House Committee OKs Bills To Roll Back Environmental Standards For Mining

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Monday approved and reported out two bills rolling back environmental protection measures from surface and deep coal mining and legislation on certifying mine emergency responders.

The bills include--

-- Senate Bill 624 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson) retroactively rolling back protections for streams from deep coal mining was reported out on a party-line vote with Republicans supporting (Click Here for more)

-- House Bill 1333 (Gabler-R-Clearfield) eliminating the current DEP limit on how long surface mine operators can temporarily cease mining operations from 180 days to the federal standard of what could be years was reported out on a party-line vote with Republicans supporting (Click Here for more); and

-- House Bill 1341 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) providing for the certification of bituminous coal mine emergency medical responders (sponsor summary), was amended to include advanced medical responders.

The bills now go to the full House for action.
Groups like the PA Environmental Council opposed Senate Bill 624 and House Bill 1333 as a roll back of environmental protection standards for surface and deep coal mining.  (Click Here for a copy of the PEC letter to the Committee.)

Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental Committee and can be contacted by sending email to: jmaher@pahousegop.com.  Rep. Mike Carroll serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by sending email to: mcarroll@pahouse.net.