Archive: legislation/policy
Pennsylvania’s Constitution requires that every bill be considered three different times in the House of Representatives and the Senate. PA. CONST. art. III, § 4. Every time that a bill is considered, it is given a different status. When introduced, the bill is under “first consideration,” next it is under “second consideration,” and finally it […]
Read More
To get Senator Manchin’s vote on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Democratic leadership had to make a deal. There is an alleged agreement that for Manchin’s vote on the IRA, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer would attach a bill that would amend the current laws and regulations on environmental permitting requirements by the end of […]
Read More
As you have probably heard by now, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has been signed into law by President Biden. It is the biggest climate investment in United States history and is estimated to reduce carbon emissions by 40% within the next eight years. While there are some beneficial provisions, the $370 billion investment […]
Read More
On July 27, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee approved H.R.2021, the Environmental Justice (EJ) for All Act. The bill is currently sitting before the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote. This landmark piece of legislation would enshrine important protections for minority and low-income communities disproportionately affected by pollution and environmental degradation. It has […]
Read More
On July 7, 2022, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed a bill that has been touted as a way to give consumers more access to affordable electricity, but in reality represented an effort to restrict local governments’ ability to set policies that address the climate crisis. Senate Bill (“SB”) 275, introduced by Gene Yaw, would make […]
Read More
On February 11, 2022, PA State Representative Timothy Bonner introduced House Bills (“HBs”) 2338 and 2339 to protect communities from the dangers of landfills. However, the bills’ language will make it so that rural communities bear the brunt of urban and suburban waste. The bills are straightforward. HB 2338 prohibits the new construction of a […]
Read More