In general, the Environmental Issues Committee studies and educates the public about climate change, environmental sustainability, the effects of Marcellus Shale drilling, and the impact of plastics on the environment.
LWVPA supports the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Ruling (December 2013) based on Amendment One (I), Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution as enacted in 1972 which promises: “…a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment.” Pennsylvania’s public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.
Everyone is welcome to attend the next meeting
Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 3:00 pm
Indiana County Conservation District Offices
435 Hamill Road, Indiana, PA
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a proposal for Pennsylvania to join ten New England and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce climate change pollution. The RGGI strives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while generating economic growth.
Members of the public can learn more about the RGGI by reading the information on Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection website.
You can also learn more from the infographics listed below this RGGI poster.
Learn about how RGGI works here.
Learn about how RGGI protects out health and saves lives here.
Learn about what Pennsylvanians think about RGGI here.
Learn how RGGI will affect Climate Change in PA here.
Learn how Pennsylvania Businesses Support RGGI here.
Learn about how RGGI will provide opportunities for Coal Plant Communities in Pennsylvania here.
Learn how RGGI can protect jobs at Pennsylvania’s nuclear power plants here.
Learn how RGGI can promote Environmental Justice in Pennsylvania here.
The League of Women Voters of Indiana County is requesting nominations for the Peggy Clark Grassroots Environmental Leadership Award. Nominations should be submitted by April 1, 2023. This award recognizes citizens, groups, or businesses who show exemplary leadership and active participation in issues that involve protecting or preserving our environment. The award was established in honor of a longtime Indiana County grassroots environmental activist and League member and is awarded annually. There are two categories: individual and group. The nomination form for either category can be found here.
Please submit nomination to Laurie Lafontaine at lauriemlafontaine@gmail.com or send to 480 Airport Road, Indiana PA 15701. Questions, please call 724 422-3763.
Pictured from L to R: Laurie Lafontaine, Committee Chair; Ellen Chinn; Tom Miller; Dave Dahlheimer; Susan Dahlheimer; Norma Tarnoff; Silas Schiera, Individual Award Winner; Carolyn Trimarchi; Jessica Jopp; Kay Snyder.
The League of Women Voters of Indiana County presented their tenth annual Peggy Clark Grassroots Environmental Leadership Awards at its annual meeting on June 2, 2022. This award recognizes citizens, groups, or businesses who show exemplary leadership and active participation in issues that involve protecting or preserving the environment. The award was established in honor of a longtime Indiana County grassroots activist and League member, Peggy Clark, and is awarded annually to both an individual and a group or organization.
This year’s individual award was given to Mr. Silas Schiera. Silas started the recycling of plastic film in Indiana County in 2019 as a student at Indiana Area Senior High School and a Life Scout with Boy Scout Troop 1011. “Bags to Benches” earned him his Eagle Scout rank, Boy Scouts’ highest honor, by successfully collecting five hundred pounds of plastic film in less than six months to complete the first “Bench Project” in Indiana County. The plastic is sent to the Trex Company, which makes composite lumber from recycled plastic, and Trex donates a poly-lumber outdoor bench in return. The first bench was installed at Indiana Area Senior High School. His project inspired multiple organizations in the county to start their own “Bags to Benches”. As of spring 2022, seven composite benches have been installed throughout Indiana County.
The group award this year went to Friends of Whites Woods (FWW). They were formed in 1995 for the primary purpose of preserving White’s Woods Nature Center as a natural area for the conservation and recreation requirements of the Project 70 law that provided funding for the acquisition of the property. Promoting and educating the general public about the value of the relationships between habitat, air, and water quality that nurtures us all is a key goal as well. FWW has promoted public engagement in environmental concerns by a number of different approaches: educational programming, collaboration with other environmentally-focused community organizations, public advocacy, support of state-wide conservation organizations, engaging the public in community environmental decision-making, sponsoring important community-wide programming and discussions regarding climate change and carbon sequestration, and highlighting the value of our local natural area to local residents and those outside our community. FWW was selected for the group award because of the tremendous impact they have made not only in keeping the public informed about the environmental and potential threats to the WW Nature Center, but also for engaging the local population in conservation, preservation and activism. The FWW board is comprised of local residents and citizens who are striving to make the Indiana community a better place to live.
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
