My plan to protect our environment and more carefully harness Pennsylvania's natural resources
- Our environment needs to be protected; not just for the average person's drinking water and clean air, but for hunters and fisherman who enjoy their sports or rely on a clean environment for their livelihood. Clearly, green building standards, energy efficiency, and mass transit will help reduce carbon emissions. By the same token, we must make sure that we research and understand the full impact of `fracking' in Marcellus shale deposits to verify its safety and minimize the environmental impact. Part of the income from taxing Marcellus shale should go toward protecting the Delaware River and its estuaries from harmful pollution that is encroaching on it due to Marcellus shale drilling activities. Such byproducts of drilling can be extremely harmful to humans, especially when introduced to our drinking water.
- Outdoor recreation is a part of our life, and our lifestyle. Hiking, bicycling, boating, running, and playing in community ball fields should be encouraged and developed. We should be planning our communities around these opportunities. The 24th district has not only urban areas, but also large areas of suburban development and very large tracts of open farmland. That open farmland needs to be preserved, and our open space as well. We have an opportunity to produce farm and farm products and develop organic farms, local produce, farm animals, and animal products. We must do our part to in-source, rather than out-source, food production by keeping farmland a part of our local infrastructure.
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