By a vote of 26-22, the Senate late this afternoon sent the Fiscal Code bill-- House Bill 278 (Baker-R-Tioga)-- that contains a provision fundamentally changing the way conventional oil and gas operations are regulated in Pennsylvania to the Governor for his action.
The bill also includes creation of whole new programs, some which have never passed either the Senate or House, provides for transfers from special funds and makes other changes.
A detailed summary and House Fiscal Note are available.
The provisions related to conventional and unconventional oil and gas regulations come from Senate Bill 1378 (Scarnati-R- Jefferson) and House Bill 2350 (Causer-R-Cameron) which were never passed on their own in either the Senate or House.
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council made several efforts to communicate with the sponsors of the conventional drilling bills expressing its concerns about the language fundamentally changing well regulation, but received no response.
PEC followed up with communications to both the Senate and House opposing the language. (See separate article.)