Last Week
Last week saw action in the Senate and House on a variety of environmental bills, and hearings spotlighting natural gas infrastructure and nuclear energy issues.
Monday the House Transportation Committee reported out House Bill 2486 (Everett-R- Lycoming) creating the Keystone Tree Fund that could lead to the planting of more trees along streams and streets in the Commonwealth. The bill now goes to the full House for action. Click Here to read more.
The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee amended and reported out Senate Bill 652 (Regan-R-Cumberland) which sets increased penalties for vandalism to natural gas pipelines, electric power lines, railroad tracks, refineries and any of 21 other “critical infrastructure facilities.” The bill now goes to the full House for action. Click Here for more.
A Senate-House Nuclear Energy Caucus hearing highlighted the fact natural gas pipelines and infrastructure do not have to meet mandatory physical or cyber security standards like nuclear power plants. Click Here for more.
The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Tuesday approved and reported out House Bill 2154 (Causer-R-Cameron) which would weaken environmental standards for conventional (not Shale) oil and gas drilling in a party line vote (Republicans supporting). The bill now goes to the full Senate for action. Click Here for more.
This Week
The House has only 1 voting day scheduled this week, while the Senate has a full 3 days. After this week, both take a break until after the Columbus Day holiday. The House returns October 9 and 10 and then October 15, 16, 17. The Senate doesn’t return until October 15, 16, 17 and then that’s it before the November 6 election.
These meetings and hearings are scheduled this week on environmental bills and issues (subject to change at any minute)--
-- House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 1171 (Brooks-R- Crawford) changing the membership of the Nutrient Management Advisory Board; the Tourism & Recreation Development Committee holds a Roundtable Discussion of tourism issues affecting the Laurel Highlands in Fayette County. <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.
-- Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee holds a hearing on invasive and native species. <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.
-- Joint House-Senate Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee holds a Roundtable Discussion on the status and future of anthracite coal in Pennsylvania in Schuylkill County.
This Week Bill Calendars
-- House (Oct. 1): House Bill 1401 (DiGirolamo-R-Bucks) which amends Title 58 to impose a sliding scale natural gas severance tax, in addition to the Act 13 drilling impact fee, on natural gas production (NO money for environmental programs) and includes provisions related to minimum landowner oil and gas royalties; House Bill 1446 (Quinn-R- Bucks) encouraging infrastructure for electric and natural gas fueled vehicles; House Bill 2638 (Stephens-R- Montgomery) establishes the Military Installation Remediation Authority to address cleanup costs at the former Willow Grove Naval Air Station funded by redirecting Sales Tax revenue from the redevelopment of the facility (sponsor summary); House Resolution 284 (Moul-R-Adams) urging Congress to repeal the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s MS4 Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (sponsor summary); House Resolution 943 (Tallman-R-Adams) urging the federal Food And Drug Administration to promptly consider candidates for Lyme disease vaccinations; Senate Bill 1172 (Vulakovich-R-Allegheny) further providing for enforcement of price gouging provisions during an emergency declaration (Senate Fiscal Note and summary). <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.
-- Senate (Oct. 1): Senate Bill 820 (Aument-R- Lancaster) providing liability protection for owners and operators of on-farm agritourism activities (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 917 (Dinniman-R-Chester) amends Act 101 Municipal Waste Planning and Recycling Act to include spent mushroom compost under the definition of “compost materials to encourage its reuse (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 930 (Dinniman-D- Chester) sets notification requirements related to pipeline emergencies (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 931 (Dinniman-D-Chester) requires the installation of automatic or remote controlled safety values in natural gas pipelines in densely populated areas; Senate Bill 1199 (Rafferty-R- Montgomery) providing for a landowners’ bill of rights in cases of eminent domain, including by private entities like pipeline companies (sponsor summary); Senate Resolution 214 (Greenleaf-R-Montgomery) urging Pennsylvania natural gas producers to export gas to European countries in an effort to curtail the monopoly that Russia has on supply to that region (sponsor summary); Senate Resolution 373 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) is a concurrent Senate-House resolution to establish a Senate-House legislative Commission to Study Pipeline Construction and Operations and to recommend improvements for the safe transport of oil, natural gas and other hazardous liquids through pipelines; House Bill 544 (Moul-R-Adams) further providing for liability protection for landowners opening their land for public recreation; ; House Bill 1550 (Klunk-R-York) amending the Agricultural Area Security Law to allow for a residence for the principal landowner (House Fiscal Note and summary); House Bill 2154 (Causer-R-Cameron) which would weaken environmental standards for conventional (not Shale) oil and gas drilling. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.
Last Week Senate/House Bills Moving
The following bills of interest saw action last week in the House and Senate--
House --
-- Natural Gas Line Extension: House Bill 107 (Godshall-R- Montgomery) providing a mechanism to cover costs of extending natural gas distribution systems was amended on the House Floor and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.
