HARRISBURG, Penn. – Members of Pennsylvania’s conservative community held a tele-press conference today to announce the launch of the Pennsylvania Conservative Energy Forum (PennCEF). PennCEF seeks to provide a conservative voice in the state energy policy debate, supporting common-sense, all-of-the-above energy solutions that are good for the economy, grid and national security, and the conservation of our state’s natural resources. The announcement comes as the state Legislature considers updates to Pennsylvania’s clean energy standards.
Chad Forcey, a seasoned conservative grassroots leader in Pennsylvania, serves as PennCEF’s executive director and argues that support for a diverse energy portfolio is hardly a new concept for conservatives.
“Historically, conservatives have led our country’s efforts to protect and preserve our natural resources,” Forcey said. “When it comes to the energy debate, the issue has become polarizing, and often dominated by the left. We founded PennCEF because we believe an all-of-the-above approach to energy policy is key to the future success of our state, nation, and world.”
Forcey said that the group’s members respect the historic role played by oil and petroleum in Pennsylvania’s economy, but also feel a responsibility to address a changing world with conservative values based on faith, economic growth, innovation, and free-market principles.
PennCEF seeks to be a forum for individuals, organizations, and businesses to join the conservative conversation about the state’s energy future to pursue a diversified energy portfolio. By increasing the use of homegrown, clean, renewable and efficient energy sources, Pennsylvania can make use of cost-effective and innovative technologies that create local jobs, increase economic investment in the state, improve grid security and reliability, and conserve natural resources for generations to come. PennCEF will educate the public and policymakers on the economics, reliability, and affordability of clean energy while serving as a voice for conservative solutions and ratepayer protection.
“Pennsylvania is a national leader in energy,” said James Seif, PennCEF leadership council member and former PA Secretary of Environmental Protection. “We want to increase the use of wind, solar, biomass and other clean technologies so that Pennsylvania becomes a leader for the all-of-the-above category as well. This will place the Keystone State at the forefront of renewable efforts, and position our citizens as economic development leaders for job growth, national security, and domestic production.”
“When we take care of God’s creation, by producing our own clean energy, we are leaving an infrastructure of sustainable renewable development for our children,” said Rev. Mitch Hescox, PennCEF leadership council member and president/CEO of the Evangelical Environmental Network. “As citizens and people of faith, we are celebrating the word ‘conserve’ which is inherent in the word ‘conservative.’ This is the land God gave us, and we want to make it more productive so that it lasts for the future.”
The PennCEF Leadership Council members include:
Chad Forcey, Executive Director, PENNCEF
John Easoz, President of Solar PV Consulting and CEO of Direct Gain Consulting, LLC
Tom Stevenson, Partner, Green Roads Solar Energy & Iceburgh Associates
Rev. Mitch Hescox, President & CEO, the Evangelical Environmental Network
Ron Gdovic, President & CEO, WINDSTAX Inc
Brian Kennedy, SVP for Operations and Government Affairs, Pittsburgh Technology Council
David Jason, Partner, Green Roads Solar Energy & Iceburgh Associates
Mark DeSantis, CEO, RoadBotics
Jim Seif, consultant and board member of BioChem Technology Inc.
For more information, follow us on Twitter @penncef and like our Facebook page.
About PennCEF
The Pennsylvania Conservative Energy Forum is an organization comprised of conservative individuals, organizations, and businesses who want the state to develop an all-of-the-above, diversified energy portfolio that places emphasis on increasing clean, renewable and efficient energy sources. PennCEF believes that a diversified energy portfolio will create jobs, increase economic investment in the state, conserve our natural resources, protect our grid and national security, and position Pennsylvania as a leader in energy development for decades to come.