In the July issue of the Sylvanian, we published Part I of a profile of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Group which recounted its remarkable history. Part II discusses everything else!
From the Chair
When I spoke with Jim Wylie, Group chair, I asked him how he thought Philadelphia's status as an historical city figured into its environmental problems. His answer was that the age of Philadelphia's infrastructure creates problems from gas leaks to lead pipes and water systems. Furthermore, refineries were built on the edge of the city creating potentially hazardous conditions for residents. Just a few years ago, the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) refinery in Southwest Philadelphia exploded, causing massive damage to the site and hazardous conditions in nearby neighborhoods. Hilco Redevelopment Partners has since purchased the site and plans to build a 1300-acre green, sustainable development to be an economic engine for all of Philadelphia and would be one of the country's first hydrogen hubs. SPG is following developments at the former site of the refinery and hopes to see Hilco live up to its promises to be a non-polluting neighbor and responsible employer.
SPG's suburban counties have likewise suffered at the hands of the gas industry. Potential problems from the Marcus Hook Refinery in Delaware County and the Mariner East pipelines which cross most of the SPG region are examples.
Climate and Energy
Climate and energy have long been a primary concern for SPG members. SPG embraced the national Sierra Club's campaign called Ready for 100, meaning Ready for 100% Clean Energy. The goal was to meet with local officials to encourage them to adopt a resolution to move toward 100% clean energy by 2030 or 2035 for electricity community-wide and no later than 2050 for heat and transportation. SPG volunteers secured 43 resolutions, the largest number by any Sierra Club group in the country! Per county, here are the results: Philadelphia (1), Montgomery (18), Delaware (5), Chester (18) and Bucks (3). National Sierra Club is retiring the Ready for 100 Campaign and replacing it with the Community Advocates Program with the goal of helping communities take advantage of the huge amount of federal funding now available for clean energy projects made possible by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
Air Quality
In partnership with the Clean Air Council, SPG is purchasing and placing air quality monitors a/k/a Purple Air monitors, in the Philadelphia area.
The concern with air quality is Particulate Matter (PM) in Center City Philadelphia. The major sources of PM in Center City are diesel-powered vehicles (buses and trucks) and secondarily, gasoline-powered vehicles (automobiles). PM can accumulate a few feet from the ground making children and people who commute by bicycle particularly vulnerable. Major forest fires to the north occasionally affect our air quality as well.
Plastic Bag Ban
SPG volunteers are actively working for a ban on single-use plastic bags. A key feature of a good ordinance is requiring a 10-15 cent fee for paper bags. SPG has joined with Penn Environment to help support 21 municipal ordinances in the SPG region regulating single use plastics in some form. Find the official list here.
Political Endorsements
Often (not always) our best course of action for improving our air and water quality and reducing carbon pollution comes through local, state and federal legislation or regulations. Having elected officials who "get it” is a prerequisite for good legislation and effective regulating agencies. That's why SPG volunteers take the candidate endorsement process very seriously.
The endorsement process is the start of a relationship with officials that we try to sustain throughout their time serving as our representatives in government. Find the current list of candidates endorsed by SPG at the SPG website.
Outings
SPG is actively recruiting new outings leaders. If you are interested, we encourage you to register for the Outings Leader Campfire virtual meeting to be held on September 13, 2023 at 7 pm, to bring current and prospective leaders together and discuss upcoming training opportunities. See virtual meetings at the top of this newsletter to register.
Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO) is a community outreach program of the Sierra Club. Our volunteer leaders are certified and specially trained in recreational, outdoor, and safety skills as well as environmental education. Committed to safe, appropriate, welcoming outdoor experiences for all, PhillyICO works with partner agencies to provide the city's youth & their families with free outdoor experiences within the city and beyond. If you are interested in working with youth in the outdoors, contact PhillyICO.
Executive Committee
A Sierra Club group is only as good as the people willing to lead it. In SPG, ex-com members have responsibilities above the role they play or project they run as elected leaders. Ex-com members rotate responsibility for the executive committee meetings. This involves producing the agenda, sending out notices, running the meeting, and inviting a speaker to provide education on a topic. Currently there are ten members on the ex-com, as follows:
Jim Wylie (chair), Lisa Anzalone (vice-chair), Kelly Durham, Jerene Good, Keith Parsons, Kevin Little, Meenal Raval, Arden Williams, Adam Kapp, Laura Bricklin
Kudos to the Southeastern PA Group for over 45 years of protecting the environment!