Environmental Laws
of
Pennsylvania

January 21, 2003

P.O. Box 2063
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063
717 783-8303
Internet: depinfo@state.pa.us

Rachel Carson State Office Building
P.O. Box 2063
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063

The following is a list of the major environmental laws enacted in Pennsylvania since 1905. It provides an interesting perspective on how environmental concerns have played a key role in Pennsylvania's history for some time.

This reference is meant to be a helpful guide to state environmental laws, but is not intended to be a substitute for original research on any particular topic.

For more information on environmental legislation and regulations--

Write: DEP, P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063
Telephone: 717 783-8303
Fax: 717 783-8926
Send Internet e-mail to: depinfo@state.pa.us

DEP World Wide Web Site:http://www.dep.state.pa.us

1905 -- Purity of Waters Act to assure supplies of clean drinking water. (Act 182, repealed by Act 43 1984)

1913 -- Regulating dams and encroachments in navigable streams. (Act 355, repealed by Act 325 1978)

-- Legislation making it illegal to discharge anthracite coal, culm or refuse into stream. (Act 375)

1937 -- Clean Streams Law establishing the basic authority Pennsylvania has to protect streams from pollution and the effects of surface coal mining. (Act 394)

1939 -- Pennsylvania Water Rights Act providing for allocation of surface water supplies. (Act 365)

1945 -- Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act to prevent pollution from surface coal mining. (Act 418)

1959 -- Air Pollution Control Act authorizing the state to prevent pollution from sources of air pollution. (Act 787)

1961 -- Delaware River Basin Compact creating the Basin Commission along the Delaware River. (Act 268)

-- Oil and Gas Conservation Law to regulate drilling of oil and gas wells. (Act 359, partially repealed by Act 223 1984)

-- Anthracite and Bituminous Coal Mine Subsidence Fund providing an insurance program to cover damages from deep mine subsidence. (Act 484)

1964 -- Project 70 Land Acquisition and Borrowing Act creating a $70 million program to acquire land for conservation purposes. (Act 8)

1965 -- Gas Operations Well-Drilling Petroleum and Coal Mining Act to coordinate the development of wells in mining areas. (Act 225, repealed by Act 214 1984)

-- Anthracite Coal Mine Act establishing a program to prevent pollution from anthracite mining operations. (Act 346)

-- Open Space Act authorizing preferential property tax assessments to preserve farmland and open space. (Act 515)

-- Sewage Facilities Act establishing a program to set standards for the installation of septic systems and plan public sewage systems. (Act 537)

1966 -- Bituminous Mine Subsidence and Land Conservation Act protecting structures from the effects of deep mining. (Act 1)

-- Atomic Energy Development and Radiation Control Act to regulate sources of radiation. (Act 578, repealed by Act 147 1984)

1967 -- Preserving Land for Open Air Space creating a program for the state and county to preserve open space areas. (Act 442)

1968 -- Susquehanna River Compact creating the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. (Act 181)

-- Pennsylvania Solid Waste Management Act to prevent pollution from the disposal of solid waste. (Act 241, repealed by Act 97 1980)

-- Creation of the Department of Environmental Resources by consolidating 17 different pollution control and resource management agencies, boards and commissions. (Act 275).

-- Project 500 to provide $500 million to finance the reclamation of abandoned mined lands and purchase of land for conservation and recreation purposes. (Act 443)

-- Coal Refuse Disposal Control Act to prevent pollution from coal refuse piles. (Act 1040)

1971 -- Adoption of the Environmental Rights Amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution by the voters guaranteeing the right of all citizens to clean air and pure water. (May 18, 1971).

-- Amendments to Bituminous Coal Open Pit Mining Act (Act 147).

