HB 88 — An Act amending the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural Resources Act, in Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, providing for money collected from oil or gas leases under publicly owned streambeds.

PRINTER'S NO.   71

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 88
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY OWLETT, PICKETT, HAMM, CAUSER, ROWE, KENYATTA,
        JAMES, COOK, SMITH, NEILSON AND ZIMMERMAN, JANUARY 14, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE
        PROTECTION, JANUARY 14, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), entitled "An
 2      act creating the Department of Conservation and Natural
 3      Resources consisting of certain functions of the Department
 4      of Environmental Resources and the Department of Community
 5      Affairs; renaming the Department of Environmental Resources
 6      as the Department of Environmental Protection; defining the
 7      role of the Environmental Quality Board in the Department of
 8      Environmental Protection; making changes to responsibilities
 9      of the State Conservation Commission and the Department of
10      Agriculture; transferring certain powers and duties to the
11      Department of Health; and repealing inconsistent acts," in
12      Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, providing
13      for money collected from oil or gas leases under publicly
14      owned streambeds.
15      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
16   hereby enacts as follows:
17      Section 1.    The act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known
18   as the Conservation and Natural Resources Act, is amended by
19   adding a section to read:
20   Section 323.    Money collected from oil or gas leases under
21               publicly owned streambeds.
22      (a)   Money collected beginning January 1, 2014.--The
23   department shall estimate the amount of money collected by the
 1   department beginning January 1, 2014, and ending on the
 2   effective date of this subsection, from an oil or gas lease
 3   under a publicly owned streambed in each county where such a
 4   streambed is located. No later than 60 days from the effective
 5   date of this subsection, the department shall distribute an
 6   amount of money equal to the estimated amount of money collected
 7   by the department beginning January 1, 2014, and ending on the
 8   effective date of this subsection, in a single lump-sum payment
 9   to each county specified under this subsection.
10      (b)   Money collected after effective date of subsection.--The
11   department shall distribute the money collected by the
12   department after the effective date of this subsection from an
13   oil or gas lease under a publicly owned streambed to the county
14   where the streambed is located.
15      (c)   Use of money.--A county that is the recipient of money
16   under this section shall use the money solely for the purpose of
17   maintaining creeks and streams within the county at the county's
18   discretion.
19      Section 2.   This act shall take effect immediately.




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