Coalition Letter for 100% Renewable Energy
100% Renewable Energy for PA
June 12, 2018
Dear Legislator,
On behalf of the organizations signed below, we are writing to ask you to cosponsor legislation proposed by state Representative Chris Rabb in the PA House of Representatives and Senator Chuck McIlhinney in the PA State Senate to help us tackle one of the greatest threats facing our planet—climate change.
There is growing consensus in the scientific community: if we hope to avoid the worst effects of climate change and leave a safer planet for our children, grandchildren and future generations, we must eliminate our emission of global warming pollution by 2050.
The stakes are incredibly high given the threat of more extreme weather events, the spread of exotic viruses and diseases, and health threats like increased cases of asthma and other respiratory ailments, and all the financial costs associated with addressing these challenges. But together we have the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy when it comes to fighting climate change.
Representative Chris Rabb’s and Senator Chuck McIlhinney’s proposed legislation does the following: based on the recommendations of top climate scientists, this bill will help transition the Commonwealth away from the pollution that’s triggering climate change and move Pennsylvania toward 100% clean, renewable energy.
The good news is that we have the tools at our fingertips to achieve these goals and solve climate change. The clean energy economy is growing in Pennsylvania and across the nation. Since 2015, Pennsylvania had more jobs in the clean energy sector than in the area of fossil fuel development. As states across the nation attempt to tap into the economic opportunities being created by the clean energy economy, new centers of clean energy innovation will continue to form. There will be competition to attract businesses and foster these hubs, and Pennsylvania could send a strong signal that it’s committed to the clean energy economy by setting a 100% goal.
Given this, I hope you will join us in supporting Rep. Rabb’s and Sen. McIlhinney’s legislation to transition Pennsylvania to 100% renewable energy by 2050. You can add your name to this legislation by emailing [email protected] (House) or [email protected] (Senate).
Thank you in advance for your consideration and support. Please do not hesitate to write or call with any questions about this legislation or other pressing environmental issues.
Sincerely,
Environmental Organizations
350 Bucks County, Adrienne Morgado, Board Member
350 Pittsburgh, Kate Fissell
Allegheny County Clean Air Now, Angelo Taranto
Audubon, Greg Goldman, Executive Director
Berks Gas Truth, Karen Feridun, Founder
Breathe Project, Matthew Mehalik, Executive Director
Bucks County Audubon Society, Stacy Car-Poole, Executive Director
Bucks County Sierra Club, Sharon Furlong
Bucks Environmental Action, Sharon Furlong
Center for Coalfield Justice, Veronica Coptis, Executive Director
Citizen Power, David Hughes, Executive Director
Citizens Climate Education Pennsylvania, L. Ray Roberts, Co-Coordinator
Citizens Climate Lobby Bucks/Mont Chapter, Bill Mettler, Group Leader
Citizens Climate Lobby Delaware County, Noel Smyth, Chapter Leader
Citizens Climate Lobby Chester County, Jane Klein, Group Leader
Clean Air Council, Joe Minott, Executive Director and Chief Counsel
Clean Water Action, Steve Hvozdovich, Campaigns Coordinator Climate Reality Project: Susquehanna Valley
Chapter, Sandy Field, Climate Reality Project Leader
Darby Creek Valley Association, Susan Miller, Director
Delaware Highlands Conservancy, Diane Rosencrance, Executive Director
Environmental Integrity Project, Lisa Hallowell, Senior Attorney
Evergreen Conservancy, Cindy Rogers, President
Friends of the Wissahickon, Maura McCarthy, Executive Director
Green Building Alliance, Dr. Aurora Sharrard, Executive Director
Group Against Smog and Pollution, Rachel Filippini, Executive Director
Guardians of the Brandywine, Amy Bruckner, Secretary of the Board
Haverford College’s Committee for Environmental Responsibility, Michelle Lin,Student Rep
Lackawanna River Conservation Association, Bernard McGurl, Executive Director
Lancaster Against Pipelines, Malinda Clatterbuck, Executive Board Member and Co-Founder
Local Authority Western PA, Debra Boroweic, Founder
Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Association, Dr. Vera Cole, President
