New Energy Future News

Using energy efficiency and clean, alternative energy sources to shift away from polluting fossil fuel energy sources like coal and oil is especially critical to efforts to cut global warming pollution.  Global warming is the most profound environmental threat that we face today, and achieving a significant reduction in global warming pollution--much of which comes from the burning of fossil fuels--is the only way to avoid the worst consequences of global warming.  Gov. Rendell's Energy Independence Strategy will be a key piece to Pennsylvania's efforts to achieve these pollution reductions.

Perhaps most importantly, the Energy Independence Strategy recognizes that building new coal-fired power plants or nuclear plants is not a smart energy policy for Pennsylvania.  Instead, the state needs to be finding ways to save energy and produce more energy from clean alternative sources, and this strategy will help us do that. 

PennEnvironment looks forward to working with the Rendell administration and state legislators to implement--and expand upon--this much-needed strategy. 

Building upon PennEnvironment's New Energy Future platform, other policies that Pennsylvania should be implementing to further advance our energy independence while protecting our environment include requiring 25% of the state's electricity to come from clean, renewable energy sources by 2025; setting efficiency standards for common appliances and products; establish 'green' building standards for new construction in Pennsylvania; and investing in less energy-intensive biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol.