FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 18, 2018
Contact: Patrick Starr, Executive VP
Phone: 215-545-4570
Email: [email protected]
DCNR Climate Plan Unveiled at PEC Event
Philadelphia Environmental Partnership Dinner Honors Sustainability Leaders
Philadelphia — Guests at the 48th annual Philadelphia Environmental Partnership Dinner on June 14th were among the first to get a glimpse of the Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Plan developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Delivering the keynote address at the annual gathering hosted by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn outlined the challenges the agency faces in managing the impacts of global warming on Pennsylvania’s public lands – including invasive species, changing forest composition, rising temperatures in lakes and streams, wildfires, and damage from more frequent and increasingly intense severe weather events.
“To not act on climate, in today’s world, would be criminal,” Dunn said. “We need to act, so we’re laying out a framework for our action.”
The plan identifies 123 action steps, beginning with a pilot project to test out adaptive management practices on state park and forest lands in south central Pennsylvania. The full text of the plan, released concurrently with the Secretary’s remarks, can be found on the DCNR website.
Held in the Crystal Tea Room in Center City’s historic Wanamaker Building, the Philadelphia Environmental Partnership Dinner recognizes extraordinary work by individuals, businesses, and organizations to protect and improve southeastern Pennsylvania’s environment.
The Philadelphia Eagles organization was honored for its Go Green program, which has installed 14 wind turbines and more than 11,000 solar panels at Lincoln Financial Field as part of a broader effort to reduce energy usage and waste in partnership with dinner sponsor NRG Energy. Eagles VP for Fan Experience Norman Vossschulte accepted the Industry Innovation/Corporate Sustainability Award before departing for a separate event where the NFL-champion Eagles were to receive their commemorative Super Bowl 2018 rings.
Philadelphia Water Commissioner Debra McCarty received the Non-Profit/Government Innovation & Sustainability Award on behalf of the Philadelphia Water Department’s (PWD) Green City, Clean Waters (GCCW) initiative. GCCW has been held up as a national model for sustainably managing stormwater runoff through the use of green infrastructure.
“Working with public and private partners, the City of Philadelphia has added over 2000 green features, including stormwater tree planters, rain barrels, porous paving, rain gardens, and green roofs to our neighborhoods to reduce runoff, volume, and filter pollutants,” McCarty said. “All of this helps protect our rivers and streams, making our city a better place to live, learn, work, and play.”
Longtime Philadelphia cycling advocate Robert P. Thomas, AIA, received a standing ovation as he received the 2018 Curtin Winsor Award. Named for PEC co-founder and former board member Curtin Winsor, the award recognizes a person who exemplifies his vision, commitment, and lifetime achievement. Thomas is a founding member of the Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition, a leading advocate for the Circuit Trails and East Coast Greenway, and a champion for accessibility and historic preservation.
“It’s a heck of a lot of fun,” Thomas said of his decades of volunteer and professional work on sustainable development in Philadelphia. He donated his $1,000 cash award to the Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition.
The Philadelphia Environmental Partnership Dinner is one of three regional events hosted each year by PEC, recognizing environmental leadership in southeastern, northeastern, and western Pennsylvania. With the state Department of Environmental Protection, PEC also co-hosts the Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence held each spring in Harrisburg.
About the Pennsylvania Environmental Council
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council is a statewide organization that brings people, government, and business together to find real world solutions for environmental challenges. These solutions bring about sustainable communities, protect our water resources, and address energy and climate issues. PEC was founded in 1970 and serves the entire state through offices in Luzerne, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and State College.
For more information, visit www.pecpa.org.
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