PRINTER'S NO. 560
No. 88 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY HUTCHINSON, HARHART, ARGALL, ARMSTRONG, BARRAR,
BASTIAN, BENNINGHOFF, BOYD, BROWNE, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI,
CAUSER, CLYMER, CRAHALLA, DALLY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, EACHUS,
J. EVANS, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, FICHTER, FRANKEL, GEIST,
GEORGE, GERGELY, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARPER, HARRIS,
HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, JAMES, KILLION,
LEDERER, MACKERETH, McILHATTAN, MELIO, MILLARD, R. MILLER,
MUSTIO, NAILOR, O'NEILL, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, RAMALEY,
READSHAW, REED, REICHLEY, ROHRER, ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO,
SATHER, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SHANER, STERN,
R. STEVENSON, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TIGUE, TURZAI, WANSACZ,
WASHINGTON, YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK, FEBRUARY 15, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY,
FEBRUARY 15, 2005
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Establishing a task force to study issues concerning sewage
2 management and treatment at publicly owned treatment
3 facilities and systems throughout this Commonwealth,
4 providing for an advisory committee and directing the Joint
5 Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation
6 Committee to provide administrative support to the task
7 force.
8 WHEREAS, Approximately 9 million Pennsylvania citizens are
9 served by public sewage collection and treatment systems; and
10 WHEREAS, These systems represent tens of billions of dollars
11 in capital investment in plants, lines and other facilities; and
12 WHEREAS, These systems operate on a round-the-clock basis and
13 face significant challenges to meeting environmental compliance
14 standards under Federal and State laws and regulations; and
15 WHEREAS, These systems are often the largest environmental
1 operation in most Pennsylvania communities; and
2 WHEREAS, These systems protect public health and the
3 environment and are responsible for the discharge of clean,
4 treated water to the waters of this Commonwealth; and
5 WHEREAS, Many of these systems must manage aging
6 infrastructure, with upkeep or replacement costs in coming years
7 estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the
8 Department of Environmental Protection to be more than $8
9 billion; therefore be it
10 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
11 establish a sewage management and treatment task force comprised
12 of two members of the Senate, one appointed by the President pro
13 tempore of the Senate and one appointed by the leader of the
14 minority party, two members of the House of Representatives, one
15 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one
16 appointed by the leader of the minority party, and a chairman
17 chosen from their number; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the sewage management and treatment task force
19 conduct a comprehensive study and investigation of the
20 following:
21 (1) The findings set forth in the Environmental
22 Protection Agency's 2000 Clean Water Needs Survey as they
23 apply to sewage treatment systems in this Commonwealth.
24 (2) The ability of sewage treatment systems in this
25 Commonwealth to meet these survey compliance goals from
26 legal, technical and financial perspectives.
27 (3) The use of new, alternative or innovative technology
28 to achieve these goals;
29 and be it further
30 RESOLVED, That the sewage management and treatment task force
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1 hold hearings, take testimony and make its investigations in
2 such places within this Commonwealth as it deems necessary; and
3 be it further
4 RESOLVED, That an advisory committee be established by the
5 sewage management and treatment task force to assist in
6 gathering information, establishing facts and developing
7 recommendations concerning the future environmental compliance
8 of sewage treatment systems across this Commonwealth; and be it
9 further
10 RESOLVED, That this advisory committee be composed of
11 representatives from the following entities:
12 (1) Four members from the Department of Environmental
13 Protection, including at least two members from a regional
14 office water quality staff.
15 (2) Six members representing management or operations of
16 publicly owned sewage treatment systems.
17 (3) Six consulting engineers specializing in sewage
18 system treatment design and operation, one each from the six
19 geographic areas covered by the Department of Environmental
20 Protection regional offices.
21 (4) Two members with experience in public accounting,
22 finance or economics related to the design, construction,
23 operation or maintenance of sewage treatment systems.
24 (5) One member from the Environmental Protection Agency
25 Region III water quality staff.
26 (6) Any other members as deemed necessary at the
27 discretion of the chairman;
28 and be it further
29 RESOLVED, That the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution
30 Control and Conservation Committee be directed to provide
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1 sufficient staff and other administrative support to the sewage
2 management and treatment task force; and be it further
3 RESOLVED, That the sewage management and treatment task force
4 prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations
5 together with any necessary legislation and deliver it to the
6 General Assembly as soon as possible.
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