From Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light (http://www.paipl.org):
Due to vacations, our July 2017 PA IPL climate policy briefing call is CANCELLED, but we are still providing a policy update summary below, beginning with opportunities for action and witness. Our monthly updates are intended to build our knowledge base so that we can more quickly understand emerging issues and questions. The next call will be held on August 24th 12:30-1:30. New people may sign up by contacting Cricket Hunter.
In this update:
– take action
– federal policy updates
– Pennsylvania policy updates
– closing meditation
TAKE ACTION
Federal action opportunities
Now, while our lawmakers are all actively engaged in budget negotiations, is an excellent time to contact them to remind our legislators that budgets are moral documents, indicating our priorities. (Senators; Congressman) All of our elected officials (from the President on down) have indicated that clean air and clean water are important. Ask your officials, as regulations are rolled back, how are they proposing to protect the shared resources that make this planet livable: air, water, and atmosphere? Then wait for an answer. Feel free to ask again when they give you a non-answer, or defend a laissez-faire market-forces-only approach. You might gently remind them that we tried that in the 50s and 60s, when rivers caught fire, and the protective upper ozone layer frayed, and that is important to you that they clearly understand that it is not what you want for your future, or for the future of babies and youth in your life, and that you are a constituent.
Our legislators head home to their districts for their August recess – normally the month of August, though a shortened, last-two-weeks-only recess was announced by Sen. McConnell just before the 7/4 recess. Find and register for (or request!) a Town Hall with your Senator or Representative. IPL has a kit ready to make participation easier and more effective. If you request a Town Hall, please share that request with us.
There is an opportunity to submit testimony to the EPA regarding a delay of methane emissions standards for new or modified oil and gas operations equipment. Any citizen may comment. Deadline August 9. Several Pennsylvania faith leaders traveled to DC for the live hearings on July 10. Their comments are being published on our blog.
State action opportunities
The Pennsylvania General Assembly has already proposed a budget which cuts environmental areas —including the DEP budget, which is already short-staffed in several areas, including enforcement. Now the legislature is considering raiding special funds to pay for a deficit. These are one-time transfers, and not budget fixes. The ask: Please oppose any fund transfers from the Keystone Fund, Growing Greener, or farmland preservation to balance the budget. Fund transfers are not real, long-term budget fixes; raiding these funds will harm programs that preserve our heritage and improve citizen lives in every county in the Commonwealth.
The former head of the PA Utility Commission Rob Powelson has been tapped for FERC (the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission), so there is an opening at the PUC. We urge the Governor to seek candidates committed to 21st century clean, renewable-energy leadership.
FEDERAL UPDATE SUMMARY
The primary work happening at the federal level is work on the 2018 budget. Parts of that budget are relevant to climate and clean energy. The President’s proposed budget cuts the Office Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by 70 percent, including the voluntary, highly effective Energy Star program. EPA budget is cut by nearly 1/3 in the proposal. PA IPL bicyclists brought copies of our testimony about the EPA to each of the legislative offices they visited on the Hill, and spoke to aides about the fact that the budget is a moral document, illustrating our priorities. The current House Appropriations Committee report proposes significant cuts to the EPA, including specific enforcement cuts within the EPA budget to the areas of
- Science and Technology
- Enviromental Programs & Managment (EPM),
- Environmental Justice category within EPM enforcement
- Superfund
- Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (LUST)
- Inland Oil Spill
In each case, the specific enforcement budget is cut relative to 2017, but are at least nominally higher than proposed in the Administration budget. In the case of the Environmental Justice category within EPM, the White House’s proposed budget had zeroed the category out. The House cuts it by 15% instead.
The report specifies that EnergyStar programs should not be eliminated as proposed in the White House budget.
The report also gives states the ability to create permit systems for coal combustion residuals (coal ash), with language urging “prompt approval.” Clearly we will need to watch Pennsylvania for proposed changes in coal ash disposal
Senator Blunt and 5 others have introduced a bill into the Senate (S.1273) that is likely to be mirrored in the House very soon. The purpose of the bill is to roll back improved fuel efficiency standards for passenger vehicles. These standards are negotiated with automakers at the table. Emissions from transportation are bad for human health and for the climate, and the immediate impacts tend to be concentrated in neighborhoods where the population is disproportionately low-income and/or has a higher concentration of black or brown residents. This summary and review from the National Resources Defense Council is clear, and a Congress.gov summary is not yet available. Transportation is responsible for 27% of US greenhouse gas emissions.
