The over 50,000 pro-life Christians who have acted in support of Pennsylvania joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) thank Pennsylvania Representatives Mehaffie (R, 106), Stephens (R, 151), and Thomas (178) for voting against HB 637. Our community appreciates your decision to defend our children’s health and build a clean energy economy with family-sustaining jobs for all by reducing carbon emissions and other pollutants.

According to a 2021 medical study, 350,000 people in the United States die each year from soot (PM2.5) formed solely by fossil fuel combustion, and the worst state in the nation is our own Pennsylvania home. Confirming our poor air quality, in the United Health Care 2021 Report, PA ranks 48th of 50 in state air and water quality and 49th in human health-related risks from exposure to toxic chemicals.

It’s time to put our children first and rebuild Pennsylvania’s energy economy by joining the market-based RGGI, and in this regard we applaud the efforts of Representatives Mahaffie, Stephens, and Thomas. We now encourage these Representatives to lead a bipartisan effort to pass a clean, stand-alone bill that reinvests RGGI pollution allowance revenue to retool Pennsylvania’s energy economy, supply hope for transiting communities, aid those who have suffered fossil fuels’ worst impacts and ensure an abundant future for all our children.

Pennsylvania has already lost $212 million in the first quarter of 2022 alone due to foolish infighting in Harrisburg. We can move to a clean energy future, still be an energy leader, defend our children’s health, and create increased family-sustaining jobs. But we can only do this if we work together to achieve the right policies for all Pennsylvanians. The clean energy future is at our door; now let’s open it. These three Representatives began that process and turned the knob with their courage, and for that we are very grateful.