Post by pfsc on May 1, 2013 20:12:07 GMT -5
Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee
5/1/13, 10:30 a.m., 461 Main Capitol
By Kimberly Hess, PLS
The committee met to consider bills.
SB 738 Yaw, Gene - (PN 823) The Natural Gas Consumer Access Act provides that each natural gas distribution utility submit a plan to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission within two years after a franchise territory is awarded that includes data on the service area. The commission will review the plan and implement periodic reviews of the distribution system. Natural gas distribution utilities will also provide residential, commercial and industrial customers with customer contribution criteria for extension and expansion, as well as notifications of its distribution system extension and expansion plan and customer contribution criteria once a year. - The bill was reported as amended with Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery) voting in the negative.
Chairman Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) explained the purpose of the bill is to require distribution system extension and expansion plans to increase natural gas usage in Pennsylvania. He explained the Center for Rural Pennsylvania held a hearing about two years ago on natural gas service and as the center investigated it was found that many pockets of population throughout Pennsylvania, even populous counties, do not have access to natural gas. He stated approximately 50 percent of Pennsylvanians do not have natural gas service.
A01295 by Yaw, updates that the report shall be issued within nine months, stipulates that the Public Utility Commission (PUC) shall hold information confidential at request of utility if deemed proprietary, keeps the customer contribution period at ten years or greater but allows for agreement of a lesser period of time, and requires the PUC to consider saturation rate and other characteristics of each utility during the plan approval process. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
Minority Chairman John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) offered his support for the intent of the bill, lamenting the lack of a comprehensive strategy to build out the natural gas market in Pennsylvania, and said he will support moving the bill out of committee. However, he expressed concern that the expansion is “squarely on the back of the customers,” explaining that businesses are looking for natural gas service to be in place before they will move to a location. He indicated he would like to see this addressed as the bill moves through the legislative process and said an amendment will be offered to create a $25 million fund to provide for such projects.
Sen. Jim Ferlo (D-Allegheny) noted his support for the legislation generally, but questioned why the committee is not waiting to receive a study on the issue and why a public hearing was not held on the legislation. Chairman Yaw confirmed the Center for Rural Pennsylvania is doing a study focused on the cost that people are willing to pay for conversion and indicated that he decided the two pieces could move forward together. Barry Denk, executive director of the center, said the center has contracted with a researcher to develop the survey and is in negotiations with a university to do the study. He said the center will consider geographic disparity in the study and is looking at in-house data on socio-demographics and economic information. Denk said the report must be submitted by August 1 and the center is on target to do so. Sen. Ferlo remarked his experience has been that situations get difficult once service line extensions begin. He explained some people along the route may be willing to pay, but others may not and cautioned that he does not want to see some ante up and others benefiting from that. He expressed his wish that a public hearing had been held on the legislation.
SB 739 Yaw, Gene - (PN 824) Amends the Alternative Energy Investment Act, allocating $15 million for grants to schools, hospitals and small businesses to obtain access to natural gas. The grants can provide for up to 50 percent of the cost of the project. Priority will be given to applications that will result in adjoining commercial or residential properties utilizing natural gas. - The bill was reported as amended with Sen. Ferlo and Sen. Leach voting in the negative.
Chairman Yaw explained the act provides a $25 million appropriation for alternative energy programs, but the money in that fund has not been utilized. His goal with the legislation is to amend the act to take $15 million of that and put it into projects to extend natural gas service. He said the program will focus on extensions to public buildings, such has hospitals and schools, with preference given to those that would serve residential or commercial customers along the route.
A00739 by Yaw, clarifies that this is not an additional appropriation of money. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
Sen. Ferlo remarked the fund was created with the hope that regulations would be forthcoming for high performance building grants, but that has not happened. He noted he has introduced legislation, SB 226, that would correct the act and open the program to residential homes. He remarked the fund has not been administered properly and that is why the money is still in the account.
SB 823 Brewster, Jim - (PN 863) Amends the Public School Code providing for Student Performance Measurement Advisory Commission. The bill provides the advisory commission is to be convened by the governor and provides for the required make up of the commission. The commission is supposed to use existing staff whenever possible and the Department of Education may only appropriate up to $300,000 for the commission. The purpose of the advisory commission, generally, is to evaluate current educational methods, means, and evaluations, determining their effectiveness and making recommendations for changes. - The bill was reported as committed with the suggestion that the bill be re-referred to the “appropriate committee.”
