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
September 20-26, 2021, is Climate Week in Pennsylvania, and the bicameral, bipartisan Pennsylvania Legislative Climate Caucus is pleased to share this list of events, legislative actions, and resources around the need for climate action in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. Read more
Pa state Rep. Mary Jo Daley, D-Montgomery, attended a House Policy Committee hearing held at the at the Delaware River Port Authority to listen to experts about how Pennsylvania can advance carbon sequestration technology to fight air pollution. Read more
HARRISBURG, April 20 – To celebrate Earth Day on April 22, state Rep. Chris Rabb has called for support of his legislation to transition Pennsylvania to 100% renewable energy by 2050. “Earth Day was founded in 1970 to bring awareness to environmental issues, and I could not think of a better way to truly honor the day than to take action to literally save our environment and our planet,” said Rabb, D-Phila. “Earth Day has long been a day when people plant trees, collect litter or take other small steps to help our planet. That action is a beautiful and important thing because we must all act to save our very existence. “But the Pennsylvania legislature has the power this Earth Day to take a huge step in helping our planet – a huge step in what will be a journey to save humanity from climate change – by working to enact my legislation and get our commonwealth to 100% renewable energy by 2050,” Rabb continued. “So, while you’re creating your action plan for how you celebrate this Earth Day, consider calling or emailing Pennsylvania legislators to urge them to enact my legislation, which I’m calling Go 100% Pennsylvania.” Pennsylvania residents can use this website to find their legislator. A list of members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is here , and a list of senators is here . Rabb, known for his climate activism and for regularly authoring and promoting progressive policies, Read more
Members of the PA Legislative Climate Caucus sent a letter urging the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to strengthen methane regulations in Pennsylvania. The attached letter, addressed to DEP Secretary McDonnell and cc’d to Governor Wolf and the members of the Environmental Hearing Board, calls for strengthening of DEP’s draft methane rule to include comprehensive controls that will mitigate methane emissions from oil and gas operations. Read more
Specifically, H.B. 461 would promote the purchase and use of WaterSense and Energy Star products by annually excluding those products from sales and use taxes from April 22 (Earth Day) through April 29. Read more
Letter to Gov. Wolf from the legislative Climate Caucus detailing requests to consider for his upcoming budget address. Read more
RGGI makes sense economically and environmentally. It will reduce air pollution, have a significant impact on climate change, and create jobs. We should all be supportive of that. Read more
Climate change is the most serious long-term threat to this planet, and Pennsylvania is a significant greenhouse gas producer. The most important thing Pennsylvania can do right now to combat climate change is to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Read more
During my time as a state representative, I’ve been a strong advocate for the benefits of breastfeeding, and I continue my work to protect employees who are breastfeeding and to generally focus more attention on this subject. Read more
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