HB 913 — An Act amending the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural Resources Act, in renaming Department of Environmental Resources and defining rulemaking authority of Department of Environmental Protection, repealing provisions relating to Department of Environmental Protection and providing for Department of Environmental Services; and making editorial changes.

PRINTER'S NO.   962

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 913
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY OWLETT, KAUFFMAN, PICKETT, RADER, SMITH, STENDER
        AND ZIMMERMAN, MARCH 17, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE
        PROTECTION, MARCH 17, 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      renaming Department of Environmental Resources and defining
13      rulemaking authority of Department of Environmental
14      Protection, repealing provisions relating to Department of
15      Environmental Protection and providing for Department of
16      Environmental Services; and making editorial changes.
17      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
18   hereby enacts as follows:
19      Section 1.    Chapter 5 heading of the act of June 28, 1995
20   (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural Resources
21   Act, is amended to read:
22                                 CHAPTER 5
23           [RENAMING DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES
24                    AND DEFINING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY OF
 1                  DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION]
 2                    DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
 3      Section 2.    Section 501 of the act is repealed:
 4   [Section 501.    Department of Environmental Protection.
 5      The Department of Environmental Resources is renamed the
 6   Department of Environmental Protection.]
 7      Section 3.    The act is amended by adding a section to read:
 8   Section 501.1.    Department of Environmental Services.
 9      (a)   Renaming of Department of Environmental Protection.--The
10   Department of Environmental Protection is renamed the Department
11   of Environmental Services.
12      (b)   References.--A reference to the Department of
13   Environmental Protection in a statute or a regulation shall be
14   deemed a reference to the Department of Environmental Services.
15      (c)   Designation.--
16            (1)   To provide an efficient and cost-minimizing
17      transition, licenses, contracts, deeds and any other official
18      actions of the Department of Environmental Protection shall
19      not be affected by the use of the designation of the
20      department as the Department of Environmental Services.
21            (2)   The Department of Environmental Services may
22      continue to use the name Department of Environmental
23      Protection on badges, licenses, contracts, deeds, stationery
24      and any other official documents until existing supplies are
25      exhausted.
26            (3)   The Department of Environmental Protection may
27      substitute the title "Department of Environmental Services"
28      for "Department of Environmental Protection" on its documents
29      and materials on a schedule as it deems appropriate.
30      (d)   Signage.--The Department of Environmental Services may

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 1   not replace existing signage at department locations with the
 2   redesignated name until the signs are worn and in need of
 3   replacement. This transition shall be coordinated with changes
 4   in administration.
 5      (e)   Computer systems.--The Department of Environmental
 6   Services shall continue to use the name Department of
 7   Environmental Protection on its computer systems until the time
 8   of routine upgrades in each computer system in the department.
 9   The change in name shall be made at the time of the routine
10   upgrade to the department computer systems.
11      Section 4.    Sections 503, 504, 507, 508 and 509(a) of the act
12   are amended to read:
13   Section 503.    Continued authority of Department of Environmental
14               [Protection] Services, State Conservation Commission
15               and Department of Agriculture.
16      (a)   Powers and duties.--The Department of Environmental
17   [Protection] Services shall continue to exercise the same powers
18   and perform the same duties and functions by law vested in and
19   imposed upon the Department of Environmental [Resources]
20   Protection not otherwise amended or transferred by this act to
21   the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
22      (b)   Administrative officers.--All appointive administrative
23   officers holding office in the Department of Environmental
24   [Resources] Protection when this act becomes effective shall
25   continue in office in the Department of Environmental
26   [Protection] Services until the term for which they were
27   respectively appointed shall expire or until they shall die,
28   resign or be removed from office.
29      (c)   Sand and gravel permits.--Section 1808(d) of the act of
30   April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative

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 1   Code of 1929, is saved from repeal and the Department of
 2   Environmental [Protection] Services and Pennsylvania Fish and
 3   Boat Commission shall continue to exercise the rights, powers
 4   and duties thereof, provided that the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat
 5   Commission may, by regulation, with the concurrence of the
 6   Department of Environmental [Protection] Services, adjust the
 7   amount of the royalty payments per ton or cubic foot of usable
 8   and/or merchantable sand and/or gravel.
 9   Section 504.   Energy programs.
10      (a)   Building Energy Conservation Act.--The Department of
11   Environmental [Protection] Services has the powers and duties
12   previously vested in the Governor's Energy Council by the act of
13   December 15, 1980 (P.L.1203, No.222), known as the Building
14   Energy Conservation Act.
15      (b)   Energy Conservation and Assistance Act.--The Department
16   of Environmental [Protection] Services has the powers and duties
17   previously vested in the Governor's Energy Council by the act of
18   July 10, 1986 (P.L.1398, No.122), known as the Energy
19   Conservation and Assistance Act.
20      (c)   Alternative fuels.--The Department of Environmental
21   [Protection] Services has the powers and duties previously
22   vested in the Pennsylvania Energy Office by 75 Pa.C.S. Ch. 72
23   (relating to alternative fuels).
24      (d)   Other powers and duties transferred.--Any reference to
25   the Pennsylvania Energy Office in any other act shall be
26   interpreted to mean the Department of Environmental [Protection]
27   Services, and any such powers and duties in such acts and other
28   functions currently performed or administered by the
29   Pennsylvania Energy Office are hereby transferred to the
30   Department of Environmental [Protection] Services.

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 1   Section 507.    Transfer of funds.
 2      The administration of the following funds or portions of
 3   funds, as may be administered by the Pennsylvania Energy Office,
 4   shall be transferred from the Pennsylvania Energy Office to the
 5   Department of Environmental [Protection] Services:
 6            (1)   Energy Conservation and Assistance Fund.
 7            (2)   Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Fund.
 8            (3)   All other funds or portions of funds currently
 9      administered by the Pennsylvania Energy Office.
10   Section 508.    Regulations.
11      Any regulations, guidelines or statements of policy issued by
12   the Pennsylvania Energy Office for the functions transferred to
13   the Department of Environmental [Protection] Services shall
14   remain in effect until such time as the Department of
15   Environmental [Protection] Services shall determine the need to
16   amend such regulations, guidelines or statements of policy.
17   Section 509.    Transfer of personnel.
18      (a)   General rule.--Certain personnel, allocations,
19   appropriations, fixed assets, equipment, files, records,
20   contracts, agreements, obligations and all other materials and
21   supplies which are used, employed or expended by the
22   Pennsylvania Energy Office in connection with the functions
23   transferred by this act to the Department of Environmental
24   [Protection] Services in the first instance shall be transferred
25   from the Pennsylvania Energy Office to the Department of
26   Environmental [Protection] Services and shall be considered as
27   if these contracts, agreements and obligations had been incurred
28   or entered into by the Department of Environmental [Protection]
29   Services.
30      * * *

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1     Section 5.    This act shall take effect in 30 days.




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