October 1-7, 2023, is Climate Week in Pennsylvania, and the bicameral Pennsylvania Legislative Climate Caucus is pleased to share this information about events and resources related to climate action and sustainability in Pennsylvania. Read more
The Department of Environmental Protection awarded $3,305,011 from the Medium and Heavy-Duty Zero Emission Vehicle Fleet Pilot Grant Program to replace five Class 6 and Class 7 box trucks with battery electric vehicles, install four DC fast EV chargers, and one Level 2 EV charging plug at three locations across Penn State’s campus. Read more
The grant will fund two projects within watersheds in Centre County for water preservation and pollution reduction in two watersheds that directly link to waterways leading to the Chesapeake Bay. Read more
“This funding to Penn State will conserve flora and fauna in Pennsylvania, as well as preserve our biodiversity,” Conklin said. “With these projects in Centre County and across Pennsylvania, we have the opportunity to preserve environmental resources that help Centre County and all of our commonwealth flourish.” Read more
“Today, we took a massive stride toward restricting toxic chemicals, such as PAHs, that threaten our communities, including the health of our youth and our environment,” said Steele, D-Allegheny. “One of my own children suffered health issues, which our pediatrician attributed to coal tar sealant used on my driveway. With more sealants available that are safer, we should not permit the sale of sealants with chemicals toxic to the health of Pennsylvanians or the environment. We must remove sealants high in PAHs from the market.” Read more
“We are all responsible for ensuring the sustainability of our planet for future generations,” Steele said. “We can help do that by taking extra steps now to reduce our carbon footprint, beginning with recycling glass, using reusable totes instead of plastic bags, and planting more trees. Through my Earth Day Extravaganza, residents can learn to become more involved in these activities and participate in a discussion on how we can address environmental issues in Pennsylvania.” Read more
HARRISBURG, March 20 – State Reps. Danielle Friel Otten and Aerion Abney have begun circulating House legislative sponsorship memos advancing the Shapiro administration’s bold new energy plan for Pennsylvania, which was announced last week . The legislators each introduced a core component of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s initiative: the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS) and Pennsylvania Climate Emission Reduction (PACER) Program . PRESS would continue the successful elements of Pennsylvania’s forward thinking but outdated Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards while making them more inclusive -- adding nuclear power and next-generation technologies such as fusion, as well as incentivizing lower emissions for gas-fired power plants. It would require Pennsylvania to get 50% of its electricity from a diverse range of energy resources by 2035, including 35% from solar, wind, small modular reactors, and fusion; 10% from sources like large hydropower and battery storage; and 5% from natural gas and other alternative fuels. “Sustainable standards are a conversation that’s been underway since my first year in the legislature, and I’m extremely glad that a serious discussion has come to the forefront,” said Otten, D-Chester . “The collective attention on this issue is promising. As a lead sponsor on the governor’s proposed plan in the House, I feel well positioned to assure that Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 13 – State Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, today made the following statement in anticipation of President Joe Biden’s visit to Philadelphia on the heels of announcing $750 million in federal grant funding for the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) for Southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey, and Delaware. “While MACH2 is being promoted as predominantly ‘green’ and ‘pink’ hydrogen, an internal abstract shows that ‘blue’ hydrogen from fracked gas with carbon capture is a key component of the project and will be the hub’s first product,” Friel Otten said. “Hydrogen technology is an important part of a clean-energy transition, with the potential to fuel hard-to-decarbonize sectors like steel and cement manufacturing, chemical production, long-haul transportation, and aviation. But without adequate regulation, oversight, and scrutiny, this proposal has the potential to be the latest exercise in greenwashing. “While I recognize the importance of developing this technology, our path thus far has been too reminiscent of the early days of the fracking revolution - lack of transparency, essentially no community engagement, nor a willingness to bring affected parties to the table to responsibly negotiate a regulatory framework. From a regulatory standpoint, Pennsylvania is woefully unprepared to make an investment of this magnitude while Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 29 – October 1-7, 2023, is Climate Week in Pennsylvania, and the bicameral Pennsylvania Legislative Climate Caucus today announced a schedule of events taking place during the week, as well as information about resources and legislation related to climate action in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. This year’s Climate Week theme, “Empower Local Climate Action,” reflects the importance of addressing the costs and effects of the climate crisis in rural, urban, and suburban communities across the commonwealth. Climate Caucus members in the House and Senate have introduced more than 50 pieces of climate-related legislation this session, including several bills that would empower and support climate action at the residential, municipal, and regional level. Climate Caucus co-chairs state Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, and state Sen. Carolyn Comitta, D-Chester, shared their thoughts on the importance of empowering local climate action and the work that the Climate Caucus is doing during Climate Week and every week. “The impacts of the climate crisis are felt first and foremost at the local level, as municipalities struggle to cope with the costs and challenges associated with stormwater, flooding, extreme weather events, and excessive heat,” Otten said. “We as state legislators have a responsibility to do everything in our power to support local communities and Read more
