Our statement of March 3 on Gov. Tom Wolf's proposed budget, which includes new clean energy investment and stronger gas industry enforcement:
PennFuture
today praised Gov. Tom Wolf for his bold plans to reinvigorate
Pennsylvania’s investments in clean energy as part of the
administration’s proposed 2015-16 fiscal year budget. Wolf
delivered his first budget address this morning to a joint session of
the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
The
Wolf administration unveiled a proposal to invest $225 million in
revenue from a new drilling tax in a comprehensive energy portfolio
that includes $50 million to re-launch the PA Sunshine Solar program;
$50 million to improve energy efficiency at small businesses, local
governments, schools and nonprofits; $30 million for a combined heat
and power grant program; $30 million for clean energy market
development; $20 million for clean energy and energy efficiency
projects in the agricultural sector; and $20 million for a wind
energy generation program.
“Not
long ago, Pennsylvania was a national leader in clean energy
production and clean energy jobs,” said John Norbeck, acting
president and CEO of PennFuture. “Governor
Wolf’s proposed new investments will send a powerful signal to both
entrepreneurs and markets that Pennsylvania is serious about
regaining national leadership in solar, wind, energy efficiency and
other clean technologies.”
“Investing
in new clean energy resources not only creates jobs, protects the
environment, and helps break our dependence on fossil fuels, but it
will also help to put the breaks on rising energy costs,” said Rob
Altenburg, director of the PennFuture Energy Center. “Dedicating
$50 million to energy efficiency projects at schools, municipalities,
and small businesses is a common-sense measure that has proven
results. Independent studies have shown that these investments can
return to our citizens more than double what is invested.”
PennFuture
also praised the Wolf administration’s plans to boost funding and
staffing for the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP)
oversight of the natural gas industry. DEP is slated to receive an
additional $10 million for the inspection and oversight of oil and
gas operations, and an additional complement of 50 staff for these
activities.
"We
agree with the Wolf administration's approach to strong regulation of
the natural gas industry and to have those rules strictly enforced,”
continued Norbeck. “Gov. Wolf has pledged to regulate methane
emissions from natural gas operations, and 70 percent of
Pennsylvanians agree. As such, we are calling for a rulemaking for
the direct regulation of methane in Pennsylvania."
Elaine Labalme is director of communications for PennFuture and is based in Pittsburgh. She tweets @NewGirlInTown.
