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Jan. 20 Is Inauguration Day: What Tom Wolf Said He Would Do On Environmental Issues

With the inauguration of Tom Wolf as Pennsylvania’s 47th Governor on January 20, it’s a good time to look back at what he promised to do environmental issues during the campaign.

In May of last year, then candidate Tom Wolf gave the Pennsylvania Environmental Council answers to questions on important environmental issues.

Among them, he was asked what he would do during the first 100 days in office. He said--

-- Appoint qualified individuals to lead the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. These leaders will be responsible for bringing greater transparency to the fracking process, proactively addressing climate change, and promoting policies that are in the best interest of current and future residents -- not special interests;

-- Submit a budget that includes additional funding for the Department of Environmental Protection so that it is sufficiently staffed and able to provide oversight of natural gas drillers; and

-- Introduce legislation to enact a five percent extraction tax on natural gas.

Specifically on Marcellus Shale-related issues, Wolf said on his campaign website--

-- Make smart investments to fund Pennsylvania's priorities. Rather than just using natural gas funds to plug budget holes or fund the same old approaches to economic development, we should use these new resources to build a brighter future for Pennsylvania's with strategic investments in schools, roads, and renewable energy technology.

-- Bring greater transparency to the fracking process by requiring drillers to publicly disclose chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process, and lifting the current gag order on physicians;

-- Allow local communities more control in zoning.

When asked about how he would address Pennsylvania’s legacy of abandoned mine drainage, Wolf told the PA Environmental Council--

“I believe we need a multi-pronged approach to address the restoration of AMD. First, we need to enact tougher legislation to hold coal-mining companies responsible for clean up and environmental damages. Second, we need to engage Pennsylvania’s world-class universities and colleges as well as the private sector in developing cost-effective approaches to abandoned mine drainage restoration. Third, both the federal government and the state need to step-up and proactively address this issue by directing additional funding.”

With respect to Climate Change, Wolf said on his campaign website he would--

-- Expand the use of Clean Energy: Tom will work to make Pennsylvania a national leader in the development of clean energy sources. Within his first year in office, Tom will introduce legislation expanding Pennsylvania's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards and restoring some funding for the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority.

-- Accelerate Investment in Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Tom wants to accelerate new investments in Pennsylvania in energy efficiency retrofits of commercial and residential real estate by engaging the private sector and developing new programs and policies to spur growth. Tom will explore several policy options including new workforce development training for workers in the energy efficiency retrofit sector, new access to energy use data to allow investors to determine which buildings represent the best potential investments for retrofits, and new financing tools to attract private sector investments in Pennsylvania in building retrofits.

-- Issue Responsible Climate Change Action Plans: The next Climate Change Action plan, which is mandated by Act 70, is due in October, 2015. Tom will direct his Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection to produce a report that is based on science, and includes meaningful emission reduction targets and policies to help meet these goals.

-- Set Green Building Standards for State Buildings: Tom will require the State to meet green building standards on all state-owned new large building projects (20,000+ square feet), building projects in which a state agency is leasing at least 90 percent of the square footage, and renovations of state-owned or leased buildings that meet this "size" criteria.

-- Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Under Tom's leadership, Pennsylvania will join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. He will work with the initiative and other states to set emission caps that are fair to Pennsylvania. Tom will use a portion of the revenue generated from the sale of permits to invest in renewable energy technology.

-- Help build renewable energy workforce and sector: As governor, Tom will target existing State workforce and education dollars toward the development of a public/private green jobs training program.

Click Here for more information on the January 20 Inauguration.

NewsClips:

Wolf Outlines His Goals, Policies In First Days In Office

Wolf Announces, DEP, DCNR, Administration Secretaries

Wolf Picks Former Rendell Appointees For Top Environmental Posts

Wolf Selects Environmental Protection, Parks Secretaries

Wolf Taps Quigley, Dunn, Minnich For Cabinet Spots

Wolf Defends Environmental Cabinet Picks

Wolf Chooses Leaders For Environment, Transportation, Admin Offices

Quigley: There’s A Real Opportunity To Get Marcellus Shale Right

Ferretti Won’t Continue As DCNR Secretary

Outgoing DCNR Secretary Talks About Her Experience