5/1/13, 10:30 a.m., 461 Main Capitol
By Kimberly Hess, PLS
The committee met to consider bills.
SB 738 Yaw, Gene - (PN 823) The Natural Gas Consumer Access Act provides that each natural gas distribution utility submit a plan to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission within two years after a franchise territory is awarded that includes data on the service area. The commission will review the plan and implement periodic reviews of the distribution system. Natural gas distribution utilities will also provide residential, commercial and industrial customers with customer contribution criteria for extension and expansion, as well as notifications of its distribution system extension and expansion plan and customer contribution criteria once a year. - The bill was reported as amended with Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery) voting in the negative.
Chairman Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) explained the purpose of the bill is to require distribution system extension and expansion plans to increase natural gas usage in Pennsylvania. He explained the Center for Rural Pennsylvania held a hearing about two years ago on natural gas service and as the center investigated it was found that many pockets of population throughout Pennsylvania, even populous counties, do not have access to natural gas. He stated approximately 50 percent of Pennsylvanians do not have natural gas service.
A01295 by Yaw, updates that the report shall be issued within nine months, stipulates that the Public Utility Commission (PUC) shall hold information confidential at request of utility if deemed proprietary, keeps the customer contribution period at ten years or greater but allows for agreement of a lesser period of time, and requires the PUC to consider saturation rate and other characteristics of each utility during the plan approval process. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
Minority Chairman John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) offered his support for the intent of the bill, lamenting the lack of a comprehensive strategy to build out the natural gas market in Pennsylvania, and said he will support moving the bill out of committee. However, he expressed concern that the expansion is “squarely on the back of the customers,” explaining that businesses are looking for natural gas service to be in place before they will move to a location. He indicated he would like to see this addressed as the bill moves through the legislative process and said an amendment will be offered to create a $25 million fund to provide for such projects.
Sen. Jim Ferlo (D-Allegheny) noted his support for the legislation generally, but questioned why the committee is not waiting to receive a study on the issue and why a public hearing was not held on the legislation. Chairman Yaw confirmed the Center for Rural Pennsylvania is doing a study focused on the cost that people are willing to pay for conversion and indicated that he decided the two pieces could move forward together. Barry Denk, executive director of the center, said the center has contracted with a researcher to develop the survey and is in negotiations with a university to do the study. He said the center will consider geographic disparity in the study and is looking at in-house data on socio-demographics and economic information. Denk said the report must be submitted by August 1 and the center is on target to do so. Sen. Ferlo remarked his experience has been that situations get difficult once service line extensions begin. He explained some people along the route may be willing to pay, but others may not and cautioned that he does not want to see some ante up and others benefiting from that. He expressed his wish that a public hearing had been held on the legislation.
SB 739 Yaw, Gene - (PN 824) Amends the Alternative Energy Investment Act, allocating $15 million for grants to schools, hospitals and small businesses to obtain access to natural gas. The grants can provide for up to 50 percent of the cost of the project. Priority will be given to applications that will result in adjoining commercial or residential properties utilizing natural gas. - The bill was reported as amended with Sen. Ferlo and Sen. Leach voting in the negative.
Chairman Yaw explained the act provides a $25 million appropriation for alternative energy programs, but the money in that fund has not been utilized. His goal with the legislation is to amend the act to take $15 million of that and put it into projects to extend natural gas service. He said the program will focus on extensions to public buildings, such has hospitals and schools, with preference given to those that would serve residential or commercial customers along the route.
A00739 by Yaw, clarifies that this is not an additional appropriation of money. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
Sen. Ferlo remarked the fund was created with the hope that regulations would be forthcoming for high performance building grants, but that has not happened. He noted he has introduced legislation, SB 226, that would correct the act and open the program to residential homes. He remarked the fund has not been administered properly and that is why the money is still in the account.
SB 823 Brewster, Jim - (PN 863) Amends the Public School Code providing for Student Performance Measurement Advisory Commission. The bill provides the advisory commission is to be convened by the governor and provides for the required make up of the commission. The commission is supposed to use existing staff whenever possible and the Department of Education may only appropriate up to $300,000 for the commission. The purpose of the advisory commission, generally, is to evaluate current educational methods, means, and evaluations, determining their effectiveness and making recommendations for changes. - The bill was reported as committed with the suggestion that the bill be re-referred to the “appropriate committee.”
