Weatherization Forums

The weather is finally getting cooler, and you may see your energy bill get higher. To help you find inexpensive ways to weatherize your home and maximize energy efficiency, I am hosting two weatherization forums. You’ll see a brief presentation from Duquesne Light and Peoples Gas, and then be able to ask questions of the two utility companies as well as ACTION Housing and the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance.

They are free to attend and can help you with major savings this winter, I hope you’ll join me.

Clean Energy and Clean Jobs: We can do both

Leadership from the federal government is not coming on climate change, and we can’t afford to wait. Last week, Governor Tom Wolf’s instructed the PA Department of Environmental Protection to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). RGGI is a market-based collaboration among nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change while generating economic growth.

RGGI states set a cap on total CO2 emissions from electric power generators in their states. The program is often referred to as “Cap and Trade,” or “Cap and Invest.” The states currently in RGGI (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont) have reduced power sector CO2 pollution by 45 percent since 2005, while the region’s per-capita GDP has continued to grow.

I introduced Senate Bill 15 as a legislative option for Pennsylvania to join RGGI, and I’ll continue to push for that. When we enter RGGI, we open a revenue stream that will be used for job training, investments in new energy resources that will create jobs and economic development programs that will help communities’ transition to a new energy future. 

Job growth is incredible in the clean energy sector and presents real opportunities for our state and region. The National Solar Jobs Census has tracked U.S. solar job growth since 2010 and found employment has grown 159 percent in the nine years since. Nationally, the solar industry employed 242,343 workers last year. In Pennsylvania, solar industry jobs increased by 10 percent to 4,219 and as we transition to less fossil fuel dependence, the job growth will only continue.

Veterans Lunch

Next month, I will host my annual luncheon to honor local veterans. If you have served our country, please call my office and we will make sure we have a seat for you.

In The 43rd

I hope you’re keeping up with our biweekly episodes of In The 43rd. I am really enjoying getting to meet new folks, local business owners and entrepreneurs. We live in an amazing area with so much to offer!

Catch a new episode every other Wednesday at 1pm on Facebook, Twitter and my website!

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