Pennsylvania’s commitment to protecting the environment is enshrined in our state constitution, and while those words were only there on paper, the past two years have shown how a pro-environment majority in the state House of Representatives can bring those principles in life.
As shown in the recently released 2023-2024 Pennsylvania Environmental Scorecard, the House has passed many exciting proposals that help put Pennsylvania on the path to a clean energy future.
Organized by Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, Clean Water Action, the Sierra Club’s Pennsylvania Chapter and the Clean Air Action Fund, the environmental fact sheet compiles important environmental decisions that the Pennsylvania General Assembly took during the last session -rao of the law and provide information to every legal representative about pro- or anti- environmental action.
In the State House, our coalition sponsored six bills, including Solar for Schools, and community solar legislation, both of which have passed this chamber and will help strengthen the plans for We are empowered by expanding access to solar energy for our school districts and the wider community.
The House also approved legislation to put Pennsylvania in a position to harvest offshore wind energy on Lake Erie; bills that would help fund clean energy projects and improve the efficiency of the machines we use in our daily lives; and legislation that will boost access to electric vehicles while positioning Pennsylvania to compete for hundreds of millions of clean dollars available as a result of President Biden’s climate legislation.
Together, these funds help transition our economy away from coal while fighting climate change and creating union jobs.
However, with the exception of Solar for Schools, several other environmental measures that passed the House are languishing in the Senate.
READ: Time to Move Forward with a Bold, New Clean Energy Plan for Pennsylvania
Almost half of the members of the State House (101) received a perfect score – 6 out of 6 in support of all the above bills. Meanwhile, only six Senators scored a perfect 100% and across the full legislature, 71 lawmakers scored an astounding 0%, voting against the environment at every opportunity .
Here in Bucks County, we have legislators throughout the entire process. State Senator Jarrett Coleman (R-16), for example, received a scant 10%, supporting several bills that would harm our environment or weaken environmental protections, including a bill to extend the use of PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam, a major problem that threatens the health of families across Bucks County.
On the other hand, we have lawmakers like State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and State Representative Tim Brennan (D-29), both with over 90% approval ratings and voting always for the environment. They have shown in their voting records that they support a clean energy future while opposing laws designed to remove important environmental protections.
Check out the scorecard to see how your representatives and senators have fared on pro-environment bills.
‘Road Scattering’ Returns: How Pennsylvania’s Oil Industry Dumped Its Waste Peacefully and Landly | Discharge of fracking wastewater is prohibited. Oil and gas companies do, they report @JakeBolster2 for @grist. https://t.co/xT2Clh4rk1 — BucksCountyBeacon (@BucksCoBeacon) July 25, 2024
We release this scorecard every legislative term because we believe that democracy works best when the electorate understands the law that affects our families, our air, our water and our health,’ and used that information to communicate with their constituents and hold those leaders accountable.
You play an important role in this work and we encourage you to take action. The upcoming fall legislative session is lawmakers’ next chance to show they can be the players we need to build a clean, safe Pennsylvania. We hope you will use our scorecard to inform your discussions with your chosen staff. Encourage your constituents to vote for pro-environmental policies, and appeal to candidates running in your district this year to support a pro-environmental cause if elected.
The future of our country depends on your choice to support climate action today.
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