HARRISBURG – State Rep. Camille “Bud” George, Democratic chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Wednesday won unanimous House approval of his legislation that would establish a Pennsylvania Energy Office.
“Energy issues require focused and concentrated attention from the commonwealth,” said Rep. George, D-74 of Houtzdale. “Establishing a state energy office will give us an important tool to attack the state’s energy problems and highlight our strengths.”
Rep. George’s House Bill 2253, sent to the state Senate on a 193-0 House vote, calls for the formal establishment of a state energy office within the state Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP secretary would appoint an executive director while the governor would appoint an advisory council representing business and transportation interests and the public.
The Pennsylvania Energy Office would:
● Promote development of the state’s natural and renewable energy resources.
● Develop the efficient use of energy.
● Serve as the lead agency on energy policy development and implementation and heating assistance.
● Monitor energy prices and supplies and develop responses to natural and man-made emergencies.
● Encourage the development of strategic heating oil and diesel fuel reserves in the mid-Atlantic region to counter price spikes and fuel shortages.
“A state energy office will enable Pennsylvania to act pro-actively and aggressively on issues ranging from energy development to heating assistance,” Rep. George said. “It is my hope that the creation of the energy office signals the end to the years of reacting in a piecemeal and ineffective manner to whatever crises Mother Nature, OPEC or man-made events inflict on us.”
Rep. George noted that Pennsylvania had an energy office from 1983 until 1995 before it was disbanded under the Ridge administration, which scattered responsibilities among various state offices, agencies and departments.
“The Rendell administration and the DEP began returning to a coherent energy-policy structure by reauthorizing the state Energy Development Authority and creating a new office of Energy Technology and Development,” Rep. George said. “An energy office will galvanize the efforts to make Pennsylvania not only energy independent but an energy leader.”