The information you need to follow legislation in the House and Senate- starting with articles and NewsClips from last week--

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

-- Oil & Natural Gas Facility Health Impacts Assessment Bill Introduced In The House  [PaEN]
-- Who’s Protecting Taxpayers?  House To Take Up Bill Exempting Conventional Oil & Gas Wells From Plugging Bonds Sticking Taxpayers With $5.1 Billion In Cleanup Liability  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Republican Lawmakers Poised To Cost PA Billions In Highway Funding At Behest Of Oil & Gas Industry  [PaEN]

-- House Environmental Committee Meets June 22 On Bill To Protect Military Airspace From Windmills  [PaEN]

-- Senate Environmental Committee Meets June 20 On Bill To Extend Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Programs  [PaEN]

-- Republican Rep. Metcalfe This Week Began Circulating A Resolution To Impeach DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell

-- Altoona Mirror: House Sends Series Of Flooding Bills To Senate [Temporary Solutions At Best]

-- Bay Journal: EPA And Farm Bureau Find Common Ground In Pennsylvania - Urge State Lawmakers To Support Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Funding - By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal

-- DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Urges Lawmakers To Support Growing Greener III Funding  [PaEN]

-- StateCollege.com: Penns Valley Bridge Highlights Infrastructure Needs Of DCNR’s State Parks, Forests

-- LancasterOnline: Sen. Martin Elected Chair Of Chesapeake Bay Commission’s PA Delegation

-- Rep. Bizzarro: End Gasoline Price Gouging Through New Stop Price Fixing Act Legislation

-- June 22-- House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on combating inflation with the Stop Gasoline Price Fixing Act. Room 523 Irvis Building. 9:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch online.

-- The Center Square: With Food And Energy Prices High, Few Short-Term Solutions  [PA House Hearing]

-- MCall - Ford Turner: PA Farmers Getting Crushed By Record Diesel Prices, Lawmakers Told

Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week--

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Top 10 Stories: Harrisburg/PA Politics Reported By Local News Media Last Week [PaEN]

Senate, House Bills Moving Last Week

The following environmental and energy bills saw movement last week--

Senate

Child Lead Testing: Senate Bill 522 (Baker-R-Luzerne) providing for universal lead testing for children was amended and passed by the Senate and now goes to the House for action.  [Note: This bill was first proposed in May, 2019.  Read more here.]

Insurance Coverage For Tick-borne Diseases:  Senate Bill 1188 (Brooks-R-Crawford) requiring insurance coverage for Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Diesel Engines, Deep Mining: Senate Bill 1255 (Pittman-R-Indiana) would change Pennsylvania’s Deep Mine Safety Program to replace the oil and filter on all diesel-powered equipment used in underground coal mining every 100 hours at the request of the mine operator was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

In-Person Meetings: Senate Bill 1029 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) requiring state agency meetings where public comments are being taken to be in-person, except during a declared disaster emergency was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Recreation Liability: House Bill 1694 (Struzzi-R-Indiana) further providing for limiting landowner liability for opening property to recreation was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Critical, Rare Earth Minerals: Senate Resolution 229 (Dush-R-Clearfield) directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study of the economic, environmental and health impacts related to the development of critical mineral and rare earth minerals in the Commonwealth was Tabled due to inaction on the resolution.  Read more here.

House

Solar Energy Subscriptions: House Bill 1161 (Mizgorski-R-Allegheny) authorizing the establishment of local solar energy subscriber programs supported by electric utilities was reported out of the House Appropriations Committee and passed by the full House 167 to 33.  The bill now goes to the Senate for action.  [Note: This is not the community solar program supported by farmers, environmental and other advocacy groups.  Read more here.]

2 Leftovers From Flood Package: House Bill 2404 (Owlett-R-Tioga): Would allow local government organizations to apply for a permit for continuing maintenance for a period of at least 10 years for the streams within their jurisdiction. This permit would grant an affirmative duty to the local government entity to properly maintain the streams and would not require the local government to get pre-approval for maintenance projects; House Bill 2407 (Hamm-R- Lycoming) would clarify that the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has no authority for permitting or enforcement related to stream clearing or maintenance activities. This authority shall belong solely to DEP and the county conservation districts as appropriate.  The bills were reported out of the House Appropriations Committee and passed by the House.  They are now in the Senate for consideration. Read more here.

