Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware), Minority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Monday hosted a press conference urging the General Assembly and the Governor to take action on the climate change issue.

"Pennsylvania emits about one percent of the world’s greenhouse gas, yet Gov. Tom Corbett has failed to even acknowledge the climate crisis," said Vitali, D-Delaware. "To avoid destabilizing the earth’s climate we must significantly increase our use of energy from renewable sources."

However, last week, DEP’s Climate Change Advisory Committee continued to work on a series of more than 30 work plan containing recommendations on making changes to law, regulation and policy to address the climate change issue.  Christina Simeone, director of the PA Sunshine Solar Program, serves as chair of the Committee.

Michael Mann, a climate change expert who is director of the Earth System Science Center at Penn State University, said immediate action is needed on climate change, or the costs will continue to be steep.

"Over the past year, we've seen record-breaking heat and drought across the U.S., devastating wildfires out west, and here in the east, the tremendous flooding and damage associated with the unprecedented Superstorm Sandy," Mann said. "Collectively these events are symptomatic of the warming of our planet and the changes in climate and weather patterns resulting from our continued burning of fossil fuels."

Rep. Vitali discussed two bills he is introducing that would address climate change by promoting renewable energy.

His first bill would increase the state's Tier I Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards to 15 percent by 2023. The current rate is 8 percent by 2021. His other bill would establish a dedicated funding source for the PA Sunshine Solar Program. The program, which has exhausted its funding, helps homeowners and businesses install solar systems. The program would receive $25 million a year from an impact fee already in place on Marcellus Shale drilling under his bill.

Christina Simeone, director of PennFuture Energy Center; said Rep. Vitali's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard legislation would be equivalent to taking more than four million cars off the road or avoiding the use of more than two billion gallons of gasoline in 2023.

Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Philadelphia) said Pennsylvania can help fight climate change without hurting its economy. He pointed out that American auto manufacturers are now making fuel-efficient vehicles and are making more money.

Rep. Boyle urged quick action on Rep. Vitali's bills.

"We are at the point where we have to deal with this issue, not 10 years from now, not 20 years from now," Rep. Boyle said.

Tom Tuffey, vice president of project services for Community Energy of Radnor, said his company is hiring people, but they are working on alternative energy projects in states such as New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts that are investing in renewable energy. He noted that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently announced that his state would invest $150 million a year for the next 10 years to expand the NY-Sun Initiative for solar energy.

David Michener, president of Sun to Sun, LLC, urged all Pennsylvanians to understand how different types of energy sources affect the world's atmosphere and, in effect, climate change.

"If you're concerned about the environment and how energy sources contribute to global warming, please take the time to understand why renewable energy needs to be part of America's energy policy," Michener urged. "Technologies like solar and wind produce no air pollution and for some homeowners and business owners is an excellent investment."

The news conference was also attended by Manan Trivedi, a Truman Fellow, physician, and Iraq War veteran who represented Operation Free, Bruce Burcat, executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition and other organizations that support Vitali's legislation.

NewsClips:

PA Has Climate Change To Thank For Weather

Climate Activists Try To Get Attention

New Climate Assessment Describes Grim Future

Editorial: Danger Of Climate Change A Concern

1/21/2013