PRINTER'S NO. 1367
No. 1085 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY MOWERY, STOUT, TARTAGLIONE, ERICKSON, LOGAN, ORIE,
EARLL, KUKOVICH, LEMMOND, THOMPSON, MUSTO, TOMLINSON, BOSCOLA
AND RHOADES, OCTOBER 9, 2001
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, OCTOBER 9, 2001
AN ACT
1 Establishing a State Energy Office; providing for its powers and
2 duties; and making repeals.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the State Energy
7 Office Act.
8 Section 2. Definitions.
9 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
10 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
11 context clearly indicates otherwise:
12 "Council." The Advisory Council established under this act.
13 "Office." The State Energy Office established under this
14 act.
15 Section 3. Establishment.
16 The State Energy Office is established in the Governor's
17 Office to promote the goals of energy development and energy
1 conservation.
2 Section 4. Composition of office.
3 (a) Chairperson.--The Governor shall be the chairperson of
4 the office.
5 (b) Executive director and staff.--The Governor shall
6 designate an executive director and hire the staff of the office
7 in accordance with procedures of the Governor's Office of
8 Administration and of the Office of the Budget.
9 Section 5. Advisory council.
10 An advisory council shall be appointed by the Governor to be
11 composed of members of the General Assembly, the business and
12 transportation community of this Commonwealth, public officials
13 and the general public. The purpose of the council shall be to
14 provide advice and assistance to the office on matters affecting
15 the State's energy situation. Council members shall be
16 reimbursed for the expense of participating in council
17 functions.
18 Section 6. Powers and duties of office.
19 The powers and duties of the office are as follows:
20 (1) To promote the development of this Commonwealth's
21 indigenous and renewable energy resources through programs
22 involving information and technical and financial assistance.
23 (2) To promote the efficient use of energy by the State
24 government and all sectors of this Commonwealth by
25 encouraging energy efficiency and conservation through
26 programs of information and technical and financial
27 assistance.
28 (3) To develop specific programs to promote energy
29 efficiency for commercial, industrial and residential
30 consumers.
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1 (4) To act as the point of contact for private and
2 government energy matters and the lead Commonwealth office
3 for energy policy development.
4 (5) To update the Commonwealth's energy policy to
5 determine new opportunities for energy development and
6 conservation.
7 (6) To act as the primary manager and coordinator of
8 Federal energy grants, petroleum overcharge funds and private
9 energy grants.
10 (7) To assist in the review of energy-related plans,
11 programs, policies and regulations of other Commonwealth
12 agencies.
13 (8) To monitor and participate in energy-related
14 proceedings of the Public Utility Commission and other
15 Federal or State regulatory agencies.
16 (9) To monitor prices of petroleum and supplies of
17 petroleum products available for use in this Commonwealth to
18 determine whether there exists or is likely to exist an
19 emergency under section 2802-C(d) of the act of April 9, 1929
20 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929.
21 (10) To monitor the price and supply of energy to
22 provide information on the changing impact of energy prices
23 on the State's economy.
24 (11) To promote the establishment of a regional
25 strategic heating oil and diesel fuel reserve in the mid-
26 Atlantic states and other programs to insure that energy
27 shortages or price surges do not harm the Commonwealth's
28 economy.
29 (12) To monitor prices and policies of petroleum
30 producers and distributors in this Commonwealth to identify
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1 petroleum strategies such as zone pricing and instances of
2 "sales below costs" or "predatory pricing" practices that may
3 lead to local petroleum monopolies.
4 Section 7. Repeals.
5 Sections 504, 507 and 508 of the act of June 28, 1995
6 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural Resources
7 Act, are repealed.
8 Section 8. Effective date.
9 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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