Moms Clean Air Force, Mollie Michel, Field Organizer
NextGen America, Pat Millham, Pennsylvania Director
Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, Brenda Smith, Executive Director
PA Solar Energy Industries Association, Ron Celentano, President
PennEnvironment, David Masur, Executive Director
PennFuture, Ezra Thrush, Policy Director
Philadelphia Solar Energy Association, Liz Robinson, Executive Director
POWA – Protect Our Water & Air, Lise Baxter
Sierra Club, Tom Schuster, Senior Campaign Representative
Sierra Club Moshannon Group, Ernest Boyd, Chair
Sunrise Movement, Stephen O’Hanlon, PA Director
Sustainable Monroeville, Lois Drumheller, Co-Founder
Sustainable Pittsburgh, Court Gould, Executive Director
Tinicum Conservancy, James Engel, Executive Director
Tree Pittsburgh, Danielle Crumrine, Executive Director
Valley Forge Trout Unlimited, Peter Hughes, President
Vote Solar, Pari Kasotia, Mid-Atlantic Director
Civic Organizations
Beaver Valley Preservation Alliance; Neighbors for Credibility, Kenneth Hemphill, Communications Coordinator
Bryn Mawr College Democrats, Katie Billings, Co-President
Bucks County Common Ground, Amy McGahran
Bucks County Green Party, Jennifer Isaacs, Chair
Citizens for Equality Action, Christine Russell, Group Leader
Conservation Consultants Inc., Jeaneen Zappa, Executive Director
Cultural Interchanges, Jerzy Golek, President
Democratic Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth, Mitchell Rothman, Committee member
H-CAN, Susan Cassanelli, Civic Involvement
Indivisible Berks, Jane Palmer, Executive Director
Indivisible Chester County, Shannon Browne, Web/Social Media Chair
Indivisible HOPE, Christine Stenner, Co-Founder
Indivisible Mid MontCo, Trevor Muth, Co-Chair
Indivisible: Narberth and Beyond, Nancy Kleinberg, Founder
Indivisible NW Philly, George Stern, Treasurer and Steering Committee
League of Women Voters, Susan Carty, President
Montgomery County Young Democrats, Mark Barbee, President
Organizing for Action, Mikhel Harrison, National Organizer
PHLASK, Billy Hanafee, Organizer
Rise Up Doylestown, Elizabeth Dooley
Social Justice Group, Richard Kaplan, Environmental Action Committee
Sunlight of the Spirit House, Matthew Douglas, Owner
The Social Justice Group, MontCo / Philly, Indivisible, Ellen Stevenson, Founder
Religious Organizations
Care of Creation, Father Bernard Survil, Executive Director
Evangelical Environmental Network, Reverend Mitchell Hescox, President/CEO
Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, Diane Bardol, V P and Social Justice Coordinator
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in PA, Tracey DePasquale, Director
PA Council of Churches, Sandra Strauss, Director of Advocacy and Ecumenical Outreach
Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light, Cricket Hunter, Director of Program
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Mid-Atlantic Community, Sister Suzanne Gallagher, Justice Coordinator
The Environmental Justice Center at Chestnut Hill United Church, Joy Bergey, Director
Businesses
Agri-Dynamics Inc., Regina Marinelli, Owner/Manager
Amazing Books & Records, Theo McCauley
Ananda Yoga LLC, Diane Hornberger
Apt Clinical Consultants, Inc., Adele Bon-Shannon, Owner
Arocena Design, Lorna Arocena, Architect
Bonn Place Brewing Co, Sam Masotto, President/Owner
Carantouan Greenway, John Palmer, Vice President
Central Books Used Books, Jessica Hohmann, Owner
Clarion River Organics, Zeb Baccelli, Owner
Eastwick Solutions, Kimberly Stever, Principal
Echoes, Peter Crownfield, Publisher Feathers, Jeff Molert
Greene Street, Kelly Potter, Chief Projects Officer
Happy Dog Farm, LLC, Alan Yelvington, Owner
HumanKINDtv, Pax Tandon, Co-Founder
Jerry’s Records, Christian Grauzer
K.C. Larson, Inc., Keevin Larson, President
Kneehigh Farm, Emma Cunniff, Owner
Lucy’s Handmade Clothing Shop, Martin Villalba
Moo Duck Brewery, Mike Brubaker, Owner/Brewer
Moshtradamus, Anthony Green, Musician/Record Label
North Side Carpets, Mark Helliar
Olive Oil Etcetera, Christina Haber
Organnons Natural Market, Jim Gannon, Owner
Rolling Harvest Food Rescue, Cathy Snyder, Founder and Executive Director
Roy Pitz Brewing Company, Michael Treon, GM/Partner
Rutherford’s Camera Shop, Lee Rutherford, Owner
Saint Benjamin Brewing Company, Tim Patton, Proprietor
Sanderson Architectural, Shannon Pendleton, Principal
SAP Americas, Brian Barrett, Sub Regional Head of Facilities NSQNY
Second District Brewing, Anthony C., Marketing