Harrisburg, March 3 – The bicameral, bipartisan Pennsylvania Legislative Climate Caucus has elected new officers for the 2023-24 legislative session. In addition, caucus members this week sent a letter to Gov. Josh Shapiro highlighting their priorities for the 2023-24 legislative session ahead of the governor’s 2023 budget address. The following members have been installed as Climate Caucus officers for 2023-24: Co-chairs: State Sen. Carolyn Comitta, D-Chester, and State Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester Vice chairs, State Sen. Art Haywood, D-Montgomery/Phila., and State Rep. Nancy Guenst, D-Montgomery Secretaries: State Sen. Amanda Cappelletti, D-Delaware/Montgomery, and State Rep. Paul Takac, D-Centre The caucus’s letter emphasizes the need to mitigate future impacts of climate change on communities and advance the causes of environmental, economic and educational justice in the Commonwealth, particularly in marginalized rural and urban communities that have been disproportionately affected by both severe weather and industrial pollution. Among its priorities, the caucus advocates for the restoration of full funding to the Department of Environmental Protection; continued funding for the Whole Home Repairs program; investments to increase resiliency and emergency energy storage capacity in communities; a commitment to codifying, funding and empowering the Office of Environmental Justice and the Read more
Dear Governor Shapiro,As state legislators, we see firsthand the devastating impacts of climatechange and pollution on our communities, from the enormous costsassociated with stormwater damage and severe weather incidents, to thedisplacement of families and businesses whose homes or storefronts aredestroyed by flooding, to the serious public health consequences arisingfrom polluted air and water. Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 16 – September 18-24, 2022 is Climate Week in Pennsylvania, and the bicameral, bipartisan Pennsylvania Legislative Climate Caucus is pleased to share this information about events and resources related to climate action in Pennsylvania and throughout the U.S. The Climate Week Schedule of Events is here . The Climate Caucus will host a press event at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Main Capitol Rotunda to discuss climate-related legislation and the need for Accountability, Resilience, Innovation, and Environmental Justice, as the core components of Climate Action. The Legislative Climate Caucus convenes to research, evaluate, discuss and raise awareness about legislation, appropriations and related matters in ways that affirm evidence-based, peer-reviewed science, the acceptance that climate change is real and human-made, the importance of environmental justice, and the necessity for a renewable energy future. Further, the Climate Caucus operates to uphold the charge of environmental stewardship as laid bare in Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution. Read more
Press Event: Pennsylvania’s Pathways to Green Schools Honorees PDE, DEP, and DCNR will host an event recognizing individual schools, districts, and institutions of higher education as they work to support a green and healthy future for students and communities across the commonwealth. WHEN : Tuesday September 20, 2022, at 11 AM WHERE : Main Capitol Rotunda, Harrisburg Press Event: The Time for Climate Action Is NOW The PA Legislative Climate Caucus will host a press event to discuss the need for Accountability, Resilience, Innovation, and Environmental Justice as the core components of Climate Action. Attorney General Josh Shapiro has been invited to speak to discuss the need to advance the legislative recommendations that came out of the 43rd Statewide Investigating Grand Jury report on the unconventional oil and gas industry. WHEN : Tuesday September 20, 2022, at 12:30 PM WHERE : Main Capitol Rotunda, Harrisburg Climate Week NYC In-person and virtual presentations, discussions, and information sessions, hosted by international non-profit the Climate Group, in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly and the City of New York. Climate Week NYC creates an ambitious platform to drive climate action. WHEN: September 19-25, 2022 WHERE: In-person and virtual presentations, discussions, and information sessions MORE INFORMATION: Read more
HARRISBURG, July 1 – Members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Climate Caucus issued this statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling that limits the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate carbon emissions that cause climate change: “Yesterday, the Supreme Court voted to restrict the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate the carbon emissions that are dangerously overheating our planet. This decision strips the congressionally authorized agency of the power to address the greatest threat of our time -- climate change. Going forward, the EPA will not have the authority to address any big and new environmental issues that arise without the authorization of a dysfunctional Congress to regulate in a particular sphere. In short, the Supreme Court has ensured that the EPA will be hamstrung in its efforts to protect our environment. “We agree with Justice Elena Kagan’s observation in her dissent that the U.S. Supreme Court, with this decision, has made itself the ‘decision maker on climate policy,’ supplanting the regulatory authority of the designated expert agency, the EPA. “Our world is under grave threat from climate change, beset by increasingly destructive hurricanes, fires, and coastal erosion causing mass migration and destabilizing the political order. Now more than ever, government agencies must be able to take action to protect and preserve our Read more
April is Earth Month, a time to recommit ourselves to making Pennsylvania – and our world – a place where sustainability and environmental preservation are a priority! Read more
Wildlife Habitat Protection Read more
“Taking a good look at conservation corridors would provide us with valuable information that would have benefits for both Pennsylvania residents and wildlife," Daley said. Read more
State Rep. Mary Jo Daley, D-Montgomery, will join PennEnvironment and wildlife experts Tuesday, April 5 on Zoom to discuss protecting Pennsylvania wildlife habitats. Read more
Pennsylvania must do better to address storm water flooding. Read more
Gov. Tom Wolf's address to Pennsylvania's General assembly on Feb. 8th will mark the official opening of negotiations on the commonwealth's 2022-23 fiscal year budget. Regrettably, this annual budget has shortchanged the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for many years. Read more
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