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

Mary Jo White, R-21st, has scheduled two public hearings in Harrisburg to discuss a proposed alternative fuel mandate for gasoline and diesel fuel sales within the commonwealth.The hearings are scheduled at 9 a.m. Sept. 19 in Hearing Room 1, Capitol North Office Building; and at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 25 in Room 8 E-B, Capitol East Wing.Agendas for the hearings, as well as witness testimony and hearing transcripts, will be available on the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee's Web site at www.senatormjwhite.com/environmental.htm as the information becomes available.———Recognizing last year that gaming was coming to Pennsylvania, state Sen.

Bob Robbins, R-50th, pushed for legislation to give the attorney general new powers to ensure oversight of Pennsylvania's casinos and gambling regulatory process.Robbins last week announced that acting on the measure that he co-sponsored and that was later enacted, and with $700,000 in state funding, Attorney General Tom Corbett has created a gambling investigations unit.The unit, Robbins said, will investigate and prosecute gambling-related crimes and ensure that Pennsylvania's anti-racketeering laws are applied to violations of the 2004 slots act."While I opposed bringing slot machines to Pennsylvania, we absolutely must fight the corruption that comes with it," he said. "That's why I strongly supported the legislation to establish a gaming unit within the office of the attorney general to investigate and prosecute criminal activity associated with gaming.Included in the law are a number of reforms to Pennsylvania's Gaming Law, such as:n Eliminating the provision allowing public officials to hold a financial interest in a gaming license.n Creating a code of conduct for the Gaming Control Board.n Ensuring that the Gaming Control Board is subject to the Right-to-Know Act, the Sunshine Law, and other open-government laws.n Establishing employment practices to follow those of other state agencies, including the requirement that background checks be completed before employment.