LEGISLATION

It is my pleasure to announce that on October 31, 2007 House Bill 110 , which creates the Pennsylvania Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act, was passed by the House of Representatives. This legislation will now move to the Senate for a vote. If you would like to read a recent press release, please click here.

Also, during this year’s budget I helped establish an appropriation for $300,000 to help municipalities fund their own greenhouse gas action plans. Greenhouse gas inventories will establish how much greenhouse gas is produced by each sector of a community – municipal, industrial, commercial, residential, etc. – and provide a baseline against which to measure future greenhouse gas reduction efforts. The action plans will lay out strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions across those sectors, as well as specific targets to be reached. If you would like to read a recent press release, please click here.

You can also search for a text version of my bill, as well as any other legislation in the Pennsylvania House or Senate, at the link below:

                      Find any legislation by bill number or topic.

Currently the House of Representatives and the Senate are conducting Special Sessions on Energy to help achieve Governor Ed Rendell’s Energy Independence Strategy.  This session aims to change how we use energy – and what kind of energy we use- to really make a difference in the Commonwealth’s future. By instituting change we can create a clean, secure and independent energy future.

Here is a selection of some of the other energy-related environmental legislation in the special session on energy (please click on the links for more information):

·   SS HB2 – This legislation would establish minimum mandates for the renewable content of transportation fuels sold at retail in the Commonwealth.

·  SS HB5- This legislation establishes a program of tax credits to support the construction or rehabilitation of buildings using high performance or “green” buildings standards.

·  SS HB11 – establishes a sales and use tax holiday for the purchase of energy efficient appliances in the third full calendar weeks of October 2008 and February 2009.

·  SS HB17- Provides for a tax exemption for the retail sale of hybrid vehicles or vehicles that achieve a federal fuel economy rating of 45 miles per gallon.

There are also environmental bills that are happening during our regular fall session. To find out more about these please click on the links below.

·  HB 366 - Develops a State Energy Office through the Department of Environmental Protection to promote energy development and energy conservation in the Commonwealth.

· HB 543 - Creates an Energy Efficient Home Assistance Program to offset closing costs and mortgage costs on energy efficient homes and provide a grant to the purchaser of a new home that incorporates alternative energy technologies.

· HB 690 - Establishes Plug-In Hybrid Task Force.

·  HB 772 - Establishes an energy efficiency and pollution reduction initiative within the Department of Environmental Protection and the Keystone Energy and Environmental Excellence Award.

· HB 913 - This legislation seeks to improve the Low-Income Weatherization Program and provides additional state funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

· HB 1331 - Extends the sunset date for the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act until June 30, 2012.

· HR 7 - Urges the Governor to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and sign the Memorandum of Understanding which will allow the Commonwealth to join its neighbors in addressing the challenge of climate change while increasing energy efficiency investments and stimulating emerging clean energy technology markets.

· HR 106 - Urges auto manufacturers to develop and produce plug-in hybrid vehicles for consumer use.

It is important that you let your legislators know, and the legislators on the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee that you want Pennsylvania to do something about climate change and global warming. Click here to find out how to contact them.