PRINTER'S NO. 41
No. 36 Special Session No. 1 of 2007-2008
INTRODUCED BY GEORGE, BELFANTI, BENNINGTON, BRENNAN, CASORIO, DeLUCA, FABRIZIO, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HORNAMAN, JOSEPHS, KOTIK, KULA, LEVDANSKY, MARKOSEK, McGEEHAN, McILHATTAN, McILVAINE SMITH, PETRONE, RUBLEY, SHIMKUS, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, SURRA, THOMAS, WALKO, YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK, OCTOBER 25, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, OCTOBER 25, 2007
AN ACT 1 Establishing the State Energy Office and an advisory council; 2 and imposing duties on the State Energy Office. 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 "Commission." The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. 13 "Department." The Department of Environmental Protection of 14 the Commonwealth. 15 "Office." The State Energy Office established under section
1 3. 2 "Secretary." The Secretary of Environmental Protection of 3 the Commonwealth. 4 Section 3. The State Energy Office. 5 The State Energy Office is established in the Department of 6 Environmental Protection to promote the goals of energy 7 development and energy conservation. 8 Section 4. Composition of office. 9 The secretary shall designate an executive director and hire 10 the staff of the office in accordance with procedures of the 11 department. 12 Section 5. Advisory council. 13 An advisory council to the office is established. The 14 Governor shall appoint persons to the council who shall be 15 members of the General Assembly, the business and transportation 16 community of this Commonwealth, public officials and the general 17 public. The purpose of the council is to provide advice and 18 assistance to the office on matters affecting the State's energy 19 situation. The members shall be reimbursed for the expense of 20 participating in council functions. 21 Section 6. Powers and duties of office. 22 The powers and duties of the office are as follows: 23 (1) To promote the development of this Commonwealth's 24 indigenous and renewable energy resources through programs 25 involving information and technical and financial assistance. 26 (2) To assist the Department of General Services in 27 promoting the efficient use of energy by the State government 28 and all sectors of this Commonwealth. Working with the 29 Governor's Green Government Council, the office will 30 encourage energy efficiency and conservation through programs 20071H0036B0041 - 2 -
1 providing information and technical and financial assistance. 2 The office will also work with the commission to develop 3 specific programs to promote energy efficiency for 4 commercial, industrial and residential consumers of 5 deregulated utilities, such as natural gas and electricity. 6 (3) To be the point of contact for private and 7 government energy matters and the lead Commonwealth agency 8 for energy policy development. The office will regularly 9 update the Commonwealth's energy policy to determine new 10 opportunities for energy development and energy conservation. 11 (4) To be the primary manager and coordinator of Federal 12 energy grants, petroleum overcharge funds and private energy 13 grants. 14 (5) To assist the Department of General Services in the 15 review of energy-related plans, programs, policies and 16 regulations of Commonwealth agencies and to provide 17 recommendations to further promote energy development and 18 energy conservation. The office is authorized to intervene in 19 energy-related proceedings of the commission and other 20 Federal or State regulatory agencies. 21 (6) To monitor prices of petroleum and supplies of 22 petroleum products available for use in this Commonwealth to 23 determine whether there exists or is likely to exist an 24 emergency shortage under section 2802-C(d) of the act of 25 April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative 26 Code of 1929, and to conduct emergency allocation measures 27 during a period of declared emergency petroleum product 28 shortage under section 2802-C of The Administrative Code of 29 1929. The office will also monitor the price and supply of 30 energy to provide information to the Governor on the changing 20071H0036B0041 - 3 -
1 impact of energy prices on the Commonwealth's economy. 2 (7) To assume the responsibilities assigned to the 3 Department of Environmental Protection under the act of June 4 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and 5 Natural Resources Act, which had been assigned to the office 6 under prior statutes, regulations and executive orders, 7 including the administration of the funds transferred to the 8 department under section 507 of that act. 9 (8) To promote the establishment of a regional strategic 10 heating oil and diesel fuel reserve in the mid-Atlantic 11 states and other programs that ensure that energy shortages 12 or price surges do not harm the Commonwealth's economy. 13 Section 7. Effective date. 14 This act shall take effect in 60 days. J24L71BIL/20071H0036B0041 - 4 -