PennEnvironment fights to save mass transit in Pennsylvania

Mass transit has been an essential tool in our efforts to cut air pollution, particularly from automobiles. By giving the public an alternative to single-passenger driving, mass transit systems across the nation have helped to reduce the air pollution that triggers asthma and other respiratory ailments, decrease our dependence on foreign oil and cut down on global warming pollution.

Yet instead of improving and expanding our options for mass transit, our elected officials often chose to cut or freeze funding for our alternative transportation options—from Amtrak to local transit systems like SEPTA and Pittsburgh’s Port Authority. To make matters worse, the financial assistance that Pennsylvania’s 67 mass transit systems had been receiving from the state ran out on January 1.

PennEnvironment is working to guarantee that Pennsylvania’s mass transit systems are fully funded. This work is critical to our efforts to fight global warming and reduce air pollution. To help out our effort, visit www.PennEnvironment.org to send an e-mail to your state legislator asking them to fully fund Pennsylvania’s mass transit systems.

Global warming bills gather support

Five Pennsylvania members of Congress joined more than 110 others to cosponsor the federal Safe Climate Act (HR 5642), legislation to dramatically reduce global warming pollution. Introduced in June 2006 by Rep. Henry Waxman (Calif.), the bill requires the U.S. to reduce its global warming pollution 15 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.

The bill calls for improved energy efficiency and a greater reliance on clean, renewable energy sources in order to achieve these global warming pollution reductions.

To help boost co-sponsorship of the bill, PennEnvironment released “Rising to the Challenge: Six Steps to Cut Global Warming Pollution in the United States.” The report lists six strategies that, if implemented, could achieve these reductions while improving America’s environment and our energy security.

State renews recycling funding

After more than a year of debate, state legislators in Harrisburg moved quickly this fall to ensure the reauthorization of Pennsylvania’s Recycling Fund (House Bill 1902) which was introduced by Rep. Carole Rubley (Chester County).

The Recycling Fund provides much-needed finances to Pennsylvania’s townships and counties to ensure that our state’s recycling programs are effective and fully funded. This fund is essential for diverting trash from our landfills and incinerators and reusing the raw materials for new products in the marketplace.

PennEnvironment’s advocates had lobbied legislative leaders in Harrisburg to take the necessary steps to renew the Recycling Fund before the session ended, and on Oct. 30 this proposal was sent to the governor’s desk with bipartisan support from members of the state House and Senate. On Nov. 9, Gov. Rendell signed the Recycling Fund reauthorization into law.