The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week approved legislation adopting the Great Lakes Compact, authorizing a $400 million water infrastructure bond issue referendum, allowing non-structural solutions to flooding problems and to prevent the theft of scrap metals.

The bills include:

· House Bill 1705 (Harkins-D-Erie) adopting the Great Lakes Water Resources Compact, which is now on the Senate Calendar for action;

· Senate Bill 1341 (Musto-D-Luzerne) that asks voters to approve a $400 million bond issue to help pay for wastewater plant upgrades, including specifically projects needed to meet the nutrient reduction mandates in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and later was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee;

· Senate Bill 1408 (Wozniak-D-Cambria) and Senate Bill 1409 (Wozniak) authorizing the use of nonstructural alternatives to address flooding problems, both are now on the Senate Calendar for action; and

· House Bill 1742 (Pashinski-D-Luzerne) prevention of scrap material thefts, which was amended and is now also on the Senate Calendar for action.

Part of the PA Fair Share for Clean Water Plan to reduce nutrients from wastewater treatment plants and farms calls for $500 million in funding for treatment plants over the next seven years to help them meet this federal Clean Water Act mandate imposed by the Department of Environmental Protection.

Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango) serves as Majority Chair and Sen. Ray Musto (D-Luzerne) serves as Minority Chair of the Committee.

6/13/2008