1972 -- Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers Act to designate rivers with unique scenic and recreational values as part of a state Scenic Rivers System. (Act 283)

1973 -- Voters approve constitutional amendment to preserve farmland through preferential property tax assessments. (Joint Resolution #1)

-- Authorize municipalities to establish environmental advisory councils. (Act 198)

1974 -- Pennsylvania Pesticide Control Act regulating the use and disposal of pesticides. (Act 24)

-- Solid Waste Resource Recovery Act to provide grants to municipal recycling and resource recovery demonstration projects. (Act 148)

-- Clean and Green program to implement the constitutional amendment to preserve farmland through preferential property tax assessments. (Act 319)

1978 -- Flood Plain Management Act directing communities to adopt flood plain ordinances and participate in the federal flood insurance program. (Act 166)

-- Storm Water Management Act directing counties to prepare storm water management plans and requiring DER to develop model storm water management ordinances. (Act 167)

-- Dam Safety & Encroachments Act to reduce flooding by controlling development in streams and the hazards presented by unsafe dams. (Act 325)

-- Pennsylvania Appalachian Trails Act (Act 41)

-- Schuylkill River Scenic Rivers Act (Act 333)

1979 -- Environmental Radiation Act requiring independent radiation monitoring around nuclear power plants. (Act 49, included in Act 147 1984)

-- Agricultural Lands Condemnation Board to approve the use of farmland for solid waste and other public facilities. (Act 100)

1980 -- Stony Creek, Dauphin County, Scenic Rivers Act (Act 18)

-- Bluff Recession and Setback Act to prevent development close to Lake Erie. (Act 48)

-- Solid Waste Management Act to regulate the treatment and disposal of municipal, residual and hazardous waste. (Act 97)

-- Amendments to the Surface Mine Conservation & Reclamation Act (Act 155) and Coal Refuse Disposal Control Act (Act 154) to comply with minimum federal standards for preventing pollution from surface coal mining.

-- Building Energy Conservation Act authorizing communities to adopt standards for energy conservation as part of local building codes. (Act 222)

1981 -- Agricultural Area Security Law authorizing the creation of Agricultural Security Areas to preserve farmland. (Act 43)

-- Approval by the voters of $300 million bond issue to finance improvements to drinking water systems, storm water facilities and unsafe dams. (Act 88)

1982 -- Lehigh River Scenic Rivers Act (Act 71)

-- Used Oil Recycling Act establishing a program to promote the recycling of used crankcase oil. (Act 89)

-- French Creek, Berks & Chester Counties, Scenic Rivers Act (Act 97)

-- Amendments to Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers Act removing eminent domain authority (Act 110)

-- Water Facilities Restoration Act implementing the $300 million program to finance water facility improvements that was approved by the voters. (Act 167, repealed by Act 16 1988)

-- Wild Resource Conservation Act creating a special Board to protect endangered plants and animals. (Act 170)

-- Lick Run, Clinton County, Scenic Rivers Act (Act 324)

1983 -- Octoraro Creek, Chester & Lancaster Counties, Scenic Rivers Act (Act 43)

1984 -- Amend Administrative Code to require DER to provide municipalities with notice of air, water allocation, water obstruction, water quality and solid waste permit applications and opportunity to comment. (Act 14)

-- Safe Drinking Water Act establishing a program to insure safe public drinking water supplies. (Act 43)

-- Reauthorize Hazardous Substances Transportation Board. (Act 99)

-- Pennsylvania Recreational Improvement and Rehabilitation Act that finances local recreation improvement projects. (Act 106)

-- Pennsylvania Conservation Corps Act which provides job training opportunities for young people through state and local projects to improve natural resources, historic and cultural sites. (Act 112)

-- Radiation Protection Act that allows the state to protect the public from sources of radiation ranging from x-ray machines to nuclear power plants. (Act 147)

-- Coal and Gas Resource Coordination Act to coordinate the development of oil and gas wells in mining areas. (Act 214)

-- Noncoal Surface Mining and Conservation Act establishing a program to regulate noncoal mining operations. (Act 219)

-- Oil and Gas Act putting in place a comprehensive program to regulate oil and gas drilling operations. (Act 223)

