What's New
In a setback for Pennsylvania's environment and energy security, the state Senate will left for its summer recess in July without passing House Bill 2200 (Read our release). This critical legislation, which was passed with bipartisan support out of the House of Representatives in February, would have cut projected energy demand 2.5 percent over the next five years. While HB 2200 represented a baby step towards what is necessary, the Senate's inaction only further delays Pennsylvania getting serious about cutting our energy use. PennEnvironment is working over the summer to ensure that the Senate enacts this legislation when it returns to Harrisburg in the fall.
How You Can Help
Click here to let your senator know you're disappointed that the Senate failed to pass HB 2200, and that they need to pass this critical energy efficiency bill as soon as the Senate returns in the fall.
Brief Summary
We’ve known for years that
the cleanest and cheapest type of energy in Pennsylvania is the energy that is never produced in the first
place. That’s because cutting our energy
use by making our homes, buildings and products more energy-efficient means
we’re decreasing our demand on the state’s polluting coal-fired power
plants. And that means less air
pollution and global warming emissions, and lower electricity bills for businesses
and consumers. Unfortunately though, Pennsylvania has for years lagged behind other states in energy
efficiency efforts.
PennEnvironment is working to
change that. The goal of
our Energy Efficient Pennsylvania project is to harness the potential of energy
efficiency solutions, and cut energy use in the state 10 percent by 2025. Right now, we’re working to pass legislation
in Harrisburg (House Bill 2200) that will establish statewide energy efficiency programs and cut
projected energy use by 2.5 percent over the next five years. It’s a small but important first step, and will
result in 7.4 million fewer tons of global warming pollution being created in Pennsylvania than is projected—the equivalent of removing over 1.3 million cars from the road for a year. The legislation will also help to protect Pennsylvania homeowners and businesses from rising electricity
bills. By taking this first step, we can
make big strides towards seizing the potential of energy efficiency to help
protect Pennsylvania’s environment and economy.
