SENATE AMENDED

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY GEORGE, BELFANTI, BRENNAN, BROWN, CONKLIN, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HORNAMAN, JOSEPHS, KORTZ, MAHONEY, McILVAINE SMITH, MELIO, MILNE, MYERS, PETRARCA, PHILLIPS, READSHAW, SIPTROTH, WALKO, YOUNGBLOOD, YUDICHAK, K. SMITH AND BRIGGS, MARCH 6, 2009

SENATOR M. WHITE, ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, IN SENATE, AS AMENDED, JUNE 22, 2010   

AN ACT

Establishing the State Energy Office; and imposing duties on the

State Energy Office.

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 State Energy

Office Act.

Section 2.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Commission."  The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

"Department."  The Department of Environmental Protection of

the Commonwealth.

"Office."  The State Energy Office established under section

3.

"Secretary."  The Secretary of Environmental Protection of

the Commonwealth.

Section 3.  The State Energy Office.

The State Energy Office is established in the Department of

Environmental Protection to promote the goals of energy

development and energy conservation.

Section 4.  Composition of office.

The secretary shall designate an executive director and hire

the staff of the office in accordance with procedures of the

department.

Section 5.  Powers and duties of office.

The powers and duties of the office are as follows:

(1)  To promote the development of this Commonwealth's

indigenous and renewable energy resources through programs

involving information and technical and financial assistance.

(2)  To assist the Department of General Services in

promoting the efficient use of energy by the State government

and all sectors of this Commonwealth. Working with the

Governor's Green Government Council, the office will

encourage energy efficiency and conservation through programs

providing information and technical and financial assistance.

The office will also work with the commission to develop

specific programs to promote energy efficiency for

commercial, industrial and residential energy consumers of

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deregulated utilities, such as natural gas and electricity.

(3)  To be the point of contact for private and

government energy matters and the lead Commonwealth agency

for energy policy development. The office will regularly

update the Commonwealth's energy policy to determine new

opportunities for energy development and energy conservation.

(4)  To be the primary manager and coordinator of Federal

energy grants, petroleum overcharge funds and private energy

grants.

(5)  To assist the Department of General Services in the

review of energy-related plans, programs, policies and

regulations of Commonwealth agencies and to provide

recommendations to further promote energy development and

energy conservation. The office is authorized to intervene in

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energy-related proceedings of the commission and other

Federal or State regulatory agencies.

(6)  To monitor prices of petroleum and supplies of

petroleum products available for use in this Commonwealth to

determine whether there exists or is likely to exist an

emergency shortage under section 2802-C(d) of the act of

April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative

Code of 1929, and to conduct emergency allocation measures

during a period of declared emergency petroleum product

shortage under section 2802-C of The Administrative Code of

1929. The office will also monitor the price and supply of

energy to provide information to the Governor and the General

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Assembly on the changing impact of energy prices on the

Commonwealth's economy.

(7)  To assume the responsibilities assigned to the

Department of Environmental Protection under the act of June

28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and

Natural Resources Act, which had been assigned to the office

under prior statutes, regulations and executive orders,

including the administration of the funds transferred to the

department under section 507 of the Conservation and Natural

Resources Act.

(8)  To promote the establishment of a Commonwealth

liquid fuels reserve and programs for the Commonwealth to

ensure continuity of government operations in the event of an

emergency.

(9)  To provide financial assistance including, but not

limited to, loans, loan guarantees, bond guarantees, grants

and rebates for projects fulfilling the purposes of this act.

(10)  To receive appropriations and apply for and accept

grants, gifts, donations, bequests and settlements from any

public or private source.

(11)  To make contracts of every name and nature and

execute all instruments necessary or convenient to effectuate

the purposes of this act.

(12)  To do any act necessary or convenient to exercise

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the powers enumerated in this section or reasonably implied

from those powers.

Section 6.  Jurisdiction.

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Nothing in this act shall be construed to expand, diminish or

modify the jurisdiction of the department, the office or the

commission.

Section 6 7.  Effective date.

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This act shall take effect in 60 days.