PRINTER'S NO. 4524
No. 2905 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY VITALI, COHEN, CURRY, FABRIZIO, FRANKEL, FREEMAN,
GEORGE, GERGELY, HARPER, HORSEY, JAMES, JOSEPHS, KIRKLAND,
LEACH, LEVDANSKY, McCALL, McGEEHAN, MUNDY, PETRARCA, ROEBUCK,
RUBLEY, SCAVELLO, STABACK, STURLA, TANGRETTI, THOMAS, WALKO,
WANSACZ, WASHINGTON, WHEATLEY AND YOUNGBLOOD,
OCTOBER 18, 2004
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY,
OCTOBER 18, 2004
AN ACT
1 Providing for report on global warming impacts and economic
2 opportunities, for greenhouse gases inventory, for greenhouse
3 gases plan of action and for duties of the Department of
4 Environmental Protection.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Short title.
8 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Greenhouse
9 Gas Reduction Act.
10 Section 2. Definitions.
11 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
12 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13 context clearly indicates otherwise:
14 "Baseline." A level of greenhouse gas emissions against
15 which future emissions are measured.
16 "Carbon sequestration." The long-term storage of carbon or
1 carbon dioxide in forests, soils, oceans or underground in
2 depleted oil and gas reservoirs, coal seams and saline aquifers.
3 "Cobenefits." The benefits of policies that are implemented
4 for various reasons at the same time.
5 "Department." The Department of Environmental Protection of
6 the Commonwealth.
7 "Global warming." The increase in the earth's temperature
8 due, in part, to emissions of greenhouse gases associated with
9 human activities, including, but not limited to, the burning of
10 fossil fuels, biomass burning, cement manufacture, cow and sheep
11 rearing, deforestation and other land-use changes.
12 "Greenhouse gases" or "GHGs." Gases in the earth's
13 atmosphere that absorb and reemit infrared radiation, including
14 carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons,
15 perfluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons.
16 Section 3. Report on global warming impact and economic
17 opportunities.
18 (a) Report required.--The department shall prepare and
19 publish a report on the impact of global warming in this
20 Commonwealth. The report shall identify the following:
21 (1) predicted changes in temperature and precipitation
22 patterns and amounts as a result of global warming;
23 (2) the impact of global warming on forests, wildlife,
24 fisheries, recreation, human health and agriculture and any
25 significant uncertainties about the impact of global warming;
26 and
27 (3) economic opportunities for this Commonwealth created
28 by the need for global warming-related technologies, services
29 and strategies, carbon sequestration technologies, capture
30 and utilization of fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from any
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1 source and other mitigation strategies.
2 (b) Cooperation.--In preparing the report, the department
3 may consult with Federal and other state agencies, academic
4 institutions and interested stakeholders.
5 (c) Deadline.--This report shall be completed, published and
6 distributed to the General Assembly and made available to the
7 public both in printed form and on the Internet within six
8 months of the effective date of this act and shall be revised
9 every three years thereafter.
10 Section 4. Greenhouse gases inventory.
11 (a) Inventory required.--In consultation with interested
12 stakeholders, the department shall annually create an inventory
13 of GHGs emitted in this Commonwealth by all sources. This
14 inventory shall establish GHG emission trends and the relative
15 contribution of major sectors, including, but not limited to,
16 the transportation, electricity generation, industrial,
17 commercial, mining, agricultural and domestic sectors.
18 (b) Baseline.--The department shall establish a baseline of
19 GHG emissions that it shall use to project future GHG emissions
20 in this Commonwealth in the absence of government intervention.
21 (c) Coordination with plan of action.--The inventory and
22 baseline shall be presented to the Governor and interested
23 stakeholders every three years as part of the GHG plan of action
24 required under section 6.
25 Section 5. Creation of stakeholder process.
26 (a) Appointment.--Within 30 days of the effective date of
27 this act, the Governor shall appoint interested stakeholders who
28 shall advise the department about implementation of the
29 provisions of this act. The stakeholders shall include
30 scientific and other experts on global warming issues, business
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1 and industry representatives, representatives from
2 environmental, social, sportsmen and labor organizations and
3 other interested parties.
4 (b) Meetings.--Within 60 days of the effective date of this
5 act, the department shall call the first meeting of the
6 stakeholders and shall establish a schedule for regular meetings
7 with stakeholders about implementation of the provisions of this
8 act.
9 Section 6. Greenhouse gases plan of action.
10 (a) Plan of action required.--Within one year from the
11 effective date of this act and every three years thereafter, the
12 department shall, in consultation with interested stakeholders,
13 submit to the Governor for approval a GHG plan of action that:
14 (1) Identifies GHG emission trends and baselines in this
15 Commonwealth.
16 (2) Determines cost-effective strategies for reducing
17 GHG emissions from various sectors in this Commonwealth.
18 (3) Establishes specific reduction targets for overall
19 GHG emissions in this Commonwealth.
20 (4) Identifies costs, benefits and cobenefits of GHG
21 reduction strategies recommended by the GHG plan of action.
22 (5) Identifies areas of agreement and disagreement among
23 stakeholders about the GHG plan of action.
24 (6) Recommends to the General Assembly legislative
25 changes necessary to implement the GHG plan of action.
26 (b) Approval of Governor.--Within 90 days from receipt of
27 the GHG plan of action, the Governor shall approve or amend the
28 GHG plan of action.
29 (c) Publication.--The approved GHG plan of action shall be
30 published and distributed to the General Assembly and made
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1 available to the public in printed form and on the Internet
2 within 30 days of the approval or amendment of the plan.
3 Section 7. Effective date.
4 This act shall take effect immediately.
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