Environmental Quality Board Approves Proposed Stream Redesignations For Public Comment; Votes Down Motion To Decouple Truck Emission Standards From California In 2 Years

On September 10, the Environmental Quality Board approved a package of 96 stream redesignations for public comment and voted against a motion to decouple heavy-truck emissions standards from standards adopted by California through a rulemaking in two years.

Stream Redesignations

The proposed stream redesignations included in the regulatory package approved by the Board are the result of data submitted by the Fish and Boat Commission and stream evaluations conducted by DEP.

There are 96 streams or stream segments included from Berks, Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Dauphin, Elk, Forest, Franklin, Indiana, Jefferson, Lehigh, Luzerne, McKean, Mifflin, Monroe, Northampton, Perry, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Tioga, Venango and York counties.

There were four votes opposed, including the representatives of Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) and Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron).

Glendon King, Rep. Causer’s alternate, expressed a concern that too many streams were included in the package.

Click Here for a summary of the rulemaking.

Visit DEP’s Stream Resdesignation webpage to learn more about these evaluations and the public involvement process before the streams are brought to the Board for action..

Heavy-Truck Emission Standards

Glendon King also raised the issue of Pennsylvania’s heavy-duty truck emission standards adopted in 2002 being coupled with California standards raising the cost of trucks to meet the standard.

In November 2021, in response to these concerns, DEP suspended the enforcement of this provision and extended that suspension in 2023.  Read more here.

King noted the General Assembly has been trying to pass legislation decoupling Pennsylvania’s standards from California since 2021 without success.

King’s motion would have required DEP to propose a regulation abrogating the heavy-duty truck regulation and ultimately bring a final regulation back to the EQB for a final vote in two years.

King noted this issue is also the subject of litigation against DEP.

The motion was defeated after DEP noted it has been the policy of the EQB not to take action on issues that were the subject of litigation.

For available handouts, presentations and more information, visit the Environmental Quality Board webpage.  Questions should be directed to: Laura Griffin, Regulatory Coordinator, laurgriffi@pa.gov, (717) 772-3277.

[Posted: September 11, 2024]  PA Environment Digest