PA Environment Digest An Update On Environmental Issues In PA Edited By: David E. Hess, Crisci Associates Winner 2009 PAEE Business Partner Of The Year Award Harrisburg, Pa November 10, 2014 Tom Wolf Wins Governor’s Race, Senate, House GOP Gain Seats, Session Next Week CNN (8:03) and NBC News (8:07) projected Tom Wolf the winner of the Governor’s race in Pennsylvania just minutes after the polls closed at 8:00 p.m. The Department of State election results webpage shows Wolf at 54.8 percent and Corbett at 45.1 percent. Senate Republicans picked up 3 new seats for a 30 seat majority and the House Republicans picked up 8 new seats for a 119 majority in the new General Assembly. The Senate and House return to Harrisburg November 12 to elect caucus leaders. Senate Senate Republicans picked up three new seats to have a majority of 30 seats in the new Senate come January. The Associated Press Thursday reported Sen. Jake Corman (R­Centre), Majority Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and part of the current Senate Republican Leadership, is expected to challenge Sen. Dominic Pileggi (R­Delaware) for the Majority Leader position. Republican conservatives have been upset over the failure of the Senate to pass legislation on pension reform and privatizing the sale of liquor. Caucus differences came into the public eye a few weeks ago with first Sen. Scott Wagner (R­York) and Sen. Don White (R­Indiana) wrote letters to Sen. Pileggi saying they could not support him for Majority Leader. On Friday, Sen. Lisa Baker (R­Luzerne) announced she was seeking to be Majority Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. No changes are anticipated in the Chairs of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. These three seats were picked up by Senate Republicans­­ ­­ 32nd Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland Counties ­ Open Seat (D) R Patrick Stefano: Won ­ Stefano is a lifelong resident of Fayette County and the third generation to run his family’s printing company, Stefano’s Printing. He earned an AS Degree in Business Administration from Penn State Fayette. Stefano worked in the family business for the next 29­years including the last ten years as owner and operator. He is Vice President of the Fayette County Chamber and a member of the Greater Connellsville and Morgantown chambers of commerce and has worked county­wide serving as a Board Member of the Fay­Penn Economic Development Council. D Deberah Kula­ House Member ­­ 40th District Monroe, Northampton Counties ­ New Seat R­Mario Scavello­House member: Won ­ Now in his sixth full term, he serves as the State Representative of the 176th House District. He is a former mayor of Mount Pocono and former chairman of the Monroe County Board of Commissioners. A graduate of Theodore Roosevelt High School in the Bronx, New York, he also attended City University in New York. D­Mark Aurand ­­ 46th District Washington County R Camera Bartolotta: Won ­ Is the owner of the quick­lube company Duke of Oil in the Mon Valley. She holds a high school diploma and two college degrees. Ms. Bartolotta is involved with the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association of Washington County, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Gilda’s Club of Western PA. She is also a Member of Saint Damien of Molokai Catholic Church. D Timothy Solobay­ incumbent House House Republicans picked up 8 seats to have a 119 seat majority in the new General Assembly come January. House Republicans will be electing a new Speaker­designate of the House, with the retirement of Sam Smith, and other members of House GOP Leadership when they return to Harrisburg on November 12. Capitolwire.com reported Friday Rep. Mike Sturla (D­Lancaster) is challenging Frank Dermody (D­Allegheny) for House Democratic Leader. “I don't think anybody can look back on the last four years and say that our caucus did everything that was possible, and I think there's a lot of members that felt there were different things we could have done, whether that be floor debates, or getting the message out through the media as to what it was we were trying to get accomplished,” Rep. Sturla told Capitolwire.com. “As a result of that, it culminates in not having good election results,” he said. “It's kinda incomprehensible that you could have a Republican Caucus that pretty much voted 100 percent with a governor that lost by 10 points and they would pick up eight seats,” Rep. Sturla added. House Republicans will also be naming new Committee Chairs in the coming weeks, including a new Majority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee after the retirement of Ron Miller. These 8 seats were picked up by House Republicans­­ ­­ 46th District Allegheny, Washington Counties R Jason Ortitay: Won ­ Is a resident of Allegheny County. He has worked in the banking industry as a Relationship Manager, and Treasury Management for PNC Bank. He graduated from Robert Morris