Hi —

Voters across Pennsylvania went to the polls yesterday, and although some of our local candidates came out on top, the judges we endorsed were defeated. These changes on the courts put Pennsylvania’s constitutional environmental rights amendment – which protects every Pennsylvanians’ right to clean air, water, and lands – at risk.

Courts give citizens the ability to seek justice and fight back against polluters and destructive industries harming their communities. We’ve seen state courts weigh in on everything from whether the state can block cities and towns from banning plastic bags to whether industrial waste facilities were concentrated in communities of color and low-income communities.

Judges also defend our democracy. In the 2020 election alone, our courts protected millions of people’s votes and stopped far-right politicians from endlessly delaying election results.

The oil and gas industry understands the power of our courts, which is why they invested heavily in judges that they believe will put the interests of corporations ahead of people. With more uncertainty in our courts now, we’ll need to scale up to defend against attacks on our environment and democracy like never before.

Our work to win big in 2022 starts TODAY. Can you chip in today to help us elect candidates who support a healthy environment and the right to vote? Even $5 makes a difference >>

Fortunately, some of the local candidates we endorsed won their races last night, and we congratulate Lamont McClure, Tara Zrinski, Zach Cole-Borghi, and Anita Prizio. We invested locally because it’s our county commissioners, executives, mayors, and the officials they appoint who make critical environmental decisions — from where pipelines and hazardous waste facilities get located to open space preservation to flooding prevention.

Despite this good news, faced with courts like these, we must double down in electing environmental champions in 2022. Electing a pro-environmental governor and putting pro-environment lawmakers in control of the legislature is our TOP priority next year. This is the only way we can take the bold action needed to cut our carbon pollution, invest in our Black, Brown, and low-income communities, and create good-paying, union jobs in clean energy.

Friend, I hope you’ll pitch in today as we gear up for even bigger fights next year. CHIP IN >>

Thank you for all that you do — reading and sharing updates like these, voting, donating, and contacting your elected officials make a difference.

Molly Parzen

Interim Executive Director

Conservation Voters of PA