The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week approved a variety of Special Session Energy bills, including the Governor’s proposed $850 million alternative energy investment program. The bills include:

· Special Session House Bill 1 (DePasquale-D-York) providing $850 million bond issue to fund energy projects through the Energy Development Authority, without a funding source, was amended;

· Special Session House Bill 4 (Rubley-R-Chester) requiring building constructed with state funds to meet green building standards was amended;

· Special Session House Bill 16 (King-D-Bucks) establishing an independent State Energy Office was amended;

· House Resolution 506 (George-D-Clearfield) directing DEP and the PUC to evaluate measures to manage the transition from electricity caps and to minimize the impact on residential customers;

· Special Session House Bill 13 (Bennington-D-Allegheny) amending the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard amending Tier III requirements to include energy efficiency and conservation; and

· Special Session House Bill 38 (Freeman-R-Lehigh) requiring electric distribution companies to install smart electric meters.

"Among the legislation is my House Resolution 506 directing the state Public Utility Commission and Department of Environmental Protection to advise the House on strategies to counter electric-generation rate increases," said Rep. George (D-Clearfield), Chair of the Committee. "Pennsylvania cannot afford to free-fall directly from rate caps to rate shock.

"Unless we take steps immediately, we'll be popping our bank accounts and our economy instead of champagne corks on New Year's Day to pay for steeply higher electric rates. Energy prices already are untenable for many citizens. In two years, they will be disastrous."

All the bills, except House Resolution 506, were referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

The Committee is chaired by Rep. Bud George (D-Clearfield) and Rep. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango) serves as Minority Chair.

12/14/2007