By Tom Schuster, Clean Energy Program Director
Since I started working with the Sierra Club on my birthday in 2012, I’ve gotten to know many Chapter volunteer leaders and local activists as the Campaign Representative for Beyond Coal. Together we have helped accelerate the retirement of well over half of Pennsylvania's coal-fired power plant fleet, and have worked hard to defend and expand our commonwealth’s modest clean energy and efficiency goals and policies. Through this time, I have been greatly impressed by the Chapter’s growth and development, and have done my best to help raise money to support our shared work, and try to ensure that the Beyond Coal Campaign was not only aligned with the Chapter’s work, but helping to build a grassroots movement that will ultimately lead to a just, healthy, carbon-free economy.
I’m happy to say that as of February 1, 2020, I am now continuing this work as the Chapter’s new Clean Energy Program Director. The creation of this position was a direct outcome of our Clean Energy for All pilot project, which examined how we can integrate the work of all the various energy campaigns operating in Pennsylvania with the Chapter’s broader mission and goals. The position is partially funded by the Beyond Coal, the Dirty Fuels, and the Clean Transportation for All Campaigns in addition to the Chapter. It will allow some additional flexibility in prioritizing energy work in the state, as it relates to our critical legislative and political work. One of my primary goals is to have more regular and direct contact with staff and volunteer leaders on a wider array of energy-related projects, in order to offer assistance and identify opportunities where our separate projects can align to produce better results.
I’ll still be based in Johnstown, and my contact info isn’t changing. Please feel free to reach out via email to tom.schuster@sierraclub.org with ideas and questions. Pennsylvania is my home, and this is my Chapter, and I’m not gonna stop until we get to 100% clean energy!