Month: February 2024

February 8, 2024 /3BL/ – Pennsylvania state and federal policymakers joined with representatives from major businesses today to share perspectives on how the Commonwealth’s public and private sectors can work together to capture the full economic potential of federal clean energy and infrastructure investments.

The event, Pennsylvania Business Roundtable: Maximize Infrastructure Investments for Our Climate, Energy, and Economy, was hosted at the Eaton Experience Center — Pittsburgh and organized by the sustainability nonprofit Ceres. Attendees emphasized how Pennsylvania can best leverage the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 to benefit the Commonwealth’s economy, bolster its role as an energy provider and manufacturing powerhouse, and reduce costs and pollution.

A recording of the public remarks by representatives from Ceres and Eaton, as well as EPA Region 3 Administrator Adam Ortiz and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Interim Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley can be found here.

“There are important opportunities in Pennsylvania to act on climate change, while investing in infrastructure and manufacturing,” said Igor Stamenkovic, vice president and general manager, Electrical Services and Systems at Eaton. “At Eaton, our solutions are vital to energy systems everywhere. We’re making progress on our ambitious sustainability goals and investing in North American manufacturing. We look forward to continued collaboration with government agencies and businesses across Pennsylvania and beyond. Together, we’ll accelerate a stronger and more sustainable future for our communities.”

Representatives from Eaton, Hershey, Holcim, and IKEA were among the dozen private-sector leaders at the event, in-person and virtually, along with several companies that are regularly engaging with Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration on opportunities for climate action. Officials from the Shapiro administration took advantage of the opportunity to solicit input from these stakeholders about how to design a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant plan to maximize decarbonization and economic benefits. Businesses also outlined support for a series of specific policies to decarbonize the electric power, transportation, building, and industrial sectors.

“Pennsylvania was one of the birth places of the Industrial Revolution and now we have an opportunity to lead the industrial decarbonization movement,” said  Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Interim Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “Under the leadership of the Shapiro administration, DEP will continue to protect Pennsylvanians’ Constitutional right to clean air, pure water, and preservation of natural resources. Today, we are focusing on investing in cleaner air and helping communities reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants from all corners of the Commonwealth.”

“Holcim’s actions to reduce our carbon emissions are strengthened by a critical partnership with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We appreciate Ceres for bringing industry and government to the table to discuss how we can work together to accomplish our goals,” said Andrew Schepers, regional manager for government and public affairs, Holcim US.

“IKEA is committed to becoming climate positive and that includes achieving 100% zero-emission last-mile deliveries in the U.S. With the help of federal investments from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we can reach that goal together. We applaud the efforts of Pennsylvania policymakers to leverage these federal investments for a cleaner transportation system that benefits the Commonwealth’s businesses, residents, and economy,” said Doug Murray, public affairs leader, IKEA U.S. 

Since the IRA passed into law in the summer of 2022, Pennsylvania has already secured nearly $700 million in new clean energy projects. Today’s roundtable event celebrated this success while exploring opportunities for further policy and business action to invite even greater investment in Pennsylvania’s energy system and industrial sector.

“The Inflation Reduction Act and other federal clean energy investments have showcased an important partnership between the public and private sectors. As states compete in the global race to build an advanced, abundant, clean economy, leading businesses can provide critical industry insights to ensure federal investments are fully leveraged to bring jobs and supply chains back to places like Southwestern Pennsylvania,” said Zach Friedman, director of federal policy, Ceres. “Today’s roundtable event provided the Shapiro administration, federal officials, and Pennsylvania businesses an opportunity to learn from one another and highlight opportunities to maximize the environmental, economic, and equity benefits of these historic investments.”

About Ceres

Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.

Media Contact: Helen Booth-Tobin, booth-tobin@ceres.org, 617-247-0700 ext. 214