From Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light (http://www.paipl.org):
Federal action opportunities:
Comment period on the Clean Energy Incentive Program closed November 1. Postcards in support of the program were collected at PA IPL’s conference on October 30, and overnighted to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy on October 31.
*Write a letter to the Editor (LTE) reacting to this new announcement that Gov. Wolf is moving monies from alternative energy funds to fossil fuel infrastructure. Note that existing pipelines (supporting gas delivery to residences) are old and leaky.
The week after election day, write a letter to your newly elected or re-elected leaders to introduce yourself as a constituent who is serious about climate justice, and who comes to this work with a deep grounding in faith. You might write to: (1) our 45th President; (2) our Senators; and (3) your Representative.
State action opportunities:
The week after election day, write a letter to your newly elected or re-elected state leaders to introduce yourself as a constituent who is serious about climate justice, and who comes to this work with a deep grounding in faith.
Upcoming Events:
Nov. 16: PA League of Women Voters’ Shale and Public Health Conference in Pittsburgh. CEUs available in nursing and public health. Brian Schwartz from Johns Hopkins and Geisinger is mapping asthma rates related to well sites.
Nov. 17: Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA) Sustainable Energy Conference at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Dec. 4: PA IPL’s Interfaith Moral Climate Advocacy training comes to Newtown PA. Click through for more info, a flier to share, and registration.
FEDERAL UPDATE SUMMARY
Paris Agreement: some good news: On 10/5 the threshold for “entry into force” for the Paris Agreement was achieved. Entry into force date: November 4! This means that as the next big international climate meeting takes place (Conference of Parties 22 or COP 22 in Marrakech 11/7-18), the first meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA1) will also happen. As in Paris, many NGOs will take part in the wider conference. Check to see if your faith tradition or denomination is sending representatives or will be publishing news or reflections.
Energy Bills from the Senate and the House are at a standstill. No movement is expected in the last days of the 2016 session.
The RECLAIM Act of 2016. No new news on the RECLAIM Act, but watch for After Coal (trailer) about the coal boom and bust in Appalachia (US) and Wales (UK) to educate ourselves and others.
Dakota Access Pipeline update. Protestors, including nearly 500 faith leaders, continue to gather in support of the tribal nations’ objections to the pipeline. Many arrests have been made, and police presence continues, including hoses and dogs.
ABC News, Huffington Post topic page, Rabbinic statement, Christian resources and links, GreenFaith sign on letter
A prayer written by Lyla June Johnston, a Diné poet who has been active at Standing Rock, can be found on PA IPL’s Facebook page.
STATE UPDATE SUMMARY
The House and Senate have completed their last legislative sessions of the 2016 calendar. There will be meetings after the election when leadership roles are assigned and the 2017 calendar is established.
SB 805 would allow large commercial and industrial entities to opt out of participating in PA’s very successful Act 129 energy efficiency programs. This bill PASSED in the Senate, 35-13. The House did not have time to take it up. It is likely to be re-introduced in 2017, and we expect Senator Tomlinson of the Consumer Protection Committee to hold hearings on Act 129. We will need to consider how to bring our moral and faith perspectives to these hearings, which will likely be held in the spring. This briefing sheet from the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance reviews the economic benefits of Act 129.
HB568 Stalemate: the House amended a bill passed in July by the Senate. The Senate amended the bill by the House at the final hour. Review: The latest state Climate Action Plan reported that the building sector is the largest source of carbon pollution in PA. Despite that, the state legislature is delaying further any efforts to adopt new building code measures. Every 3 to 4 years, the International Code Council proposes standards to update state codes for the building industry. Most states adopt these standards when they are proposed. In Pennsylvania, this practice ended in 2011 and our state wide code has not been brought up to standards since 2009. Learn more about Building Codes in this readable article.
SB 562 is an attempt to change the regulatory review process in such a way that it would allow the General Assembly to stop regulations from being instituted or adopted by the state without far more legislative oversight (and delay). Passed by the Senate in late October. Vetoed by the Governor.
HB 1391 is a gas royalty bill with a number of oil, gas, methane regulation rollback riders. It was on the legislative calendar, but was pulled due to division in the Republican Caucus and a strong show of opposition by the Governor and many Democrats. It is the second time the bill has come up and then been pulled.
