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

Senate

AEPS Changes: Special Session Senate Bill 25 (Waugh-R-York), adding “sugars, lignins” to the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards, was amended to incorporate the provisions of Special Session Senate Bill 31 (D.White-R-Indiana) and allow the Public Utility Commission to increase the Tier 1 renewable energy sources requirements to the extent newly added renewable sources generate credits became available, was passed by the Senate and sent to the House for consideration.

Conservation Districts: Senate Bill 1020 (Wonderling-R-Montgomery) updating the Conservation District Law was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Alternative Energy Tax Credit: Special Session Senate Bill 4 (Browne-R-Lehigh) establishing alternative energy research and development tax credits was referred to Senate Appropriations Committee.

Solar Tax Credit: Special Session Senate Bill 6 (Erickson-R-Delaware) establishing a solar installation tax credit was referred to Senate Appropriations Committee.

Sales Tax Exclusion: Special Session Senate Bill 8 (Wozniak-D-Cambria) excluding insulation and other energy conservation materials from Sales Tax was referred to Senate Appropriations Committee.

AFIG Incentives: Special Session Senate Bill 22 (Tomlinson-R-Bucks) increasing the reimbursement for alternative vehicle fuels from five to ten cents per gallon was referred to Senate Appropriations Committee.

State Vehicle Efficiency: Special Session Senate Bill 26 (Wonderling-R-Montgomery) requiring state-owned vehicles to be fueled with biofuels was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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, was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Landowner Liability: Senate Bill 497 (Robbins-R-Mercer) making changes to landowner liability opening land to recreation and hunting was amended and reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Tire Pile Recycling: Senate Bill 1050 (Baker-R-Luzerne) transferring $3 million to a new Used Tire Pile Remediation Account from the Recycling Fund was reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Miner’s Day: House Resolution 410 (DeWeese-D-Greene) that would designate December 19 “Coal Miner’s Day” was reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Capital Budget: House Bill 1589 (Evans-D-Philadelphia) listing projects in the 2007-08 Capitol Budget was amended and reported from and then back to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

House

Appalachian Trail: House Bill 1281 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) requiring municipalities to protect the Appalachian Trail was amended on Second Consideration and is now on the House Calendar for final action.

Hazardous Sites Cleanup Funding: Senate Bill 1100 (Pileggi-R-Delaware), that would provide a dedicated source of funding for the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program, was amended to limit the funding solution to the current fiscal year ending June 30 and reported from the House Appropriations Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action.

State Energy Office: Special Session House Bill 36 (George-D-Clearfield) establishing a State Energy Office was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

Development Moratorium: House Bill 904 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) authorizing local temporary development moratoriums was amended a number of times in the House Local Government Committee then tabled. The Committee scheduled additional consideration on the bill December 11.

Bills Introduced

Governor’s Energy Package: Senate Democrats introduced the Governor’s Energy Independence Initiative in the Special Session: Special Session Senate Bill 12 (C.Williams-D-Montgomery) authorizing the PA Energy Development Authority to purchase energy, Special Session Senate Bill 13 (C.Williams-D-Montgomery) providing for the regulation of micro-grids by the Public Utility Commission, Special Session Senate Bill 15 (Mellow-D-Lackawanna) creating the Alternative Energy Infrastructure Development Fund,

Green Work Force: Special Session Senate Bill 14 (Kitchen-D-Philadelphia) establishing a Green Work Force Training Program to provide grants to community colleges and other universities.

Credit for Cellulosic Ethanol: Special Session Senate Bill 16 (Mellow-D-Lackawanna) establishing a tax credit for research and development into cellulosic ethanol production.

Credit for Energy Crops: Special Session Senate Bill 17 (Mellow-D-Lackawanna) establishing a tax credit for energy crops and Special Session Senate Bill 18 (Mellow) creating an energy crop education program and making an appropriation.

AEPS Standards: Special Session Senate Bill 37 (Waugh-R-York) amending the definition of municipal waste facilities under the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards.

Weatherization: Special Session Senate Bill 38 (Wozniak-D-Cambria) providing for weatherization loans and Special Session Senate Bill 39 (Wozniak) providing a tax credit for weatherization projects.

Energy R&D: Special Session Senate Bill 40 (Corman-R-Centre) establishing the Energy Research and Development Fund.

AEPS Biomass Changes: House Bill 2078 (DePasquale-D-York) amending the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards adding “lignins” to the definition of biomass energy sources and removing energy derived from the generation from pulping and wood manufacturing processes from the AEPS.

Market-Based Electric Rates: House Bill 2093 (Dermody-D-Allegheny) establishing procedures for the transition to market-based electric rates.

Lady Bird Johnson: House Resolution 518 (Petrone-D-Allegheny) commemorating the contributions of Lady Bird Johnson for her leadership in preserving the American landscape and natural beauty.

12/7/2007