Environment

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SR 262: A Resolution recognizing the 56th celebration of "Earth Day" on April 22, 2026, in Pennsylvania.

Senate Resolution 262 is a commemorative measure that formally recognizes the 56th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2026, within Pennsylvania. The resolution highlights the history of the event and encourages residents to participate in environmental protection efforts aligned with the 2026 theme, 'Our Power, Our Planet.' This document does not create new laws or alter policies but serves to acknowledge the date and promote public awareness of environmental stewardship.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill promotes public awareness of environmental stewardship and encourages participation in Earth Day efforts.75% confidence

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 6, 2026

HB 2360: An Act establishing the Chesapeake Bay Grant-Only Compliance Program; imposing duties on the Department of Environmental Protection; providing for the prohibition of certain fees relating to municipal separate storm sewer system permit compliance and Chesapeake Bay requirements, for grants to fund compliance costs, for limitation on enforcement and for preemption; and making repeals.

HB 2360 creates the Chesapeake Bay Grant-Only Compliance Program to help Pennsylvania municipalities meet environmental rules for stormwater and the Chesapeake Bay without charging property owners fees. The bill prohibits local governments from levying charges to comply with these requirements and preempts any existing rules that allow such fees, while directing the Department of Environmental Protection to offer grants funded by federal, state, or other sources to cover compliance costs. Additionally, the state cannot enforce these environmental requirements against a local government unless there is enough grant money available to pay for 100% of the compliance expenses.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill funds compliance with Chesapeake Bay environmental rules via grants and prohibits fees, strengthening protection.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Water Quality

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 27, 2026

HB 2537: An Act amending the act of January 8, 1960 (1959 P.L.2119, No.787), known as the Air Pollution Control Act, further providing for penalties.

This Pennsylvania bill strengthens penalties for violating the state's Air Pollution Control Act, specifically targeting emissions of bad smells or odors. It mandates that anyone who willfully or negligently breaks air pollution rules faces a fine of at least $1,000 or up to two years in prison for each offense. For violations involving malodors, the law sets escalating fines of $150,000, $200,000, and $250,000 for the first, second, and third offenses respectively. Additionally, if a business fails to fix a malodor problem after 30 days, it must stop operations until the issue is resolved and approved by the Department of Environmental Resources. These changes apply to all individuals and entities operating within Pennsylvania and take effect 60 days after the bill is passed.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill strengthens penalties for air pollution violations, specifically targeting emissions of odors, thereby advancing environmental protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Air Quality

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 13, 2026

HB 2515: An Act providing for commercial data center transparency regarding energy use, water use and noise pollution; imposing duties on the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Transportation and the Office of Attorney General; and imposing civil penalties.

This bill, known as the Commercial Data Center Transparency Act, requires large data centers in Pennsylvania to publicly disclose their energy, water, and noise impacts. It specifically targets facilities with a peak power demand of 25 megawatts or more, mandating that applicants reveal details in their permit applications regarding water usage, wastewater, air quality, and transportation needs. The law also obligates these facilities to report specific water consumption data to the Department of Environmental Protection if they use more than 100,000 gallons per day or consume 20,000 gallons daily. To ensure compliance, the bill imposes civil penalties on entities that knowingly fail to make required disclosures or submit false information.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill mandates transparency for data center energy and water use, promoting efficiency and accountability in energy consumption.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill mandates transparency for data centers on energy, water, and noise, strengthening environmental oversight and resource conservation.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates transparency for data centers regarding energy and water use, promoting sustainability and environmental accountability for critical tech infrastructure.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Air Quality

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate May 1, 2026

SB 1317: An Act amending the act of November 23, 2010 (P.L.1083, No.108), known as the Covered Device Recycling Act, in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; in duties of manufacturers and retailers, further providing for sales prohibition, for registration and for manufacturer plan and reporting; and, in administration, further providing for duties of department, for annual report and for enforcement.

This bill updates Pennsylvania's Covered Device Recycling Act by clarifying definitions and expanding the range of electronic items subject to recycling requirements. It specifically adds smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and other personal electronics to the list of covered devices while removing mobile phones and landline telephones from the program. The legislation also establishes a sales prohibition mechanism that allows the Department of Environmental Protection to ban the sale of specific brands that fail to meet recycling obligations. Additionally, the bill increases the definition of a small business for program eligibility from 50 to 100 employees and requires manufacturers to report their market share and recycling plans.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill expands electronic recycling requirements to reduce e-waste and protect natural resources.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Recycling

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate May 7, 2026

SB 1322: An Act providing for solar-ready projects involving a warehouse or distribution center; authorizing tax exemptions and special tax provisions; imposing duties on the Department of Environmental Protection; and imposing penalties.

