Bills drawing concern from environmental advocates headed for governor’s signature

Two bills that have drawn criticism from various environmental advocates and organizations over the last several months were sent to Gov. Tom Corbett for his signature late afternoon Wednesday.

First, House Bill 2354—introduced by Rep. Pam Snyder (D-Greene)—would provide legislative oversight of the Commonwealth’s compliance plan related to the US EPA’s new carbon emissions standards.

Advocates and legislators in favor of the legislation argued that the new EPA standards will have an adverse impact on Pennsylvania’s coal industry, which provides 40 percent of the electric generation fuel in Pennsylvania.

“The EPA regulations are not only a job killer in regard to coal, it is going to be a killer in regard to electric reliability and in regard to electric bill cost for people,” said Rep. Snyder in an August article in The PLS Reporter related to the bill. “Just to impose regulations no coal-fired power plant can adhere to and to preclude anybody from even considering building a new coal-fired power plant is really unfair and there is no vision there for a future.”

Advocates claim the bill, which would give legislative oversight to the compliance process, would allow Pennsylvania-specific needs to be included in the compliance document.

Today’s final passage of House Bill 2354 would not have been possible had it not been for a procedural move on the Senate floor Tuesday night, which reverted the legislation to its immediately previous printer number, which essentially erased an amendment adopted to the legislation last week which many supporters feared would kill the bill.

That move drew concern from environmental groups.

“It is unfortunate the Senate chose to reject a common sense compromise aimed at enhancing legislative oversight of carbon rule compliance,” argued Christina Simeone, director of PennFuture’s Energy Center. “Instead of moving forward with feasible legislation, lawmakers now are faced with voting on a bill that promotes federal takeover of Pennsylvania’s carbon compliance program, raises constitutional separation of powers issues, and complicates negotiations for affected industries.”

The bill finally passed the Senate Wednesday by a vote of 31-17.

Another bill drawing the concern of environmental groups that is headed for the governor’s desk is House Bill 1565, introduced by Rep. Marcia Hahn (R-Northampton).

The bill would change the current law requiring mandatory riparian buffers that prohibit earth disturbances within 150 feet of a certain rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, ponds or reservoirs when the project site is located in an exceptional value or high quality watershed attaining its designated use to—among other things—making the use of riparian buffers optional along with the use of best management practices, design standards, and essentially similar designs as riparian buffers.

The bill was amended in the Senate, which necessitated the bill be concurred upon in the House.

The House concurred by a vote of 118-79.

Environmental advocates said the bill would be harmful to Pennsylvania’s high-value and exceptional watersheds.

“The big deal is [current law] protects some of the highest quality watersheds in Pennsylvania,” said Dave Hess, former Ridge-administration DEP Secretary and opponent of the legislation in an article on the legislation last week. “The Federal Clean Water Act requires us to do things so that the quality of that water is not degraded and stream buffers are the most economical and most effective at doing that.”

Proponents of the legislation, however, argued the bill will help development and landowners utilize their property.

“What we are trying to do in the bill is develop a balance between responsible development and environmental protection,” Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne) said. “So, not just a one-size fits all approach.”

Inquiries made to the governor’s office as to whether he will sign the measures went unreturned as of press time.

Source: PLS Reporter