-- Military Installation Cleanup: House Bill 2638 (Stephens-R-Montgomery) establishes the Military Installation Remediation Authority to address cleanup costs at the former Willow Grove Naval Air Station funded by redirecting Sales Tax revenue from the redevelopment of the facility (sponsor summary) was amended and reported from the House Commerce Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action.
-- Keystone Tree Fund: House Bill 2486 (Everett-R-Lycoming) providing a voluntary check off on drivers licenses and vehicle registrations for contributions to the Keystone Tree Fund (sponsor summary) was amended and reported from the House Transportation Committee and Tabled.
-- Critical Infrastructure Security: Senate Bill 652 (Regan-R-Cumberland) which deals with the security of rights-of-way for pipelines, electric power lines, railroad tracks, refineries and the property on which of any of 21 other “critical infrastructure facilities” are located was amended to remove the provisions in the bill related to setting criminal penalties for simple trespass and replacing it with felony penalties for the offense of critical infrastructure vandalism “if the person intentionally or recklessly damages, destroys, vandalizes, defaces or tampers with equipment in a critical infrastructure facility” and was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and Tabled.
-- Notices Of Noncompliance: House Bill 2640 (Mako-R-Lehigh) requiring DEP to forward notices of noncompliance issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for violation of the Toxic Substances Control Act or state Solid Waste Management Act to the municipality where the violation occurred (sponsor summary) was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and Tabled.
-- Abolishing Boards, Commissions: House Bill 2105 (Fritz-R-Susquehanna) eliminating certain boards and commissions as obsolete was amended and reported from the House State Government Committee and Tabled.
-- Lyme Disease Vaccinations: House Resolution 943 (Tallman-R-Adams) urging the federal Food And Drug Administration to promptly consider candidates for Lyme disease vaccinations was reported from the House Health Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action.
-- Public Lands Day: House Resolution 860 (Daley-D-Montgomery) designating September 22 Public Lands Day in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House.
-- Drive Electric Week: House Resolution 1035 (Marshall-R-Beaver) designating the week of September 8-16 as National Drive Electric Week (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House.
-- World Habitat Day: House Resolution 1069 (Culver-R-Northumberland) recognizing October 2 as World Habitat Day in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House.
-- Energy Awareness Month: House Resolution 1071 (Mackenzie-R-Berks) recognizing the month of October as Energy Awareness Month in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House.
Senate --
-- Lead Service Line: House Bill 2075 (Charlton-R-Delaware) authorizing rate recovery for customer-owned lead water service lines was amended and reported from the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee and was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
-- Tailpipe Testing: House Bill 86 (Lawrence-R-Chester) eliminating tailpipe emissions testing for 1992-1995 vehicles in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas (House Fiscal Note and summary) was reported from the Senate Transportation Committee and was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
-- Planting Native Species: House Bill 2131 (Quigley-R-Montgomery) requiring PennDOT to plant native species of vegetation along highways (House Fiscal Note and summary) was reported from the Senate Transportation Committee and was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
-- Leaf Waste: House Bill 927 (Rader-R-Monroe) amends Act 101 Municipal Waste Planning and Recycling Act to eliminate the mandate on smaller municipalities to have a leaf waste collection program (House Fiscal Note and summary) was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
-- Conventional Drilling: House Bill 2154 (Causer-R-Cameron) which would weaken environmental standards for conventional (not Shale) oil and gas drilling was reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is on the Senate Calendar for action.
-- Natural Gas Exports: Senate Resolution 214 (Greenleaf-R-Montgomery) urging Pennsylvania natural gas producers to export gas to European countries in an effort to curtail the monopoly that Russia has on supply to that region (sponsor summary) was reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is on the Senate Calendar for action.
-- End Drilling Moratorium: Senate Resolution 104 (Bartolotta-R- Washington) resolution urging the Governor to end the moratorium on new non-surface disturbance natural gas drilling on state forest land (sponsor summary) was Tabled.
-- Clean Energy Week: Senate Resolution 420 (Browne-R-Lehigh) designating September 23-28 Clean Energy Week (sponsor summary) was adopted by the Senate.
Last Week - Bills Introduced
The following bills of interest were introduced last week--
-- Act 129 Update: House Bill 2662 (C.Quinn-R-Delaware) updating the Act 129 energy efficiency, conservation program for electric utilities (sponsor summary). Companion to Senate Bill 1236 (McGarrigle (R-Delaware). Click Here for more.
-- DRBC Regulatory Authority: House Bill 2670 (Fritz-R-Susquehanna) addresses the authority of the Delaware River Basin Commission to enact a fracking ban and to regulate onlot septic systems and address “mission creep” (sponsor summary).
-- Clean Energy Week: Senate Resolution 420 (Browne-R-Lehigh) designating September 23-28 Clean Energy Week (sponsor summary) was adopted by the Senate.
For more, read this week’s PA Environment Digest. Send questions, inquiries to Editor David E. Hess, former Secretary of DEP, by email to: PaEnviroDigest@gmail.com.
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