Daley planning bills for next session
With the new year approaching, state Rep. Peter J. Daley (D-California) is planning to reintroduce proposals dealing with energy and disaster assistance. Daley said he will lead the effort to develop a partnership between producers of energy and government that will guide an energy strategy for Pennsylvania.
During the 2001-02 legislative session, Daley was the primary co-sponsor of legislation that would create the Pennsylvania Energy Partnership. This was developed during the last two years by exchanges among legislative, energy industry and research leaders.
Daley said Penn State University’s Energy Institute, a leader in national research, would oversee funding of research proposals from institutions and businesses around the state.
“We are working with Penn State University and producers of coal, gas, petroleum and all sources of energy, so that they can provide information to the governor that will result in energy planning,” said Daley. “It will help us come up with efficient ways (to produce) low-cost energy, and basically help us get ahead of the curve.”
Daley said the PEP would replace the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority and would have increased participation form the energy industry. It would bring all suppliers of energy and agricultural industries together to provide an affordable and environmentally sound supply of energy technologies. The PEP board of directors would be made up of representatives of the energy industries and officials from the state departments of Agriculture, Community and Economic Development and Environmental Protection.
“A balanced approach, using the expertise of business people, will benefit the state economy for years to come,” said Daley.
Daley said the measure to create the PEP passed unanimously in the House in June 2001, but received no action in the Senate. He said he is optimistic that it will pass in the Senate when the bill is reintroduced at the start of the 2003-04 legislative session.
Daley has also worked to create a small disaster assistance program in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania that would provide assistance to those involved in natural or man-made disasters that are not large enough to qualify for federal aid.
For the past several years Daley has promoted legislation to create the PENNCrisis Fund, which is a multi-faceted small disaster assistance fund program to aid the victims of small disasters and mitigate the causes of those disasters.
“This legislation would benefit any victims of occurrences that the governor declares a disaster, but that are not on such a large scale that they could receive any federal aid,” said Daley. He added that any disaster involving two or three homes or businesses would most likely qualify for assistance from the program, and cited an example of flooding that occurred in Charleroi last year.
“Although the flooding that occurred in Charleroi last year was on a smaller scale, that disqualified them for federal aid. A disaster such as this still causes devastating losses to people, businesses and communities,” Daley said. “Flooding, fires and tornadoes are disasters that all would be eligible. These things cross all economic boundaries and can happen anywhere in Pennsylvania. Having a plan in place to help those who are effected seems like common sense to me.”
Daley said that any property owner in a flood zone without flood insurance would not be eligible for assistance, and that aid would only be provided above insured losses.
Daley said that under the legislation assistance for household and personal belongings would be determined to be either grant- or loan-based.
He said that grants would be given based on income, and loans would be given based on the victim’s ability to repay the loan. Money paid back from loans would be returned to the fund.
Daley said that financing for the PENNCrisis Fund would come from a $1 check off on homeowners’ insurance. Expenditures each year would be limited to half of the money available so that there would always be money carried over for future years.
While the legislation was approved in the House four times only to die in the Senate, Daley said he is confident that it will pass in the Senate in the new legislative session.
“We didn’t have the support of the governor before,” said Daley. “We’ll look for the support of Governor-elect Rendell in getting it through the other chamber, and I think it will work.”
In another matter, Daley is also relocating his Fayette County office.
“I’m still in Fayette County but due to reapportionment, I no longer represent South Union Township, Belle Vernon, Carroll Township and Fayette City,” said Daley. “I’m now in Redstone Township.”
He added that he is grateful for the support he received from the residents of those areas over the years.
The new Fayette County office opens Jan. 2 at 113 A Thornton Road, Brownsville, Pa., 15417. The new phone number is 724-785-1201 and the fax number is 724-785-8688. Daley can also be reached at 1-800-467-9486. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.