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

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

Gov. Shapiro

-- What Can We Expect From Gov. Shapiro, Lt. Gov. Davis On Environmental, Energy Issues?  [PaEN]

-- PoliticsPA: Gov. Shapiro’s Inauguration Speech

-- Gov. Shapiro Formally Submits Cabinet Nominations To Senate For Their ‘Advice & Consent’

-- PA Capital-Star: Who Is In Gov. Shapiro’s Cabinet?

-- Spotlight PA: Who Has Gov. Shapiro Nominated For His Cabinet?

-- Gov. Shapiro Formally Nominates Michelle Henry To Serve As Attorney General

-- Spotlight PA: Democrat Josh Shapiro Sworn In As PA’s 48th Governor

-- AP: Shapiro Takes Oath Of Office To Become 48th PA Governor

-- Inquirer: Shapiro Promises To Protect The State’s ‘Real Freedom’

-- PoliticsPA: Gov. Shapiro’s Inauguration Speech

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Ethics Package Building A Culture Of Integrity

-- PA Capital-Star: Shapiro Announces Ethics Package, Including A More Relaxed Gift Ban

Senate/House Transition

-- The Center Square: Pennsylvania Legislative Session Stalls

-- House Speaker Rozzi Announces Statewide Listening Tour To Break Partisan Divide, Deliver Justice To Survivors Of Childhood Sex Abuse

-- Inquirer: As General Assembly Stalled Out, The House Speaker Announced A ‘Listening Tour’ Of PA

-- The Center Square: ‘Harrisburg Is Broken’ Says House Speaker, Asks Residents To Fix It

-- MCall - Bill White: Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse Deserve Better Than Republicans Playing Politics

-- AP: PA House Speaker’s Bipartisan Group Begins Work On House Rules

- Scranton Times Editorial: Use New House Rules To Produce More Consensus

-- Erie Times: New PA House Speaker Is Already On Thin Ice, What May Come Next

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Legislature New, But Improved?

Environment/Energy Issues

-- What Can We Expect From Gov. Shapiro, Lt. Gov. Davis On Environmental, Energy Issues?  [PaEN]

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: In PA, Hopes Rise But Questions Remain About New Governor’s Environmental Agenda

-- The Daily Item Guest Essay: The Challenge For New Governor On Energy, Environment - Karen Feridun, Better Path Coalition

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Shapiro Should Commit To RGGI Carbon Pollution Reduction Plan

-- Sen. Yaw Looks For Common Ground With New Governor On Energy, Environmental Issues  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA’s Energy Debate Enters Cautiously Optimistic Era  [RGGI]

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Commonwealth Court Says DEP Challenge To Delay In Publishing Final Reg. Limiting Carbon Pollution From Power Plants Moot  [RGGI]

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: State’s Natural Gas Industry Waits For Shapiro’s Agenda As Governor

-- Senate Environmental Committee Reports Out Diesel Mining Equipment Bill, Postpones Resolution On Restart Of Keystone XL Pipeline  [PaEN]

-- Bloomberg: Oil Outages In Canada Disrupt Flows: Keystone Pipeline Suffers Power Outages From Ice Accumulation

-- Feature: 60 Years Of Fracking, 20 Years Of Shale Gas: Pennsylvania’s Oil & Gas Infrastructure Is Hiding In Plain Sight  [PaEN]

-- DEP 2021 Oil & Gas Program Annual Report Shows Conventional Oil & Gas Operators Received A Record 610 Notices Of Violation For Abandoning Wells Without Plugging Them  [PaEN]

-- DEP Releases 2 More Bid Solicitations To Plug 43 Abandoned Conventional Gas Wells In Clarion County All At Taxpayer Expense, Industry Doesn’t Pay A Dime [PaEN]

-- Altoona Mirror: Report Criticizes Conventional Oil & Gas Industry For Abandoning Wells

-- Warren Times: DEP Report Critical Of Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Environmental Compliance

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Businesses, Energy Groups Tell Senators Regulatory Burden, High Energy Costs Must Be Lowered

-- The Center Square: ‘Fuel Poverty’ Stresses Pennsylvania’s Hospitals

-- Bloomberg: Chesapeake Energy CEO Urges U.S. Natural Gas Sector To Scale Back Production Due To Low Natural Gas Prices

-- PennLive Guest Essay: We Must Make It Easier To Share PA’s Energy Resources With The World - By Marcellus Shale Coalition

