Lawmakers Blast Penn State For Anti-War Activist’s Visit
Fixing Pensions: Varied Opinions With Common Threads
Click Here for Today's PA Environmental News
Fixing Pensions: Varied Opinions With Common Threads
March 25, 2015
March 24, 2015
Budget Hearings: Senate GOP Looks To Change Pensions For Current Workers
At the Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearing Monday with the State Employee and School Employee Pension Systems, Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), Majority Cair, suggested changing the pension system for existing employees.
That was followed up later by Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre) Senate Majority Leader speaking at the PA Press Club who said he had 30 votes now for the proposal, which was first suggested by Gov. Corbett, but rejected by Republicans.
On the question of whether changing an existing employee’s pension would be an impairment of an employment contract, Sen. Corman said we could always go back if we need to.
Sen. Corman also said Gov. Wolf’s plan for floating a $3 billion bond to make a payment on the state’s unfunded pension obligations was turning soft debt into hard debt and asked how the state could again go to Wall Street for money without making substantive changes.
As a final point on the issue, Sen. Corman linked action on pension reform to enacting a state budget for next fiscal year saying, “No other issues will be discussed until there is real, substantive pension reform.”
State Employee and School Employee Pension Systems appeared at both the Senate and House Appropriations Committee Monday.
Click Here for a copy of the School Employee Pension System written testimony. Click Here for a copy of the State Employee Pension System testimony.
Click Here to watch a video of the Senate hearing.
Written testimony and a video of each House hearing will be posted on the Republican House Appropriations Committee webpage. Information about Senate budget hearings are posted on the Senate Republican Caucus website.
March 23, 2015
March 22, 2015
March 21, 2015
March 20, 2015
March 23 PA Environment Digest Now Available
The March 23 PA Environment Digest is now available. Click Here to print entire Digest.
Budget Hearing: DCNR Infrastructure Backlog Reduced By $400 Million In 2 Years
Acting DCNR Secretary Cindy Dunn told the House Appropriations Committee Monday the backlog of infrastructure projects in State Parks and Forests was now about $600 million thanks to a combination of funding sources including the Capital Budget, Enhance Penns Woods and others
In 2013, then DCNR Secretary Richard Allan told the Committee during his budget hearing there was a $1 billion infrastructure backlog.
DEP CAC: DEP To Have Lower Susquehanna Impairment Recommendation Late 2015
DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council was told Tuesday the agency plans to have a recommendation on whether the Lower Susquehanna River should be designated as impaired by the end of 2015.
Josh Lookenbill, DEP Bureau of Point and Non-Point Source Management, briefed Council on the Lower Susquehanna River Study DEP and the Fish and Boat Commission started in 2012 in an attempt to determine why smallmouth bass populations were declining and in some cases developing lesions.
CBF: New EPA Report Examines State Oversight Of Agriculture Programs In PA
New reports from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency examine state programs overseeing animal agricultural facilities as well as actions undertaken by Virginia and Pennsylvania to reduce pollution from agriculture.
The reports found that while both states have pieces in place to support pollution reductions, both states have significant deficiencies that will have to be rectified if cleanup goals are to be achieved.
Shell Meets All 15 Center For Sustainable Shale Development Performance Standards
The Center for Sustainable Shale Development in Pittsburgh, a collaborative of environmental organizations and energy companies that encourages responsible practices in development of shale gas resources in the Appalachian region, announced Wednesday it has certified Shell’s SWEPI LP Appalachian operations as having successfully completed the Center’s rigorous evaluation and verification process.
PA Environmental Council Calls For Overhaul Of Act 54 Longwall Mining Law
On Tuesday, PA Environmental Council President and CEO Davitt Woodwell delivered the following comments to the DEP Citizens Advisory Council on the most recent five year report on the effects of underground coal mining—
DEP: Harrisburg Peregrine Falcons Produce Clutch Of Eggs
The pair of peregrine falcons that nest on a ledge of DEP's headquarters in Harrisburg have produced three eggs so far. The first egg arrived March 14. The female typically lays an egg every other day until the "clutch" is complete.
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