Environment
Voted 100% for Environment
I am listed as one of a handful of state House members who have received a 100 percent score from PennEnvironment, (www.pennenvironment.org) a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization.
PennEnvironment recently released its 2005 environmental scorecard for the General Assembly, which racked such votes as the funding of the state's conservation programs, promoting energy efficiency, ending taxpayer subsidies to overdevelopment projects, supporting Growing Greener II, and opposing a measure to weaken local governments' ability to regulate the practice of factory farming.
Environmental protection is essential for our health and well-being into the future, as well as for economic development She will continue to support it.
Fighting for Family Farms
ACRE legislation, which purported to protect farmers against "illegal" ordinances passed by local municipalities, was an effort by so-called factory farmers to operate in contravention of local zoning and health ordinances. In the House Agricultural Committee, where I am a member, I voted for an amendment, which weakened the concept. In addition, since I am a proponent of local control, continuously fighting against the legislature's takeover of Philadelphia most lucrative agencies, I voted no against the bill on the floor. It passed nevertheless as Act 38 of July 6th 2005.
I am a leader in making fresh food available to city livers through family farmers' markets that residents can patronize during the (mostly) warm months.
Growing Greener II (GGII)
I strongly supported this environmental and economic development bond issue, which was signed into law in April 13 2005 GGII will help make Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, cleaner, healthier, and more beautiful. This measure is funded not by new taxes, but by bonds and fees paid by those who use our landfills. This initiative will enhance the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund, give more resources to the Energy Efficient Appliance and Historic Preservation programs; allow the Department of Environmental Protection to clean up acid mines, protect watersheds, provide flood control and mitigation, remediate brown-fields, and promote advanced alternative energy project. New monies will help the Department of Community and Economic Development initiate downtown improvement programs to discourage sprawl and protect open spaces. Working farms, sewer systems and visitors' centers in state parks will also benefit.
Alternative Transportation
I am the only member of the General Assembly who does not drive, own, or lease an automobile. I commute to Harrisburg by Amtrak, and I get around the city by foot, SEPTA, and the occasional taxi. I look forward to the day when our public transit systems are so affordable, reliable, comfortable, safe, comprehensive, and frequent that the use of the private passenger vehicle will be sharply curtailed.
Recycling
I recycle everything either curbside or at drop off points in my neighborhood and work to encourage better programs in the city for this.
PhillyCarShare
PhillyCarShare, a nonprofit agency, provides a unique service that allows people who do not own a car to use one when they need it. Not only does it reduce vehicle traffic on the roads, community-based car sharing saves the environment. Members just make a reservation, go to a pod location (a parking space reserved for the shared car), use their electronic key to access, and drive the vehicle. Every shared car takes 23 cars off the road.
It was my pleasure to give a grant to PhillyCarShare early in its development, and according to Clayton Lane, co-founder and board chairperson of PhillyCarShare, I am the first and only legislator in the nation to be a member of any carshare anywhere. PhillyCarShare can be reached at www.phillycarshare.org
Bicycle Coalition
As a member of the Bicycle Coalition, it has been my pleasure to give the club state grants, support bike lanes all over the city, and help publicize SEPTA's new bus bike rakes. I know that bicycle riders improve their own health and cut down on traffic congestion and air pollution. I would like to see more commuters use bikes to get to and from work each day.
Backyard Composting
I started an urban backyard composting project in the district which was so attractive to the then Mayor Rendell that his administration took it over and made it a citywide program. I have been using my own food and yard wastes composted in my container garden for years now, and my plants grow like mad.
Babette Responds to Constituents:
ACRE Legislation
July 20, 2005
Dear Constituent:
Thank you for contacting me about House Bill 1646, so called ACRE (Agriculture Communities and Rural Environment) legislation. After passage in both the House and Senate, Governor Rendell recently signed this bill and it is now Act 38.
Originally, this bill created a board appointed by legislative leaders and the governor which was designed to protect farmers from "illegal" land use ordinances passed or being considered by local municipalities. From the beginning this bill raised my suspicions. First, there is already a mechanism to address "illegal" statutes: it is called the civil justice court system. Second, I dislike wasting taxpayers' money by adding layers of bureaucracy for little or no reason. Third, I am not convinced that small family farmers wanted ACRE; I inferred rather that gigantic corporation farmers conceived of and supported this legislation. And fourth, I am strongly in favor of local control. I have strenuously fought the General Assembly's erosion of Philadelphia political institutions and the take over of its most lucrative agencies, and I oppose the imposition of state control on other local governments as vigorously.
In the House Agricultural Committee, I voted for an amendment which replaced the ACRE board with expanded powers granted to the attorney general. I felt that this change resulted in a less pernicious bill. However, since I continued to oppose the concept in its entirety, I voted no on final passage both in the Committee and on the House floor.
If you have any further questions on this or any other State government related issue, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
Yours,
Babette Josephs
Growing Greener II
March 21, 2005
Dear Constituent,
Thank you for contacting me about Growing Greener II (GGII) a piece of legislation I strongly support for the health of Pennsylvania's environment and its people.
As you know, Growing Greener II is an $800 million environmental bond issue proposed by Governor Rendell to deal with a bludgeoning number of ecological problems around the state. It would provide funds to protect green space, watersheds, and forest areas, clean up abandoned mines and brown fields, and preserve agricultural land, among other activities. GGII is intended to build on Growing Greener I which lacked funds to address increasing needs.
Unfortunately, GGII, has become enmeshed in partisan politics. Republicans, who dominate both chambers in Harrisburg, do not want any Democratic governor to have control over this very large amount of money. But because of your good advocacy, Republican leaders felt they could not simply kill the legislation, so first they set up a commission to "study" that is, stall the proposal, and then they passed their own inadequate and poorly funded plan which they dubbed Green PA. As we know, Green PA works by cannibalizing environmental activities which are working now and directing those dollars to new unproven programs.
Green PA is worse than doing nothing at all, and the governor has pledged to veto it should it come before him. I voted against Green PA as did most Democrats, and I will continue to oppose any measure which does not adequately address the problem
Again because of your activity, House Bill 2 which would put the $800 million bond question to the voters and which did not direct the money to or away from any activity was passed in a bi-partisan manner without crippling Green PA language in it. I would like to see the question on the spring primary ballot. There is a deadline. My interpretation of the law is that the Senate must pass H.B. 2 in enough time to allow every county to put it on its absentee ballot. That date would be April 2nd, 2005 which is 45 days before the primary.
Like many worthwhile public policy initiatives, GGII has and will continue to face obstacles on its way to enactment. I call on you to re-double your lobbying and educational efforts, especially with our senator. The only way we will get GGII enacted is with grassroots support. Please make sure that your elected officials hear your voice – again and again if necessary, until we have the means to improve the environment for every Pennsylvanian.
Yours,
Babette Josephs