By Richard L. Gaw

Staff Writer

In a gathering before over 150 concerned residents held at the West Whiteland Township on March 30, the “Chester County 100% Renewable Energy & Discussion,” hosted by PennEnvironment and Chester County Ready for 100, sparked discussion on what steps need to be taken to move the county forward to 100 percent renewable energy.

The event was highlighted by a panel discussion on what methods can be used to encourage Pennsylvania communities to transition from fossil fuels into renewable energy. Those on the panel included State Rep. Christina Sappey, South Eastern Pennsylvania Sierra Club Chair Jim Wylie, West Chester Borough’s Mayor Dianne Herrin and Practical Energy Solutions President Paul Spiegel. The panel was moderated by Jess Cadorette, PennEnvironment’s Chester County organizer.

The event was also attended by U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a cosponsor of The Climate Solutions Act which calls for 100 percent Renewable Energy by 2035 and sets greenhouse gas emission targets to 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050.

Houlahan posted on her Twitter page: “Honored to speak at PennEnvironment's Renewable Energy Expo in Chester County today. Science should never be a partisan issue. Climate change is happening, and we must take active steps towards combating it.” 

“I am very pleased to see the current focus on our environment and climate change,” said Sappey. “We have a responsibility to next generations to take immediate action to protect and preserve what we’ve done right, correct what we haven’t and implement strategies that get us to 100 percent renewable energy. It’s for these reasons I am honored to do whatever I can to work with our environmental advocacy partners towards this goal.”

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].