summary
Introduced
03/21/2025
03/21/2025
In Committee
03/21/2025
03/21/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Amending the act of October 18, 1988 (P.L.756, No.108), entitled "An act providing for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites; providing further powers and duties of the Department of Environmental Resources and the Environmental Quality Board; providing for response and investigations for liability and cost recovery; establishing the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund; providing for certain fees and for enforcement, remedies and penalties; and repealing certain provisions relating to the rate of the capital stock franchise tax," in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions.
AI Summary
This bill amends the definition of "hazardous substance" in the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act to expand the list of chemicals considered hazardous. Specifically, the bill adds four specific chemical compounds - perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, and perfluorononanoic acid - to the existing definition of hazardous substances. These chemicals, often called "forever chemicals" due to their persistence in the environment, can now be considered hazardous even if they were not previously included under the existing definition. The bill allows the department to determine if additional chemicals are equivalent to these compounds or if the Governor can designate a chemical substance as posing a threat to public health or the environment through an executive order. The bill maintains existing exclusions for petroleum products, natural gas, and certain coal mining and power generation waste byproducts. The amendments aim to broaden the scope of environmental protection by providing more comprehensive definitions of potentially harmful chemical substances. The bill will take effect 60 days after its enactment.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Sponsors (15)
Maria Collett (D)*,
Rosemary Brown (R),
Amanda Cappelletti (D),
Carolyn Comitta (D),
Frank Farry (R),
Wayne Fontana (D),
Art Haywood (D),
Vincent Hughes (D),
John Kane (D),
Tim Kearney (D),
Nick Miller (D),
Katie Muth (D),
Steve Santarsiero (D),
Judy Schwank (D),
Sharif Street (D),
Last Action
Referred to Environmental Resources & Energy (on 03/21/2025)
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