and create a climate change action plan was passed by the Senate 47 to 3 (Senators Eichelberger (R-Blair), Folmer (R-Lebanon) and Regola (R-Westmoreland) voted no) and was referred to the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for consideration.

Farmland Conservation: Senate Resolution 195 (Brubaker-R-Lancaster) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to review the Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program was adopted by the Senate.

House

Great Lakes Compact: House Bill 1705 (Harkins-D-Erie) authorizing Pennsylvania to join the Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact was referred to the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

Impact Fees: House Bill 1525 (Steil-R-Bucks) authorizing impact fees and transportation capital improvement plans was amended and reported from the House Local Government Committee and re-referred to House Appropriations Committee.

Development Moratorium: House Bill 904 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) amending the Municipalities Planning Code to allow local governments to enact development moratoriums was passed over in the House Local Government Committee, but 16 different amendments were distributed to Committee members for their review.

Bills Introduced

These bills were introduced this week--

Flood Prevention: Senate Bill 1157 (Orie-R-Allegheny) establishing the Flood Prevention and Remediation Fund Act utilizing 12 percent of the liquor tax and depositing it in the Environmental Stewardship Fund.

Bowman’s Hill: Senate Bill 1166 (McIlhinney-R-Bucks) transferring certain state lands to the Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve Association.

Hybrid Car Rebate: Special Session Senate Bill 11 (Dinniman-D-Chester) establishing a rebate program for hybrid vehicles.

Green Employment Credit: Special Session Senate Bill 34 (Tartaglione-D-Philadelphia) establishing a green employment tax credit.

Demand-Side Management: Special Session Senate Bill 35 (Erickson-R-Delaware) requiring electric distribution companies to establish a demand-side and energy efficiency program.

Biodiesel Mandate: Special Session Senate Bill 36 (MJ.White-R-Venango) Biodiesel Study and Production Incentive Act which will trigger mandates for the use of biodiesel based on biodiesel fuel production capacity for production sold to distributors in Pennsylvania.

Smart Meters: House Bill 2017 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) requiring electric distribution companies to install smart electric meters for customers and as Special Session House Bill 38 (Freeman).

Electric Rate Caps: House Bill 2049 (Dermondy-D-Allegheny) providing for a transition to market-based electric rates after rate caps expire and as Special Session House Bill 39 (Dermondy).

Biodiesel Mandate: Special Session House Bill 42 (Kessler-D-Berks) providing for a biodiesel fuel mandate.

Radon Month: House Resolution 513 (Rubley-R-Chester) designating January 2008 as Radon Action Month.

11/23/2007