Testimony and Letters

Secretary Patrick McDonnell and Executive Deputy Secretary Ramez Ziadeh

June 5, 2019

• Testimony to the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee at Informational Meeting on Third Party Review of Permits

May 10, 2019

• Joint letter on the Fiscal Year 2020 Budget for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (PDF)

September 24, 2018

August 20, 2018

July 25, 2018

• Testimony at Joint Senate Hearing on Flooding and Emergency Response (PDF)

February 26, 2018

• Testimony on the Governor's Proposed Fiscal Year 2018-19 Budget (PDF)

February 5, 2018

• DEP Comments on PUC Act 40 Tentative Implementation Order (PDF)

January 25, 2018

• Testimony to House Appropriations Committee (PDF)

December 20, 2017

• Joint letter on House and Senate FY 2018 Appropriations for EPA (PDF)

September 20, 2017

• Letter to the Chairmen of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee (PDF)

September 8, 2017

• Letter to the Chairmen of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee (PDF)

August 21, 2017

• DEP comments on NOAA Streamlining Regulatory Processes and Reducing Regulatory Burden (NOAA-NMFS-2017-0067-0001) (PDF)
• DEP Comments on PUC's letter on Third Party Electric Vehicle Charging (PDF)

June 6, 2017

• Testimony to the State Government Committee Public Hearing on State Government Regulations (PDF)

May 30, 2017

• Letter to the Chairmen of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee (PDF)

May 23, 2017

On May 23, 2017, DEP sent letters to each member of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation warning them of the impacts of the proposed cuts in the Trump administration FY 2018 budget proposal. The letters were sent to each Representative and Senator individually. Examples of these letters are below.

• Letter to US Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (PDF)
• Letter to US Representative Lou Barletta (PDF)

May 9, 2017

• Testimony to the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee (PDF)

April 26, 2017

• Joint letter to US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (PDF)
• Joint letter to US House Committee on Energy and Commerce (PDF)

April 6, 2017

• Joint letter to US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry (PDF)

March 28, 2017

Statement Regarding President Trump's Executive Order on Climate Change
The changing climate is the most significant environmental threat facing the world, and emissions from the United States are a significant cause. Pennsylvania has already experienced a long-term warming of nearly two degrees over the past century, and this trend is expected to accelerate. Today's Executive Order from President Trump is disappointing because it signals a shift away from addressing the very real problem of climate change. Pennsylvania is already seeing the effects of climate change on our economy and our environment as higher monthly average temperatures, more extreme storm events, and other signs of climate change are already being observed in the state. Ignoring the problem will only make conditions worse for our communities and economy and environment in the future.

As a state, Pennsylvania has already seen a decrease in carbon emissions from power plants in part to the shift to cleaner forms of energy, such as natural gas and the focus on energy efficiency. Despite the President's action, the Department of Environmental Protection will continue to pursue ways to reduce our state's greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change, because it is a problem that faces us all today.

Further information about climate change in Pennsylvania can be found here:

• Climate Change Action Plan (PDF)
• Pennsylvania Climate Impacts Assessment Report (PDF)

February 27, 2017

• Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee Budget Hearing (PDF)