HARRISBURG, PA - January 10, 2017 – Two of the state’s leading environmental organizations, PennFuture and Conservation Voters of PA, announced the formation of a strategic alliance enhancing the groups’ power to respond to today’s unprecedented anti-environmental political climate at the federal and state levels.
By combining the policy, advocacy and legal resources of PennFuture with the political strength and skill of Conservation Voters of PA, the partnership expands the ability of both organizations to promote policies that advance clean energy and protect natural resources. Together, the groups will bring expanded capacity to hold legislators accountable, mobilize voters, and shine a spotlight on candidates’ records on clean air, water and energy issues.
“The deeply flawed and corrupted governance that we face at the national and state levels makes progress on climate change, environmental protection and energy reform nearly impossible without bringing to account the lawmakers who cheerfully stand up for the rights of polluters,” PennFuture President and CEO Larry Schweiger said. “This new alliance with Conservation Voters of PA brings teeth to PennFuture’s work, creating a new, more powerful force for environmental protection.”
“The team at Conservation Voters of PA is eager to combine its political experience to PennFuture’s legal and policy expertise,” said Josh McNeil, executive director at Conservation Voters of PA. “Together, these organizations represent more than 80,000 members in Pennsylvania. Together, we bring to the table some of the state’s toughest environmental lawyers, our best advocates, our most connected organizers, and our largest pool of environmental PAC money. ”
Conservation Voters of PA will remain a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization, but its staff will take on additional roles in the new Civic Engagement program at PennFuture, designed to increase the number of citizens playing an active role in our democracy and in environmental protections. PennFuture staff and board members will play an increasing role in CVPA’s advocacy and accountability programs, including the Pennsylvania Environmental Scorecard. The team will develop a common policy agenda, build staff capacity, work to hold legislators accountable, and win fights to protect clean air, defend safe drinking water, and promote new sources of clean energy.
“Given the unprecedented challenges facing even the most important environmental protections, those of us who stand for a healthy environment must stand shoulder to shoulder like never before,” said Caren Glotfelty, Board Chair of Conservation Voters of PA. “We’re up against some of the world’s largest corporations and their political puppets, and though the vast majority of Americans agree with us, we need to build large-scale organizations if we’re going to win.”
“The time for compromising our natural world is long overdue. We are faced with unprecedented environmental challenges and a very short time line to correct them,” said Char Magaro, Board Chair of PennFuture. “This partnership is a necessary step to combat climate change and the exploitation of PA’s natural resources.”
Conservation Voters of PA is a 501(c)(4) organization with an affiliated PAC, which allows us to participate directly in elections, lobby legislators and bring a difference set of tools to the protection of Pennsylvania’s environment.
PennFuture is leading the transition to a clean energy economy in Pennsylvania and beyond. We are protecting our air, water and land, and empowering citizens to build sustainable communities for future generations.