Legislation Moving: Senate-- Stream ‘Cleaning,’ Carbon Sequestration; House-- Recycling Fee Increase; Geothermal Energy; Solar Energy On Farms

The Senate and House moved several environmental and energy bills last week, including--

Senate

10-Year ‘Stream Cleaning’ Permit: Senate Bill 689 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would authorize DEP to issue a 10-year “stream cleaning” permits to local governments or PennDOT without need for further preapprovals for actions in the stream regardless if stream conditions changes within their jurisdictions was passed by the Senate in a party-line vote, Republicans supporting.  The bill now goes to the House for action.

DEP and the Shapiro Administration opposed the bill when it was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee in May. The Environmental Committee reported out the bill by a party-line vote, Republicans supporting. Read more here.

Read more about DEP’s less complex program to authorize stream maintenance to avoid flooding.  Last week, DEP also released a new online tool to assist applicants in determining when permits are or are not needed.  Read more here.

County ‘Stream Cleaning’ Permit: Senate Bill 690 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would authorize county conservation districts to develop a complex and expensive program related to “reconstruction emergency permit authorizations” to conduct “stream cleaning” operations was passed by the Senate in a largely party-line vote, Republicans supporting.  The bill now goes to the House for action.

DEP is neutral on the bill because the prime sponsor worked with DEP on changes when it was reported out of the Senate Environmental Committee in May.  Read more here.

Read more about DEP’s less complex program to authorize stream maintenance to avoid flooding. Last week, DEP also released a new online tool to assist applicants in determining when permits are or are not needed.  Read more here.

Apply For Injection Well Primacy/Providing For Carbon Sequestration: Senate Bill 831 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would direct the state to apply for primary authority to regulate Class VI carbon dioxide underground injection wells from the US Environmental Protection Agency and establish a legal and regulatory framework for potential carbon dioxide capture, utilization and sequestration in Pennsylvania was removed from the Table and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  

Note: DEP submitted a notice of intent to apply for injection well primacy to EPA in April  Read more here. Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester) has expressed significant concerns with the legislation and the capacity of the state to safely regulate all aspects of carbon sequestion from pipelines to injection wells.  Read more here.

Operating Temperatures Of Crematories: House Bill 1246 (Malagari-D- Montgomery) reducing the operating temperatures of crematories from 1,800 degrees to 1,600 degrees was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

House

Increasing Recycling Fee On Municipal Waste: House Bill 223 (Isaacson-D-Philadelphia) increasing the recycling fee on municipal waste disposed in the state to $5/ton from $2/ton (sponsor summary) was reported out of the House Local Government Committee by a vote of 21 to 4 and was Tabled on the House Floor [normal procedure].

Solar Energy On Farms: House Resolution 224 (Rabb-D-Philadelphia) directing the Joint State Government commission to do a study and establish an advisory committee to analyze opportunities for solar energy facilities on farms (sponsor summary) was reported out of the House Local Government Committee by a vote of 24 to 1 and was Tabled on the House Floor [normal procedure].

Study Mine Pool/Oil & Gas Well Geothermal Energy: House Resolution 185 (Webster-D- Montgomery) directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on the feasibility of using geothermal energy technologies that utilize abandoned mine locations and operations was amended to add potential of “reconfiguration of abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal production” to the study and adopted by the House 199 to 4. [Read more here.] No further action is needed for the Commission to begin its study.

Comparing Gas Drilling Fees & Severance Taxes: House Resolution 131 (Steele-D- Allegheny) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study to compare oil and gas drilling fees and severance taxes in the largest natural gas producing states and examine the competitive business climate for the industry in those states was amended significantly on the House Floor in ways that take it far from the original purpose of the resolution and adopted by a party-line vote of 102 to 101-- Democrats supporting.

Check the PA Environmental Council Bill Tracker for the status and updates on pending state legislation and regulations that affect environmental and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.

[Posted: November 19, 2023]  PA Environment Digest