PA Environment Digest Blog: Saturday PA Environment & Energy NewsClips

"The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.”

-- Article I, Section 27 Pennsylvania Constitution [It’s Not A Suggestion]

House next voting day April 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 39, 30

-- Committee Schedule

Senate next voting day April 8, 9, 10, 29, 30

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events

-- April 8-- Senate Appropriations Committee meets to consider 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 [Read more here about the bill]; Senate Bill 819 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) increasing penalties for individuals that damage “critical infrastructure” being constructed or built, including electric utility, natural gas pipelines and compressor stations, gas processing plants, natural gas storage facilities [Note: This legislation was originally developed after the public protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline [Read more here]. Rules Committee Room. Off the Flood - Sometime After Session Begins. [No Video Coverage]

-- April 8-- House Republican Policy Committee hearing on “Fueling Pennsylvania’s Future - Liquid Natural Gas” Exports. Room 418 Main Capitol. 10:30 a.m. Click Here to watch online. [Read more here about how PA’s largest gas producer thinks it’s our “duty” to send LNG Gas to support our major competitor China.]

-- April 9-- House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 1943 (McNeill-D-Lehigh) requires disclosure of all chemicals used in oil and gas well fracking (sponsor summary). Room 205 Ryan Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

-- April 9-- House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee meets to consider a package of bills related to acquisition of water and sewer systems - House Bill 1862 (Matzie-D-Beaver), House Bill 1863 (Matzie-D-Beaver) and House Bill 1864 (Matzie-D- Beaver), House Bill 1865 (Matzie-D-Beaver) (sponsor summary). Room G-50 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

-- April 9-- House State Government Committee meets to consider House Bill 1169 (Warren-D- Bucks) requiring the installation of water bottle refilling stations in state buildings (sponsor summary). Room 523 Irvis Building. 9:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

-- DEP Reports Only 1 Shale Gas Well Permit Under Review Drastically Reducing The Revenue Needed To Run Its Entire Oil & Gas Regulatory Program [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - April 6 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 75 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 6 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

-- Earth Day: Water At Risk: 'Life, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness' - Pennsylvania's Environmental Rights Amendment - By Carol Hillestad for the Brodhead Watershed Association [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Bigger Federal Tax Incentives Mean Bigger Blades For PA Wind Farms

-- The Allegheny Front: Local Union Workers Cheer A New Federal Rule To Modernize The Electric Grid, But Efficiency Experts Are Unimpressed

-- PennLive: PUC Investigating Proposed 15.9% By Columbia Gas

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Rivers Reach Highest Levels In Nearly 20 Years

-- TribLive: Conemaugh River Lake Crest Gates Opened For 1st Time Since 2010 In Westmoreland

-- TribLive: Westmoreland Flood Damage May Not Be Bad Enough For Disaster Declaration

-- Warren Times: Officials Predict Substantial Water Rise In Allegheny Reservoir

-- Times Leader Martins Ferry: Flood Waters Surround PA-Based Austin Master Services Oil & Gas Wastewater Facility Charged With Illegal Storage Of Waste In Martins Ferry, WV