University, with a Bachelor’s degree and from Stetson University with a Masters of Business Administration degree. Mr. Ortitay also owns and operates Jason’s Cheesecakes, a firm that helps school groups fundraise. D Jesse White­incumbent ­­ 52nd District Washington County R Ryan Warner: Won ­ Born and raised in Fayette County, Warner is a former steel worker and farmer. He graduated from Frazier High School and Penn State with a degree in Communications. Warner has been involved in the family logging business and worked for Siemens Industry in Westmoreland County as a project controller. D Andrew Boni ­­ 74th District Chester County ­ Open Seat (D) R Harry Lewis: Won ­ Is a retired Principal and teacher from Coatesville City. As an educator he worked as a special education, physical education teacher, and track coach. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Winston­Salem University, a Master’s degree in Wellness & Fitness from West Chester University, and a Master’s degree in education administration from Cheney University. D Josh Maxwell ­­ 83rd District Lycoming County R Jeff Wheeland: Won ­ Is a businessman and Lycoming County Commissioner. He owns Home Service Beverage and First Ice. Mr. Wheeland graduated from Montoursville High School and earned an A.D. in Business Management from the former Williamsport Area Community College, and attended other post­secondary courses at Lycoming College. D Rick Mirabito ­­ 115th District Lackawanna County R David Parker: Won ­ Lives in Stroud Township where he is the co­owner of Cramer’s Home Building Centers. He is a member of the Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce, where he served as Chairman of the Human Resources Committee. Mr. Parker earned his bachelor’s degree from Messiah College. In the 4­way GOP Primary, he won with 54% of the vote. D Maureen Madden ­­ 120th District Luzerne County ­ Open Seat (D) R Aaron Kaufer Won ­ A graduate of Lafayette College, Kaufer works as a marketing representative for Mohegan Sun. The Kingston resident noted he was endorsed by the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition, which supports the elimination of school property taxes. Kaufer also said he supports term limits for state legislators and would only serve eight years in the state House. D Eileen Cipriani ­­ 146th District Montgomery County R Tom Quigley­former House member: Won ­ Is a former State Representative from Royersford Borough. Prior to serving in the House of Representatives, he served as Mayor of Royersford and also sat on the Borough Council. He graduated from Philadelphia University with a bachelor’s and master’s degree. D Mark Painter­Incumbent ­­ 169th District York County ­ New Seat (D) R ­ Kate Anne Klunk: Won ­ Klunk earned her B.A. in History, Economics and Public Policy Studies from Dickinson College and her J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law at Pennsylvania State University. Her professional experience includes working as a private practice attorney, in the Office of Communications and on the National Economic Council at The White House, as a congressional intern for United States Representative Todd Platts and as a general laborer for Utz Quality Foods. NewsClips: What Wolf Means For Energy, The Environment StateImpact: Meet The Candidates: Tom Wolf Wolf Talks Severance Tax, Protecting The Environment Wolf: Reluctant Heir To Family Business, Peace Corps Volunteer Corbett, Wolf Differ On Obama’s Carbon Rules Energy Contributions To Gubernatorial Candidates Wolf Pledges To Work Together With GOP Wolf Faces Super­GOP Legislature Wolf Expected To Have To Bend On Agenda GOP Leadership Fight Brewing In PA Senate Senate GOP Leadership Fight Signals Conservative Shift Sen. Corman Eyes Pileggi’s Post Sen. Baker Seeks Senate Leadership Position On Wolf Challenges, House Majority Leader Race Senate Leaders Sue Corbett Over Funding Veto PA Senate Leaders Sue Corbett Over Budget Vetoes What Tom Wolf Said He Would Do On Environmental Issues In May, then candidate Tom Wolf gave the Pennsylvania Environmental Council answers to questions on important environmental issues. Among them, he was asked what he would do during the first 100 days in office. He said­­ ­­ Appoint qualified individuals to lead the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. These leaders will be responsible for bringing greater transparency to the fracking process, proactively addressing climate change, and promoting policies that are in the best interest of current and future residents ­­ not special interests; ­­ Submit a budget that includes additional funding for the Department of Environmental Protection so that it is sufficiently staffed and able to provide oversight of natural gas drillers; and ­­ Introduce legislation to enact a five percent extraction tax on natural gas. Specifically on Marcellus Shale­related issues, Wolf said on his campaign website­­ ­­ Make smart investments to fund Pennsylvania's priorities.