Legislative Update - May 2006

• May 17, 2006
• May 10, 2006
• May 3, 2006
  

May 17, 2006

Election Results, Budget Update, Dairy Farming and Water Quality, Biomass Legislation Introduced

Election Results

Because of the primary election this week, the PA General Assembly was not in session. The Senate will return next week, and the House will return June 5. At this point no one knows what the dynamics of the General Assembly will be upon their return because thirty-one members are retiring and another seventeen or so lost their primary contest, including the Senate President Pro-Tempore Robert Jubelirer and the Senate Majority Leader Chip Brightbill.

Budget Update

We are beginning to receive letters of support for our funding requests from members of the General Assembly. These letters are a direct result of district efforts to inform their elected leaders of budget concerns. Because of this week's election results, however, the budget process may be altered. Consequently, it is more important than ever to contact your state senator and representative with our budgetary concerns. Please consider writing, calling, or visiting your legislators and discussing the importance of our budget requests. Thanks so much for your help.

Dairy Farming and Water Quality

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania, The Pennsylvania State University, and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture have teamed up to create a project called Precision Agriculture. This project is designed to help dairy farmers reduce their impact on water quality while maintaining or improving their productivity. The program participants are adjusting feed rations to meet the needs of the animal, thus reducing the nutrients in the manure. A thirty to forty percent reduction in the nitrogen and phosphorus content is expected in the farm's manure. The reductions will greatly reduce the farmers' manure management challenges and lead to lower nutrient contributions to local streams and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay.

Biomass Legislation Introduced

HB 2672 was recently introduced by Representative Dennis Leh (R-Berks). This legislation amends the PA Tax Reform Code to define "biomass" as organic, non-fossil plant-derived material and creates a sales and use tax exclusion for raw biomass products. The bill further provides for a sales tax exemption for any agricultural product or byproduct sold by the original producer, or by a cooperative organization or business agent representing the producer for home heating purposes, combustion engines or lubricants for machinery and engines. The bill now goes to the House Finance Committee for consideration.

May 10, 2006

Annual Legislative Program Unveiled for Discussion; Tax Incentives for Land Conservation; and Eminent Domain and Farmland Preservation

Annual Legislative Program Unveiled for Discussion

PACD is proposing that conservation districts consider a statewide annual legislative program geared toward raising awareness to PACD legislative issues. The proposal was already considered and approved by the Executive Board and the Legislative Committee. We are asking district managers to discuss the proposal with their local board members and consider implementing the ideas.

DRAFT

Annual PACD Legislative Program

January

Two or three issues will be highlighted as statewide initiatives from the PACD policy book, including the budget. Local districts may want to add their own local concerns to the list.

SUGGESTED DISTRICT ACTION: Write a welcome letter to legislators
This letter could state district priorities for the next few months.

PACD ACTION: PACD will provide a model letter and press release for your use. The PACD Executive Board will also judge the "Legislator of the Year" applications to determine the award winner.

February

Since the Governor usually presents his budget address this month, we will take the opportunity to let legislative leaders know our response to the Governor's funding proposal.

SUGGESTED DISTRICT ACTION: Publicize PACD's initial response to the budget
A letter may be sent to your legislators and a press release could be sent to local media.

PACD ACTION: PACD will supply information to districts concerning the Governor's budget proposal. A model letter to legislators will be provided as well as a model press release for local media coverage. PACD will also send this information to the Capitol Press Room.

March

PACD will host a Capitol Day event in March to recap the last two/three months of legislative activity. Districts will have the opportunity to sit with their elected leaders during a luncheon. All materials for discussion will be disseminated prior to the luncheon event. The PACD "Legislator of the Year" award will be presented at this time.

SUGGESTED DISTRICT ACTION: Capitol Day Participation and follow-up press release

PACD suggests that district staff and board members plan on attending the Capitol Day event. To encourage legislative participation, we suggest that districts personally invite their legislators to the luncheon about two months prior to the date and explain that local folks will be at Capitol Day. A follow-up contact should be made a week before the function to remind legislators about the luncheon and to provide names of those constituents who will be attending. At Capitol Day, we suggest that you plan on using your camera for a picture of you with your legislators for a press release. You may offer to send a copy of the picture to each legislator present.

PACD ACTION: PACD will organize and host the Capitol Day event. We will send invitations to all legislators and make follow-up phone calls to those legislators that have not responded to our invitation. PACD will generate all background information on the highlighted legislative issues. A template press release will be given to participants at the function for local media. A similar press release will also be distributed at the Capitol News Room.

April

At this time we will be gearing up for the budget process and focusing on how the state budget affects folks close to home.

SUGGESTED DISTRICT ACTION: Follow up budget information
Districts may send out another press release to local press and a letter to legislators concerning the budget. We suggest the letter highlight programs that may suffer in your district if the proposed budget does not include adequate district funding. Or if the budget proposal is satisfactory, let the legislators know that any funding decreases in the budget may be burdensome. By personalizing the funding deficiencies, it serves to localize the issue. If you are planning a local fall legislative event, establish a planning committee.

