Climate Bills in the House: 2023-24 Legislative Session

• HB 1740 (Rabb) Transitioning Pennsylvania to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050 – Sets framework to transition completely to renewable energy in PA by the year 2050.
• HB 367 (Isaacson) Hydraulic Fracturing Operations – Tracer Fluids – Adds tracer substances to fracking fluids in order to identify the party responsible for related water quality impairments.
• HB 477 (Miller) Chemical Disclosure - Removes exceptions to chemical disclosure and requires the disclosure of chemicals 14 days prior to use at any stage of the fracking process.
• HB 597 (Kim) County Recycling and Waste Management Fee - Authorizes counties to collect up to a $4 dollar per ton management fee to create and maintain recycling programs.
• HB 698 (Webster) Establishing Plain Language in Oil and Gas Property Contracts - Calls for plain language to be used in oil and gas property contracts so constituents are provided with a simplified process and unnecessary disputes with oil and gas companies are avoided.
• HB 721 (Cerrato) BPA Free Food and Beverage Containers - Bans the use of BPA in all food and beverage containers manufactured, sold, or distributed in Pennsylvania.
• HB 801 (Otten) Pipeline Early Detection Warning Systems - Places the cost and timely implementation of early detection and warning systems on pipeline operators to ensure appropriate emergency response plans can be developed.
• HB 832 (Rabb) Establishing a Pollinator Task Force - Collaborative effort to study policies and practices that promote the protection and support of pollinator populations.
• HB 837 (Howard) Penalizing Polluters - Doubles the maximum fines for both general and willful violations of the oil and gas development provisions of Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. Prohibits the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection from waiving fines issued against oil and gas companies.
• HB 1001 (Rabb) Establishing a Plastic Pollution Task Force - Creates a Plastic Pollution Task Force that studies various issues regarding plastic pollution and ecosystem restoration.
• HB 1003 (Rabb) Ensuring Transparency of Fracked Gas Operations - Provides for the reporting of impacts on communities and public resources caused by unconventional natural gas production.
• HB 1153 (Scott) Disposal of Waste Tires and Short Dumping - Expands the ability of boroughs and cities to enforce penalties for the illegal short dumping and dumping of waste tires.
• HB 1167 (Steele) Improving Food Safety by Labeling Pesticide Information - Requires that any raw agricultural product removed from its shipping container must bear a label stating the presence of a pesticide chemical with clear identification of the chemical.
• HB 1273 (Pielli) Severance Tax on Natural Gas Production - Implements a per-volume severance tax on unconventional natural gas operations.
• HR 87 (Daley) Conservation Corridors - Directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study and issue a report on the current status, management, and benefits of conservation corridors.
• HR 105 (Steele) Transportation of Flammable Gases and Toxic Chemicals by Rail – Resolution urging the U.S. Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency to re-examine the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA’s) hazardous materials regulations and make any necessary changes that would help to provide better protection to the public and environment.
• HB 170 (Otten) Setback Distances for Natural Gas Well Sites and Related Infrastructure - Increases setback distances for unconventional natural gas well sites and certain related infrastructure.
• HB 175 (Krajewski) Public Health Protection from Effects of Fracking – Would take a comprehensive public health approach to address the effects of living near unconventional drilling sites.
• HB 470 (Briggs) Single Use Plastic: Polystyrene - Prohibits food establishments from using Styrofoam as a temporary packaging for prepared foods.
• HB 589 (Kinkead) Protecting Pennsylvanians from Landslides – Would require landslides, slope movement, and sinkholes to be covered by an existing program in the Department of Environmental Protection.
• HB 603 (Isaacson) Chemicals: Classification and Cleanup – Adds PFAS to the list of hazardous substances under the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act so that municipalities can legally seek damages from responsible parties. Allows the Governor to declare an emergency in communities affected by drinking water systems polluted with PFAS. Provides affected communities with access to grants to aid in the cleanup of their water systems.
• HB 604 (Isaacson) Chemicals in Drinking Water - Lowers the acceptable amount of PFAs in drinking water from 70ppt to 10ppt.
• HB 605 (Isaacson) Lead Levels in Playground Areas - Lowers the acceptable limit of lead in playground soil from 400ppm to 200ppm.
