PRINTER'S NO. 713
No. 55 Session of 1983
INTRODUCED BY KUKOVICH, WACHOB, WAMBACH, MAYERNIK, PRESTON,
DeWEESE, SWEET, MORRIS, CIVERA, PETRARCA, MERRY, BLAUM,
FREEMAN, VAN HORNE, PISTELLA, PRATT, JAROLIN, KOSINSKI,
MICHLOVIC, BELFANTI, BOYES, HOEFFEL, McHALE, STEIGHNER,
LLOYD, FATTAH, GRUITZA, EVANS, ITKIN, WOZNIAK, DeLUCA,
D. W. SNYDER, AFFLERBACH, CLARK, COHEN, RICHARDSON, MRKONIC
AND MISCEVICH, MARCH 23, 1983
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FEDERAL-STATE RELATIONS, APRIL 5, 1983
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing Congress to enact legislation relating to the
2 regulation of natural gas and pipelines.
3 WHEREAS, Gradual decontrol of wellhead gas prices allowed
4 under the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 raised Pennsylvania gas
5 bills by more than 130% since 1978; and
6 WHEREAS, If decontrol continues, either at its current rate
7 under the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 or at a rate
8 accelerated by the United States Congress or by administrative
9 actions of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, it would
10 cost Pennsylvania gas consumers between ten billion dollars and
11 thirteen billion dollars between 1983 and 1986; and
12 WHEREAS, Interstate gas pipelines have little incentive to
13 make prudent purchasing decisions to keep prices as low as
14 possible; and
15 WHEREAS, President Reagan has recently proposed to remove all
1 controls from the natural gas market over the next three years;
2 therefore be it
3 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
4 of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the
5 United States to pass comprehensive legislation which would:
6 (1) extend gas price controls beyond 1985 and set
7 ceilings at prewinter 1982-1983 levels, allowing for
8 increases based on inflation only;
9 (2) eliminate expensive and onerous pipeline contract
10 provisions which unnecessarily increase gas costs to
11 consumers;
12 (3) force the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to
13 review pipeline gas purchases to insure that pipelines buy
14 the least expensive gas available;
15 (4) remove the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's
16 ability to administratively deregulate gas prices; and
17 (5) require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to
18 allow greater public participation in the Federal Energy
19 Regulatory Commission gas rate proceedings;
20 and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
22 the President of the United States, the presiding officers of
23 each house of Congress, the Chairman and Commissioners of the
24 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and to each member of
25 Congress from Pennsylvania.
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