This bill requires new large-scale warehouses and distribution centers in Pennsylvania to be built as "solar-ready," meaning their roofs must be designed to easily accommodate solar panels with at least 40% of the area free from obstructions. To enforce this, the Department of Environmental Protection must ensure new projects include specific structural and electrical features, such as reinforced roofs and pre-installed wiring pathways, while denying waivers based on general costs or market factors. The only way to avoid these requirements is to prove that unique site conditions, like severe shading or poor soil, make compliance technically impossible or excessively expensive, a claim that must be supported by detailed engineering reports and independent cost estimates. Additionally, the legislation provides for tax exemptions on eligible solar retrofit costs and establishes penalties for non-compliance.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill authorizes tax exemptions and special provisions for solar-ready projects, promoting fiscal incentives for green infrastructure.75% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill mandates solar-ready infrastructure for warehouses, promoting renewable energy adoption and clean energy infrastructure.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill mandates solar-ready infrastructure for warehouses, promoting renewable energy adoption and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Solar

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 14, 2026

SB 925: 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, further providing for potential pollution.

This bill amends Pennsylvania's Clean Streams Law to allow construction sites disturbing between one and two acres to request a waiver for certain stormwater discharge permits. By referencing existing federal regulations, the legislation provides a formal mechanism for these smaller projects to bypass specific state permitting requirements. The change directly affects developers and landowners managing medium-sized construction projects, streamlining the regulatory process for them. The law takes effect 60 days after being passed.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill weakens environmental protections by allowing smaller construction sites to bypass stormwater discharge permit requirements, increasing potential for pollution.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Water Quality

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passed · Pennsylvania · Senate May 7, 2026

SB 1298: An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in inspection of vehicles, further providing for prohibition on expenditures for emission inspection program.

This bill updates Pennsylvania's vehicle inspection rules by exempting the newest model year vehicles from emission testing for five years and removing the gas cap test requirement for cars manufactured without one. While these newer cars are waived from emission checks, they must still undergo visual inspections to ensure emissions control parts have not been tampered with. Additionally, the legislation directs the state to stop spending money on the enhanced emission inspection program in several specific counties and to submit a revised plan to the federal government proving those areas can still meet air quality standards without it.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill reduces emission testing frequency and cuts funding for the inspection program, weakening environmental protections.85% confidence ✗ TransportationOpposes TransportationBill directs state to stop spending money on the enhanced emission inspection program, effectively cutting funding for a transportation safety initiative.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Air Quality Vehicle Registration

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate May 21, 2026

SB 1337: An Act amending the act of March 1, 1988 (P.L.82, No.16), known as the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority Act, further providing for financial assistance; and abrogating regulations.

Senate Bill 1337 modifies the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority Act to clarify how the state funds water quality projects. The bill specifically allows financial assistance for projects that align with the state's Nonpoint Source Management Program but explicitly prohibits using these funds to refinance existing projects. To support these changes, the legislation removes several outdated regulations that previously defined eligible costs and funding limits. The bill takes effect 60 days after being signed into law.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill provides financial assistance for water quality projects, increasing funding for essential public services.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill clarifies funding for water quality projects and removes outdated regulations, directly advancing environmental protection efforts.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Water Quality

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 13, 2026

HB 2516: An Act amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, in general provisions, further providing for definitions; in comprehensive plan, providing for comprehensive plan element for commercial data centers; and, in zoning, providing for zoning, commercial data centers and agricultural land protections and for zoning, commercial data centers, approval procedure and minimum standards.

This bill directs Pennsylvania municipalities to update their planning and zoning laws to specifically regulate large commercial data centers, which are defined as facilities with a peak power demand of 25 megawatts or more. It requires local comprehensive plans to identify suitable sites near existing infrastructure while explicitly protecting prime agricultural land and areas under conservation easements from such development. Additionally, the legislation establishes minimum standards for any data center zoning, including mandatory setbacks of 2,500 feet from residential areas and 300 feet from public roads, along with rules for noise, lighting, water usage, and site restoration. Local governments retain the authority to adopt stricter regulations but must follow these baseline requirements if they choose to permit these facilities.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill regulates data centers to protect agricultural land and ensure infrastructure readiness, supporting sustainable energy infrastructure development.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill explicitly protects prime agricultural land and conservation easements from commercial data center development.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation

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