1985 -- Chesapeake Bay Commission Agreement Act that committed Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia to cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay. (Act 25)

-- Appalachian States Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Law committing Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia to construct a low- level radioactive waste disposal facility as required by federal law. (Act 120)

1987 -- Radon Certification Act requiring the certification of firms that perform radon tests and remediation work. (Act 43)

-- Voter approval of a $100 million bond issue to preserve farmland. (Act 54)

-- Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Program Act that implements the $100 million farmland preservation program approved by the voters. (Act 70)

1988 -- Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Act establishing the procedures and environmental standards to be used to site a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility as required by the Appalachian States Compact. (Act 12)

-- Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority Act creating a program to finance improvements to drinking water and sewage systems. (Act 16)

-- Designating additional segments of the Schuylkill River as a Scenic River (Act 17)

-- LeTort Spring, Cumberland County, Scenic Rivers Act (Act 42)

-- Infectious and Chemotherapeutic Waste Act requiring the preparation of a statewide plan and putting in place a temporary moratorium on issuing permits for commercial incineration facilities. (Act 93)

-- Environmental Hearing Board Act expanding the number of members on the Board that hears appeals of DER actions to eliminate a 1,000 case backlog. (Act 94)

-- Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act that mandates local recycling programs, county waste plans and strengthens the environmental protection standards for new municipal waste facilities. (Act 101)

-- Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act creating a program to fund the cleanup of toxic waste sites and strengthens the environmental protection standards for new hazardous waste facilities. (Act 108)

-- Capital Budget including over $110 million worth of State Park maintenance projects (Act 113)

-- Tucquan Creek, Lancaster County, Bear Run, Fayette County, Scenic Rivers Act (Act 161)

1989 -- Lower Brandywine, Chester & Delaware Counties, Scenic Rivers Act (Act 7)

-- Reauthorize Sewage Enforcement Officers Certification Board (Act 26)

-- Phosphate Ban Act banning the use of laundry detergents containing phosphates as an aide to cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay. (Act 31)

-- Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act establishing a comprehensive program to prevent leaks and spills from underground and aboveground tanks. (Act 32)

-- Lead Ban Notification Act banning the use of lead pipes and solder in drinking water systems. (Act 33)

-- Great Lakes Protection Fund Act creating a special Fund to finance research and other efforts to protect the Great Lakes from toxic pollutants. (Act 34)

-- Amending the Solid Waste Management Act to authorize the beneficial use of municipal and residual waste (Act 55)

-- Radiological Emergency Preparedness Act creating a program to plan for and fund activities needed to prepare for an emergency at a nuclear power plant. (Act 85)

-- Reauthorize Sewage and Water Treatment Plant Operator Certification Board (Act 112)

1990 -- Legislation banning the practice of hauling food in vehicles that contained waste or hazardous chemicals. (Act 14)

-- Legislation encouraging the consolidation of small sewer and water systems. (Act 24)

-- Reauthorization of the Recreation Improvement and Rehabilitation Act and making it a continuing program.(Act 66)

-- Amending the Administrative Code to increase DER permit fees and transfer the Pennsylvania Conservation Corps Program to the Department of Labor & Industry. (Act 67)

-- Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility Site Search Funding. (Act 107)

-- Amending the Solid Waste Management Act of 1980 (Act 97) dealing with aquaculture, food processing wastes and transfer stations. (Act 109)

-- Legislation to establish the Pine Creek Gorge rails to trails project. (Act 120)

-- Providing penalties for vandalizing caves. (Act 133)

-- Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning and Response Act. (Act 165)

-- Providing state workmen's compensation coverage for spill response teams. (Act 167)

-- Establishing a rails-to-trails program in DER. (Act 188)

-- Establishing an accreditation program for asbestos removal contractors. (Act 194)

1991 -- Legislation eliminating sales tax on the purchase of electric vehicles. (Act 22)

