PRINTER'S NO. 15
No. 16 Special Session No. 1 of 2007-2008
INTRODUCED BY KING, DeWEESE, McCALL, CONKLIN, HARKINS,
BLACKWELL, BRENNAN, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GERBER,
HORNAMAN, LEACH, MAHONEY, MUNDY, M. O'BRIEN, McGEEHAN,
PASHINSKI, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SIPTROTH, WALKO, YOUNGBLOOD,
MURT, READSHAW, GEIST, RUBLEY, FABRIZIO AND JOSEPHS,
SEPTEMBER 24, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY,
SEPTEMBER 24, 2007
AN ACT
1 Establishing a State Energy Office and providing for its powers
2 and duties; and making related repeals.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the State Energy
7 Office Act.
8 Section 2. Definitions.
9 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
10 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
11 context clearly indicates otherwise:
12 "Council." An advisory council established under this act.
13 "Office." The State Energy Office established under this
14 act.
15 Section 3. Establishment.
1 The State Energy Office is established in the Governor's
2 Office to promote the goals of energy development and energy
3 conservation.
4 Section 4. Composition of office.
5 (a) Chairperson.--The Governor shall be the chairperson of
6 the office.
7 (b) Executive director and staff.--The Governor shall
8 designate an executive director and hire the staff of the office
9 in accordance with procedures of the Governor's Office of
10 Administration and Office of the Budget.
11 Section 5. Advisory council.
12 An advisory council shall be appointed by the Governor to be
13 composed of members of the General Assembly, the business and
14 transportation communities of this Commonwealth, public
15 officials and the general public. The purpose of the council is
16 to provide advice and assistance to the office on matters
17 affecting the State's energy situation. Advisory council members
18 shall be reimbursed for the expense of participating in advisory
19 council functions.
20 Section 6. Powers and duties of office.
21 The powers and duties of the office are as follows:
22 (1) To promote the development of this Commonwealth's
23 indigenous and renewable energy resources through programs
24 involving information and technical and financial assistance.
25 (2) To promote the efficient use of energy by the State
26 government and all sectors of this Commonwealth. Working with
27 the Governor's Green Government Council, the office shall
28 encourage energy efficiency and conservation through programs
29 providing information and technical and financial assistance.
30 The office shall also work with the Pennsylvania Public
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1 Utility Commission to develop specific programs to promote
2 energy efficiency for commercial, industrial and residential
3 consumers of deregulated utilities, such as natural gas and
4 electricity.
5 (3) To be the point of contact for private and
6 government energy matters and the lead Commonwealth agency
7 for energy policy development. The office shall regularly
8 update the Commonwealth's energy policy to determine new
9 opportunities for energy development and energy conservation.
10 (4) To be the primary manager and coordinator of Federal
11 energy grants, petroleum overcharge funds and private energy
12 grants.
13 (5) To assist in the review of energy-related plans,
14 programs, policies and regulations of other Commonwealth
15 agencies and to provide recommendations to further promote
16 energy development and energy conservation. The office is
17 authorized to intervene in energy-related proceedings of the
18 Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and other Federal or
19 State regulatory agencies.
20 (6) To monitor prices of petroleum and supplies of
21 petroleum products available for use in this Commonwealth to
22 determine whether there exists or is likely to exist a
23 shortage under section 2802-C(d) of the act of April 9, 1929
24 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929,
25 and to conduct emergency allocation measures during a period
26 of declared emergency petroleum product shortage under
27 section 2802-C of The Administrative Code of 1929. The office
28 shall also monitor the price and supply of energy to provide
29 information to the Governor on the changing impact of energy
30 prices on this Commonwealth's economy.
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1 (7) To assume the responsibilities assigned to the
2 Department of Environmental Protection under the act of June
3 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and
4 Natural Resources Act, which had been assigned to the
5 Pennsylvania Energy Office under prior statutes, regulations
6 and executive orders, including the administration of the
7 funds transferred to the department under section 507 of the
8 Conservation and Natural Resources Act.
9 (8) To promote the establishment of a regional strategic
10 heating oil and diesel fuel reserve in the Middle Atlantic
11 States and other programs that ensure that energy shortages
12 or price surges do not harm this Commonwealth's economy.
13 Section 7. Repeals.
14 Repeals are as follows:
15 (1) The General Assembly declares that the repeal under
16 paragraph (2) is necessary to effectuate the provisions of
17 this act.
18 (2) Sections 504, 507 and 508 of the act of June 28,
19 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural
20 Resources Act, are repealed.
21 Section 8. Effective date.
22 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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