PRINTER'S NO. 211
No. 191 Session of 1977
INTRODUCED BY MESSRS. TAYLOR, L. E. SMITH, BENNETT, GARZIA,
B. F. O'BRIEN, SWEET, J. L. WRIGHT, BURNS, SCHEAFFER,
KUSSE, LEHR, MEBUS, TRELLO, HALVERSON, SHUMAN,
A. C. FOSTER, DOMBROWSKI AND PYLES, FEBRUARY 9, 1977
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON MINES AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT,
FEBRUARY 9, 1977
AN ACT
1 Creating the Pennsylvania Energy Council; prescribing its duties
2 and powers; providing for the payment of its expenses; and
3 imposing duties upon Commonwealth departments, commissions
4 and other agencies.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. (a) The General Assembly finds as a fact that
8 natural gas is in short supply, and has caused the curtailment
9 of industrial activity in this Commonwealth. It further finds
10 that there is clearly in prospect for the indefinite future a
11 shortage of all forms of energy, including oil, gas and other
12 fuels, and the electricity into which such fuels are converted;
13 and that such shortage is likely to further curtail industrial
14 activity, increase unemployment, and threaten the health and
15 comfort of the people through lack of heat, light and other
16 vital necessities.
17 (b) The prediction of future energy needs, and the wisest
1 course that can be pursued to keep needs and available supply in
2 balance, involve highly technical and complex problems; and the
3 General Assembly desires to enlist the aid of the most competent
4 persons in the energy field, to maintain continuous surveillance
5 of energy conditions and make such recommendations for
6 legislation which is most likely to ameliorate or avert present
7 and prospective energy shortages.
8 Section 2. There is hereby created as an arm of the General
9 Assembly, a Pennsylvania Energy Council composed of 15 members,
10 three of whom shall be ex officio, namely, the Chairman of the
11 Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, or his designee, the
12 Secretary of the Department of Environmental Resources, or his
13 designee and the Secretary of Commerce, or his designee, who
14 shall be chairman of the council.
15 The President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of
16 the House also shall each appoint six members, one from the
17 majority party and one from the minority from their respective
18 Houses and four who shall be persons possessing knowledge and
19 experience in the supply and use of oil, gas and electricity
20 respectively.
21 From the effective date of this act, the first appointed
22 members shall serve as follows: Three members for a term of two
23 years, three members for a term of three years, and two members
24 for a term of four years. Successors of these first appointed
25 members shall be appointed for terms of four years. Members may
26 serve successive terms if appointed to do so.
27 When a vacancy occurs, a new member shall be appointed by the
28 appointing authority who made the appointment now vacant to
29 serve the residue of the term.
30 Section 3. None of the members of the council shall receive
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1 compensation, but each of them shall be reimbursed for expenses
2 actually incurred in the performance of their duties. Such
3 expenses shall be reimbursed by warrant, signed by the Chairman
4 of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and the chairman
5 of the council, and shall be charged in equal shares against
6 funds of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and the
7 Department of Commerce.
8 Section 4. The council shall have the following duties:
9 (a) To investigate, study and predict the probable energy
10 needs of the people and industry of the Commonwealth, classified
11 according to type of energy, and the uses to which such energy
12 will be put.
13 (b) To investigate, study and predict the probable available
14 energy supply available to the people and industry of the
15 Commonwealth, classified according to type of energy.
16 (c) To study ways and means to ameliorate or avert energy
17 supply deficiencies in relation to energy needs, including but
18 not limited to ways and means to increase the production or
19 importation of energy, and ways and means to encourage the
20 conservation of energy and prevent its waste.
21 (d) To evaluate and assess all State energy policies and
22 their impact upon the economy and the environment.
23 (e) Upon request of the President pro tempore of the Senate
24 or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and at other
25 times upon its own initiative, to report its findings and
26 recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor.
27 Section 5. The council shall have the following powers:
28 (a) To request any department, commission or other agency of
29 the Commonwealth, having investigatory powers on subjects
30 pertinent to the council's duties, to exercise those powers as
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1 to such subjects, ascertain the facts, and report the results,
2 and its evaluation thereof, to the council.
3 (b) To request any department, commission or other agency of
4 the Commonwealth, having personnel competent on subjects
5 pertinent to the council's duties, to lend the assistance of
6 such personnel to the council. As used in this subsection, the
7 term "agency" shall include the Legislative Reference Bureau.
8 (c) To conduct informal meetings for the purpose of
9 obtaining information, enlisting the assistance of experts,
10 representatives of industries producing fuel or energy, and
11 other interested parties.
12 (d) To require the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
13 and the Department of Commerce to provide stenographic,
14 clerical, filing, reproducing, mailing and other office services
15 incident to the performance of its duties.
16 (e) To employ an executive secretary and a minimal expert
17 staff who shall be directly responsible to the council:
18 Provided, however, That the total compensation of all council
19 employees shall not exceed the sum of $100,000 annually.
20 Section 6. This act shall take effect immediately.
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