Despite its smoky heritage, our region has become an exemplary model of environmental responsibility.  Our clean air and water have been hard fought and make our region a better place to live and a better place to do business in.  In the state house, I would be a tireless  advocate for using the successes we’ve had in Pittsburgh as a model for protecting our natural resources around the state.

Focus on Smart Growth Strategies

Pennsylvania has tremendous opportunities in our brownfield sites.  In Pittsburgh, we have seen former industrial sites transformed into residences, commercial areas, and factories growing the green economy.  I would work to make sure that projects that use our existing resources are prioritized – and have measurable outcomes. Projects that make use of what we already have are not only environmentally sustainable, they will also help revitalize our neighborhoods and commercial districts.

Transparent, Clean Development of Natural Resources

The Marcellus Shale formation represents one of Pennsylvania’s major natural resources.  But it’s development should not come at the expense of our infrastructure, our communities, or our well-being.  I believe that the extraction of natural gas should be a transparent process, and that developers who want to take advantage of Pennsylvania’s resources should be responsible for mitigating the damage to our infrastructure and environment.  Most importantly, we cannot leverage our health and the health of our children for short term economic gain.