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    Environmental policy in Pennsylvania

    From Ballotpedia - Reading time: 12 min
    Public Policy Logo-one line.pngin Pennsylvania

    Environmental policy in Pennsylvania
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    Endangered species in Pennsylvania


    Environmental policy aims to conserve natural resources by balancing environmental protection with economic growth, property rights, public health, and energy production. Federal, state, and local government entities develop and implement environmental policies through laws and regulations. This page features information about environmental policy in Pennsylvania.

    Environmental governance in Pennsylvania[edit]

    • The Pennsylvania General Assembly has a joint standing committee on conservation. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has a standing committee on environmental resources and energy. The Pennsylvania State Senate has a standing committee on environmental resources and energy.
    • The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection oversees the state's environmental policy. Its stated mission is "to protect Pennsylvania's air, land and water from pollution and to provide for the health and safety of its citizens through a cleaner environment." The department includes divisions dedicated to water, air, radiation and remediation, water management, active and abandoned mine operations, and oil and natural gas management.[1][2]
    • The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is tasked with "maintaining and preserving the 120 state parks; managing the 2.2 million acres of state forest land; providing information on the state's ecological and geologic resources; and establishing community conservation partnerships with grants and technical assistance to benefit rivers, trails, greenways, local parks and recreation, regional heritage parks, open space and natural areas." The department was founded in 1995.[3]

    Environmental budget[edit]

    See also: Environmental spending in the 50 states

    The table below features annual budget information for the departments of conservation and natural resources and environmental protection from 2011 to 2023:

    Environmental and natural resources budget in Pennsylvania, 2011-2023
    Fiscal year Total spending
    2023 Pending
    2022 $1,603,707,000 (available)
    2021 $1,603,327,000
    2020 $1,226,587,000
    2019 $1,212,950,000
    2018 $1,102,137,000
    2017 $1,065,360,000
    2016 $1,064,402,000
    2015 $997,858,000
    2014 $956,811,000
    2013 $915,311,000
    2012 $956,409,000
    2011 $877,936,000
    Source: Pennsylvania Office of the Budget

    Air[edit]

    Clean Air Act[edit]

    See also: Implementation of the Clean Air Act

    The Clean Air Act is a federal law aimed at maintaining air quality and reducing air pollution. The law requires states and private industries to meet national air pollution standards. Each state must implement an EPA-approved plan to reduce air pollutants from industrial facilities such as chemical plants and utilities. Over 47,000 facilities nationwide were regulated under the Clean Air Act as of February 2023.[4][5][6][7]

    The table below features information about the number of regulated facilities under the Clean Air Act in Pennsylvania from 2014 to 2023:

    Regulated facilities under the Clean Air Act in Pennsylvania, 2014-2023
    Year Number of EPA-regulated facilities Number of state-regulated facilities Number of local-regulated facilities Total regulated facilities
    2023 0 2,826 209 3,035
    2022 9 3,054 237 3,300
    2021 2 2,948 210 3,160
    2020 2 2,967 245 3,214
    2019 2 3,126 248 3,376
    2018 3 3,074 266 3,343
    2017 1 3,090 275 3,366
    2016 0 3,025 288 3,313
    2015 1 2,741 276 3,018
    2014 0 2,951 323 3,278
    Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EPA/State Air Dashboard"

    Mercury and air toxics standards[edit]

    See also: Mercury and air toxics standards

    Citing its authority under the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2011 issued a rule (commonly known as the MATS rule) limiting the amount of mercury and other toxic air pollutants emitted by power plants. Mercury and air toxics standards (MATS) target mercury and other hazardous pollutants from over 580 coal and oil-fired power plants nationwide. The MATS rule was issued by the Obama administration as part of its larger policy limiting emissions from coal-fired power plants.[8]

    The EPA later reconsidered the MATS rule and, in 2020, determined "that it is not 'appropriate and necessary' to regulate electric utility steam generating units under section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA)."[9]

    A 2021 proposed rulemaking from the EPA seeks to revoke the 2020 action and reinstate the MATS rule.[10]

    During the period that the MATS rule was in effect, Pennsylvania had 38 power plants subject to the mercury standards.[11]

    Ozone standards[edit]

    See also: Ground-level ozone standards

    Federal ozone standards establish the acceptable amount of ground level ozone, commonly known as smog, which is formed when nitrogen oxide combines with other organic chemicals in the atmosphere. Automobiles, power plants, factories and manufacturing centers emit the nitrogen oxide necessary for ozone formation. In high concentrations, ozone is harmful to human health.[12][13]

