Senate Environmental Committee Meets Jan. 27 On Establishing An Independent Energy Office, Eliminate Carbon Pollution Reduction Program Covering Power Plants

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet January 27 on bills to establish an Independent Energy Office and to abrogate Pennsylvania's carbon pollution reduction program covering power plants consistent with RGGI.

The bills include--

-- Senate Bill 187 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) establishing an Independent Energy Office like the Independent Fiscal Office [text not yet available - Senate Bill 832 last session which was amended to take permitting authority for power plants away from DEP and other agencies and give it to new politically-appointed authority, eliminating public review, waiving regulations.  It  was passed by the Senate, died in House.  Read more here.]; and

-- Senate Bill 186 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) abrogates Pennsylvania's carbon pollution reduction program covering power plants consistent with RGGI [text not yet available - Senate Bill 1058 last session which was passed by the Senate, died in House. Read more here.]

The meeting will be held Off the Floor-- which means there is no set time for the meeting-- in the Rules Committee Room [no video coverage].

The meeting is not yet listed on the Committee webpage.

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-3280 or sending email to: gyaw@pasen.gov.   Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-5709 or sending email to: senatorcomitta@pasenate.com.

Resource Link:

-- Sen. Yaw To Introduce Bills To Establish PA Baseload Energy Development Fund Based On Texas Model; And Have One Permit For Power Plants  [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - January 25 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 90 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In January 25 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

Related Articles:

-- Senate Environmental Committee Meets Jan. 27 On Establishing An Independent Energy Office, Eliminate Carbon Pollution Reduction Program Covering Power Plants   [PaEN]

-- PA Senate Republicans Reintroduce Bills To Eliminate State Appeals Of Pipeline Permits; Limit Grounds For Appeal Of Any DEP Permits; Punish Communities For Protecting Their Constituents Against Shale Gas Drilling Impacts  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Oil & Gas Companies Need Greater Incentives To Plug Their Old Wells - Raise Bond Rates Upfront For Plugging  [PaEN] 

-- Dept. Of Health, Penn State Project ECHO Host Feb. 13 Webinar On Caring For Persons Living And Working In Communities Involved In Oil & Natural Gas Extraction  [PaEN]

-- EQB Invites Comments On Corrections To RACT Air Quality Regulations That May Affect Natural Gas-Fired Power Plants; 3 Hearings Set  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved 310 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In 2024  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Interconnection: Extreme Cold Produces PJM Record For Winter Electricity Demand; Maximum Generation Alert Remains In Effect Into Thursday  [PaEN] 

-- New Federal Administration Reverses LNG Gas Export Facility Permit Pause, Extends Comment Period On LNG Impact Study  [PaEN] 

-- New Federal Administration Issues Executive Order Declaring A National Energy Emergency; Order Repealing Other Energy, Climate Orders; Regulatory Freeze  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- Financial Times: Wall Street Will Stymie President’s US Oil, Gas Surge Plan, Say Shale Bosses; Lower Prices Will Not Make Companies ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’

-- Post-Gazette: New Administration Reverses Pause On New LNG Gas Export Project Permits [Helps Pave Way For Potential LNG Terminal In Philadelphia] 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Billions Have Been Allocated To PA From Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure, Inflation Reduction Acts, New Administration Ordered Halt To Disbursements  [Water Infrastructure, Mine Reclamation, Conventional Oil & Gas Well Plugging, $396 million in RISE PA decarbonization funding] 

-- CanaryMedia.com: Executive Order Freezes Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act Funding For 90 Day Review [Water Infrastructure, Mine Reclamation, Conventional Oil & Gas Well Plugging, $396 million in RISE PA decarbonization funding] 

-- Warren Times/AP: President Pivots To Pro-Oil And Gas Policies, But Likes Renewable Geothermal

-- Observer-Reporter: ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub Discussed At Washington & Jefferson College Public Outreach Session

[Posted: January 25, 2025]  PA Environment Digest