-- Legislation creating mass transit fund, snowmobile trail development grant program and advisory committee and funding for farmland preservation. (Act 26)

-- Administrative Code changes related to liability for Quehanna Wild Area cleanup, authorizing development of water wells on State Forest Land and establishing procedures for review of certain DER permits in emergencies. (Act 35)

-- Designating May 27 as "Rachel Carson Day." (Act 44)

-- Authorizing the use of eminent domain procedures by townships to purchase recreational areas. (Act 49)

1992 -- Establishing a Small Water Systems Technical and Management Assistance Program and authorizing the placement of a question on the ballot to issue $350 million in state bonds for wastewater, drinking water and storm water management projects. (Act 5)

-- Providing for increased penalties and injunctive relief for municipalities enforcing federal pretreatment requirements. (Act 9)

-- Limiting the liability of landowners opening their land to cave exploration. (Act 10)

-- Amending the county tax code to give owners of residential property on federal or state toxic waste cleanup lists the ability to apply for tax breaks to partially cover the loss of property value. (Act 14)

-- Allowing DER to grant municipalities extensions of up to 30 days for cause to submit Act 339 sewage operating grants. (Act 16)

-- Giving municipalities more flexibility in bidding procedures to market recyclables. (Act 21)

-- Amending the Agricultural Area Security Act to authorize the use of funds from 1990 federal Farm Bill to purchase farmland preservation easements. (Act 23)

-- Amending the Public Utility Code to increase penalties for pipeline safety violations, authorizing the PUC to order the consolidation of small water and sewage systems and establishing procedures for PUC review of acid rain compliance plans required by the federal Clean Air Act by utilities. (Act 27)

-- Ban the use of certain septic system cleaners containing TCE and other chemicals which pollute ground water. (Act 41)

-- Amending the Motor Vehicle Code to add Pennsylvania Chapter of the Rails to Trails Conservancy to DER's Snowmobile Advisory Committee. (Act 47)

-- Enacting the Oil Spill Responder Liability Act. (Act 52)

-- Amending the Phosphate Detergent Act to extend the expiration date to December 1995. (Act 54)

-- Amending the Eating and Drinking Place Law to exempt bed and breakfasts with 10 or fewer rooms. (Act 62)

-- Amending the Oil and Gas Act to extend the compliance date for bonding pre-1975 wells and creating an Orphan Well Plugging Fund financed by surcharges on new permits. (Act 78)

-- Amending the Air Pollution Control Act authorizing DER to implement key provisions of the federal Clean Air Act and setting interim and permanent emission fees. (Act 95)

-- Authorizing the use of Industrial Communities Action program funds for hazardous waste material cleanups and extending the program until 1995. (Act 103)

-- Yellow Breeches Creek, Cumberland County Scenic Rivers Act (Act 116)

-- Tulpehocken Creek, Berks & Lebanon Counties, Yellow Breeches Creek, Cumberland & York Counties, Scenic Rivers Act (Act 118)

-- Pine Creek, Tioga County, Scenic Rivers Act (Act 124)

-- Extending the Schuylkill River Scenic Rivers Act (Act 125)

-- Amending the Municipalities Planning Code to allow the practice of forestry (Act 131)

-- Amend Title 75 to eliminate inspection and registration fees for electric and other zero emission vehicles (Act 139)

-- Authorize local storm water management facility funding program (Act 149)

-- Establishing a State Board for Professional Geologists (Act 151)

-- Amending the Vehicle Code to establish an enhanced vehicle emission system inspection program, requiring a study of low emission vehicle programs prior to enactment, establishing an alternative fuels conversion grant program (Act 166)

-- Amending the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act to better protect drinking water supplies, provide incentives for remining, providing for treatment of mine discharges (Act 173) -- Amending the Vehicle Code to authorize a special Wild Resource Conservation vehicle license plate (Act 174)

-- Amends the Administrative Code with provisions related to propane storage tank regulation, setting revised fees on nuclear power plants to support DER monitoring program (Act 180)

