1Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to
2conduct a study of the establishment, implementation and
3administration of fees for the consumptive use and
4degradation of water.

5WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is estimated to have more than 86,000
6miles of streams, nearly 4,000 lakes and 80 trillion gallons of
7groundwater; and

8WHEREAS, The commercial demand for water continues to grow,
9with withdrawals of surface and groundwater estimated to exceed
1010 billion gallons per day; and

11WHEREAS, Billions of gallons of water are either never
12returned to Pennsylvania's water cycle or returned in a degraded
13condition each day; and

14WHEREAS, The Commonwealth receives no compensation for either
15the consumptive use or degradation of water; and

16WHEREAS, Section 27 of Article I of the Constitution of
17Pennsylvania provides as follows: "The people have a right to
18clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural,
19scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment.

1Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property
2of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee
3of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain
4them for the benefit of all the people"; therefore be it

5RESOLVED, That the Senate direct the Legislative Budget and
6Finance Committee to study the establishment of both a fee for
7the consumptive use of water and a fee for the degradation of
8water; and be it further

9RESOLVED, That the study examine proposed and successful
10attempts of other states to assess fees for the consumptive use
11or degradation of natural resources; and be it further

12RESOLVED, That the study identify the consumptive and
13degrading uses to which the fees would apply; and be it further

14RESOLVED, That the study estimate the revenue-generating
15potential of the fees; and be it further

16RESOLVED, That the study recommend conservation purposes and
17programs that should benefit from the revenues generated by the
18fees; and be it further

19RESOLVED, That the study evaluate how to assess, collect,
20manage and allocate the proceeds of the fees, including, but not
21limited to, an evaluation of existing models within this
22Commonwealth; and be it further

23RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
24be authorized to seek a contractor or consultant to assist in
25this study; and be it further

26RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
27report all findings and conclusions on this issue to the Senate
28within 12 months of the adoption of this resolution.