IN THE PA COURTS:
At the end of September, the PA Supreme Court ruled on Act 13, ruling the doctor gag rule, eminent domain for natural gas storage facilities, and the exclusion of private wells from notification of hazardous spills unconstitutional. The PUC will no longer have any authority to examine local zoning regulations, nor will the industry have fast-track status for challenging local zoning regulations.
The Marcellus Shale Commission is now challenging Rule 78a with a lawsuit.
REGIONAL UPDATES
Philly-area
Meetings with 2 state senators. Plans underway for a coalition of Philly-area Senators and Representatives ot share climate related education toward understanding broader climate impacts (beyond direct economic concerns). In at least one meeting it became clear that we cannot assume that our legislators understand the big picture on climate change or climate justice.
Southport— deadline for site proposals is now December 15. There may only be one bidder. Members attended a multi-party stakeholder meeting with a staffer in the Governor’s office. Quakers and others are appealing to members of City Council to hold hearings on climate change impacts on the city and on local residents. Letters of support to Council members are welcome.
Harrisburg: Several members met with Rep. Vitali and were reminded of the importance of providing consistent and visible support to those who speak out for climate action and climate justice so that they can show their colleagues who are not yet active.
State College: Hosted annual conference October 30. Major flooding after a downpour that affected some of the poorest parts of Centre County. Over 300 homes flooded, local fire department unable to hold annual fundraiser. Possible Federal disaster area with 3 other counties affected. Flood in Lycoming County led to rupture of a (Sunoco-owned) gas pipeline and spill into high-quality tributaries of the Susquehanna.
CLIMATE CENTRAL resource on downpours and torrential rains. These are hard to measure, but the Northeast has seen a 71% increase in precipitation falling as part of “very heavy events” (the top 1% of all events from 1958-2012. In Harrisburg: 284%; Lancaster: 112%
Chester County: Sunoco (of the leak reported above) is the company applying for permits to build the Mariner II pipeline in Chester and Delaware Counties — and the Dakota Access Pipeline. Sunoco has the worst record for pipeline leaks with more than 200 leaks in their pipelines since 2010.
Delaware/Montgomery Counties: Meeting held with Sen. Leach’s staff to discuss poor rating on environmental scorecards.
Bucks County: Hosting the December 4 Interfaith Moral Climate Advocacy Training in Newtown, PA
CLOSING MEDITATION
We close each call with a meditation or a prayer. October’s prayer is a pre-election prayer that comes from Interfaith Worker Justice, and Rev. Michael Livingston (posted Nov. 2012)
God of all,
We pray for our nation after this prolonged period of campaigning with hopes that those elected to lead, at every level, will work now for your people. We pray these men and women will humble themselves to the sacred task of governing for the people who cast votes, not the corporations and wealthy individuals who paid for influence. We pray for legislators who will care about jobs for the unemployed and underemployed, education and opportunity for children, and health care for all, especially the most vulnerable among us.
We pray for laws that will protect and respect the earth—this planet created to be a home for all humanity, not a thing to be owned and exploited for profit by a few. We pray for regulations that will harness the hubris and greed of the financial sector. We pray for governance that knows the difference between a financial system and an economy, the one that has become a perverted and unregulated industry, the other a living organism of earth and human life.
We pray for wisdom not rhetoric; generosity not indifference, and justice not patronage. We want legislators working across the aisle, not erecting barriers like the border walls that imprison even those who seek to keep others out. We pray for a just sharing in the expense of government, let those blessed with great wealth give according to their means, let all give as they are able.
We pray for leaders gifted in diplomacy, blessed with character and integrity; leaders who know our security comes from relationships of trust and communication, not superior guns, more bombs and bloated armed services.
For our part give us the patience to give our leaders a chance to govern with grace, compassion, justice, and love. Let us support sincere effort and celebrate wise compromise. Make us accountable to our faith and so hold those we elect accountable to serve all the people, not just those who can afford to pay for self-serving policies.
May we never cease to pray, and to hope, and to work for justice for all.
Amen.
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