Siren Records, Joe Montone, Manager
Something Else, Kristin Aloan, Owner
Spuntino Wood Fired Pizzeria, Kurt Saracovi, Owner/Manager
Sumi’s Cakery, Sumi Chun Tennis Village, Deborah Rora
The Local Vapor, Ken Cala, Co-Owner/manager
The Paper Unicorn, Patty White, Owner
The Sustainable Business Network of Greater
Philadelphia, Anna Shipp, Executive Director
The Zen Den, Jeremiah Sullican, Manager
Thomas Blvd Group, Fred Kraybill, Part-Owner
Weavers Way Cooperative Association, Jon
Roesser, General Manager
Academic Leaders
Felipe Gomez, Associate Professor of Spanish, Carnegie Mellon University
Dr. Phylllis Blumberg, Director of the Teaching and Learning Center, University of the Sciences
Mark Boudreau, Professor, Penn State University
Dr. David Fulford, Professor of Biology, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Ken Field, Professor of Biology, Bucknell University
David Velinsky, Research Scientist, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Ruth McDermott-Levy, PhD, MPH, MSN, RN, Associate Professor & Director, Villanova University Center for Global & Public Health
Dr. Tate LeFevre, Assistant Professor, Anthropology, Franklin & Marshall College
Mel Zimmerman, Director, Lycoming College Clean Water Institute
Michelle Briggs, Associate Professor of Biology, Lycoming College
Dr. Suzanna Richter, Earth and Environment Professor, Franklin & Marshall College
Eric Pallant, Professor, Chair Dept. Environmental Science, Allegheny College
John Stolz, Director, Center for Environmental Research and Education
Ward Allebach, Adjunct Professor, University of Pittsburgh Josef Werne, Professor of Biogeochemistry, Univ.Pittsburgh
Robert Kaufman, Professor of Sociology, Temple University
Jaskiran Dhillon, Associate Professor , The New School
Neil Leary, Director, Center for Sustainability Education, Dickinson College
Derek Straub, Associate Professor, Susquehanna University
Emily Stowe, Associate Professor of Biology, Bucknell University
Marie Pizzorno, Associate Professor of Biology, Bucknell Univeristy
Eve Bratman, Assistant Professor, Department of
Earth and Environment , Franklin & Marshall College
Rod Heisey, Professor of Biology, Penn State University
Julie Becker, Director, Public Health Program, Associate Professor, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
Franco Rossi, Lecturer in Anthropology, Brandeis University
Elected Officials
John Spiegelman, Commissioner, Abington Township
Ben Sanchez, Commissioner, Abington Township
Mayor Dianne Herrin, West Chester, PA
Mayor Matt Shorraw, Monessen, PA
Mayor Matthew Rudzki, Sharpsburg Borough
Mayor Nickole Nesby, City of Duquesne
Mayor Antoinette Johnson, Modena Borough
Mayor Thomas Kramer, Borough of Millbourne
Mayor Frederick Courtright, Borough of Mount Pocono
Mayor Sean Strub, City of Milford
Mayor Tim Scott, Borough of Carlisle
Mayor Ron Strouse, Borough of Doylestown
Joseph Horowitz, President, South Fayette Township Board of Commissioners
Mayor John Fetterman, Borough of Braddock
Christopher Smith, Chairman, Robeson Township Environmental Advisory Council
Mayor Josh Maxwell, Downingtown, PA
David Wessels, Huntingdon Borough
Mike Detweiler, Mansfield PA Borough
Jack Larkin, Commissioner, Radnor Township Board of Commissioners
Health Professionals
Dr. Fred Baurer, MD
Darlene Clark, MSN, RN, Senior Lecturer in Nursing, Penn State University
Claudia Crane, RN
Lana Fishkin, President-Elect, Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia
Dr. Ira Gerstman, Family Medicine Doctor, Concierge Medical Services of Family Practices Associates of Upper Dublin
Dr. Joel Griska, MD, Retired general internist
Susanne Groenendaal, Psychotherapist, Susanne Groenendaal LCSW
Dr. Neal Hemmelstein, Psychologist, Child, Adult, & Family Psychological Center
Katie Huffling, RN, MS, CNM, Executive Director, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
Dr. Ned Ketyer, Pediatrician, Pediatric Alliance
Dr. Sheila Knerr, MD, FAAP, CHOP Pediatric Care at GVH
Diane Krassenstein, RN
Dr. Kelly Kuhns, PhD, RN, Chair and Associate Professor, Millersville University Department of Nursing
Hannah Ryan, Registered Nurse, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Dr. Poune Saberi, MD, MPH, President, Physicians for Social Responsibility
Sabah Servaes, Assistant Professor of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Jennifer Wasco, DNP, RN, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Chatham University
