By Bill Sabey, Lead, Pennsylvania Chapter Clean Energy Conservation Team; Lead, Ready for 100 Montgomery County; Member, Southeastern Pennsylvania Group; Chair, Plymouth Township Environmental Advisory Board
With the increasing realization of the harms of climate change, new world-wide high temperature records, and the growing intensity of heat waves, droughts, fires, and flooding around the world, it is empowering to remember that we can act locally to help our communities transition to clean energy.
This March 3rd press release announces PACleanEnergy.com’s launch of a new online resource for municipalities seeking to lower their carbon emissions in Pennsylvania. Over the past few years, a cohort of municipal representatives from the southeastern PA region collaborated on an extensive series of online sessions designed to assist in developing an Energy Transition Plan, unique to each community, to guide their transition to clean energy. The new resource, Learning Library For Government, is based on these series.
This resource is ever more relevant based on the March 20th Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's AR6 synthesis report which conveys the urgency needed for drastic action to avoid the most disastrous impacts from climate change. In PA, environmental advocates are looking to start a new chapter – with new leadership at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the governor’s office, whose recent proposed budget put forth strong environmental protections.
The educational series known as the Clean Energy Strategic Planning (CESP) series, which ran from August 2020 to June 2022, was based on the Department of Energy's Guide to Community Energy Strategic Planning.
Volunteers on Environmental Advisory Councils of several municipalities drafted energy transition plans because of their participation in the series or contracted with consultants to complete their plans. Several other municipalities have initiated energy transition, climate action and sustainability plans. Here is a list of plans that we are aware of currently.
Additionally, many of the 44 Southeastern PA Ready for 100% Clean Energy municipalities that have adopted clean energy transition resolutions are already taking actions with efficiency improvements, hybrid and EV vehicle purchases, community engagement and solar installations.
The press release was distributed to regional and state contacts. Here and here are releases that were published in Montgomery County:
Here are some additional resources:
- Clean Energy Volunteer Team (Note the March 2023 webinar recording on Phoenixville's Flagship Wastewater Treatment Plant)
- To ask a question or join the Clean Energy Team, submit this volunteer interest form.
- The PA Clean Energy for All series is being recorded and is available through these links:
- Feb 15 Clean Energy for All Intro
- Apr 26 Hydrogen Perspectives
- Jun 29 Energy Evolution at Home
- Register here for Solar Success Stories on September 13th.
Please share this information with your Environmental Advisory Council members, and municipal staff and officials. We encourage municipalities and Environmental Advisory Councils to join PACleanEnergy and contribute their clean energy actions and accomplishments. If you would like to initiate a similar program in your area, please contact Bill Sabey at billzmail-eab@yahoo.com.
This blog was included as part of the August 2023 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!