Just like the song about Kansas City, everything’s up to date in Erie. Home to Pennsylvania’s most visited state park, Erie is also home to a lot of green energy companies, and one of the new green economy’s biggest boosters, State Representative John Hornaman (D-Erie).

This podcast features some of the speakers at the Erie Clean Energy Breakfast, held on January 21. PennFuture’s President and CEO, Jan Jarrett, who drove more than 1300 miles in the PennFuture hybrid car to lead discussion at the six clean energy breakfasts we organized in January, once more set the stage for the other speakers. Jan is then followed by Representative Hornaman, one of the members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s Green Dog Caucus. We then hear from some Erie area green business leaders – Brian Gerrits, senior product manager for General Electric, Drivetrain Technologies; Tim Ryan, senior executive vice president of Apex Wind Energy Inc. and Axio Power Inc. and president, Apex Offshore Wind LLC; and Joe Simko, president and general manager for Hodge Foundry.

Passing the Clean Energy and Green Jobs legislation (HB 80) will help these and other green businesses grow here in Pennsylvania. You can do your part to help pass the bill by contacting your own representatives. Just go to PennFuture’s Action Center to urge your rep to vote for clean energy and green jobs now.

PennFuture works every day to make a difference for Pennsylvania’s environment and economy. Isn’t it time to join us and make a difference yourself? Go to our secure website to join PennFuture, and make sure you sign up for our publications. And remember, you can make sure you don't miss any podcasts by subscribing to them through iTunes.

n the past two weeks, PennFuture President and CEO Jan Jarrett has traveled throughout the state, holding breakfast meetings with business leaders and elected officials on the need to pass the Clean Energy and Green Jobs legislation.

This week’s podcast features the presentations by Jan, Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger, and State Senator Jim Ferlo (D-Allegheny) at the Wednesday, January 20 breakfast in Pittsburgh. The three speakers detail the need for the legislation and outline what business leaders can do to help pass it.

PennFuture works every day to make a difference for Pennsylvania’s environment and economy. Isn’t it time to join us and make a difference yourself? Go to our secure website to join PennFuture, and make sure you sign up for our publications. And remember, you can make sure you don't miss any podcasts by subscribing to them through iTunes.

Early in 2009, Foundation Mining petitioned the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to downgrade the rating of South Fork Tenmile Creek (SFTM) in Greene County, which would allow the company to dump dirty water into the creek with little or no treatment.

But that plan backfired on the company – big time, as former VP Cheney would say. After local conservationists and PennFuture got involved and documented the true value of the creek, DEP actually upgraded many parts of the creek, which means the company now has to take even more action to protect the water.

This week’s podcast, recorded in part at a celebration of DEP’s decision, features many of the people who worked so hard to get this great result. First, PennFuture’s western Pennsylvania outreach coordinator, Dr. Joylette Portlock, speaks with Krissy Kasserman from Mountain Watershed Association; Terri Davin from Center for Coalfield Justice; PennFuture’s Staff Attorney Brian Glass, who was lead counsel on the issue; and Attilia (Tillie) Shumaker from Wheeling Creek Watershed Conservancy. In the second part of the podcast, you’ll hear Joylette’s discussion with the experts on the case, Dr. Steve Kunz from Schmid and Company and Dr. Ben Stout.

PennFuture works every day to make a difference for Pennsylvania’s environment and economy. Isn’t it time to join us and make a difference yourself? Go to our secure website to join PennFuture, and make sure you sign up for our publications. And remember, you can make sure you don't miss any podcasts by subscribing to them through iTunes.