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Pennsylvania & Congressional Legislation

Pennsylvania Legislation as of March 22, 2013
Pa. Bill #	Sponsor	Title/Description	Last Action
HB 268	Rep. White	An Act providing for disclosure of certain test results by the Department of Environmental Protection; and imposing a civil penalty.	Jan. 23, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 96	Rep. Godshall	An Act amending the act of July 11, 2006 (P.L.1134, No.115), known as the Dormant Oil and Gas Act, further providing for purpose, for definitions and for creation of trust for unknown owners.	Jan. 14, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 97 Former HB 375	Rep. Godshall	An Act amending the act of July 11, 2006 (P.L.1134, No.115), known as the Dormant Oil and Gas Act, providing for oil and gas estate abandonment and for preservation of interests in oil and gas.	Jan. 14, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 200	Rep. Vitali	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for distribution of fee and for Statewide initiatives; providing for the PA Sunshine Solar Program; and making a related repeal.	Feb. 13, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 302 Marcellus Works Package	Rep. Moul	An Act establishing the Keystone Transit Program; and providing a transfer of funds from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to the Department of Environmental Protection for a competitive grant program for the transition of small mass transit bus fleets to compressed natural gas.	Feb. 5, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 303 Marcellus Works Package	Rep. Watson	An Act establishing the Clean Transit Program; and providing a transfer of funds from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to the Department of Environmental Protection for a loan program for the transition of large mass transit bus fleets to compressed natural gas.	Feb. 5, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 304 Marcellus Works Package	Rep. Marshall	An Act requiring certain large mass transit agencies to purchase buses that meet certain criteria within a specific implementation schedule; and providing for the powers and duties of the Department of Transportation.	Feb. 5, 2013 -Referred to Transportation
HB 305 Marcellus Works Package	Rep. Denlinger	An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, providing for a natural gas corridor tax credit; and imposing penalties. Marcellus Works Package	Feb. 5, 2013 -Referred to Finance
HB 306 Marcellus Works Package	Rep. Pickett	An Act amending the act of November 29, 2004 (P.L.1376, No.178), known as the Alternative Fuels Incentive Act, further providing for title of act, for short title, for definitions, for the Alternative Fuels Incentive Fund and for biomass-based diesel production incentives; and making editorial changes.	Feb. 5, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 307 Marcellus Works Package	Rep. Evankovich	An Act amending the act of January 8, 1960 (1959 P.L.2119, No.787), known as the Air Pollution Control Act, providing for the Clean Vehicles Program.	Feb. 5, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 308 Marcellus Works Package	Rep. Saylor	An Act amending the act of January 8, 1960 (1959 P.L.2119, No.787), known as the Air Pollution Control Act, further providing for definitions and for disposition of fees, fines and civil penalties; establishing the Keystone Vehicle Program; and making editorial changes.	Feb. 5, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 309 Marcellus Works Package	Rep. Grove	An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, providing for a natural gas vehicle tax credit. Marcellus Works Package	Feb. 5, 2013 -Referred to Finance
HB 351	Rep. Reed	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in general requirements, further providing for well permits.	Jan. 29, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 402 Former HB 2320	Rep. Pickett	An Act imposing duties on lessees of oil and natural gas leases; and providing for the recording of releases from oil and natural gas leases and of affidavits of termination or cancellation.	Jan. 29, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 444	Rep. Causer	An Act amending the act of May 17, 1929 (P.L.1798, No.591), referred to as the Forest Reserves Municipal Financial Relief Law, providing for distribution of timber, wood products and gas and oil ground rentals and royalties.	Jan. 30, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 661	Rep. Milne	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in development, in general requirements relating to development, further providing for use of safety devices. “Promoting the Natural Gas Sector by Enhancing Public Safety Communications - Prior HB2312”	Feb. 11, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 800	Rep. Mundy	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for well location restrictions. “Reintroduction of Legislation: Prohibiting hydraulic fracturing or horizontal drilling within 2,500 feet of a primary source of a community water system (Formerly HB 230 of the 2011-2012 Legislative Session)”	Feb. 25, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 801	Rep. Mundy	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for definitions and for well location restrictions. “ Reintroduction of Legislation: Providing for the tracking of Marcellus Shale wastewater (Formerly HB 234 of the 2011-2012 Legislative Session)”	Feb. 25, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 880	Rep. Conklin	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in development, further providing for well permits.	March 11, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 881	Rep. Conklin	An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, providing for toll-free response telephone number.Legislation Providing for a Telephone Number to Report Suspected Violations of Oil and Gas Laws (Formerly HB1631)	March 11, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 950	Rep. Vitali	An Act providing for a moratorium on leasing lands owned and managed by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for the purposes of oil and natural gas development.	March 11, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 986	Rep. Everett	An Act requiring well operators to provide complete water analysis results to the Department of Environmental Protection under certain circumstances.	March 13, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 994	Rep. Petri	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in development, further providing for well permits, for general gas storage reservoir operations and for regulations.	March 14, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HR 106	Rep. Mundy	A Resolution memorializing the Congress of the United States to repeal the provision in the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act that exempts oil and gas industries from restrictions on hydraulic fracturing operations located near drinking water sources, and to require oil and gas industries to disclose all hydraulic fracturing chemicals and chemical constituents in the event of a medical emergency.	Feb. 25, 2013 -Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy
HB 683	Rep. Haluska	An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in arson, criminal mischief and other property destruction, providing for the offense of interfering with agricultural operations.	Feb. 12 – Referred to Judiciary
SB 154	Sen. Greenleaf	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in development, providing for gas mineral rights lease agreement disclosure and indemnification.	Jan. 15, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SB 213	Sen. Farnese	An Act transferring funds from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority Fund for investments in Pennsylvania-related companies that promote the development of next-generation infrastructure technologies or technology-related investments to support development of life science, information technology or green energy industries.	Feb. 1, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SB 258	Sen. Yaw	An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in particular rights and immunities, providing for actions to quiet title involving subsurface rights. Abandonment of Mineral Rights	Jan. 17, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SB 259	Sen. Yaw	An Act amending the act of July 20, 1979 (P.L.183, No.60), entitled "An act regulating the terms and conditions of certain leases regarding natural gas and oil," adding definitions; providing for payment information to interest owners for accumulation of proceeds from production; and making editorial changesDivision Order for Royalties	Feb. 5, 2013 (50-0) [Senate] -Third consideration and final passage
SB 291	Sen. Erickson	An Act establishing a program for the purchase of certain types of environmental liability insurance and for subsidies for the costs of premiums; and providing for powers and duties of the Department of Environmental Protection.	Jan. 24, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SB 355	Sen. Yaw	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, consolidating the Oil and Gas Conservation Law with modifications relating to definitions, standard unit order, process, administration, standard of review, hearings and appeals, establishment of units, integration of various interests, lease extension and scope; providing for gas and hazardous liquids pipelines; and making a related repeal.	Jan. 31, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SB 356	Sen. Yaw	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for lease extended by production.	Jan. 31, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SB 411	Sen. Kasunic	An Act amending Title 27 (Environmental Resources) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for definitions, for eligibility and project inventory, for landowner liability limitation and exceptions, for project liability limitation and exceptions and for exceptions.	March 13, 2013 -Laid on the table
SB 459	Sen. Costa	An Act relating to safe drinking water; establishing the Emergency Drinking Water Support Fund; and providing for testing, for purchase of clean drinking water and for surcharge.Well Water Testing Fund	Feb. 8, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SB 504	Sen. Dinniman	An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, in powers and duties of Department of Environmental Protection, further providing for cooperation with municipalities.DEP Public Notification and Access to Information Act; Pipeline Acre-for-Acre; and Condemnation Approval	Feb. 26, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SB 506	Sen. Dinniman	An Act amending the act of December 22, 2011 (P.L.586, No.127), known as the Gas and Hazardous Liquids Pipelines Act, further providing for definitions; and providing for recreational use and for storm water runoff. DEP Public Notification and Access to Information Act; Pipeline Acre-for-Acre; and Condemnation Approval	Feb. 26, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SB 507	Sen. Dinniman	An Act amending the act of June 30, 1981 (P.L.128, No.43), known as the Agricultural Area Security Law, further providing for limitation on certain governmental actions.DEP Public Notification and Access to Information Act; Pipeline Acre-for-Acre; and Condemnation Approval	Feb. 26, 2013 -Referred to Agriculture and Rural Affairs
SB 512	Sen. Kasunic	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in development, further providing for enforcement orders.	Feb. 20, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SB 540	Sen. Leach	An Act providing for a moratorium on leasing State forest lands for the purposes of natural gas exploration, drilling or production; imposing duties on the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; and providing for report contents and for Legislative Budget and Finance Committee study. Moratorium on Leasing State Forest Land for Natural Gas Drilling	Feb. 21, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SB 544	Sen. Leach	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in development, further providing for hydraulic fracturing chemical disclosure requirements. Physician access to and disclosure of chemicals in Marcellus Shale hydro-fracking	Feb. 21, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SB 592	Sen Fontana	An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for protection of water supplies.Co Sponsorship: Water Testing Results by DEP	March 1, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
SR 29	Sen. Yaw	A Resolution directing the Center for Rural Pennsylvania to study the potential for increased residential, commercial and industrial natural gas distribution infrastructure by Pennsylvania's public utilities to unserved and underserved areas of this Commonwealth.	March 14, 2013 -Transmitted as directed
SR 39	Sen. Alloway	A Resolution directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study of the establishment, implementation and administration of fees for the consumptive use and degradation of water.Consumptive Use of Water	March 13, 2013 -Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy
Source: Erika Staaf PennEnvironment 1831 Murray Ave. Ste. 219 Pittsburgh, PA 15217 (412) 521 0943

