Erik A. Ross<\/p>\n
Senior Associate<\/p>\n
Milliron & Goodman Government Relations, LLC.<\/p>\n
200 North 3rd<\/sup>\u00a0Street<\/p>\n Suite 1500<\/p>\n Harrisburg, PA 17101<\/p>\n Phone:\u00a0 717-232-5322<\/p>\n Cell:\u00a0 717-574-3963<\/p>\n erik@millirongoodman.com<\/a><\/p>\n Don\u2019t be fooled by the below article \u2013 the bay folks are still pushing for a water use fee on drinking water to pay for the Clean Water Procurement Program ($20 million) contained in Senate Bill 575<\/a>\u00a0(Yaw-R), which is currently in the House State Government Committee.\u00a0 As drafted, there is no funding source to pay for the $20 million \u2013 rumors continue that the strategy is to get SB 575 passed and then put a funding source into an unrelated bill (i.e., the Fiscal or Administrative Code) later (particularly with Maryland filing a lawsuit against PA and EPA).<\/p>\n According to a Legislative Budget & Finance Committee (LBFC) study last session on the \u201cFeasibility of Establishing a Water Use Fee in PA<\/a>\u201d using\u00a0House Bill 20 PN 1846 of 2017<\/a>\u00a0(NOT REINTRODUCED and Agricultural, municipal, community, and non-community water systems, and not-for-profit entities were exempted in HB 20<\/strong>)\u00a0a water use fee on public water supply withdrawals would generate about $17,689,577\u00a0(using the plan to generate $500 million), $10,613,746 (using the plan to generate $300 million); and $3,537,915 (using the plan to generate $100 million).<\/p>\n Where did the idea of a water use fee come from?<\/u><\/p>\n On page 23 of\u00a0Pennsylvania\u2019s Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, which was presented by DEP at the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) & Water Resources Advisory Committee (WRAC) meetings on 5\/22\/19 & 5\/23\/19, a\u00a0water use fee is one of the proposed funding sources\u00a0for the Chesapeake Bay.\u00a0 The rationale is that water customers should pay for clean water (i.e., the bay) \u2013 The bay advocates say that \u201cthey just care about clean water\u201d and \u201ca nominal fee on water usage that would raise millions if not billions of new capital, without undue burden on the providers<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Action Needed<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t already done so, please reach out to your state legislators to make them aware that such a fee is being discussed and how it will impact your water system\/ratepayers.\u00a0 You can\u2019t wait to make your voice be heard because, like Manganese, if it gets legs, it will run quickly with little time to respond.<\/p>\n Talking Points<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Erik A. Ross<\/p>\n Senior Associate<\/p>\n Milliron & Goodman Government Relations, LLC.<\/p>\n 200 North 3rd<\/sup>\u00a0Street<\/p>\n Suite 1500<\/p>\n Harrisburg, PA 17101<\/p>\n Phone:\u00a0 717-232-5322<\/p>\n Cell:\u00a0 717-574-3963<\/p>\n erik@millirongoodman.com<\/a><\/p>\n Source:\u00a0 PA Environmental Digest, 1\/13\/2020<\/strong><\/p>\n Report: Sen. Yaw: Raising Enough Money to Implement PA\u2019s Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Plan — Isn’t Going To Happen<\/strong><\/p>\n After the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Chesapeake Bay briefing January 8<\/strong>\u00a0https:\/\/paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com\/2020\/01\/senate-environmental-committee-puts.html<\/a>\u00a0,\u00a0 Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) who serves as Majority Chair of the Committee, told the PA Capital-Star– \u201craising that much money [$324 million a year to implement the recommendations in PA\u2019s Clean Water Plan to meet its Bay obligations] through new fees or taxes \u201cisn\u2019t going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He added, even if the state generated more than $300 million in new taxes and fees by 2025, \u201cI don\u2019t know that we\u2019d have the wherewithal to spend it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In a final comment to PA Capital-Star, Sen. Yaw said: \u201cThe chances of us meeting the 2025 suggested [goals] are not likely.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sen. Yaw said he thinks it\u2019s more likely Pennsylvania will get a slap on the wrist from EPA for not meeting its Chesapeake Bay obligations — \u201cnobody knows what the EPA will do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 During the Committee briefing, which included\u00a0 representatives of the interstate Chesapeake Bay Commission, PA Farm Bureau, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA, the departments of Agriculture and Environmental Protection and the State Conservation Commission which administers programs supporting county conservation districts, participants agreed:<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 On January 24, 2017, Sen. Yaw and other Pennsylvania members of the Chesapeake Bay Commission wrote to all members of the General Assembly putting a spotlight on the need to address the state\u2019s water pollution cleanup problem and suggested creating a dedicated Clean Water Fund for Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One proposal outlined in the letter was to\u00a0raise $245 million a year\u00a0through a fee on water use<\/u>. And nothing was done.\u00a0\u00a0Click here for more<\/em>\u00a0http:\/\/www.paenvironmentdigest.com\/newsletter\/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=38575&SubjectID=202<\/a>\u00a0.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0The General Assembly actually cut funding $16 million from the Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund in FY 2019-20 that could have supported farm conservation and community stormwater pollution reduction projects.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 For more information on how Pennsylvania plans to meet its Chesapeake Bay cleanup obligations, visit\u00a0DEP\u2019s PA\u2019s Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan webpage\u00a0https:\/\/www.dep.pa.gov\/Business\/Water\/Pennsylvania%E2%80%99s%20Chesapeake%20Bay%20Program%20Office\/WIP3\/Pages\/Phase-III-WIP-(Watershed-Implementation-Plans).aspx<\/a>\u00a0.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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