-- Providing new procedures for forming borough governments (Act 181)

-- Amend the Administrative Code to prohibit DER/EQB from reviewing petitions to designate areas unsuitable for noncoal mining submitted after July 30, 1992 (Act 183)

-- Amending the Storage Tank Act to increase loan amounts for small tank owners from $15,000 to $50,000, set cleanup coverage fee for heating oil/diesel fuel tanks, add 4 members to Tank Advisory Committee, set standards for certain aboveground tanks, exempts fire and emergency medical units from tank registration fee beginning July 1, 1993 (Act 184)

-- 1991-92 Capital Budget including DER State Park and flood control projects, Dept. of Transportation air quality improvement projects (Act 188)

1993 -- Designating each April 22 Earth Day (Act 1)

-- Nutrient Management Act establishing a nutrient management program to control nonpoint agricultural sources of pollution (Act 6)

-- Department of Environmental Resources Agricultural Advisory Board Act creating an Agricultural Advisory Board within DER (Act 11)

-- Environmental Education Act authorizing an Environmental Education Program and Fund within DER and the Dept. of Education (Act 24).

-- Delinking pay of Environmental Hearing Board members to Public Utility Commission (Act 30)

-- 1993-94 Capital Budget itemized list of projects (Act 47)

-- Extending the Industrial Development Program which helps finance cleanups of industrial sites (Act 40)

-- Making changes to Pennsylvania Conservation Corps program (Act 49)

-- Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Act authorizing a $50 million bond issue referendum and creating a Deferred Maintenance Account by earmarking a portion of the realty transfer tax for State Parks, historic sites, libraries, zoos and higher education facilities (Act 50)

-- Eliminates Project 70 restrictions on land in Northumberland, Delaware and Dauphin Counties (Act 57)

-- Amends the Vehicle Code to ban billboards along the Blue Route (Act 58)

-- Amends the Administrative Code to specify fire and safety standards for aboveground tanks containing refrigerated propane (Act 65)

-- Making it easier to finance pollution control equipment and other economic development projects through local economic development agencies and the state. (Act 74)

-- Making changes to the funding application dates for counties under the state farmland preservation program. (Act 75)

-- Allowing the use of larger motor boats on Pymatuning Lake. (Act 82)

1994 -- Amend Vehicle Code to require the Dept. of Transportation to petition EPA if there is a change in EPA's requirements for a centralized/decentralized vehicle emission inspection program. (Act 2)

-- Providing penalties for the unauthorized removal of timber. (Act 10)

-- Amending Potomac River Basin Commission Compact to revise appointment of commissioners (Act 40)

-- Require DER to determine if certain permit applications are complete in 20 days (Act 52)

-- Amending the Mine Subsidence and Land Conservation Act to provide protection for water supplies affected by deep coal mining and revising procedures for repairing or replacing buildings damaged by mine subsidence (Act 54)

-- Providing for voting designees for the Wild Resource Conservation Board (Act 56)

-- Authorizing projects for the 1994-95 Capital Budget, including Key '93 projects (Act 74, Item veto)

-- Amending the Liquor Code to allow taverns to participate in curbside recycling programs (Act 77)

-- Prohibit the use of gill nets on Lake Erie (Act 79)

-- Direct the Joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to audit use of state funds to implement federal Clean Air Act (Adopted October 5)

-- Suspend vehicle emission inspection and Employer Trip Reduction programs until at least March 31, 1995 and direct the Governor to petition EPA to get as much of Pennsylvania out of the Ozone Transport Commission as possible (Act 95, over the objections of the Governor)

-- Direct the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee to study issues concerning the regeneration and management of state forests (Adopted November 22)

-- Rescinding the 1991 request by the Governor to include 28 additional counties in the reformulated fuels program (Act 101)

-- Establishing the Safe Packaging Act to remove 4 chemicals from consumer packaging (Act 112)

