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HB 913

An Act amending the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural Resources Act, in renaming Department of Environmental Resources and defining rulemaking authority of Department of Environmental Protection, repealing provisions relating to Department of Environmental Protection and providing for Department of Environmental Services; and making editorial changes.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rob Kauffman and 7 co-sponsors

Pennsylvania restructures environmental agencies by renaming the Department of Environmental Resources to Environmental Protection and establishing a separate Environmental Services department while clarifying rulemaking authority.

Referred to Environmental & Natural Resource Protection
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Bill Summary · HB 913

Legislative bill overview

HB 913 restructures Pennsylvania's environmental governance by renaming the Department of Environmental Resources to the Department of Environmental Protection, clarifying its rulemaking authority, and establishing a new Department of Environmental Services. The bill makes corresponding editorial and administrative changes to reflect this reorganization across state law.

Why is this important

This reorganization affects how environmental regulations are developed and enforced in Pennsylvania, potentially impacting oversight of pollution, natural resources, and environmental compliance for businesses and residents. The clarification of rulemaking authority determines which agency has power to create and modify environmental rules that affect industry practices and environmental standards.

Potential points of contention

  • Rulemaking authority: The specifics of which rules the Department of Environmental Protection can independently adopt versus those requiring legislative approval could significantly affect regulatory speed and corporate compliance burden
  • Department split rationale: Creating a separate Department of Environmental Services requires clarification on functional division—overlap between agencies could create inefficiency or jurisdictional conflicts
  • Implementation costs: Restructuring government agencies involves transition expenses that some may view as wasteful, particularly if functions are merely renamed rather than substantively reformed

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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