The following candidates will appear on ballots for voters in Montgomery County for the Nov 8, 2022 election. Sierra Club has endorsed these candidates as environmental leaders based on their voting history (in current or previous roles in office), their stated positions on environmental issues important to Pennsylvanians and their responses in candidates interviews with Sierra Club volunteers and staff.
This summary references “environmental voting scores”, which can be found in this Environmental Scorecard, a joint report from Conservation Voters of PA, Sierra Club, Clean Water Action and Clean Air Action.
Please consider voting for these candidates this November.
Pennsylvania Governor - Josh Shapiro
Josh Shapiro refuses to accept the false choice between a strong economy and a healthy environment. He knows we can have both and will prioritize a comprehensive climate and energy policy that will move all of us forward. As Governor, he will work to create thousands of good paying jobs by investing in clean energy, infrastructure, weatherization and energy efficiency.
As Attorney General, Josh Shapiro has fought against countless attempts by the Trump administration to weaken environmental protections, settled a multi-state lawsuit against Volkswagen over emissions violations, and held frackers accountable for their pollution.
US Senate Pennsylvania - John Fetterman
John Fetterman believes that climate change is an existential threat, and that we need to transition to clean energy as quickly as possible. He believes that it is a false choice that we have to choose between creating jobs and working towards a cleaner environment — we can and must do both. He argues that we must make proper investments in greener, cleaner technology in America — and make more of that technology right here at home. Fetterman says that he has never taken a dime from the fossil fuel industry, and he never will. Fetterman has served as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania since 2019. He previously served as the Mayor of Braddock, PA from 2006 to 2019.
US Congress PA District 4 - Madeleine Dean
Incumbent - Madeleine Dean brings her experience as a PA state legislator, where she advocated for clean water and combatting PFAS contamination, to her work in the US House. She has applied pressure on the Department of Defense to conduct sufficient well-testing and to install effective runoff prevention and sought to safeguard the impacted citizens' rights to file claims. She received a 100% national environmental scorecard rating in 2021. She is a strong supporter of climate action and transitioning to a clean energy economy. She voted in support of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. Her role on the Financial Services Committee affords her the particular opportunity to press for the financial services industry to address climate risk and its involvement in financing fossil fuels.
PA Senate District 12 - Maria Collett
Incumbent - Maria Collett brings nursing and legal expertise along with passion for protecting Pennsylvania's environmental quality to her legislative work, earning a 100% environmental voting score over 2021-2022 and her 2 terms in the Senate. Senator Collett has played a leadership role in efforts to combat PFAS contamination and to set protective, state-level standards for exposure to these toxic chemicals. She is a strong advocate for strengthening the Attorney General's environmental enforcement authority.
PA Senate District 44 - Katie Muth
Incumbent - Katie Muth is a strong and outspoken advocate for the environment. Beyond her legislative work and excellent 100% lifetime environmental voting record, Senator Muth has applied consistent pressure on the Wolf administration and Attorney General to hold industrial polluters accountable, including by calling for a cease-and-desist order on the Mariner East II pipeline. A priority recent focus has been pressing for the Public School Employees' Retirement Fund to divest from fossil fuels.
PA House District 53 - Steve Malagari
Incumbent - Steve Malagari is committed to environmental protection. He earned a 100% environmental voting score for his votes in the 2021-2022 session. As a Teamster, Steve has focused especially on the issues affecting working families in his district. He is strongly committed to ensuring that building Pennsylvania's clean energy economy generates good quality, union jobs. Steve has focused attention recently on the potential for supporting the growth of a green hydrogen industry in Pennsylvania.
PA House District 61 - Liz Hanbidge
Incumbent - Liz Hanbidge brings a background in family law and child advocacy, as well as her management of an organic farm, to her work in the PA House. She has a 100% environmental voting record for her 2 terms in office. Serving on the Agriculture Committee, Representative Hanbidge is seeking to boost green technology advances in agriculture, as well as to promote solar energy installations on farms to strengthen their financial sustainability. An added focus is on the potential for advancing green technology in environmental remediation.
PA House District 70 - Matt Bradford
Incumbent - Matt Bradford has shown unwavering support for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and opposition to the wave of anti-environmental legislation in the 2021-2022 session. He has an environmental voting score of 100% for the current session, and a lifetime score of 99. A key focus for Representative Bradford has been trying to build understanding across the aisle that providing sufficient funding to the DEP to enable adequate staffing could have the beneficial effect of reducing permitting timeframes.
PA House District 146 - Joe Ciresi
Incumbent - Joe Ciresi has earned a 100% environmental voting score for 2021-2022. In his 2 terms in the House, he has focused significant attention on building greater appreciation for Pennsylvania’s state parks and public lands and boosting tourism. He has sought bi-partisan support for a 1 million tree-planting initiative in the Commonwealth. He is a strong supporter of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and sees the potential for scaling up renewable energy installations on public schools.
PA House District 148 - Mary Jo Daley
Incumbent - Mary Jo Daley has earned a lifetime 100% environmental voting score over her 5 terms in the PA House. She is strongly committed to environmental protection and addressing climate change and its impacts. Over recent terms, she has focused her efforts especially on trying to build support among legislators and administrative agencies for the establishment of a Conservation Corridors program, to attract greater appreciation and attention to Pennsylvania's public lands and waters and to generate more support for habitat protection and restoration.
PA House District 149 - Tim Briggs
Incumbent - Tim Briggs has been a champion for the environment over his 7 terms in the PA House and has a 100% lifetime environmental voting record. One of Tim's priority environmental issues has been waste and plastics pollution; he played a leading role in developing the "Zero Waste PA" legislation. In his role as House Democratic Judiciary Committee Chair, a particular focus is on increasing the authority for the Attorney General to prosecute environmental violations.
PA House District 150 - Joe Webster
Incumbent - Joe Webster is a strong environmental ally, with a 100% environmental voting record over his 2 terms in the House. Watershed protection is a top priority for Representative Webster. Portions of Skippack and Pennypack Creeks are within his district; and he recognizes the need for stronger measures to address the erosion and sedimentation he has witnessed. He is working to build support for stronger riparian buffer legislation. He is strong supporter of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and worked to strengthen appreciation for the job growth potential of electrification.
PA House District 152 - Nancy Guenst
Incumbent - Nancy Guenst stepped up to an environmental leadership role in her first term in the House, co-chairing the Climate Caucus. She received a 100% environmental voting score for the 2021-2022 session. Stormwater pollution and flooding challenges have been a focus for her work in her district, which includes a portion of the Pennypack Creek. She anticipates more direct involvement with PFAS contamination as the newly defined 152nd district encompasses the joint air base. Representative Guenst is a strong and outspoken advocate for anti-discrimination and fair treatment for all.
PA House District 166 - Greg Vitali
Incumbent - Greg Vitali has been a leader on environmental protection and climate action in the PA House since the 1990s. He has a 100% environmental voting record for 2021-2022, with a lifetime score of 98%. His top priorities are seeing Pennsylvania succeed in overcoming opposition and finally joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and bringing community solar and significant investment in EV infrastructure to the Commonwealth.