Statement of Nathan
Willcox, Energy & Clean Air Advocate for PennEnvironment
“The state budget deal announced early this morning appears
to have mixed results for Pennsylvania’s
environment and energy security.
“On the positive side, lawmakers agreed to an alternative
energy funding proposal that will provide $650 million for alternative energy sources
in Pennsylvania. This funding increase, while less than what
is needed, is an important step forward for the advancement of the clean,
renewable energy sources—namely solar and wind power—that we’ll need to chart a
new energy future in Pennsylvania and tackle global warming. PennEnvironment applauds lawmakers for
passing this important proposal.
“But at a time when Pennsylvania
is in desperate need of a comprehensive energy plan that also cuts our overall
energy use, it is inexcusable for the state Senate to head home for the summer
without enacting any statewide energy efficiency and conservation plan. Such a comprehensive plan was outlined in
House Bill 2200, which had already passed the House of Representatives with
bipartisan support and had generated thousands of supportive calls and emails
from citizens across Pennsylvania. This bill alone, which would cut projected
energy use statewide by 2.5 percent over the next five years, would have cut
projected global warming pollution in Pennsylvania
by an amount equivalent to taking over 1.3 million cars off the road for a
year.
“Yet the Senate has chosen to head home for the summer without
taking action on the energy efficiency issue.
Until Pennsylvania gets
serious about cutting our energy use, solutions to the problems of air
pollution, global warming and rising electricity prices will remain out of
reach. The failure of the Senate to act
on this critical issue is extremely disappointing.
“At a time when Pennsylvanians are demanding a new energy future,
some in Harrisburg seem content to
continue with the same inaction and half-measures that got us into our current
energy mess. Building upon the
alternative energy funding progress, PennEnvironment will work to ensure that a
comprehensive energy efficiency and conservation plan is passed into law when
the legislature returns this fall.”
