Environment (Water Quality)

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 22, 2025

HB 235: An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in municipal authorities, further providing for purposes and powers.

HB 235 amends Pennsylvania law to allow municipal stormwater authorities to establish rates based on property characteristics, such as the installation and maintenance of approved stormwater management practices. The bill specifically permits authorities to set rates considering features like land use, while requiring practices to be approved and inspected by the authority. It also includes an exception for agricultural operations, allowing rates to be based on USDA or state-approved conservation practices. This change gives local governments more flexibility in funding stormwater management programs through targeted rate structures.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill requires municipal stormwater authorities to use approved management practices with inspections, promoting pollution control and conservation through rate structures tied to land use.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Water Quality

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 24, 2025

HB 708: An Act amending the act of May 1, 1984 (P.L.206, No.43), known as the Pennsylvania Safe Drinking Water Act, further providing for powers and duties of department.

HB 708 amends Pennsylvania's Safe Drinking Water Act to clarify the Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) authority in enforcing drinking water standards. The bill requires the DEP to establish a permit program for new or substantially modified public water systems, ensuring these systems meet federal drinking water standards in both design and operation. It also specifies that the DEP can require public water systems to provide monitoring data and allows for delegation of enforcement duties to local health departments under DEP oversight. These changes directly affect the DEP, public water systems, and local health departments by defining clearer enforcement procedures for drinking water safety.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAmends Safe Drinking Water Act to strengthen DEP enforcement of federal standards, requiring permits and monitoring for public water systems to ensure compliance with environmental protection requirements.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Drinking Water Water Quality

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 20, 2025

HB 673: An Act providing for protection of existing riparian buffers, for restoration of impaired riparian buffers, for exemptions, for municipal authority, for powers and duties of Department of Environmental Protection, for property inspections, for delegation to a municipality, for municipal action appeals, for penalties, civil action and liability for costs and for effect on other Commonwealth laws or regulations and municipal ordinances.

HB 673, the Riparian Buffer Protection Act, requires property owners and developers to protect existing natural vegetation buffers along rivers and streams and restore damaged buffers. It defines "natural riparian buffers" as vegetation providing ecosystem benefits (like filtering pollution, preventing erosion, and supporting wildlife) and prohibits land development that creates impervious cover (such as roads, driveways, or concrete) within these buffer zones. Municipalities gain authority to issue permits for development, inspect properties, and enforce rules, with penalties for violations. The law also clarifies how it interacts with existing state environmental regulations and local ordinances.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates protection/restoration of riparian buffers to filter pollution, prevent erosion, and support wildlife, directly strengthening environmental regulations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Water Quality Wildlife

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 871: An Act amending the act of June 22, 1937 (P.L.1987, No.394), known as The Clean Streams Law, in other pollutions and potential pollution, providing for notice of discharge endangering public health or environment.

HB 871 requires anyone who spills, discharges, or releases an unpermitted substance into Pennsylvania waters (or areas likely to reach them) to notify the state environmental department if the discharge could harm public health or the environment. The bill mandates that the Environmental Quality Board create specific, publicly reviewed thresholds for determining when notice is required within 180 days, and finalize these regulations within 365 days. It directly affects businesses, industries, and others handling substances that could pollute waterways. The law changes existing pollution rules by adding this notice obligation, rather than altering pollution limits or penalties.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRequires notification for unpermitted discharges endangering environment, mandates thresholds for public health/environment protection, strengthening Clean Streams Law.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Water Quality

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 870: An Act amending the act of October 4, 1978 (P.L.864, No.167), known as the Storm Water Management Act, further providing for watershed storm water plans and contents.

This bill amends Pennsylvania's Storm Water Management Act to allow municipal roadmasters to redirect or modify road projects in specific watershed areas to reduce storm water impacts. It directly affects local municipalities and their roadmasters, giving them flexibility in planning road infrastructure within designated watershed zones. The key change adds a new provision (Section 5(d)) requiring watershed storm water plans to include options for road project adjustments, without creating new regulations or funding. The amendment takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill requires watershed plans to include road project adjustments reducing storm water impacts, strengthening watershed protection under existing storm water management framework.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill grants roadmasters flexibility to adjust road projects in watersheds for storm water mitigation, enabling smoother infrastructure planning without restricting road development.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Water Quality Roads & Highways

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 872: An Act amending the act of October 4, 1978 (P.L.864, No.167), known as the Storm Water Management Act, further providing for watershed storm water plans and contents.

