HB 680 — An Act amending the act of June 22, 1937 (P.L.1987, No.394), known as The Clean Streams Law, in procedure and enforcement, further providing for summary proceedings.

PRINTER'S NO.    694

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 680
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY HOWARD, HILL-EVANS, PIELLI, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ,
        SANCHEZ, SCHLOSSBERG, DALEY, HADDOCK AND BRENNAN,
        FEBRUARY 20, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE
        PROTECTION, FEBRUARY 20, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 22, 1937 (P.L.1987, No.394), entitled
 2      "An act to preserve and improve the purity of the waters of
 3      the Commonwealth for the protection of public health, animal
 4      and aquatic life, and for industrial consumption, and
 5      recreation; empowering and directing the creation of
 6      indebtedness or the issuing of non-debt revenue bonds by
 7      political subdivisions to provide works to abate pollution;
 8      providing protection of water supply and water quality;
 9      providing for the jurisdiction of courts in the enforcement
10      thereof; providing additional remedies for abating pollution
11      of waters; imposing certain penalties; repealing certain
12      acts; regulating discharges of sewage and industrial wastes;
13      regulating the operation of mines and regulating the impact
14      of mining upon water quality, supply and quantity; placing
15      responsibilities upon landowners and land occupiers and to
16      maintain primary jurisdiction over surface coal mining in
17      Pennsylvania," in procedure and enforcement, further
18      providing for summary proceedings.
19      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
20   hereby enacts as follows:
21      Section 1.    Section 603 of the act of June 22, 1937
22   (P.L.1987, No.394), known as The Clean Streams Law, is amended
23   to read:
24      Section 603.    Summary Proceedings.--All summary proceedings
25   under the provisions of this act may be commenced by the Office
 1   of Attorney General under the act of October 15, 1980 (P.L.950,
 2   No.164), known as the "Commonwealth Attorneys Act," or brought
 3   before any district justice of the county where the offense
 4   occurred or the unlawful discharge of sewage, industrial waste
 5   or pollution was maintained, or in the county where the public
 6   is affected, [and to that end jurisdiction is hereby conferred
 7   upon said district justices,] subject to appeal by either party
 8   in the manner provided by law. In the case of any appeal from
 9   any such conviction in the manner provided by law for appeals
10   from summary conviction, it shall be the duty of the Office of
11   Attorney General or the district attorney of the county to
12   represent the interests of the Commonwealth.
13      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250HB0680PN0694                  - 2 -