Prevent DEP From Increasing Conventional Oil & Gas Bond Amounts: House Bill 2644 (Causer-R-Cameron) was introduced to head off a proposal accepted for study by the Environmental Quality Board in November to increase the well plugging bonding amounts for both conventional oil and gas and unconventional shale gas drillers to what it now costs taxpayers to plug a well when operators walk away from their obligations was referred to the House Appropriations Committee.  Read more here.

Mandate Award Of Plugging Contracts To PA Companies Regardless Of Cost: House Bill 2528 (Struzzi-R-Indiana)-- would mandate DEP award oil and gas well plugging contracts to Pennsylvania contractors, with no regard for cost to taxpayers was amended and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.  Read more here.

Prohibiting Communities From Supporting Clean, Cheaper Energy Sources To Address Climate Change: Senate Bill 275 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) which limits the ability of communities to offer new and clean energy sources and energy efficiency programs by locking in the status quo, in particular natural gas was referred to the House Appropriations Committee.  Read more here.

PFOS/PFOA Firefighting Foams: Senate Bill 302 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) providing for limits on use and warning labels for PFOS/PFOA firefighting foams was reported from the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee and Tabled.

Farmland Funds For Land Trusts: Senate Bill 64 (Martin-R-Lancaster) setting aside a portion of farmland preservation funds for use by land trusts was reported out of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and Tabled.

Bill Calendars

Senate (June 20): Senate Bill 692 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) which makes fundamental changes in the erosion and sedimentation permitting requirements for conventional and unconventional oil and gas activities, including well pads, pipelines, processing and treatment facilities; Senate Bill 718 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) limiting scope of DEP permit appeals [Read more here]; Senate Resolution 285 (Gordner-R-Columbia) would direct the Joint State Government Commission to conduct an assessment and analysis of public and private recycling infrastructure and operations across the state (sponsor summary);  House Bill 1947 (O’Neal-R- Washington) which prohibits counties, local governments and authorities from promoting clean, cheaper energy sources to reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions; House Bill 2075 (Knowles-R-Schuylkill) would suspend DEP’s regulations setting heavy-duty diesel emissions standards based on California standards.  <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

NEW. House Republican The Week Ahead Floor Action Summary

House (June 20): House Bill 2069 (Cutler-R- Lancaster) Amend Article III, Section 9, to exempt the disapproval of a regulation by the General Assembly from the presentment requirement for the governor’s approval or disapproval [Read more here]; House Bill 2070 (Cutler- R-Lancaster) Amend Article IV, to add a new section providing that any executive order or proclamation issued by the governor, which purports to have the force of law, may not be in effect for more than 21 days, unless extended by concurrent resolution of the General Assembly [Read more here]; House Bill 2104 (Rapp-R-Forest) which set minimum statewide bonding and decommissioning requirements for solar and wind energy facilities to make it more restrictive and preempts local governments from adopting their own requirements [Read more here];  House Resolution 74 (Daley-D-Montgomery) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study of wildlife conservation corridors.  <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

June 22-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 2367 (Mako-R-Northampton) would prohibit the construction of wind turbines that negatively affect military installations (sponsor summary).  Room 523 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

June 22-- House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on combating inflation with the Stop Gasoline Price Fixing Act. Room 523 Irvis Building. 9:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch online.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

June 20-- Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 1780 (Armanini-R-Clearfield) extending the sunset dates for underground storage tank cleanup program from June 30, 2022 to December 31, 2027. Room 461. 12:45 p.m.  Click Here to watch online.

<>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

Oil & Natural Gas Facility Health Impacts Assessment Program:  House Bill 1467 was introduced to establish an Oil and Natural Gas Facility Health Impacts Assessment Program in the Department of Health.  Read more here.

Bills Pending In Key Committees

Check the PA Environmental Council Bill Tracker for the status and updates on pending state legislation and regulations that affect environmental and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.

Session Schedule

Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--

Senate

June 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30

September 19, 20, 21

October 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26

November 15

House

June 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30

September 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21

October 24, 25, 26

November 14, 15, 16

[Posted: June 19, 2022]

6/20/2022