-- The Center Square Guest Essay: Permitting Changes Needed To Realized The True Potential Of Natural Gas To Compete In Global Economy, Particularly Pipeline Infrastructure - By Marcellus Shale Coalition

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Can Lead The Nation In Energy [Natural Gas] Production, If The State Lets It - By Commonwealth Foundation

-- York Daily Record Guest Essay: Low Blow By PA Lawmakers - Playing Politics With Kids Abused By Clergy, Harmed By Polluters - By Mitchell Hescox, Evangelical Environmental Network  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Jan. 14  to 20  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - Jan. 21  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Sets Feb. 2 Hearing On A 4.5 MGD Out-Of-Basin Diversion For Ironwood Natural Gas Power Plant In Lebanon County, 6 Other Natural Gas Drilling Water Uses  [PaEN]

-- FracTracker Alliance Webinar Exploring Oil & Gas Impacts On Watersheds Available On Demand

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Commonwealth Court Says DEP Challenge To Delay In Publishing Final Reg. Limiting Carbon Pollution From Power Plants Moot  [RGGI]

-- PennLive: PA Cong. Thompson Takes Over U.S. House Agriculture Committee With A Full Agenda

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

Diesel Mining Equipment: Senate Bill 115 (Stefano-R-Fayette) adopting federal requirements for replacement of oil and oil filters on diesel-powered underground coal mining equipment [Senate Bill 1255 from last session passed unanimously by the Senate] was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Bill Calendars

Senate (February 27): Senate Bill 115 (Stefano-R-Fayette) adopting federal requirements for replacement of oil and oil filters on diesel-powered underground coal mining equipment. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

House ( ????? ): <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

January 23-- House Republican Policy Committee hearing on Senate Bill 1 (Laughlin-R-Erie) proposing state constitutional amendments giving the General Assembly unilateral authority to kill regulations.  Room 140 Main Capitol.  11:00 a.m.  Click Here for background on the legislation.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

Senate

Restores Bonding/Regulation Of Oil & Gas Facilities As Waste Facilities: Senate Bill 26 (Muth-D- Chester) eliminates the exemption from bonding and other requirements for solid waste management facilities for oil and gas well-related waste facilities under the Solid Waste Management Act.

Defines Oil & Gas Wastes As Hazardous Waste: Senate Bill 28 (Muth-D-Chester) amends the Solid Waste Management Act to define drilling fluids, produced waters and other wastes associated with oil and gas or geothermal energy development as hazardous waste.

Testing Of Landfill Leachate For Hazardous Characteristics: Senate Bill 29 (Muth-D-Chester) amends the Solid Waste Management Act to test leachate from Residual Waste facilities for the presence of chemicals related to oil and gas wastes, including radiation.

Require Notice Of Spills To Well Owners: Senate Bill 92 (Muth-D-Chester) requires notice of oil and gas facility spills to private water system and well owners.

Use Of Coal Mining Penalties For O&M Water Treatment Costs: Senate Bill 111 (Stefano-R-Fayette) requires the use of coal mining penalties for operation and maintenance costs for mine water treatment systems. [In 2021, the bill would have covered $31,000 in penalties.]

Prohibiting Fire Companies From Using Foam With PFAS: Senate Bill 144 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) prohibiting fire companies from using foam with PFAS ‘forever chemicals.’

Residential EV Charger: Senate Bill 157 (Hughes-D-Philadelphia) establishing a tax credit for installation of residential electric vehicle charging stations.

Office of Environmental Justice: Senate Bill 158 (Hughes-D-Philadelphia) establishing an Office of Environmental Justice.

Killing Regulations By Doing Nothing: Senate Bill 188 (DiSanto-R-Cumberland) authorizing the General Assembly to kill economically significant regulations by doing nothing.  Read more here.

Requiring 3-Year Review Of Regulations: Senate Bill 190 (Brooks-R-Crawford) requiring an automatic three-year review of economically significant regulations.  Read more here.

Limiting Basis Of Citizen Appeal Of DEP Actions: Senate Bill 198 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) limiting the grounds for appealing DEP permit and other actions before the Environmental Hearing Board.  Read more here.

Limiting Terms Of Environmental Hearing Board Judges: Senate Bill 199 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) limiting members of the Environmental Hearing Board to two terms.

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--

House

?????

Senate

February 27, 28

March 1, 6, 7, 8

Budget hearings: March 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30 and April 11, 12, 13

April 24, 25, 26

May 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10

June 5, 6, 7, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

[Posted: January 22, 2023]

1/23/2023