-- Encouraging the siting of coal refuse disposal facilities on land previously affected by mining (Act 114)

-- Authorizing motor homes, trailers and trucks to purchase special license plates to support the Wild Resource Conservation Fund (Act 115)

-- Establishing a pilot program to construct anaerobic manure digesters to demonstrate their effectiveness (Act 128)

-- Creating a sustainable agriculture program within the Dept. of Agriculture (Act 129)

-- Establishing a loan program to implement farming practices that reduce nutrient runoff (Act 130)

-- Transferring the eating and drinking place and egg sanitation program from DER to the Dept. of Agriculture and establishing an organic foods labeling program (Act 131)

-- Authorizing a supplemental list of projects in the 1994-95 Capital Budget (Act 136)

-- Comprehensive changes to the Sewage Facilities Act dealing with the approval of sewage plans, requiring notice of sewage facilities availability in land sales contracts, changing the reimbursement rate for qualified local agencies and requiring additional training for Sewage Enforcement Officers (Act 149)

-- Authorizing the transfer of $3 million for local Household Hazardous Waste Collection programs (Act 155)

-- Create 3 new vehicle license plates to support non-profit zoos and aquariums, historic sites and the Flagship Niagara restoration (Act 170)

1995 -- Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act creating the Land Recycling Program (Act 2)

-- Economic Development Agency, Fiduciary and Lender Liability Act exempting these agencies from cleanup liability for pollution they did not cause (Act 3)

-- Abandoned Industrial Sites Environmental Assessment Act providing funding for environmental assessments and cleanups on land in use prior to July 18, 1995 (Act 4)

-- Amend Public Utility Code to change factors for acquiring water or sewer systems (Act 7)

-- Amend Storage Tank & Spill Prevention Act to deregulate consumptive use heating oil tanks, allow heating oil tanks to opt into leak cleanup coverage, requiring DEP to pay for testing for innocent tank owners, adding members to the Storage Tank Advisory Committee (Act 16)

-- Establishing an Agricultural Education Program and advisory council in the Dept. of Agriculture (Act 26)

-- Authorizing the 1995-96 Capital Budget (Act 38)

-- Requiring certification of individuals engaged in lead-based paint removal activities (Act 44)

-- Doubling in-lieu of tax payments for State Forest and Park land (Act 49)

-- Authorizing counties to impose temporary burn bans (Act 52)

-- Authorizing capital project under Key '93 Recreation and Conservation Fund Program (Act 56)

-- Creating a State Fire Commission responsible for, among other things, hazardous materials planning and response (Act 61)

-- Exempting certain rural roads from dust control provisions of Air Pollution Control Act (Act 68)

-- Requiring Historic & Museum Commission to conduct archaeological surveys and prohibiting state agencies from delaying action on permits based on a request from the Commission (Act 70)

-- Recodification of bicycle regulations and authorizing transfer of funds for the Envirotest settlement (Act 72)

-- Extending the Phosphate Detergent Ban from 1995 to 1998 (Act 78)

1996 -- Guaranteed Energy Savings Act allowing political subdivisions to enter into guaranteed energy savings contracts (Act 29)

-- Amend Storage Tank & Spill Prevention Act to bring out-of-service inspection requirements for large aboveground tanks in line with industry standards; clarifies the regulation of underground used motor oil tanks and aboveground tank piping outside of emergency containment and requests a study of the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund for providing low interest loans (Act 34)

-- Amend Surface Mining Conservation & Reclamation Act to allow more flexibility to provide financial guarantees and for applying for reclamation bond credits for remining; defines no-cost government financed reclamation contracts; clarifies water replacement; provides for surety company bond forfeiture reclamation; and allows for grants for reclamation to non-profit groups (Act 43)

-- Community and Economic Development Enhancement Act creating the Department of Community and Economic Development by merging the Department of Commerce and the Department of Community Affairs (Act 58)

-- Real Estate Seller Disclosure Act creating a comprehensive real estate transfer disclosure statement (Act 84)

