Test Drive Our New Site! We have some improvements in the works that we're excited for you to experience. Click here to try our new, faster, mobile friendly beta site. We will be maintaining our current version of the site thru mid 2025, so you can switch back as our improvements continue.
Legislation Quick Search
12/11/2024 10:33 AM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20210&cosponId=36615
Share:
Home / House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Subscribe to PaLegis Notifications
NEW!

Subscribe to receive notifications of new Co-Sponsorship Memos circulated

By Member | By Date | Keyword Search


House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 13, 2021 01:17 PM
From: Representative Kristine C. Howard
To: All House members
Subject: Penalizing Polluters
 
Recent Grand Jury investigations revealed two natural gas producers and a pipeline operator willfully and wantonly violated the Commonwealth’s environmental laws. While it is important to hold responsible parties accountable for their actions – both as a public safety measure and to dissuade others from following in their footsteps – current law severely limits the penalties that can be meted out for these crimes.
 
We, as legislators, have a constitutional responsibility to do all we can to prevent further environmental damage and better ensure the health and safety of the residents of Pennsylvania. Therefore, I plan to introduce legislation that would double the maximum fines for both general and willful violations of the oil and gas development provisions of Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.
 
Additionally, this legislation would prohibit the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection from waiving fines issued against oil and gas companies. We can no longer let polluters off with a slap on the wrist.  
 
Please join me in supporting this effort to ensure that violators of our environmental laws are held accountable for their actions.
 




Introduced as HB2323