PRINTER'S NO. 384
No. 334 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY VITALI, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, CURRY, DePASQUALE,
FABRIZIO, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GALLOWAY, GIBBONS, GRUCELA,
JOSEPHS, KULA, LEACH, MELIO, PETRONE, PRESTON, ROEBUCK,
RUBLEY, SAMUELSON, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, McILVAINE SMITH,
TANGRETTI AND WALKO, FEBRUARY 9, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY,
FEBRUARY 9, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 27 (Environmental Resources) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, providing for municipal climate change
3 action plans and for grants to municipalities; and making an
4 appropriation.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Title 27 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
8 Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
9 CHAPTER 65
10 MUNICIPAL CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLANS
11 Sec.
12 6501. Definitions.
13 6502. Grants.
14 6503. Report.
15 § 6501. Definitions.
16 The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
17 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
1 context clearly indicates otherwise:
2 "Climate change." Changes in the earth's climate due, in
3 part, to emissions of greenhouse gases associated with human
4 activities.
5 "Department." The Department of Environmental Protection of
6 the Commonwealth.
7 "Greenhouse gases." Gases and other air pollutants in the
8 earth's atmosphere that reflect and trap infrared radiation or
9 otherwise contribute to increases in infrared radiation in the
10 atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane,
11 hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons,
12 carbon hexafluoride and carbon black.
13 "Municipal climate change action plan." A plan created by a
14 municipality that does all of the following:
15 (1) Identifies greenhouse gas emission trends and
16 baselines in the municipality.
17 (2) Determines cost-effective strategies for reducing
18 greenhouse gas emissions from various sectors in the
19 municipality, both public and private.
20 (3) Establishes specific reduction targets for
21 greenhouse gas emissions in the municipality.
22 "Municipal greenhouse gas inventory." An accounting of
23 greenhouse gases emitted in a municipality from all sources
24 delineated by major sectors, including transportation,
25 industrial, residential and energy production.
26 "Municipality." A county, city, borough, incorporated town,
27 township or home rule municipality.
28 § 6502. Grants.
29 (a) Grant program established.--There is hereby established
30 in the department the Municipal Climate Change Action Plan Grant
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1 Program.
2 (b) Purpose of grants.--The department shall award grants to
3 provide financial assistance to a municipality or a group of
4 municipalities for the preparation of municipal greenhouse gas
5 inventories and municipal climate change action plans.
6 (c) Grant amount.--A grant to any one municipality under
7 this chapter shall be no more than $20,000 annually or, in the
8 case of a group of municipalities, no more than $20,000 annually
9 multiplied by the number of municipalities in the group.
10 (d) Application form.--A grant application shall be made on
11 a form prepared and furnished by the department. The application
12 shall contain the information the department deems necessary to
13 carry out the provisions of this chapter.
14 § 6503. Report.
15 A municipality or a group of municipalities that is awarded a
16 grant under this chapter shall provide to the department a copy
17 of the municipal greenhouse gas inventory and the municipal
18 climate change action plan upon their respective completion. One
19 year after the completion of the municipal climate change action
20 plan, the municipality or group of municipalities shall provide
21 a report to the department on the implementation and
22 effectiveness of the municipal climate change action plan.
23 Section 2. The sum of $300,000 is hereby appropriated to the
24 Department of Environmental Protection for the fiscal year July
25 1, 2007, to June 30, 2008, to carry out the provisions of 27
26 Pa.C.S. Ch. 65.
27 Section 3. The Department of Environmental Protection may
28 promulgate rules and regulations to administer the provisions of
29 27 Pa.C.S. Ch. 65.
30 Section 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
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