HARRISBURG – The governor has signed his legislation extending the sunset date of two critically important environmental protection grant programs into law.

Senate Democratic Chair of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee John Yudichak (D-Luzerne/Carbon/Monroe) proposed Senate Bill 1398 which extends the sunset date of the Underground Storage Tank Environmental Cleanup Program and the Underground Storage Tank Pollution Prevention Program to June 30, 2017. Both programs would have expired on Saturday if not reauthorized by the legislature.

“Cleaning up environmentally sensitive underground storage before they become a greater liability to the Commonwealth makes good sense for taxpayers and good sense for our environment,” Yudichak said.

The Underground Storage Tank Environmental Cleanup Program provides financial assistance for owners of underground storage tanks with a capacity of 3,000 gallons or less. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is authorized to use $500,000 to provide reimbursements to tank owners for the actual costs of corrective action up to $5,000. The owner must first pay a $1,000 deductible to qualify for funding.

The program is designed to help small business owners cover the cost of pumping out and sealing very old underground storage tanks that were never upgraded to meet regulations.  The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is authorized to use $1,000,000 to provide reimbursements to tank owners.