Issue Position: Environment

Issue Position

In my first year as a Commissioner in Cheltenham Township, I proposed the development of a Sustainability Plan. I then served as Chair of the Cheltenham Township Sustainability Plan, which was adopted in 2013, one of the first in Montgomery County. Two priorities that Cheltenham adopted as part of the Plan were reducing carbon emissions and using renewable energy.

I want to see the development of a statewide Sustainability Plan: decisions today must take into account the short- and long-term impacts on our environment. I am very concerned that the regulation of fracking is inadequate. Studies have shown that the shale extraction of natural gas may be cleaner than coal, and it produces jobs. At the same time, the risks of extraction require further study and assessment. I will advocate for enhanced regulation of fracking to protect our water and environment, as well as ensure we have resources to enforce stronger regulations. By taxing the extraction of natural gas, we can increase state revenue, which also can help fund the needed oversight of shale extraction.

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