We continue to follow the “Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Act,” a bi-partisan, bi-cameral bill introduced on April 27— S.981 in the Senate, and H.R.2197 in the House. The PA IPL bicyclists spoke about this bill with Energy and Environment aides in all of their Hill Visits. If passed, this legislation will establish a new pilot program at the U.S. Department of Energy to provide financial grants to non-profit organizations to help make buildings they own and operate more energy efficient. It is particularly aimed at non-profits because they cannot take advantage of tax incentives that other companies can use. Press release by one of the bill co-sponsors (from PA!). Fact sheet by the Orthodox Union, one of many religious organizations supporting the bills. As of this writing, one of our Senators and 4 of our Representatives have signed on. Check for yours by clicking the bill link (S.981, H.R.2197) and using the “cosponsors” tab. Congressman Cartwright does not show on the Cosponsors tab becasue he is an originator of the bill.
Senate
Although the Senate version of the Regulatory Accountability Act is missing some of the most concerning provisions of the House version, we remain concerned that S.951 requires proposed regulations to be evaluated in light of purely financial costs to companies, without considering either costs or benefits to citizens and communities, such as the impact of clean air, clean water, and a healthy atmosphere on our public health, or our national security.
House
The House refused to pass an amendment that would have stripped HR 2810 of language requiring the Defense Department reports on climate change impacts on US Military installations and combat readiness. Given that Secretary of Defense Gen. James Mattis has spoken specifically about climate change as a threat multiplier and the need for climate action, voting against this amendment seems like it should be easy, but it may have been harder for some, as the anti-reporting amendment was initiated by one of Pennsylvania’s own, Representative Perry (PA-04). This is an excellent opportutnity to call your Representative to thank him, or to ask some important questions. Check the roll call vote results for your Representative (the Noes are the pro-climate reporting voters).
The House voted to give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) primary power over approval of interstate pipelines. FERC has only turned down a single pipeline permit application in 30 years (2016), and FERC controls the designation that allows companies to use eminent domain to forcibly “purchase” property for pipeline purposes. The Senate has not yet confirmed the President’s FERC nominees. Right now, FERC cannot vote on anything because they don’t have a quorum.
The House also voted to streamline approval of cross-border pipelines (pipelines connecting us to Canada or Mexico).
The House Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus has been both growing and active. We believe it’s most productive to support bipartisan work, as well as to urge both parties to grow their own climate champions, and move forward on climate action, and a fast, fair transition to a clean, renewable-energy future.
House Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus members have actively proposed legislation, all of which is currently in committee.
– HR 2326, the Climate Solutions Commission Act
– HR 2830, concerning methane leakage in infrastructure
– HR 2858, the SUPER Act, concerning short-term high-intensity climate pollutants
Of these, we are particularly interested in HR 2858, (nicknamed the SUPER Act) that deals with very powerful, short-lived climate pollutants. This group of climate pollutants are estimated to account for nearly half of the human-caused climate change we are now seeing. Slashing these emissions could have a large climate impact, and reductions will have a more localized and immediate impact on the health of impacted communities, and even on crop yields.
STATE UPDATE SUMMARY
The primary work happening at the state level is on the state budget. Part of that must be providing adequate funding for the DEP to do its job and fulfill the state’s obligations under Article 1, Section 27 of the PA Constitution.
The Pennsylvania General Assembly has already proposed a budget which cuts environmental areas —including the DEP budget, which is already short-staffed in several areas, including enforcement. Now the legislature is considering raiding special funds to pay for a deficit. These are one-time transfers, and not budget fixes. The ask: Please oppose any fund transfers from the Keystone Fund, Growing Greener, or farmland preservation to balance the budget. Fund transfers are not real, long-term budget fixes; raiding these funds will harm programs that preserve our heritage and improve citizen lives in every county in the Commonwealth.
The former head of the PA Utility Commission Rob Powelson has been tapped for FERC (the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission), so there is an opening at the PUC. We urge the Governor to seek candidates committed to 21st century clean, renewable-energy leadership.
CLOSING MEDITATION
We close each Policy Update call with a meditation or prayer.
Today’s prayer serendipitously recrossed my path a few hours ago. It may be most useful to some readers with small changes to the opening and closing stanzas.
Lord, open unto me, written by Howard Thurman (1900-1981)
Lord, open unto me
Open unto me light for my darkness.
Open unto me courage for my fear.
Open unto me hope for my despair.
Open unto me peace for my turmoil.
Open unto me joy for my sorrow.
Open unto me strength for my weakness.
Open unto me wisdom for my confession.
Open unto me forgiveness for my sins.
Open unto me love for my hates.
Open unto me thy Self for myself.
Lord, Lord, open unto me!
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