PennEnvironment

Campaigns

• Cleaning up the 3rd largest global warming polluter in the nation

  Pennsylvania is the third largest source of global warming pollution in the nation—mostly due to our power plants which are currently allowed to spew unlimited amounts of global warming pollution. When President Obama's EPA proposed the first ever limits on this pollution earlier in the week, they announced the largest step we've ever taken as a nation to tackle global warming. But, the National Mining Association, coal companies and other polluters are trying to stop these efforts—even working with their allies in the Senate to rollback the Clean Air Act and halt the EPA from acting. We need Sen. Casey to support these climate rules if we're going to get them across the finish line.

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  Created by Adam Garber
• Tell Gov. Corbett: You can't erase climate change

  On the heels of the historic People’s Climate March in New York City, it’s clear we still have our work cut out for us: news outlets just reported that Gov. Corbett ordered his natural resources agency to delete all references to climate change from the department’s website. This included removing language stating that climate change is “perhaps the most significant environmental issue facing the world today.” What's clear is climate change is happening, it's impacting our forests, parks and wildlife—not to mention communities—and we need our elected officials to stop trying to hide the truth and start getting to work.

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  Created by Adam Garber
• A frack-free Christmas

  The holidays should be a time for family and tradition—but the noise, pollution, and health threat of fracking may spoil Gary Baumgardner’s plans. His 9-month old granddaughter has been ordered by doctors to stay away from the home while the drilling rigs are operating. [1] In a perfect world, fracking should be ceased every day and Gary and his family should never have to breath the toxic air, put up with the disruptive noise, or fear for their health because of this unwanted neighbor. But surely every family deserves a quiet day together to uphold tradition for the holidays. Sadly, EQT refuses to shutdown their operation for just one day so a family can continue its Christmas tradition together. [1] http://www.observer-reporter.com/article/20141209/NEWS01/141209444

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  Created by Adam Garber
• Give a frack free holiday season

  The holidays should about spending time with family, and holiday traditions—but noise, pollution, and the health threat of fracking may spoil Gary Baumgardner’s holiday plans. It’s so bad that doctors have made it clear his 9-month old granddaughter should stay away from the house, even during the holidays. In a perfect world, fracking should be ceased every day and Gary and his family should never have to breath the toxic air, put up with the disruptive noise, or fear for their health because of this unwanted neighbor. And we’re working to make that happen. But, in the meantime every family family deserves a quiet few weeks around the holidays to uphold the holiday traditions. Sign our petition demanding EQT shut their operations this holiday season so that Gary’s family can spend the season together and they can have a little peace and quiet.

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  Created by Adam Garber
• Thank Governor Wolf for reinstating the ban on leasing state parks and forests for fracking

  Pennsylvanians from all walks of life and all political affiliations called on Tom Wolf to protect our parks and forests from fracking if elected. He heard their voices and has undone ex-Gov. Corbett's attacks on our precious wild lands, reinstating a moratorium against the further leasing of park and forestlands for fracking. That means everywhere from Ricketts Glen to Ohiopyle to hundreds of thousands of acres of state forests are now off limits to gas drilling. Unfortunately, Governor Wolf’s action is already being attacked by the drilling industry. The Marcellus Shale Coalition called it "deeply misguided and purely political". They may not like the decision—but this is how democracy works. Tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians called for these protections and now the Governor is taking action. That’s why he needs to know how much the people of Pennsylvania appreciate him standing up for our state parks and forests and the beginning of his term.

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  Created by Adam Garber
• Ban Oil Trains in Philadelphia

  Last weekend another train carrying crude oil derailed in South Philadelphia, within a mile of thousands of homes. Just like last year, when a train derailed off the tracks in Philly and dangled over I-76, the city’s residents got lucky and there was no significant damage and no one was hurt. The National Safety Review Board has recommended these highly explosive oil trains avoid highly populated areas and rolling by schools, hospitals, and playgrounds. Unfortunately, these trains are filled with Bakken crude oil, a highly combustible substance, and they have a lengthy track record of horrendous accidents and near misses. Just this week, an oil train crashed in West Virginia with the explosion sending flames shooting 300 feet in the air and requiring the evacuation of thousands of people. A disaster in Quebec in 2013 cost 47 people their lives. Throughout Pennsylvania and across the nation, there have been dozens of oil train accidents and close calls in the last few years. This disaster is a clear reminder that we need to get off oil. In the meantime though, we should ban these oil trains from traveling through our cities, before it is too late.

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  Created by Adam Garber
• President Obama: It's time to ban oil trains

  Fayette County, West Virginia, is reeling from an oil train disaster today. Residents face flames shooting 300 feet in the air, and oil is spilling into the Kanawha River, the drinking water source for downstream communities.[1] From today's event to 2013's massive oil train explosion in North Dakota to the 47 people who lost their lives after an oil train explosion in Quebec, it is clear that oil trains put our communities at risk for death, injury, and destruction. Incredibly, first responders and local officials aren't usually informed that these unsafe trains are cruising through their communities carrying millions of gallons of explosive oil. These trains travel through major communities across the country, putting millions inside the evacuation zone of an accident like this. Our objective is clear: we need to get these dangerous oil trains out of our communities and out of Pennsylvania before they cause a catastrophic accident in the Keystone State. [1]"Train derailment sends crude oil cars into Kanawha River; explosions erupt," Metro News, February 16, 2015.

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  Created by Adam Garber
• Governor Tom Wolf: The public deserves a voice on fracking

  For years, citizens affected by fracking, and environmental and public health groups have been pleading to state environmental officials to have a seat at the table when it comes to regulating this harmful activity. And when Governor Wolf gave Pennsylvanians a seat at the table, the fracking industry claimed the public “has no place” in discussions about regulating drilling in Pennsylvania. [1] Gov. Wolf made the right move. But with the gas drilling industry and their allies in Harrisburg pushing back, we need to make sure he doesn’t backpedal and give in to a very powerful industry. If anyone should have their voices heard, it’s the people who suffer the devastating effects of living near oil and gas wells. Tell Gov. Wolf that the people of Pennsylvania deserve a strong voice in how the oil and gas industry operates in Pennsylvania.” [1] “Natural gas industry criticizes Pennsylvania DEP,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 21, 2015

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  Created by Adam Garber
• Exploding oil train protections must go further

  The U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) just announced new oil train regulations—but they won’t go nearly far enough to protect us. After a year filled with numerous oil train derailments—including an explosive accident in West Virginia that burned for days—this new proposal leaves simple solutions on the table and it will take years for their proposed regulations to fully kick in. For example, in the time it will take for a new, safer rail cars to become the norm under this proposal, the US DOT expects there will be TWENTY more oil train accidents. We cannot allow more oil train disasters because of weak safety standards.

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  Created by Adam Garber
• Tell state officials: Don't limit solar in Pennsylvania!

  Solar energy is one of the best bets for getting off of coal and onto the path to renewable energy. But the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission wants to limit the financial credit for the solar energy that Pennsylvanians generate on their own. Tell the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to let to stop this rule!

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  Created by Adam Garber