House Environmental Committee OK’d Bills Expanding C-PACE Financing For EV Charging; Study Lake Erie Renewable Energy; Promoting Invertebrate Biodiversity

On March 18, the  House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee considered these seven bills--

-- Expanding C-PACE To Add EV Charging: House Bill 789 (Ciresi-D-Montgomery) expands C-PACE property-based energy financing program to add electric vehicle charging infrastructure was reported out by a vote of 14 to 12, Republicans opposing and Tabled; 

-- Study Renewable Energy On Lake Erie: House Resolution 53 (Merski-D-Erie) directing the Joint State Government Commission to study the feasibility and potential benefits of offshore hydropower, solar and wind renewable energy on Lake Erie was reported out by a vote of 19 to 7, some Republicans opposing and is now on the House Calendar. 

-- Radon Test Results: House Bill 448 (Diamond-R-Lebanon) authorizes DEP to release radon test results to previous property owners in certain circumstances was reported out unanimously and Tabled; 

-- Prohibiting Greenwashing: House Bill 783 (Rabb-D-Philadelphia) prohibiting the practice of greenwashing was unanimously reported out of Committee by a vote of 24 to 2-- Republicans opposed-- with a recommendation it be referred to the House Judiciary Committee and it was re-referred.

-- Invertebrate Biodiversity: House Bill 441 (Pielli-D-Chester) amends the Wild Resource Conservation Act of 1982 to address a gap in biodiversity conservation in Pennsylvania by assigning native terrestrial invertebrates to DCNR was reported out of Committee by a vote of 14 to 12, Republicans opposing and Tabled.  [Read more here]

These bills on the agenda, but saw no action--

-- Notice Of Oil & Gas Permits: House Bill 43 (Conklin-D-Centre) require publication of newspaper notice of oil and gas well permits;  and

-- Regulating Food Processing Waste: House Bill 586 (Friel-D-Chester) requires a DEP permit to spread food processing residuals.

[Note: The related House Bill 587 (Friel-D-Chester) establishing a broker certification program for food processing waste also saw no action in the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.]   

Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental  & Natural Resource Protection Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.  Rep. Jack Rader, Jr. (R-Monroe) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7732 or click here to send an email.

Related Article This Week:

-- House Energy Committee Reports Out Bill To Unlock A State Freeze On $156 Million In Federal Funding For Solar For All Program  [PaEN] 

[Posted: March 18, 2025]  PA Environment Digest