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33-584: The Department of Environmental Resources was created by Act 275 of 1970, which abolished the Department of Forest and Waters. The Department of Forest and Waters was created by the General Assembly in 1901. The Department of Environmental Protection is charged with the responsibility for development of a balanced ecological system incorporating social, cultural, and economic needs of the commonwealth through development and protection. The department

66-445: A manner that will protect the commonwealth's natural resources and the environment. This office regulates oil and gas development and production; plugs abandoned and orphaned wells causing health, safety, and environmental problems; oversees the oil and gas permitting and inspection programs; develops statewide regulations and standards; and conducts training programs for industry. The Bureau of Oil and Gas Planning and Program Management

99-512: A member resigns, the Constitution states that the legislator may not be appointed to civil office for the duration of the term to which the legislator was elected. The General Assembly is a continuing body within the term for which its representatives are elected. It convenes at 12 o'clock noon on the first Tuesday of January each year and then meets regularly throughout the year. Both houses adjourn on November 30 in even-numbered years, when

132-533: A political community founded for the common good , it is used symbolically to emphasize that these states have a "government based on the common consent of the people" as opposed to the British crown . It refers to the common "wealth", or welfare, of the public and is derived from a loose translation of the Latin term res publica . Premodern English used the alternative term "commonwealth" in such sense in place of

165-544: A state. Like Virginia , the official title of the elected local prosecutor in each of Kentucky 's political subdivisions is the Commonwealth's Attorney, as opposed to State's Attorney in other states or the more standard District Attorney. Kentucky is the only state outside of the original Thirteen Colonies that uses commonwealth in its name. Massachusetts is officially named The Commonwealth of Massachusetts by its constitution . The name State of Massachusetts Bay

198-465: A strong influence of English common law in some of their laws and institutions. However, the "commonwealth" appellation has no legal or political significance, and it does not make "commonwealth" states any different from other U.S. states. The term commonwealth does not describe or provide for any specific political status or legal relationship when used by a state. Those that do use it are equal to those that do not. A traditional English term for

231-493: Is greater than I had any idea of". During the 19th century, the culture of corruption in the General Assembly got so bad that from 1866 to 1873, about 8,700 of 9,300 acts passed in that timeframe were local or special acts. The frustration of the people of the Commonwealth with its legislature finally boiled over in 1871 and resulted in a 1873 constitutional convention and a 1874 constitutional amendment. One of

264-545: Is housed here. The deputy secretary for Water Management plans, directs, and coordinates departmental programs associated with the management and protection of the commonwealth's water resources; coordinates policies, procedures, and regulations that influence public water supply withdrawals and quality, sewage facilities planning, point source municipal and industrial discharges, encroachments upon waterways and wetlands, dam safety, earth disturbance activities, and control of stormwater and non-point source pollution; and coordinates

297-412: Is responsible for the state's land, air, and water management programs, all aspects of environmental protection, and the regulation of mining operations. The secretary of Environmental Protection, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate , heads the department. The secretary is ultimately responsible for all policy and resource allocation decisions. The secretary represents DEP before

330-833: Is the Commonwealth's Attorney , as opposed to State's Attorney in other states or the more standard District Attorney . In Virginia, the term state is sometimes used in an official manner, usually in a compound structure rather than as a standalone noun. This is evident in the names of the Virginia State Corporation Commission , the Virginia State Police , and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University . The state university in Richmond

363-592: The Latin phrase " res publica " ('the public thing') from which ultimately is derived the word republic . The four states are all in the Eastern United States , and prior to the formation of the United States in 1776 were British colonial possessions , although Kentucky did not exist as an independent polity under British rule, instead being a part of colonial Virginia . As such, they share

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396-652: The Massachusetts State Police , the Massachusetts State House , and the Bridgewater State Hospital . The Seal of Pennsylvania does not use the term, but legal processes are in the name of the Commonwealth, and it is a traditional official designation used in referring to the state. In 1776, Pennsylvania 's first state constitution referred to it as both Commonwealth and State , a pattern of usage that

429-518: The U.S. Census . They are drawn by a five-member commission, of which four members are the majority and minority leaders of each house (or their delegates). The fifth member, who chairs the committee, is appointed by the other four and may not be an elected or appointed official. If the leadership cannot decide on a fifth member, the State Supreme Court may appoint him or her. While in office, legislators may not hold civil office. Even if

462-512: The Governor with the Seal of the Commonwealth annexed." The Secretary of the Commonwealth still issues commissions in this manner. Among other references, the constitution furthermore dictated that criminal indictments were to conclude "against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth". Additionally, the official title of the elected local prosecutor in each of Virginia's political subdivisions

495-559: The House of Representatives : Joanna McClinton ( D ) Commonwealth (U.S. state) Commonwealth is a term used by four of the 50 states of the United States in their full official state names: Kentucky , Massachusetts , Pennsylvania , and Virginia . " Commonwealth " is a traditional English term used to describe a political community as having been founded for the common good , and shares some similarities with

528-917: The Office of Field Operations; and the Office of Oil and Gas Management. It also oversees the Office of Program Integration and the Environmental Emergency Response Program. The six regional offices located in Norristown , Harrisburg , Williamsport , Wilkes-Barre , Pittsburgh , and Meadville provide permitting, inspection, enforcement, and other field services for environmental protection programs. The regional offices are responsible for implementing Department programs through permitting, inspection, enforcement, and other field services for environmental and public health protection; program and technical support to Pennsylvania's 66 conservation districts; and compliance assistance to

561-511: The amendment's reforms was to prohibit the General Assembly from writing statutes covering more than one subject . Unfortunately, the amendment (today found at Section 3 of Article III of the Pennsylvania Constitution) was so poorly written that it also prevented the General Assembly from undertaking a comprehensive codification of the Commonwealth's statutes until another amendment was pushed through in 1967 to provide

