PRINTER'S NO. 737
No. 644 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY McCALL, BELARDI, BROWNE, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CORRIGAN, DALEY, DeWEESE, FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GERGELY, GOOD, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HALUSKA, JOSEPHS, LEACH, MANN, PETRARCA, PRESTON, READSHAW, RUBLEY, STABACK, THOMAS, TIGUE, WALKO AND YOUNGBLOOD, MARCH 1, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MARCH 1, 2005
AN ACT 1 Establishing a State Energy Office and providing for its powers 2 and duties; and making 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. 16 The State Energy Office is established in the Governor's
1 Office to promote the goals of energy development and energy 2 conservation. 3 Section 4. Composition of office. 4 (a) Chairperson.--The Governor shall be the chairperson of 5 the office. 6 (b) Executive director and staff.--The Governor shall 7 designate an executive director and hire the staff of the office 8 in accordance with procedures of the Governor's Office of 9 Administration and of the Office of the Budget. 10 Section 5. Advisory council. 11 An advisory council shall be appointed by the Governor to be 12 composed of members of the General Assembly, the business and 13 transportation communities of this Commonwealth, public 14 officials and the general public. The purpose of the council is 15 to provide advice and assistance to the office on matters 16 affecting the State's energy situation. Advisory council members 17 shall be reimbursed for the expense of participating in advisory 18 council functions. 19 Section 6. Powers and duties of office. 20 The powers and duties of the office are as follows: 21 (1) To promote the development of this Commonwealth's 22 indigenous and renewable energy resources through programs 23 involving information and technical and financial assistance. 24 (2) To promote the efficient use of energy by the State 25 government and all sectors of this Commonwealth. Working with 26 the Governor's Green Government Council, the office shall 27 encourage energy efficiency and conservation through programs 28 providing information and technical and financial assistance. 29 The office shall also work with the Pennsylvania Public 30 Utility Commission to develop specific programs to promote 20050H0644B0737 - 2 -
1 energy efficiency for commercial, industrial and residential 2 consumers of deregulated utilities, such as natural gas and 3 electricity. 4 (3) To be the point of contact for private and 5 government energy matters and the lead Commonwealth agency 6 for energy policy development. The office shall regularly 7 update the Commonwealth's energy policy to determine new 8 opportunities for energy development and energy conservation. 9 (4) To be the primary manager and coordinator of Federal 10 energy grants, petroleum overcharge funds and private energy 11 grants. 12 (5) To assist in the review of energy-related plans, 13 programs, policies and regulations of other Commonwealth 14 agencies and to provide recommendations to further promote 15 energy development and energy conservation. The office is 16 authorized to intervene in energy-related proceedings of the 17 Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and other Federal or 18 State regulatory agencies. 19 (6) To monitor prices of petroleum and supplies of 20 petroleum products available for use in this Commonwealth to 21 determine whether there exists or is likely to exist a 22 shortage under section 2802-C(d) of the act of April 9, 1929 23 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, 24 and to conduct emergency allocation measures during a period 25 of declared emergency petroleum product shortage under 26 section 2802-C of The Administrative Code of 1929. The office 27 shall also monitor the price and supply of energy to provide 28 information to the Governor on the changing impact of energy 29 prices on this Commonwealth's economy. 30 (7) To assume the responsibilities assigned to the 20050H0644B0737 - 3 -
1 Department of Environmental Protection under the act of June 2 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and 3 Natural Resources Act, which had been assigned to the 4 Pennsylvania Energy Office under prior statutes, regulations 5 and executive orders, including the administration of the 6 funds transferred to the department under section 507 of the 7 Conservation and Natural Resources Act. 8 (8) To promote the establishment of a regional strategic 9 heating oil and diesel fuel reserve in the mid-Atlantic 10 states and other programs that ensure that energy shortages 11 or price surges do not harm this Commonwealth's economy. 12 Section 7. Repeals. 13 Sections 504, 507 and 508 of the act of June 28, 1995 14 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural Resources 15 Act, are repealed. 16 Section 8. Effective date. 17 This act shall take effect in 60 days. A3L27RLE/20050H0644B0737 - 4 -