WARNING – EXTENDED ANALOGY: An architect wants to build a house in a new development, but is told two contractors must be hired to complete the job.
MORE »The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments related to its December, 2013 decision regarding the state’s Act 13. In an order just published, the court determined that it would take up several unresolved issues, but it would not revisit its interpretation of article 1, section 27 of the state constitution, also known as the Environmental Rights Amendment. In the Court’s 2013 decision, it ruled that it would be unconstitutional for the state to preempt local zoning decisions.
MORE »Senate Republicans last week attempted another override of Governor Wolf’s veto of the Emergency Funding Budget, but fell three votes short on a 30-19 vote.
MORE »State Democrats are gleeful after winning all five statewide judicial races this week. The State Supreme Court, which has been controlled by Republican judges by a 4-3 majority for most of the last decade, will now be controlled by Democrats who have a 5-2 majority now, and apparent control of the court for at least ten years. But Republicans picked up a State Senate Seat, expanding their control in the upper chamber to 31-19.
MORE »During a six hour session in which a litany of legislators debated the impacts that Wolf’s new tax plan would have on the Commonwealth’s citizens and businesses, it was clear that most weren’t swayed from the original vote they cast almost 100 days ago.
MORE »Projects and programs geared toward environmental education are now eligible to apply for grants from the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Environmental Education Grants. Schools, colleges and universities, county conservation districts, nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and businesses can to apply for the grants. The application period runs through December 18.
MORE »Andrew G. Place joined the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission on October 1, 2015, one day after receiving the unanimous approval of the Pennsylvania Senate. Commissioner Place was nominated by Gov. Wolf in May and his term will continue until April 1, 2020.
MORE »A Cumberland County judge has sided with Sunoco Pipeline against three landowners who challenged the company’s right to exercise eminent domain over their property in order to construct a second natural gas pipeline.
MORE »A group of Ohio’s legislators want to freeze attempts at a green energy standard indefinitely. Current standards require utilities to cut energy use by 22 percent and increase the use of renewable energy sources by 12.5 percent by 2025.
MORE »House lawmakers have worked for months with an agreement between Republican and Democratic leaders of the Energy and Commerce Committee that they would agree on all changes proposed on the next energy bill. But last week, with Democrats insisting on stronger climate change language, Chairman Fred Upton turned off the lights on any broad bipartisan agreement on an energy strategy that included four titles. The result is probably the death of any possibility Congress can pass the first major update in energy legislation since 2007.
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