PRINTER'S NO. 2880
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2458
Session of
2022
INTRODUCED BY WHITE, GREINER, GROVE, HAMM, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY,
KAIL, M. MACKENZIE, R. MACKENZIE, MILLARD, MIZGORSKI,
NEILSON, PICKETT, ROTHMAN, RYAN, SAYLOR, SMITH AND STRUZZI,
MARCH 24, 2022
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY,
MARCH 24, 2022
AN ACT
Establishing the Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force; and
providing for duties of task force.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Philadelphia
LNG Export Task Force Act.
Section 2. Findings and declarations.
The General Assembly finds and declares that due to Russia's
invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, it is essential for
this Commonwealth to have the means to export liquefied natural
gas to other countries to reduce their reliance on Russian
energy.
Section 3. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
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context clearly indicates otherwise:
"LNG." Liquefied natural gas.
"Task force." The Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force
established under section 4.
Section 4. Establishment of task force.
The Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force is established for the
purposes specified under this act.
Section 5. Composition and meetings of task force.
(a) Composition.--The task force shall be comprised of the
following members:
(1) The Secretary of Environmental Protection or a
designee, who shall be an employee of the Department of
Environmental Protection.
(2) The Chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility
Commission or a designee, who shall be appointed by the
Chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
(3) Four members of the General Assembly, who shall be
appointed no later than 21 days after the effective date of
this section, as follows:
(i) One member shall be appointed by the President
pro tempore of the Senate.
(ii) One member shall be appointed by the Minority
Leader of the Senate.
(iii) One member shall be appointed by the Speaker
of the House of Representatives.
(iv) One member shall be appointed by the Minority
Leader of the House of Representatives.
(4) Three representatives of the oil and gas or LNG
industries, who shall be employees of a company that deals
with oil and gas or LNG in this Commonwealth or a trade
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organization for oil and gas or LNG in this Commonwealth. No
later than 21 days after the effective date of this section,
the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives shall jointly submit a list of
at least six individuals who qualify for appointment to the
task force under this paragraph to the Governor. The Governor
shall appoint the three members under this paragraph from the
list within 14 days of receipt of the list.
(5) One representative of the Port of Philadelphia. No
later than 21 days after the effective date of this section,
the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives shall jointly submit a list of
at least three individuals who qualify for appointment to the
task force under this paragraph to the Governor. The Governor
shall appoint the member under this paragraph from the list
within 14 days of receipt of the list.
(6) One representative of the Philadelphia Building
Trades. No later than 21 days after the effective date of
this section, the President pro tempore of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives shall jointly submit
a list of at least three individuals who qualify for
appointment to the task force under this paragraph to the
Governor. The Governor shall appoint the member under this
paragraph from the list within 14 days of receipt of the
list.
(b) Chairperson.--The member under subsection (a)(3)(iii)
shall act as chairperson of the task force until a chairperson
is selected by a majority vote of the task force at the first
meeting of the task force. The member under subsection (a)(3)
(iii) shall set the date and time of the first meeting of the
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task force.
(c) Alternates.--Each member of the task force may designate
an alternate to attend meetings of the task force, participate
in votes of the task force or engage in other task force actions
on each member's behalf.
(d) Appointments.--If the Governor fails to timely appoint a
member under subsection (a)(4), (5) or (6), the Speaker of the
House of Representatives shall make the appointment.
(e) Quorum.--The presence of five members of the task force
at a meeting shall constitute a quorum of the task force.
(f) Majority vote.--An action of the task force shall be
authorized or ratified by a majority vote of the task force. The
members under subsection (a)(1) and (2) shall be nonvoting
members of the task force and the presence of the members at a
meeting of the task force shall not count toward the quorum
under subsection (e).
(g) Meetings.--The task force shall commence at least three
meetings within one year after the effective date of this
section. The task force shall commence its first meeting within
75 days after the effective date of this section. The
chairperson of the task force may commence additional meetings
as the chairperson deems necessary. A member of the task force
who is not physically present at a meeting of the task force may
participate in the meeting by teleconference or video
conference.
(h) Compensation.--Members of the task force shall not
receive compensation for their services as members of the task
force.
Section 6. Duties of task force.
The task force shall have the following duties:
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(1) Identify and examine the existing obstacles
preventing the Port of Philadelphia from becoming an LNG
export terminal.
(2) Identify industry partners who are able to assist in
making the Port of Philadelphia an LNG export terminal.
(3) Develop a plan of action for making the Port of
Philadelphia an LNG export terminal.
(4) Hold public meetings to effectuate the task force's
duties under this section.
(5) Issue a report in accordance with section 7.
Section 7. Report.
(a) Submission.--No later than one year after the effective
date of this section, the task force shall prepare and submit a
final report on the task force's activities, findings and
recommendations to the Governor, the Senate and the House of
Representatives.
(b) Adoption of report.--The task force shall adopt the
final report under subsection (a) at a public meeting.
(c) Public record.--The final report under subsection (a)
shall be a public record under the act of February 14, 2008
(P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law.
Section 8. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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