Pennsylvania HB 2682: An Act amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in veteran-owned small businesses, providing for small diverse business.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 3737
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2682
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY OTTEN, PROBST, WAXMAN, HANBIDGE, HOWARD, RABB,
PASHINSKI, SHUSTERMAN, STEELE, CIRESI AND GILLEN,
JUNE 29, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE
PROTECTION, JUNE 30, 2026
AN ACT
Providing for registration of extraordinary water users;
imposing a water resource fee; providing for reporting;
establishing the Critical Water Planning Area Administration
and Watershed Monitoring Fund; establishing the Water Use
Fund; providing for duties of the Department of Environmental
Protection and for submission of a question to the electorate
authorizing incurring of indebtedness for water-related
environmental initiatives; and establishing penalties.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions
Section 101. Short title.
Section 102. Scope of act.
Section 103. Legislative findings and declarations.
Section 104. Definitions.
Chapter 2. Data Center Water Consumption Reporting Requirements
Section 201. Reporting requirements.
Section 202. Enforcement and penalties.
Chapter 3. Water Resource Protection
Section 301. Registration.
Section 302. Water resource fee.
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Section 303. Distribution of water resource fees.
Section 304. Critical Water Planning Area Administration and
Watershed Monitoring Fund.
Section 305. Duties of department.
Section 306. Preconstruction notification.
Chapter 5. Watershed Protection Bonds
Section 501. Authorization to incur indebtedness.
Section 502. Certification.
Section 503. Question to electorate.
Section 504. Referendum procedure.
Section 505. Use of proceeds.
Chapter 7. Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 701. Regulations.
Section 702. Notice and report.
Section 703. Effective date.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
CHAPTER 1
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Section 101. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania
Water Resource Act.
Section 102. Scope of act.
This act applies to extraordinary nonmunicipal water
withdrawals by for-profit businesses.
Section 103. Legislative findings and declarations.
The General Assembly finds and declares that:
(1) Section 27 of Article I of the Constitution of
Pennsylvania guarantees every Pennsylvanian the right to pure
water and designates the Commonwealth as trustee of public
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natural resources for the benefit of all people, including
generations yet to come.
(2) The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has held that this
obligation is self-executing, binds all branches of
government and requires that economic development not occur
at the cost of unreasonable degradation of the environment.
(3) Extraordinary commercial water users who consume
Pennsylvania's public water resources without contributing to
their protection impose costs on the Commonwealth's ability
to fulfill its constitutional trustee obligations.
(4) This act implements the Commonwealth's
constitutional duties by ensuring that those who derive
economic benefit from Pennsylvania's public water resources
contribute to their protection and restoration.
(5) Withdrawals from the waterways of this Commonwealth
for agricultural purposes would be more appropriately
considered by the General Assembly in the next review of the
State Water Plan developed under 27 Pa.C.S. § 3115 (relating
to development, adoption, amendment and periodic review of
State water plan) and are therefore not covered under the
provisions of this act.
Section 104. 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:
"Commission." The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
"Consume." Remove water from the waters of this Commonwealth
and not return the water to the natural source.
"Consumer Price Index." The Consumer Price Index for All
Urban Consumers for the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and
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Maryland area for the most recent 12-month period for which
figures have been officially reported by the United States
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"Critical area resource plan." The term shall mean the same
as defined under 27 Pa.C.S. § 3102 (relating to definitions).
"Critical water planning area." The term shall mean the same
as defined under 27 Pa.C.S. § 3102.
"Customer assistance program." Any of the following:
(1) A plan or program sponsored by a public utility for
the purpose of providing universal service and energy
conservation, as defined under 66 Pa.C.S. §§ 2202 (relating
to definitions) and 2803 (relating to definitions).
(2) An assistance program offered by a public utility,
including a water distribution utility or wastewater utility,
in whi