Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) Wednesday announced Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Bradford) will serve as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

Sen. Yaw was elected to represent the 23rd Senatorial District in November 2008.

Last session he served as Majority Chair of the Urban Affairs and Housing Committee and as a member of the Environmental Resources and Energy, Law and Justice, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Rules, Labor and Industry, Executive Nominations Committees and the Majority Policy Committee and as Chair of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania.

"It is an honor to have been selected to chair the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee," Sen. Yaw said.  "As incoming Chairman, I look forward to continuing the great work and momentum initiated by my predecessor, Senator Mary Jo White.  We will continue working to strengthen our laws and regulations to further protect Pennsylvania’s rivers, forests and streams for future generations.  We will also work to improve our air and water quality, and promote the sustainable and safe use of our natural resources in order to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources.  Equally, we will ensure that current laws are strictly enforced.  I look forward to working with my colleagues in this new role during the 197th General Assembly."

Sen. Yaw represents the heart of the Marcellus Shale drilling fields in northcentral Pennsylvania and has been very active in drilling-related issues.

Prior to running for the Senate, Yaw served as Lycoming County solicitor for 17 years and was named County Solicitor of the Year in 2004. He has also served as general counsel to the Pennsylvania College of Technology for more than 20 years and now serves on the Board of Directors of that institution.

Other Chairs

The full list of Republican and Democratic Senate Chairs include--

Aging & Youth

Republican: Sen. Bob Mensch (R-Lehigh)*

Democrat: Sen. LeAnna Washington (D-Washington)

Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Republican: Sen. Elder A. Vogel, Jr. (R-Beaver)

Democrat: Sen. Judith Schwank (D-Berks)*

Appropriations

Republican: Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre)

Democrat: Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia)

Banking & Insurance

Republican: Sen. Don White (R-Indiana)

Democrat: Sen. Michael Stack (D-Philadelphia)

Communications & Technology

Republican: Sen. Randy Vulakovich (R-Allegheny)*

Democrat: Sen. Lawrence Farnese (D-Philadelphia)

Community, Economic & Recreational Development

Republican: Sen. Kim L. Ward (R-Westmoreland)*

Democrat: Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny)

Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure

Republican: Sen. Robert M. Tomlinson (R-Bucks)

Democrat: Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh)

Education

Republican: Sen. Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon)*

Democrat: Sen. Andrew Dinniman (D-Chester)

Environmental Resources & Energy

Republican: Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Bradford)*

Democrat: Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne)

Finance

Republican: Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster)

Democrat: Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna)*

Game & Fisheries

Republican: Sen. Richard Alloway (R-Franklin)

Democrat: Sen. Richard Kasunic (D-Somerset)

Intergovernmental Operations

Republican: Senator-elect Scott E. Hutchinson (R-Venango)*

Democrat: Sen. Sean Wiley (D-Erie)*

Judiciary

Republican: Sen. Stewart J. Greenleaf (R-Montgomery)

Democrat: Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery)

Labor & Industry

Republican: Sen. John R. Gordner (R-Columbia)

Democrat: Sen. Christine  Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia)

Law & Justice

Republican: Sen. Charles T. McIlhinney, Jr. (R-Bucks)*

Democrat: Sen. Jim Ferlo (D-Allegheny)

Local Government

Republican: Sen. John H. Eichelberger, Jr. (R-Blair)

Democrat: Sen. Rob Teplitz (D-Dauphin)*

Public Health & Welfare

Republican: Sen. Patricia H. Vance (R-Cumberland)

Democrat: Sen. Shirley Kitchen (D-Philadelphia)

Rules & Executive Nominations

Republican: Sen. Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware)

Democrat: Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny)

State Government

Republican: Sen. Lloyd K. Smucker (R-Lancaster)*

Democrat: Sen. Matt Smith (D-Allegheny)*

Transportation

Republican: Sen. John C. Rafferty, Jr. (R-Montgomery)

Democrat: Sen. John Wozniak (D-Cambria)

Urban Affairs & Housing

Republican: Sen. David G. Argall (R-Schuylkill)*

Democrat: Sen. James Brewster (D-Allegheny)

Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness

Republican: Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne)

Democrat: Sen. Tim Solobay (D-Washington)

*New Chairs

12/24/2012