The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, chaired by state Sen.

Mary Jo White, R-21st, approved Wednesday legislation that would extend funding of the state recycling program and fund the cleanup of waste tire piles across Pennsylvania.The measure would extend the sunset date for the $2 per ton recycling fee, which funds the state recycling program, from 2012 to 2020.Additionally, the bill seeks to authorize the transfer of $1.25 million annually from the Recycling Fund to the Used Tire Pile Remediation Restricted Account for fiscal year 2009-2010 through 2012-2013.The transferred funds, White said, would be used for clean up waste tire piles throughout the state.The committee also approved legislation that would add areas adjacent to, or an expansion of, an existing coal refuse disposal site to the list of preferred sites for coal refuse disposal.———State Sen.

Don White, R-40th, this week made it clear that he hates misleading robo calls.He voiced his anger after receiving numerous complaints from irate constituents who were awakened early Sunday morning by automated calls from a "Jim White" promoting financial services.The senator, the next day, declared that neither he nor anyone from his office was associated with the calls he characterized as irresponsible."To be perfectly clear, I do not know a "Jim White," nor am I associated with his organization in any way," White said. "I am extremely disgusted to learn of many residents receiving repeated calls in the early hours of Sunday morning."White urged residents to make sure their registrations under Pennsylvania's "Do-Not-Call" program are up to date. Consumers have been able to register for that program since 2002.Since registrations are for a five-year period, anyone who registered before October 2004 must reregister their phone numbers.New registrations and renewals of existing registrations for the "Do-Not-Call" list may be made by either calling a toll-free number 1-888-777-3406 or online at: dnc.attorneygeneral.gov/Register.aspxWhite, meanwhile, is a co-sponsor of a legislation that would provide lifetime registration in the program which passed the Senate in April.The measure is before the state House of Representatives' Consumer Affairs Committee for consideration.