-- Amend Agriculture Code to provide for desirable management practices for production, keeping and use of domestic animals (Act 100)

-- Amend Administrative Code to allow unlimited annual reimbursements for host municipal inspectors under Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act and Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (Act 105)

-- Amend Air Pollution Control Act to broaden the exemption for the production of agricultural commodities in their unmanufactured state and transfers the Small Business Ombudsman from DCED to DEP (Act 174)

-- Amend Bituminous Coal Mine Act to allow diesel equipment in underground mines (Act 185)

-- Amend Fish Code to give full regulatory jurisdiction of the blackfly suppression program to DEP (Act 185)

-- Waste Tire Recycling Act creating the Waste Tire Remediation Program (Act 190)

-- Small Business & Household Pollution Prevention Program Act requiring DEP to establish programs to educate and assist small businesses and the general public about pollution prevention and hazardous waste management (Act 190)

-- Authorizes the sale of bonds to cover the cost of recovery from the blizzard and flood of January 1996 (Act 4 - Special Session 2)

-- Special Session Flood Capital Budget Project Itemization Act (Act 8 - Special Session 2)

1997 -- Amend Transportation and Vehicle Codes to enhance PennDOT revenues and make an appropriation for the maintenance of dirt and gravel roads (Act 3)

-- Authorizing the 1997-98 Capital Budget (Act 21)

-- Amend Regulatory Review Act clarifying Commissioner appointments; filing requirements for final-proposed omitted regulations; and filing requirements for proposed and final regulations following sine die adjournment (Act 24)

-- Amend First Class Township Code further providing for the assessment of tapping fees (Act 36)

-- Permits distribution and copying of DCNR’s topographic and geologic survey without copyright (Act 39)

-- 1996-97 Capital Budget itemized list of projects (Act 47)

-- Amend Administrative Code to repeal sections of the Air Pollution Control Act so Stage II vapor recovery may be used in southwest PA; exempts pre-act wells from the bonding requirement under the Oil & Gas Act; and repeal nine month permit review time and extend the recycling fee under the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (Act 57)

1998 -- Prohibits termination or discipline of an employee for failing to report to work during a state of emergency (Act 4)

-- Amend Storage Tank & Spill Prevention Act by creating a low interest loan program for upgrades and a pump & plug grant program for taking tanks out of service (Act 13)

-- Provides for the regulation of combustible and flammable liquids and transfers the powers and duties of the State Fire Marshall for combustible and flammable liquids to the Department of Labor and Industry (Act 15)

-- Amend Agriculture Code to further define garbage (Act 39)

-- Authorizing the 1998-99 Capital Budget (Act 52)

-- Amend Act 133 of 1982 to further provides for the limitation on public nuisance suits against agricultural operations (Act 58)

-- Regulates the construction, equipment, maintenance, operation and inspection of boilers and unfired pressure vessels (Act 85)

-- Requires owners of run-of-the-river type dams to post warning signs on the bank as well as buoys above and below the dam (Act 91)

-- Creates a program to provide for keystone opportunity zones to foster economic development (Act 92)

-- Establishes provisions relating to aquacultural development (Act 94)

-- Pollution Prevention Assistance Account to provide loans to small businesses to adopt or install pollution prevention or energy efficient technologies (Act 100)

-- Provides for the cleanup of waste from state forest lands (Act 125)

-- Requires certain types of asbestos contractors to obtain a license (Act 161)

-- Establishes Neighborhood Improvement Districts (Act 174)

1999 -- Authorizing the 1999-2000 Capital Budget (Act 6)

-- Repeal of act declaring part of the Wallenpaupack Creek a public highway (Act 9)

-- Providing for a supplemental agricultural conservation easement purchase program in the Department of Agriculture (Act 15)

-- Amend Title 66 of PA Consolidated Statute by providing supply choice for customers of natural gas utilities and restructuring the natural gas utility industry (Act 21)