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Rep. George: Gas well incident underscores need for better oversight

State Rep. Camille "Bud" George
D-74 of Clearfield County
Chairman of the House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee

HARRISBURG – June 4, 2010 – State Rep. Camille "Bud" George, chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, said the incident at a Marcellus Shale gas-drilling site in Clearfield County underscores the need for Pennsylvania to update its environmental safeguards.

"Local and state officials did a wonderful job responding to a very dangerous situation that fortunately did not cause any injuries or deaths," said Rep. George, D-74 of Clearfield County. "I have said for many months that extraction of any natural resource comes with risks and costs and I only wish I had not been proved correct so quickly and so close to home."

Rep George said that he was informed that workers lost control of the new well at about 8 p.m. Thursday after encountering gas under very high pressure. Gas and a reported 1 million gallons or more of brine, including fracking fluid, escaped from the EOG Resources well drilled off McGeorge Road in Lawrence Township.

Emergency management personnel and first responders from Clearfield County coordinated efforts with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the state Department of Environmental Protection.

By 8 a.m. Friday, officials from the State Police, the state Fish and Boat Commission and the state Departments of Conservation and Natural Resources and Transportation joined the effort. By around noon Friday, the well was capped.

According to the DEP, there was limited risk of explosion and the flow-back water had been contained and posed no hazards to the local streams. As a precaution, a no-fly zone was established in the area, and roads leading to the site were blocked.

"This dangerous situation should prompt the Pennsylvania Legislature to move more promptly on my House Bill 2213, which would require disclosure of the precise chemical concentrations in the fracking fluids," Rep. George said. "This can be crucial information in emergencies such as this."

Approved by the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee on May 25, HB 2213 also would:

● Require a permit before a well can be developed;

● Bolster the DEP’s authority to deny well permits because of outstanding violations and to suspend drilling for serious violations;

● Update set-back requirements for water sources and high-quality and exceptional value streams;

● Require the DEP to inspect Marcellus well sites during crucial drilling phases;

● Increase potential civil penalties from $25,000 to $100,000 and potential daily fines for continuous violations from $1,000 to $10,500 a day;

● Extend to 2,500 feet, from 1,000 feet, the presumed liability of a well polluting a water supply;

● Update bonding requirements to cover the costs of decommissioning a well;

Rep. George said that Pennsylvania also needs a severance tax on gas drillers that devotes revenues to environmental stewardship and agencies charged with responding to incidents such as the one in Clearfield County.

"Giving the gas industry a free ride at the expense of Pennsylvania taxpayers, water resources, roads and economy is a poor deal for everyone but the gas industry," Rep. George said. "We have a responsibility to insist on responsibility."

Last year, the state House approved language from Rep. George’s HB 1489 that would have created a fair contract with the gas industry for its profitable ventures in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale gas deposit. The language was scuttled in the state Senate.

Rep. George said the severance tax is projected to generate roughly $600 million annually by 2013-14 and would distribute the revenues as follows:

● 60 percent to the General Fund;

● 15 percent to the Environmental Stewardship Fund;

● 5 percent to the Liquid Fuels Tax Fund;

● 4 percent to the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund;

● 3 percent for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, LIHEAP;

● 4.5 percent to municipalities where natural gas is extracted;

● 4.5 percent to counties where natural gas is extracted;

● 2 percent each to the state Game and Fish and Boat commissions.

CONTACT: Matthew Maciorkoski
Phone: 717 787-7082
Fax: 717 783-8236

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