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The residents in the northern tier of the commonwealth have lived with the impacts of oil and gas development for well over a decade. While the industry has brought jobs and a boost to the economy, far too often this has come with the added cost of air pollution and harm to our climate. In community with the natural world, people of faith believe we have a moral imperative to act responsibly and protect all our living neighbors – human, animal and plant.
We have learned over the last century and understand in these last decades that we must have strong safeguards in place to protect us from climate change impacts spurred by methane and health impacts caused by volatile organic compounds – both of which are released into the air by the oil and gas industry. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), at the direction of Gov. Tom Wolf, is advancing a rule to cut these emissions and help clean up our air as we address climate change. Pennsylvania now has over a million tons of methane emitted by oil and gas producers every year – the same climate impact as all the cars on the road combined. We have no choice but to act.
To advance a strong rule, however, it is critical that DEP close a loophole for “low-producing” wells that would leave more than half of these emissions on the table. That’s unacceptable.
People of faith urge our leaders, with the words of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Herschel, to act “with moral grandeur and spiritual audacity” by addressing the climate crisis that is engulfing our country and world. There is no time for half-truths and half-measures.
Let’s get a strong rule to the finish line in the interest of protecting Pennsylvania families and all living communities.
Melinda Krokus
PA Interfaith Power & Light (PAIPL) Vice President of Board
Sr. Donna Korba, IHM
Director of the Office of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), Sisters of IHM
Rabbi Daniel Swartz
Executive Director of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL)