Adjust Text Size

For Immediate Release
03/15/05
Back to Releases

Environmental effort moves forward

House Bill 2 clears Senate Environmental Resources Committee

The effort to begin a new series of environmental improvement initiatives moved forward today (March 15) with Senate committee approval of a measure that would provide for a voter referendum, according to Senator John Pippy, R-37th District.

House Bill 2 would authorize a ballot question on a bond issue to pay for a series of environmental protection and preservation programs.  The bill was approved by the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, according to Senator Pippy, who, as a member of the committee, voted in favor of the legislation.

"This is certainly a positive step forward because the bill is now before the full Senate for final action," Senator Pippy said. "I hope that we can come to a final agreement on the various points within the bill quickly and put the ballot question before the voters as soon as possible."

As it now stands, HB 2 creates the Green PA Bond Act proposing a voter question for the purpose of incurring indebtedness of up to $800 million in annual increments not to exceed $115 million. The final amount of the proposed bond is still a matter of discussion between the Legislature and the Governor's Administration, Senator Pippy added.

While the amount of the bond remains to be determined, the proposed initiatives that would be funded by it include open space preservation, watershed protection, abandoned mine reclamation, and acid mine drainage remediation, Senator Pippy explained.

The ballot question would go to the voters during the next election following the enactment of the HB 2.

Contact:   Matt Campion   412.262.2260