As summer heats up, groups committed to fight for clean air and water in Pennsylvania are ramping up the pressure on Governor Wolf, state legislators and regulatory agencies to stop pipelines that endanger our communities, halt the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure, and make a plan to transition Pennsylvania to clean, renewable energy. Three important actions are coming up over the next week!
We hope you will join us at one of these events in Philadelphia, West Chester, and Harrisburg:
- Saturday, June 9: No Mariner East! Rally for Community Safety. Grassroots groups and allies will rally in West Chester to call on Governor Wolf to stop the Mariner East 2 pipeline that puts our communities, families, and homes at risk.
- Tuesday, June 12: Advocacy Day for 100% Renewable Energy in Harrisburg.People across Pennsylvania are headed to the Capitol to lobby for recently introduced legislation that would mandate that Pennsylvania be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2050. Bus transportation available from locations around the Philly area.
- Also on Tuesday, June 12: Hearing to Appeal the Permit for SEPTA’s Polluting Gas-fired Power Plant. 12 pm at 1515 Arch Street, 18th floor. 350 Philly and allies are challenging the City’s decision to permit SEPTA to build a fracked gas power plant in Nicetown, a community already overburdened by pollution and childhood asthma. Please join us at our second appeal hearing before the L&I Review Board.
More information on these events is below. Your presence can make a difference on issues that are critically important to people here in Philly area and around the world.
With hope,
Ann, David, Jean, Meenal and Mitch for 350 Philly
June 9th in West Chester: No Mariner East! Rally for Community Safety
Where: Chester County Courthouse, 2 North High St, West Chester, PA
When: 3:00 to 4:30 pm
What: The Mariner East 2 is a 350-mile pipeline that–if completed–will carry dangerous ethane, propane, butane, and pentane produced by fracking in Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia to an export terminal in Marcus Hook, south of Philadelphia. These substances are classified as “highly volatile liquids.” The pipeline’s purpose? Shipping these liquids to Europe to produce plastic. The company building the pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners, constructed the Dakota Access Pipeline near Standing Rock Indian Reservation.
The pipeline would endanger thousands of people who live, work, and go to school along the route, and would also spur an increase in fracking. During construction, there have been over 100 reported spills of drilling fluid, contaminated water resources, and other environmental disasters. Community-based organizations and environmental groups are working to stop this project, and a powerful grassroots movement has developed. Governor Wolf could stop the Energy Transfer Partner from completing the pipeline, but he has refused to do so.
Last month, the movement won an important but partial victory. On May 24, a Pennsylvania judge ordered a temporary halt to construction of the pipeline until the Public Utility Commission (PUC) determines that it is not a risk to the public. Now people are coming together in West Chester to send Governor Wolf a strong message: Stop the Mariner East 2 pipeline once and for all!
Want to learn more? Check out this backgrounder from Food and Water Watch.
RSVP: If you plan to come, please sign up here.
For information on a bus from 15th & Cherry Streets in Center City Philadelphia, check out: Rally Bus to West Chester.
by for historic legislation mandating that Pennsylvania be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2050.35 representatives and 11 senators from Republican and Democratic parties have already signed on to cosponsor this legislation.Penn Environment is running free buses from the greater Philadelphia area and will be holding briefings on the legislation. They are also offering assistance scheduling meetings with legislators.
To learn more about the bill and see where your legislator stands, check out: PA powered by 100% renewable energy by 2050.
RSVP: If you’d like to attend, please register here.
Note: We also encourage you to ask your local elected officials (mayor, supervisor, council member) to sign to this letter that expresses support for the bill and for related policies.
Also on Tuesday, June 12th: Hearing to appeal the permit Philadelphia’s approval of SEPTA’s polluting gas-fired power plant (We know you can’t be in Philadelphia and Harrisburg at the same time, but hope you can attend one of the events!)
When: 12pm to 2pm or later
Where: 1515 Arch Street, 18th floor (Center City Philadelphia)
What: For more than 2 years, 350 Philly has been working with community residents and allies across the city to stop SEPTA from building a gas-fired power plant in Philadelphia’s Nicetown community, while calling on SEPTA to use clean, renewable energy to power our transit system. The gas plant would add dangerous pollution to a neighborhood that is already overburdened, and it would emit climate-damaging greenhouse gases for the next twenty years.
Despite widespread opposition, Philadelphia’s Air Management Service office (AMS) gave SEPTA an air permit for the plant last fall. Together with The Center for Returning Citizens and Neighbors Against the Gas Plants, we are appealing the permit. On Tuesday, we will appear before the L&I Review Board at the 2nd official hearing about the appeal. We hope you will help us pack the hearing room! Learn more and RSVP: Click here to read more about the hearing and to sign up to attend!
To make a donation to help us cover legal costs for this appeal click here
You can also find out more about the Fossil Free SEPTA campaign by visiting 350philadelphia.org/septa.
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350 Philadelphia 