‘Not just climate change’: An activist explains how Biden’s infrastructure plan improves the environment
News Article • • by John L. Micek at Pennsylvania Capital-Star
The $2 trillion infrastructure plan that President Joe Biden rolled out during a stop in Pittsburgh last week does more than just rebuild the nation’s crumbling network of roads and bridges, it also fast-tracks the nation’s pivot away from fossil fuels; builds up electric vehicle infrastructure, and provide tax breaks to encourage new, climate-friendly technology.
This down payment on environmental spending also calls for calls for $10 billion for a Civilian Climate Corps, $16 billion for capping abandoned wells and cleaning up abandoned mines, and a general commitment to “protect and, where necessary, restore nature-based infrastructure.” And if you’re guessing that it’s already drawing comparisons to the New Deal, you’d be correct.
As you might expect, environmental activists are welcoming this emphasis from the White House, where former Secretary of State John Kerry has been tapped to be a new climate czar. One of those advocates, Josh McNeil, the executive director of Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, took a few minutes to talk about Biden’s sweeping plan and its implications for Pennsylvania. The bottom line: Jobs, jobs, and more jobs.
In Pennsylvania visit, Biden proposes $16 billion for plugging abandoned oil and gas wells
News Article • • by Christen Smith at Daily American
President Joe Biden’s massive infrastructure spending plan earmarks $16 billion to plug abandoned oil and gas wells across the country.
It’s a potential solution for an expensive and overwhelming problem for Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection. During House budget hearings last month, DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell told lawmakers the department spends an average of $17,000 plugging one abandoned well.
Leading PA environmental group hails Biden proposal to respond to climate emergency by creating millions of jobs
Press Release •
Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania Executive Director Josh McNeil issued the following statement in response to President Biden’s visit to Pittsburgh today, where the President unveiled a new proposal to respond to the growing climate emergency with game-changing investments in renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure.
CVPA lauds Wolf clean energy commitment
Press Release •
Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania Executive Director Josh McNeil has released the following statement lauding Governor Wolf’s announcement of a major new solar initiative that will produce nearly half of the state government’s electricity.
Pa. environmentalists hope for Trump-rule rollbacks under Biden
News Article • • by Chris Ullery at Bucks Courier Times
Pennsylvania environmental groups are optimistic of rolling back former President Donald Trump policy changes in the new Biden administration.
Organizations like PennEnvironment, PennFuture and Conservation Voters of PA praised executive orders by President Joe Biden last week while pointing to more policy changes they want to see sooner rather than later.
Press Release: Clean Power PA Coalition on the Conclusion of EQB Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Public Comment Period
Press Release • • by Clean Power Coalition at
Upon the closing of the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board’s (EQB) open public comment period on a proposal for Pennsylvania to link to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the Clean Power PA coalition made the following statement.
Can Biden’s climate plan spark cooperation in Pa.? Some see possible common ground in jobs, infrastructure
News Article • • by Rachel McDevitt at StateImpact
Climate change is one of the four major crises President-elect Joe Biden hopes to tackle after he’s sworn into office in January.
His goal is for the U.S. to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
In Pennsylvania, a high-polluting state with a history of coal and natural gas production, it’s fair to expect pushback on Biden’s plan from the Republican-controlled legislature and industry groups.
Opinion: Legislators should keep hands off conservation funds
News Article • • by Shannon Gority, PA executive director of the Chesapeake Bay at Gant Daily
As Pennsylvania legislators begin looking under the Commonwealth’s cushions for enough spare change to plug a state budget gap that could be higher than $4 billion, they should keep hands off of funds already dedicated to conservation and environmental programs.
Climate activists are turning out Pa. voters to flip the state House — and boost Biden
News Article • • by Justine McDaniel at Philadelphia Inquirer
Edna Patterson can list the reasons she spends 15 to 20 hours a week calling Pennsylvania voters to talk about climate change:
She’s a former high school science teacher. Before that, she worked for a federal climate assessment program as a meteorologist. And she has kids and grandkids.
“Time’s running out,” said Patterson.
Patterson, 68, of West Chester, volunteers for Conservation Voters of PA as it works to reach more than two million voters before Tuesday. And she’s one of many advocates pushing the issue during an election year that has seen Americans roiled by natural disasters extreme enough to capture public attention, even amid the chaos of the coronavirus pandemic.
US election swing states: will Donald Trump hold on to Pennsylvania?
News Article • • by Jake Blumgart at New Statesman
“The shifting political climate in the state has put a number of races in play that weren’t in prior cycles,” said Josh McNeil, executive director of Conservation Voters of PA. “The increased polarisation, largely around the president, has reshaped the political landscape. If you voted against the environment a lot in, say, Bucks County, it’s a lot harder to get away with it now.”
The Conservation Voters of PA and other environmental groups are spending more than $2m on legislative races in the state, hoping that 2018’s results and anti-Trump backlash will allow for down-ballot Democratic victories. The state-level legislative maps in Pennsylvania heavily favour Republicans, even in the absence of gerrymandering. Although the Democrats are very competitive in state-level races, and win a majority of votes half the time, they routinely fail to win control of the General Assembly.