Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Act 133 - PHILADELPHIA LNG EXPORT TASK FORCE ACT - ENACTMENT

An Act
 
Establishing the Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force; and providing for duties of task
force.

 
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:
 
Section 1.  Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force
Act.

Section 2.  Findings and declarations.
The General Assembly finds and declares that due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine on
February 24, 2022, it is essential for this Commonwealth to have the means to export
liquefied natural gas to other countries to reduce their reliance on Russian energy.

Section 3.  Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall have the meanings given
to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"LNG."  Liquefied natural gas.
"Task force."  The Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force established under section 4.
Section 4.  Establishment of task force.
The Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force is established for the purposes specified under
this act.

Section 5.  Composition and meetings of task force.
(a)  Composition.--The task force shall be comprised of the following members:
(1)  The Secretary of Environmental Protection or a designee, who shall be an employee
of the Department of Environmental Protection appointed by the Secretary of Environmental
Protection.

(2)  The Chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission or a designee, who shall
be appointed by the Chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

(3)  The Secretary of Community and Economic Development or a designee, who shall be an
employee of the Department of Community and Economic Development appointed by the
Secretary of Community and Economic Development.

(4)  The Secretary of Transportation or a designee, who shall be an employee of the Department
of Transportation appointed by the Secretary of Transportation.

(5)  The Director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency or a designee, who shall
be an employee of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency appointed by the Director
of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

(6)  Four members of the General Assembly, who shall be appointed no later than 21 days
after the effective date of this section, as follows:

(i)  One member shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate.
(ii)  One member shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.
(iii)  One member shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(iv)  One member shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
(7)  The Mayor of Philadelphia or a designee, who shall be appointed by the Mayor of Philadelphia.
(8)  Two representatives of the oil and gas or LNG industries, who shall be employees of
a company that deals with oil and gas or LNG in this Commonwealth or a trade organization
for oil and gas or LNG in this Commonwealth. No later than 21 days after the effective
date of this section, the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the
House of Representatives shall jointly submit a list of at least four individuals
who qualify for appointment to the task force under this paragraph to the Governor.
The Governor shall appoint the two members under this paragraph from the list within
14 days of receipt of the list.

(9)  The executive director of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority or a designee,
who shall be an employee of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority.

(10)  The Chief Executive Officer of the Philadelphia Gas Works or a designee, who shall
be an employee of the Philadelphia Gas Works.

(11)  One representative of the Philadelphia Building Trades. No later than 21 days after
the effective date of this section, the President pro tempore of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives shall jointly submit a list of at least three
individuals who qualify for appointment to the task force under this paragraph to
the Governor. The Governor shall appoint the member under this paragraph from the
list within 14 days of receipt of the list.

(b)  Chairperson.--The member under subsection (a)(6)(iii) shall act as chairperson of
the task force until a chairperson is selected by a majority vote of the task force
at the first meeting of the task force. The member under subsection (a)(6)(iii) shall
set the date and time of the first meeting of the task force.

(c)  Alternates.--Each member of the task force may designate an alternate to attend meetings
of the task force, participate in votes of the task force or engage in other task
force actions on each member's behalf.

(d)  Appointments.--If the Governor fails to timely appoint a member under subsection (a)(8)
or (10), the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall make the appointment.

(e)  Quorum.--The presence of five members of the task force at a meeting shall constitute
a quorum of the task force.

(f)  Majority vote.--An action of the task force shall be authorized or ratified by a majority
vote of the task force. The members under subsection (a)(1), (2), (3), (4) and (5)
shall be nonvoting members of the task force and the presence of the members at a
meeting of the task force shall not count toward the quorum under subsection (e).

(g)  Meetings.--The task force shall commence at least three meetings within one year after
the effective date of this section. The task force shall commence its first meeting
within 75 days after the effective date of this section. The chairperson of the task
force may commence additional meetings as the chairperson deems necessary. A member
of the task force who is not physically present at a meeting of the task force may
participate in the meeting by teleconference or video conference.

(h)  Compensation.--Members of the task force shall not receive compensation for their
services as members of the task force.

Section 6.  Duties of task force.
The task force shall have the following duties:
(1)  Identify and examine the existing obstacles, economic feasibility, economic impact
and the security necessities that would be involved with making the Port of Philadelphia
an LNG export terminal.

(2)  Identify industry partners who are able to assist in making the Port of Philadelphia
an LNG export terminal.

(3)  Develop recommendations for making the Port of Philadelphia an LNG export terminal.
(4)  Hold public meetings to effectuate the task force's duties under this section.
(5)  Issue a report in accordance with section 7.
Section 7.  Report.
(a)  Submission.--No later than one year after the effective date of this section, the
task force shall prepare and submit a final report on the task force's activities,
findings and recommendations to the Governor, the Senate and the House of Representatives.

(b)  Adoption of report.--The task force shall adopt the final report under subsection
(a) at a public meeting. Any member of the task force who disagrees with a portion
of the report shall have the opportunity to include a rebuttal statement, as an appendix,
within the report before the report is published online, transmitted to the General
Assembly and the Governor or otherwise made a public record under subsection (c).

(c)  Public record.--The final report under subsection (a) shall be a public record under
the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law.

Section 8.  Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.

Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes