December 4, 2009

Neither chamber held session this week.  Negotiations are continuing on table games legislation.  The House has planned session for the weeks of December 7^th and 14th.  The Senate has scheduled session for the week of December 15th.

House Leaders have noted their intent to continue the focus on natural gas operations in 2010.  The focus will include the severance tax, the Minimum Royalty Act and other regulation of the industry.  Statewide hearings will be held by the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee as well as the House Democratic Policy Committee.  To read an article with some of the details, click here.

The Department of Environmental Protection has proposed updates to existing Erosion and Sediment Control regulations.  The comments of the Independent Regulatory Review Commission are due December 30^th.  To read the proposed regulation and public and legislative comments, click here.

At the annual meeting of the Marcellus Shale Committee the Committee re-organized as a non-profit and changed their name to the Marcellus Shale Coalition.  To read the announcement, click here.

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee has scheduled a hearing on the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources budget cuts and the leasing of State Forest Land for natural gas drilling on December 15th at 11:30 in Room 8E-B East Wing.