PRINTER'S NO. 3729
No. 2624 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY PESCI, STEELMAN, DALEY, LEDERER, GEORGE,
WOJNAROSKI, HORSEY, SHANER, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HALUSKA,
READSHAW, MELIO, PETRARCA, DeWEESE, M. COHEN, TRELLO,
YOUNGBLOOD, PISTELLA, YUDICHAK, RAMOS, COSTA AND VAN HORNE,
JUNE 13, 2000
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY,
JUNE 13, 2000
AN ACT
1 Imposing duties upon the Department of Community and Economic
2 Development regarding certain coal mines; and making a
3 declaration of policy.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Coal Mine
8 Closure Emergency Powers Act.
9 Section 2. Declaration of policy.
10 It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Commonwealth to
11 maintain a secure supply of energy at reasonable prices as a
12 vital prerequisite to a healthy economy. It is further declared
13 that responsible management and development of this
14 Commonwealth's indigenous energy resources and efficient use of
15 its energy will assure that the energy needed by its citizens
16 and the economy will be available and affordable.
1 Section 3. Definitions.
2 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
3 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
4 context clearly indicates otherwise:
5 "Department." The Department of Community and Economic
6 Development of the Commonwealth.
7 "Person." A natural person, corporation, partnership,
8 association, and any municipality of the Commonwealth and any
9 public corporation, authority or body whatsoever.
10 Section 4. Coal mine closures.
11 In the event of an impending closure of a coal mine with
12 significant remaining coal reserves, the department, in
13 cooperation with other agencies of the Commonwealth as
14 designated by the Governor, shall intervene for the purpose of
15 seeking to prevent premature sealing of the coal mine. The
16 department may require the submission of relevant information
17 from affected persons, including the current operator of the
18 mine, and may seek technical assistance to make a recommendation
19 regarding the economic feasibility of maintaining operation of
20 the mine and to determine the public benefit which will be
21 derived from the preservation and continued development of coal
22 reserves in the mine. If the department determines that
23 continued operation of the mine is economically feasible and
24 beneficial to the public, it may conduct meetings and
25 negotiations as it deems appropriate to encourage the continued
26 operation of the mine. Information received by the department
27 under this section shall be deemed confidential.
28 Section 5. Effective date.
29 This act shall take effect immediately.
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