Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture) is a nonprofit
advocacy organization based in
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. As of 2021, the organization has five offices across Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Mt. Pocono and Erie.
History
PennFuture was founded in 1998 with the mission to work to "create a just future where nature, communities and the economy thrive. We enforce environmental laws and advocate for the transformation of public policy, public opinion and the marketplace to restore and protect the environment and safeguard public health. PennFuture advances effective solutions for the problems of pollution, sprawl and global warming; mobilizes citizens; crafts compelling communications; and provides excellent legal services and policy analysis."
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In February 2008, Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future announced that
Teresa Heinz
Teresa Heinz (born Maria Teresa Thierstein Simões-Ferreira; October 5, 1938), also known as Teresa Heinz Kerry, is a Portuguese-American businesswoman and philanthropist. Heinz is the widow of former U.S. Senator John Heinz and the wife of fo ...
, Chair of
The Heinz Endowments, Rebecca Rimel, President of
The Pew Charitable Trusts
The Pew Charitable Trusts is an independent non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO), founded in 1948.
With over 6 billion in assets, its stated mission is to serve the public interest by "improving public policy, informing the public, a ...
, and
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiolog ...
winner
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic no ...
would speak at the organization's 10th Anniversary Gala in Philadelphia.
In July 2022, Patrick McDonnell assumed the role of president and CEO of PennFuture. He replaced former president and CEO, Jacquelyn Bonomo.
Issue stances
Some of the policies endorsed by PennFuture include
clean energy
Clean may refer to:
* Cleaning, the process of removing unwanted substances, such as dirt, infectious agents, and other impurities, from an object or environment
* Cleanliness, the state of being clean and free from dirt
Arts and media Music A ...
,
air quality
Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. There are many different types ...
, and
water quality
Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...
, and
mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic ...
. According to PennFuture, "air pollution is shortening lives, contaminating fish, killing streams and forests, and inexorably warming the global climate.
Watersheds are thoughtlessly being undermined and paved over, and good water quality is becoming a rare commodity. Thousands of acres of land are defiled by past coal mining, and communities, streams, and families still suffer from destructive mining techniques."
To achieve success in their mission, the organization is "working to replace old outdated dirty sources of power with clean renewable Pennsylvania-made electricity, fighting
factory farm
Intensive animal farming or industrial livestock production, also known by its opponents as factory farming and macro-farms, is a type of intensive agriculture, specifically an approach to animal husbandry designed to maximize production, while ...
pollution, helping to stop damage from mining, protecting watersheds from sprawl and pollution, reducing global warming pollution, watchdogging state government, and providing $2 million per year of free legal services to protect the environment."
Additional Accomplishments
PennFuture has been involved in the passage of the $625 million Growing Greener Bond in 2005, the enactment of the state's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard mandates, and the enactment of state rules to cut mercury pollution and ease the purchase of "clean" cars. PennFuture also holds frequent campaigns to contact legislators about specific legislation, hosting "Lobbying Days" in the Capitol, and providing pre-written letters for its grassroots activists to send to lawmakers.
PennFuture has received more than $900,000 from alternative energy companies during the past five years, much of which the eco-activist group has used to lobby for tax breaks, subsidies and mandates for the wind and solar industries. Foundations led by the Heinz and Haas families have donated generously.
Press
* 1 February 2007 PennFuture Files Endangered Species Act Petition Against Bush Administration
* 22 May 2007 PennFuture,
Environmental Integrity Project
The Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) is a Washington, D.C.-based environmental nonprofit organization that advocates for more effective enforcement of environmental laws. The organization was founded in 2002 by former U.S. Environmental Prote ...
Launch Legal Action to Stop Massive Air Pollution from Bruce Mansfield Power Plant
* 18 June 2007 New Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for Energy Independence
* 8 February 2008 PennFuture Lauds Court Decision Striking Down Federal Mercury Rule
* 12 February 2008 PennFuture praises state House for moving Pennsylvania into national leadership with passage of energy savings bill
* 19 August 2008 Jan Jarrett named PennFuture president and CEO as John Hanger becomes Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the agency in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania responsible for protecting and preserving the land, air, water, and public health through enforcement of the state's environmental laws. ...
(DEP) Secretary
* 22 January 2009 PennFuture offers opportunity for citizen input on global warming plan - Ideas to be shared with Pennsylvania's Climate Change Advisory Committee
* 9 July 2010 PennFuture: Harrisburg's Lobbying Launderers
* 5 March 2012 PennFuture Appoints George Jugovic, Jr. President and CEO
* 4 October 2013 PennFuture seeks to ensure clean water and restore migrating fish to local streams
* 20 November 2013 PennFuture Asks Pennsylvania House Committee To End The Dirty Diesel Loophole
* 25 March 2014 Switching on: Installing LED streetlights to save Pennsylvania taxpayers money
* 24 July 2014 Audit blasts DEP's handling of gas-well industry
* 31 July 2014 Pittsburgh Hosts Hearing on EPA's New Greenhouse Gas Proposals
* 18 August 2014 Environmentalist group says health registry needed
* 21 August 2014 PennFuture Files Second Appeal Over Anadarko Permit in Lycoming County
* 8 October 2014 Despite ups and downs, solar power still shining in Pennsylvania
* 20 November 2014 PennFuture Appeal Settlement Improves DEP Stormwater Management Program
* 15 January 2015 PennFuture calls for state-specific methane regulations
* 16 January 2015 John Quigley: 'There's a real opportunity to get
arcellus Shaleright'
* 29 January 2015 Wolf bans new gas drilling leases on public land as promised
* 1 April 2015 PennFuture commends proposal to ‘reinvigorate clean energy investments
* 15 April 2015 Environmental Group Estimates State's Fossil-Fuel Subsidies
Legal Issues
* 21 December 2011 PennLive: PennFuture returns more than $138,000 to Pennsylvania because of contract violations
References
{{reflist
External links
Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future
Climate change organizations based in the United States
Organizations based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Environmental organizations based in Pennsylvania