Fall Report
Clean energy receives historic funding Making progress toward a new energy future With rising energy costs and global warming making headlines daily, the state Legislature took a historic step toward a new energy future by passing a $650 million alternative energy funding initiative this summer. Unfortunately, the state Senate failed to pass a much-needed energy efficiency initiative before leaving for their summer break. The new funding package includes $180 million for solar power and $25 million for energy efficiency and green buildings. While the final funding level was less than PennEnvironment had called for, this was the largest funding increase for clean energy in state history and will help bring cleaner, renewable energy to Pennsylvania in the coming years. PennEnvironment’s staff and supporters played a critical role in securing the alternative energy funding victory. On June 10, PennEnvironment held an Environmental Lobby Day in which PennEnvironment members and staff traveled to the state capitol in Harrisburg to urge their legislators to support aggressive clean energy solutions. Throughout May and June, our e-activists bombarded state legislators with e-mails and phone calls urging action on the energy bills, while our staff garnered supportive news coverage from across Pennsylvania. “For years, state and federal dollars have been going to the same dirty energy sources that got us into our current energy mess,” said PennEnvironment’s Nathan Willcox. “This new funding package will help level the playing field, and bring
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A windmill near Somerset, PA providing the state with with clean, renewable energy. more of the clean energy sources online that are critical in the fight against global warming.”
Senate stalls on energy efficiency
But PennEnvironment had also pressed the Legislature to take steps to cut the state’s overall energy use. To this end, the state Senate dropped the ball by failing to pass HB 2200, which would have set
up the first statewide energy efficiency program in Pennsylvania history, and cut projected energy use 2.5 percent over the next five years. Many senators pledged to revisit the legislation in the fall, and PennEnvironment will be working to ensure that this critical legislation gains the state Senate’s approval before the legislative session ends.
more online To view more of PennEnvironment’s work to secure a cleaner energy future, visit our Web site at: PennEnvironment.org/energy PennEnvironment staff meet with Pennsylvania State Sen. Pat Browne on clean energy issues.
Fall Report | 2008
To our members By the time you read this, the election will be just around the corner. I don’t know about you, but I’m excited. Despite the candidates’ attacks and counter-attacks, there’s real hope for change—just in time, as we’re facing enormous environmental challenges. The polls in Pennsylvania indicate more people are weighing the environment into their decision-making as Election Day approaches. Fortunately, we believe there are candidates worthy of their support. In particular, PennEnvironment is supporting Reps. Chris Carney, Patrick Murphy, Joe Sestak and Jason Altmire in their re-election bids to the U.S. House And, we’re supporting Sen. Barack Obama for president, due in large part to his commitment to a clean energy plan that can solve global warming. This November, we have an opportunity to elect leaders who, with our support, will make the right choices on the environment. We hope you consider our endorsements of Carney, Murphy, Sestak Altmire, and Obama as you make your decisions. Sincerely, David Masur State Director
Recent action Appalachian Trail bill becomes law
With Pennsylvanians preparing to spend their summer days hiking and camping, Gov. Ed Rendell signed new legislation to protect one of Pennsylvania’s most important wild places: the Appalachian Trail. “Pennsylvanians care deeply about protecting the Appalachian Trail,” said PennEnvironment Director David Masur. “The state’s residents want to ensure that the Appalachian Trail is protected now and Gov. Rendell showed he understood this by passing the Appalachian Trail Protection Act.” PennEnvironment played a crucial role lobbying for this legislation in Harrisburg by educating concerned citizens and getting them to voice support for this proposal to their local politicians. We also garnered statewide news coverage in support of this initiative, including articles in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Philadelphia Inquirer, Harrisburg Patriot-News and the Allentown Morning Call.
Great Lakes protection passed A critical proposal to protect the Great Lakes—including Pennsylvania’s Lake Erie—passed the state Legislature and was signed by the governor this summer. The proposal is Pennsylvania’s effort to ratify the Great Lakes Compact, which was developed to address water withdrawals and other environmental issues. “The Great Lakes are one of America’s greatest natural resources, and Lake Erie is one of Pennsylvania’s greatest natural assets,” said PennEnvironment Director David Masur. “It’s important that our elected officials are taking the necessary steps to protect this critical part of our natural heritage.” The Compact needs federal approval, so PennEnvironment’s federal lobby office in Washington, D.C.—Environment America—will be advocating the passage of the Compact as it works its way through Congress.
Hikers enjoying Pennsylvania’s portion of the Appalachian Trail.
PennEnvironment
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PennEnvironment grades Pennsylvania’s politicians PennEnvironment released its annual legislative scorecard for both state and federal elected officials this summer as part of the ongoing effort to educate the public and hold elected officials accountable for their environmental votes. “In order to protect and preserve Pennsylvania’s environment, we need our elected officials voting for the strongest environmental protections possible,” said PennEnvironment Director David Masur. “These scorecards allow us to detail the environmental voting records of our elected officials.” Unfortunately, only two of Pennsylvania’s state senators and 13 of the 203 state representatives received an environmental score of 100 percent. The scorecard included votes on major environmental legislation taken up by the state Legislature, including the funding of Pennsylvania’s conservation programs, promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy, protecting Pennsylvania’s open spaces, and funding public transportation. PennEnvironment has distributed its environmental scorecards to more than 100,000 households in Pennsylvania. The scorecard and full descriptions of the votes may be found on our Web site at www.PennEnvironment.org/scorecard.
