[Philadelphia, PA] – Today, Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania is proud to endorse Governor Tom Wolf for re-election and Mayor John Fetterman for Lieutenant Governor. Conservation Voters of PA represents tens of thousands of individuals in the Commonwealth who are committed to clean air, land, energy, and water and are prepared to vote for candidates who share those values.
“Over the last four years, Governor Wolf has advanced key policies that have made Pennsylvania a greener and healthier place in which to live,” said Caren Glotfelty, Board Chair of Conservation Voters of PA. “Not only has he protected our forests, drinking water, and air, he has also been a critical backstop against the extremist anti-environmental agenda coming out of the state legislature. Using his veto pen, he has prevented many devastating bills from coming to fruition – bills that would have decimated protections on gas drilling and pollution, empowered big polluters to police themselves, and even blocked cities from preventing plastic bag litter and pollution.”
Throughout his first term, Governor Wolf has helped protect Pennsylvanians’ constitutional rights to clean air, land, and water. He stood up for our state parks and forests by reinstating a moratorium on new leases for gas drilling and urging Congress to renew the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has invested more than $315 million in protecting and creating parks, playgrounds, ballfields, memorials, and battlefields across the state.
Governor Wolf also played a leading role in banning fracking in the Delaware River Basin, which provides clean drinking water to more than 15 million people, including much of Philadelphia. The Wolf administration has been active in protecting some of the state’s cleanest streams, which helps to ensure clean drinking water for millions and supports local economies that depend on clean waterways for outdoor recreation-based small businesses. Recently, Governor Wolf announced that his administration will begin monitoring waterways for cancer-causing chemicals called PFAS, which is a critical step in ensuring families have clean drinking water.
While the Trump administration consistently dismantles critical protections for the environment at the federal level, Governor Wolf has proved to be a key backstop for Pennsylvania. He has repeatedly stood up against the Trump administration’s plan to rollback fuel efficiency standards for auto makers, delay new ozone pollution standards, and drastically cut the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Wolf administration has also led the way in reducing methane pollution, which causes roughly a fourth of climate change happening right now.
The governor is also working to make sure that the benefits of increased renewable energy jobs, a cleaner environment, and a growing renewable energy economy will be felt throughout the Commonwealth. In a key move, Governor Wolf reopened a $30 million loan program to encourage the use of solar energy in Pennsylvania.
His running mate for Lieutenant Governor, Mayor John Fetterman will provide a key voice in the administration on the importance of a green economy. As Mayor of Braddock, Fetterman led his town’s economic revitalization by ensuring green businesses and programs were a central focus of that effort. Mayor Fetterman launched a green-jobs summer youth program, created a green space for the community, and helped to create green jobs by bringing an alternative energy company to town.
“We are honored to receive the endorsement of Conservation Voters of PA, and we look forward to continuing to work together to preserve and protect our environment,” said Governor Wolf and John Fetterman. “Working together, we will continue to make Pennsylvania a national leader in addressing climate change by further reducing our carbon emissions, expanding options for clean energy, preserving our state parks and forests, and fighting back against efforts to destroy environmental regulations.”
Governor Wolf’s opponent, state Senator Scott Wagner, received a 0% on our 2017/2018 Pennsylvania Environmental Scorecard for his disastrous record of putting big polluters ahead of Pennsylvanians. Wagner’s lifetime score is only 6%, making him one of the most anti-environmental lawmakers in Harrisburg. Wagner has repeatedly voted against environmental protections, denied climate change, and supported giveaways to drillers.
Information about Governor Wolf and Mayor Fetterman can be found at conservationpa.org/endorsements.
Good environmental laws are made by good environmental lawmakers and leaders. That’s why Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania works to elect leaders committed to a cleaner, safer Keystone State.
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