PRINTER'S NO. 1051
No. 77 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY KASUNIC, MELLOW, O'PAKE, WAGNER, MUSTO, STOUT, FUMO, WOZNIAK, COSTA, HUGHES, BODACK, KUKOVICH, LAVALLE, BOSCOLA, LOGAN, KITCHEN, SCHWARTZ, STACK, TARTAGLIONE AND WILLIAMS, MAY 24, 2001
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MAY 24, 2001
A RESOLUTION 1 Urging the Governor to reestablish the Pennsylvania Energy 2 Office. 3 WHEREAS, Traditionally, residents of Pennsylvania have always 4 been large consumers of petroleum products; and 5 WHEREAS, Even with the increased use of alternative energy 6 sources, oil is used as a heating source for over 1 million 7 homes in this Commonwealth; and 8 WHEREAS, Pennsylvanians experienced mild winter temperatures 9 during the preceding decade and were unprepared for the 10 unusually cold temperatures encountered this past winter; and 11 WHEREAS, The unusually cold winter combined with the 12 reduction in the production of oil by foreign petroleum 13 suppliers has caused home heating oil prices to increase 14 dramatically since the fall, almost tripling in price; and 15 WHEREAS, The continued rise in oil prices has affected the 16 price of other petroleum distillates; and 17 WHEREAS, The cost of diesel fuel has increased drastically,
1 causing a disruption in the trucking industry which will lead to 2 increased cost to consumers for all goods in the marketplace; 3 and 4 WHEREAS, It is predicted that gasoline prices may rise to 5 $3.00 a gallon by the summer; and 6 WHEREAS, In 1974, in response to the oil embargo, the 7 Governor's Energy Council was established; and 8 WHEREAS, The council was replaced in 1987 by the Pennsylvania 9 Energy Office as an agency under the direction of the Governor 10 and chaired by the Lieutenant Governor; and 11 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Energy Office and its predecessor, 12 the Governor's Energy Council, were established to provide 13 resources and information on energy and energy alternatives and 14 were also responsible for monitoring supplies of petroleum 15 products; and 16 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Energy Office was disbanded in 1995 17 by Governor Thomas J. Ridge through Executive Order 1995-4; and 18 WHEREAS, The responsibilities of the Pennsylvania Energy 19 Office have been fragmented and assigned to several agencies, 20 including the Department of Environmental Protection, the 21 Governor's Policy Office and the Pennsylvania Emergency 22 Management Agency (PEMA); and 23 WHEREAS, In Executive Order 1995-4, Governor Ridge authorized 24 PEMA, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Mark Schweiker, to assume 25 the responsibility for monitoring supplies of petroleum products 26 in order to protect the health and safety of Pennsylvania 27 citizens and to prevent the interruption of supplies of 28 petroleum products; and 29 WHEREAS, PEMA has failed to monitor the supplies of petroleum 30 products and to provide any forecast on a shortage of the oil 20010S0077R1051 - 2 -
1 supply or increase in oil prices to the consumers of 2 Pennsylvania; and 3 WHEREAS, Interruptions in the supply of petroleum products to 4 Pennsylvania residents have occurred in the past and may occur 5 again in the future; and 6 WHEREAS, A central office is needed to provide information on 7 energy supplies and alternative resources in order to prevent 8 interruptions in petroleum supplies; and 9 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Energy Office proved to be an 10 efficient and effective resource in providing such information 11 which is vital to the health and welfare of the citizens of 12 Pennsylvania; therefore be it 13 RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the need for a central 14 office to implement energy programs which have long-term 15 positive impacts on the Commonwealth and its residents; and be 16 it further 17 RESOLVED, That the Senate urge Governor Thomas J. Ridge to 18 use the executive power granted to him by the Constitution of 19 Pennsylvania and the laws of this Commonwealth to reestablish 20 the Pennsylvania Energy Office, with all the duties and 21 responsibilities empowered to the office prior to its 1995 22 disbanding; and be it further 23 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to 24 the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor. E21L82JAM/20010S0077R1051 - 3 -