• HB 677 (Sturla) Clean Streams - Municipalities have the freedom to require fences between livestock and streams to allow for livestock crossing points to keep the livestock out of streams to reduce pollutants.
• HB 699 (Webster) Comprehensive Storm Water Management - Requires counties to prepare and implement a comprehensive storm water management plan.
• HB 840 (Howard) Stop Habitat Loss - Tasks the Fish and Boat Commission, Game Commission, and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources with ensuring endangered species’ habitats are protected.
• HB 1122 (Howard) Keeping Forever Chemicals Out of Our Food – Prohibits the sale, distribution, and manufacturing of any food packages containing PFAs.
• HB 1166 (Steele) Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Asphalt Sealants - Prohibits the buying, selling, or application of PAH-based asphalt sealants.
• HB 1248 (Steele) Green Roof Tax Credit - Establishes a tax credit to cover a portion of the costs incurred to install and maintain green roofing.
• HB 1275 (Webster) Riparian Buffers - Provides for a minimum of 100-foot riparian buffer along each side of a surface of water and minimum of 300-foot buffer along streams that are considered High Quality or Exceptional Value.
• HB 1358 (Parker) Healthy Outdoor Public Spaces - Prohibits the application of synthetic herbicides on public grounds.
• HB 1541 (Harkins) Banning PFAs chemicals in firefighter personal protective equipment - Prohibits the distribution, manufacturing, production, or sale of firefighting personal equipment that contains intentionally added PFAs chemicals.
• HB 20 (Sturla) The Pennsylvania Water Resource Act - Charges extraordinary water users a fee which would then be used to fund grants and financing opportunities for municipalities, watershed organizations, and authorities (funds would stay local).
• HB 137 (Fiedler) Solar for Pennsylvania Schools - Issues grants to schools for solar energy projects and funds solar energy assessments.
• HB 224 (Isaacson) Investing in Infrastructure Improvements Throughout Pennsylvania - Allocates $3 billion into a fund designated for improving infrastructure.
• HB 254 (Merski) Lake Erie Wind Energy Development Act - Allows certain areas of the bed of Lake Erie to be leased to the state for wind energy generations systems.  
• HB 606 (Isaacson) Lead Abatement Grant Program - Creates a lead abatement grant program to give grants on a competitive basis with primary consideration given to municipalities with financial need and prioritize assistance to low-income households and those with children under the age of 6.
• HB 740 (Haddock) Pipeline Impact Fee - Rededicates a portion of the Commonwealth’s Impact Fee to be distributed to local governments dealing with impacts of active pipeline projects and expanded public safety needs.
• HB 919 (Rabb) Establishing a natural organic reduction as an option for human interment - Allows for a process of human interment that uses less energy than traditional cremation while creating safe to use soil.
• HB 1172 (Daley) Allowing for Expanded Use of Alkaline Hydrolysis - Establish a comprehensive definition for cremation to include alkaline hydrolysis which is a zero-emissions process and has lower energy costs.
• HB 1191 (Shusterman) Providing for a Beverage Bottle and Can Deposit Program - Establishes a beverage bottle and can deposit program that help cover costs associated with handling and storage of returnable containers. Any unclaimed or abandoned deposits would go towards the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund.
• HB 1215 (Vitali) Ensuring Clean Hydrogen Production - Provides incentives to ensure that hydrogen production is in alignment with the goal to combat climate change.
• HB 1292 (O’Mara) Public Natural Resources Trust Fund - Creates a Public Natural Resources Trust Fund with funds from oil and gas developed on leased land to be used for conservation projects.
• HB 1467 (Otten) Modernizing Pennsylvania’s Renewable Energy Standards - Sets realistic and achievable renewable energy standards through the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act (AEPS).
• HB 1474 (Ciresi) Expanding C-PACE to Include Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure - Adds electric vehicle charging infrastructure projects as eligible project types under the C-PACE program.
• HB 1476 (Vitali) Cryptocurrency Energy Conservation Act - Imposes a 2-year moratorium on the issuance and renewal of certain air permits related to cryptocurrency mining.
• HB 1542 (Markosek) Transitioning to Electric School Buses - Creates a grant program for school districts to off-set the costs associated with implementing electric school buses.
• HB 652 (Bullock, Rules) Environmental Justice – Permit Applications - Requires more transparent and open process before certain facilities are built or expanded within areas defined as “burdened communities.”
