PennFuture Blog

Our Perspectives on the Latest Issues

Climate

PennFuture, Partners Appeal Air Permit Extension for Proposed Liquefied Natural Gas Plant in Wyalusing Township

by Angela Kilbert, Staff Attorney
PennFuture has been engaged with local community members and organizations in tracking and opposing this facility and the transport of LNG across the state. Read more

So What Comes Next for Pennsylvania's Efforts to Join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative?

by Rob Altenburg, Senior Director for Energy and Climate
In early September, the Independent Regulatory Review Commission approved a draft rule that would link Pennsylvania to RGGI. So what comes next in this long process? Read more

Climate Denial and Pennsylvania Politics: The Ultimate Alternative Universe

by Jacquelyn Bonomo, PennFuture President and CEO
Our infrastructure cannot withstand climate impacts, and our earth’s protective natural systems have deteriorated and are collapsing into floods, fire, and worse. Read more

Philadelphia Has an Urban Planning Problem

by Adam Nagel, Campaign Manager
We can no longer delay in securing a city that is clean, green, and carbon neutral. Read more

Civilian Conservation Corps: Then and Now

by Annie Regan, Senior Program Manager
The Civilian Conservation Corps played a critical role healing our environment and putting Americans back to work. Read more

Chasing Bitcoin is a Bad Investment for Pennsylvania

by Rob Altenburg, Senior Director for Energy and Climate
It takes an obscene amount of energy to mine bitcoin and now companies are looking to power that mining by buying up cheap, dirty, outdated power plants just to run the computers to do the mining. Read more

PennFuture, Partners Challenge DEP's Approval of Renovo Energy Center

by Daniela Rakhlina-Powsner, Legal Intern
If we are truly committed to moving to a renewable energy economy, rather than a fossil-fuel based economy, the first step is to stop building new fossil fuel infrastructure. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania is struggling with that first step. Read more

What You Won't Hear During the Aug. 17 Public Hearing on Pipelines in Pennsylvania

by John Ukenye, Policy Analyst
Pennsylvania’s pipelines have not been environmentally friendly, economically sustainable, safe, or at all “beneficial” to the average citizen. Read more

Stakeholders Making Progress on Chesapeake Bay Goals, but Legislature Still Lagging

by Renee Reber, Campaign Manager, Watershed Advocacy
After years of lackluster planning and implementation, Pennsylvania and the other Bay states should celebrate the huge strides that are underway over the last two years since the completion of the Phase 3 WIP. Read more

It's Time to Reimagine America's Infrastructure

by Adam Nagel, Campaign Manager
If we are truly willing to invest trillions of dollars into building back better, then let’s make sure we do just that. Read more

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules that Drilling Revenues from State Forests Must be Used for Conservation

by Emily Rollins, Legal Intern
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for the General Assembly to transfer oil and gas lease funds designated for environmental conservation to the general fund for non-conservation purposes. Read more

Maine’s Innovative Response to Plastics Pollution and What the Rest of Us Can Learn From it

by John Ukenye, Policy Analyst
Something must be done to tackle our plastic waste problem in the U.S., and states like Maine might be leading the way and teaching us all a thing or two about finally solving this issue. Read more

What comes next for plastic bags in Pennsylvania?

by Jessica O'Neill, Senior Attorney
July began with the expiration of a statewide restriction on banning the use of plastic bags. Read more

New Report Details the Use of “Forever Chemicals” in Fracking Operations Despite Serious Concerns to Public Health

by Austin Grace, Legal Intern
The impacts to our communities from fracking are obvious, but the inclusion of PFAS in the mix is even worse than we thought. Read more

Supreme Court Ruled Natural Gas Companies Can Condemn State-Owned Land

by Emily Rollins, Legal Intern
The U.S. Supreme Court recently dealt a severe blow in an ongoing fight to prevent PennEast, a private natural gas company, from building a 116 mile natural gas pipeline from the Marcellus Shale region in Pennsylvania into New Jersey. Read more

Report highlights success of Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters Program

by Adam Nagel, Campaign Manager
This year marks 10 years since the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Water Department embarked on its groundbreaking effort to improve water quality through the implementation of GSI with its Green City, Clean Waters program. Read more

More than Skin-Deep: Environmental Racism, Justice, and Pennsylvania

by John Ukenye, Policy Analyst
It is clear that people of minority groups are facing the brunt of environmental degradation at a harsher rate than other groups, and this is true in Pennsylvania too. Read more

Get the Latest onOur PennFuture

Sign up for email updates on the latest news, events, and opportunities to make a difference.

Sign Up