Senate Set To Move Bill Authorizing Mineral Leases On Non-Sensitive State Lands

The Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet on September 26 to consider Senate Bill 367 (D.White-R-Indiana) which provides for the leasing of mineral rights, including natural gas, on other state lands and on lands owned by the State System of Higher Education.
            The bill would authorize, not require the leasing of state-owned land for mining and other resource extraction under contracts administered by the Department of General Services.   Currently, only a few state agencies such as the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission are authorized by law to enter into leases for mineral resource development.
            When the bill was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee in May, it was amended to require a minimum of 50 percent of revenue received from bonus and lease payments to go to the Environmental Stewardship Fund and the Key '93 Fund.  The remaining revenue will go into the General Fund.  All money derived from the PA State System of Higher Education land will be deposited into the Key '93 Fund for its use.
            The meeting is set to be held Off the Floor in the Rules Committee Room.


9/26/2011

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