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Senate Moves Alternative Energy Investment, 8 Other Energy Bills

Special Session Senate Bill 1 (MJ.White-R-Venango), the Alternative Energy Investment Act, and eight other Special Session energy bills were considered this week setting the stage for final Senate action on key bills by the end of the year.

The Senate Appropriations Committee amended Special Session Senate Bill 1 and unanimously reported the bill to the full Senate. The amendment increased the original investment in alternative energy, energy efficiency and low-income energy assistance programs to $650 million over ten years.

The Commonwealth Financing Agency would receive $25 million a year for 25 years to fund these kinds of projects: $210 million for loans to businesses and loans or grants to political subdivisions for clean energy projects; $15 million to the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority to invest in developing new energy technologies; and $25 million for upgrading pollution controls on small coal-fired power plants.

$100 million would be earmarked for the Low-Income Heating Assistance Program and another $100 million for residential energy conservation projects.

A $200 million tax credit program would support alternative energy production projects using waste coal, biofuels, biomass, solar power, wind energy, geothermal technologies, clean coal technologies or to distribute renewable energy.

The amended deleted a provision that would provide Sales Tax exclusions for certain energy efficient appliances.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) said his objective is to work on further improvements to the bill and see a final Senate vote next week on the measure.

The Senate Special Session Committee on Energy Policies this week reported out eight bills addressing a variety of energy issues. They included:

· Special Session Senate Bill 4 (Browne-R-Lehigh) establishing alternative energy research and development tax credits;

· Special Session Senate Bill 6 (Erickson-R-Delaware) establishing a solar installation tax credit;

· Special Session Senate Bill 8 (Wozniak-D-Cambria) excluding insulation and other energy conservation materials from Sales Tax;

· Special Session Senate Bill 22 (Tomlinson-R-Bucks) increasing the reimbursement for alternative vehicle fuels from five to ten cents per gallon was amended by the Committee;

· Special Session Senate Bill 25 (Waugh-R-York) adding “sugars, lignins” to the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards;

· Special Session Senate Bill 26 (Wonderling-R-Montgomery) requiring state-owned vehicles to be fueled with biofuels;

· Special Session Senate Bill 31 (D.White-R-Indiana) adding a more specific definition of low-impact hydropower was amended by the Committee; and

· 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 was amended by the Committee.

"We're committed to making this a productive special session, and moving these bills forward will allow for broad review, discussion and debate in the full Senate," said Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango), chair of the Committee.

The Energy Policies Committee is chaired by Sen. Mary Jo White and Sen. Ray Musto (D-Luzerne).

NewsClips: Senate Bill Boosts Alternative Energy

Wonderling’s Biodiesel Bill Passes Senate Committee

Musto- Some Form of Energy Independence Plan Will Pass

Link: Critical Role of Conservation Districts in Energy Independence

Session Schedule

The Senate and House will return to voting session December 3. The House has 9 voting days left (although the last three are maybes). The Senate has 6 days left in the year.

PA Environment Digest Video Blog

On the Hill

· On the Senate/House Agenda

· Senate/House Bills Moving/Bills Introduced

· Energy Efficient Appliances, State Energy Office on House Committee Agenda

· Senate Committee Considers Landowner Liability, Tire Recycling, Miner Day Bills

Other News

· Rendell Withdraws Insurance Dept. Gasoline Tax Increase for Tank Cleanups

· National Wetlands Awards Program Nominations Due January 15

· DCNR Approves Conservation Plan for Conodoguinet Creek Watershed

· Lower Perkiomen Valley Sewer Authority Recognized for Excellence

· Farming For Clean Water Report Recommends More Help for Farmers