False Choices: Why PA Doesn't Need to Sell Out Health for Dirty Energy Jobs

For twenty years, PennFuture has held officials, agencies and corporate interests accountable to protect our environment, yet many policymakers still ignore environmental issues. At a recent rally in Pittsburgh, PennFuture and allies delivered petitions signed by thousands opposing Shell’s ethane cracker and the petrochemical buildout, highlighting Pennsylvanians’ concern for clean air, water and health.

Policymakers often tout dirty energy jobs, but we must ask at what cost. Instead of subsidizing polluting industries and sacrificing health, Pennsylvania should invest in clean energy technologies and good‑paying jobs that don’t pollute. Our state already employs tens of thousands in energy efficiency, solar and wind. Imagine the growth if officials offered the same support to renewable industries that they lavish on fossil fuels.

Clean energy leadership is urgently needed. We must demand that elected officials stop forcing a false choice between jobs and clean air and invest in a future that protects our water, forests and climate. PennFuture and its allies will continue championing clean energy and holding leaders accountable; with our voices and votes we can create a clean, healthy and prosperous Pennsylvania.