Josh Shapiro Gets Major Endorsement From Environmental Groups

CHESTNUT HILL, PHILADELPHIA — A group of leading Pennsylvania advocacy organizations have thrown their support behind Josh Shapiro's bid to become the commonwealth's next governor, coming out on a rainy Thursday to endorse Shapiro during an event at the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, which is just over the Montgomery County line in Philadelphia's Chestnut Hill neighborhood.

Representatives from the Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, PennEnvironment, the Clean Air Action Fund, and Clean Water Action were on hand to offer a ringing endorsement for Shapiro, who has spent much of his time as Pennsylvania attorney general going after the likes of corporate polluters.

"I'm standing here today representing some of Pennsylvania's leading environmental advocacy organizations to proudly endorse — our historic joint endorsement — of Josh Shapiro to be Pennsylvania's next governor," Katie Blume, political director for the Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, said in remarks during the press event inside the Morris Arboretum Visitor Center.

Blume said the environmental groups are offering their endorsement so early in the campaign process because "the stakes couldn't be higher."

"Our state is already seeing the impacts of the growing climate crisis, even as Pennsylvania families struggle to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and face threats to their health, thanks to water wells contaminated by industrial pollutants and aging lead pipes," Blume said. "This is an important moment in Pennsylvania's history, and we need a leader with a proven track record. A leader who we know will put the interests of families over the wishes of corporate special interests and big polluters."

Blume said as attorney general, Shapiro has worked to hold corporate polluters and big business and industry "accountable in an effort to keep Pennsylvania families safe, even as he protects our constitutional rights to clean air and pure water."

Blume pointed out the two-year grand jury investigation that Shapiro launched into the oil and gas industry, "that culminated in dozens of criminal charges."

Blume said Shapiro's campaign is focused on building a 21st century "clean energy economy in Pennsylvania that would combat the climate crisis," while creating good jobs, building wind farms, installing solar panels, and expanding access to electric vehicle infrastructure across the entire state.

Shapiro, she said, is dedicated to focusing on environmental racism and the "underinvestment that plagues communities of color and low-income communities and families across the state."

Steve Hvozdovich, Pennsylvania campaigns director for Clean Water Action, also addressed the crowd, speaking about how water is under threat every day in Pennsylvania, from the likes of lead hazards, aging infrastructure and pipelines, PFAS chemicals found in things like firefighting foams and industrial products, and fracking natural gas operations.

He said with so much on the line, his group would not be able to endorse a candidate who ignores the threat to the commonwealth's environment and chose to support Shapiro because of his record fighting for these issues.

"Pennsylvania needs and deserves a governor with a track record that Josh Shapiro has," Hvozdovich said. "Someone who stood up and held polluters responsible when their actions contaminated our waterways."

"He is the clear and best choice for Pennsylvania's future and we're proud to join our other environmental organizations to support his candidacy," Hvozdovich said.

Robert Routh, an attorney and consultant with the Clean Air Action Fund, which is an advocacy partner of the Clean Air Council, spoke about Pennsylvania's history as a traditional fossil fuel state, with the commonwealth remaining a major energy producer and exporter.

"Pennsylvania cannot reach its net zero goals by sitting idly by and hoping for the best," he said. "As long been predicted, annual [power plant] emissions in Pennsylvania are starting to rise once again."

Given this information, Routh said it's important to have someone in the governor's office who understands the importance of supporting proposals that will help ensure that Pennsylvanians will continue to have healthy air to breathe.

"I know Attorney General Shapiro is well aware of the serious impacts that are caused by unaccountable industry and disinterested government agencies," he said. "These are growing problems that demand leadership from our elected officials and sound policy decisions."

Shapiro also took to the podium, thanking the environmental advocates for their collective endorsement.

"Throughout my entire career, I have worked to defend Pennsylvanians' constitutional right to clean air and pure water — and I'm honored and humbled to have the support of so many leading advocates for Pennsylvania's environment in my campaign," Shapiro said.

Shapiro addressed the fact that the environmental groups came together "so early in the campaign, in a unified manner, to back our candidacy."

He specifically pointed to Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, which gives residents of the commonwealth the right to have clean air and clean water.

"That section of our Constitution is somewhat unique across the country," Shapiro said. "And it's something that's informed the work that I've done as a public official for many years."

Shapiro spoke about his dedication to environmental issues during his time as a state representative, then as Montgomery County commissioner, (Shapiro was the first Democrat elected to the county commissioners' since the Civil War), and then as attorney general.

He said he would continue that legacy of dedication to the environment if elected governor.

"As governor, I've got a plan to make sure that we meet our obligation under our constitution, and we need this moment to protect our planet," Shapiro said.

Shapiro said he has a goal of going from eight percent renewable energy consumption to 30 precent by 2030, and to go to net zero emissions by the year 2050.

"And we'll make sure that we have a Department of Environmental Protection that's actually on the side of the people, and actually meeting the obligation under our state constitution, to providing for clean air and pure water," Shapiro said. "We're going to make sure that we put these issues front and center."

This article originally appeared on the Chestnut Hill-Mt. Airy Patch