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For Immediate Release
October 8, 2008
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Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee Extends
Review of Water Quality, Diesel Truck Idling Regulations
Urges
IRRC to Disapprove Water Quality Regulation
Harrisburg – Senator Mary
Jo White (R-21), chairman of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy
Committee, announced today that the Committee has unanimously approved extending
its review of two regulations proposed by the Environmental Quality Board (EQB).
The regulations affected include
the Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards, and the Diesel Truck Idling
rulemaking. The Committee took the additional step of urging the Independent
Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) to reject the Triennial Review of Water
Quality Standards after several legislators expressed doubts and concerns over
DEP's proposal to establish a discharge standard for molybdenum. The General
Assembly is also expected to vote on a bill sponsored by Senator Pat Browne (SB
295) which would address the issue of diesel truck idling through legislation.
Under the approvals, the
Committee will have an additional 14 days to review the regulation after IRRC
acts on the rulemakings, which are tentatively scheduled for IRRC's November 20,
2008 meeting. The EQB – the regulatory arm of the Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) – is prohibited from finalizing the regulations until after the
Committee's extended review expires. Since the General Assembly will adjourn on
November 30th, the Committee's review period will extend into
February 2009. The regulations were submitted to the Committee by DEP for its
consideration on October 7, 2008.
Additional information is available on the
Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee's website at
www.senatormjwhite.com/environmental.htm.
Contact:
Patrick Henderson
(717) 787-9684
or
energy@pasen.gov
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