Pennsylvania legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Pennsylvania SB403: An Act amending the act of November 26, 1978 (P.L.1375, No.325), known as the Dam Safety and Encroachments Act, providing for issuance of and conditions for continuous maintenance permits.
Status: Passed one chamber, October 5, 2026
What the bill says
An act providing for the regulation and safety of dams and reservoirs, water obstructions and encroachments; consolidating and clarifying the programs of the Department of Environmental Resources and Navigation Commission for the Delaware River; establishing penalties and repealing certain acts," providing for issuance of and conditions for continuous maintenance permits.
From the introduced text, March 17, 2025:
An act providing for the regulation and safety of dams and reservoirs, water obstructions and encroachments; consolidating and clarifying the programs of the Department of Environmental Resources and Navigation Commission for the Delaware River; establishing penalties and repealing certain acts," providing for issuance of and conditions for continuous maintenance permits. The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows: Section 1. The act of November 26, 1978 (P.L.1375, No.325), known as the Dam Safety and Encroachments Act, is amended by adding a section to read: Section 9.1. Issuance of and conditions for continuous maintenance permits. (a) The department shall develop a continuous maintenance permit for which the Department of Transportation or a municipality may apply. The permit shall allow permittees to maintain, inspect and monitor watercourses, water obstructions, appurtenant works and encroachments as specified within the permit. (b) The department shall approve an application for a permit to an applicant under this section if the applicant meets all of the following criteria: (1) The applicant is without a sustained history of significant permit violations under this act. (2) The applicant takes an affirmative duty over the watercourses, water obstructions, appurtenant works and encroachments delineated in the permit application. (c) Submission of a watercourse alone within the application shall be interpreted as submitting the publicly owned water obstructions, …