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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 12, 2016 01:06 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Steven J. Santarsiero |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Repealing provisions of Fiscal Code that hinder environmental progress. |
| In the near future I plan to introduce legislation removing the provisions of the Fiscal Code inserted during this year’s budget process that impedes the Commonwealth’s Clean Power Plan, derails conventional oil and gas regulations and takes $12 million from the Alternative Energy Investment Fund and spends it on fossil fuel infrastructure. HB 1327 means starting over on conventional well drilling regulations, and might also cause DEP to miss an approaching deadline on shale drilling rules that have been in development for nearly five years. Also this Act allows for a longer period before sending the Department’s Clean Power Plan to the General Assembly for approval. Currently the Department has 100 days to send the plan to the legislature -this would be extended to 180 days. By adding this delay, the Department has virtually no shot at meeting the September 2016 deadline to get the plan to the U.S. EPA for approval without seeking an extension. Polluters are pushing for this extension to allow legal challenges to the Clean Power Plan to work through the courts. The Act also takes $12 million from sorely needed green building project funds and puts it into a natural gas infrastructure development fund – another gift to the fossil fuel industry. Please join me in cosponsoring this legislation, and taking a stand against the polluters and for the environment of Pennsylvania. |