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In this Update:

• Carlisle Satellite Office Opens Next Week
• Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Assistance is Available
• Senate Acts to Improve Electric Grid Reliability Through Natural Gas Development
• Measure to Speed Up Plugging of Abandoned Wells Approved by Senate
• Poultry Owners Urged to Continue Efforts to Combat Avian Influenza
• Game Commission Conducts Black Bear Research

Carlisle Satellite Office Opens Next Week

Our new Carlisle Satellite Office will open Thursday, March 19.

The office is located on the second floor of the Cumberland County Main Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Square, Carlisle and will be open the third Thursday of each month, 10 a.m. to noon. 

Staff will be on hand to provide constituent service and facilitate work with commonwealth agencies, including requests for birth certificates, driver’s license and motor vehicle registration renewals, completion of property tax/rent rebate applications and more.  They will also be available to provide status updates on pending legislation and receive feedback on such.

Being accessible to constituents is a top priority. Having a regular presence in Carlisle will improve our ability to hear from and serve the needs of residents in the central part of the county. We look forward to connecting with those in and around the borough. 

Please call (717) 283-4200 or visit senatorrothman.com for more information.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Assistance is Available

More residents are eligible for rebates than in previous years due to an increase in allowable income. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program is funded by lottery revenue and is open to state residents who:

• Are age 65 or older or
• Are widows and widowers age 50 or older or
• Anyone age 18 and older who is 100% disabled

AND has a household income of $48,110 or less, counting only half of Social Security.

Rebate amounts are calculated based on applicants’ 2025 income and the amount of property tax or rent paid in 2025, with rebates ranging from $380 to $1,000. Application assistance and electronic filing are available in my district offices. Appointments are recommended.

Senate Acts to Improve Electric Grid Reliability Through Natural Gas Development

Reliable and affordable electricity is a fundamental need for families and the businesses that provide their jobs. The Senate recently passed legislation to preserve the reliability of our region’s power grid.

Senate Bill 704 directs the state departments of Community and Economic Development and Environmental Protection to work together to identify suitable sites for natural gas electric generation projects. The goal is to address electricity generation shortages in the PJM power grid. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

We also successfully blocked new taxes on electricity that would have added more than a billion dollars to Pennsylvanians’ energy bills. This will reduce energy costs for every Pennsylvania consumer, prevent the loss of jobs and ensure greater grid reliability.  

Measure to Speed Up Plugging of Abandoned Wells Approved by Senate

There are an estimated 350,000 abandoned oil and gas wells statewide posing safety and environmental risks. The Senate approved legislation to streamline plugging operations, eliminating uncertainty and accelerating cleanup efforts.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection requires well pluggers to clean out a well to its total depth before plugging. Senate Bill 712 removes longstanding roadblocks by defining what constitutes a reasonable effort to reach the attainable bottom of a well, eliminating ambiguity that has led to costly delays.

This clarity will help Pennsylvania fully leverage nearly $400 million in federal funding to plug more wells in less time. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Poultry Owners Urged to Continue Efforts to Combat Avian Influenza

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is reminding poultry owners – backyard flock owners and commercial producers – to continue taking steps to protect their birds from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

Since the current outbreak began in 2022, Pennsylvania has lost more than 14.3 million birds, with approximately half of these lost since the beginning of 2026. Steps to reduce HPAI risk include:

• Practicing biosecurity every day.
• Wearing clean clothes, scrub boots or shoes with disinfectants and washing hands before and after contact with animals.
• Controlling birds and rodents that can carry and spread disease.
• Keeping birds indoors whenever possible and minimizing contact with wild birds.
• Eliminating standing water that may attract wild birds.

Poultry owners should report sick birds or unexplained deaths to 717-772-2852. Anyone encountering sick or dead wild birds should contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-WILD. You can find more information here.

Game Commission Conducts Black Bear Research

According to the Game Commission, Pennsylvania is home to approximately 18,000 black bears.  As part of their ongoing efforts to manage the population, Commission biologists study bear numbers, movements, and locations across the commonwealth.

The Game Commission invited the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee to shadow their research efforts this week, which included monitoring and tagging bear cubs and sows. We appreciate the commission’s year-round work to keep the population healthy!

Learn about black bear biology and management here. Additionally, the BearWise program provides bear safety tips for people, pets, and property; check it out here.

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