    EPA in 2015 lowered the acceptable amount of ground-level ozone (smog) in the air. The standards will go into effect in 2025. States would have between the years 2020 and 2037 to create and establish a plan to meet the standards, depending how much ozone forms in certain areas of a state.[14][15]

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    Clean Power Plan[edit]

    See also: Clean Power Plan and climate change

    The EPA in 2015 finalized a regulatory action known as the Clean Power Plan aimed at mitigating what the agency views as potentially human-caused climate change. The plan aims to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from coal- and oil-fired power plants (fossil fuel-fired) and natural gas-fired power plants by 32 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. Each state would have to meet goals based on the number of fossil fuel- and natural gas-fired plants in the state.[16][17][18]

    After several states challenged the plan in court, arguing in part that the plan exceeded the EPA's statutory authority, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit delayed the rule's implementation in June 2016. The Trump administration later moved to replace the Clean Power Plan with the Affordable Clean Energy rule. The D.C. Circuit vacated the Trump-era rule in January 2021, "giving the incoming Biden administration a clean slate for" drafting a new rule, according to Bloomberg.[19][20]

    Carbon dioxide emissions[edit]

    The following table provides information about annual carbon dioxide emissions in Pennsylvania from 2010 to 2020:[21]

    Carbon dioxide emissions in Pennsylvania, 2010-2020 (in million metric tons of energy-related carbon dioxide)
    Year Total carbon dioxide emissions
    2020 193.2
    2019 218.7
    2018 220.2
    2017 215.3
    2016 218.0
    2015 232.9
    2014 249.4
    2013 249.5
    2012 239.8
    2011 249.7
    2010 256.1
    Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

    Land[edit]

    Federal land policy[edit]

    See also: Federal land policy

    Federal land policy involves the conservation and management of natural resources on land owned by the federal government. Most federal land policies focus on conservation, recreation, oil and natural gas extraction, wildlife and forest management, and grazing.

    The federal government as of 2018 owned around 640 million total acres of land (about 28 percent) of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States. Four federal agencies (the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Park Service (NPS), the Forest Service (FS) oversee public lands for conservation, recreation, wildlife protection, grazing, energy production, and other purposes. The Department of Defense also oversees federal lands used for military, training, and related purposes. The majority of federal land is located in Alaska and 11 coterminous Western states[22]

    Federal land ownership[edit]

    See also: Federal land ownership by state

    The table below features information about changes in federal land ownership in Pennsylvania from 1990 to 2018:[22]

    Change in federal land ownership in Pennsylvania, 1990-2018
    Year Total federal land (in acres) Percentage of state land owned by the federal government
    2018 622,160 2.2%
    2010 616,895 2.1%
    2000 598,165 2.1%
    1990 611,249 2.1%
    Source: Congressional Research Service

    Federal land management by agency[edit]

    The following table features information about federal land management in Pennsylvania by federal agency in 2018:[22]

    Federal agency land management in Pennsylvania, 2018
    Agency Total federal land in state managed by agency (in acres) Percentage of total federal land in state
    Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 0 0%
    Forest Service (FS) 513,891 82.6%
    Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) 12,614 2.0%
    National Park Service (NPS) 53,460 8.6%
    Department of Defense (DoD) 42,195 6.8%
    Source: Congressional Research Service

    National parks[edit]

    The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) as of February 2023 oversaw what the agency describes as 424 units (often referred to as parks) and more than 150 related areas within the National Park System. The agency assists in managing national historic areas, wild and scenic rivers, historic landmarks, and national trails. The National Park System contained more than 85 million acres as of February 2023, including national parks, historical parks and sites, national monuments, battlefields and military parks, recreation areas, seashores, and parkways. More than 297 million visitors attended sites in the National Park System in 2021. NPS employed around 20,000 permanent, temporary, and seasonal employees as of February 2023.[23][24][25]

    NPS operated 19 national parks in Pennsylvania as of February 2023.[26]

    The following table features visitation statistics for national parks in Pennsylvania from 2017 to 2021.[27]

    National Park Service visitation in Pennsylvania, 2017-2021
    Year Total recreation visits
    2021 6,252,092
    2020 5,520,861
    2019 10,153,809
    2018 9,708,439
    2017 10,393,888
    Source: U.S. National Park Service

    Payments in lieu of taxes[edit]

