The House Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing this week on House Bill 2744 (Vitali-D-Delaware) that would provide state grants for the development and implementation of local climate change action plans in the state.

The Committee heard testimony from Lou Thieblemont, Mayor of Camp Hill; Jim Yienger, director of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives USA Policy Institute; and John Dernbach, a Widener University law professor and former Director of the Office of Policy at the Department of Environmental Protection.

“My bill would encourage municipalities across the Commonwealth to do even more in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Rep. Vitali. “As a result, we can ensure that Pennsylvania maintains its healthy environment for future generations. I thank all of our testifiers for their valuable testimony."

Mayor Thieblemont reviewed the steps the Borough of Camp Hill, Cumberland County, has taken to improve energy efficiency in municipal operations and expressed support for the legislation.

Yienger noted that 170 municipalities across the country have saved $500 million as a result of their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions saying just a small intervention provides a lot of return.

Dernbach explained to the Committee that efforts to affect climate change are not stand-alone issues, they can also affect the economy, create jobs and reduce dependence on foreign oil. He also highlighted the importance of energy efficiency in not only reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but creating jobs and saving money.

House Bill 2744 would provide state grants of up to $20,000 annually to municipalities that create and implement municipal greenhouse gas inventories and municipal climate change action plans. Municipalities that create plans cooperatively would be eligible for grants of up to $20,000 times the number of municipalities participating.

A climate change action plan, according to the legislation, would establish greenhouse gas emission trends and a baseline against which to measure the success of reduction efforts, determine cost-effective strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the municipality from both public and private sources, and establish specific reduction targets.

The greenhouse gas inventory would identity all the greenhouse gasses emitted from all sources in a municipality, including transportation, industrial, residential and energy production.

Link: DCNR to Develop Carbon Management Plan, Update Greenhouse Gas Inventory

8/18/2006