This bill requires Pennsylvania counties to develop and update storm water management plans for every watershed within their borders. Counties must create these plans within two years of the environmental department issuing guidelines and review and revise them at least every five years. Municipalities without public water or sewer systems are exempt from participating in the plans. The bill specifies deadlines and regular review intervals for existing county plans under the Storm Water Management Act.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates counties to develop and update watershed storm water plans to prevent pollution, aligning with environmental protection and pollution control indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Water Quality

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 12, 2025

HB 578: An Act amending the act of May 1, 1984 (P.L.206, No.43), known as the Pennsylvania Safe Drinking Water Act, providing for maximum contaminant levels.

HB 578 sets a new maximum contaminant level of 10 parts per trillion for specific PFAS chemicals (including PFOA and PFOS) in public drinking water systems across Pennsylvania. This directly affects municipal water providers and the residents who rely on tap water, requiring them to meet this stricter standard. The bill establishes this limit unless federal or state agencies set a higher standard, in which case those standards would take precedence. Water systems must comply with this level, and the Department of Environmental Protection must publish any federal/state standards in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentSets stricter PFAS limits (10 ppb) in drinking water, directly strengthening pollution control and environmental protection under the Safe Drinking Water Act.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareSets stricter PFAS limits in drinking water to prevent health risks, directly protecting public health as a healthcare-related measure.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drinking Water Water Quality

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passed · Pennsylvania · Senate Mar 31, 2025

SB 404: An Act amending the act of November 26, 1978 (P.L.1375, No.325), known as the Dam Safety and Encroachments Act, providing for county conservation district stream reconstruction emergency permit authorizations.

SB 404 allows Pennsylvania county conservation districts to obtain special permission from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to issue emergency permits for stream reconstruction after floods. It directly affects counties (through their conservation districts) and communities impacted by flood damage by enabling faster restoration of natural waterways. The bill creates a process where counties must first get DEP approval for their stream reconstruction plans based on scientific standards, then use those approved plans to issue emergency permits for specific flood-related repairs. The DEP retains authority for other emergency waterway permits and maintains oversight through review and appeal processes. This change aims to speed up recovery efforts while ensuring projects meet environmental standards.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEnables faster stream reconstruction after floods via DEP-approved scientific plans, directly restoring natural waterways and protecting ecosystems as part of environmental conservation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Conservation Water Quality

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 20, 2025

HB 680: An Act amending the act of June 22, 1937 (P.L.1987, No.394), known as The Clean Streams Law, in procedure and enforcement, further providing for summary proceedings.

HB 680 amends Pennsylvania's Clean Streams Law to clarify enforcement procedures for pollution cases. It specifies that cases involving sewage, industrial waste, or pollution can be filed either by the Attorney General or directly before district justices in the county where the offense occurred or the public was affected. This change simplifies the court process for environmental enforcement by streamlining jurisdiction and clarifying who represents the Commonwealth in appeals. The bill affects how pollution violations are handled in Pennsylvania courts, with no new environmental requirements.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAmends Clean Streams Law to clarify and streamline pollution enforcement procedures, making it easier to file cases for sewage/industrial waste violations and strengthening regulatory implementation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Water Quality

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Nov 17, 2025

HB 1308: An Act amending Titles 27 (Environmental Resources) and 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for storm water management; and, in municipal authorities, further providing for definitions and for purposes and powers.

HB 1308 updates Pennsylvania's storm water management rules by amending environmental (Title 27) and municipal (Title 53) statutes. It requires municipalities to implement new storm water management plans for new construction and development projects, directly affecting local governments and developers. The bill establishes standardized requirements for managing runoff to protect water quality, including updated definitions and procedures for municipal authorities. These changes aim to modernize how communities address storm water pollution under state law.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill mandates storm water management plans to protect water quality, strengthening environmental regulations under Title 27.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Water Quality

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