Get the Lead Out

PennEnvironment named to PA task force on lead

After launching a statewide campaign to tackle lead poisoning on the heels of the disaster in Flint, Mich., PennEnvironment was nominated and appointed to serve on the Pennsylvania Senate Task Force on Lead Exposure. The Task Force is made up of a select group of bipartisan state legislators, statewide health experts and other stakeholders.

Formed after the passage of Senate Resolution 33, which was introduced by state Sen. John Yudichak, the group is tasked with investigating the scope of Pennsylvania’s lead exposure problems, and will draft and submit a report to the full state Senate that includes proposed solutions.

“PennEnvironment is honored to be included in this important effort to do everything in our power to tackle the threat posed by lead in Pennsylvania,” said PennEnvironment Executive Director David Masur.

Clean Air

Clean cars program celebrates five-year anniversary

A cornerstone effort to reduce global warming and air pollution from cars—and save consumers billions of dollars at the pump—celebrated its fifth anniversary last fall.

Yet while the program has delivered huge successes for our health, environment and pocketbooks over the past five years, the program has come under attack from the Trump administration. In response, PennEnvironment launched a statewide campaign and held kickoff news conferences in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to uncover efforts by the Trump administration to undermine the clean car program.

If left intact, the federal clean car standards are projected to reduce global warming pollution by 6 billion metric tons, reduce oil consumption by 12 billion barrels, and save Americans between $76 and 122 billion by 2025.

Clean Water

Protecting the Delaware River from fracking

After nearly a decade’s work, PennEnvironment applauded regulators who took a major step to permanently protect the Delaware River and the surrounding watershed from fracking.

Made up of federal officials and representatives from the four states the river runs through, the Delaware River Basin Commission announced its proposal in September 2017. Now the proposal will go through an extensive public input process before being finalized in the upcoming months.

The Delaware River supplies drinking water to 15 million Americans, spurs billions in economic development, and is the backbone of the region’s quality of life. Since the first public comment period nine years ago, PennEnvironment delivered more than 30,000 signatures to officials calling for permanent protection for the river from fracking. This was believed to be the largest public input process of its kind in the agency’s history.