594-511: The bureaus of Office Services, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Laboratories, and the DEP Grants Center and Small Businesses Ombudsman's Office. The executive deputy secretary for Programs is responsible for coordinating department-wide programmatic priorities, policies, and actions within the Office of Waste, Air, Radiation, and Remediation; the Office of Water Management; the Office of Active and Abandoned Mine Operations;

627-535: The department's programs. The chief counsel oversees the bureaus of Regulatory Counsel, Regional Counsel, General Law, and Investigation. Pennsylvania General Assembly Minority Minority The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania . The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg . In colonial times (1682–1776),

660-824: The legislative branch, those affected by DEP action, and the general public. The secretary also manages the Policy Office, Office of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance, the Citizens Advisory Council, Office of Communications, the Environmental Education & Information Center, the Legislative Office, the director of External Affairs, and the Office of Environmental Justice. The executive deputy secretary for Administration and Management provides all Department support services. This executive deputy secretary oversees

693-572: The legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly and was unicameral . Since the Constitution of 1776 , the legislature has been known as the General Assembly. The General Assembly became a bicameral legislature in 1791. The General Assembly has 253 members, consisting of a Senate with 50 members and a House of Representatives with 203 members, making it the second-largest state legislature in

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726-655: The nation, behind New Hampshire , and the largest full-time legislature. Senators are elected for a term of four years. Representatives are elected for a term of two years. The Pennsylvania general elections are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years. A vacant seat must be filled by special election, the date of which is set by the presiding officer of the respective house. Senators must be at least 25 years old, and Representatives at least 21 years old. They must be citizens and residents of

759-602: The necessary exception. This is why Pennsylvania remains the only U.S. state that has not yet completed a comprehensive codification of its general statutory law. Since 1970, Pennsylvania has been undertaking its first official codification process, resulting in the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes . With over 300 years of uncodified statutes to go through, the codification process is still not yet complete after over five decades of work. President Pro Tempore : Kim Ward (R) Speaker of

792-532: The now singularly standard term "republic." Criminal charges in these four states are brought in the name of the Commonwealth. Besides the four aforementioned states, other states have also on occasion used the term "commonwealth" to refer to themselves: Two U.S. territories are also designated as commonwealths : Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands . When used in connection with areas under U.S. sovereignty that are not states,

825-517: The planning, design, and construction of flood protection and stream improvement projects. The bureaus of Conservation and Restoration, Waterways Engineering and Wetlands, Point and Non-Point Source Regulation, and Safe Drinking Water and the Office of Interstate Waters are housed here. The deputy secretary for Active and Abandoned Mine Operations is responsible for developing and implementing Pennsylvania's policies and programs for surface and underground coal and industrial mineral mining, mine safety, and

858-575: The reclamation of abandoned mines. This deputy secretary oversees the bureaus of Mining Programs, District Mining Operations, Mine Safety, and Abandoned Mine Reclamation. The deputy secretary for Waste, Air, Radiation, and Remediation plans, directs and coordinates the department's programs related to air quality, waste management, radiation protection, and environmental cleanup. The bureaus of Waste Management, Radiation Protection, Air Quality, and Environmental Cleanup & Brownfields are housed here. The chief counsel provides legal representation for all of

891-448: The regulated community. The deputy secretary for Oil and Gas Management directs, coordinates, and oversees the permitting and regulation of the oil and gas industry within the Commonwealth, and is responsible for the development and administration of the regulation of statewide oil and gas conservation and environmental management programs to facilitate the safe exploration, development, and recovery of Pennsylvania's oil and gas reserves in

924-483: The state for a minimum of four years and reside in their districts for at least one year. Individuals who have been convicted of felonies, including embezzlement, bribery, and perjury, are ineligible for election; the state Constitution also adds the category of "other infamous crimes," which can be broadly interpreted by state courts. No one who has been previously expelled from the General Assembly may be elected. Legislative districts are drawn every ten years, following

957-603: The term broadly describes an area that is self-governing under a constitution of its own adoption and whose right of self-government will not be unilaterally withdrawn by the United States Congress . On September 28, 1786, the residents of Kentucky County began petitioning the Virginia legislature for permission to become a "free and independent state, to be known by the name of the Commonwealth of Kentucky". On June 1, 1792, Kentucky County officially became

990-564: The terms of all members of the House and half the members of the Senate expire. Neither body can adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other. The governor may call a special session in order to press for legislation on important issues. As of 2017, only 35 special sessions have been called in the history of Pennsylvania. The Assembly meets in the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg , which

1023-762: Was completed in 1906. Under the Pennsylvania Constitution , the Assembly must meet in the City of Harrisburg and can move only if given the consent of both chambers. The Pennsylvania General Assembly has a lengthy history as one of the most openly corrupt state legislatures in the United States, going back over two centuries to the era of the Thirteen Colonies . In 1794, while visiting western Pennsylvania , Alexander Hamilton wrote to Rufus King : "The political putrefaction of Pennsylvania

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1056-612: Was perpetuated in the constitutions of 1790, 1838, 1874, and 1968. One of Pennsylvania's two intermediate appellate courts is called the Commonwealth Court . The name Commonwealth of Virginia dates back to its independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain . Virginia's first constitution (adopted on June 29, 1776) directed that "Commissions and Grants shall run, In the Name of the commonwealth of Virginia, and bear test by

1089-404: Was used in all acts and resolves up to 1780 and in the first draft of the constitution. The current name can be traced to the second draft of the state constitution, which was written by John Adams and ratified in 1780. In Massachusetts, the term State is occasionally used in an official manner, usually in a compound structure rather than as a standalone noun. This is evident in the names of

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