The House advanced a bill Tuesday authored by Rep. Eric Nelson (R-Hempfield) to create a consolidated permit to encourage the remediation and reuse of abandoned sites previously contaminated by industrial activity.
“This bill is another way to signal Pennsylvania is open to businesses,” Nelson said. “Since 1994, Ohio has been using this best practice of a combined permit. We should be removing barriers to redevelop previously used land too. Businesses have expressed concerns about the time needed to secure numerous permits. This legislation will streamline the process and give companies a timeline to expect approval or denial in order to plan better.”
House Bill 1105 would create one permit to allow remediation work to be done under the Clean Streams Law, Air Pollution Control Act, Solid Waste Management Act, Infectious and Chemotherapeutic Waste Law and the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act. The Department of Environmental Protection would have 120 calendar days to review a permit request.
“My legislation would create a pathway for individual departments within DEP to work together in order to promote new investment and environmental cleanup,” Nelson said. “When parties collaborate, the results are always exponentially enhanced.”
The bill is part of the Energize PA Legislative Package, a package of legislation unveiled in March that is designed to attract businesses to Pennsylvania, create jobs and provide economic benefits to underserved regions without creating new fees or taxes.
The bill now heads to the Senate for further consideration.