THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY GEORGE, ARGALL, BELFANTI, CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, EACHUS, FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, GOODMAN, HARHAI, HARKINS, HENNESSEY, HESS, HORNAMAN, JOSEPHS, KORTZ, KOTIK, LONGIETTI, MUNDY, MURT, M. O'BRIEN, SIPTROTH, K. SMITH, STABACK, WALKO AND WANSACZ, APRIL 23, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, APRIL 23, 2009  

AN ACT

Authorizing municipalities and the Department of Environmental

Protection to conduct sewage sludge testing on certain lands;

and providing for reports to the General Assembly.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Sewage Sludge

Testing Act.

Section 2.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Department."  The Department of Environmental Protection of

the Commonwealth.

Section 3.  Sewage sludge testing.

(a)  Authorization to municipalities.--A municipality may

adopt an ordinance or resolution authorizing the municipality to

conduct tests of land for the application of sewage sludge and

providing that the expense of the tests shall be paid by:

(1)  the entity that applied the sewage sludge;

(2)  the owner of the land; or

(3)  the transporter of the sewage sludge.

(b)  Authorization to department.--Upon written complaint of

any person, the department may enter upon any land in this

Commonwealth and conduct tests of the land for the application

of sewage sludge without prior notice to the owner of the land.

Section 4.  Reports.

The department shall submit an annual report to the General

Assembly on the complaints received and the testing conducted by

the department under this act.

Section 5.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.