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PEC and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) submitted the following statement to the General Assembly on Senate Bill 831: This legislation addresses several key aspects of a carbon sequestration governance framework as part of a broader package of necessary legislative and regulatory changes if there is to be safe and effective deployment of carbon sequestration in Pennsylvania. As noted in testimony provided to the Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee by EDF earlier this month (attached), the range of needs and issues in this endeavor are substantial. It will take time for Pennsylvania to stand up a full-bodied and federally-approved management program;…
PEC sent the following letter to Members of the Senate Community, Economic & Recreational Development Committee on June 21, 2023: Dear Senators: On behalf of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), I am writing to express our strong support for Senate Bill 507 which is scheduled for consideration by the Committee tomorrow. This legislation amends the Recreational Use of Land and Water Act to provide protections to volunteers and volunteer organizations that maintain, improve, or otherwise provide access to land for recreational purposes. Public lands and recreational amenities have witnessed an extraordinary surge in use. PEC has performed a series…
PEC sent the following letter to Members of the House Tourism, Economic and Recreational Development Committee on May 1, 2023: Dear Representatives: On behalf of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), I am writing to express our strong support for House Bill 33 and House Resolution 87, which are scheduled for consideration by the Committee on May 3rd. We are thankful for the bipartisan sponsorship of both proposals. House Bill 33 This bill amends the Recreational Use of Land and Water Act to provide protections to volunteers and volunteer organizations that maintain, improve, or otherwise provide access to land for recreational…
Today Governor Shapiro presented his first budget proposal for the Commonwealth, which included much-needed increases in funding for both the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) to better support state park and forest maintenance, air quality monitoring, public safety, climate resilience, and other key efforts. In addition, the Governor recognized an important opportunity that may not receive immediate attention, but will provide significant benefits for Pennsylvania’s residents and economy in the years to come: the organization of an Office of Outdoor Recreation. PEC has advocated for the establishment of an Office of Outdoor…
2023 is already shaping up to be a big year for environmental policy and legislation, especially around matters of energy and climate. We review the agenda with PEC’s Senior VP for Legal and Government Affairs, John Walliser. Energy and climate issues are at the forefront of PEC’s policy agenda for the year ahead — and it’s likely to be an eventful one. Pennsylvania is expected to begin participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative carbon market in 2023, pending the outcome of ongoing legal challenges. And with a new governor and General Assembly in place, lawmakers could take the first steps toward…
For immediate release January 10, 2023 Contact: Josh Raulerson, Director of Communications 412-209-7982 PEC Applauds Governor-Elect Shapiro’s Nominations for DCNR and DEP Building Agency Strengths Sets the Right Tone Pittsburgh — The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) praised Governor-elect Josh Shapiro’s nomination of Cindy Dunn to continue as Secretary of the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR), and Richard Negrin as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Davitt Woodwell, President of PEC, offered the following statement in support of the nominations. Secretary Dunn’s leadership at DCNR over the past eight years has been a tremendous asset to our…
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council, in partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund, sent the following communication to members of the General Assembly expressing our concerns with an amendment to Senate Bill 1. The same troublesome language is also contained in Senate Bill 2. Dear Representative, EDF Action, the advocacy partner of Environmental Defense Fund, and Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) want to reiterate our opposition to Senate Bill 1 (P.N. 26) and provide context for our position. Please note that our opposition to this legislation is based on amendment language inserted into the bill which would alter the presentment clause of the Pennsylvania…
On November 21st, Governor Wolf announced that his administration would pursue an emergency rulemaking to finalize long-overdue VOC and methane rules for the conventional oil and gas industry. This step became necessary when the Chair of the House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee, without public notice or a hearing, utilized a procedural maneuver to block the rule from becoming final before the end of the year – setting off a consequential chain reaction that would adversely impact Pennsylvania’s environment and economy. This VOC and methane rulemaking, which has been in development since Governor Wolf first announced his methane strategy in…
PEC and the Environmental Defense Fund submitted the following letter today to the Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee on newly introduced legislation that would task the Department of Environmental Protection with pursuing primacy for Class VI injection wells, which can be used for carbon capture and storage (CCUS). While PEC supports measured CCUS deployment, we have concerns with the legislation as written. November 14, 2022 To: Members of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Re: Carbon Dioxide Geologic Sequestration Primacy Legislation (SB 1361) Dear Senators: The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) and Environmental Defense Fund…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a new regulatory proposal to substantially reduce oil and gas methane pollution. The new draft builds on, and considerably strengthens, the agency’s initial proposal released last November. Most importantly, the proposal includes new standards for low-producing (but still potentially highly polluting) wells, which are a significant source of emissions in Pennsylvania. “Capturing methane emissions from oil and gas operations is a cornerstone to responsible energy security and development. We are gratified to see the EPA issue a proposed rule that seeks to further address activities that risk releasing this potent greenhouse gas to the atmosphere”…
Update September 19, 2022: The Pennsylvania Environmental Council submitted updated comments to the Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee on the topic of carbon capture and clean energy hubs in Pennsylvania. Read the updated comments here: PEC Senate ERE Hearing Comments (19 Sept 2022) Pennsylvania Environmental Council Comments on Hydrogen Hub Prospective August 2022 The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) respectfully submits these comments to the Pennsylvania House Democratic Policy Committee and the Pennsylvania House Republican Policy Committee on the topic of hydrogen hub buildout in Pennsylvania. We commend the Committee for holding an informational hearing on this topic. Advancing decarbonization strategies…