Supporters Say PA Leads ‘Green Economy’ Shift

Backers credit federal Inflation Reduction Act with creating jobs, lowering household costs

By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service
The Tube City Almanac
August 19, 2024
Posted in: State & Region

A state vehicle accesses a public charging station. Electric vehicle registrations increased 82 percent between 2021 and 2023. (Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection photo)

Pittsburgh is emerging as a leader in innovative solutions like electric vehicles and clean energy to combat the climate crisis, says the group Elected Officials to Protect America.

The bipartisan nonprofit, based in Rockland, Maine, is a network of elected officials who are concerned about the effects of climate change on the environment. It recently hosted a press conference in Pittsburgh to applaud the region for efforts to encourage motorists to switch to electric cars, and for projects such as Energize Pittsburgh, a pilot program designed to help low-to-moderate income homeowners to reduce their energy costs.

Statewide, in 2022, electric vehicle registrations increased by about 82 percent from the previous year, the group said. At the start of this year, more than 47,000 electric vehicles were registered in the state.

State Rep. Emily Kinkead, Democrat from Bellevue, envisions Pittsburgh as a future leader in the green economy, bolstered by strong labor unions and academic institutions.

“Whether it’s solar for schools, or capping oil wells or any number of things that move us away from fossil fuels, (such as) transitioning over to electric vehicles, transitioning away from fossil fuels is a huge way that we can make sure that we are protecting our citizens now,” Kinkead said.

The state is using funds from sources such as the federal Inflation Reduction Act, which includes a historic investment of $370 billion to fight climate change over the next decade. Pennsylvania has set a goal of reducing emissions by 50 percent by 2030 — the same target President Joe Biden set for the nation.

Signed into law two years ago, the Inflation Reduction Act is a wide-ranging 10-year plan to encourage the adoption of more renewable energy sources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.

From its inception, it has received criticism from the fossil-fuel industry and from those who say more accountability is needed to make sure the money is spent wisely.

Its proponents say that in states such as Pennsylvania, its positive effects so far include carbon reduction, job creation and support for disadvantaged communities. The law marks the largest clean energy investment in U.S. history, with more than $369 billion dedicated to fighting climate change and creating jobs.

Fred Quinn III, a borough council member in Swissvale, said the borough recently got its first public electric-vehicle charging station in a partnership with Duquesne Light and Green Edge Technologies.

A supporter of the IRA, he said it offers financial relief for households as well.

“The Inflation Reduction Act offers significant rebates for clean energy technologies such as solar panels, electric vehicles and energy-efficient appliances,” Quinn said. “For families in my community, this means substantial savings on energy bills. Imagine reducing your household's energy expenses by more than $1,800 annually.”

Backers of the Inflation Reduction Act say it could yield more than $5 trillion in global economic benefits from reduced greenhouse gas pollution by 2050.

Erika Strassburger, Pittsburgh City Council member, said the biggest benefit of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure law — especially in western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh — is that they’ve been major job creators.

“You don’t have to go too far outside of Pittsburgh, to the Mon Valley, to see 600 new jobs created in a battery manufacturing plant that will help the electrification of our vehicles and of our systems. And those are jobs that wouldn’t have otherwise been created without these federal investments,” she said.

Strassburger pointed out federal funding will allow Pittsburgh to invest $15 million in electric vehicles for its city fleet, and she added that the transition is expected to save energy, reduce gas consumption, and ultimately save taxpayer dollars in the long run.

“If we can expand that, which is our intention to reduce the energy burden — starting with 100 City of Pittsburgh residents by the end of this year, and then over the next six years, do so for 10,000 residents across the region — that means that the greatest benefit we’re seeing is people paying less out of their paycheck toward energy,” she said.

Danielle M. Smith is a producer for Public News Service, where this story first appeared. An award-winning radio journalist/personality with more than a decade of experience in broadcast media, she is a former audio journalist with American Urban Radio Networks and Sheridan Broadcasting Networks who also hosts a weekly community affairs show “Good News” on WGBN (1360 AM/98.9 FM). Additional reporting was provided by Jason Togyer, a volunteer who serves as editor of Tube City Almanac and executive director of Tube City Community Media Inc.

Originally published August 19, 2024.

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