    See also: Payments in lieu of taxes

    The U.S. Department of the Interior pays local governments each year to offset what they lose in property taxes due to non-taxable federal land within their borders, commonly known as payments in lieu of taxes (PILT). PILT payments go toward fire and police departments, public schools, road construction, and other local services. PILT amounts are based on population and the amount of federal land in a county. From 1977 (when PILT payments began) to 2022, the Interior Department paid out around $10.8 billion to states, territories, and Washington, D.C. PILT payments can be used for any governmental purpose.[28][29]

    The following table features information about payments in lieu of taxes received by local governments in Pennsylvania from 2017 to 2021.[30]

    Total payments in lieu of taxes, Pennsylvania, 2017-2021
    Year Total payments in lieu of taxes
    2022 $1,344,116
    2021 $1,277,983
    2020 $1,230,500
    2019 $1,217,291
    2018 $1,388,322
    Source: U.S. National Park Service

    Oil and natural gas activity[edit]

    See also: Oil and natural gas extraction on federal land and BLM oil and gas leases by state

    The federal government leases its land to private individuals and companies for energy development, including drilling for crude oil and natural gas, solar energy, and geothermal energy. Oil and natural gas drilling on federal lands in the United States is primarily overseen by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Private oil and natural gas companies apply for leases from the BLM to produce energy on federal land. About 26 million acres of federal land—12.8 million of which produced oil and gas in economic quantities—were leased to about 24,000 oil and gas developers operating 96,000 wells at the end of fiscal year 2018.[31]

    The following table features information about oil and natural gas activity on federal land in Pennsylvania from 2017 to 2021:[32][33]

    Oil and natural gas activity on federal land in Pennsylvania, 2017-2021
    Year Oil production (in thousands of barrels) Natural gas production (in million cubic feet) Total leases in state Total leased acres in state
    2021 553 47,194 70 9,174
    2020 589 52,904 70 9,174
    2019 601 62,740 73 9,916
    2018 693 93,460 75 9,954
    2017 899 60,963 75 9,954
    Source: U.S. National Park Service

    Water[edit]

    Clean Water Act[edit]

    See also: Implementation of the Clean Water Act

    The Clean Water Act is a federal law regulating pollutants discharged into all waters of the United States, including lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands. The federal government approves water quality and technology standards for major sources of water pollution, such as chemical plants, steel manufacturers, municipal facilities, and others. Each state must establish water quality standards for all bodies of water within its boundaries.[34]

    Under the Clean Water Act, it is unlawful to discharge any pollutant from any source into navigable waters without a federal permit. The permit specifies what limitations or conditions apply to a facility before the facility may discharge any pollutants. Federal permits may contain facility-specific requirements and limitations depending on the water source.[35]

    The following table provides information about the number of Pennsylvania facilities subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act from 2014 to 2023:[36]

    Clean Water Act permits, Pennsylvania, 2014-2023
    Year Number of facilities
    2023 22,295
    2022 22,098
    2021 20,896
    2020 19,639
    2019 18,227
    2018 16,192
    2017 13,674
    2016 11,807
    2015 11,432
    2014 11,252
    Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "National Water Activity Dashboard"

    Waste[edit]

    Superfund sites and hazardous waste facilities[edit]

    See also: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act

    Superfund is a federal program that addresses contaminated waste sites and their return to practical use. Superfund sites include oil refineries, smelting facilities, mines and other industrial areas. The federal government can compel the private entities responsible for a waste site to clean the site or face penalties. If the federal government cleans a waste site, it can compel the responsible company to reimburse the government for cleanup costs. Because Superfund sites are added and removed from a prioritized list on a regular basis, the total number of Superfund sites since the program's inception in 1980 is unknown.[37][38][39]

    The federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act covers hazardous wastes, including their generation, treatment, storage and disposal. States may regulate hazardous wastes rather than the federal government. The EPA is responsible for all hazardous waste requirements if no state program exists. Hazardous waste regulations cover waste generators, transporters, treatment centers, storage and disposal facilities.[40]

    Pennsylvania had 90 Superfund sites and 22,829 regulated hazardous waste facilities as of February 2023.[41][42]

    Endangered species[edit]

    Endangered Species Act[edit]

    See also: Endangered species in Pennsylvania

    The Endangered Species Act is a federal law that mandates the listing and conservation of endangered and threatened species. The legislation aims to prevent the extinction of vulnerable species throughout the United States and to recover a species' population to the point where listing the species as endangered or threatened is no longer necessary. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for the law's implementation.[13][43]

    Pennsylvania had 16 federally listed endangered or threatened plant or animal species as of February 2023. To view the full list, click here.[44]

    Environmental ballot measures in Pennsylvania[edit]

    The following list features historical information about ballot measures relating to environmental issues in Pennsylvania.

