These bills of interest saw action in the House and Senate this week—

Senate

Water Infrastructure: Senate Bill 2 (Earll-R-Erie), the H20 Water Infrastructure Funding Program, providing $800 million in gaming revenues to fund drinking water, wastewater, flood protection and dam repair projects, passed the Senate and now goes to the House for action.

Water Infrastructure II : Senate Bill 1341 (Musto-D-Luzerne) authorizing a $1 billion bond issue voter referendum for water, wastewater and stormwater projects was amended to reduce the amount of the referendum to $400 million and reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, then was re-referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Legacy Sediments: Senate Resolution 283 (Brubaker-R-Lancaster) recognizing the accomplishments of Franklin & Marshall Professors Robert Walter and Dorothy Merritts on their research into legacy sediments was adopted by the Senate.

Tire Recycling: Senate Bill 1050 (Baker-R-Luzerne) providing funding for waste tire removal and recycling was reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee and is on the Senate Calendar for action.

Non-Structural Flood Control: Senate Bill 1408 (Wozniak-D-Cambria) and Senate Bill 1409 (Wozniak) authorizing the use of nonstructural alternatives to address flooding problems were reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and are now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Great Lakes Compact: House Bill 1705 (Harkins-D-Erie) adopting the Great Lakes Water Resources Compact was reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Theft of Scrap Metals: House Bill 1742 (Pashinski-D-Luzerne) prevention of scrap material thefts was amended and reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

House

PA Environmental Education Center: Senate Bill 356 (M.White-R-Venango) establishing the PA Center for Environmental Education in law was reported from the House Appropriations Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action.

Conservation Districts: Senate Bill 1020 (Wonderling-R-Montgomery) updating the 1945 Conservation District Law was reported from the House Appropriations Committee and is on the House Calendar for action.

Elk Fencing: The House Game and Fisheries Committee reported out House Bill 2575 (Hanna-D-Centre) that authorizes elk deterrent fences and reimbursement for certain damages and was then referred to the House Rules Committee (which is normal this time of year).

Stormwater Planning: The House Local Government Committee amended and reported out House Bill 2266 (Steil-R-Bucks) updating and expanding stormwater/watershed planning requirements. The bill was referred to the House Rules Committee.

Nonstructural Alternatives to Flooding: House Bill 2539 (Seip-D-Schuylkill) and House Bill 2546 (Conklin-D-Centre) authorizing nonstructural alternatives to control flooding was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and then referred to the House Rules Committee.

Funding Dam Repairs: House Bill 2549 (Siptroth-D-Monroe) authorizing funding for unsafe high hazard dam repairs was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and then referred to the House Rules Committee.

Adopt-A-River: House Bill 328 (Sturla-D-Lancaster) establishing the Adopt-A-River Program within DCNR was referred to the House Rules Committee.

6/13/2008