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Personally, I’m not a big fan of surprises.
This holds particularly true when dealing
with politics and our environment—far
too many surprises in the state House wreak
havoc instead of creating positive change
for Pennsylvania’s natural heritage.
Take the surprise dropped in our lap on
October 24. Without input from the
public or health experts, a handful of state
representatives introduced a proposal to
stop the implementation of Pennsylvania’s
clean cars program.
Pennsylvania was about to implement
regulations that both require all new cars
and light trucks sold in Pennsylvania be
cleaner, and that auto dealers offer an
increased number of advanced technology
vehicles like hybrids. This proposal
would create dramatic reductions in the
pollution that triggers asthma, the emission
of carcinogens and global warming
pollution. And, as a side benefit, it would
save consumers money at the gas pump,
as cleaner cars are more efficient cars.
Yet instead of backing this common sense
initiative, a handful of legislators started
ramming through the anti-clean cars
legislation—House Bill 2141—which
would stop the state from implementing
these clean air standards.
But with over half of Pennsylvania’s
counties violating air pollution standards
and more than one million Pennsylvanians
suffering from respiratory ailments,
we clearly need to be strengthening—not
weakening—these standards.
So we went to work. Joining together
with a broad coalition that included
public health groups like American Lung
Association, youth advocacy organizations
like the Pennsylvania PTA, and
environmental groups, we worked the
halls of the state House advocating
against the anti-clean cars legislation, HB
2141. Over 1,000 PennEnvironment
members e-mailed their legislators calling
on them to oppose HB 2141.
And to date we’ve been able to stop this
proposal. PennEnvironment will keep
watchdogging the process, but it teaches
us an important lesson—even when voters
speak for our environment, it takes
advocacy in the halls of the legislature to
keep that message loud and clear.
Sincerely,
David Masur
PennEnvironment Director
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