THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY MILLER, BOYD, BRENNAN, BUXTON, CARROLL, CREIGHTON, EVERETT, GEIST, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GROVE, HARPER, HARRIS, HICKERNELL, M. K. KELLER, KILLION, KIRKLAND, MANN, METZGAR, MICCARELLI, MOUL, OBERLANDER, PERRY, RAPP, ROCK, SAYLOR, STURLA AND TAYLOR, JULY 17, 2012

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, JULY 17, 2012  

AN ACT

Amending the act of November 30, 2004 (P.L.1672, No.213),

entitled, "An act providing for the sale of electric energy

generated from renewable and environmentally beneficial

sources, for the acquisition of electric energy generated

from renewable and environmentally beneficial sources by

electric distribution and supply companies and for the powers

and duties of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission,"

further providing for definitions.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  The definitions of "municipal solid waste," "Tier

I alternative energy source" and "Tier II alternative energy

source" in section 2 of the act of November 30, 2004 (P.L.1672,

No.213), known as the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards

Act, amended July 17, 2007 (P.L.114, No.35), are amended to

read:

Section 2.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

* * *

"Municipal solid waste."  This will include energy from

existing waste to energy facilities, provided that the facility

is connected to the distribution system in this Commonwealth, 

which the Department of Environmental Protection has determined

are in compliance with current environmental standards,

including, but not limited to, all applicable requirements of

the Clean Air Act (69 Stat. 322, 42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq.) and

associated permit restrictions and all applicable requirements

of the act of July 7, 1980 (P.L.380, No.97), known as the Solid

Waste Management Act. The term shall not include a new or

expanded waste to energy facility located in a city of the third

class that has a design capacity of between 2,600 and 2,900 tons

per day as of January 1, 2009.

* * *

"Tier I alternative energy source."  Energy derived from:

(1)  Solar photovoltaic and solar thermal energy.

(2)  Wind power.

(3)  Low-impact hydropower.

(4)  Geothermal energy.

(5)  Biologically derived methane gas.

(6)  Fuel cells.

(7)  Biomass energy.

(8)  Coal mine methane.

(9)  Municipal solid waste.

"Tier II alternative energy source."  Energy derived from:

(1)  Waste coal.

(2)  Distributed generation systems.

(3)  Demand-side management.

(4)  Large-scale hydropower.

[(5)  Municipal solid waste.]

(6)  Generation of electricity utilizing by-products of

the pulping process and wood manufacturing process, including

bark, wood chips, sawdust and lignin in spent pulping

liquors.

(7)  Integrated combined coal gasification technology.

* * *

Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.