PRINTER'S NO. 187
No. 142 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY RHOADES, RAFFERTY, WONDERLING, KITCHEN, FONTANA,
STOUT, PUNT, KASUNIC, MUSTO, ROBBINS AND GREENLEAF,
MARCH 5, 2007
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MARCH 5, 2007
AN ACT
1 Establishing the Biosolids Land Application Study Commission.
2 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
3 hereby enacts as follows:
4 Section 1. Short title.
5 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Biosolids
6 Land Application Study Commission Act.
7 Section 2. Definitions.
8 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
9 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
10 context clearly indicates otherwise:
11 "Biosolids." Sewage sludge.
12 "Commission." The Biosolids Land Application Study
13 Commission established by this act.
14 "Department." The Department of Environmental Protection of
15 the Commonwealth.
16 Section 3. Biosolids Land Application Study Commission.
17 (a) Establishment.--The Biosolids Land Application Study
1 Commission is hereby established.
2 (b) Members.--The commission shall consist of the following
3 members:
4 (1) The Secretary of Environmental Protection or a
5 designee.
6 (2) The Secretary of Health or a designee.
7 (3) The Secretary of Agriculture or a designee.
8 (4) The director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission or
9 a designee.
10 (5) The executive director of the Pennsylvania Fish and
11 Boat Commission or a designee.
12 (6) Four members of the General Assembly appointed as
13 follows:
14 (i) One member appointed by the President pro
15 tempore of the Senate.
16 (ii) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of
17 the Senate.
18 (iii) One member appointed by the Speaker of the
19 House of Representatives.
20 (iv) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of
21 the House of Representatives.
22 (7) A member of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau who shall
23 be appointed by the Governor.
24 (8) A member of the Pennsylvania Coal Association who
25 shall be appointed by the Governor.
26 (9) A member of the Pennsylvania State Grange who shall
27 be appointed by the Governor.
28 (10) A member of the Citizens Advisory Council who shall
29 be appointed by the Governor.
30 (11) A Pennsylvania biosolids generator who shall be
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1 appointed by the Governor.
2 (12) A member of a Statewide watershed association who
3 shall be appointed by the Governor.
4 (13) A municipal wastewater manager who shall be
5 appointed by the Governor.
6 (14) A member of the Pennsylvania Federation of
7 Sportsmen's Clubs who shall be appointed by the Governor.
8 (15) A member of the Pennsylvania League of Cities and
9 Municipalities who shall be appointed by the Governor.
10 (16) A member of the Pennsylvania State Association of
11 Township Supervisors who shall be appointed by the Governor.
12 (c) Meetings.--The Secretary of Environmental Protection
13 shall call the initial meeting of the commission within 30 days
14 of the effective date of this act. At such meeting, the members
15 shall elect a chairman. A majority of the members shall
16 constitute a quorum.
17 (d) Duty to conduct a study.--The commission shall conduct a
18 study relating to the application of biosolids to land in this
19 Commonwealth, including whether such application is harmful to
20 the environment or public health. The commission shall submit a
21 report of its study to the General Assembly within three months
22 of the effective date of this act and shall publish a notice
23 thereof in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
24 Section 4. Effective date.
25 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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