Environmental Advocates and Legislators Urge Harrisburg to Lead on Climate and Cost-Cutting Measures as Federal Protections Falter
Today, Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania (CVPA), PennFuture and a coalition of environmental champions in the General Assembly gathered at the State Capitol for the 2026 Lobby Day to demand urgent action on a legislative package designed to protect Pennsylvania’s environment while lowering costs for working families.
The event comes at a critical juncture for our commonwealth. With the Trump administration actively rolling back federal environmental standards and pushing policies that increase energy costs, advocates and lawmakers emphasized that Pennsylvania must serve as a last line of defense for its residents.
The proposed legislative package is designed to lower costs for working families, create union jobs and protect Pennsylvania’s air and water in the face of ongoing federal attacks.
Key measures include:
- HB 1556 (Advanced Clean Manufacturing): Creating tax credits to keep Pennsylvania competitive in the global clean energy economy.
- HB 1260 (Solar Ready Warehouses): Mandating solar-ready roof space on new warehouses to reduce air pollution and spur clean energy to lower costs.
- HB 1834 & HB 2359 (Data Center Transparency & Protection): Prohibiting secret deals with data centers and ensuring developers and Big Tech companies pay their fair share for energy and infrastructure.
- HB 2184 (PUC Reform): Requiring the Public Utility Commission to prioritize affordability and environmental justice.
- SB 1249 (Water Well Standards): Establishing long-overdue licensing and oversight for water well drillers to protect drinking water for millions.
“We are here today because the work being done in these halls has never been more urgent,” said Molly Parzen, Executive Director of Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania. “With the Trump administration actively rolling back federal environmental protections and pushing policies that threaten to drive up energy costs for every Pennsylvanian, Harrisburg must be our last line of defense. We cannot wait for Washington to act. We have to lead. The package of bills we are highlighting today represents a common-sense, Pennsylvania-first agenda that recognizes that protecting our environment and protecting our wallets go hand-in-hand. By passing these bills, we can lower utility bills, secure our groundwater and build a clean energy future that leaves no community behind.”
“Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania and PennFuture released in January our joint Energy Affordability Agenda to promote 10 policies that will help mitigate cost increases for Pennsylvanians, better regulate the data center industry, and diversify our energy portfolio to achieve greater reliability. This is a commonsense agenda that we have already seen embraced by lawmakers in both parties and both chambers,” said Pat McDonnell, President and CEO of PennFuture. “Now is the time for Pennsylvania to lead the way and show we will not abandon our responsibility to protect our clean air, pure water, and the right to a healthy environment. These bills move Pennsylvania forward by providing real solutions, real opportunities and real accountability.”
“With utility prices soaring for households and businesses across Pennsylvania, and with extreme weather events causing continued harm and hardship to our communities, the General Assembly must pursue all options to make our energy and economic systems sustainable and resilient,” said state Senator Nikil Saval (D-Phila.). “The Solar-Ready Warehouses legislation that I’m introducing with Senator Comitta positions our built environment as an asset in accomplishing this. If we were to harness the energy-generating capacity of suitable rooftop space atop warehouses across Pennsylvania, we could power nearly a million households per year on solar alone.”
“The Pennsylvania Constitution guarantees us clean air and water, and this is a responsibility we all have,” said Rep. Paul Takac (D-Centre). “Over 3 million Pennsylvanians rely on private wells for their drinking water. My legislation would establish accountability without adding new regulatory requirements or permitting processes.”
“It’s no secret that the PJM electric grid is facing a supply crisis in the coming years. Pennsylvania’s electric generation portfolio is overly reliant on natural gas,” said Rep. Jacklyn Rusnock (D-Berks). “It makes sense to utilize all of our available warehouse space and take control of our energy consumption. It helps to reduce our carbon footprint by generating electricity using sunlight instead of using fossil fuels. This bill is about being proactive rather than reactive and utilizing the opportunity that is literally right over our heads.”
As advocates from across the state met with their representatives following the press conference, the message remained clear: Pennsylvania has the tools and the legislative path to build a more resilient, affordable, and clean future — if Harrisburg is willing to act.
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