News and Stories

PROJECT GREEN AND GREY TESTIFIES AT THE EPA IN SUPPORT OF THE CLEAN POWER PLAN

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COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Dept. of Environmental Protection

Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg PA., 17120

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

09/3/2015

CONTACT:
Neil Shader, DEP
717-787-1323

DEP to Hold 14 Listening Sessions on the Clean Power Plan

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is announcing more than a dozen listening sessions and a 2-month comment period on the federal Clean Power Plan to hear from Pennsylvanians about the plan to cut carbon pollution. Fourteen listening sessions in locations across the state will take place between September and November.

“We want to hear from the people of Pennsylvania and all stakeholders as we prepare a Pennsylvania-centric plan to comply with the Clean Power Plan,” said DEP Secretary John Quigley. “Governor Wolf is committed to making the Clean Power Plan work for Pennsylvania and these listening sessions will help meet that goal. We strongly believe we can reduce carbon emissions statewide and address climate change in fair and smart ways that take into account legitimate concerns of all parties.”

In addition to the listening sessions, DEP will accept comments on Pennsylvania’s compliance with EPA’s Clean Power Plan through November 12, 2015. DEP is soliciting comments on the Clean Energy Incentive Program component of the CPP and on the EPA-proposed Federal Plan that serves as a model rule for states developing their state plans. DEP is also soliciting comments on specific compliance related questions which are available on the Department website.

Comment submissions can be made here: http://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment/ or emailed to ecomment@pa.gov or mailed to 400 Market Street P.O. Box 2063 Harrisburg, PA 17105.

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will also hold a webinar on the Clean Power Plan at 10 a.m. on Wednesday September 9, 2015. Speakers will include DEP Secretary John Quigley and DEP Policy Director Patrick McDonnell. To register, please click here.

The listening sessions will begin September 15. Participants wishing to speak must register at 717-783-8727.

September 15, 2015: Dauphin County
o 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
o Department of Environmental Protection South Central Regional Office
o 909 Elmerton Ave
o Harrisburg, PA 17110

September 21, 2015: Allegheny County
o 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
o Carnegie Mellon University
o Roberts Hall – Singleton Room
o 4th Floor
o 5000 Forbes Avenue
o Pittsburgh, PA 15213

September 22, 2015: Cambria County
o 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
o Conference Center at University of Pittsburgh – Johnstown
o Heritage Hall A
o 450 Schoolhouse Road
o Johnstown, PA 15904

September 22, 2015: Greene County
o 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
o Waynesburg Central High School
o Auditorium
o 30 Zimmerman Drive
o Waynesburg, PA 15370

September 28, 2015: Luzerne County
o 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
o Wilkes University
o Henry Student Center Ballroom, 2nd Floor
o 84 West South Street
o Wilkes-Barre, PA  18701

September 30, 2015: Philadelphia County
o 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
o University of Pennsylvania
o Kleinman Center
o Fisher Fine Arts Building, Room 401
o 220 South 34th Street
o Philadelphia, PA 19104

September 30, 2015: Delaware County
o 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
o Marcus Hook Community Center
o 7 West Delaware Avenue
o Marcus Hook, PA 19061

October 5, 2015: York County
o 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
o Wyndham Garden York
o White Rose Event Center
o Crystal Ballroom
o 2000 Loucks Road
o York, PA 17408

October 22, 2015: Lehigh County
o 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
o Muhlenberg College
o Trumbower 130
o 2238 Chew Street
o Allentown, PA 18104

October 28, 2015: Schuylkill County
o 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
o Penn State Schuylkill
o John E. Morgan Auditorium
o 200 University Drive
o Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972

October 29, 2015: Erie County
o 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
o Hirt Auditorium at Blasco Library
o 160 East Front Street
o Erie, PA 16507

October 30, 2015: Clarion County
o 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
o Clarion University
o Corner of Payne St & Wilson Ave
o Clarion, PA 16214

October 30, 2015: Clearfield County
o 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
o Penn State Dubois
o 7 Hiller Building – Auditorium
o One College Place
o Dubois, PA 15801

November 4, 2015: Lycoming County
o 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
o Penn College – Williamsport
o Mountain Laurel Room
o One College Avenue
o Williamsport, PA 17701

For more information on upcoming listening sessions, please visit the DEP Calendar of Events.

For questions concerning the comment period and listening sessions, contact the DEP Policy Office at 717-783-8727. The schedule for the sessions is also available through the Department’s website at www.dep.state.pa.us.

Persons in need of accommodations as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 should  contact the Department at 717-783-8727, or through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at 1-800-654-5984 (TDD users), or 1-800-654-5988 (voice users), to discuss how the Department may accommodate their needs.

 

Google, Apple, Microsoft Join Business Pledge to Fight Climate Change

By James Eng (NBC News)

Thirteen of America’s best-known companies — including Apple, Google, Microsoft, Walmart and Bank of America — have pledged $140 billion toward efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The companies on Monday helped launch the American Business Act on Climate Pledge, part of an Obama administration effort to enlist private companies in the fight to slow climate change.
Smoke Stack

President Barack Obama has set an ambitious goal of reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide by up to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. In addition to setting an example for its peers, the 13 businesses signing the pledge agree to support “a strong outcome” at an international climate change summit in Paris later this year. Some have set company-specific goals to cut emissions as much as 50 percent.Reaching a strong deal in Paris is an absolute and urgent necessity. The data is clear and the science is beyond dispute: a warming planet poses enormous threats to society,” Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said in a statement. He added that Google has been “carbon neutral” since 2007 and has so far committed more than $2 billion to clean energy projects.

Other companies signing the pledge are Alcoa, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Cargill, Coca-Cola, General Motors, Goldman Sachs, Pepsico and UPS.