    Natural resources[edit]

    Environment[edit]

    Water[edit]

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    Recent environmental legislation in Pennsylvania[edit]

    The following list features information about environmental bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Pennsylvania General Assembly in the last five years. To learn more about these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

    Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

    See also[edit]

    External links[edit]

    Footnotes[edit]

    1. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, "Organization Chart," December 5, 2013
    2. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, "About DEP - Mission Statement," accessed December 5, 2014
    3. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, "DCNR at a Glance," accessed December 5, 2014
    4. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Clean Air Act Requirements and History," accessed August 7, 2014
    5. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Understanding the Clean Air Act," accessed August 7, 2014
    6. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "History of the Clean Air Act," accessed August 7, 2014
    7. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Analyze Trends: EPA/State Air Dashboard," accessed February 9, 2023
    8. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Basic Information on Mercury and Air Toxics Standards," accessed January 5, 2015
    9. ↑ EPA, "Final Revised Supplemental Finding and Results of the Residual Risk and Technology Review," accessed February 2, 2023
    10. ↑ EPA, "Proposed Revocation of the 2020 Reconsideration and Affirmation of the Appropriate and Necessary Supplemental Finding," accessed February 2, 2023
    11. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Power Plants Likely Covered by the Toxics Rule," accessed January 19, 2016
    12. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Ground Level Ozone: Regulatory Actions," accessed February 2, 2016
    13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Overview of EPA's Proposal to Update the Air Quality Standards for Ground-Level Ozone," November 25, 2014 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "overview" defined multiple times with different content
    14. ↑ Washington Examiner, "EPA tries to appease green groups mad about ozone rules," October 1, 2015
    15. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Ground Level Ozone by the numbers," accessed February 2, 2016
    16. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Overview of the Clean Power Plan," accessed November 3, 2015
    17. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Clean Power Plan Toolbox for States," accessed November 3, 2015
    18. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Clean Power Plan - Rule Summary," August 3, 2015
    19. ↑ The Hill, "Supreme Court climate fight shakes up Senate races," February 10, 2016
    20. ↑ Bloomberg, "EPA’s Industry-Friendly Climate Rule Struck Down by Court (3)," January 19, 2021
    21. ↑ U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Energy-Related CO2 Emission Data Tables," accessed February 3, 2023
    22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Congressional Research Service, "Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data," December 29, 2014
    23. ↑ U.S. National Park Service, "About Us," accessed February 7, 2023
    24. ↑ National Park Service, "Visitation Numbers," accessed February 7, 2023
    25. ↑ National Park Service, "Organizational Structure of the National Park Service," accessed February 7, 2023
    26. ↑ National Park Service, "Pennsylvania," accessed February 7, 2023
    27. ↑ U.S. National Park Service, "Visitation By State and By Park (2017 - Last Calendar Year)," accessed February 7, 2023
    28. ↑ U.S. Department of the Interior, "Payment in Lieu of Taxes," accessed February 1, 2023
    29. ↑ U.S. Department of the Interior, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed February 8, 2016
    30. ↑ U.S. National Park Service, "Payment in Lieu of Taxes," accessed February 7, 2023
    31. ↑ Bureau of Land Management, "About the BLM Oil and Gas Program," accessed February 7, 2023
    32. ↑ U.S. Department of the Interior, "Natural Resources Revenue Data," accessed February 7, 2023
    33. ↑ Bureau of Land Management, "Oil and Gas Statistics," accessed February 7, 2023
    34. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Summary of the Clean Water Act,” accessed January 29, 2014
    35. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "NPDES Home," accessed September 23, 2014
    36. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Analyze Trends: EPA/State Wastewater Dashboard," accessed February 9, 2023
    37. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Superfund Glossary, S," accessed December 1, 2014
    38. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Superfund Glossary, N," accessed November 25, 2014
    39. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Introduction to the Hazard Ranking System (HRS)," accessed February 17, 2015
    40. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)," accessed August 11, 2014
    41. ↑ Environmental Protection Agency, "National Priorities List (NPL) Sites - by State," accessed February 9, 2023
    42. ↑ Environmental Protection Agency, "Analyze Trends: EPA/State Hazardous Waste Dashboard," accessed February 9, 2023
    43. ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "ESA Overview," accessed October 1, 2014
    44. ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Listed species believed to or known to occur in each State," accessed February 9, 2023
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