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
Amending the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), entitled "An
act creating the Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources consisting of certain functions of the Department
of Environmental Resources and the Department of Community
Affairs; renaming the Department of Environmental Resources
as the Department of Environmental Protection; defining the
role of the Environmental Quality Board in the Department of
Environmental Protection; making changes to responsibilities
of the State Conservation Commission and the Department of
Agriculture; transferring certain powers and duties to the
Department of Health; and repealing inconsistent acts," in
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, providing
for money collected from oil or gas leases under publicly
owned streambeds.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known
as the Conservation and Natural Resources Act, is amended by
adding a section to read:
Section 323. Money collected from oil or gas leases under
publicly owned streambeds.
(a) Money collected beginning January 1, 2014.--The
department shall estimate the amount of money collected by the
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department beginning January 1, 2014, and ending on the
effective date of this subsection, from an oil or gas lease
under a publicly owned streambed in each county where such a
streambed is located. No later than 60 days from the effective
date of this subsection, the department shall distribute an
amount of money equal to the estimated amount of money collected
by the department beginning January 1, 2014, and ending on the
effective date of this subsection, in a single lump-sum payment
to each county specified under this subsection.
(b) Money collected after effective date of subsection.--The
department shall distribute the money collected by the
department after the effective date of this subsection from an
oil or gas lease under a publicly owned streambed to the county
where the streambed is located.
(c) Use of money.--A county that is the recipient of money
under this section shall use the money solely for the purpose of
maintaining creeks and streams within the county at the county's
discretion.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
20250HB0088PN0071 - 2 -
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