Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee advances environmental bills

The state Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee recently advanced three bills sponsored by Committee Chairman Gene Yaw (R-Bradford County).

Senate Bill 284 would require the Environmental Quality Board to establish bonding requirements for project developers who seek to install or operate commercial wind or solar electric generation and other renewable energy facilities.

Senate Bill 545 would amend the Clean Streams Law to address accidental discharges or spills of substances into Pennsylvanian waters.

“The state Department of Environmental Protection currently requires it be notified of all unauthorized spills of any substance, even when the quantity is very small and poses no risk of harm to persons or the environment,” Yaw said. “As confirmed by decisions of Pennsylvania courts, the purpose of the Clean Streams Law is to regulate and control potentially harmful discharges, not to impose an impractical and unnecessary requirement on every business and individual in the Commonwealth to report every drop spilled at their facilities or homes.”

The third bill, Senate Bill 302, would restrict the use of Class B firefighting foams containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances for training and testing. They would still be permitted to be sold and used for dousing fires.

The bills will be sent to the full Senate for consideration.