• HB 707 (Kenyatta) Codification of the Environmental Justice Advisory Board - Codifies the Environmental Justice Advisory Board into PA law.
• HB 742 (Kenyatta) Codification and Expansion of the Office of Environmental Justice - Codifies and expands the Office of Environmental Justice.
• HB 963 (Rabb) Establishing the Pennsylvania Environmental Justice Policy Center - Establishes the Pennsylvania Environmental Justice Policy Center to perform outreach and education and conduct research.

Climate Bills in the Senate: 2023-24 Legislative Session

• SB 26 (Muth) Protecting Public Health and Ensuring Fairness by Closing Pennsylvania’s Hazardous Oil and Gas Waste Loophole - Eliminates legal loophole allowing oil and gas companies to forgo proper testing, tracking, and disposal of hazardous materials.
• SB 28 (Muth) Protecting Public Health and Ensuring Fairness by Closing Pennsylvania’s Hazardous Oil and Gas Waste Loophole - Binds oil and gas companies to the PA Solid Waste Management Act, defining drilling waste as hazardous waste.
• SB 29 (Muth) Close the Leachate Loophole: Keeping Radium Out of Our Drinking Water - Eliminates legal loophole allowing for the creation of toxic waste (leachate) from the disposal of oil and gas products in landfills, and the subsequent transmission of said waste to water supply. Requires waste streams from oil and gas companies to undergo radiological testing before being removed from well sites.
• SB 92 (Muth) Protecting Pennsylvania’s Drinking Water Supply: Expanding Spill Notification Requirements - Requires the Department of Environmental Protection to notify both public and private well owners of any spill of harmful substances potentially affecting water supply.
• SB 230 (Santarsiero) Modernizing Pennsylvania’s Clean Energy Standard - Sets realistic and achievable renewable energy standards through the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act (AEPS).
• SB 280 (Muth) Increase Fines for Major Facilities Air Pollution Episodes and Municipal Notification Requirement - Increases existing fines for companies exceeding set pollution limits. Creates a warning system for potentially dangerous air pollution affecting local areas.
• SB 392 (Schwank) Water Resource Protection - Imposes liability upon pipeline owners/operators in the case of pollution, diminution, or water loss within water supply in the 2,500 ft surrounding the pipeline.
• SB 755 (Williams) Pennsylvania Energy and Water Efficiency Standards Act - Creates energy efficiency and water conservation standards for commercial and residential appliances sold in PA.
• SB 144 (Yaw) Restricting PFAS Chemicals from Firefighting Foam - Restrict the use of firefighting foam containing per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in training and testing. Allows the use of PFAS chemicals in emergency situations.
• SB 734 (Pennycuick) Electronic Waste Recycling Program - Amends the Covered Device Recycling Act, creating an optional recycling collection program for electronic waste.
• SB 278 (Muth) The Pennsylvania Water Resource Act - Imposes a per gallon fee upon water users using more than 10,000 gallons per day. If water is returned to source after use, the user would be charged 0.0001 cents per gallon ($1 for 10,000 gallons). If water is not returned to source after use, the user would be charged 0.001 cents per gallon ($10 for 10,000 gallons).
• SB 352 (Dush) Alkaline Hydrolysis (Water-Based Cremation) - Includes alkaline hydrolysis as a method of cremation, giving families the option of a more environmentally friendly water-based cremation process.
• SB 422 (Cappelletti) - Go 100% Pennsylvania - Aims to transition completely to renewable energy in PA by the year 2050.
• SB 550 (Brown) Community Solar Legislation - Enables community solar projects in PA. Allows citizens that may be otherwise unable to use solar energy to subscribe to an outside solar project, as well as receive credit for the solar power produced.
• SB 782 (Miller) Revitalizing the Industrial Sites Reuse Program (ISRP) - Expands the ISRP to allow grant eligibility for any former industrial site in PA. Eliminates annual limit on grant expenditure. Provides an additional $20 million in program funding.
• SB 158 (Hughes) Codification and Expansion of the Office of Environmental Justice - Codifies the Department of Environmental Justice within the Department of Environmental Protection. Creates an Environmental Justice Task Force to aid those disproportionately affected by environmental health risks.