PACD ACTION: We will provide a model letter and press release, and ask districts to personalize local issues in those documents.

May

This month we will be focusing on the General Assembly's final days of their legislative session before the summer recess. It will be time to push the priority list we developed in January.

SUGGESTED DISTRICT ACTION: Personal meeting
A personal meeting at the legislator's district office on a Thursday or Friday (when they are back home), complete, with pictures for your newsletter, the legislator's newsletter, and a press release is helpful. If you have a number of legislators, you can either personally go to each individual legislator, or have a legislative meeting with them collectively. Although May is a busy month for farmers only one or two District staff and the same number of directors are needed for this meeting.

PACD ACTION: PACD will provide up-to-date information on legislative issues that were targeted in January. Also, we will provide districts with a short fact sheet on these issues that can be given to legislators. This information can be disseminated at your local legislative meetings.

June

Personal phone calls and letters are essential this month on all legislative initiatives. June is the last opportunity to discuss the upcoming fiscal year budget. June is also a busy time in the General Assembly for other pieces of legislation. Consequently, it is advantageous to discuss other legislative issues as well.

SUGGESTED DISTRICT ACTION: Final budget and legislative push
PACD suggests that districts utilize this last opportunity to discuss district issues. It would be great to generate a call from each manager and board member to the legislator's district office reminding them of the information that was provided in May. After the passage of the budget, we suggest a thank you note be sent to legislators who supported district funding increases. Pick a date, preferably a Thursday or a Friday for your local fall legislative event. Secure a location and decide on the meal. Finally, develop an invitation list including local, state, and federal legislators and their aides.

PACD ACTION: PACD will provide the information necessary to generate the phone calls to district legislative offices. As legislative bills progress the information will be printed in the weekly PACD Front Page e-mails, so districts will have current information. PACD will also provide the information on final passage of the budget and other legislative initiatives. Also, PACD will send a template thank you note to districts.

July - August

SUGGESTED DISTRICT ACTION: Summer Tour
Summer is the perfect time to conduct a tour of a project that you are working on or a successful finalized project. It is time to shine. We suggest taking pictures and creating a personal interest story for the papers. The press will love it and so will the legislators. Send out the invitations for your local legislative event complete with directions to those legislators and aides that you plan to invite.

PACD ACTION: While the districts are planning and conducting summer tours, PACD will be gathering information for next year's budget request. We will be talking to districts and various state agencies gathering the information necessary to develop an appropriate budget document for distribution and approval at our annual meeting in July. After the districts have approved a budget proposal we will meet with the Secretaries of various departments to discuss our budget requests.

September

During an election year, the legislature does not meet often in the fall. On off years, they meet more regularly. It is time to make sure your legislators know our fall agenda. Since most of them will be campaigning, it is a great time to focus on the press as well. Any positive publicity is appreciated by legislators. Even though the General Assembly just passed the budget, the Governor's Budget Office and the state agencies are already beginning to crunch numbers.

SUGGESTED DISTRICT ACTION: Fall priorities letter
A fall priorities letter will provide legislators with our legislative priorities for the next few months. We will also unveil our budget requests to the governor's office and the PA General Assembly at this time. At the beginning of the month, prepare an agenda and presentations for your local legislative event. Make sure you confirm your speakers.

PACD ACTION: PACD will provide districts with a model legislative priorities letter and press release. We will also make sure that the districts have the PACD budget proposal.

October

This is the time to pull out the stops and hold a full fledged legislative event on your home turf. You can coordinate with several counties if that is appropriate.

SUGGESTED DISTRICT ACTION: Legislative breakfast or event
We will provide you with guidance materials to prepare for a successful legislative event in your area and a model press release. This project will take several months to organize, so you will have to begin preparations in the spring as have already been outlined. Two weeks before the event, prepare a press release and invite the media. Make follow-up calls to the media the day before the event. Finally, after the event send thank you notes and photos to the legislators attending.

PACD ACTION: PACD will provide a timeline of activities to help districts successfully organize a legislative event in your county or region. Provided materials will include model invitations and press releases, and background material.

November

During election years, November 30th marks the end of the 2 year legislative session. Anything that does not pass dies and the legislative process starts again in January. November is a final push to finalize legislative issues. On off election years, the legislature will most likely not have this final push until December. November is the month to determine your local "Legislator of the Year."

SUGGESTED DISTRICT ACTION: Personal calls during end of legislative term
A legislative letter and phone call are appropriate at this time outlining legislative initiatives and focusing on legislation that still is under consideration in the PA General Assembly. It is recommended that district staff and board members call the legislator's home office during November. Districts may also consider choosing a recipient of the Legislator Recognition Award to be honored in December and sent on to the PACD office for consideration of a statewide "Legislator of the Year." An application form for this award is posted on the PACD website. If you are planning on holding a local fall legislative event for the next year, now is the time to determine what counties will be participating with you. Contact those counties you wish to work with and get commitments from them. Determine your budget for the event.