-- Repeals the sunset date of the Phosphate Detergent Act of 1989 (Act 31)

-- 1998-1999 Capital Budget itemized list of projects (Act 35)

-- Establishes a uniform construction code (Act 45)

-- Provides emergency agriculture drought relief (Act 57)

-- Establishes Environmental Stewardship and Watershed Protection Act also known as Growing Greener (Act 68)

-- Establishes Environmental Good Samaritan Act providing legal immunity for people who volunteer to clean up polluted mine lands and oil and gas wells in cooperation with DEP (Act 68)

-- Establishes Electronic Transactions Act which allows electronic submission of environmental monitoring and permit applications (Act 69)

2000 -- Provides for performance based loans under the Industrial Sites Environmental Assessment Act of 1995 (Act 6)

-- Encourages state agencies to locate facilities in downtown areas (Act 32)

-- Provides the ability to adopt growth boundaries and allow voluntary joint municipal comprehensive planning (Act 67)

-- Adds national lands preservation, joint planning, agricultural easements, transfer of development rights, urban revitalization etc. to the municipal planning code (Act 68)

-- Omnibus amendment to the Combustible and Flammable Liquids Act (Act 74)

-- Extends the sunset date of the underground home heating oil storage tank grant program (Act 100)

-- Omnibus amendment to the Hazardous Material Emergency Planning and Response Act (Act 121)

-- provided for SLAPP suits and the awarding of attorney fees in mining related cases (Act 138)

2001

-- Omnibus amendment to the Agricultural Area Security Law (Act 14)

-- Omnibus amendment to the Anaerobic Manure Digester Act (Act 32)

-- Increases the funding for the cleanup of releases from underground storage tanks (Act 99)

-- Provides for enhanced notification of releases from underground storage tanks (Act 104)

2002

-- Omnibus amendment to the Sewage Treatment Plant and Waterworks Operators Certification Act (Act 11)

-- Requires environmental laboratories to be certified (Act 25) (repealed by Act 90 of 2002)

-- Creates the Propane and Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act (Act 61)

-- Establishes a tipping fee through June 30, 2012 dedicated to Growing Greener; establishes a waste hauler authorization program; and codifies the Environmental Accreditation Act (Act 90)

-- Omnibus amendment to the Waste Tire Recycling Act including the establishment of a tire hauler authorization program; manifest system for waste tires; and a waste tire collection program (Act 111)

-- Allows independent insurance agents to write applications for mine subsidence insurance and authorizes the MSI Board to establish and pay a one-time commission to an agent for the initial policy that results from an application (Act 155)

-- Extends the sunset date of the recycling fee to January 1, 2009; requires the Department to prepare a plan to assist municipalities in making their recycling programs financially self-sufficient; and prohibits the department from denying grants to municipalities that allow limited burning of yard waste (Act 175)

-- Omnibus amendment to the Job Enhancement Act that among other things expands the list of eligible entities under the Pollution Prevention Assistance Account, raises the maximum loan from $50,000 to $100,000 and extends the repayment term from 7 years to 10 years (Act 213)

-- Creates the Water Resources Planning Act. The measure requires the state water plan to be updated within five years; requires users of 10,000 gallons or more of water a day to register and report their usage to the department; utilizes 6 regional committees and a statewide committee to develop the plan; identifies critical water areas; and lays out a process to create more specific critical water area plans. Also contains an expansion and reenactment of the DEP Agricultural Advisory Board Act by adding PennAG Industries and a representative of the agricultural chemical manufacturers industry as permanent members of the board; requiring a deputy secretary from the Depts. of Agriculture and DEP to serve as members of the board; and expands the list of members that are eligible to be elected chair of the board. (Act 220)

-- Provides for the deposit of $16,500,000 into the Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Fund for fiscal year 2004-2005, from the revenue that is generated under by $4 Growing Greener tipping fee under Act 90 or 2002 (Act 233)