PRINTER'S NO. 2195
No. 1503 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY RHOADES, ROBBINS, KUKOVICH, KITCHEN AND LAVALLE,
JULY 9, 2002
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, JULY 9, 2002
AN ACT
1 Establishing a moratorium on the application of bio-solids to
2 certain lands; and establishing the Bio-Solids Land
3 Application Study Commission.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Bio-Solids
8 Land Application Moratorium Act.
9 Section 2. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "Bio-Solids." Sewage sludge.
14 "Commission." The Bio-Solids Land Application Study
15 Commission established by this act.
16 "Department." The Department of Environmental Protection of
17 the Commonwealth.
18 Section 3. Moratorium on bio-solid land application.
1 No person shall apply bio-solids to land in this Commonwealth
2 until the commission has published the notice required by
3 section 4(d).
4 Section 4. Bio-Solids Land Application Study Commission.
5 (a) Establishment.--The Bio-Solids Land Application Study
6 Commission is hereby established.
7 (b) Members.--The commission shall consist of the following
8 members:
9 (1) The Secretary of Environmental Protection or a
10 designee.
11 (2) The Secretary of Health or a designee.
12 (3) The Secretary of Agriculture or a designee.
13 (4) The Chairman of the Pennsylvania Game Commission or
14 a designee.
15 (5) The Chairman of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat
16 Commission or a designee.
17 (6) Four members of the General Assembly appointed as
18 follows: one member appointed by the President pro tempore of
19 the Senate, one member appointed by the Minority Leader of
20 the Senate, one member appointed by the Speaker of the House
21 of Representatives and one member appointed by the Minority
22 Leader of the House of Representatives.
23 (7) A member of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau who shall
24 be appointed by the Governor.
25 (8) A member of the Pennsylvania Coal Association who
26 shall be appointed by the Governor.
27 (9) A member of the Pennsylvania State Grange who shall
28 be appointed by the Governor.
29 (10) A member of the Citizens Advisory Council who shall
30 be appointed by the Governor.
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1 (11) A member of the Sierra Club who shall be appointed
2 by the Governor.
3 (12) A member of a Statewide watershed association who
4 shall be appointed by the Governor.
5 (13) A municipal waste water manager who shall be
6 appointed by the Governor.
7 (14) A member of the Pennsylvania Federation of
8 Sportsmen's Clubs who shall be appointed by the Governor.
9 (15) A member of the Pennsylvania League of Cities and
10 Municipalities who shall be appointed by the Governor.
11 (16) A member of the Pennsylvania State Association of
12 Township Supervisors who shall be appointed by the Governor.
13 (c) Meetings.--The Secretary of Environmental Protection
14 shall call the initial meeting of the commission within 30 days
15 of the effective date of this act. At such meeting, the members
16 shall elect a chairman. A majority of the members shall
17 constitute a quorum.
18 (d) Duty to conduct a study.--The commission shall conduct a
19 study relating to the application of bio-solids to land in this
20 Commonwealth, including whether such application is harmful to
21 the environment or public health. The commission shall submit a
22 report of its study to the General Assembly within three months
23 of the effective date of this act and shall publish a notice
24 thereof in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
25 Section 5. Effective date.
26 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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