Room for improvement
Statewide, 91 of the 203 members of the Pennsylvania Statehouse scored 80 percent or above. Only seven of the 50 members of the state Senate received a score of 80 percent or higher. Sadly, the average score for the state Senate was 50 percent while the average score for the state House was 61 percent. PennEnvironment also scored Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation on federal environmental votes. “With the White House catering to polluters over
the past eight years, it’s more critical than ever that Pennsylvania’s members of Congress are standing up for the environment,” said Masur. “Our scorecard looked at a number of recent votes in the U.S. House and Senate, including a varitey of energy issues, including legislation to preserve our national forests, policies to protect our oceans and legislation to tackle global warming.”
Environmental champs
“PennEnvironment applauds Congressmen Altmire, Carney, Murphy and Sestak among many others for being hard-working environmental champs and receiving a perfect score of 100 percent. They consistently voted to protect Pennsylvania’s environment and the public’s health,” said Masur.
Champions for the environment The following elected officials scored 100% on PennEnvironment’s 2008 Environmental Scorecard
Congressional Delegation Rep. Jason Altmire Rep. Chris Carney Rep. Patrick Murphy Rep. Joe Sestak U.S. Sen. Robert Casey Jr.
Pennsylvania State Senate Andrew Dinniman Vincent Fumo
Pennsylvania State House Lisa Bennington Babette Josephs Daylin Leach Phyllis Mundy Steve Samuelson Rick Taylor Don Walko
Robert Freeman David Kessler Brian Lentz James Roebuck Dante Santoni Greg Vitali
Interview with Rep. Murphy Congressman Patrick J. Murphy is an Iraq war veteran and former West Point professor, representing Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional district which includes Bucks County, parts of Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia. Is there a particular policy that you are most proud of sponsoring or that you think most important? While I am honored to be part of a Congress that has raised CAFE standards for the first time in 32 years, created a committee devoted to finding answers for global climate change, and protected the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from shortsighted exploitation, I think my proudest achievement is the creation of green jobs in Bucks County. When we can tie environmental progress to economic progress, especially for hard-working American families, then we can ensure that environmentalism will remain a permanent aspect of American progress. What role does an organization like PennEnvironment play in the political process when it comes to environmental issues? It is important to have a respected organization like PennEnvironment and its highly informed membership publicly support candidates with strong environmental policies. Their analysis of each candidate’s position carries tremendous weight with voters seeking to cut through political rhetoric. To view the complete interview, visit PennEnvironment’s Web site: www.PennEnvironment.org/newsletters
Fall Report | 2008
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Fall Report VOLUME 6 | NO. 2 | 2008 1420 Walnut St., Ste. 650 Philadelphia, PA 19102 (215) 732-5897 www.PennEnvironment.org Address service requested
This report is sent to PennEnvironment members three times a year.
PennEnvironment Mission Statement
We all want clean air, clean water and open spaces. But it takes independent research and tough-minded advocacy to win concrete results for our environment, especially when powerful interests stand in the way of environmental progress. That’s the idea behind PennEnvironment. We focus exclusively on protecting Pennsylvania’s air, water and open spaces.We speak out and take action at the local, state and national levels to improve the quality of our environment and our lives.
Credits
Photos: Front page:Top: Shutterstock*, Center: Mark Plummer*, Bottom: Staff. Page 2:Top: Staff, Bottom: Hirlesteanu Constantin-Ciprian*. Page 3:Top left: Pavel Cheiko*,Top right: Rep. Patrick Murphy’s office, Bottom: PGC Photo/Joe Kosack. Page 4:Top: Amanda Boutcher*, Bottom:Jeffrey M. Frank*. (*under license from Shutterstock.com.)
Editor: David Masur. Contributors: Adam Garber, Nathan Willcox, Jim Amspacher, Justin Boyles, Zach Cullimore, Matthew Curtis, Sara Landis, Ethan Lavine, Jesse Littlewood, Jenna Perry Leschuk, Ryan Moeckly, Leana Nordstrom, Brittany Paris, Dan Platt, Nathan Proctor, Drew Stephan, Jenne Turner. Publications Director: Richard J. Hannigan. Design: Public Interest GRFX (215) 985-1113. Printed on recycled paper. E-mail: info@PennEnvironment.org
Paid for by PennEnvironment at www. PennEnvironment.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
Global warming advisory committee PennEnvironment’s extensive global warming research and policy expertise was acknowledged this summer with the organization’s appointment to a statewide global advisory warming committee. The advisory committee was created by the Legislature and Gov. Rendell to outline the threats that global warming poses to Pennsylvania and propose policy solutions to help reduce the state’s global warming pollution levels. PennEnvironment was one of just 18 stakeholders appointed to the advisory committee from the business, environmental and academic communities and the general public. PennEnvironment’s Nathan Willcox will be working to ensure that the committee takes concrete steps to implement policies that will reduce Pennsylvania’s global warming pollution levels as quickly as possible.
more online Download the full copy of “Global Warming Solutions that Work” from our Web site. Links to additional content are posted in the online version of the newsletter: www.PennEnvironment.org/newsletters