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

-- Inside Climate News: Gov. Shapiro Provides Fresh Support To Key Changes Recommended In 2020 Grand Jury Report To Tighten Regulation Of The Natural Gas Drilling Industry To Better Protect Public Health, Environment  [PaEN]

-- Shapiro Administration Announces Commitment To Fight Climate Change Under New EPA Climate Grant Program  [PaEN]

-- Inquirer: 100 Days: A Look At Shapiro’s ‘Common Ground’ Approach To Governing One Of The Nation’s Most Politically Divided States

Budget

-- Senate/House Budget Hearings Have Ended

-- Responsible Decarbonization Alliance: Happy Earth Day!  DCNR Acting Secretary Reminds Us Of The Economic Value Of Outdoor Recreation, Public Lands - ‘It’s Bigger Than Gas’

Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- WESA: After New Pittsburgh Derailment, Lawmakers Call Again To Pass Federal Train Safety Regulations

-- PA Capital-Star: After Latest Norfolk Southern Train Derailment, Western PA Lawmakers Call For Accountability

-- UnionProgress.com: ‘Bomb Trains’ Are A Threat Lawmakers Must Deal With, Say Western PA Political, Environmental Leaders

-- Post-Gazette: Local Officials, Environmentalists Say It’s Time To Get Rid Of ‘Bomb Trains’

-- UnionProgress.com: 2nd Beaver County School District Sues Norfolk Southern Over Ohio Train Derailment

-- Beaver County Times: Beaver County Schools File Complaints Against Norfolk Southern On Train Derailment

-- Post-Gazette: Railcars From Norfolk Southern Derailment Relocated To Beaver County Railyard, Shapiro Says NS Will Remove Them

-- Ohio River Valley Institute Hosts April 19 Webinar On Policy Action In Response To The Norfolk Southern Train Derailment & Beyond  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: U.S. Dept. HHS Awards PA $50,000 Grant For Community Wellness, Resilience Related to Norfolk Southern Trail Derailment

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Natural Gas Explosions, Pipeline Ruptures, Train Derailments - PUC Needs Utilities Experts, Not Politicos

-- Post-Gazette: To Stay Or To Go?  Two-Months After Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Residents Make A Tough Decision

-- TribLive: Norfolk Southern Offers Up-Close View Of Cleanup Work At Ohio Train Derailment Site 

-- USA Today: Truck Hauling 40,000 Pounds Of Contaminated Soil From Norfolk Southern Derailment Overturns On Ohio Highway [74-Year Old PA Driver]

-- TribLive/AP: Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Highlights Contaminated Waste Disposal Predicament

-- MCall: Lehigh, Northampton Counties Review Hazard Plans, Offer Trainings After Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

Environment/Energy Issues

-- Inside Climate News: Gov. Shapiro Provides Fresh Support To Key Changes Recommended In 2020 Grand Jury Report To Tighten Regulation Of The Natural Gas Drilling Industry To Better Protect Public Health, Environment  [PaEN]

-- Natural Gas Pipeline Pigging Facility Malfunction Dec. 27 Released 1.1 Million Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas; Same Facility Plagued Community With Blowdowns 3 Times A Day, 7 Days A Week For Nearly 10 Years Until Criminal Charges Brought Against CNX [PaEN]

-- How Chesapeake Appalachia Created Another New Shale Gas Brownfield In Bradford County; Timberline Energy Plugs Its Abandoned Conventional Gas Wells In Venango County  [PaEN]

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Chesapeake Appalachia Makes Slow Progress Cleaning Up Spills In Bradford County Well Pad - 'Something That Should Not Happen’

-- Independent Regulatory Review Commission Meets April 20 On Final Emergency Regs Setting VOC/Methane Emission Limits On Conventional Oil/Gas Operations  [PaEN]

-- Responsible Decarbonization Alliance: Happy Earth Day!  DCNR Acting Secretary Reminds Us Of The Economic Value Of Outdoor Recreation, Public Lands - ‘It’s Bigger Than Gas’

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA Outdoor Recreation Economic Potential ‘Bigger’ Than Natural Gas, DCNR Secretary Says

-- Williamsport Sun: Sen. Yaw Encourages Applications To DEP Growing Greener Plus Grant Program

-- Auditor General Audit Finds PennVEST Loan Of $51 Million To Lyme Timber To Purchase 60,000 Acres Of Forest Land As Nonpoint Source Water Quality Project Eligible; But Recommends Changes In Law  [PaEN]

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Lawmaker Launches New Attempt To Allow Community Solar

-- MCall: Lehigh University Begins Construction On 20 Acre Solar Energy Facility To Supply At Least 90% Of Electricity Needed For Goodman Campus In Bethlehem

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Lawmakers Propose Grant Program To Fund Solar Projects At K-12 Schools, Colleges

-- Warren Times Editorial: Warren County Has New Tool To Protect Prime Farmland From Solar Energy Projects

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Rep. Struzzi Holds Out Hope PJM May Keep Coal-Fired Homer City Power Plant Open

-- Observer-Report Editorial: Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Plan Serves Economy, Environment, Shapiro Should Stay The Course

-- TribLive Letter: Who’s Profiting From Our High Utility Bills; Huge Natural Gas Profits On The Backs Of PA Renters, Homeowners

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Consumers Need PUC Voice - PPL Electric, UGI Natural Gas Sending Bills With No Relation To Power Use

-- Marcellus Drilling News/S&PGlobal: Natural Gas Is The New Oil - World Events Affect Price Everywhere; ‘Gone Are The Days When Gas Markets Were Local And Regional’

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]

Bill Calendars

Senate (April 24): Senate Bill 188 (DiSanto-R-Dauphin) amending the Regulatory Review Act to authorize the General Assembly to kill “economically significant” regulations by doing nothing;  Senate Bill 190 (Brooks-R- Crawford) requiring an automatic three-year review of economically significant regulations in a process similar to what was called “sunset reviews” decades ago. That process was abandoned by the General Assembly because it became a costly, time-consuming exercise with little benefit; Senate Bill 508 (Mastriano-R-Adams) providing for a Train Derailment Emergency Grant Program to provide financial support for residents and small businesses impacted by the February Ohio/PA train derailment;  Senate Bill 466 (Brown-R-Lackawanna) providing for land bank environmental cleanup liability; Senate Resolution 59 (Mastriano-R- Adams) recognizing the impact of the February Ohio/PA train derailment on Pennsylvania residents.  <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar. 

House (April 24): <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

April 18-- House Judiciary Committee meets to consider House Bill 95 (Bullock-D- Philadelphia) increasing penalties for littering and dumping.  Room 140.  11:00 a.m.

April 18-- House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on illegal use of ATVs. Beloved St. John Church, 4541 N. Broad St., Philadelphia. 10:00 a.m.

April 25-- House Tourism And Recreational Development Committee hearing with DCED and DCNR on tourism, outdoor recreation, initiatives by Office of Marketing, tourism and Film.  Room 140 Main Capitol.  9:30 a.m.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

May 1-- [Tentative] Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee informational briefing from energy industry operators to discuss grid reliability as well as PJM policies and procedures.  Room 8E-B East Wing Capitol Building. 10:00 a.m.

May 1-- Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee hearing on reauthorization of Chapter 14 related to termination of utility customers.  Room 8E-A East Wing.  10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

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

April 24, 25, 26

May 1, 2, 3, 22, 23, 24

June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

Senate

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: April 16, 2023]

4/17/2023