There are few districts in the state where the twin problems of sprawl and traffic are as acute as they are in the 149th district. As your representative, I have attempted to be diligent, proactive and creative in addressing these issues.

First, I sit on the Energy and Environmental Resources Committee. Each time we meet, we discuss, explore and vote on legislation related to protecting our environment. I was also appointed to be a member of the Governor’s Green Ribbon Commission on Environmental Priorities. In these two rolls, I have been a strong advocate for making Pennsylvania a greener state. The need to do this is an urgent one. Perhaps the most telling statistic is: Pennsylvania is the second slowest growing state with regard to population in the nation. Yet, we are sixth in the nation in the percentage of our land lost to development in the last 10 years. This is breathtaking.

I have tried to do a number of things to address this issue. First, I was one of three original co-sponsors of Governor Rendell’s visionary Growing Greener II program that provided $625 million of new money to preserve open space, clean up polluted streams and repair the infrastructure of our state parks. When some legislators introduced an alternative that would have gutted all of the new investment in our environment, I led the successful floor fight to see the Governor’s plan prevail.

I also introduced the "Hybrid Car Act" of 2004. Hybrids are vehicles that use both gasoline and electricity as propulsion agents. They are cleaner and far cheaper because they get so many more miles to the gallon by using gasoline only a small portion of the time they are running. This legislation gained statewide attention and numerous positive newspaper editorials from all around the Commonwealth. The legislation requires the state, which owns or leases approximately 40,000 vehicles for its employees at any given time, to have 25% of its fleet as hybrids within 5 years.

I am pleased to report that pursuant to an agreement with the Department of General Services and the Department of Environmental Protection, my hybrid car proposal is now the policy of Pennsylvania. Already, state employees are driving energy-saving hybrids. Further, the National Governor’s Association has adopted the 25% goal as their national standard.

I have also introduced comprehensive solar power promotion legislation. This bill will require the state to employ renewable energy in all new state buildings. It also creates a 25 million dollar fund to assist people and businesses who wish to install a solar energy system as well as a one million dollar fund to educate people about the advantages and availability of solar power. This bill, once passed, will make Pennsylvania the leading promoter of solar power in the nation.

I also worked to pass Representative Ross's Renewable Portfolio Standards Legislation. This sounds arcane, but it is very important. Essentially the law requires all energy companies to produce a certain percentage of the energy they sell from renewable sources such as solar, wind and geo-thermal. When Governor Rendell signed this into law last year, we became the first industrial state to have renewable portfolio standards legislation.

I was a strong supporter and co-sponsor of Representative Bob Freeman's Elm Street legislation, which will encourage redevelopment of existing structures rather than new development on pristine lands. I have also supported creative land-use initiatives, which will do things such as making regional zoning easier.

One of the major successes we've had was the recently passed Open Space Initiative in Montgomery County. We the people of Montgomery County voted to pass a $150 million open space preservation act which will save literally thousands of acres over the next ten years. I was on the board of directors of that effort, and sent every single constituent correspondence in support of the open space referendum. I am proud to say that the people of the 149th district supported open space in greater numbers than any other district.

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