For Immediate Release
Press Contact:
Anthony Campisi
732-266-8221
Rep. Cartwright joined educators, advocates and local electeds to celebrate Northeast Pennsylvania job growth thanks to historic Biden climate and infrastructure laws
Nanticoke, PA – Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Moosic) joined community leaders, advocates and educators at Luzerne County Community College yesterday to highlight federal investments that are coming to Northeast Pennsylvania that are creating jobs, reducing costs for working families, curbing carbon pollution and improving air quality.
Northeast Pennsylvania is seeing a massive amount of federal investments thanks to President Biden’s landmark climate and bipartisan infrastructure laws, which are delivering funding that is allowing local towns to switch to electric school buses, implement new rail service connecting Scranton and New York City and lowering energy costs for working families and local businesses by enabling them to switch to clean, renewable energy.
“President Biden’s landmark climate and infrastructure legislation is delivering real results for families across Pennsylvania, investing in communities and creating jobs while tackling the climate crisis and cleaning our air,” said Molly Parzen, Executive Director of Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania. “These investments are cutting costs for school districts and communities across Northeast Pennsylvania. We want to thank Rep. Cartwright for his steadfast leadership in shepherding these historic pieces of legislation through Congress, and we look forward to working with our partners at the state and local levels to ensure that Pennsylvania gets its fair share of federal funding to deliver measurable results on the ground in communities like this.”
Local officials were able to tour electric school buses that will be used by school districts in Scranton and Greater Nanticoke.
Outside the event location was a demo EV school bus to allow attendees to see and appreciate firsthand the practical impact of these federal investments.
The event was hosted by Luzerne County Community College to highlight the ways in which local colleges and universities are leveraging these federal investments to prepare students for 21st century jobs in growing green industries.
They were also able to learn about bipartisan legislation in Harrisburg, sponsored by state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Philadelphia), that would leverage federal funding to enable schools to switch to solar power — helping to improve air quality while creating union jobs.
“We have a tremendous opportunity in front of us to take advantage of federal support for clean energy projects, and Pennsylvania can’t afford to miss this moment,” said state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler. “Under my Solar for Schools bill, the Inflation Reduction Act alone will cover 30-50% of project costs. That means our public schools can leverage a federal investment into MILLIONS in savings on energy bills for their districts!”
“The federal investments passed by Rep. Cartwright, his colleagues, and the Biden administration are transforming Pennsylvania right before our very eyes,” said Dan Taylor, BlueGreen Alliance’s Appalachian Regional Field Organizer. “New clean steel facilities, clean school buses, and rail improvements all mean good jobs for hardworking Pennsylvanians and a cleaner climate for the future. It is proof that we can achieve so much more together.”
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