Clean Power Plan beneficial to economy

Turns out the Trump administration and other anti-regulation cheerleaders never bothered to ask what Pennsylvania businesses actually thought about repealing the Clean Power Plan.

As a business owner and leader in the Lehigh Valley, I care about what benefits my customers and their communities. I care about what grows our economy. I care about smart policies that work.

The Clean Power Plan works for the 70,000 Pennsylvanians and 3 million Americans nationwide employed in clean energy. Clean energy jobs in our state grew 6 percent last year and according to E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs) the plan would create 20,000 more in Pennsylvania and 560,000 across the U.S. This is an industry growing faster than the overall economy and now outnumbers fossil fuel jobs 2.5 to 1.

Do our lawmakers believe Pennsylvanians don’t want these jobs?

I, along with 12 other state business leaders and more than 500 across America, signed a letter last week urging President Trump not to roll back the Clean Power Plan and the economic benefits that come with it.

All of us in the Lehigh Valley need to make our voices heard to ensure lawmakers understand the negative impact repealing the plan will have on our economy, local businesses and communities.

Andrea Wittchen

Lower Saucon Township

The writer is president of Lehigh Valley Sustainability Network and is principal/co-founder of iSpring.

Originally published at www.mcall.com on December 2, 2017.