Pennsylvania: State Dirty Energy Money Analysis

Pennsylvania: State Dirty Energy Money Analysis - Oil Change International: "Senate Bill 259 was a massive legislative win for the fracking industry. The bill, introduced by Senator Gene Yaw (R) (who has received $41,650 in money from the oil and gas industry since 2006) passed unanimously in the Senate and by a vote of 167-33 in the House. The bill guts decades-old law that helped protect landowners from predatory oil and gas lease practices.

Analysis of the vote shows how successful the oil and gas industry’s investments in the Pennsylvania legislature have been. Senators and Representatives voting in favor of this bill have accepted a total of $4,137,533 in dirty energy money contributions since 2006. On average, each member of the Assembly and Senate that voted in favor of fossil interests received 5x more than those who voted against."

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Pittsburgh for Public Transit begins to gather ideas from riders, drivers

TribLIVE: "Meetings slated for the first three Saturdays in November will cover subjects such as the economic impact of public transportation, environmental and health concerns and how public transit affects social and political equity.

Transit advocates also plan to:

• Help inform the public about the benefits of public transit.

• Mobilize people to advocate for the restoration and improvement of service.

• Demand corporations “pay their fair share” for public transportation infrastructure."

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Casey: Congress should consider raising gas tax

Philly.com: "Congress should consider increasing the federal tax on gasoline to provide more money for roads, bridges, and public transit, U.S. Sen. Robert Casey (D., Pa.) said Monday."

Cars kill. Why have them? We lived for tens of thousands of years without them.

Crash on Pa. Highway Kills 6, Including 2 Kids - ABC News: "An SUV crossed into oncoming traffic on a rural northwestern Pennsylvania highway and smashed head-on into another vehicle, killing six people, including two children, authorities said Sunday."

More evidence of split in 1% as auto infrastructure gets too expensive

Urgency sought for funding Pennsylvania roads and transit - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Members of the House panel heard Wednesday from business leaders, who said investing in infrastructure would drive economic growth. Vince Sands, deputy CEO of BNY Mellon, told the group that 50 percent of the company's employees in Pittsburgh rely solely on public transportation.

"This is really important to us," he said. "We have to get our people to work."

Transportation is important not only to keep a location running, he said, but also when the company is deciding where to create new jobs."

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ROUND TWO: Rumble in the Rotunda for Public Transit!

ROUND TWO: Rumble in the Rotunda for Public Transit!: "On June 4th, Pennsylvanians will convoy across the state to Harrisburg to rumble the Rotunda with the call for dedicated funding for our public transit systems. You are invited!."

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Tallinn, Estonia - #freetransit paying big dividends, car traffic down 15%

Chambersburg Public Opinion: "Savisaar has even dubbed the program the "13th monthly salary" since, he claims, families will be able to save a month's salary now that they can get around Tallinn for free.

Deputy Mayor Taavi Aas says the experiment, which will cost the city some 12 million euros ($16 million) annually in lost ticket sales, has surpassed expectations. Passenger numbers are up 10 percent, while the number of cars on city streets has fallen by as much as 15 percent, according to Tallinn's transport authority.

A recent opinion poll commissioned by the city showed that nine out of 10 Tallinn residents are satisfied with the project."

Transit supporters rally for more state funding - phillyburbs.com: The Intelligencer: business_finance, environment, tom corbett, philadelphia, pennsylvania

Transit supporters rally for more state funding - phillyburbs.com: The Intelligencer: business_finance, environment, tom corbett, philadelphia, pennsylvania: "Molly Nichols, a volunteer with Pittsburghers for Public Transit, told about 200 transit operators and customers from her city, Philadelphia, Harrisburg and elsewhere that people have a right to public transit.

“Bus lines and transit lines are our lifelines,” Nichols said in between the chants she led. “We use them to get to school, to work, to the doctor’s office, to churches, to shops … and current transit service is not efficient or affordable for our residents.”"

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TTI Report Says Public Transit Saved 865 Million Hours of Delay on Our Nation’s Roads

TTI Report Says Public Transit Saved 865 Million Hours of Delay on Our Nation’s Roads: "According to the Texas Transportation Institute, public transit reduced road delays by 865 million hours in 2011, and avoided the consumption of 450 million gallons of fuel."

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Bicycles mean buy local

Bike Pittsburgh | Bikes and Business Make a Good Tandem: "NYC Department of Transportation and the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium both show that with increased bicycling traffic comes more consumer dollars spent in surrounding locations. By advocating for bike improvements in Pittsburgh, BikePGH is inherently advocating for PGH businesses."

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West Virginia University students can ride buses fare-free

Editorial - Give public transportation a chance - Opinion - The Daily Athenaeum - West Virginia University: "According to the National Safety Council, riding the bus is 170 times safer than driving your own vehicle. This is explained by the fact that buses are driven by professionals, who are trained to adhere to strict safety guidelines.
Moreover, taking advantage of public transportation is good for the environment. Buses emit 95 percent less carbon monoxide per passenger mile than the average private vehicle. On a large scale, this would make a significant contribution to the greenhouse gas emission reductions needed to mitigate the oncoming global climate crisis."

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Climate-friendly candidate for governor of PA

About - John Hanger for Governor: "John has spent 28 years growing Pennsylvania’s economy and fighting for working families. A proven leader and nationally-recognized expert on energy, utilities, the green economy and the environment, John Hanger’s life and career have prepared him to lead Pennsylvania and create good jobs. "

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