PACD ACTION: PACD will provide information on legislation that the General Assembly is considering in the last days of the session. We will also provide a model press release on wrap-up legislative activity.

December

Have a friendly social event just for fun, but keep that personal relationship going. Be sure to invite all newly elected leaders who will begin officially in January. This event will serve as a "getting to know you" opportunity for new legislators and a thank you to those legislators who have supported the district throughout the year. Again this event must be held on a Thursday or Friday so the legislators will be in their district office. It will also be an opportunity for districts to honor their "Legislator of the Year."

SUGGESTED DISTRICT ACTION: Welcome to the office event - Holiday reception
An easy to plan reception that entails a few refreshments will be all that you need to thank legislators for their help throughout the year. You can honor your Legislator of the Year at the reception. Please make sure that your Legislator of the Year applications are sent to the PACD office this month.

PACD ACTION: PACD will provide a template press release for your event and Legislator of the Year. We will also provide tips on holding a holiday reception with a timeline for preparation.

As side notes, always invite legislators to all your events such as your awards dinners. Make sure you provide pictures for their newsletter and press. Send press releases out about once a month. Provide written material for each face-to-face meeting. Always send legislators your newsletters.

Tax Incentives for Land Conservation

Representative Russell Fairchild (R-Union) introduced HB 1895. This resolution calls for a constitutional amendment allowing tax incentives for land conservation. The resolution passed the House and will now be considered by the Senate. A constitutional amendment proposal must pass the General Assembly in two consecutive sessions and then be considered as a referendum by the general public.

HB 2042 increases penalties for intentional violations to the Clean Streams Law. The bill, introduced by Representative Douglas Reichley (R-Berks), passed the House and will now be considered by the Senate.

Eminent Domain and Farmland Preservation

The Governor signed legislation aimed at limiting eminent domain in Pennsylvania. This legislation is a result of a Supreme Court ruling that allowed states to address the issue individually.

Also on the Governor's desk is SB 723. This farmland preservation legislation, introduced by Senator Noah Wenger (R-Lancaster), encourages financial partnerships between public and private entities to increase available funding, limits eminent domain condemnation for agricultural land, allows for funding within the program to be used for administrative expenses, establishes a land trust reimbursement program, and establishes an agricultural land conservation assistance grant program to counties intended to cover costs in creating a spatial mapping database and the development of agricultural zoning ordinances.

May 3, 2006

AML Resolution, House/Senate Environmental Resources Committees Meet, House/Senate Agriculture Committee Meets, and Budget Update

AML Resolution - The House passed HR 719, sponsored by Joseph Markosek (D-Allegheny) urging Congress to reauthorize the federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fee.

House/Senate Environmental Resources Committees Meet - The House Environmental Resources Committee met this week to hold an informational meeting on the status of State Water Resources Planning. John Hines, Director of the Office of Water Management at the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) testified at the event. Hines explained that the Water Resource Planning Act calls for DEP, the State Water Board and the Regional Water Boards (made up of 169 appointed people) to update the state water plan within 5 years. Additionally, critical water planning areas will need to be identified and plans will need to be generated for those areas. Finally, large water withdrawals will need to be registered and reported. The Delaware River Basin Commission and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission also testified.

The Senate Environmental Resources Committee met to further discuss mercury emission reduction. At this hearing the PA Coal Association, the PA Chamber of Commerce, and several others testified. These two associations support SB 1120, believing the legislation will implement a cost-effective way of dealing with mercury emissions from power plants. They are concerned that the DEP proposal to adopt a state-specific plan calling for earlier and steeper cuts in mercury as explained to the Committee at last week's hearing on this subject, will exceed the federal program guidelines. EPA stated last week that the technology to reliably reduce mercury emissions at all plants to the levels proposed by DEP are not yet available. It seems there is a difference of opinion on this subject, and I'm sure we will hear more on the subject over the next few months.

House/Senate Agriculture Committee Meets - The House and Senate Agriculture Committee held a joint hearing this week to discuss conservation provisions in the 2007 farm bill. The Chesapeake Bay Commission, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the PA Department of Agriculture testified. All three groups agreed that the 2007 Farm Bill conservation provisions will be crucial for PA and urged the PA General Assembly to work with their federal counterparts on the issue. For the federal fiscal year 2006, PA's allocations for Farm Bill conservation support are approximately $40 million through NRCS and FSA programs.

Budget - Many of you have already received a model letter. If you haven't, rest assured it will be in your mailboxes soon (or click here). We suggest you send it to your elected leaders in the near future. We are trying to convey to the PA General Assembly members the importance of additional funding for the districts. Thanks for your help.