19473_Authority_Oct-opt

2 4 dŚĞ ƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJ │ October ŽŵƉŝůĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ WD 'ŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚ ZĞůĂƟŽŶƐ ^ƚĂī g oVernment r elations u Pdate 2026-2027 Budget Information The 2026-2027 state budget passed roughly two weeks past the formal deadline of June 30, 2026. Act 1A of 2026 ( HB 2400 - Representative Jordan Harris, Philadelphia) provides for the General Appropriation Act of 2026. The bill makes both state and federal appropriations for the expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government for fiscal year 2026/27. The $50.8 billion total is a 1% increase over the previous year’s budget. Appropriations are made from the General Fund as well as smaller special funds and restricted accounts. The bill does not contain any executive authorizations or non-preferred appropriations. The bill also reduces spending authority for fiscal year 2025/26 by $1.132 billion for the state General Fund and $2.18 million for the Tobacco Settlement Fund. To balance the budget, $580 million was transferred from special funds, to be named later. Below are sections of the law applicable to authorities: • Environmental Protection ƒ $47.56 million, a $2.08 million or 4.6% increase, for Environmental Program Management ƒ $136.8 million, a $2.1 million or $1.6% increase, for Environmental Protection Operations ƒ $6.2 million, a $345,000 or 5.9% increase, for Chesapeake Bay Agricultural Source Abatement ƒ New $20 million supplemental appropriation for Transfer to Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund Act 21 of 2026 ( SB 146 - Senator Lisa Baker, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming) amends the Fiscal Code (Act 176 of 1929) with substantive language pertaining to appropriations in the General Appropriations Act of 2026 and other provisions implementing the 2026/27 budget. • Data Center Energy and Water Reporting Requirements ƒ Requires data centers to report water and energy usage to the Department of Environmental Protection. • Food Processing Residuals ƒ Provide for the regulation of food processing residuals in the course of normal farming operations and for the regulation of commercial haulers and brokers of food processing residuals. Act 20 of 2026 (HB 1505 - Representative Liz Hanbidge, Montgomery) amends the Public School Code. • Lead Testing Threshold ƒ This legislation changes the requirement for schools to provide alternate water sources if lead testing levels are in excess of .005 mg/L rather than the “maximum contaminant level goal” of 0.00 mg/L.